Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma

• Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish of garlicky meat or poultry served on pitas. From start to finish, you can have this on the table in 45 minutes.
• Save any leftover yogurt-lemon sauce as a great dip for pita bread or cucumber.

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3-inch) strips

SAUCE:

• 1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt (such as Fage)
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Remaining ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 (6-inch) pitas
• 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
• 8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Preparation

• Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
• To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
• To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.
• Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done.
• Place pitas on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Top each serving with 4 chicken pieces; drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce. 

Keywords: Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini

• Chicken Tetrazzini combines cooked vermicelli, chicken, and mushrooms with a rich sherry–Parmesan cheese sauce. The mixture is sprinkled with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and baked until bubbly and golden. This is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken. 

• Parmesan is full of flavor, so a little goes a long way. We recommend buying the real thing, which has Parmigiano-Reggiano printed on the rind. It has a sharper taste and a firmer texture than domestic Parmesan.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
• 3 (14.5-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 7 cups hot cooked vermicelli (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 (1-ounce) slice white bread

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, black pepper, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute.
• Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add flour to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick) with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
• Add 1 ¾ cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts. Add pasta and chicken; stir until blended. Divide pasta mixture between 2 (8-inch-square) glass or ceramic baking dishes coated with cooking spray.
• Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and ½ cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta.
• Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Remove casserole from oven; let stand 15 minutes.
• To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through Step 5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
• To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Thaw casserole completely in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 350°. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover casserole with reserved foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 1 hour or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

Note: This recipe was updated for the November, 2012 25th anniversary issue. 

Keywords: Chicken Tetrazzini

Easy Bistro Chicken

Easy Bistro Chicken

Cozy up to a blazing fire on a cold winter’s night with this bistro-inspired meal. You’ll find it reminiscent of a cacciatore. Italian for “hunter,” cacciatore is a stew-like dish flavored with onions, herbs, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sometimes wine. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 (6-ounce) chicken breast halves, skinned
• 4 chicken thighs (about 1 pound), skinned
• 4 chicken drumsticks (about1 pound), skinned
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sliced green olives
• 1/4 cup capers
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Dash of ground red pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (28-ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 8 cups hot cooked macaroni or cavatappi
• Parsley sprigs (optional) 

Preparation

• Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breast halves to pan; sauté 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken pieces; sauté 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan. 

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add celery; sauté 5 minutes. Add basil and next 8 ingredients (basil through tomatoes). Return chicken to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. 

• Uncover and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Discard bay leaves. Serve with pasta. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Note: You can chop the tomatoes in the can using kitchen shears.MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. 

   Keywords: Easy Bistro Chicken

Eggs In Potato Bowls

Eggs In Potato Bowls

• Baked eggs are the hottest breakfast item since avocado toast. 

• And while skillets and baking dishes get the job done and all, why would you dirty up more dishes when you could bake eggs in something edible? Enter: baked potato bowls. 

• Less dish washing, more carb eating. 

• It's a win-win for everyone. 

• Our other favorite carb, bread, would probably get far too soggy as an egg bowl, but potatoes? They are the perfect canvas for baked deliciousness, and are already a staple egg side dish, anyway (hash browns or home fries, anyone?). 

• Blogger Ali from Gimme Some Oven hollowed out leftover baked potatoes, broke an egg inside the shell, and topped each with bacon, cheese, and parsley before baking. 

• Twenty minutes later, you've got creamy, cheesy baked eggs fresh from the oven that will have you licking the bowl. 

• Or in this case — eating the bowl. 

• Though this recipe used eggs, you could also try using potato bowls for soup, chili, salad, or creamy dips. 

Keywords: Eggs In Potato Bowls

Halapa – Popular Sri lankan Snack

Halape is a traditional Sri Lankan sweet which we use for tea time. The main ingredient is Ragi Flour(Kurakkan flour). However when I prepare it I use both rice flour & kurakkan flour just to avoid the strong taste of Kurakkan flour although it is healthy. In Sri Lanka we use ‘Kanda Leaves ‘ to wrap halape. However because I cannot find that leaves in the country where I live,Banana leaves are the substitute. So you cannot see the correct outer appearance of it as in Sri Lanka because I have used ‘Banana leaves’,but the taste inside is the same.

 Ingredients

• Kandha leaves or Banana leaves
• 3- 4 cups of Kurakkan flour

Cooked treacle-coconut 

• 2- 3 cups of scraped coconut
• ¾ – 1 cup of sugar or 1 – 1 ¼ cup of treacle
• 1 tsp of Ground roasted cardamom, fennel and cloves (Refer to the method in Rasakama)
• Few cardamom seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp of Fennel seeds
• 1/8 tsp of salt (a pinch)
• Water as needed

 Method

• Firstly, make cooked-treacle-coconut-mixture (Pani Pol) as shown and leave it aside until it cool downs to room temperature. Then, in a mixing bowl, combine “pani Pol” with kurakkan (Finger Millet) flour. 
• Remember, your consistency should be slightly sticky. You can adjust the consistency with little bit of water, if necessary.
• Now, make balls with your palms and place on either a Kandha leaf or cut banana leaf and fold by pressing gently.

• After, place them vertically around the wall of the steamer, allowing the steam to be exposed to Halapa from the center.

• Steam for about 4 minutes and enjoy with a plain- tea without sugar. 

Keywords: Halapa Snack

Watalappan Recipe

Watalappan Recipe

Malay-influenced Watalappan, which is very popular with Sri Lankan Muslims, is a must for their religious festivals. It’s a rich steamed egg custard made with Kitul jaggery, coconut milk and spices like cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Air bubbles keep the thick dessert from getting too heavy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup thick coconut milk Or coconut cream
• ½ cup jaggery
• 3 tbsp hot water
• 1 t/s salt
• 1 t/s mixed spice powder (nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon powder)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp Rose Essence Or Rose Water
• 8 to 10 cashews
• 20 gms chopped dry coconut
• Frosting (Optional)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp butter
• cocoa powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 160°C ten minutes before baking. Grease the pan before baking. Take a big pan below add half water to it.
• Take hot boiling water and mix jaggery to it. Keep stirring until dissolved completely. Strain if required. Keep it aside.
• If using fresh coconut grate and grind into processor.
• Add little water while grinding. Squeeze the milk out with the help of cloth Or mesh strainer. Remember only the first thick coconut milk Or cream should be utilized for this recipe.
• Beat eggs for 3 to 4 mins. Now add coconut milk.
• Beat again until all mix well. Now add jaggery-water mixture along with rose water. Also combine mixed spice powder. Mix all well with a beater or spoon.

• Finally add cashew nuts. Pour the batter into greased ramekins Or pan on water bath. Bake at 160°C for about an hour Or until skewer comes out almost clean.
• Let the custard cools own for about 10 to 15 mints. Dust some cocoa powder on the top. Now gently unmold the custard on serving plate.

For Frosting:

• Take a pan add water and butter. Now add sugar. Keep the heat on low mode. Constantly keep stirring. The sugar will dissolve and change its color. After 2 mints remove from fire. Let this slightly cool down else the pudding might break.
• Pour this mixture on the pudding.
• Dust some cocoa powder on the custard. Decorate with few cashews and chopped dry coconut.

 Note: always keep the baking tray with water. If it evaporates, add more water.

 Keywords: Watalappan

Vegetable Kottu Roti 

Kottu Roti is a popular comfort cum street food in Sri Lanka. When you are strolling around in Sri Lankan streets, you cannot miss the sight, sounds and aroma of kottu. Kottu literally means “chop”. It’s made with flat bread called “Gothamba roti” mixed with meat, spicy gravy, and vegetables. Kottu is blended together in a heated iron sheet using blunt metal blades. Clashing of metal creates a distinctive sound. This sound and aroma of kottu will invite any passerby to stop and indulge in this mouthwatering meal.

Ingredients:

• 3 Paratha’s shredded into thin strips
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 1 carrot julienned i.e. cut into thin long strips
• Handful of scallions cut into inch long pieces

Coarsely grind below ingredients using food processor or chopper

• 2 medium size onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 large tomato
• Few curry leaves 

 Method:

• Either make or buy flat breads i.e. parathas, cut them into quarter size pieces, add them into a food processor and process for 2 seconds. Time will vary depending on power and size of processor. All we need is thinly shredded parathas. Alternatively you can cut them into thin strips. In this recipe I have cut into thin strips using knife and a chopping board.

• Heat oil in a large pan, add coarsely ground mixture and stir fry till they are aromatic and golden brown. Add curry powder, chili powder, tomato puree and soy sauce, mix well to create a thick sauce. Add salt to taste.

• Add shredded parathas, mix well till they are coated with spices. Lower the heat and add carrot. Cook stirring for 1 or 2 minutes. Turn off heat add scallions and mix well.

• Longer you keep this meal better it tastes, as the spices blends well and paratha absorbs their flavors. But you can also serve immediately.

Note: You may add stir fried potatoes, tofu or soya meat, mock meat, mushrooms, cabbage etc., it will create more volume. Choice depends on your personal taste preference. I wanted to keep it simple and light that’s why I only added carrot and scallions.

Keywords:  Vegetable Kottu Roti 

FISH AMBUL THIYAL (Sour Fish Curry)

FISH AMBUL THIYAL (Sour Fish Curry)

Fish ambul thiyal (Sour fish curry) is one of the most beloved varieties of the many different fish curries available in Srilanka. Ambul thiyal is a dry curry dish, meaning all the ingredients are simmered with a small amount of water and cooked until the liquid reduces. This allows the spice mixture to coat each cube of fish.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. (450 g) fish — preferably tuna
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2-inch piece ginger
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper powder
• 1 tsp. fenugreek
• 5 pieces goraka (or 2 Tbsp. tamarind)
•    2 tsp. salt  
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove
• 1 cardamom
• 1-inch stick cinnamon
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water

Spices for roasting:

• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. fennel powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder

Method:

• First wash the fish and cut it into 1-inch cubes
• Roast the 4 last ingredients in a pan until dark in color (be careful not to burn)
• Place the garlic, ginger, roasted spices, black pepper, fenugreek, goraka and salt into a food processor or blender and grind into a thick paste. Add a little water if necessary and coat the fish in this mixture. (Note: If you are using real tamarind fruit, soak the pods in 1/4 cup warm water. Strain and discard seeds and fiber and add to mixture. If you are using tamarind paste, use on about a teaspoon since it is so concentrated).
• Heat oil in pan.
• Sauté onions, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, and curry leaves until onion is translucent.
• Place fish in the pan with water and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all water has evaporated (about 20 minutes).

(Note: This is considered a ‘dry’ curry containing little or no gravy)

Keywords: Fish Ambul Thiyal, Sour Fish Curry.

CAMEL MEAT GRAVY

CAMEL MEAT GRAVY

Though camel meat can be cooked in almost any method in which you would cook lamb, (and it is a similar taste), the very best method is roasting.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 kilo camel meat
• 2 Onion sliced(medium sized onion)
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Garlic paste
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1-2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 Small Tomatoes(or 1 big)-chopped
• A pinch of garam masala powder
• 1/2 cup Water
• Oil
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves(Optional)-chopped

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker(camel meat takes a really long time to cook) and saute onions till it gets a pink shade.

2. Add ginger and garlic paste, mix well. Add chopped tomatoes and stir.

3. Make a paste with red chilli, turmeric and coriander powders with enough water to form a thick paste and stir into the mixture.

4. Add camel meat and salt to taste. Pour in half cup of water and place the lid on.

5. Cook meat until tender(around 20-25 min). After opening the lid, heat on medium flame for around 5 minutes or till the gravy is thick.

6. Add chopped coriander leaves and garam masala. Turn of the heat and place the lid on for a few minutes just so that the masala properly infuses into the meat.

Keywords: Camel meat Gravy.

Rabbit Kuruma (Muyal Kari Kuruma)

Muyal Kari Kuruma

Rabbit meat could be suitable for special diets, such as those for heart disease patients, diets for the aged, low sodium diets extra

Ingredients:

• Rabbit's Meat 1/2 kilo
• Onions 2 grated
• Tomato 2 grated
• Fresh ginger paste 1 spoon
• Fresh garlic paste 1 spoons
• Green chilies 3 slitted
• Curry leaves 3 twigs
• Cloves 3
• Cinnamon 3
• Cardamom 3 pods
• Fennel seeds 1 - 2 spoons
• Bay leaves 2
• Cas cas milk few spoons (2 spoons of cas cas wet ground...maybe after soaked in warm water)
• Fresh coconut 1 (chopped and wet ground to thick milk)
• Oil 1 cup
• Salt
• Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
• Chili powder 1 -2 spoons
• Pepper powder 1-2 spoons
• Oil few spoons
• Cilantro leaves few to garnish.

   Method:

    Pressure cook meat with enough salt and water. Maybe for about 6 whistles. Set aside and retain the water.

    In a pan heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, bay leaves, curry leaves and green chilies. Fry them for a while.

         Now add onions and fry till golden brown.

•  Then add ginger - garlic paste to it. Fry them till its raw smell leaves.
• Later add tomatoes and fry till its water content is lost.
• Now add little bit of salt, turmeric, chili powder, pepper and cooked meat along with its water. Cover and cook over medium heat.
• When the meat is done...add cas cas milk and thick coconut milk to this. Let this come to boil 3-5 times.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Keywords: Rabbit curry,Rabbit Kuruma.