Its 10th of the month and time for Muslim Food Bloggers Challenge. I know I am writing up the post pretty at the last moment.. but was totally caught up in a new project I ve taken up.. hopefully in sha allah it works out successfully .. So whats the topic for this months Challenge? POMEGRANATE .. yes.. the little jewels adorn the topic. Today its a simple and easy to make salad i am posting using pomegranate.. and with this post there is a new template I would like to bring to the blog.



Of lately if you have been following my instagram and facebook I  am putting up one page recipes... simple and easy to make and its one page. and in sha allah i am planning to post all the one page recipes posted there in the blog one by one and to begin  I am starting with this beautiful and simple salad.

For the past two months I am packing salads for my hubby's lunch box along with boiled eggs and sometimes grilled chicken.  its no diet.. viet.. he finds it easy to eat in his busy schedule and salads neednot be hot na.. Slowly I also started to have these salad meals.. and we both found it to filling and not feel hungry for nearly 3-4 hrs.  Making salad 5 times a week you have to don your thinking cap to keep up the enthu of eating salads..



basically I add cucumbers and lettuce either the regular / romaine / Iceberg and change the veggies with mini tomatoes, salad bell peppers, mini radishes, carrots, sometimes i try to add fruits like grapes, apples, oranges and toasted nuts.. actually raisins add beautiful sweet touch to the salad. The salad dressing is cayenne pepper/ sumac/ chaat masala/ salad seasoning..  and at last add a handful of chickpeas or rajma .


sorry to have bored you with a long list.. the salad I am posting is so versatile you can mix and match with any of the above. so lets get to todays salad... MFBC is Pom Cuke Salad. I wanted to highlight the pomegranate in this salad.. so didnt add many ingredients and kept the salad dressing simple and fresh..the heat from cayenne pepper, the cool cukes, sweet and slightly sour pomegranate makes it a perfect combo
Serve it with soft boiled eggs or with grilled chicken or fish it makes a complete meal.. so lets head to the recipe.

Back again with my favorite challenge of the month Muslim Flood Bloggers Challenge.  Though there were few post that was supposed to be on blog in between couldn't post due to poor health.. no worries . hopefully they will pop in the blog soon.. This  month's theme is Cooking from country - Iran.



Was very excited when Rafeeda gave the theme .. Iranian or Persian cuisine is so versatile and I love their desserts and kebabs.. Persian Cuisine is always about the beautiful marriage of spices.. be it rice or meat or dessert the  spice plays an important role..   was thinking what to choose rice? kebab? sweet?  Super  and excited .. borrowed a book " Pomegranate And Roses" by Araina Bundy from  Qatar National Library, bookmarked a few recipes. . but fell sick and all plans went to drain. but the book on the table lured me.. at last chose this simple salad . Made them as an accompaniment to biryani two days back on Friday. But didnt make a blog post.
  This week was an extended weekend for us because kids had annual day functions in school. so was quite busy with them cooking and sorting things.. so this became a last minute post and my mind is going crazy as I am struggling what to type...

Anyways for MFBC#23 - Cooking from Country -IRAN .. i chose Salad E Shirazi -- Persian Cucumber Tomato& Onion Salad. A very Simple and refreshing salad to make the addition of mint both dried and fresh elevates the salad..  Perfecto to any meal or on its own



You Need:

Cucumber (meduim)                  2 nos
Tomato     (large)                        1 nos
Onion  ( medium)                       1 nos
Juice of half lemon ( big)
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil                                     1 tbsp
Dried Mint                                  1/2 tsp
Fresh Mint Leaves                      3-4 nos

Preparation:
Chop the cucumbers into even sized cubes.
Deseed the tomatoes and chop them into even sized cubes.
Finely chop the onions and mint

In A bowl Add all the ingredients and toss well. Serve

Alhamdulillah ! Alhamdulillah ! Reached 250 recipes !!!( at last) After so many obstacles and breaks reached this milestone... This is my dream post... there is couple of celebrations attached to it....
yes!!... first belated 7th blog anniversary .... my blog baby is now 7 years old... with the grace of Almighty.. Wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to all my friends and family out there who have been so supportive to me in all these years.. and to my husband who is Maasha Allah very supportive and the driving force behind my blogging... Miss my dear father... he would have been very happy to see me achieving this small milestone..

   And as I am typing this post I remember today (15th Dec) five years back, came to Qatar... five amazing years in this beautiful country.. Shifting from the super fast life in UAE ... loved Qatar for its quietness and calm lifestyle... waking up to the sound of birds chirping in your window ... calm surroundings.. still remember when we first came here there was literally no night life here.. by 9 pm the whole town was quiet with almost all the shops closed.. even in afternoons most shops would be closed... slowly got accustomed to this lifestyle and the Qatar we live now is much different.. so many developments in these five years..



    Describing about Qatar.... there are quite a few landmarks to see... FANAR - Qatar's Islamic Cultural Center.. , Doha Corniche .- the  waterfront which  extends to  several kilometers along Doha bay ..... the Museum of Islamic Arts ... and not to forget the most famous Souq Waqif.. where you get the most amazing spices, traditional garments, handicrafts &souvenirs .....
  Talking about Qatar.. National Day falls on December 18.. and every year I've been wanting to do a special post on that day... but it was never done...  This year In Sha Allah my wish is coming true... and today I am going to share with you the famous Majboos Al Lahm or the Mutton Majboos...



   .. have eaten Mandi quite many times and love it... have heard about Kabsa rice  but had no idea about Majboos until I came to Qatar.... I first had chicken   majboos  at a friends house here.... looking at it resembled like biryani and thought would be hot and spicy... but no it was just full of flavor, yummy and not at all hot and spicy..  both my kids loved it... I liked it a lot coz it was full on flavor... and I liked it for another reason too... my daughter never liked spicy food... everytime I make biryani I cut back on chilli just for her...  But when making Majboos is a different story the rice is not at all spicy and for my liking I add the hot salsa or Salata hara hence problem solved..



   Coming back to  Majboos ... it can be made with Chicken  / Mutton / Fish... and is served with Salata Hara... The Majboos we get from Arabic Kitchens is topped with raisins and chick peas  but at home I don't add it. Chicken Majboos is liked by kids ( In Sha Allah will share the recipe later) unlike Mutton Majboos..which is preferred by adults...

  There is an important ingredient without  which there is no majboos -  Loomi Aswad / Dried Black Lemon( will share its pic soon)... its a common staple in any arabic recipes... it imparts a smoky lemon flavor which lifts the whole dish.  And for making majboos you need a special majboos masala... here in Qatar its is easily available in shops but I like to buy them from exhibitions ... find them more fresh and aromatic...
   Majboos is served with a Middle Eastern Chutney / Salata hara ( recipe here)  and a simple salad with lettuce, cucumbers & tomato.. A simple rice dish to make but always a crowd pleaser.
Off to the recipe now:



You need:

Mutton                                        400gms
Basmati Rice                              2 cups/ 300gms
Olive oil                                      3 tbsp
Clove                                          4 nos
Cinnamon                                   2 " piece
Cardamom                                  3 nos
Bay leaf                                      1 nos
Dried black lemon                      2 nos
Onion (medium)                         1 nos
Ginger Garlic paste                    1 heaped tbsp
Tomato paste                              1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves                               5-6 nos
Majboos Masala                         1 tbsp
Turmeric powder                        1/2 tsp
Salt to taste



Preparation:

Wash the rice and soak for 30 minutes.
Cut the mutton into 4  pieces.
Slice the onions. Lightly smash the dried lemons on your kitchen counter to open up the lemon.. this helps to impart the flavor.
Heat the olive oil in  a wide thick bottomed pan. Add the bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and dried black lemon.. fry them for about 30 seconds.
Now add the curry leaves and onions... fry  till the onions become soft and translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for about a minute.
Next add tomato paste , turmeric powder, majboos masala, salt and cook  for a minute again.
Add the mutton pieces and cook for about 5 minutes .
Add about 2 cups of water . bring it to a boil, Cover the pan and cook in simmer for about an hour approx.. till the meat is tender and falls of the bone.
check in between whether there is water in the stock... add a cup of water if there is not.
Remove the meat and the dried lemon from the stock and strain the liquid.
You need 4 cups / 600 ml of liquid to cook the rice. measure the strained liquid and add water for remaining amount.
Pour the liquid back in the pan, check for salt  and bring it to boil.. now add rice , cover and cook in simmer for about 20 minutes, the rice would have absorbed all the liquid and fluff up . Place the mutton pieces and lemon on top.
Cover again and cook for just 10 minutes.
Serve them with Salata Hara and Salad..



NOTE:

1) Always use mutton with bones, I prefer Shanks or the leg . this imparts deep flavors in the stock.
2) If dried lemon is not available substitute it  with little lemon juice
3) If majboos masala is not available you can use curry powder.




  

At last found time for blogging... When the laptop is free in my home I am busy with work.. When I am free the laptop is occupied... I know its nearly more than three months since I posted.  but meanwhile have been working  on many recipes..  hope to post them soon in sha allah. Today's recipe is the versatile Green Chutney....  It used in sandwiches, chaats , as spreads etc.,etc.,
    I love green chutney... for its spiciness ...for its vibrant color... have attempted to make them at home innumerable times.. but have not achieved the perfect chutney.. sometimes the balance of flavor misses or sometimes the vibrant green color misses.. I can never use them the next day coz I have always felt a bitter taste in my chutney...At one point I have stopped trying it out...
    Recently there was a no-fire cooking class in my son's school... they made sandwich. My son wanted green chutney.. I was quite confused. Then asked help from my dear friend. She told me the recipe which was very easy to prepare and was super yumm too. such a vibrant color n it stays fresh for 2-3 days... storing them in a airtight container... with the arrival of winter  n fresh greens available all around Qatar.. I am preparing it every week..  so lets proceed with the recipe..



You Need:

 Coriander leaves                        a big bunch
Garlic cloves                               4 nos
Green chili                                  3-4 nos
Tomato ( medium)                      1/2 nos
Lemon juice                                1/4- 1/2 cup
Salt

Preparation:

Clean and wash the coriander leaves .. chop them coarsely
In the blender add the coriander leaves, garlic pods, green chilli , tomato, salt  and around 1/4 cup lemon juice first  , and little water and grind
Check for lemon n salt n add if needed...
Transfer to a clean container n store in the fridge .
Now you can use them in chaats, sandwich , rolls. etc

NOTES:
1) I have used the stem of the coriander leaves too.
2) This chutney is quite spicy .. you can always adjust the amount of green chili used according to your taste.
3) lemon juice plays important role in keeping it fresh n retain colour...  Add enough so as not to have the bitterness.
4) this recipe yields around 2 cups of chutney