Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach Channa Dal Sai- Bhaji

Makes 4 to 6 servings

My niece, Mini, who grew up in Mumbai (Bombay), makes this dish and shared it with me. A specialty of the Sindhi community settled in Bombay (they were originally from northwest India, an area that is now in Pakistan), this dish ( sai- bhaji ) is almost a one- pot meal, traditionally served with steamed rice. It is very simple with the pressure cooker, and although this recipe calls for frozen spinach, it turns out all the more delicious when you use fresh.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped, or 1 ⁄ 2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 1
• (8- ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 ⁄ 2 bunch ( 1 ⁄ 4 cup) fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 small russet potato (or any kind), peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
• Finely chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pressure cooker over medium- high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the dal and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato (or tomato sauce), salt, and cayenne pepper, and stir about 2 minutes.

2. Add the spinach, dill, potato, and carrot, stir about 5 minutes then add the water. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid, add the lemon juice, and stir well, mashing some of the dal and vegetables with a ladle or a spatula. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Lebanese mixed salad

• One romaine lettuce, shredded
• One cucumber, seeded and diced
• Two tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat leaf possibly
• Half a red onion thinly sliced
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

Put the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and onion into a bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss well.

Jumbo shrimp, spicy sausage, Lebanese bread

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Two large shallots, finely chopped
• Four garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200 g of spicy sausage, sliced
• 100 ML White wine
• Half a teaspoon of chili flakes
• 800 g jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• One bunch parsley, chopped
• To Lebanese flat breads
• Salt and pepper
• Lebanese salad

Method

Heat the only boil in a large saucepan, add the shallots, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for four to five minutes until softened but not browned.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Adr the sausage slices I'm to cook until they release their oil. Add the white wine and cook for one minute, then stir in the chili flakes and and the prawns.

Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes until all the shrimp turn pink. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and season well with salt and pepper. Then cut the flat bread into bite-size pieces and add to the pan. Stir again and serve immediately with the Lebanese salad

Pork with peppers p386 vefas kitchen

Ingredients

• 250 ML of olive oil
• 1 kg boneless pork shoulder cut into serving pieces
• Four onions, coarsely chopped
• three garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
• Six allspice berries
• Two bay leaves
• Half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 1 kg of red bell peppers halved and seeded

Method

Heat the oil in a wide, shallow pan. Add the meat and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the onions, garlic, vinegar, tomatoes, allspice berries, bat leafs, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about one hour or until the meat is tender.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a skillet or frying pan, add the peppers and cook over low heat, turning occasionally for eight minutes or until softened.

Remove from the frying pan and drain on paper towels. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and put the flesh into the pan, around and between the pieces of meat. Do not stir. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced.

Grape and lettuce salad

Ingredients

• 200 grams romaine lettuce leaves
• 200 grams radicchio leaves
• 100 grams of small seedless green grapes
• 25 grams of parmesan cheese

For the dressing

• 60ml olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Method

Trim and separate the salad leaves, rinse and pat dry. Tear the leaves into bite size pieces and combine in a large salad bowl. Arrange the grapes on the surface and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese shavings. Just before serving, whisk together or shake the dressing ingredients until blended and pour over the salad. Toss and serve immediately

Spinach with rice

Ingredients

• 1 and a half kilograms of spinach coarse stalks removed
• 120 ml olive oil
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 4 spring onions
• 250ml tomato juice or hot water
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• salt and pepper
• 80 grams medium grain rice
• lemon to garnish
• black olives or feta cheese to serve

Method

Roughly chop the spinach leaves and rinse well, then put them into a pan and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for a few minutes until wilted. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan. Add the onions and scallions and cook over low heat stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Pour in the tomato juice or water, add the spinach and dill, season with salt and pepper, and stir well.

Using a wooden spoon, spread the spinach mixture evenly over the base of the pan and make hollows at random with the back of the spoon. Boon small amounts of rice into the hollows and cover them with the spinach mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice swells and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Do not over cook and do not stir during cooking.

Turn off the heat and place a fixed layout of paper towels between the pan and the lid to absorb the steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Take off the lid sprinkle with pepper and served garnished with lemon and accompanied by black olives or feta cheese.

It is still delicious served at room temperature the next day.

Chicken stew with chickpeas

Ingredients

• 300 grams of chickpeas
• 450 millilitres of vegetable stock
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 and a half kilograms of chicken cut into pieces
• 1 large onion grated
• 1 small leek white part only finely chopped
• 1 large carrot diced
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1 centimetre squares
• 1 yellow pepper seeded and cut into squares
• 400 grams of canned tomatoes
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• half a teaspoon of dried oreg
no
• 2 tablespoons of parsley
• 1 teaspoon of chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Method

Put the chickpeas into a bowl, pour in water to cover, stir in 1 tablespoon of salt, and let soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans and put them into a pan. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes then remove from heat.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large pan add the chicken and cook over medium heat turning frequently until golden brown all over.

Add the onion, leek, carrot, garlic, and bell peppers and cook stirring frequently 45 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar, oregano, and parsley and chilli flakes. Add the chickpeas together with their cooking liquid and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken and beans are tender. Serve hot sprinkled with basil parsley.

Jumbo shrimp coated in za'atar and coriander

Ingredients

• 12 uncooked jumbo shrimp
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons za'atar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• salt

Method

Put to the shrimp, olive oil and za'ater into a bowl and turn to coat. Let marinade for 20 minutes. Heat a large heavy frying pan. When it is hot add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they have turned pink and cooked through. Add the lemon juice and coriander and toss to mix. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Mushrooms and coriander

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 250 grams of chestnut mushrooms quartered
• 100 grams of white mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• half a teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander
• zest and juice of half a lime
• 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt salt and pepper

Method

Melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan, and all the mushrooms and garlic, and cook for a few minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary season well with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat stirring frequently, for five minutes until the mushrooms have cooked down.

Add the coriander lime zest and juice and mix well. If serving with flatbread warm the bread and place the mushrooms on top with a spoonful of yoghurt. Page 108, the lebanese kitchen

Lebanese chicken and pomegranate

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 spring onions chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 100 ml pomegranate juice
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• Half teaspoon ground allspice
• half teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 5 thyme sprigs
• salt and pepper
• Pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees centigrade. Brush the chicken with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and put into an oven proof dish. Put all the remaining ingredients, except the pomegranate seeds and coriander garnish into a food processor and process until thoroughly combined. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander and serve. Page 288 the lebanese kitchen

Comment

Not bad but not quite up to high expectations. Worth another try.

Potatoes roasted with lemon or tomato

Ingredients

• 2 kilograms of potatoes cut into wedges
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or 500 grams of tomatoes peeled and pureed
• A pinch of dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 65 grams of butter

Method

Put the wedges into a bowl. For lemon roasted potatoes add the lemon juice, oregano, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, coat well, then let stand for 1 hour.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Transfer the potato mixture to an oven proof dish, drizzle with the oil, and dot with butter. Cover with aluminium foil and roast for 1 hour.

Remove the aluminium foil and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices for 30 minutes more until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned. If necessary, add some water during cooking.

For tomato roasted potatoes, mix the potatoes the pureed tomatoes, oregano, and garlic and season salt and pepper. Transfer the potato mixture to oven proof dish, drizzle with the oil, and dot with butter. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and roast for 1 hour. Remove the aluminium foil and continue roasting for 40 minutes more until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced.

Comments

Easy and should be a regular

Stewed Potatoes and Green Beans, Extremadura Style V Patatas y Judías Verdes a la Extremeña

Makes 4 servings

Spain is credited with bringing potatoes from the New World and introducing them to the various countries of Europe. This is a stewed casserole that combines potatoes with green beans, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and garlic. The bay leaf and parsley add the perfect accent of flavor. This recipe originated in Extremadura.

Ingredients

• ½ pound green beans
• 2 medium to large potatoes (about ¾ pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Salt Freshly ground black pepper

Method

¼ cup olive oil In a medium earthenware casserole dish or Dutch oven, combine the beans, potatoes, onion, tomato, and bell pepper. Add the bay leaf, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix in the oil. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. If using earthenware, serve hot in the dish or transfer to individual plates.

Comments

Difficult to time OK - but can't remember what gets overdone. Was enough water.

Sautéed Red Peppers V* Pimientos Morrones Salteados

Makes 4 servings

This is a classic Spanish accompaniment to grilled or sautéed meat or chicken. All you need to do is stir-fry them for a minute or so in olive oil, garlic, and a bit of broth. If you don’t want to work with fresh chiles, jarred prepared piquillo peppers can usually be found in well-stocked supermarkets and specialty food stores. Make this recipe vegetarian with vegetable broth.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds fresh red chile peppers, cored and seeded, or ¾ pound (jarred) piquillo peppers, cut into thin strips
• Salt
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water

Method

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes (about 2 minutes for piquillos, if using).

Add salt and stir in the garlic and broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes more or until the peppers are softened, stirring occasionally and adding a little more broth if the pan dries out. Serve hot.

Comments

Was rather disappointing, possibly because of the poor quality of the chicken broth or possibly because not roasted peppers. With checking alternative recipes if such a classic dish.

Pork loin with Pomegranate Syrup Lomo de Cerdo en Jarabe de Granada

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The Balearic Islands, where this recipe originated, was home to the Moors for over five hundred years, and many of their local dishes reflect that influence. Meat is often combined with fruit, and pork marinated in pomegranate syrup is a classic dish. Spain has a long history with the pomegranate dating back to 1492 when the Moors were finally expelled from Granada. Pomegranates were incorporated into the Spanish coat of arms to signal the end of Moorish rule in Spain.

Prepare at Least 2 Hours in Advance

Ingredients

• 2 large pomegranates
• ½ medium onion, slivered
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• One (2-pound) boneless pork loin

Method

1. Cut the pomegranate into quarters, remove the seeds, and place them in a food processor. Blend 2 to 3 seconds, just long enough to break the seeds and release the juice. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer — there should be about 1 ½ cups juice. Place in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half. Let cool completely.

2. In a deep medium bowl, combine the pomegranate syrup and all remaining ingredients except the pork. Add the meat and turn to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 ° F. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan, scatter the onion from the marinade around the pork, and add just enough of the marinade to moisten the pan. Roast about 1 hour 10 minutes (about 35 minutes per pound), adding more marinade occasionally to keep the pan juices from burning, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 145 ° F. Remove from the heat, cover with foil, and let stand 10 minutes until the thermometer reads 150ºF. By the time the meat is done, you should have added all the marinade (if more liquid is necessary, add chicken broth or water). Remove the bay leaves.

4. Cut the pork into ¾-inch slices and spoon the sauce over the pork. Serve hot.

Comments

Was a little disappointing. From 1000 Spanish Recipes

Lamb with bulgar wheat

Ingredients

• 1 cup 175gms coarse bulgar wheat
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 700g boneless stewing lamb cut into large cubes
• 1 onion finely chopped
• Half teaspoon dried thyme
• Half teaspoon dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 500g pearl onions or shallots blanched
• Half teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

Put the bulgar wheat into a bowl, pour in 250 ml of water and set aside until it has absorbed all of the water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the meat and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes until lightly browned all over.

At the chopped onion garlic, rosemary and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently for five minutes.

Pour in the tomato juice, add the onions, cover, and simmer, adding a little water if necessary, for 1 and a half hours, until the lamb and onions are tender.

At the bulgar wheat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more, then remove from the heat, and serve immediately.

Note that there is a more interesting Lebanese version of this dish!

Comments

From Velfas Greek Kitchen - pretty good and easy to make.

Peas with garlic and pancetta

Ingredients

• 1 ten-ounce package frozen tiny peas, thawed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons prosciutto OR for a less salty taste, pancetta, diced into ¼-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons parsley chopped very fine
• Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
• Salt

Method

1. If using fresh peas: Shell them, and prepare some of the pods for cooking by stripping away their inner membrane, as described. Try to do about 1 cup of pods.

If using frozen peas: Proceed to the next step.

2. Put the garlic and the olive oil in a saute pan, and turn on the heat to medium high. Cook and stir the garlic until it has become colored a light nut-brown, then take it out, and add the diced prosciutto or pancetta.

Stir quickly 5 or 6 times, then put in the fresh peas with their stripped-down pods or the thawed frozen peas, and turn them over completely once or twice to coat well.

Add the parsley and a few grindings of pepper, and, if you are using fresh peas, ¼ cup water. Turn the heat down to medium and put a lid on the pan.

If using frozen peas, cook for 5 minutes. If using fresh peas, it may take from 15 to 30 minutes, depending entirely on their youth and freshness. If the liquid in the pan becomes insufficient, replenish with 1 or 2 tablespoons water as needed.

When the peas are done, there should be no water left in the pan. Should the pan juices be watery when the peas are cooked, uncover, turn up the heat, and simmer them away.

Taste and correct for salt, stir well, then turn the entire contents of the pan onto a warm platter and serve at once.

Comments

Works fine every time! Much better.