Kabobs

I've been craving kabobs latley. Like all the time. All different kinds of kabobs. Weird. So I thought I'd post a few different recipes I use to make kabobs. You guys post yours too!

~Persian-esque Chicken Breast Kabobs (Jujeh) :
chicken breast cut into about 1 inch cubes
1/2 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp yogurt
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
pinch of haldi powder
pinch of saffron
salt

blend all of the ingredients into a puree and marinate the chicken breast in the puree. grill and enjoy with dill rice.

~Persian ground beef kabobs (koobideh):
Ground beef
1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Small handful of parsley, chopped
1 tsp sumac
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix, Marinate, shape and Grill.

~Desi Chicken Sheekh Kabob:
ground chicken
1-2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 finely chopped onion
a couple finely chopped green mirchi
a good handful of chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
salt

fry the sliced onion until brown, drain on a paper towel and chop up. mix this and the rest of the ingredients together. form kabobs and bake until cooked, then broil until golden brown. serve with lime.

~Turkish Adana Kabob 
ground beef, lamb or chicken
-if you have access to arabic/turkish red pepper paste or aleppo pepper USE IT. (about 4-5 tbsp of the paste because its more mild but flavorful. aleppo is much spicier usually so use that to taste). if not, use the following recipe to make your own:
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 spicy pepper of your choice OR crush red peppers
5 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/4 olive oil
1 tsp sumac (optional)
few drops of lemon juice (optional)
handful chopped parsley
salt

put the peppers garlic onion olive oil sumac lemon juice and parsley in the food processor until it form a thick paste. it shouldnt be completely smooth but there should be small chunks of pepper. Mix the paste with the ground meat form kabobs and grill or bake until cooked.

~Steak Kabobs with Veggies
beef steak, cut into cubes
3-4 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno
1/2 onion
couple splashes of worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp sambal/chilli garlic sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 lime juice
chopped parsley and dill (optional)
salt
pepper

onion cut into large chunks
squash or zucchini cut into large chunks
baby mushrooms
bell pepper in large chunks
greek dressing (if you cant find this, that sucks. mix lots of olive oil, lemon juice, a tiny bit of vinegar, parsley, dill, a dash of oregano, salt, pepper, parmesan or feta cheese)

blend the garlic, jalapeno, onion into a puree. Mix that with the worcestershire, sambal, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix into the steak cubes. Meat tenderizer would also be awesome here. marinate for at least a couple hours or over night. grill.

mix the veggies with the greek dressing and grill. enjoy with the steak.

~Chapli Kabob
ground beef
chopped onion
chopped green mirchi
chopped cilantro
chopped tomato
crushed red pepper flakes
whole coriander seeds
zeera powder
ginger-garlic paste
lemon/lime juice
corn starch
egg
salt

mix, pan fry, enjoy.

Barbacoa Beef

This is a shredded Mexican barbeque beef that goes great in a tortilla with guacamole, queso fresco, salad, corn salsa, cilantro-lime rice, beans, etc. It's surprisingly easy and quick, if you're using a pressure cooker, which I absolutely do!

Ingredients:

1 lb lean beef cubes
2-3 chipotle peppers with the juice (these come in little cans and are swimming in thick adobo sauce)
1/2 onion
2-3 garlic cloves
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
a dash of garam masala (the desi in me)
a couple dashes of back pepper
1 lime
1 jalapeno (optional...the chipotles are SPICY)
1 bay leaf
salt
dash of sugar

In a blender, puree the chipotle peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, garam masala, black pepper, lime juice, jalapeno and salt. Combine this puree with the beef, bay leaf and about 1 cup of water and put it all in a pressure cooker or pot. In a pressure cooker it took about a half hour to cook until it was tender enough to fall apart when I touched it with a spoon. This is how tender you want it, so if you're not using a pressure cooker, it'll take at least an hour.

When it's cooked, shred the beef and if the sauce is too liquidy, simmer until it's about as thick as barbeque sauce. I also added a dash of sugar to give it a tiny hint of that sweetness barbeque sauce has but you don't have to. Add the beef back to the sauce and enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

 4 cups of chicken broth
 2 cups of water
2lb boneless chicken - cubed
1 packet quick cooking long grain & wild rice (uncle ben's), including seasoning packet
3/4 cup all purpose flour
 1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
 1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
 2 cups diced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced green onions
 1 diced onion
2 cups milk or heavy cream

 Directions Bring broth to boil and add wild rice package contents Melt butter in frying pan and add onions, celery, carrots Add mushrooms a few minutes later Remove contents and add to broth/rice Using same pan, begin to cook cubed chicken breast and add seasoning packet Add milk or heavy cream in frying pan and stir in all purpose flour once chicken is cooked Pour contents into soup and stir Add salt and pepper to taste

The measurements and directions are a mix from a few different recipes for the same chicken and wild rice soup. Feel free to try different variations - they all come out heavenly! I kept having to add more water/broth to the soup since it became really thick (and I didnt even use all 3/4 cup of all purpose flour). Very hearty and delish!

Chicken 65

I generally use a recipe from this website, but it turns out to be a hassle to watch through the entire thing each time just for the ingredients. So Ive copied down how I do it, and of course, Ive tweaked it a bit and you can too :)
Im not going to go into detail, because you can just watch the video and as for portions, its easier to just guesstimate based on quantity.

Here goes:

Cut chicken into cubes. Add in chili powder, chili garlic paste, salt, MSG, black pepper, cornflour, garlic/ginger paste, 1 egg.
Warm oil in a wok and fry these cubes until golden.

Add oil in a separate pot. Fry cumin, then add in chopped garlic. Stir. Add in sliced jalapeños, curry leaves, garlic/ginger paste, black pepper, zebra powder, chili powder, salt, chili garlic paste, MSG and red food coloring.
Mix. Add in 1/2 glass water and add in fried chicken. Turn off stove when almost completely dry and all the chicken has turned red.

Sprinkle with lime juice and serve.

Note:

I don't use MSG in my recipes, because its very unhealthy. I also just replace the cornstarch with all-purpose flour and it turns out just fine.

We were at zyka recently and my family said they like this recipe much better than the one they serve there.

Enjoy!

My version of desi style szechuan chicken

This is my version. And it's slightly desi. But it's easy and fast (took me all of 15 minutes). So enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small strips
1 onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 cup julienne carrots
1 cup julienne celery
1 green bell pepper, julienne
1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
pinch of haldi
SAUCE:
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chili paste
1 tbsp sriracha sauce (red bottle, green top, rooster on the front)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar/rice vinegar
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp corn starch mixed with cold water

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, except for the corn starch. Heat some oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste, jalapeno and haldi and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Throw in all the veggies and the sauce and cook for a few minutes. You don't want the veggies to get soft. Add the corn starch to thicken. If you need more sauce add water and more spices if needed. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with steamed rice.

Banana Crumb Muffins

I made this for the husband to take in to work once and have been getting requests for them ever since.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

3 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1/8 tsp cinnamon powder

dash of nutmeg

1 tbsp butter

couple handfuls of chopped pecans (optional)

Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl combine the smashed bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla and melted butter. The bananas will be slightly lumpy. Pour the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until combined. This mixture will also be slightly lumpy. Mix in any chocolate chips or pecans here if desired.

To make the crumb topping, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in the butter until it becomes a coarse mixture. Add the chopped pecans if using.

Fill greased or paper cup lined muffin pan 2/3 full with batter and top with a generous amount of the crumb topping. Bake at 375 for about 15 -18 minutes.

Chicken and Orzo

I made this up one day, and it's really a versatile dish so you can add or subtract protein and veggies as you like!

Ingredients:

2 cups Orzo pasta

1/2 lb chicken in small strips, shrimp, beef, whatever you want.

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

a bunch of spinach, chopped

1 can mushrooms

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

sun-dried tomatoes chopped

sliced black olives

green beans

broccoli florets

etc.

parsley

Italian seasoning, Mediterranean seasoning, paprika, mirchi powder, cumin powder, other desi masalas if you want it more desi, salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese

Boil the orzo in chicken broth until cooked.

Saute the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and then chicken. Add any and all seasonings and cook until no longer pink. Add the veggies according to cook time. When everything is cooked, mix the orzo in. Add parmesan and parsley at the end and voila!

Beef Wellington

This is my version of a beef wellington. A lot of original versions use pate and sometimes bacon. Was much easier than I thought it would be.

Ingredients:

1 beef tenderloin OR individual fillets

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 can mushrooms, or 1 package fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 shallot (you can use an onion too) chopped

2-3 garlic cloves minced

Italian seasoning, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

It would probably be best to marinate the beef with salt, pepper and a bit of meat tenderizer for at least a few hours to overnight. I only marinated for like a couple hours and it still came out tender.

Melt a couple tbsp of butter in a pan and add a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Sear the beef over high heat until all sides are brown. This should take about 3-5 minutes each side depending on the size. If you like your meat well done, pop it in the oven for a bit, but do not cook all the way through as it will be baked later as well. Set aside.

Melt about 2 tbsp butter in a pan and add some olive oil. Throw in the onion/shallot and saute until translucent. Add garlic and the mushrooms and seasonings and saute until dry.

Unfold the puff pastry and make sure it's big enough to wrap around the meat completely. If you're using individual fillets just make sure there's enough pastry to wrap each one. Place some mushroom mixture in the middle of the pastry then place the meat on top. Add more mushroom mixture to cover the meat. Carefully fold the pastry up to wrap the meat completely, and seal with water. Place fold down on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes or until the pasty is golden brown. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Candied Nuts

This was my husband's idea and it was quite successful so I thought I'd post. It's a yummy but slightly healthier snack (you know, other than the butter, sugar and cream :-P) BTW, these are all estimations and not exact measurements.

Ingredients:

a cup or two of your favorite nuts. We started with pecans and then I decided to make a mixture of pecans and almonds. Husband requested a batch of salted cashews.

4 tbsp butter

about 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar

couple pinches of cinnamon powder

about 1/4 to 1/3 cup heavy cream

Roast the nuts either on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes, giving them a stir halfway, or on the stove in a pan. This gives them a nice toasty flavor a good crunch factor. Let cool.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then stir in the sugar and cinnamon powder. After about 30 seconds of stirring, add the cream and stir for about a minute to let the sugar dissolve. Throw in the nuts and stir quickly to coat evenly. Pour onto a baking sheet or sheet of foil and quickly spread out with a fork. Let cool and enjoy!

Chicken Stir Fry

Not sure if I've posted this already but I googled a few different stir fry recipes and this is SO beyond easy and delicious I had to share.

Ingredients:
1lb chicken breast chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup broccoli chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin
1tsp honey
seasoned salt to taste
soy sauce to taste (i pour in about 5tbs)
1tbs cornstarch mixed in cool water

(optional ingredients but fun)
water chestnuts - drained
snow peas
corn
chilies (chopped) if you like things spicy


Saute chicken in wok/deep frying pan until the pink disappears. Add the washed vegetables and some water (about half a cup) and cover for a few minutes so everything can steam. Add soy sauce, salt, and honey then stir. Slowly add the cornstarch water and mix until liquid of stir fry is thick. Cover again (add another half cup of water if desired) and let it rest on medium heat until chicken is cooked.

This literally takes 20 minutes Serve with a side of rice and enjoy! Kids love it.

"Green" Chicken

My mama's recipe. We dubbed in "green" chicken in our house because of the color.

1-2lbs chicken thighs and legs
2 whole (green) bell peppers
1 bundle of coriander
jalapeno peppers (optional)
2tbp garlic ginger paste
1 tbs dhanya powder
salt to taste

Blend bell peppers, coriander, salt, garlic/ginger paste, dhaniya, and chilies together into a thick paste. Add a slight amount of water, but be sure to keep the original consistency as much as possible. Coat the chicken thighs and legs and marinate for at least a couple of hours to overnight if possible. Set into a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for an hour or so, turning once. Additional options include adding large potato cubes in baking dish. Garnish with lemon slices and serve alongside rice and/or salad.

You can make this less spicy by omitting the jalapeno/chili peppers. A pinch or drop of green food coloring is also fun to throw in once you marinate.

Garlic Oregano Chicken

Feeds 2-4 adults

(also from my other friend sana)

2lbs chicken thighs/legs with skin
Olive oil
Garlic cloves (minced)
Oregano
2 medium sized potatoes, big cubes
Salt to taste
Thinly sliced lemon slices (optional)

Wash and drain chicken, but keep skin on as much as you can. Place chicken and potatoes in pan you will place in the oven at 375 to 400 degrees for about an hour. Generously coat chicken with olive oil, sprinkle minced garlic and oregano on top, and sprinkle on some salt. Place thin lemon slices over seasoning (yes, they taste really good baked!)

Cook for an hour or so. Turn once in between if you want. Serve with salad on the side. Surprisingly simple but tasty!

Kichda

For those of you who aren't familiar, this is just like haleem, except with a mixture of all different kinds of daal. This recipe made enough for 2-4 people.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of the following:

barley

chana daal

whole or split masoor daal

moong daal

tuvar/toor daal

urud/maash ki daal

1/2 lb beef cubes or chicken

1 onion, thinly sliced

pinch of haldi

1/2 tsp mirchi powder

1 1/2 tsp dhanya/zeera powder

1 tbsp shaan haleem masala (opional)

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste

1 tbsp mint leaves (dry or fresh)

salt to taste

Rinse and soak the daals together. I only soaked for about a half hour.

Fry half the onion, add whole garam masala, ginger garlic paste, and salt. Add the meat, fry for a minute or two, then add water and cook until tender. (I pressure cooked the meat)

Cook the daals together with a pinch of haldi and some salt. (I pressure cooked the daal also) Shred the meat and add to the cooked daals. Add dhanya-zeera powder, mirchi powder, garam masala powder, and haleem masala. In another pot, fry the rest of the onions until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and mint and fry another minute. Add to the daal mixture and mix well. Garnish with hara dhanya, fresh mint leaves, ginger slices, and fried onions.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

The BEST rich chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream ever!! 

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water OR 1 cup brewed coffee 

Buttercream:

3/4 cup butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

5 1/3 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pans generously with cooking spray. Don't use butter or the cakes will stick.

Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and beat with electric mixer on medium for 3 minutes. Add the cup of boiling water slowly while beating with the electric mixer for another couple minutes until smooth. The batter will be very liquidy and soupy. Pour the batter evenly into the pans about 2/3 full. Don't over fill or the batter may overflow in the oven! Bake for 30 minutes, and test with a toothpick to see if they're done.

In another bowl, cream the butter with the electric mixer until it's light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and beat with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Cover if not using immediately.

Let the cake cool completely before taking them out of the pans. They are extremely soft so they will break if you don't let them cool enough. Turn the cakes out onto a plate and then frost when completely cool.