Blog

Category: Chicken

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 1.2 kg Chicken
• 5 thinly sliced Onion
• 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
• 8 cloves chopped Garlic
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• ¼ cup Vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 3 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 Green chilli
• 1 cup Yogurt
• ¾ cup Cream
• 3 tsp Dried fenugreek
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• To taste Salt

Instructions:

Take a large pot or wok, big enough to cook all the chicken, and heat the oil in it. Once the oil is hot, add sliced onion and fry them until deep golden brown. Then take them out on a plate and set aside.
To the same pot, add the chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft. This would take about 5 minutes.
Then return the fried onion to the pot and stir. Add ginger paste and sauté well.
Now add the cumin seeds, half of the coriander seeds and chopped green chillies. Give them a quick stir.
Next goes in the spices – turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté the spices well for couple of minutes.
Add the chicken pieces to the wok, season it with salt to taste and cook the chicken covered on medium-low heat until the chicken is almost cooked through. This would take about 15 minutes. Slowly sautéing the chicken will enhance the flavor, so do not expedite this step by putting it on high heat.
When the oil separates from the spices, add the beaten yogurt keeping the heat on lowest so that the yogurt doesn’t split. Sprinkle the remaining coriander seeds and add half of the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
Finally add the cream and give a final mix to combine everything well.
Sprinkle the remaining kasuri methi and garam masala and serve the chicken handi hot with naan or rotis. Enjoy!

Category: Chicken

Area: Egyptian

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Chicken Thighs
• 1 tbs Coriander
• 1 tbs Cumin
• 1 tbs Cardamom
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tbs Lemon Juice
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 tsp Cumin
• Splash Lemon Juice
• Sliced Lettuce
• Sliced Tomato
• 6 Pita Bread

Instructions:

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl).
Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. If using a ziplock bag, I find it convenient to close the bag then massage the bag to disperse the rub all over each chicken piece.
Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours.
Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
Heat grill/BBQ (or large heavy based pan on stove) on medium high. You should not need to oil it because the marinade has oil in it and also thigh fillets have fat. But if you are worried then oil your hotplate/grill. (See notes for baking)
Place chicken on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
TO SERVE
Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce.
To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!

Category: Seafood

Area: Japanese

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Salmon
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Sake
• 4 tablespoons Sesame Seed

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in the Honey Teriyaki Glaze together. Whisk to blend well. Combine the salmon and the Glaze together.

Heat up a skillet on medium-low heat. Add the oil, Pan-fry the salmon on both sides until it’s completely cooked inside and the glaze thickens.

Garnish with sesame and serve immediately.

Category: Beef

Area: Egyptian

Ingredients:

• 800g Mulukhiyah
• 1 chopped Onion
• 300g Beef
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Litre Water
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil

Instructions:

Saute the onions in the 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Add the beef cubes or the chicken cutlets, sear for 3-4 min on each side
Add 1 liter of water or just enough to cover the meat
Cook over medium heat until the meat is done (I usually do this in the pressure cooker and press them for 5 min)

Add the frozen mulukhyia and stir until it thaws completely and then comes to a boil

In another pan add the 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil and the cloves of garlic and cook over medium low heat until you can smell the garlic (don’t brown it, it will become bitter)

Add the oil and garlic to the mulukhyia and lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes
Add salt to taste

Serve with a generous amount of lemon juice.

You can serve it with some short grain rice or some pita bread

Category: Dessert

Area: Malaysian

Ingredients:

• 400g Rice
• 150ml Coconut Milk
• 100ml Water
• 1 tsp Salt
• 5 tbs Corn Flour
• 3 tbs Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 200ml Coconut Cream
• 140g Sugar

Instructions:

Soak glutinous rice with water for at least 1 ½ hours prior to using. Drain.
Prepare a 9-inch round or square cake pan and spray with cooking spray or line with plastic wrap.
Mix coconut milk, water, salt and the rice. Pour it into cake pan, topped with the pandan knots.
Steam for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, fluff up the rice and remove pandan knots. Then, using a greased spatula, flatten the steamed rice. Make sure there are no holes/air bubbles and gaps in the rice, especially the sides.
Steam for another 10 minutes.

Combine pandan juice, coconut milk, all purpose flour, cornflour, and sugar. Mix well.
Add eggs and whisk well then strain into a medium sized metal bowl or pot.
Place pandan mixture over simmering water (double boiler or bain-marie)
Stir continuously and cook till custard starts to thicken. (15 minutes)
Pour pandan custard into glutinous rice layer, give it a little tap (for air bubbles) and continue to steam for 30 minutes.
Remove kuih seri muka from the steamer and allow to cool completely before cutting into rectangles or diamond shapes.

Category: Pork

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 200g Pork
• 1 Egg
• Dash Water
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 10g Soy Sauce
• 10g Starch
• 30g Tomato Puree
• 10g Vinegar
• Dash Coriander

Instructions:

Preparation
1. Crack the egg into a bowl. Separate the egg white and yolk.

Sweet and Sour Pork
2. Slice the pork tenderloin into strips.

3. Prepare the marinade using a pinch of salt, one teaspoon of starch, two teaspoons of light soy sauce, and an egg white.

4. Marinade the pork strips for about 20 minutes.

5. Put the remaining starch in a bowl. Add some water and vinegar to make a starchy sauce.

Sweet and Sour Pork
Cooking Instructions
1. Pour the cooking oil into a wok and heat to 190°C (375°F). Add the marinated pork strips and fry them until they turn brown. Remove the cooked pork from the wok and place on a plate.

2. Leave some oil in the wok. Put the tomato sauce and white sugar into the wok, and heat until the oil and sauce are fully combined.

3. Add some water to the wok and thoroughly heat the sweet and sour sauce before adding the pork strips to it.

4. Pour in the starchy sauce. Stir-fry all the ingredients until the pork and sauce are thoroughly mixed together.

5. Serve on a plate and add some coriander for decoration.

Category: Lamb

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 2 quartered Onion
• 4 tbsp Sunflower Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic
• Thumb sized peeled and very finely grated Ginger
• 2 tbsp Madras Paste
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 bashed to break shells Cardamom
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 1 tbsp Tomato Purée
• 1kg cubed Lamb
• 150ml Greek yogurt
• Garnish chopped Coriander

Instructions:

Put the onions in a food processor and whizz until very finely chopped. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan, then fry the onion with the lid on, stirring every now and then, until it is really golden and soft. Add the garlic and ginger, then fry for 5 mins more.
Tip the curry paste, all the spices and the bay leaves into the pan, with the tomato purée. Stir well over the heat for about 30 secs, then add the meat and 300ml water. Stir to mix, turn down the heat, then add the yogurt.
Cover the pan, then gently simmer for 40-60 mins until the meat is tender and the sauce nice and thick. Serve scattered with coriander, with plain basmati or pilau rice.

Category: Miscellaneous

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 150ml Water
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 15g Yeast
• 225g Plain Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• Drizzle Olive Oil
• 80g Passata
• 70g Mozzarella
• Peeled and Sliced Oregano
• Leaves Basil
• Pinch Black Pepper

Instructions:

1 Preheat the oven to 230°C.

2 Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into warm water.

3 Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place (we find a windowsill on a sunny day works best) until froth develops on the surface.

4 Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.

5 Lightly flour your hands, and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind.

6 Generously dust your surface with flour.

7 Throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft.

8 Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!)

9 Spread the passata on top making sure you go to the edge.

10 Evenly place the mozzarella (or other cheese) on top, season with the oregano and black pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil.

11 Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until the cheese slightly colours.

12 When ready, place the basil leaf on top and tuck in!

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Tunisian

Ingredients:

• 5 Large Potatoes
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 Green Pepper
• 5 Onions
• 1 tbs Ras el hanout
• 500g Pumpkin
• 24 Skinned Eggs
• Pinch Salt
• Pinch Pepper

Instructions:

Peel potatoes and cut into 5cm cubes.
Pour 1-2 cm of olive oil into a large pan and heat up very hot. Fry potatoes until golden brown for 20 minutes, turning from time to time. Place on kitchen paper to drain.
Cut the peppers in half and remove seeds. Rub a little olive oil on them and place the cut side down on a baking tray. Place them under the grill. Grill until the skin is dark and bubbly. While the peppers are still hot, put them into a plastic sandwich bag and seal it. Take them out after 15 minutes and remove skins.
In the meantime, heat more olive oil another pan. Peel the onions and cut into thin rings. Fry for 15 minutes until golden brown, turning them often. Add the Ras el hanout at the end.
Cut the pumpkin into 5cm cubes and fry in the same pan you used for the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until it is soft and slightly browned. Place on kitchen paper.
Pour the remaining olive oil out of the pan and put all the cooked vegetables into the pan and mix. Whisk eggs and pour them over the vegetables. Put the lid on the pan so that the eggs cook. Put the contents of the pan onto a large chopping board, add salt and pepper and chopped and mix everything with a big knife.

Category: Chicken

Area: Egyptian

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Chicken Thighs
• 1 tbs Coriander
• 1 tbs Cumin
• 1 tbs Cardamom
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tbs Lemon Juice
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 tsp Cumin
• Splash Lemon Juice
• Sliced Lettuce
• Sliced Tomato
• 6 Pita Bread

Instructions:

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl).
Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. If using a ziplock bag, I find it convenient to close the bag then massage the bag to disperse the rub all over each chicken piece.
Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours.
Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
Heat grill/BBQ (or large heavy based pan on stove) on medium high. You should not need to oil it because the marinade has oil in it and also thigh fillets have fat. But if you are worried then oil your hotplate/grill. (See notes for baking)
Place chicken on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
TO SERVE
Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce.
To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!