Phyllo Pastry Sheets - Homemade

Phyllo is the dough used in a variety of Greek and Middle Eastern sweet and savory dishes, appetizers and snacks to main dishes and desserts.  One of the most famous sweet treats made with this dough is Baklava.

Phyllo prounouncation is "Fillo", which is not available in India, hence,  have freshly made phyllo dough. Let's make these pastry sheets .

Ingredients

2.1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon White Vinegar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons  Olive oil
Water as required to make a soft dough
Flour for dusting

Method 

Place the flour, white vinegar, olive oil, and mix well  till it's distributed in the flour. Slowly pour in the water into the flour and knead to a soft dough.  Place this dough in an well oiled container and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour at least. 

The should be soft and stretchy like the above pic. 

After an hour take the dough out from the refrigerator and turn the dough out onto your work surface  and divide it into 5  to 10 equal balls, according to the size of your baking pan.

Working with one piece at a time, roll  the dough, 

flouring the work surface well, roll it to a round and  paper-thin  disc. Cover it with a damp tea towel and continue rolling the remaining dough.  

Even if the sheets tear as you are rolling do not worry, as these are covered with many layers.

I make this pastry sheets fresh whenever required since its so easy and quick to make.
Check this  recipe with this sheets. 
Iraqi Parda Plau - Phyllo Pastry Wrapped Biryani

Labels : Homemade, Phyllo pastry, Middle Eastern, Continental Cuisine

Veg Paella # FoodieExtravaganza

In celebration of Spanish Paella day, our Host for this month Sue​ ​Lau, choose this theme for March - Paella- seafood, chicken or a vegetarian.

I was all in to prepare a Spanish seafood paella, but could not do so since my hubby a vegetarian had not tasted this dish on our visit to Spain. Hence,  decided make a Veg Paella, for lunch which he enjoyed and had the remaining for dinner too. Happy me.. to see him relish it.

By the way Paella (is pronounced as Pa e ya)  which is a traditional Spanish Rice dish, to which, assorted veggies with combo of seafood or meat is used. 

Though the recipe is very lengthy but its very easy to  make.  I, do not own a traditional Paella pan, had to  make do with a flat, broad pressure pan and it worked very well.

Ingredients

1.1/2 Cups  Rice
5 White Baby Onions -  sliced

5 White Baby Onions -  kept them whole
5  Big Cloves Garlic
50 Grams French beans - cut into two
4 Florets Broccoli
50 Grams Green Peas

2 Carrots - cut into thick sticks

1 Round Brinjal/ Eggplants- cut in thick half circles
1  Red Bell Pepper - cut into long strips

1  Yellow Bell Pepper - cut into long strips

1  Green Bell Pepper - cut into long strips
5 - 6 Button Mushrooms - cut into two pieces
2 Tomatoes - finely copped
10 - 12 Black or Green Olives
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

2 Veg Seasoning cubes
1/4 Teaspoon Saffron
1 Teaspoon Red chilly flakes

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
4 Cups Hot Water
1 Cup Tomato Juice * (see notes)
4 -5 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon juice 

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.  Just before use drain all the water. 

Boil 4  cups of water with the vegetable seasoning cube.  Keep it  aside.  

In  a broad pan, heat oil, add chopped garlic, sliced onions and saute  till onions are translucent and garlic releases an aroma.  Add  bell peppers and saute it again. Add turmeric, saffron, chilly flakes, pepper powder, mix well. Add rice and saute it well so that rice is completely covered with spices. Add the rest of vegetables, baby onions and chopped tomatoes, except olives and tomato juice. Saute again add salt, hot vegetable stock water and tomato juice.  Bring it to a boil and let it boil on high flame for 3 to 4 minutes.  Now reduce the flame to low and cover the pan.

 After  5 minutes open the lid and lightly give it a quick stir, if needed add water and again cover the pan,  let it cook for 12 to 15 minutes.  After  12 to 15 minutes check if the the the stock is completely absorbed and rice is done.  Then switch of the flame. Cover the pan again and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle a  tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil and lightly mix the rice. Dish out the rice in a serving plate,  sprinkle lime juice, add olives and parsley or coriander leaves and enjoy this Paella.  This is a complete and filling meal.

My Notes

I blended 2 medium tomatoes strained it and added water enough to make 1 cup of tomato juice.

Can use any long or short grain rice to make this paella

Can use any onions if white is not available. Since I had baby onions used it.

Labels : Rice, Vegetarian, Spain, Vegetables, Healthy, 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! Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month 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  HERE.

Arroz negro (Spanish black rice paella) from Caroline's Cooking
Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Paella from Cookaholic Wife
Easy Mixed Paella from Food Lust People Love
Paella Bogavante from Palatable Pastime
Veg Paella from Sneha's Recipe

Basic White Chicken Stock for Soups

This is a versatile White Chicken Stock which is light, clean and a flavorful stock . Chicken stock handy and a must-have in the kitchen. Chicken stock comes in two basic varieties: brown stock and white stock. White Chicken stock is a great base for soups, stews and it freezes well.

Ingredients
1 Kg Chicken Bones
25 to 30 Cups Water
1 Spring Onions - roughly chopped
1 Samll Carrot - big pieces
1 Big Piece Ginger

Method

Cook on medium flame for 45 minutes to an hour till it reduces to 15 to 16 only. Sieve and Use how much you want and freeze in containers 4 cups each, remove whenever you want to use

My Notes
No salt to added to stock since we add salt in different ways for different type of soups

Labels : Chicken, Homemade, Soup, Healthy

Sweet Corn Chicken - Chinese style # SoupSwappers

For Soup Swappers, this month is hosted by Kathy at A Spoonful of Thyme, has chosen theme for is "Let’s Go International".  I, decided to make one of the most popular and one of my favorite, comforting, healthy soup, delicious , easy to make,  tasty Chinese Sweet Corn Chicken Soup.
This is such a simple and delicious soup to warm away the chilly evenings. If you like to order chicken sweet corn soup in Chinese restaurants, like me, then you'll definitely  love and enjoy this soup. Sweet Corn Chicken Soup is a light, creamy soup. 

Ingredients
150 Grams Boneless Chicken - finely cubed
2 Cups White Chicken Stock - Homemade
1/4 + 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 + 1/4 Teaspoon White pepper
1 Tin Cream style Corn
1 Tablespoon Corn flour
1/3 Cup Water
An Egg  - beaten 

Method
Marinate  the chicken with 1/4 Teaspoon salt and pepper, keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix corn flour with water into a smooth paste.

Heat in a wok,  add chicken stock with the marinated chicken cook till boiling, reduce the flame and let it simmer till chicken is done.  Add cream corn and mix well, bring this to a boil and again let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cornflour paste and stir till it is well mixed and starts to thicken. Lastly add beaten egg, stir cook for 2 minutes and remove. 

Serve hot with  Chilly Vinegar, Soy sauce and Red Chilly Sauce.  Enjoy this hearty and soul warming any time and season soup.

Labels :  Chicken, Soup, Soup Swappers, Corn, China, Asian Cuisine, Sweet Corn Chicken
Look up for the coming post of White Chicken Stock - Homemade

An InLinkz Link-up

Mackerel / Bangda Curry #FishFridayFoodie

This month I, am hosting the event for our group Fish Foodie lover's and the theme is to prepare any Indian Fish Curry - with or without coconut based gravy, which goes with rice. I made this spicy Mackrel Curry with coconut and enjoyed it with steamed rice.

Here I,  have  used Sichuan Pepper or Tirphal. The outer black colored pod in the dark black berry fruit is used in ample amount of cooking in Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Nepalese and Korean cooking. In Goan Konkani and Marathi this is known as Tirphal or Tirfhal or Tirfala. In Manglorean Konkani, it is known as Teppal. The inside black seed is not used for cooking.  At least my mother never used it even while making  our Bottle masala.

This is mostly used in Fish preparations and a few vegetarian dishes, my mother used this spice to make mackerel curry, she use to say that this spice neutralists the typical smell of the mackerel fish when used.

IngredientsTo Mariante the fish
3 Mackerel/Bangda
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

For the Masala - grind to fine paste
8 Dry Kashmiri Chillies.
5 Garlic Cloves
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
3 Tirphals / Sichuan Peppers
1/2 Cup Fresh Coconut - grated
1 Teaspoon Raw Rice - washed
2 Tablespoons Tamarind Paste
Salt to taste.
3 Tablespoons Oil

Method

Clean and Wash the Fish . Cut it into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size of the fish.

Rub the turmeric and salt inside and outside the fish and keep aside.

Grind all the ingredients for the masala with little water to make a fine paste.

In a pan heat oil and saute the masala for 5 minutes till oil leaves the sides then add water about a 1.1/2  to 2 cups and salt to taste. Bring it to boil point then reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 10 - 15 minutes and the gravy is reduced to the desired consistency . Then add the fish and let it simmer on slow flame for 3 - 5 minutes or till the fish is cooked. Serve hot with Hand breads or Jowar Roti or Steamed rice.

Enjoy this spicy mackerel curry.

Labels :  Mackerel, Seafood/Fish, Fish Friday, Indian Fish Curry, Sichuan Pepper, East Indian

An InLinkz Link-up