Chorba Beïda - Algeria

This month in Mena Cooking Club we are exploring the cuisine of Algeria. I choose to make this soup called
Chorba Beïda which is a White Soup. In Arabic Chorba means soup, and Beïda means white.  This is a comforting and filling soup. We had it for our dinner, enjoyed this simple and delicious soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients
250 Grams  Chicken breast - cut into strips
4 Cups Chicken Stock - See Notes

2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Onion - chopped
1/2 Cup Fresh Coriander with the stem - chopped finely
1 Teaspoon Black pepper powder - freshly ground
3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or as required
A Stick of Cinnamon
1 Cup Boiled Chickpeas
1 liter and half of water
100 Grams  Rice Vermicelli
Juice of a small Lemon
1 Egg yolk

Method

In a large pan on a medium flame,  add oil when its hot add the onion and  cinnamon stick, saute till translucent, then add chicken saute till it turns from pink to white, add stock, salt,  black pepper, and  the stems and  coriander leaves (reserve a little for garnishing). Satue till the coriander releases an aroma or for about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and the chickpeas, bring it to a rolling boil.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes on medium low flame. After half an hour add the vermicelli into the soup.

Whisk into a bowl the egg yolk and pour the whisked egg yolk into the soup and  keep  stirring till the yolk is cokked and let it simmer again for  another 10 minutes (stir from time to time).
Take off flame and and let the soup rest  for another 10 minutes.

Serve the soup into the bowls, sprinkle with a few leaves of coriander and drizzle with a little of lemon juice and enjoy ....

My Notes:

I used boneless chicken hence used stock.  If you are using  chicken with bones then do add stock, add the same quantity of water.

Labels : Soup, Algeria, Chicken, Mena Cooking Club, Chorba Beïda

An InLinkz Link-up

Sparkling Apple And Watermelon Lemonade Spritzers

Cool down and get refreshed with this fresh, tangy, glass of lemonade with a twist of apple and watermelon to quench your thirst.

Ingredients

2 Cups Seedless Watermelon  ~ cut into chunks
1 Apple  ~ skinned and chopped
¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
500 ML Sprite or Club soda - I used Sprite
Mint Leaves and Lime slices ~for garnish

Method
Puree watermelon and apple in  a blender until smooth. Add the lemon juice and pulse it 2 or 3 times.   Pour  this mixture  into  pitcher.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours .

When ready to serve, fill  glasses with ice cubes and 1/2 cup of the  mixture; top with sprite and garnish with lime slices and mint leaves. Get refreshed ....

Since August 20th is Lemonade Day. The event for Foodie Extravaganza {Party} for this month is Lemonade our Host is Lauren Everson . Thank you Lauren choosing such a refreshing theme.

Labels : Juices, Lemonade, Apple, Watermelon, Non-Alcoholic, Foodie Extravaganza Party

If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out .


Dairy-Free Frosted Lemonade by Cookaholic Wife
Frosty Raw Strawberry Lemonade by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
Honey Mint Lemonade by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Lemony White Sangria by Hardly A Goddess
Papaya Lemonade (or cocktail!) by Caroline's Cooking
Peachy Lemonade by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pineapple Pink Lemonade Shaved Ice by Food Lust People Love
Shikanji (Indian Lemonade) by Tara's Multicultural Table
Sparkling Apple and Watermelon Lemonade Spritzers by Sneha's Recipe
Sparkling Blue Basil Lemonade by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Sparkling Milk Lemonade by Our Good Life

Hosting My Legume Love Affair - Edition # 98 !

I am happy to be guest hosting MLLA event for the the month of August. As far as my experience of hosting an event goes, this is the first time that I. am hosting one. The creator of the event is Susan and is being carried forward by Lisa.

I wish to thank Lisa who quickly responded to my request to host the event.

Legumes must feature as the main ingredient in your entry. It could be any kind ~ sweet, savoury, any gravy or baked dish. It has to be purely vegetarian or vegan but egg and poultry free. Please post a new recipe or you can re-post one from your archives ( it has to a fresh post), linking it to the ongoing MLLA page.   Do visit and comment on all participating blogs.

Do use the Linky tool below to link up all your entries

Look forward to all your delicious and innovative recipes.

Cheers,
Sneha




Labels : MLLA Event, Guesthosting

Egyptian Rice With Vermicelli / Ruz Bil Shaareya

Egyptian Rice With Vermicelli in Arabic, is called Ruz Bil Shaareya, this is simple yet tasty and rich, goes well with a lamb, chicken or egg dish.

Ingredients 

1/2 Cup Roasted Fine Vermicelli
1/4 Cup Olive oil
1 Cup  Rice
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 Cups + 1 Cup Chicken Stock
Salt to taste
Coriander for Garnishing
1 Tablespoon Butter

Method 

Boil the rice in 2 cups of chicken stock and salt to taste. The rice should be 80% cooked. Keep aside.

In a wide pan or kadai, saute onion in oil till translucent, and then add the vermicelli and lightly fry it then add the 1 cup chicken stock and bring it to a boil then add the rice and give it a quick stir. Reduce the flame and cover and cook till rice is full done and all moisture is evaporated. Add the butter and loosen the rice. 

Remove on to platter and serve garnished with chopped coriander and any saucy dish of your choice. I served this with Egg Jalfrezi and it tasted awesome.

Labels : Rice, Vermicelli, Eygpt
Check  Egg Jalfrezi recipe here

Andhra Chicken Pulao / Kodi Pulao

This is a Spicy Andhra Chicken Pulao called Kodi Pulao. In Telgu language Kodi means Chicken. In this pulao the rice is cooked in coconut milk.  The coconut in the rice gives an awesome and delicious taste to the spicy chicken, it actually balances the spiciness.  Yum yum ... try and you will love it.

Ingredients 
400 Grams Chicken
2 Cups Basmati Rice
2 Cups Coconut milk
2 Cups Water
3 Onions  - chopped
3  Green Chillies - chopped
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
5 cloves
2  Green Cardamom

1 Big Brown Cardamom
1 Piece Cinnamon
2 Bay leaves 

5 Peppercorns
2 Tablespoons  Oil
2 Tablespoon Ghee
4 Baby Potatoes - halved
1 Tablespoon Mint leaves

Ingredients for chicken marination

Juice of Big Lemon
1 Tablespoon Red chilly powder
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Garam masala powder
1 Tablespoon Coriander powder Salt to taste 

Method

To make the chicken

Clean and wash chicken. 

In a big bowl add chilly, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powders, salt to taste,  lemon juice, and  the chicken,  mix well,  leave it for an hour to marinate in the refrigerator. 

In a kadai heat  add 2 tablespoons of oil,  add the marinated chicken  and potato  stir fry on high flame for 2 minutes then reduce the flame, add a cup of water and cover and  cook till the chicken and potatoes are cooked.   Sprinkle the chopped mint leaves over it and keep it aside.

To make the rice

Clean, wash and drain rice, keep it aside. 

In a big thick bottomed vessel, heat  oil and  ghee together ,  add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, peppercorns and bay leaves.  Saute onions and green chillies, until the onions turn translucent.  Add ginger garlic paste, stir, fry till oil leaves the sides then add the rice to it stir it lightly for 2 minutes.  Add  coconut milk and 2 cups water.   Add salt, mix well, bring the water to a rolling boil, cover with a lid.  Cook on  medium low flame until the rice is 3/4 cooked.  Stirring lightly occasionally.

Remove half of the rice into a bowl.  On the  rice that is in the vessel, sprinkle 1/4 cup water then spread evenly the chicken pieces along with the gravy over the rice. Now cover the chicken  with the remaining rice which you have taken into the bowl.   Cover and it on very low flame for 15 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked. Switch off the flame and let is stand covered for at least 15 to 20 minutes.  Then  take the Chicken pulao into a serving platter,  garnish with fresh mint leaves.  Enjoy this delicious and yummy  Kodi Pulao with a raita of your choice. 

Labels : Rice, Coconut Milk, Andhra Pradesh