Sneha's Recipe: Iraqi

This month’s challenge with the MENA cooking club, the recipes chosen are from Iraq. One is Lis'an El Qa'thi and the other is Pardah Pellau. While surfacing the net , found it difficult to find the correct recipe for the given challenge by Mena, cause the each one had the same method by different names like Iraqi Parda Plau , Perde pilaf or some pronounce it as Parda Palaw.

This Iraqi dish, which literally means - Phyllo Pastry Wrapped Biryani, wherein the biryani rice, is entirely enveloped in crispy flaky phyllo pastry. Though it sounds complicated and lenghty this is recipe is very easy to make, simple and requires hardly any time assemble it together . For this dish can use leftover biryani.

Ingredients
10 Sheets Phyllo pastry - Homemade
1.1/2 Cup Air fryer Chicken Biryani
40 - 50 Grams Butter - melted

Method

I have made a healthy biryani in the Air fryer hence the name, recipe of Phyllo Pastry and Air fryer Chicken Biryani will be posted soon.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

Shred the chicken from the briyani and keep aside. The biryani should be cold ( from the refrigerator). Hence leftover biryani can be used.

Brush well the bottom and sides of an oven-safe dish with butter.

Begin to layer the phyllo pastry over the bottom and the sides, leaving an over-hanging portion

Remembering to brush with melted butter between each layer.

I used five sheets at the bottom. Then fill the phyllo lined dish to the brim with cooled biryani.

Cover the top with two sheets of phyllo and brush each sheet with melted butter before laying the other one, brush the top with butter and then fold over the over-hanging pastry, and brushing the top with melted butter.

Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes until piping hot and of a golden crispy texture.

Carefully invert on the serving dish.

Cut into portions and serve.

This was an amazing dish, crispy and flaky out side with delicious rice and chicken filling. This is quite heavy and filling , enjoy.

Labels: Baked, Chicken, Continental Cuisine, Rice, Iraqi, Mena Cooking Club, Middle Eastern, Phyllo pastry
Check the recipe of Phyllo Pastry Sheets - Homemade and Air Fryer Chicken Biryani

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.