Musakhan / (Baked Chicken with Onions) / A Palestinian Cuisine

Musakhan (Arabic: مسخّن‎) is a Jordanian and Palestinian dish composed of roasted chicken baked with onions, sumac, spices and fried pine nuts served over taboon bread. It is also known as Muhammar (Arabic: محمر‎). Sakhan is the Arabic word for hot, so musakhan (mu-SA-khan) means something that has been heated.

Musakhan is a dish that is eaten with one's hands. It is usually presented with the chicken on top of the bread, and could be served with soup. It's a meal to be eaten as a special treat, it is especially cooked in villages in north Palestine.

In Mena's Cooking Club, this month we are going to discover a delicious cuisine of Palestine. This dish I, prepared for my family get together and they loved the chicken which was juicy and delicious. This is so easy to make if you marinate it the previous day and pop it in the oven an hour or two before your guest arrive.  Let's go through the ingredients... and make this together.

Ingredients
For the Marination
10 Chicken Drumsticks
1 Tablespoon Cumin powder.
2 Bay leaves
4 Whole Brown Cardamoms
2 Tablespoons Sumac powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
A pinch of Freshly grated Nutmeg
1⁄2 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Other Ingredients
2 Large Onions - finely sliced
1/2  Cup Olive oil
1 Cup Chicken stock

Method

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry.

Combine the spices for the marinade and mix with the lemon juice. Rub the marinade  into the chicken well.  Keep aside. 

Fry the onions in oil till light brown in color.  Note the onions should not burn but still be soft.  Add these onions also to the chicken marinade, along with the olive oil and keep in the refrigerator for a day or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Set the chicken out of the fridge and  let it come to room temperature. 

Then add the chicken stock.  Place the chicken on a baking tray, cover with foil and bake  for 30 minutes.   After 30 minutes remove the foil and turn the sides of the chicken and keep uncovered in the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes,   till the liquid is slightly evaporated and the chicken gets a nice dark brown color.  Remove from the oven and serve hot.

I served this with couscous  salad ( look out for the recipe) and bread .  This was  delicious.    You too try it .... Bon Appétit.

An InLinkz Link-up

Labels : Chicken, Palestine, Baked, Sumac, Mena Cooking Club, Continental Cuisine

Mixed Vegetables - Patiala Style

This is a Tarla Dalal recipe.   Was browsing through her book and found this interesting recipe.  Made  little changes in this recipe and prepared it.  It was delicious and creamy,  without adding a spoon of cream.  This recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients
2 Cups  Mixed vegetables
1 Capsicum - chopped
1 Onion -  finely chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Green chillies -  finely chopped
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Teaspoon sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
1 Teaspoon Ginger - Garlic paste - mixed in little water
1 Tablespoon  Coriander  - finely chopped
3 Tablespoons Ghee

2 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste

Method

In mixed veggies I used potato cauliflower, carrots, green peas.
Heat the  oil and ghee  in a pressure pan, fry the onion till light pink.  Add the ginger garlic paste, green chilly and  fry well till oil leaves the sides.  The add all the veggies and fry  on high flame for 5 minutes, stirring continuously.  Then add the turmeric, cinnamon powder,  salt and stir again for a minute.  Add the milk, sugar and give it a quick stir.  Close the pan with the lid and take a whistle on high flame.  Take off flame after a whistle, let the pan cool.  Open and serve garnished with coriander.  Enjoy....

My Notes :

In  the original recipe the veggies were boiled and to thicken the gravy a teaspoon of cornflour was used. 

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: August -- Week 2.

Labels : Vegetables, CCChallenge, Main course

Mini Nutella Cookie Cups - Eggless

These are so delightful when baked, that you just wait when you can pop them in to your mouth.  They simply melt.    

Ingredients
50 Grams butter (softened)
50 Grams Icing sugar
25 Grams Brown sugar - powdered
2 Drops Chocolate essence
70 Grams All-purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon Cocoa powder
A pinch of soda - bi - carb
A pinch of salt
25 Ml Milk
A Small Jar of Nutella

Method 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees . Grease your mini muffin tin. I made these in the appe pan since I did not have a mini muffin pan.

 Seive the flour, salt, baking soda, keep aside. 
Cream butter and both sugar in bowl until light, smooth and fluffy! Gradually add the seive flour  until all the flour is mixed in. Add milk a teaspoon at a time and lightly bring it to together to form a dough.  (Do not use knead the dough too much or else the cookies will become hard and tough.

Roll dough into balls.

Pop them in the mini muffin tin / appe pan  and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown but not too dark around the edges.

When done, remove from oven and let sit for about 2 minutes. 

Then make wells for the nutella with a shot glass. 

Add 1 tbsp Nutella to each cup – it will start to melt quickly so you can swirl it around and make it nice and smooth.

Let cool 15-20 minutes in tin. 

Remove from tin and relish them. 

Nutella  solidifyed in about an hour, which  I, then transported to my friends!



Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#55

Labels : Biscuits & Cookies, Eggless, Blogging Marathon

Nutella Strawberry Bread Roll Ups

These Strawberry Nutella Roll Ups are easy to make, are perfect for a breakfast, brunch or dessert. Serve these with ice cream for dessert and you will simply love these roll ups, with nutella, strawberry and top it icecream .....yum..

Ingredients

8 Slices White sandwich bread - crusts removed
12 Strawberries - sliced
5 Tablespoons Nutella
Butter for frying

Method

Use a rolling pin to roll the bread flat. This makes them easier to roll up.

Spread around 1/2 Tablespon or more of Nutella. 

Arrange strawberries along the bottom of each piece of bread.

Roll up bread. The Nutella will keep it sealed.

Melt butter in pan over medium high heat. Place  each roll upin the pan. Repeat with remaining roll ups. Cook for around 2 - 3 minutes until each side is golden, rotating it.

Serve immediately, while warm.

My Notes:

Use fresh bread to make these or the will break while rolling. The bread that I have used is a day old, hence you can see cracks.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#55

Labels : Breakfast, Brunch, Nutella, Strawberry, Blogging Marathon

NUTELLA PARCELS

These are flaky and gooey nuttella parcels, wherein when you bite into it nutella oozes out. Simply yummy and delicious. These parcels I made for our evening tea. They were finished in jiffy. Try them and you too will enjoy.

While making these parcels I had a tough time.  Heat was too much and the pastry sheets were just melting and soft.  Had to refrigerate after every step.

Ingredients
5 Square Puff pastry sheets

For the filling
Nutella as required
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Method
To assemble the parcels:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees . Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Defrost the sheets and cut into squares (of one sheet I got 2 parcels) Top with a teaspoon of Nutella.

Brush edges with the egg wash. Top with the other half  and press to seal. 

Use the back of a fork to press a decorative edge around the parcels.  Refrigerate them for at least half an hour.

Brush tops with egg was.  Bake until crust is golden. Let cool slightly and serve immediately. 

These parcels are best had the day they are baked, but will keep at room temperature for a few days.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 55

Labels : Puff Pastry Sheet, Nutella, Blogging Marathon, Snacks