Mekitsa - Bulgarian Fried Doughnuts#EattheWorld

Last year  on our trip to Bulgaria we visited  the Rila Monastery which  is on the slopes of Rila, the highest Balkan Peninsula Mountain, in the valley of the Rilska River. 

It was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex which played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria. 

Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. A characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation.

This monastery is so beautiful inside.

We had our lunch  at the  monastery and for tea we enjoyed these Mekitsa -  Bulgarian Fried Doughnuts.  They served us with a dusting of icing sugar.  

Since here it's a season of mangoes, paried them with chopped mangoes and the combo was simply divine. 

These also can be had with jam, honey or any soft cheese, for your breakfast or as dessert with different toppings of your choice.
Ingredients
1¾ Cups All purpose flour
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Yogurt

5 Grams Fresh Yeast
Oil for deep frying¼ Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Heaped Granulated Sugar
Water  as required 

Method

In a small bowl add the yeast , ¼ cup warm water, a tablespoon of flour and sugar.  Let is sit covered for 15 minutes till the yeast starts to froth. 
Take the flour in a large bowl, add the egg,  yogurt and the yeast mixture. Mix all well, then add water a tablespoon at a time and knead it into a soft and smooth dough. Cover and keep aside for an hour or till it doubles in volume.

Make medium sized balls from the dough. Now oil your hands generously.

With oiled fingers, shape the dough balls as round shape by stretching it with your hands.

Heat oil for deep frying, fry the doughnuts in medium flame until they turns golden brown.

Dust them with icing sugar and serve hot with your favorite topping. We enjoyed them with chopped Alphonso mango.

Labels: Bulgaria, Doughnuts, Fried, Eat the World, Breads, Breakfast, Snack 

Check out all the wonderful Bulgarian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!
 Pandemonium Noshery: Bulgarian Sausage Stew
Sneha’s Recipe: Mekitsa - Bulgarian Fried Doughnuts
Sara’s Tasty Buds: Gevrek
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Patatnik + 2016 Edoardo Miroglio Bio Mavrud & Rubin
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Koledna Pitka (Bulgarian Christmas Bread)
Making Miracles: Gyuveche
Kitchen Frau: Patatnik (Bulgarian Potato Pie)
Dinner By Dennis: Kebapche (Bulgarian Grilled Kebabs)

Pickled Star Gooseberry#Foodieextravaganza

Star Gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus) is called Rayaval in Marathi.

Star gooseberry is  close relativ of  amla and is found in various parts of India. Star gooseberries appears whitish green and are hard to the touch. Once they ripen on the tree, they turn pale gold. This does not ripen any further once plucked from the tree.
I love the eat this even without pickling, it has a sweetish taste.

This month Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is host for #FoodieExtravaganza. Our theme is "International Pickles " where in she asked us to share our favorite recipes for making pickles, using pickles, etc. Lacto-fermented. Quick-pickled. It's all fair game!

Ingredients
300 Grams Star Gooseberry
4 Tablespoons Heaped Pickle Masala
1 Teaspoon  Sea Salt 
1 Cup Oil  - I used mustard oil
For the Tadka 
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
A Pinch Asafoetida

Method

Wash and pat dry the star gooseberries.

In a pan heat the mustard oil till it comes to smoking point. Switch off the flame and pour the oil into the sterilized jar reserving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Let the jar oil cool completely.
For the Tadka

Heat the oil that is reserved in the pan add the mustard seeds when it splutters, add the asafoetida, immediately switch of the flame.  Let this come to room temperature.
When this oil comes to room temperature add the pickle masala, salt and mix well. Now add the star gooseberries and mix well.  Pour this into the jar when the oil cools completely.  

The level of the oil should be an inch above the star gooseberries or else the pickle will mildew/a fungus will form on the top layer and it will spoil.  So heat more oil if necessary.  Keep this aside for 10 to 15 days then enjoy.

This pickle taste delicious when you bite into the crisp star gooseberries, as these do not soften much. 
Labels : Foodie Extravaganza Party, Star Gooseberry, Pickle, Pickle Masala

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month.

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. 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!

 Here's the list of our pickled creations...

Dill Pickle Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Making Miracles
Fried Chicken Sandwich with a Spicy Bread and Butter Pickle Coleslaw by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Hot Pepper Vinegar by Palatable Pastime
Indian Raw Papaya Pickle by Sara's Tasty Buds
Japanese Pickled Ginger by Caroline's Cooking
Lime & Beer Pickled Red Onions by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips by Pandemonium Noshery
Pickled Pork Tongue by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pickled Rainbow Chard Stems by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pickled Star Gooseberry by Sneha's Recipe
Spicy Pickled Grape Tomatoes by Food Lust People Love

Tikhat Mitachi Puri / Khari Puri

Tikhat Mitachi Puri / Khari Puri, is a tasty puri, slightly spicy, it stay's good for  3-4 days, so it's good to carry while travelling.  Can have this with pickle or yogurt. It's excellent.

This is part of Akshaya Tritiya Veg Lunch Thali.

Ingredients  
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tablespoons Heaped Besan/Chickpea Flour
2 Tablespoon Heaped Rawa/Semolina
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Ajwain/ Carom Seeds
1½ Teaspoon Red chilly powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 Tablespoon Hot Oil
Water as required for making the dough
Method

Mix all the dry spices , besan, rawa 

well into the flour, add hot oil and mix well

Add water little at a time to make a firm slightly stiff dough.

Keep this dough covered with a damp cloth aside for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes the dough will like this a little soft.

Divide the dough into small lemon size ball. 

 Oil the rolling board and take each ball and roll  them into small puris ( do not use dry flour or else the puris will absorb more oil).

Heat oil on medium high flame when the oil is hot, fry the puris depending on the size of the pan add one or two and fry, till they are golden on both sides. 

Remove them on to a kitchen towel, so that the excess oil can be absorbed.

They are ready, so puff and yum...

See the goollo mollo puris.

Enjoy!!

Labels : Flatbread, Puris, Maharastrian Cuisine, Maharashtra, Main course, Travelling Menu, Red Chilly Powder, Besan, Rawa, Whole Wheat Flour

Chicken Russian Kebabs

These Chicken Russian Kebabs were made for my family get together. These were a hit! These are great to make for Ramadan Iftar or Sehri. You can make them in advance and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 -4 days. these cannot be frozen. These are Crispy crunchy from outside and soft juicy from within.

Ingredients

Cups Boiled Chicken - choppered
1 Cup Cabbage - finely chopped
1 Cup Carrot - finely chopped
1 Small Capsicum - finely chopped 

½ Cup Parboiled French beans - choppered 

½ Cup  Boiled Sweet Corn - choppered 

15 Curry Leaves - finely chopped 

½ Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
4 Green Chilies - finely chopped
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper  powder
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilies Flakes 

3 -4 Medium Potatoes - boiled, mashed
Bread Crumbs As required
2 Eggs  - whisked
Oil For deep frying

Method

Boil the potatoes and mash them. 

In 2 tablespoons oil add finely chopped curry leaves and  all purpose flour , salt, pepper powder, chilly flakes,  ginger garlic and saute for a minute or two then add all the veggies, and let it cook for 2 minutes on low flame.  Switch off flame add coriander leaves,  the boiled chicken and green chillies give it a good mix , remove this on a plate and let it cool.  When the mixture has cooled down add the mashed potatoes and mix very well.

Form into thick round patties, coat in bread crumbs, dip in egg and deep fry in medium hot oil till golden on both sides.

Remove them on to kitchen towel and enjoy them hot. 

 Enjoy!! 

Labels : Kebabs, Chicken, Party pleasers, Appetizer, Capsicum, Carrot, Cabbage, French Beans, Ramadan

Gravywali Gatte Ki Sabji

There are many variations of making Rajasthani "Gatte ki sabzi". Rajasthani Gatte Ki Sabzi is a delicious main course dish prepared from besan flour, roundels called "Gatte: which are cooked in a  yogurt based gravy. It's so delicious vegetarian dish that you will love  and it's gluten free too. 

Have no veggies in the house, then no worries, make this comforting  and finger licking "Gravywali Gatte Ki Sabji"

Ingredients

For Gatte
1 Cup Heaped Besan/Chickpea Flour
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Saunf / Fennel Seeds

½ Teaspoon Cumin  Seeds

2 Tablespoons Yogurt - whisked

¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder

2 Teaspoons Oil 

For the Gravy

¼ Cup Oil
2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds

1 Bay leaf
Salt to taste 
1½ Teaspoons Red Chilly Powder or as per spice level

2 Tablespoons Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Level Garam masala powder
1  Medium Onion  - grind to fine paste
 3 Cloves Garlic - grind to fine paste 
2 Green chillies - finely  chopped
3 Tablespoons Malai - optional
200 Grams Yogurt - whisked 
Mint and  Coriander leaves - for garnishing.

Method 

For the Gatte 

Mix all ingredients make tight dough roll them into long sausages.  

Then steam them in a plate for 10 minutes. 

Let them cool completely, then cut into small pieces.

For the Gravy 

Heat oil in kadai, add cumin  seeds when they sizzle, add the  bay leaf and the onion garlic paste, saute till  it starts to leave oil from the sides. Now  take the kadai off flame and add the whisked yogurt,  mix it well, place the kadai back on flame add the green chilles , red chilly and coriander powder and fry till oil surfaces.  

Add about a cup of hot water and  mix well bring this to a rolling boil, add salt to taste and the gatte, cover and let it cook for 5 - 6 minutes, stirring in between.  Now add the garam masala powder and malai, mix it well, switch off the flame. 

 Garnish it with mint and coriander leaves. 

Enjoy this with rice or rotis. 

Lables :  Vegetable, Gluten free, Besan, Rajasthan, Vegetarian Curry, Main course