Tag Archives: pakistani

Ramadan Recipes: Chicken Box Patties

by

27

DSC_1972-2

Ramadan is finally upon us, and with it, the culinary experiences we typically associate with this holy month. The activity in and around the kitchen increases significantly, owing to the maddening aromas emanating from the kitchen right around iftaar (time to break the fast). Family members who usually don’t even bother with the food-prep start hovering around to see what’s on the menu.

I belong to a family of food-lovers. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of my mother planning her iftaar menu weeks before Ramadan. I still remember how she wrote everything on a wall calendar; everything from appetizers to desserts. She made rainbow-colored jelly eggs and lip-smacking kukray (D-shaped samosas with mung daal and minced meat filling),  always on the hunt for new recipes to try. Watching her make those things was the highlight of my day and I have only her to thank for my culinary passion.

The Ramadan dastarkhwan (floor mats/carpets on which food is served) is empty without a selection of appetizers. I know of some families who absolutely positively need to have samosas and pakoras at iftaar, whereas others try different things. Luckily, I belong to the latter group. For me, an appetizer is the most important course, as it is the first thing you attack after breaking the fast. Thinking about first impressions, it can make or break your entire dining experience.

This Ramadan, I shall be sharing with you some appetizers handed down to me and others acquired along the way. The first entrant in this series is Box Patties. These perfect squares, created using samosa strips, are filled with a savory shredded chicken mixture that instantly satiates your spice cravings.

Prep time: 35 minutes for the filling and the box patties + 4 minutes for frying (per batch)

Yields: 18-20 patties

Serving size: 2 patties per person

Ingredients

  • 250 grams chicken breast
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon green chili paste
  • 1 tsp salt (for chicken)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 medium potato (boiled and diced)
  • 1 medium green bell pepper (capsicum – diced)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (stirred in with 1 tablespoon water – for filling)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (for filling)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for paste)
  • 1 cup water
  • 40-50 samosa pastry strips

Method

  1. Add chicken, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chili paste, salt (for chicken) and water to a pot and cook it till the chicken is tender and the water has dried up
  2. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it and keep it aside
  3. Heat butter in a pan and add the green bell peppers to it; stir-fry for 1 minute
  4. Add soy sauce, salt (for filling), black pepper and red chili flakes to the capsicum and stir for a minute
  5. Add potatoes and the shredded chicken and mix it well
  6. Finally, add the flour and water mixture to the chicken; mix it immediately to prevent the flour from turning the filling too sticky
  7. Cook for a minute before turning the stove off
  8. In a bowl, mix the flour (for paste) in water; microwave for 40-50 seconds to get a thick glue-like consistency
  9. Fold the box patties as instructed in the video
  10. Deep fry in hot oil till the patties are crisp and golden-brown
  11. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Note: Ramadan is an ideal time to get in touch with your spiritual self, but sometimes, we just get too fixated on food and what to make for iftaar. I prefer making these appetizers in a larger batch and freezing them; they can be used for up to 15 days. This will give you plenty of time to reflect on yourself and significantly lessen your kitchen workload.

Please remember me in your prayers!

DSC_1967-2

Advertisement

Chow Down Some Chicken Chow Mein

by

5

DSC_0185

We all love Chinese food and more often than not, rely on restaurants to satisfy our cravings. If I talk about myself, my Chinese experience is never complete without a serving of Chicken Chow Mein; it’s a no-brainer that this is one of the first things I order. This is also one of those things that most restaurants don’t get right.

My wife makes a mean Chow Mein which is universally loved by everyone in our family. If you talk about authenticity, this is a Pakistan-ized version similar to what’s served in restaurants across the country. I often hear people complaining why they are unable to prepare restaurant-style Chow Mein at home; well, here’s her secret. She cooks everything separately and assembles the Chow Mein towards the end; this not only keeps everything from turning into mush, but also gives a distinct flavour profile in every bite.

On those lazy nights when you don’t feel like going out or ordering in, what more could you want than a plate of piping hot stir-fried noodles? So here’s how you can prepare some in the confines of your own kitchen.

DSC_0174

Prep Time: 35 mins

Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients

  • 300 grams egg noodles (or rice noodles, depending on your preference)
  • 150 grams boneless chicken (cut into 1 cm thin strips)
  • 2 medium-sized carrots (thin 1-inch julienne cut)
  • ½ green bell pepper (julienne cut – if red and yellow bell peppers aren’t available, use 1 green bell pepper)
  • ¼ red bell pepper (julienne cut)
  • ¼ yellow bell pepper (julienne cut)
  • 125 gm cabbage (thinly sliced)
  • 2 spring onions (one inch pieces)
  • 1 medium onion (thickly sliced)
  • 6-7 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 4 tablespoon sesame oil (use vegetable oil if sesame is not available)
  • 6 tablespoon soy sauce with honey-like consistency (if using the watery version, double the quantity)
  • 6-8 tablespoon chili sauce (to taste)
  • 2+1 teaspoon salt (2 teaspoon salt required while boiling noodles)
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon chinese salt (Ajino Moto or MSG – optional)
  • A pinch of sesame seeds (for garnish)

Method

  1. Set aside all ingredients before starting to work on this recipe
  2. Boil noodles as per the instructions on the box; add two teaspoon salt during the process
  3. Drain the water and let the noodles cool
  4. In a wok, stir fry all the bell peppers in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; take it out in a bowl once done
  5. Next, stir fry the cabbage in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done
  6. Stir fry the thickly sliced onion in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done
  7. Stir fry the carrots in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done
  8. In a sauce pan, add all the remaining sesame oil along with soy sauce, chili sauce, black pepper, chinese salt, salt, chili flakes, and half of the garlic; cook for 3 minutes till the consistency is thick
  9. Once all vegetables have been separately stir-fried, add half of the remaining sesame oil and the garlic in a wok
  10. After a minute, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 mins (or till the chicken is tender) with the lid on
  11. Add in the noodles to the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes
  12. Add in the stir fried vegetables one by one and mix well
  13. Add the sauce to the noodles and cook for 2 minutes
  14. Finally, add in the spring onions and turn the heat off
  15. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately!

Ciao (or should I say, Chow?)!

DSC_0176

Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture

by

13

DSC_7336

Nothing depicts the culture of a people better than a wedding. The festivities that surround the occasion are littered with elements from history as well as some reflecting recent trends (something old, something new). Pakistani weddings are no different and the use of the Marigold flower (both yellow and orange) is as essential to the wedding as water is to plants.

These traditions help define our identity, our individuality in this global mix of cultures, and should be nurtured and appreciated. For this week’s photo challenge, I present two arrangements of this beautiful and at times, under-appreciated, flower. Enjoy!

DSC_7588

Vegetable Samosas (Aaloo kay samosay)

by

2

Vegetable Samosas

I’m sure all Pakistani/Indian Cuisine enthusiasts must have had these samosas at least once in their lives. This Ramadan, I bring you a recipe for making these at home with very little effort. If you wish, you can use/create your own chicken/beef-based filling for these samosas.

Please do try them at home and say a silent prayer for me! 🙂

Ingredients

1. For Envelopes

  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Ajwain (or Thyme)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 4 tbsp Oil
  • 2 tbsp Ghee (or Vegetable Shortening)
  • Water – to knead

2. For Filling

  • 3 medium Potatoes (boiled)
  • 2 tbsp Peas (boiled) – OPTIONAL
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Pomegranate seeds (anaar daana)
  • 1/2 tsp Blackseeds (kalonji)
  • 1 medium Onion (thinly chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (haldi)
  • 8-10 Mint leaves
  • 5-6 Coriander leaf stalks
  • 4-5 Green Chilies (thinly sliced)
  • 1/4 tsp Coriander seeds (coarsely chopped)*
  • 1/4 tsp Red Chilies (coarsely chopped)*
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin (zeera – coarsely chopped)*
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tbsp Oil or Ghee

Method

1. Envelopes

  1. Add all ingredients and knead it into a slightly thick dough – use water sparingly (see video below for dough consistency)

2. Filling

  1. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion to it; fry the onion until translucent – don’t let it change color
  2. Now add Pomegranete seeds, Kalonji, Turmeric Powder, Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Green Chilies, Coriander seeds, Red Chilies, and Cumin seeds to the frying onion
  3. After about a minute, add little chunks of the boiled Potatoes and the peas to the mixture and cook until everything is properly mixed
  4. Add Lemon juice to the mixture and take it off the flame – let it cool before making the samosas

3. Folding

Enjoy!
Yousuf

* My mother uses these three ingredients quite frequently so she always has a mixture of these three spices ready; if you want to make it yourself, use equal quantities of coriander seeds, red chilies and cumin seeds.

Vegetable Samosas