On Vacation

Assalaam-u-Alaikum,

I am officially on vacation, Allhumdulillah! We're visiting our parents in Canada for the summer so I'm taking a break from cooking (mostly). I am enjoying being pampered by my Mommies, Allhumdulillah! I do have many food pix that are still waiting for their recipes to be typed up before they can be posted, Insha'Allah. I will try to work on those, but I'm not making any promises.

Ramadan is also coming very soon! Four more days, Insha'Allah. Lots of yummy dishes to look forward too. May Allah (swt) help us to make the most of this blessed month, Insha'Allah. Wishing everyone a very blessed Ramadan Karim! Remember me in your duas!

Ma'a Salaama,
Umm Ibraheem

Afghani Biryani

Ingredients:
3 cups Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
3 medium onions, sliced
1/4 cup oil
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
6-7 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
2 green chilli pepper, chopped fine
2 inch piece of ginger, chopped fine
1 packet Shan Bombay Biryani Masala
1 medium chicken,  skinless and cut
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 cup sour cream
3 green cardamoms
2 black cardamoms
4-5 whole black peppers
4-5 cloves
1/3 cup fresh chopped corriander
5-7 fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup raisins, soaked
1/4 cup almonds, peeled and halved
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded fine
2 tbsp butter

Method:
1. Fry the onions until golden brown, drain from the oil and set aside.
2. In the same oil, add the garlic, ginger, and green chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and shan masala, cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and lemon, mix. Cover and cook until chicken is tender.
5. Add the chickpeas and cook on low for another 10 minutes.
6. Add the sour cream and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. In another pot, boil water for rice adding to it, salt to taste, green and black cardamoms, black peppers, and cloves. Add rice and boil until partially cooked. Drain.
8. Make layers in an oven safe pot as follows,half of the rice, chicken masala, fried onions,corriander, mint and remaining rice. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 350C.
9. Melt butter and fry the almonds for 3 minutes, add the drained raisins and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
10. Take out rice and pour almond, raising and carrot mixture on top. Mix throughly so the rice hardly any white of the rice remains. Serve hot with some chilled yogurt and mint chutney. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Apple Glazed Pancakes

Ingredients:
For the Pancakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar (optional)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2-3 tbsp oil

For the glazed apples:
2 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
4 tbsp of water
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped



1. Mix the dry ingredients together, add milk, oil and eggs.
2. Heat a skillet and scoop pancake batter with a large spoon to make individual pancakes.
3. In another pan, mix the sugar and butter together over medium heat, add water, cinnamon powder and apples. Allow to simmer on low heat until apples are tender.
4. Serve together with Maple or Pancake syrup. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Raishmi Kabab- Kababs with Onion and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
For the Kababs:
800 grams Ground Chicken
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/2 of a medium tomato, chopped fine
3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 inch peice of ginger, chopped fine
2 green chilli peppers, chopped fine
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp of curshed chilli peppers (optional)
2 tbsp of Shan's Tikka Boti Masala
1 egg
3 tbsp of bread crumbs (add more if neccessary)

For the Masala:
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 inch peice of ginger, finely sliced
1 small  green chilli, finely sliced
2 tbsp of chopped corriander
a squeeze of fresh lemon
3 tbsp of oil
Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients for the kababs and make little sausage rolls. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes (lightly browned) at 350F.
2.  Saute the onions in the oil on high heat for five minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another three mintues. Add the kababs and turn to low heat for 10 minutes. Add the sliced ginger an cover for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the corriander, green chillies and squeeze of lemon. Mix and serve with naan bread. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Bharay Baigain- Spiced Eggplants

Ingredients:

8 small Indian eggplants (wash and make four slits in each)

1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp of cumin seeds

4 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp of oil

Method:

1. Mix all the spices together with the lemon juice. With a spoon, fill all of the eggplant slits with the spice mixture. Allow to marinate for about 20 minutes.

2. Heat the oil and stir fry the onions until they are slightly brown, add in the tomato and cook on low heat for five minutes.

3. Turn the heat to a minimum and lay the eggplants over the onion and tomato. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir the mixture and cover until the eggplants are thoroughly cooked.

4. Serve with chilled yogurt and naan bread. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Aloo Methi- Fenugreek with Potatoes

 Ingredients:

3 bunches of Fenugreek, the leaves only (wash thoroughly)

1 large potato, diced

1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 medium tomato, diced

1 tsp curry powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp oil

1.      1.  Heat the oil and stir fry the onions, until slightly pink.

2.      2.  Add the tomato and the spices. Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes on low heat.

3.      3. Add the fenugreek leaves. Allow to cook for another  10 minutes on low heat.

4.      4. Add the potato and cook on low heat until potatoes are tender.

5.      5. Serve warm with roti. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Carrot Pickle

The original recipe is from Umm Humza. This a great compliment to any dish. I used to crave this so much when I was expecting, it's a real kick for the tastebuds!

2lb carrots (cut julienne style)
1 can tomato paste
1/2 c of ketchup (more or less according to taste)
1/3 packets of "Shan Achar Ghosht Masala" ( you can find this at kishkis add more or less according to desired spice level)
1/4 c white vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
salt according to taste

For some extra kick:
2-3 long green chillies
2-3 unripe mangoes (those green, sour ones)
1 red onion sliced

Just mix everything together and refrigerate. The longer it sits the better it tastes. Don't be afraid to play around with the ingredient quantity to customize according to your taste. Keep it in the fridge and enjoy it with rice, roti, pasta...or just on its own. 


Luv, Umm Ibraheem