Though Alhamdulillah life has been busy that I couldn't put up a few important blog posts, I didn't want to miss this post which will also be the last post of this year in sha Allah. No guesses for it as today is Qatar's National Day and this year too I tried making a traditional Qatari dish. Almost 9 years in this beautiful country this indeed has become another home away home for us. The whole country is decked up and the festive feel runs in you too.. with winter holidays starting right after the joy is much.

Time for the next MFBC  aka Muslim Food Bloggers Challenge.... this is one challenge which pull me to blog... missed it last month due to my super hectic schedule... but when rafeedha gave us the theme BREAKFAST the first recipe that came to my mind is Bubur Pulut Hitam does it sound Greek and Latin . let me clear it.. Its Black Glutinous Rice Porridge...  This recipe always brings back my childhood memories... sunday mornings the house would be filled with the aroma of the porridge..a blissful day it would be..  The combination of sweet porridge with salty coconut milk .. nothing could beat this .. I could have them everyday.. This is also a hot dessert but we always had it for breakfast...





                   Malay food has always been in regular in our menu.. infact I always stock this black glutinous rice ... so what is this rice... if you are familiar with the Thai sticky rice then this is the unpolished wholegrain version of it..though its called black rice . the cooked product has a deep dark purple..the rice is loaded with nutrients and is rich in antioxidants..  this rice is usually made into sweet ..there is even a pudding recipe in sha allah will post in the future.. you can find this rice in Asian grocery store.. or in the asian aisle in supermarket...



                                                          Black Glutinous Rice


   This recipe needs a little preparation before hand.. u need to soak this rice .. the longer u soak it will cook faster.. The porridge takes minimum 1 1/2 hrs to cook.. you can use sugar or palm jaggery to sweeten it.. Pandan or screwpine leaves imparts a beautiful flavour to this porridge so  don't miss it. Thick Coconut milk is used as topping .. fresh milk is needed.. but if its not available you can you canned ones.. but dont use thin milk.    I have tried making it in Pressure Cooker but the taste is not good as the slow cooked ones..  so lets move to the recipe..



You Need:
   Black Glutinous rice    1 cup
  Water                            5-6 cups
  Palm jaggery                175 gms
 Pandan leaves                2 nos
Thick Coconut Milk       3/4  cup
Salt


                                                             The right consistency
Preparation:

Wash and soak the rice for preferably overnight.
In a heavy bottomed pan add the rice 5 cups water  .. palm jaggery , pandan leaves and a pinch of salt. When the water starts to boil simmer and cook for an hour and a half.. stirring in between.
You can add a cup of water more if you feel the there is less water in the porridge..  the rice should have been completely cooked and opened up with a sticky liquid.
Cook for more time if the rice is not cooked..
Remove from heat and discard the leaf.
Add a pinch of salt to the coconut milk and keep it aside.
Spoon them in individual bowls and top it with coconut milk.. Serve Hot  . Enjoy

Salata Hara ia s a famous Middle Eastern Chutney... Spicy with a hint of sourness... They are served with all Rice n Meat dishes such as Mandi, majboos, Buhkari rice..... Arabic Rice dishes are full of flavour but quite bland unlike our spicy biryani.... This Salata Hara adds the spicy twist to it...
Very simple to make and it goes well as an accompaniment to our Indian dishes as well....
       Learnt this recipe from a friend of mine who is more like a sister to me... Her version is much flavourful... compared to what i used to make before...  The ones the restaurants serve is more of a puree but i like it little chunky.. to add texture.... I make them in my small chopper.... making them in food processor will also turn good.. If you are making them in your chutney jar... Operate them in pulse mode to maintain the texture.  This recipe calls for 2 chilli... if you  like it more spicy you can add another.



You need:

Tomato( medium)                       2 nos*
Onion (small)                             1/2 nos
Green Chilli                                2-3 nos
Coriander leaves                         a small handfull
Lemon Juice                               1/2- 3/4 tsp
Ginger                                        1/2" piece
Garlic                                          1 clove**
Salt

Preparation:

Roughly chop the onion, tomato, green chilli , coriander leaves, ginger , garlic
In your chopper add the ginger garlic onion n green  chilli and grind them for about 30 seconds..
Now add the tomato n coriander leaves  n grind them for 30 seconds - 1 min... depending on how you want them chunky or coarse chutney.
Add 1/2 - 3/4 tsp of lemon juice ( always add little n check for taste then if needed only add more) and salt. give a quick mix n Serve.
You can also store them in airtight container n keeps fresh for 2-3 days

Note:
*The tomato used should be ripe
** I ve used a big clove of garlic... if the garlic pod is small use 2 nos

This post is a special post ..... recipe by my sister Yasmin Shahul. This is her first recipe contribution.  My sister is a wonderful cook ..... her recipes are easy to make and tastes delicious.... You can look forward to her yummilicious recipes in the future. Coming to this recipe its very easy to make ..... with all the preparations done the dish can be made within minutes. Perfect for lunch boxes, picnics, and parties.



You need:
Basmati Rice           1 cup
Onion                      1 nos (medium)
Capsicum                1 nos (large)
Green chilli             2-3 nos
Butter                      25-30 grams
Oil                          1 tbsp
Shahi Jeera              1 tsp
Salt
Turmeric powder    1/2 tsp (optional)

Preparation:

Wash the rice and cook them with 2 cups of water + 1 tbsp oil  + enough salt.
*** I cooked the rice in rice cooker.***
Fluff up the rice with fork and allow it to cool completely.
*** If you make this recipe with hot rice the dish will turn mushy ....Its always a must to make fried rice with cold rice***
Thinly slice the onions and capsicum. slit the green chilies.
Heat the wok , Add the butter (*** To avoid the burning of butter immediately add a tbsp of oil after the addition of butter***), add Shahi Jeera , green chilli and fry for 30 seconds.
Then add onion  and fry till the edges of onion gets brown. Add turmeric powder if you want .
Then add the capsicum and fry for 30 seconds. Add Salt (** If you are using salted butter  then check on the level of salt you are adding**)
Add the rice and toss well to coat the masala.
Serve hot with any curry of your choice.

  

Are you in a hurry? Do you have to prepare Lunch within short time, then this is the perfect pulao. It is done under 15 minutes. Just raita and chips would be enough as a accompaniment. This pulao is perfect for working moms and for kids lunch box. i used frozen mixed vegetables that is readily available in supermarkets. Very proud and happy to send them to Indus Ladies kids lunch box recipe



You need:
Basmati rice                    1cup
Onion( sliced)               1nos
Green chilli( sliced)        1nos
Mixed vegetable             1cup
Curd                              3tbsp
Biryani masala              1tsp
Ghee                              1tbsp
Ginger garlic paste          1tbsp
Salt
Sugar      a very small pinch



Preparartion:
Wash the rice.
Heat the pressure cooker , add oil and fry onions, ginger garlic paste, green chilli for a minute.
Add the vegetables and rice, biryani masala and fry for a minute. Add curd, salt n sugar, 2 cups hot water.
Bring to a boil, close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles.
Open the lid after the pressure subsides.
Serve hot with Raita.


Sending this dish to http://www.indusladies.com/food/kids-lunch-box-recipes/

After joining IFC Iam exploring a lot of cuisines, this month its Campania in Italy. Priya Suresh a versatile blogger and my dear friend chose some beautiful dishes to try out, out of all the first I am going to try is Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca. A very delicious Pasta dish, I made a little changes in the recipe instead of anchovies and capers I used a teaspoon each of dried parsley, basil n oregano. One could prepare them in a jiffy. Sending them to IFC- Campania hosted this month by Priya Suresh.



You need:

Spaghetti                   200 gms
Garlic                        2 cloves (finely chopped)
Red Chilli                  1 nos de-seeded n  finely chopped
Chopped Tomatoes   1 tin( 400 gms)
Black Olives              a handful (roughly chopped)
Dried Parsley             1 tsp
Dried Basil                 1tsp
Dried Oregano           1 tsp
A small bunch of Parsley chopped
Olive oil                     1tbsp
Salt



Preparation:

Cook the Spaghetti according to pack's instructions, drain. meanwhile start to prepare the sauce.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan , fry the garlic for a minute, then add the chilli, fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and olives, dried parsley, basil, oregano n salt. Stir together , simmer for 10 minutes, the sauce should be thickened, Add the drained spaghetti and mix well. until the spaghetti has been coated well.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and Serve. 

For this month's International Food Challenge - it was French Alsace Lorraine Cuisine. out of the three given recipes I went for this easy breezy french pizza. The name actually attracted me and it tasted delicious. We loved it and with ultimate lemonade ( recipe in future) It made a hearty dinner. Thanks to Shobana Shekar and Saraswathi Tharagaram for choosing this cuisine.Sending them to International Food Challenge Now lets move on to the recipe.




You need:

Pastry:

Wheat Flour                  1 1/4 cups
All purpose flour            1/2 cup
Extra Virgin Olive oil       2 tbsp
Salt                                1tsp
Ice cold water



Sauce:

Corn kernels                  1/3 cup
Fresh Cream                  1/3 cup
Sour Cream                    1/2 cup
Ricotta Cheese               1/3 cup
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper                
Freshly ground nutmeg     a small pinch
White onion (large)          1 nos (sliced)
Gouda Cheese ( shredded) 1/2 - 3/4 cup



Preparation:

Pastry:

Put the flour, salt, oil in a mixing bowl. Add ice cold water little by little and make a stiff dough.
Grease them with oil and Cover them with wet tea towel and refrigerate for an hour.

Sauce:

Mix the fresh cream, sour cream, ricotta cheese with salt, pepper, nutmeg.

Saute the thinly sliced onions in little olive oil fro two minutes, set aside.



Tart:

Pre- heat oven to 250*C.
Roll out the dough to a thin oval/ rectangle tart, place on papered baking sheet and form a slight border by pinching the edges upward.
Spread the sauce evenly, sprinkle corn, onions, cheese and bake for 15- 20 minutes.

Slice them and serve.

My blog turned 4, could not believe four years have passed by, such a wonderful journey, met new friends, tried new dishes, many sweet memories. On this special occasion is a special dish- Mushroom n Soya Chunks Biryani, mushroom n soya may sound normal but this biryani is very special, it is a marriage between Arab & Indo world, such a flavorful biryani, actually learnt this recipe from my friend, did little changes according to my taste buds,  this is a very healthy, lite n nutritious biryani, no ghee, no heavy masalas. just aromatic spices. Now this has become my family favorite, try them you will surely like. The list of ingredients may be long but very easy to make





You need:

Basmati Rice                             1 1/2 cups
Mushroom                                150 gms
Soya Chunks                            1cup
Onion (large)                            1nos
Tomato paste                            1tbsp
Shahi jeera                                 1/4tsp
Cardamom                                2 nos
Black Cardamom                      1nos
Clove                                        2nos
Cinnamon 1/2" piece                  3 nos
Bayleaf                                      1nos
Mace                                        1nos
Black lemon                             1 nos



Chilli powder                            1 tsp
Bahraini masala                         1tsp
Ginger Garlic paste                    1 tbsp
Coriander leaves                      1/2 cup
Pudina leaves                           10 nos
Green Chillies                           2 nos
Lemon (small)                         1 nos + 1 tbsp
Olive oil                                   3tbsp
Yogurt                                  1 1/2 tbsp
Cardamom powder                 1/4 tsp
Water                                     3/4 cup
Milk                                      1/4 cup
Saffron                                    a small pinch
Salt




Preparation:

Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes.
Thinly slice the onions, wash the mushrooms, remove the stalk and slice them 1/4" thick.
Chop the coriander and pudina, Slit the green chillies.
Boil enough water with salt in a large pan, add  the soya chunks and cook for 5-6 mminutes. Scoop them out from water.remove excess water from the chunks, and slice them in half if it is big in size.
 In the same water add 1 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 cardamom, 1 clove, 1 cinnamon, Shahi jeera, when the water is on a  rolling boil , strain the rice and add to the water, and half cook them, drain and spread them on a plate.



Now heat 2 tbsp olive oil  in a pan enough to make biryani, add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, black cardamom, mace, black lemon add the onions and fry till they are translucent. add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute, add the mushrooms, soya chunks and green chilli and fry for 5 minutes. add coriander leaves and pudina fry for a minute, Add chilli powder, Bahraini masala, cardamom powder and fry for a minute, add the tomato paste, yogurt and cook for a minute or so, add 3/4 cup water, add salt and 1 tbsp lemon, Cook them for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile Heat the milk and dissolve the saffron.
Now to the gravy  gently add rice in a single layer sprinkle the saffron milk. tightly cover the pan with aluminium foil  and close with a suitable lid. Dum cook for 20-25 minutes. Open the lid, fluff them with a fork( do not mix)
Serve hot with raita.



Note:
Bahraini Masala is an arab spice mix, you can substitute with garam masala.
Black lemon is again used in arab cuisine, it gives the dish a little smoky flavor. If its unavailable then omit them

Who would say no to creamy curd rice on a hot summer afternoon, definitely not me, with potato  fry, scrambled eggs and fryums  it makes a complete meal. this creamy curd rice is my family favorite, my kids will have them everyday and they don't make any fuss when I make them. If you are gonna have them for lunch prepare them in the morning itself about 5 hours ahead. I dont add curd alone but add half the amount of milk so when we have it for lunch the curd is just set, and doesn't turn sour. The texture of this curd rice is silky, and I use mor milagai when tempering , it just adds a zing to the curd rice,as the mor milagai soaks in the curd it adds flavor to it. You can also use dry chilli too but the added advantage is that you can have the mor milagai along the curd rice. Lets move to the recipe




You need:

Parboiled rice                           1cup
Water                                       5+1 cup
Curd                                        500ml
Milk                                         250ml
Salt

To Temper:
Oil                                            1tbsp
Ghee                                         1tbsp
Mustard seeds                           1tbsp
Urad Dhal                                 1tbsp
Curry leaves                              a handful
Mor Milagai                             5-6 nos
Asafoetida                               a small pinch

Optional:
Onion finely chopped
coriander leaves



Preparation:
Wash the rice and cook with salt and  5 cups of water, the rice has to be extermely soft and almost mushy.
If you are using raw rice then 3 cups of water is fine. Calculate the amount of water according to the rice you use, add an extra cup of water to prepare the curd rice,
Mash the rice when it is still hot. Allow them to cool a bit. Add the curd, milk, and 1 cup of water and enough salt and mix well. For the creamy texture Blend it with a hand blender/ grind them in a mixie.
Heat a small pan and temper with the ingredients given, Add to the curd rice and mix well.
Serve them with potato fry, Spring Onion Scrambled Eggs and fryums

This is my kids fav, He loves that little Alphabet Pasta with tangy tomato, He loves reading out the alphabets loud. I added Paneer to this dish, actually you wont be able to see them as Ive cubed them very small the size of the pasta. You can use anyother pasta n cube the paneer according to the size.
Sending them to Healing Foods- Tomato guest hosted by PJ event by  Siri, and to Pari's ONLY- Kid's delight and to Jay's Letz Relish-Paneer



You need:

Alphabet Pasta                      1/2 cup
Onion( medim)                       1nos(chopped fine)
Tomato ( large)                      1nos(chopped)
Paneer( cube)                        1/2cup
Ginger- Garlic Paste               1tsp
Chilli powder                          1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder                   1/4tsp
Pepper Powder                     1/2tsp
Tomato Sauce                        1tbsp
Salt
Lemon Juice ( optional)         to taste
Oil                                        1tbsp

Preparation:

Cook the pasta till Al- Dente with salt and 1tsp oil
Heat the kadai, add the oil, add the onions and fry till they turn translucent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds. Add the masalas n Tomato n fry till oil seperates, Add the Paneer, tomato sauce, lemon juice, salt, and cook for a minute.
Add the Cooked pasta n Toss them for a minute.
Serve Them Garnished With Coriander Leaves

Was in a mood to cook something different. Had babycorns in fridge n remembered bookmarking Babycorn Pulao from Priya's blog, she really has a wonderful collection of recipes. But wasnt in a mood to make rice, so wanted to try this recipe but with a change instead of rice I made this pulao with vermicelli, n I added cumin seeds( I always love to add Cumin seeds in my dishes) The vermicelli pulao was so tasty n the minute I fried the masala the aroma of the mint n other spices filled my house, really aromatic. This pulao was something different from what I used to make. next time i plan to make this pulao with paneer n mixed vegetables.
Sending this aromatic vermicelli pulao to Nupur's Blog- bites#3- adaptation  and to CWS- cumin seeds guest hosted by Sara event by Priya



You need:
Vermicelli                     11/4cup
Coconut milk                2cups
Babycorns                    7nos
Onion( sliced)               1nos
Green chilli                    1nos( slit)
Cumin seeds                 1/2tsp
Oil                            
Salt
Cardamom                   2nos
Clove                           1nos
Cinnamon                     small piece
Turmeric powder          1/2tsp

To Grind:
Mint leaves                   1/2cup
Coconut                        1 1/2tbsp
Dried Red chilli              2nos
Green Chilli                   1nos
Jeera                             1/2tsp
Garam masala                1/4tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste         1tbsp



Preparation:
Chop the baby corns in medium sized pieces n grind the items given under TO GRIND  to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a kadai n add the whole spices n jeera, then add the onions , turmeric powder n green chilli and fry till they are translucent. Add the masala paste and fry for a minute or two till the raw smell disappears.  Then add the vermicelli and fry for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, salt and cook simmer till the vermicelli has absorbed all the liquid. Cook for 1 more minute. Serve hot.

You can find the original recipe here

Confused with the name Its our same old chinese noodles but this time with Fusilloni. I pretty much prefer this pasta for making this dish. When you are bored with making the same old noodles you can definitely try this dish. You can use any pasta shape . Sending this recipe to Pasta Party event by Jyoti.



You need:
Fusilloni                                   2 1/2cup
Carrot( juliened)                      1/4 cup
Cabbage(shredded)                 1/2cup
Capsicum( juliened)                 1/4cup
Bean sprouts                           2handful
Spring onions (chopped)         1/2cup
Green chili (chopped)              1nos
Ginger (chopped)                     1tbsp
Garlic(chopped)                       1tbsp
Ajinomoto                                1tsp
Salt
Coarsely ground pepper            1 tbsp
Ginger powder                           1/2tbsp
Oil                                            1tbsp

Preparation:
Cook the pasta and rinse well in cold water. Drain and keep it aside.
Heat the wok pour the oil, Add ginger, garlic, chilli and fry for 30 sec.
Add carrot, cabbage, capsicum, 1/2tsp ajinomoto required salt and fry for a minute.
Add the spring onions. bean sprouts, Fusilloni, ground pepper, ginger powder, 1/2 tsp ajinomoto and cook for a minute. check for salt. And serve with Sauce or manchurian

The colour of the yellow grains always fascinates us. It is an all time favorite lunch box dish. Have it with curd, potato fry or egg scramble, it is a sure hit! Try out this recipe and you will love it for sure.

You need:
Raw rice or Basmati                   1 cup
Raw peanuts                               2tbsp
Chana dhal                                 1 1/2tbsp
Cashew nut                                5-6(optional)
Dry red chilli                               3nos
Green chilli                                 2nos
Mustard seeds                           1/2 tsp
Curry leaves                              2sprig
Oil                                            2tbsp
Ghee                                        1tbsp
Lemon(big)                               1
Turmeric powder                      1/2tsp
Salt

Preparation:
Wash and cook the rice with salt. Seperate the grains and cool.
Heat the kadai add oil, when the oil just gets heated add mustard seeds,
When it starts to splutter add peanuts, fry for 1 min, add chana dal, red chilli, green chilli, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Fry for 30 seconds, Add the rice and ghee. Switch off the flame.
Add the lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt.
Serve