Lis'an El Qa'thi / Iraqi Stuffed Eggplant

This month’s challenge with the MENA cooking club, the recipes chosen are from Iraq. One of them is Lis'an El Qa'thi  when means stuffed eggplant with meat filling. Its is a yummy and delicious dish. Quick to make and really different way to present the humble Baingan ( what we Indian's call eggplant).  It's a classic party dish.  We really loved it.

Serve 2
Ingredients 

1 large Eggplants
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
250 Grams Chicken Mince
1 Tablespoon Tomato paste
1/2 Teaspoon Baharat Masala - Homemade
1/2 Teaspoon Chilly powder
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Tablespoons Coriander Leaves - finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil as required
For Garnishing
1 Tomato - de seeded and cut in strips

1 Green Capsicum - cut in strips

Method

Cut the eggplants length ways and make  diamond cuts lightly (do not go too deep) as shown in the pic. 

Brush it oil and rub  a pinch of salt.

Pour a two tablespoons of oil into a frying pan to coat bottom generously. Heat over medium heat and fry eggplants, cut side down, for 8 to 10 minutes (ensuring they don’t blacken). Turn and fry the skin side another 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep aside to cool lightly.

In a another pan heat two tablespoons oil and fry onions until they are translucent. Add mince and cook, stirring till it turns pink to white. Add tomatoes paste, turmeric, chilly powder, Baharat masala and salt to taste. Stir and let the chicken mince cook till done and all the  moisture is evaporated. Add the coriander leaves and mix well. Keep aside to cool

Now preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Oil an ovenproof dish. 

Use the back of a spoon to press the eggplant flesh in order to create a cavity in the center of each half.

Fill the eggplant halves with an equal amount of the chicken mixture, piling it up so all the stuffing is used and patting it down gently. 

Garnish each eggplant with tomato and the capsicum strips. Arrange eggplant halves in the ovenproof dish. Sprinkle a little cold water over each eggplant half.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggplant is slightly blackened around the edges and the mince has browned. Serve at once.

Homemade Baharat Masala  recipe to  be posted soon.

Labels : Eggplant, Baked, Chicken, Iraqi, Continental Cuisine, Middle Eastern, Mena Cooking Club

TANDOORI FISH MOUSSAKA - DESI STYLE #FISH FRIDAY FOODIE

Have already prepared two moussaks - a veg and non veg version, which have been already posted, wanted to try out one with fish giving it a twist... making it desi style.  It was a success and tasted delicious.

Ingredients
300 Grams Fish
1 Teaspoon Tandoori Masala
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

For the Sauce
1 Cup Thick Bechamel Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Tandoori Masala
1/2 Teaspoon Chilly powder
1 Cup Milk

2 Large Potatoes
2 Long Black Aubergines / Brinjals
Cheeza Cheese As required
A few Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
A Pinch of Paprika
A Pinch of Mixed Herbs
A Teaspoon of Butter

Method
I have use Khapi fish which has only one center bone, and its a very fleshy and tasty fish, do not know the name in English.

Marinate the fish in the given ingredients for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  

After 30 minutes steam then fish and dry all the moisture. When cooled, skin and de-bone the fish. Shred it in big chunks and keep aside 

Slice the potatoes and immerse them in salt water for ten minutes. Drain the water and wash in fresh water then pat dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel. 

Slice the aubergines and immerse them in salt water for ten minutes. Drain the water and wash it in fresh water, then pat dry the aubergines with a kitchen towel 

In a big broad frying pan sprinkle a tablespoon of oil and fry the potatoes till golden on both sides. 

Likewise fry the aubergines too till golden on both sides.

To prepare the sauce
In a pan add all the ingredients and whisk till smooth, then place it on low flame and cook , whisking continuously till it comes to a boil and thicken a little ( note the sauce should be pouring consistency)

To Assemble the Moussaka

Prepare a Pyrex baking dish with buttering it well.  

Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce, then arrange a layer of potatoes 

Place  the aubergines 

Then a layer of fish 

Then slices of cheese, Again pour 3 tablespoon of sauce

Continue the above layer again

Now first place the aubergine slices, then the 

Potato slices,  then Fish chunks, Then sauce and 

 cheese and dot it a spoon of butter

Sprinkle mixed herbs, paprika and garnish it with coriander leaves

Cover the dish with a foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 35 to 45. After 30 minutes remove the foil and again bake till done. When done on the broil /grill element and let it brown for just 3 - 5 minute till brown spots appear on the top. 

 Cool and serve... enjoy this Tex Mex cuisine of the Mediterranean region in my own desi style.... this was yum and delicious.  

Have this with garlic bread or a bowl of soup and you are sated ...

This month, the theme for our Fish Friday Foodies is "fish baked in a dish," hosted by Sue of Palatable Pastime. Check out the rest of the Fish Friday Foodies' recipes, at end of this post.

Labels : Fish, Moussaka, Continental Cuisine, Fish Friday, Bechamel Sauce, Tandoori Masala

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TAHDIG WITH POTATO - CRUSTY RICE WITH POTATO

Bahrain officially  called as the Kingdom of Bahrain,  is an island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. Bahrain has more expats which are outnumbering the locals. Bahrain is modern and cosmopolitan. Hence the cuisine of Baharain is mix of Persian, Arabic and Asian. This month in Mena Cooking club we are exploring the cuisine of Baharain. I choose to make a savory and a sweet dish.

Tahdeek or TAHDIG is an Iranian / Persian traditional dish, which is a crispy / crusty rice. Tah means "bottom" + Dīg means "pot" There are many different version of making this recipe. Some make with yogurt and saffron or with lavash bread or with potato. Here I, have made this recipe, with an addition of my own by adding a pinch of spices to the traditional Tahdig which is actually without any spices.

Ingredients
1  Large Potato
1 Cup Basmati Rice
1/8 Teaspoon  Saffron

2 Tablespoons Water 

1 Clove Garlic

1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder

1/8 Teaspoon Chilly Flakes
1 Tablespoon Oil

1 Tablespoon Butter

Salt to Taste

Method

Slice potatoes as evenly as possible in about 1/4″ rounds and immerse them in  water with a pinch of salt till further use.

Mix the saffron in 2 tablespoons warm water and a pinch of salt, keep aside.

In the meantime let's cook the rice.  Boil the rice in 4 -5 cups water and a teaspoon of salt, cook the rice till done.  Strain the rice and cool it.  

In a flat round pot add oil and a teaspoon of butter and grease it well.   Then pour the saffron water.

Arrange the slices of potato as seen in the pic.  

Grate the clove of garlic, sprinkle a pinch of chilly flakes and pepper powder.  

Now place the rice on top of the potato and lighlty press.  

Again sprinkle a pinch of black pepper powder and chilly flakes, dot it with remaing butter.  Cover the pot with a aluminum foil and keep it on high flame for 5 to 7 minutes.  Then reduce the flame to very low and let it cook for an hour. 

After an hour switch of the flame and let it cool.  When you open the pot, you will see that it has left the sides that means it's done perfectly. 

  
Overturn it on to a plate and enjoy .... yum ... 
tahdig... crusty potatoes and soft rice ... hmmmm delicious. 

Labels : Rice, Potato, Bahrain, Mena Cooking Club, Continental Cuisine

KHABEES AL NIKHI

Khabees is a traditional sweet found throughout the Arabic country that is made with different types flours  like :- all purpose flour, semolina , chickpea flour and brown flour. When Chickpea is used it's called as Khabees Al Nikhi. Khabees is made with all purpose flour or brown flour and   Al Khabees is made with semolina flour.  This is a simple and easy sweet from Bahrain.   

I took  a dozen of these for my friends, they were so thrilled and enjoyed it... for them these were tasty and healthy balls. My hubby too liked these dates balls though he is not a fan of dates.  

Makes around 18 to 20

Ingredients

2 Cups Chickpea flour  / Besan
5 Tablespoons Level Tea Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1/3 Cup  Butter
1  Teaspoon Cardamom powder

2 Tablespoon Rose water
16  Dates -  deseeded and chopped
1/3 - 1/2  Cup  Sesame seeds - toasted

Method

In a microwave proof plate add chickpea flour and microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Mix it well,   then microwave for a minute and again mix it well, like wise keep it for  another 3 after every minutes mix it well.  If you find that the flour is not roasted and not giving a nutty flavor then microwave it for every 30 seconds and give it a mix.  This is what I did for another 2 minutes pausing every 30 seconds and mix it well.   It took about 7  minutes to roast the flour in the microwave. 

  

After the chickpea flour is nicely roasted add the butter and stir it when its hot.  Then again microwave it for 2 minutes, pausing every 15  seconds to give it a quick stir. When its hot add the dates and stir it well.  The dates will soften.   Keep this aside.

 In a saucepan, add sugar and water. Bring to a rolling boil, then take it off flame. Add cardamom powder, and rose water mix well.  

Add the sugar water to the chickpea flour until a soft dough has formed. I used all the sugar water. 

Divide the dough into marble size balls, then roll  each in sesame seeds. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in a  preheated oven at 150 degrees.

Look at these pretty balls studded with small white pearls... hmm... beauties..  

These have a natural color because I, used medjool dates. 

My Notes

The flour is traditionally  roasted in a pan and butter is added to sugar water.  But I used the microwave and added the butter to the flour and roasted it in butter for 2 to 3 minutes. 

I found that the microwave is quick and requires less effort and roasted  the flour  to perfection.   

When I was surfacing the net and watching videos they all followed the pan method.    They also kept the flour after adding the sugar water again in the oven to steam it.  This can all be eliminated if you use the microwave method.

Do not keep the sugar water boiling, since this not require any thread consistency.  Soon as it come to a boil, switch off the flame.

Labels :  Sweets & Desserts, Healthy, Mena Cooking Club, Bahrain, Continental Cuisine

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