Bombil Samossa / Stuffed Bombay Duck #FishFriday

This is my Mummy's special recipe, she use to make this very often for us in different spices and filling. I, once made 40 of these for my friends who came from Canada and served these with Handbreads, they were a hit and these got over in a jiffy.

This fish has many names, we Mumbaikar's call it Bombil, some call it bummalo, the British and others who came to India call it Bombay Duck. There are many other stories found on the net regarding the name of the fish, which is true I, do not know, but,  Bombil / Bombay Duck  is a marine lizard fish found on the coastline of Mumbai and Maharashtra.  This is favorite fish of us Mumbaikar's.  Bombils in any form are enjoyed here, dried or fresh we love it.

Our Host Wendy for Fish Friday Foodies asked us to get creative and share some stuffed fish recipes.  I, decided to make my Mummy's favorite recipe, its a little time consuming but worth the effort.


Ingredients

6 - 8 Medium size Fresh Bombils

For the Red Masala Paste

5- 6 Kashmiri Red Chillies
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Teaspoon Level Cumin Seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Tablespoons Vinegar

Salt to taste

For the Stuffing

2 Medium Onions - finely chopped
1 Green Chilly - Finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - Finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Coriander Leaves - chopped
A pinch of All Spice Powder - optional

Salt to Taste

1 Tablespoon Oils

For  Coating 

1/2 Cup Rice Flour 

2 Tablespoons Cup  Fine Semolina  / Rawa

Oil as required for frying

Method

Soak  the red chillies in warm water for an hour at least. 

Wash and clean the bombil, cut the head, lightly scrape it with a back if the knife to remove any dirt or scales on the body.  Then remove the side fins and trim the tail a little.

Now take the bombil on to a cutting board and slit it in the middle very gently, see that you do not cut it fully, then remove the center bone, keep aside like do it for the rest, apply salt and keep aside.

In the meantime grind the ingredients of the masala paste using only vinegar not water should be used.  

Now wash the bombil in fresh water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.

Apply the paste to the bombil and keep in the refrigerator.

In the meantime lets prepare the stuffing

In a pan heat oil add the onions and rest of the ingredients and saute  it till the onion a translucent, then add a tablespoon or more (according to your taste  ) and fry it till  all the moisture evaporates and the stuffing is dry.  Keep aside to cool. Add the coriander leaves and mix well.

When the stuffing cools, place a tablespoon or more in the center and fold it to make triangle samoosa.

Mix the rice flour and semolina well, gently press each bombil into this mix and coat it nicely on both sides, like wise coat all the bombils and keep aside.

Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil on medium low flame and fry the bombils till golden brown and crisp. 

 Enjoy these with  Handbreads,    I, assure you you will love them. 

Labels :  Seafood/Fish, Bombils, Stuffed Fish, Red Masala, Onions, Garlic, Fish Friday, East Indian, Mumbai

An InLinkz Link-up

Mushroom And Carrot Soup #soupswappers

This month's event for Soup Saturday Swappers the theme is Root Vegetables, our host is Wendy , thank you dear for hosting this event.

Since we had use root vegetables to make the soup, I, decided to make this satisfying, hearty and low cal vegetarian soup with carrot, mushrooms and gave it a punch of garlic. This is a little spicy soup since carrot and mushrooms have a bland taste. 

Serves 3
Ingredients:
2 Big Carrots  -  chopped
1 Small Onion -  chopped
2 Medium Tomatoes -  chopped
6 Cloves Garlic  -  chopped
8 Button Mushrooms -  chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Chili flakes
1 Teaspoon Corn flour - if required (I did not add) 
1/4 Teaspoon White Pepper Powder
Salt to taste
6 Cups Water
1 Veg Soup Seasoning Cube
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil or Butter
Bread Croutons  or Garlic Bread for serving

Method

In a pressure cooker add water onion, tomato, carrot and garlic, cook for on high flame for a whistle. Reduce the flame and then let it cook for 5 minutes. Take off flame and let the cooker cool. Once the pressure is released separate veggies and water. Retain the water for later use. Grind veggies to fine paste. Add retained water. Strain mixture and set aside.
In a sauce pan add a teaspoon of olive oil, sauté mushroom slices with a pinch of white pepper powder and chilly flakes for 2 to 3 minutes till they get soft. Add the strained mixture, seasoning cube with chili flakes, salt and pepper powder or according to your taste . If the soup is thick then add additional water if required. Let is simmer  for 5 to 10 minutes or till you get the required thickness.

 Serve hot with a few bread croutons or  slices of garlic bread. Enjoy this delicious, easy soup, it warms and comforts you after a long day. 

Labels : Soup, Root Vegetables, Carrot, Garlic, Mushroom, Low Cal, Soup Swappers, Mushroom And Carrot Soup

An InLinkz Link-up

Green Garlic Parathas - Flat Bread # Bread Bakers

For  April bread bakers event the theme is Garlic, since I had already made Garlic Knots , decided to make a flat bread with fresh green garlic.  

As many are aware that Green Garlic is available in India only during winters, so if you do not get it, you can still make these yummy flaky Garlicky Parathas, with garlic cloves.  In this paratha,  have used fresh green garlic as well as dried garlic cloves.

Try these parathas , you'll fall in love with them and make them often like I do.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Wheat flour
2 Tablespoons Rice flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 Teaspoon Amchur powder
1/2 Teaspoon Green chilly paste
2 Springs Green Garlic - finely chopped (optional)
6 Cloves Garlic paste
2 Tablespoons Ghee - melted
1 Tablespoon Oil

Method

Take a bowl and add whole wheat flour, green garlic, salt, oil, water and knead to form soft dough. Keep it aside.

In a another bowl, add ghee, salt, rice flour and mix well. To this add cumin powder, green chilly paste, amchur powder, garlic paste and mix well to smooth paste.

Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into thin round roti. Spread the garlic mixture evenly over the roti and fold the paratha

fold it like a fan fold (pleates) and press with your plam. 

Then turn it into a round ball.

Using rolling pin, roll the paratha into a thin round flatbread.

Make all the parathas and stack them by dusting flour on each before placing the other one.

Heat a girddle / tawa

Cook the paratha till you can see brown spots on the bottom side flip it over and cook the other side of the paratha. Then with both your hand hold the parathas and the folds will open.

Serve hot with curd or any sabji .  Since this is loved by my family,  we have this for breakfast,  with a hot cuppa of chai....

Sending these to the Bread Bakers event - ingredient of the month is GARLIC,  host of the month is Karen of  Karen's Kitchen Stories , thank you dear for hosting this event.

Labels : Garlic, Rotis, Parathas, Bread Bakers 

Take a look at the other bakers..

• Black Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Bread from Magnolia Days
• Buttery Garlic Knots from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Buttery Garlic Pull Apart Bread from Cook's Hideout
• Caramelized Garlic Chèvre Stuffed Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Cheddar, Garlic and Jalapeno Beer Bread from A Palatable Pastime
• Cheddar Garlic Dinner Rolls from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls from Herbivore Cucina
• Domino's Style Garlic Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Easy-Peasy Garlic-ky Mini Rolls from G'Gina's Kitchenette
• Garlic & Gorgonzola Focaccia from Baking in Pyjamas
• Garlic, Herbs and Cheese Bread from La Cocina de Aisha
• Garlic Naan with Green Chiles from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Garlic Pull Apart Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Garlic Sunflower Bread from Passion Kneaded
• Gluten Free & Vegan Garlic Breadsticks from What Smells So Good?
• {Gluten Free} Seeded Black Garlic Flat Bread from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Green Garlic Parathas - Flat Bread from Sneha's Recipes
• Herbed Garlic Butter Garland Bread from Ruchik Randhap
• Multi Grain Garlic Naan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Pissaladière from The Bread She Bakes
• Roasted Garlic Focaccia from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Triple Garlic Knots from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Whole Wheat Garlic Ciabatta Bread from Cooking Club

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Lebanese Shish Tawook / Chicken Kabob

This month in Mena's Cooking Club, I am travelling to Lebanon our host Sarah choose this recipe. Have you been there! I have not, but that's the advantage of blogging, you still get to enjoy world's cuisine in your home kitchen.

In Lebanon, Shish Tawook can be found in most fast food restaurants.  It is usually ordered as a sandwich of grilled chicken rolled in a “pita” bread with some Lebanese Garlic Sauce called Toum and some salty pickles, fries. It can also be served in a plate with a side of rice and grilled veggies. As I was surfing found that there are different recipes, some using yogurt or tomato paste. Though is popular all over Lebanon and each family has their own recipe. Does any one know what the word tawook mean?. Well, let me tell you. Tawook is a variant on the Turkish word tavuk, meaning chicken. So shish tawook means chicken skewers, Shish tawook is typically eaten with garlic paste toum. When I was going to many recipes, found that hardly any spices are used. Was very curious to know how it would taste. But let me tell you this is has an awesome taste. My daughter enjoyed this. But you must make the Toum cause it enhances the taste of tawook.

My today's post I dedicate to Noor who  initiate's  the monthly challenges.  In spite if not being well and dealing with injury pain, she still continues to organize this challenge for us.  Noor, thank you and you are always in my prayer, get well soon.

Ingredients

500 Grams boneless chicken breast - cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon rind
5 cloves of Garlic -  crushed
3 Tablespoons Yogurt
3 Tablespoons  Olive oil
1 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Pepper powder
1/4 Teaspoon Ginger paste
1/4 Teaspoon Oregano
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
3/4 Teaspoon Salt or to taste

1 Long Black Brinjal - cut into thick roundels 

1  Green Capsicum - cut into big cubes
Lebanese Garlic Paste / Toum (see recipe below) to be served with Shish Tawook

Method

Marinating the Chicken

Marinate the chicken breast chunks for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight in the fridge. The longer they marinate, the juicier and more flavorful they are. Right before grilling, skewer the chicken. Mix all ingredients well together while rubbing the chicken. Place in a container, cover, and let it marinate in the fridge (I left it overnight). An hour before grilling I marinated the veggies along with the chicken and kept aside.

Grilling the Shish Tawook

Soak the bamboo skewers in water for half an hour at least. 

The longer you marinate the chicken the quicker it grills. Grill on medium heat between 18 - 20 minutes max. Heat a grill pan on medium heat.

Skewer the chicken and veggies right before grilling.   

As soon as you remove them from the grill, place them in a big warm pot, place the lid tightly, and let rest for 8-10 minutes - this helps the chicken become more moist (this step is optional)

Lebanese Garlic Sauce called Toum
Garlic sauce is made like mayonnaise and a lot of fresh garlic is added in the process. A simpler way of doing this is to use ordinary mayonnaise and add lots of fresh crushed garlic.

Ingredients
1 Clove Garlic - peeled and chopped
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Vegetable oil / I use olive oil

1/2 Teaspoon Lemon juice

1/2 Teaspoon  White Vinegar

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Mustard paste ( Optional)  - I used it.

Method
Place all the ingredients in a bowl except the oil and blend well, then as you are blending  pour the oil gentle in a thin stream  (like a trickle) till the thick.  The Garlic Toum is ready. 

Serve and enjoy with Shish Tawook.

Labels:  International Cuisine, Mena Cooking Club, Starters, Kebabs, Lebanese, Chicken, Garlic, Sauce 

An InLinkz Link-up

Hirva Vatan ( Green masala paste)

The specialty of CKP cuisine is fish, chicken and meat dishes. Hirva vatan (green masala paste) is the pungent and aromatic ginger-garlic, green chilies and fresh coriander leaves paste .Hirva Vatan is must for most dishes in every Maharashtrian home.

Ingredients
10 Grams Garlic
10 Grams Ginger
1 or 2 Green chillies
2 - 3 Tablespoons Coriander leaves- with the stems
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Method 

The preparation is pretty basic -peel the garlic pods, and peeling the ginger. Add all ingredients into a mixer/blender and blend to a fine paste. Add a little water (enough to grind everything together).  That's it. For the color not to change add a little oil and then store it in the container, put it into the freezer and use as needed.

Labels: Masalas, Coriander Leaves,  Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilly, CKP Cuisine, Maharashtra, Maharastrian Cuisine