ARABIC RICE (MOM'S RECIPE)

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Basmati Rice
2 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 kg Chicken
A big piece of Cinnamon
4 Cloves
7 Black peppercorn
1 Onion sliced finely
1/2 tsp Garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp Ginger finely chopped
2 Green chillies
2 Tomatoes
2 tbsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
2 Black Dried Lemon
Salt to taste
Oil

METHOD

1.Marinate chicken with 1/4 tsp turmeric,1 tsp red chilli powder and salt to taste for half an hour.Cook chicken till tender.

2.Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan, add in cinnamon and cloves. Add chopped  ginger,garlic and onion, saute only till onion turns pink. Add chopped tomatoes,mix well.

3.Add turmeric,red chilli powder and salt. Saute well and add chicken stock. When it starts boiling,add in washed and drained basmati rice. Close the pan with a lid.

4.When the rice is well cooked, add in the cooked chicken. Add black peppercorn and dried lemon,mix well. Turn off the heat and close the pan with a lid for atleast 15 minutes so that the flavour of dried lemon and peppercorn get well infused into the rice and chicken. Serve warm.

SQUID ROAST(MOM'S RECIPE)

INGREDIENTS

700 gm squid
2 Onion(chopped)
1 tsp chopped ginger
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1 tsp all purpose flour/cornflour
salt to taste
Oil

METHOD

1.Cook squid till tender along with salt and turmeric powder.

2.Heat oil in a pan and saute onions till they acquire a pink shade. Add ginger,red chilli powder and pepper powder,mix well.

3.Add the cooked squid into the pan along with the water it was cooked in and heat till the water evaporates  and your left with squid smothered in masala.

4.Add coconut milk and flour (mixed in water to make a paste).Stir well.

5.As soon as the mixture thickens, remove pan from heat and serve.

CAMEL MEAT GRAVY

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 20-25min). 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.
Serve hot with rice,roti or arabic flat bread.

P.S. -This gravy is more of an indianized version of camel meat.

KUNAFA

INGREDIENTS

4 cups Kunafa(Shredded Phyllo Pastry)
7 tblsp Fresh Cream
2 tblsp Sugar
Butter

METHOD


1.Preheat oven to 350 degree F/180 degree C.

2.Gently loosen kunafa by hand and mix around 2 tblsp butter with it.

3.Grease an oven dish well  and pat in half of the loosened up kunafa.

4.Mix fresh cream along with sugar and spread this mixture gently on top of the layer of kunafa in the dish.

5.Top up the fresh cream mixture with the rest of the kunafa.Pat it in gently giving slight pressure.

6.Pop it in the oven and bake for around 15-20min or until golden.(Note that the reverse side will be more golden when you turn it out).

   
              You could also prepare kunafa on your stove by placing it in a well-greased pan with a tight lid on low heat for around 6-10min,then flip it over and cook for another 6-10min.Kunafa can also be prepared along with cheese,bananas etc instead of the fresh cream mixture that I've used. Dry fruits and nuts could be used both as garnish as well as along with the filling.