Lamb with Chickpeas

lamb with chickpeas – Mangshor Ghugni – 

Feeds 4-6

• 1kg boneless Lamb
• 2 tins chick peas
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• Half tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp whole coriander
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 1 stick cinnamon
• Few coriander sprigs to garnish
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Chop the lamb into large chunks and slice the onions. In a large saucepan, bring the oil to heat on high. When it is hot, drop in the cinnamon, cardamoms and bay leaves. As they sizzle up, toss in the sliced onions and saute for five minutes until they take on a pale golden colour. Adding a sprinkle of salt to the onions will speed this up.

Keep stirring the onions from time to time, and meanwhile dry roast and powder the whole cumin and coriander seeds. When the onions are ready, add all the spice powders, and keep stirring for another two minutes. If the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a little hot water and gently scrape off.

Next, chop roughly and mix in the tomatoes, along with the chunks of lamb. Brown the meat evenly for five minutes and then lower the heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring regularly for half an hour. You should not need to add water as the lamb will just cook in its own juices and this is a moist dish with no curry.

Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes, and in the last 15 minutes, rinse drain and mix in the chick peas. Stir in the garam masala and salt to taste, garnish with ripped fresh coriander and enjoy with warm rotis or pitta bread.

Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring/Egg Rolls)

Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring/Egg Rolls)

For about two dozen egg rolls, you'll need:

1 lb ground pork
1/2 to 1 lb shrimp, minced or ground in a food processor
1 package spring roll or rice paper wrappers
1 small section bean thread vermicelli. They're sold individually or in packages, but the packages will tie a small bundle together. You just need one.
1 cup dried mushrooms, soaked and sliced, or 1 cup Tree/Wood Ear Fungus/Mushroom, soaked
1 large onion, minced or grated
1 or 2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt, adjust to taste
1 tsp sugar, adjust to taste
1 tsp black pepper, adjust to taste
2 tsp Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce), adjust to taste

Optional: Ground turkey or chicken may be substituted for the pork. Add shredded cabbage if you'd like more vegetables. Add minced crab to make it even more flavorful. Vegetarians may substitute the meats with fresh tofu, just make sure to drain the excess water.


Dried mushrooms, tree ear fungus, and bean thread vermicelli need to be rehydrated. Soak in warm water for about 15 minutes. If you want to speed along the softening process, use boiling water. Squeeze vermicelli and mushrooms dry and allow to drain. Cut vermicelli into two-inch segments. I use a pair of scissors for ease. Cut off mushroom stems and slice thinly. Sometimes tree ear fungus is sold pre-sliced, if not, then slice into strips.

Mix everything thoroughly. To check for taste, I usually take a tiny lump of the meat and pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds or so. It's easier to adjust seasonings if necessary this way. Just remember to factor in that the fish sauce will make the mixture saltier as it gets absorbed and cooked.


You should only wrap enough egg rolls for however many you plan to eat right then. They don't keep so well. Store the filling in the fridge if you plan to make more egg rolls over the next few days. Otherwise, you can also freeze the leftover filling for use the next time you have a craving.

Now, in rolling an egg roll, don't be greedy. You're not making a burrito here. A tablespoon, or slightly more, is more than enough filling. Spread it out on top of the wrapper.

If you're making them as appetizers for a party and want them smaller, simply cut the wrappers in half. It's easier to do this when they're still stuck together, and then separate them after they've been cut.

If using rice paper wrappers, just wet the rice paper in a bowl of water or under running water. Allow a few seconds for it to get pliable and then put in the filling. Do only one or two at a time, if you try to moisten them all at once, they'll get mushy by the time you get to wrapping them.

Chinese egg roll wrappers do not need to be soaked before wrapping.

Fold down the top and pinch in to make the filling tight with the wrapper.



Fold in the two sides where it just touches the filling. Try to keep the sides straight so the egg roll will be even.


Keep pinching to hold the filling tightly inside the wrapper.


It's not just aesthetically pleasing to make a tight roll, it also keeps out excess oil when deep-frying. Moisten the tip to hold everything together. You could also use egg whites for this.


As an aside, my brother starts his rolling from the bottom and goes up. He insists that method is reflective of him being more giving. Read: my top rolling toward me approach must mean I take and take. Do you agree? Is your egg rolling method reflective of your personality?

Fill a wok or fry pan with several inches of oil, and an optional 2 teaspoons of white vinegar. You need enough oil that the egg rolls won't touch the pan so that it can cook evenly. The vinegar helps to make the egg rolls crispy. Do this first and then turn to medium heat or else the vinegar will make the oil splatter. As for oil, I recommend canola or safflower because they're tasteless and healthier than just vegetable or corn oil. Don't use olive oil because it has a different heating point and isn't as effective for deep frying. The lower temperature is needed to thoroughly cook the raw meat, and allow the wrappers to reach golden perfection. Turning the temperature too high will burn the wrapper, without cooking the meat. To test if the oil is hot enough for frying, flick some water into the pan. If it starts sizzling, the oil is ready for frying.

If you're using Vietnamese rice paper for your egg rolls. The wet and thicker wrapper takes longer to cook. Put the heat on medium-high so that the wrappers can puff up and become flaky, then they'll turn golden. By the time the wrappers are crispy golden, the filling should be cooked. If you're making both methods, cook the Chinese egg roll wrappers first and then turn the heat up to fry the Vietnamese rice paper-wrapped egg rolls. Otherwise, at a lower temperature, the Vietnamese rice paper won't puff up and will remain white long after the filling is cooked.

I had a question about smells. My mom used to have a portable burner and did all her frying and smelly cooking either outside or in the garage. I just crank up the vent and the air purifier on high and let it get to work. The air purifier usually gets rid of the smell by the end of the day.


I learned this trick from a Jewish cookbook on how to keep Latkes (Jewish Potato Pancakes) crispy. Drain on brown paper bags, it'll absorb oil but won't make the egg rolls soggy like draining on paper towels will.


Allow to cool and serve with Nuoc Mam Cham (Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce) or just plain. Or wrap an egg roll inside a lettuce leaf and herbs and eat them southern Vietnamese-style.

The Vietnamese rice paper wrapper is the one in white. Rice paper wrappers usually end up slightly chewy in the center, light and flaky on the outside, but Chinese egg roll wrappers are a good reliable favorite.


Enjoy!


Read more: http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2007/01/cha-gio-vietnamese-springegg-rolls.html#ixzz36oS7hpd0

Basic Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Basic Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Makes ¾ cup

3 tablespoons lime juice (1 fat, thin skin lime)
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup water
2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce

Optional additions:
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1 or 2 Thai chilis, thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon homemade chili garlic sauce or store bought (tuong ot toi)

1. Make limeade. Combine the lime juice, sugar and water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste and as yourself this question: Does this limeade taste good? Adjust the flavors to balance out the sweet and sour.

2. Finish with fish sauce. Add the fish sauce and any of the optional ingredients. Taste again and adjust the flavors to your liking, balancing out the sour, sweet, salty and spicy. Aim for a bold, forward finish -- perhaps a little stronger than what you'd normally like. This sauce is likely to be used to add final flavor to foods wrapped in lettuce or herbs, which are not salted and therefore need a little lift to heighten the overall eating experience. My mother looks for color to gauge her dipping sauce. When it's a light honey or amber, she knows she's close.

Notes

Advance Preparation - This sauce may be prepared early in the day and left to sit at room temperature.

Variation - Use half lime juice and half Japanese rice vinegar for a less assertive sauce. Some delicately flavored dishes require this.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

2-3 servings

Adapted from Delancey by Molly Wizenberg

I added Chinese roast pork (char siu) to mine. (You can do the same by marinating boneless pork loin in jarred char siu sauce, or make your own.) Boneless chicken, crispy tofu, or cooked shrimp, would work well, too.

Often nems (spring rolls) are added to salads like this. Most Asian shops sell them, or you can make your own (I linked to some recipes, below), if you want to use them. Molly adds fried shallots to hers, which you can also get already made in Asian stores, although she slyly admits the canned onions sold in supermarkets are fine, too. But like the fried spring rolls, those can be optional as well. I took it upon myself to fry up both because I was feeling adventurous.

To do so, heat an inch (3-4cm) or so of vegetable oil in a saucepan to between 275ºF to 325ºF (135ºC to 160ºC), then drop in the spring rolls, turning them as they cook. When well-browned, remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. (You can instead bake the spring rolls by rubbing or brushing them with vegetable oil, and baking them in a 375ºF/190ºC oven on a baking sheet, turning them a couple of times, until crisp – about 10 minutes or so.) Fry the shallots by peeling 4 to 6 shallots, and slicing them thin. Drop them in hot oil, stirring them frequently, until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels. (The shallots can be made a few days in advance. Once cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Authenticity probably dictates using a Thai bird’s eye chile, but I used the red one shown in the post since that was what was available, which was blazing hot. So adjust accordingly to what’s available and your desired level of heat. The sauce is called Nuoc cham and various recipes abound, with different amounts of fish sauce, lime juice, and sweetness. Some have garlic, while others don’t. I tried it both ways, and decided that the garlic took the sauce in another direction. So I’ll leave that up to you.

The sauce

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) water
• 1 Thai bird’s eye chile, minced, or 1 teaspoon minced red chiles (or to taste)
• optional: 1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced

The salad

8 ounces (225g) thin rice noodles
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
8 to 12 ounces (225g to 340g) cooked meat or tofu
A handful of fresh mint, cilantro, or Thai basil, or a combination
1/3 cup (50g) roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

8 to 12 ounces (225g to 340g) cooked meat, shrimp, or tofu

optional: 4-5 fried spring rolls
optional: fried shallots

1. To make the sauce, in a small bowl or jar, mix the lime juice with 2 tablespoons fish sauce, brown sugar, water, minced chiles, and garlic, if using. Mix well, then taste, adding more fish sauce, if desired.

(The sauce can be made up to one day ahead, and left at room temperature. If using garlic, add that shortly before serving.)

2. To make the salads, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately rinse the noodles very well with cold water. Shake the colander to remove excess water, then spread the noodles out on a clean kitchen towel to cool.

3. Divide the noodles into two or three serving bowls. Top each with carrots, cucumbers, and meat or tofu. Coarsely chop, or tear, the mint, coriander, or basil into pieces and strew the herbs over the tops of the salads.

4. If serving with spring rolls, fry the rolls, then slice the warm rolls into bite-size pieces and arrange them around the noodles. Add fried shallots, if using, then serve with sauce on the side, letting people help themselves.

Spicy Korean Grilled Chicken

Spicy Korean Grilled Chicken

Serves 4

2 small to medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
1/4 cup sesame oil
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (I used drumsticks and chicken thighs; see Recipe Note)

Combine the onions, garlic, soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a bowl and mix well. Place the chicken drumsticks and thighs into a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade in, making sure all of the chicken is covered. Seal the bag and lay it flat in a large, shallow pan or on a plate. Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or overnight, flipping once halfway through.

When ready to cook, prepare a high heat grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and lay the chicken pieces skin side down on the grill. Grill for a few minutes on each side to sear the outside.

Once you have a good sear, lower the grill's heat to medium-low. Cook the chicken with the lid closed for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them every 3 minutes so they cook evenly. When finished, the chicken should be cooked through, no longer pink inside, and register 165°F in the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• For more flavorful chicken, prick each piece of chicken just a couple of times with a fork before marinating. This helps the marinade penetrate through the skin. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat if desired.
• Since you are cooking chicken with the skin on, check your grill periodically for flare-ups. Have a spray bottle filled with water close by to extinguish any flare-ups to prevent excessive charring of your chicken.

Blackberry Cheesecake Squares

by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on June 15, 2014 in Brownies and Bars, Desserts

0.00 Mitt(s)0 Rating(s)

Prep: 4 hrs

Cook: 2 hrs

Level: Easy

Serves: 

System: US Metric

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Description

Decadent little creamy, fruity wonders!

Ingredients

• Crust
• 10 ounces, weight (2 Sleeves) Graham Crackers
• ½ cups Pecans Or Walnuts
• ½ cups Butter, Melted
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Filling
• 3 packages (8 Ounces Each) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Eggs
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• Topping
• 4 cups Blackberries
• 1 cup Sugar
• ¼ cups Water
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 4 Tablespoons Water

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a 9 x 13 inch pan (or other ovenproof pan) of hot water into the bottom rack.
For the crust, line a separate 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Add the graham crackers and pecans to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse them until they’re fine crumbs. Drizzle in melted butter, pulsing until it’s all incorporated. Pulse in the vanilla. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan and press the crumbs firmly into an even layer. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the surface. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the door closed for an additional 10 minutes. Finally, open the door halfway and leave it in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the cheesecake and let it cool completely.
For the topping, add blackberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and cook until the juices thicken slightly, about 4-5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 4 tablespoons water to make a slurry, then add it to the berries. Let it boil for another 1 to 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to cool.
Pour the blackberries over the cheesecake and place the pan into the fridge to chill and set for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil. Peel back the foil and use a long serrated knife to cut cheesecake into squares.

Sixteen Minute Beef and Bean Burritos

Sixteen Minute Beef and Bean Burritos

Prep Time:

 5 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 11 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 6

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion
• 1 can (7 Ounce) Mexican Tomato Sauce Or Enchilada Sauce
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
•  Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Garlic To Taste
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Refried Beans
• 3/4 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 12 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas
•  Extra Grated Cheese, For Sprinkling
•  Extra Sauce, For Drizzling
•  Cilantro Leaves (optional)
•  Optional Filling Ingredients: Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Green Chilies, Pico De Gallo

Preparation Instructions

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry.

Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm.

Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.

Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Serve immediately.

OPTIONAL: Fill burritos with any optional ingredients you like. (I love them full, but my boys like them very plain.)