Jabeez - Yemeni Style Savory Cake

Jabeez is a Yemeni style savory cake served as appetizers during Ramadan. In Mena cooking club this month we are exploring Yemeni cuisine.   I made two recipes from the given list this and the Red Bean Stew.  Wanted to make third  -  Khaliat Al Nahl, but here it too oo very hot to on the oven so left this. Thanks Mena for hosting this month.

Serves -  6 Cakes
Ingredients
1.1/4 Cup Dried Black Eyed Peas 
1/2 Cup  Bread crumbs
2  Scallions / Spring Onions - finely chopped
1 Egg - beaten
2 Tablespoons Capsicum  - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1 Teaspoon Jalapenos - finely chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2  Teaspoon Black pepper powder
3/4 Teaspoon  Cumin powder
2 Tablespoon  Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Oil for frying 

Method

Wash and soak  the  black eyed peas for an hour or two. Then drain the water and blend it to a fine paste.  If needed add a tablespoon of water, but I did not require,  ground this in a small mixer jar little at a time.

In a bowl add the pea paste along with scallions, jalapenos, capsicum, coriander leaves, cumin powder, black pepper powder,  turmeric and  salt, mix them well.   Add  half the beaten egg and mix well, if the paste is watery , add a tablespoon of bread crumbs(  I did)  It will form into a thick smooth paste. Taste and adjust salt if needed.  Make small cakes and place them  in  a plate and keep it in the refrigerator for a hour to set well.  

Heat 2 tablespoons of  oil in a pan.

Roll each cake in  bread crumbs and then dip each in egg and fry the cakes on medium flame till brown on both sides.  We enjoyed this hot with spicy  chutney. 

Labels:  Black Eyed Peas, Starters, Mena Cooking Club, Yemeni

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Homemade Paneer - How to Make Paneer ( Cottage Cheese) at Home

Paneer is a type of fresh cheese that is used in India and Asia. Many savory, sweet and gravies are make with paneer . It is easy to make and it does not require any special gadgets. It is completely vegetarian and homemade paneer is unsalted, fresh and soft.
Ingredients

1 L Full Cream Milk
1/4 Cup  Lime juice/ Vinegar  
1/2 Cup Water
2 Tablespoon Curd

Method

Mix the lemon juice or vinegar in water and keep aside.

Place the curd in a large saucepan in which you are going to make the paneer.  Then pour the milk into the saucepan and set over low heat.  When it just starts to heat up, add a tablespoon of vinegar or lime juice and stir the milk after each addition until the milk separates -  the solid curds starts to separate - a green and watery whey forms.

Take an empty vessel and place a sieve over it. 

Cover the sieve with a wet muslin or cheese cloth and pour the curdled milk into it. The whey will collect the bottom of the vessel and the curdled milk solids(called paneer) will remain in the cloth. Set aside the collected whey that can be used to knead chapati dough. Bring the edges of the cloth on all four corners and tie a knot. 

Dip this muslin cloth it in a bowl of cold water, rinse the paneer with fresh water till it cools and  hang it at a height or for the for the excess liquid to drain. 

Leave it aside for half an hour.

Now remove the knot of the muslin cloth and place the paneer along with muslin cloth on a wide plate, strainer or kitchen counter. Gently press it to form a rough square shape. Place a heavy weight or a saucepan of of water on the cheesecloth and let it be for an hour or  till all the water is drained and forms firm or harden paneer.

Now the paneer is set, remove it from the muslin cloth and cut it into any shape of your choice. 

You can use it right away to make the dish of your choice. If you are not going to use it immediately, place them in  the whey in an airtight container for 3 -4 days  or in a zip lock bag and freeze  it till further use.

My Notes

Can  use leftover whey from a previous batch of paneer instead of vinegar or lime juice.

Can use half full cream and half pasteurized milk to make paneer.  Zero fat or skimmed milk will not make good paneer.

Keep the milk  on low flame and keep stirring  while it's becoming hot to prevent it from getting burnt at the bottom. Take care and do not bring the milk to a boil. 

Do not use pre-boiled  or spoiled milk to prepare the paneer.

You can prepare flavored paneer by adding spices and herbs of your choice while making the paneer recipe. At the time of curdling the milk,  add finely chopped mint leaves or coriander leaves or crushed black pepper or red chili flakes or herbs of  your choice. 

See the pics of  Homemade Herbed / Coriander Paneer

Labels:  Paneer, Homemade, Milk, Herbs

De-jaj Murrag / Chicken Saloona - A Chicken Stew - UAE

Dejaj Murrag is a Chicken Stew,  dish from UAE.  This is delicious stew the Bezar Spice Mix in this dish gives that aroma and flavor to it. When this was being prepared my daugther asked me Ma what is being prepared there is a awesome flavor in the house ! 

Have also used dried lemon which is called Loomi a must in most of UAE cooking.  Forgot to click a pic, but this is just simple, dried  a lemon, in the sun for 3 days, then just cut it into half, added this to the stew, this too gave a flavor to the stew.

Try this and you too will love it.  I have made this Bezar Spice Mix at home. Check here for the recipe.  

Serves 4
Ingredients
500 Grams Chicken - cut into 8 pieces
1 Medium Onion -  finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
2 Potatoes - cut into big cubes
1 Carrot - cut thickly
3 Tomatoes - blended
1.1/2 Tablespoons Bezar Spice Mix
2 Tablespoons  Coriander leaves - finely chopped
6-8 Cups Water
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
1  Dried Lemon / Loomi - cut into halfSalt to taste

Method

In a large  pot heat oil, saute onion until, lightly golden. Add bezar  spice,  chicken,  saute till its turns pink to white . Now add ginger garlic paste, saute again till  chicken is lightly brown,  then add the salt, lemon juice, cardamon powder and half the quantity of tomato paste and fry again for 3 minutes.  Add the potatoes  and carrot, saute for a minute.  Add the remaining  tomato paste, salt,  loomi, 5 - 6 cups of  water, cook till chicken and potatoes are done  on low flame. Add chopped coriander and serve with bread.  Enjoy this delicious stew !!  

My Notes 

Stew looks watery when just made, as it cools a little it will thicken.  If you still feel its watery, just mash a piece of potato from the stew and mix it, it will thicken.

Labels : Chicken, UAE, Stew

Mango Metham Pickle - East Indian

Metham in East Indian Marathi is Methi / Fenugreek seeds. This is very delicious pickle which last for year or even more provided it has an inch of oil above always.  This is my Mother's recipe, which my mother learn't from her mother i.e. my grandmother an awesome cook. Her hand was like a magic wand. Whatever she made was delicious and perfect.

Whenever, we i.e all her grandchildren went to her house, first thing we use to do is finish the pickles from the bowls kept on the dining table... so delicious and mouthwatering... reviving old make memories... imprinted in mind... I miss her and mother too..

Coming to my mother she too inherited the magic wand from her mother. She was an awesome cook, who not only cooked traditional East Indian dishes, but also tried different recipes of other cuisines. My mother used to make different types of pickles, jams. chutney's etc.. the whole year, according to season of vegetables and fruits.

This is a tried and tested recipe. Adding jaggery in this pickle is optional. I would recommend you add it since is gives a delicious taste and balances the spiciness, my mother always added it. So here I, reveal my mother's secret recipe...

Ingredients
1 Kg Mangoes - Rajapuri Variety (see pic)
75 Grams Yellow Mustard seeds - coarsely powdered
10 Grams Asafoetida Powder
25 Grams Turmeric Powder
40 Grams Red Chilly Powder
15 Grams Methi / Fenugreek Seeds powder
2 Tablespoons Heaped Sea Salt
1 Kg or More Vegetable Oil - can use mustard oil too
1/3 Cup of Jaggery or according to your taste

For the Mangoes5 Tablespoons Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

Method

Sterilize a big glass bottle and dry it in the sun. I sterlize and then dry all glass bottles(without the lids) in the oven for 10- 15 minutes, at 150 degrees or whenever am baking.

Use pickle mangoes that are not ripe. Wash and dry the mangoes then chop them, remove the seeds, mix salt and turmeric powder to it, mix well. Keep these under some weight overnight ( I kept a plate and then a grinding stone over it).

Next day place the mangoes in a strainer and drain all the brine, spread it in a plate and keep it for dry in light sun or in the house to dry slightly ( till you prepare the ingredients and oil cools down).

Heat the oil in a kadai till really hot ( do not bring it to boiling or smoking point). When the oil is still hot mix all the spices along with the salt and jaggery, let the jaggery melt in this oil stirring in between till it oil cools and jaggery melts.

Mix all the masala and mangoes, remaining oil, in a big bowl and keep it for a day, by that time jaggery will melt completley. Mix it well and fill it in the sterlize bottles, adding more oil if necessary so that an inch of oil is above the mangoes always.   

This pickle will be ready to enjoy after  20 days or a month ... will remain for a year and even more provided there is an inch of oil above the mango pieces and the bottle is clean from inside ( i.e. no masala around the bottle above the oil).. clean it with a clean cloth or paper towel. 

Enjoy ....  

Labels: Pickle, Mango, East Indian, Vegan,Gluten free

Pan Fried Mackerel #FISHFRIDAYFOODIE

Mackerel is known as Bangda in India. This crispy skinned whole mackerel with a spicy marinade.   Our this month theme in fish fridya foodie is whole fish with heads and tails attached.

Ingredients 
2 Mackerels - cleaned and washed
4 Dry Red Chillies

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger -  crushed
4 Cloves Garlic -  crushed

salt to taste
A Juice of lemon

4 Tablespoons Rice Flour for coating

2 Tablespoons Semolina for coating
Oil for frying 

Method

In a small mixer jar grind together the chillies, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and turmeric and salt  to fine paste using lemon juice .

Put slits down the sides of the fish and smear the paste over the fish.  Keep this marinated fish in the referigerator for at least an hour.

Mix the rice flour and semolina together and keep aside.

After an hour, coat this in flour, fry the fish in a  pan with oil on a gentle heat for about 4-5 mins on each side.
Pour little oil over the fish at the end and it will crisp up and serve with salad and enjoy...

Sending to fish friday foodie, our this month Host  is Camilla M. Mann.  Thank you for  hosting this event.

Labels :  Fish, Pan Fried, Mackerel, Fish Friday

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