Recipe 4/50 : China: Kung Pao chicken

It's fourth recipe and 46 more to go. 46 still a big number to achieve the challenge. The toughest part of the challenge is to know what you have to cook since, I'm not aware of all recipes from all the country's. And the second toughest is many country's use pork and beef as the primary food and we don't cook it at home. 
Hence, all the recipes would either be vegetarian, chicken/seafood and desserts only. 


Coming to today's recipe, I made Chinese, infact many people say it Indo-Chinese but, I stick to Chinese. The first thing I remember when I go to any Chinese restaurant is Kung Pao. The peanuts in this recipe makes the dish even more tastier. 

Ingredients
1 cup Vegetables of choice { I used, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, baby corn, celery }
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups boneless chicken
10 red chilli [ Based on the spice level  ]
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 egg
pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon ginger chopped finely
1 tablespoon garlic chopped finely
3 tablespoon peanuts roasted
1 teaspoon pepper powder 
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
salt to taste
3 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bunch spring onions
Oil for deep fry
Method
1.Take a bowl add chicken stock, 2 tablespoon say sauce,sugar, pepper powder, rice vinegar, 3-4 chillies, chili garlic sauce. Taste it and keep aside. Adjust the ingredients to your taste, specially the sugar and spice levels
2. In another bowl marinate chicken, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, egg, salt and corn flour. Mix them all and set aside
3. In a pan heat oil and the marinated chicken till soft and tender and brown on either sides
4. In another pan add 1-2 tablespoon oul, red chilli, chopped ginger and garlic, mix well. Add all vegetables and cook till vegetables are cooked. 
5. Add chicken stock mix and then the fried chicken, peanuts, spring onions and the cornflour mix in to.
Cook for 10 minutes and remove from flame
Serve with rice!!!

Recipe 3/50 and first 100 followers : Germany : Lebkuchen

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Lebkuchen is a traditional German cookies baked during christmas. It resembles the gingerbread to some extent.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 egg

¾ cup light brown sugar

½ cup honey

½ cup molasses

For the Glaze

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease baking sheets.

2. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and allspice and set aside.

3. Beat the egg and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in the honey and molasses until thoroughly combined

5. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

6. Take the dough out from the bowl onto a well-floured surface. Knead the dough.

7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, minimum 2 hours.

8. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough and cut the dough into 1/2 inch circles. Bake for 10-12 minutes

9. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, water and lemon juice and brush or spread on top of the cookie

10. Allow the glaze to firm, and serve!!!

Recipe 2/50 : Algeria: Algerian Couscous

We happened to do lots of travelling the past two weeks and now I'm so very busy unpacking,cleaning bla bla. I feel so tired and tired and tired that I almost forgot to post the recipe of the day.
This weekend was very special to me. My dad visited us for couple of days. It was just after a year I was seeing him, so heart was filled with happiness. Nothing can make you more happy than seeing your own family. Unfortunately I couldn't cook anything for my dad since, the hotel we stayed did not have the kitchen so ended up eating in hotels. 


Today lets tour to a country in in the Maghreb, Algeria. One the common dishes here is couscous. Its the healthiest grain-based product. Its a staple food throughout Algeria.  Most cooking is centered around spicy couscous which is served with long-simmered vegetables, meats and stews. Cooking couscous should be one of the easiest of all food and grains.
I made one the simple Algerian Couscous and here goes the recipe.

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
pepper to taste
1/2 cup vegetable stock
salt to taste
1 can (8 ounce size) tomato paste
4 whole cloves
3 medium zucchini medium size chunk
1 large carrot cut to medium chunks
2-3 medium potatoes [I used russet potato], skins on  cube size
1 red or green bell pepper cut chunk size
1 cup green peas
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup couscous
Method
Heat the Vegetable stock and and all the vegetables into the stock including green peas and tomatoes.
Add tomato paste, stir and simmer. 
Add all spices, and 1 cup of water ,cover and cook till the vegetables become soft and tender. This is the vegetable stew.[ Add more water if required ]
Put couscous in a bowl. Pour boiling water over couscous and wait about 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Mix the stew and the couscous, serve and Enjoy!

Recipe 1/50 : Afghanistan : Qabili Palau

Here I'm with my cooking challenge. For who are wondering what this challenge is about, please visit here
Today's country is Afghanistan and I made the national dish of Afghan,Qabili Palau, also known as Kabuli Palau. This is one of the essential dish served at most pf parties and celebrations. This dish is baked in oven with fried raisins and carrots. I used chicken for this, but can be substituted by your choice of meat. While cooking this dish, one thing that was running in my mind was, how can this dish taste good since its doesn't use any spices unlike the Indian cooking. But, at end I had to accept that every country has their own way of adding spices which makes the dish one the best of all. 

Ingredients
1. 3 cups Basmati rice
2. 5 skinless chicken thighs, cut into desired size
3. 3-4 skinless chicken legs
4. 2 yellow onions, chopped finely
5. ½ cup plus 2 tbsp.  olive oil , divided
6. salt to taste
7. 1 cup chicken broth
8. 3 large carrots, peeled
9. 1 cup black raisins
10. ½ cup almonds 
11. 3 tbsp. sugar
12. ¾ cup water
13. 2 tsp. ground cumin
14. 1 ½ tsp. ground cardamom
15. ground pepper to taste
16. 12 cups water
Method

Preheat the oven to 450F

In a saute pan, pour 1/2 cup oil and saute the onions,until brown. Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle salt to taste.Cook the chicken over medium heat, turning from time to time to see all sides turn golden brown. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and continue stirring. Once the liquid had been absorbed, add another 1/4 cup of broth,cumin, cardamom and pepper powder and bring it to boil. Cover with the lid and simmer till chicken gets cooked. The sauce should turn to dark brown. Adjust salt to taste.

While chiken is cooking, cut the carrots into long matchsticks size and thickness. In a large frying pan add water and bring to a boil, add the carrot and cook until tender. Once carrots are done,drain any liquid. Add 2 tbsp oil,raising almonds and sugar to carrots. Stir quickly over medium hear.Remove from heat and set aside.

Measure 12 cups of water and 2 tsp salt into a large pot with a fitted lid. Bring it to a boil. Add the rice to water and boil till its 80% cooked. Do not overcook it.

Strain the rice through a colander. Put the rice in the baking dish, add the cooked chicken. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of rice. set the carrots mxiture on top . 

Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake the rice for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the dish from oven, mix well and Serve hot!!!

50 From 50 In 50

This blog has become part of my life now. I've been enjoying cooking so much that I cant imagine a day without it. This little space will soon celebrate its first blogoversary.Hence I wanted to do something special, something different and came up with this idea. So what is the idea ???

50 Recipes from 50 Country's in 50 Days. 

This is the toughest challenge for me and hence request all the wonderful followers to spoon in their Ideas and recipes from their country's which can help me in moving one step forward at a time.

Keep watching my space for the recipes!!!

Banana Nut Bread

Starbucks has one of the best Banana bread. My sister-in-laws friend shared this simple and healthy recipe of banana bread which uses very less butter yet tastes delicious.

Ingredients
3 bananas smashed nicely
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoons melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pistachios and almonds
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs , mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and smashes bananas, stir into the butter mixture until smooth.
3. Fold in nuts and spread into the loaf pan
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cool the loaf before serving.

Garlic Bread

Thanks to my hubby's cravings for Garlic bread which led me to make it at home. These beauties are delicious and juicy. The fresh flavors of garlic and parsley makes it even more best. No lie, my mouth is watering right now writing this!!! So do you want to make this simple recipe at home???

Ingredients
1. 1 loaf French or Italian bread
2. 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened 
3. 3 large fresh garlic cloves, minced
4. 1 tablespoon  fresh parsley 
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix the butter, garlic, and parsley together in a small bowl. 
3 . Divide the bread into two equal portions and slice each portion to about 1 inch thickness
4. Spread the garlic butter on to each slice either sides and place the slices together like 2 loaf 
5. Wrap the 2 portions of bread in an aluminium foil.
6. Directly put of rack of the oven and bake it for 15-20 minutes.


Bake it and enjoy it!!!

"Guest Post" Tiramisu

Its August, its friendship month to celebrate. Over the year Saji had made many friends and wishes to make many more. Since this is the friendship month I thought to do a guest post again.
This post is special, Guess why??
There are many people in this busy world who cook/bake and do many more things just that they don't blog. Is not blogging a crime ? No definitely not. Its one's interest and personal reasons whether to blog or not.
Now dear readers you all must be thinking why am'I speaking all this. Yes,this guest post is from such a person cooks and bakes as a  passion but the baby keeps her so busy that she hardly finds time for blogging. But, why should a talented person just be left like that, so Saji is here with a beautiful recipe from "Saritha" (who is also my sister-in-law), Tiramisu. 

           Akshita (aka my niece),Saritha's daughter who keeps her busy always

Ingredients 
For Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake mix
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/4 cup coffee
1 tablespoon coffee flavored liqueur (For all Mommy's I just combined bru instant coffee powder n few drops of water to make liqueur)
For Filling
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese( I used cream cheese+heavy cream 3:1 proportion and it tasted very good)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur(i just combined bru instant coffee powder n few drops of water to make liqueur)
For Frosting
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur(i just combined bru instant coffee powder n few drops of water to make liqueur) 
For Garnish
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate sparkles
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans.
2. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Divide two thirds of batter between 2 pans. Stir instant coffee into remaining batter; pour into remaining pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. In a measuring cup, combine brewed coffee and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur; set aside.
4. To make the filling: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer set on low speed, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur; beat just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
5. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of cream mixture into filling mixture.
6. To assemble the cake: Place one plain cake layer on a serving plate. Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake, about 1 inch apart. Pour one third of reserved coffee mixture over cake, then spread with half of the filling mixture. Top with coffee-flavored cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour another third of the coffee mixture over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour remaining coffee mixture on top. Spread sides and top of cake with frosting. Place cocoa in a sieve and lightly dust top of cake.Decorate it to your wish.Garnish with chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
7. To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the chocolate bar.
Tiramisu is ready!!!


Once again thanks Saritha for finding time to send the recipe across. Frenz lets all wish Saritha good luck and encourage her for many more wonderful recipes.
Non bloggers now gear up, take a pic of your recipe and and send across to Saji and see them over web.