Moroccan Tortilla / Tortilla Omelette

This recipe for Tortilla also called Moroccan Omelet, a Ramadan special dish. This recipe is delicious and so easy to make! 

Can be served as an appetizer,  for a filling and hearty breakfast  or for Suhūr also known as Sehri ,  it's an Islamic term referring to the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting / before dawn during or outside the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Serves 2
Ingredients
2 Medium Potatoes- boiled and sliced
2 Tablespoons Coriander Leaves - finely chopped
2 Large Eggs
1 Medium Onion - chopped
2 Teaspoons Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1/4 Teaspoon Black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Powder

Method 

Heat a teaspoon oil in a frying pan and add onions and saute till soft and just start to turn pink. Now add potatoes, all the spices and saute for a minute or two only. 

Add coriander leaves and transfer this into a bowl, keep it aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs till light and fluffy.

Add it to the potatoes mixture to it and mix it well.

Heat the same frying pan with the remaining oil and pour this mixture into the pan and level it by spreading it with a spatula. 

Cover with a lid.

Cook till the top is dry. 

To flip the tortilla take a plate and place it on top of the pan and flip it .. see pic so that it does not break and remains in one piece.

Now gently tilt the plate and transfer the top side on to the pan and again cover and cook for 2 minutes or until it is nice and brown.. 

After both side is done.

Transfer it to the serving plate.

Slice it.

Serve it hot, warm, cool, or at room temperature. !  Enjoy this yum and delicious Moroccan Tortilla.

Labels : Egg, Potato, Omelette, Tortilla, Moroccan, Mena Cooking Club, Gluten Free
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Iraqi Parda Plau - Phyllo Pastry Wrapped Biryani

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

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

Makaronah Bil Beshemel - Baked Bechamel Pasta - Egypt

Makaronah Bil Beshemel is  easy to prepare, baked pasta dish.  This is a one dish meal, we enjoyed it with a bowl of soup or  you can have it with  salad.  This is an healthy and delicious dish which has no cheese, yet taste divine.  

Quick and easy to make, have all the ingredients ready and  this dish is ready in minutes.  Here, I, have used Bezar spice, which is an arabic spice and goes very well with this dish, this spice mix has an awesome taste and flavor.

Serves 2 
Ingredients
1 Cup Heaped Macaroni  Pasta
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Bezar Spice Mix  - see recipe
1  Onion - chopped
200 Grams  Boneless Chicken - finely cubed 
Salt to taste
1.1/2 Cups Thick Bechamel sauce - see recipe 

Method

Cook pasta in 5 cups or waters as per the packet instruction or till al dente.  Drain and add a teaspoon of warm oil and toss it, keep aside.

While pasta cooks, we prepare the chicken layer.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add onions and saute till onions are translucent.  Then add the chicken and saute till it turn pink to white then add the bezar spice and saute  for 2 to 3 minutes, cover and cook  till the chicken is done.  Open the lid and evaporate all the moisture or till the mixture is dry. Keep aside to cool.

In the meantime preheat the oven  at 200 degrees.

Butter a casserole dish well,

Spread 2 tablespoons of bechamel sauce  

Now spread half of pasta 

Spread layer of  chicken mixture

Top with remaining pasta

Pour the  bechamel sauce evenly on to dish. Sprinkle a little   bezar spice and place it in oven till it browns on top .

See the layers.. looks too tempting.. na.

Cool it a little and cut slices of this  rich dish,  enjoy with soup or salad of your choice. 

My Notes 

You can use any pasta of your choice.
Can use lamb or beef mince for the filling too.

Bezar spice is an Arabic spice and has a flavorful taste, try this spice you will love it.

Labels : Bechamel Sauce, Bezar,  Spice Mix , Chicken, Mena cooking club, Pasta & Noodles, Healthy, Egypt