Makrout - Moroccan Date Cookie

This delicious moroccan pastry is made with semolina and date . 

Makrout in it's various forms is present on all celebration tables especially during Ramadan .  Makrout, also spelled Maqrout, Makroudh, Maqrut, Mqaret, Imqaret or Makroud. The word makrout in arabic means "diamond shaped" as these small delights are traditional diamond shaped.

This pastry has so much of ghee and oil that while making it I had a tough time.  The heat in Mumbai is so much that the pastry was melting.   Had to keep it in the fridge to set after every rolling.  But the end result was fantastic.  We enjoyed it, even my friends loved this cookie.  A healthy and tasty cookies.  Do try it.

Ingredients
For the dough
1 Cups  Fine Semolina

1 Tablespoon All purpose flour
2 Tablespoons Rose water
1. 1/2 Tablespoon Ghee

1. 1/2 Tablespoon Oil
1 Tablespoon Sugar
A pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling
1.1/2 Cups of Pitted Dates
1 Tablespoon Rose water
1 Tablespoon Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
a pinch of ground nutmeg

Honey

Method
To make the dough

Melt ghee, when melted, add the oil.

Mix the semolina, flour, sugar and salt.  Slowly add the melted ghee mixing thoroughly. Add water just enough to wet the semolina.  Keep it aside covered overnight.  Next day grind the semolina  to paste without adding any water.

Knead this into a soft ball/ very smooth texture. Keep it in the refrigerator for an hour to set.  

To assemble

Transfer the dough on to a flat surface, divide the dough into two parts. 

Roll out one part into a small thick chappati and place the date paste over it. Cover it with the other part of the dough.

Roll this in a thick chappatti.  Cut with a square cookies cutter.

I used a small mould to decorate the makrouts.

I din't fry them in oil, but baked them in the oven. Place this on to lined  baking tray . 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes till light golden on top.  

Dip it in honey immediately after you remove it from the oven.  Keep it to drain.  Serve, enjoy .... 

This recipe goes to Mena's Cooking Club.


Labels : Dates, Honey, Semolina, Moroccan, Biscuits & Cookies, Mena Cooking Club, Continental Cuisine

   

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Bread Upma - Quick and Easy Snack / Breakfast

This is a very tasty and delicious snack / breakfast that can be make in a few minutes.

This dish is prepared whenever there is  excess bread lying in the refrigerator. This recipe is a great way to use any kind of excess bread or the side slices of bread. I usually make this Upma with the side slices of the bread which is mostly left as they do like it toasted or in sandwiches. Collect these in a zip lock bag and freeze it, when there are about 14 to 16 slices I defrost them and cut them in small cubes. Whenever kids are bored of bread toast and sandwiches make this bread upma for a quick snack, breakfast or  tiffin they will enjoy it.

Sending this post to Srivalli's Kid's Delight event, host of the month Sandhya - theme Snacking all the way week 2 day 1.

Ingredients

14 Bread slices - cut into small cubes
1 Large Onion - finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Chilly powder
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A sprig of Curry leaves
1/2 Cup Roasted Peanuts - crushed
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
¼ Cup Water
Salt to taste
1/4 Cup Oil
Coriander leaves - chopped for garnishing - optional

Method

In a large zip lock bag add the bread cubes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and peanuts, shake the bag well. Sprinkle water just to make the bread cubes lightly moist and shake the bag well till the spices are coated to the bread cubes.

Heat oil in a large kadai / wok, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add onions and curry leaves, sauté till  onion is tanslucent. Add the bread cubes  and mix well, cover and cook for a 3 -4 minutes. Remove off flame , granish with corainder and crushed peanuts. Serve... enjoy ..

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#53.

Labels : Kids delight, Breakfast, Blogging Marathon

Roghni Roti #BreadBakers

Roghni Roti is a flat bread which is cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle called a tava. This is served hot and brushed with ghee or butter. It can be used to scoop other foods, or served stuffed with a filling. This is a deliciously soft roti.

Ingredients

1.1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1.1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 Tablespoons heaped Ghee
1/2 Cup Milk
3 Tablespoon Cream
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Instant Yeast
Extra Ghee / Butter for brushing

Method
Mix salt, sugar , yeast and ghee with the flour til it resembles bread crumbs. Add milk and cream and knead to a soft dough. cover and leave it aside for an hour to rise.

Dived the dough in 8 portions, take 1 ppoortion between your plams roll inot a ball, lightly dust the ball with flour, place on a rolling board,  roll it out to a disc a of about 6 inches.

Repeat this step with all the portions of dough.   Keep aside for minutes.

  

Heat a griddle, place the roti and cook on one side until light and golden.  then flip and cook till golden and crisp.

Remove and brush with ghee. Serve .

Sending this to Bread Bakers - Theme: Flat Bread - Yeasted, our host for this month is Chef Mireille's East West Realm 

Check out our other

#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

Labels: Breads, Bread Bakers

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Chickpea Moroccan Bread by Food Lust People Love

Emirati Khameer by The Schizo Chef

Focaccia by Simply Veggies

Garlic Naan by Seduce Your Tastebuds

Grilled Bacon Onion Cheese Flatbread (Flammkuchen) by Magnolia Days

Grilled Naan by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Homemade Naan by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Hönökaka - Swedish Flatbread by Passion Kneaded

Kesra - Moroccan Flatbread by Karen's Kitchen Stories

Man'oushe - Lebanese Flatbread by A Shaggy Dough Story

Margherita-Style Grilled Flatbread by Cali's Cuisine

Orange Herb Pitas by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Paneer Kulcha by I Camp in my Kitchen

Roghni Roti by Sneha's Recipe

Sausage Gravy Pizza with Peppers and Onions by Pastry Chef Online

Simple Pita Bread by A Baker's House

Spelt Biskers by What Smells So Good?

Tigelle - Italian Flat Bread by Cooking Club

Whole Wheat Pita Bread by G'Gina's Kitchenette

Za'atar & Cheese Manakish - Levantine Flatbread by Ruchik Randhap

Za'atar Spiced Khobez by Cook's Hideout

Prawns Curry with Brinjal in Green Masala

This is typical East Indian Style Prawn Curry with brinjal in green masala which is mild spiced and made with freshly ground coconut or coconut milk. This another traditional East Indian recipe , my mother's recipe.

This curry is a very tasty and you can have it with hot steamed rice or handbreads - what the East Indian call apas.

Ingredients
12-15 medium sized Prawns
4 Baby Brinjals
1 Potato
3 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste

To Grind to paste
1 Cup Freshly grated Coconut
4-6 Green chillies or to your taste
1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
6 Garlic cloves
1 inch piece Ginger
1 Cup Packed Coriander leaves
2 Teaspoons Tamarind paste
1 Teaspoon Rice - washed

Method

Devein the prawns you can keep the shell intact if you wish too , wash & drain excess water, (My mother use to keep the shell of the prawns, saying that it makes the curry very tasty). I remove the shells since my daugther does not like it.
Rub little salt to the prawns  and  keep aside.

In the mean while grind the masala.

Grind all the ingredients from the list (to grind to paste)to a fine smooth paste adding very little water.

Cut the brinjals & potatoe, in cubes or wedges , immerse them in water to prevent them from turning black.

In a vessel heat oil , add in the ground masala paste & fry over medium flame for 3-4 minutes till oil leaves the sides.
Then add the chopped brinjal, pototoes and saute for a minute, add the salt to taste and water according to the consistency needed for the gravy. Bring it to a boil , reduce the flame, cover and cook. Once the veggies have cooked, add the prawns. Simmer and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the flame & serve hot with rice or apas.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: June -- Week 1.

Labels: Fish, Green Masala, CCChallenge, East Indian, Prawns 

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Chicken Fajita Wrap

Fajitas are basically Mexican-style wraps. A fajita is a term found in Tex-Mex cuisine, commonly referring to any grilled meat usually served as a taco on a flour or corn tortilla.

This is the third recipe for first week BM, theme Tortilla based dishes.

Ingredients
6 Tortillas - recipe here
250 Grams Namkeen Chicken - shredded
1 Large Onion - sliced
1 Large Capsicum - sliced
1 Large Tomato - seeded and sliced
1 Cup Cheddar cheese - grated
1/2 Cup Salsa sauce
1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Method
Heat oil in a frying pan add chicken with onion and capsicum and tomato cook for 3 minutes till the vegetables are glossy. 

To serve Fajitas
Warm the tortillas up in a warm dry pan . Spread sour cream on the center of tortillas , top it with chicken vegetable mixture, spread salsa sauce and grated cheese. Roll into a tight roll. Wrap it in butter paper or wax paper and serve. These are so yum and filling. 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#53.
Labels :  Chicken, Fajita, Sandwiches, Blogging Marathon, Mexican, Wrap, Tortilla, Homemade, International Cuisine