Archive for the ‘foods’ Category
December 1st, 2009 | 
Author: Preparation time: 15 minutes
Marinade time: 2 hours in a refrigerator, or overnight if possible
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 chicken portions
3 small hot chillies (birds eye or Scotch Bonnet), deseeded for a milder strength
3 pieces of fresh root ginger, about 1" (25mm) cube each
6 spring onions, trimmed
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
5 tablespoons of light soy sauce
6 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the spring onions, chillies, garlic, ginger, thyme, paprika, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, wine vinegar, soy sauce and pepper in a food processor and make into a smooth paste.
2. Place the chicken portions in a dish and pour the mixture over. Turn the portions so that they are well coated. Transfer to a refrigerator and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible.
3. Remove the chicken from the dish, keeping the marinade for basting, and grill over hot coals for about 30 minutes. Turn occasionally and baste with the remaining marinade.
4. Serve at once on individual plates.
Tip: Cooking a Whole Barbecue Chicken
For whole birds and other foods that take longer to cook, consider a heat proof digital thermometer. These have a base unit that sits on the counter and a heat proof cord that connects the temperature probe to the base unit.
The probe stays in the food during cooking and the base unit displays the temperature throughout the cooking time. Slide the probe into the breast on a whole chicken.
Connect the cord to the base unit. Turn the base unit on and follow the manufacturers instructions for setting the desired end temperature. Once the end temperature is reached, remove the chicken from the heat.
Using a meat thermometer when barbecuing any meat is highly recommended for the best and most hygienic results.
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Barbecued dragon chicken wings are really easy to make, and you eat them with your fingers. My favourite type of barbecue food! To save time I make the sauce for them the night before and keep it in the fridge until it’s needed.
Serves: 6
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes
Ingredients
* 18 chicken wings
* Oil for cooking
For the sauce
* 9 fl oz (250ml) of cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt
* 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
* ! teaspoon of paprika
* I small, roasted red pepper chopped
* freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 9 fl oz (60ml) of vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons of Worcester sauce
* 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
* 1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes
1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender and mix well together. Pour the sauce into a jug or bottle.
2. Rub the chicken wings with the oil and cook over a hot grill for about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the sauce and drizzle it over the wings every few minutes.
3. Turn over and repeat for the other side. The sauce will separate and so will need stirring frequently prior to drizzling.
4. Serve your barbecued spicey chicken wings while they’re hot.
Tip: Use a digital thermometer for cooking Barbecue Chicken
A basic digital thermometer is designed to take a temperature reading in about 10 seconds and cannot stay in the food during cooking. Remove the chicken from the heat and slide the thermometer into the thickest part of chicken pieces or into the breast on whole birds. Check the temperature reading.
If the temperature is too low, remove the thermometer and put the chicken back on the heat to finish cooking. If the temperature is right, the chicken is ready to eat.
Served as an appetizer or entrée, lime juice gives a delightful tang to these marinated baked chicken wings.
You can also use this recipe on an outdoor barbecue. Try the marinade and sauce on other cuts of chicken (such as pre-cut chicken tenders) as well as pork.
Ingredients
* 1 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice or Persian lime juice
* 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
* 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
* 1/4 cup minced sweet onion
* 4 pounds meaty chicken wing pieces, joints separated and tips discarded (or save tips for making stock), about 24 pieces
Directions
In small bowl, combine ketchup, lime juice, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, hot pepper sauce, garlic powder, and sweet onion.
Stir until well-combined. (Yields about 1-1/2 cups of marinade.) Place chicken wing pieces into large freezer zip-top bag. Pour in marinade, squeeze out air, and seal.
Turn bag over and over until chicken wings are coated with marinade. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325°. Place wings on baking rack nestled inside a baking pan.
Bake about 1-1/2 hours, basting with boiled marinade sauce during last half hour. While chicken wings are cooking, bring reserved marinade to boil in small saucepan.
Let boil for five minutes. Thirty minutes before wings are done, baste chicken wings with boiled marinade sauce, and continue cooking until wings are tender. Makes 8 appetizer or 3 entree servings.
Everyone loves a good homemade cookie and I can’t think of anything that would say “home” to your soldiers or kids away at school than a package of homemade cookies. This old-fashion recipe for Peanut Butter Fingers will save “I love you” to anyone receiving them. If they will be in transient for a long period of time or to a very hot climate you may want to use a very light chocolate coating or skip it altogether. However, for most situations, it should work fine.
PEANUT BUTTER FINGERS
This recipe is from an old grocery store give-away years ago.
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 tbsp water at 105 to 115 degrees (warm)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 3/4 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup whole-wheat)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Cocoa Glaze: Recipe follows
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl. Mix in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, and shortening until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove dough from refrigerator and shape by teaspoonfuls into 2 1/2-inch fingers on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Make the cocoa glaze and dip one end of each cookie into the cocoa glaze.
COCOA GLAZE:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cups baking cocoa
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Mix the powdered sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk and the vanilla until smooth. Gradually add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until of dipping consistency, if needed.
Enjoy!
If you are a vegetarian or are searching for something to make for your vegetarian family member or friends, give this recipe for Chinese Vegetarian Noodles a try. This is a quick and easy dish to make and is sure to impress the vegetarians in your group. The non-vegetarians will be impressed, too. Offer them a chicken breast, a slice of pork loin or something similar with their noodles!
CHINESE VEGETARIAN NOODLES
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (1 tsp ground ginger)
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (or less to suit your taste)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp corn oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 lb rice stick noodles (ethnic food section), softened in hot water and drained
Make a curry seasoning by mixing together the following:, garlic, ginger, curry powder; set aside.
Make a basic Chinese sauce by mixing together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper; set aside.
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat; add the oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Add the curry seasoning and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the onion slices and stir-fry for a minute or until barely tender. Add the red and green peppers; stir-fry for another minute. Add the cabbage and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until everything is crisp tender. Add the Chinese sauce and the noodles. Carefully toss to mix. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Best served hot.
Enjoy!
This is a tasty recipe for chocolate and meringue lovers everywhere that can be made very simply at home, for all your family and friends, as it serves up to 15 people. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
6 oz caster sugar
6 oz broken chocolate
3 egg whites
2 oz of your favourite nuts
Quarter pint of cream
Mix the egg whites into a large bowl using a whisk until they are stiff. Slowly add a teaspoonful of sugar at a time until all the sugar is used up. Continue to whisk until the mixture is sticky and thick.
Add the nuts into the mixture, and then put heaped spoonfuls of the mixture into swirly mounds on to 2 large baking sheets, preferably lined with non stick paper.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, then bake the mixture for up to an hour, or until the meringues are firm and easy to peel off the paper. Leave them to cool down.
Gently simmer a pan full of water, and melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Gently lift the meringues off the paper, and dip into the chocolate. Put the chocolate covered meringues back on to the paper, tilted on their sides and leave to cool down so that the chocolate can harden.
Whip up the cream and use it to hold the meringues together in pairs. These can then be served on plates or a cake stand, and should be eaten on the day that they are made.
This recipe should serve up to 15 people, has a 30 minute preparation time and up to an hour cooking time.
This recipe I have just outlined to you will create a tasty, easy to make dessert that can be enjoyed after your main meal, or as a naughty treat on its own!
DO PIAZA CHICKEN CURRY
[A Simple recipe for the ultimate Mughlai dish]
By
VIKRAM KARVE
If you want a first impression of the authenticity of a “Mughlai” Restaurant, the first dish you must order and taste is a “Do Piaza” and it will give you an idea of the standard and authenticity of Mughlai Cuisine you can expect there.
Indeed the “Do Piaza” may be considered the culinary benchmark to judge and evaluate a Mughlai Restaurant.
And if Do Piaza [Mutton or Chicken] doesn’t figure on the menu, you better order Chinese or Continental, or stick to the ubiquitous “Punjabi” Butter Chicken-Naan routine!
“Do Piaza” means “two onions” or rather “double onions”.
Now how did this dish get its name?
Maybe it’s apocryphal, but legend has it that this delicious dish was invented by Mullah Do-Piaza, a renowned and celebrated cook at the Mughal Emperor Akbar’s court. One of the Navaratnas (nine jewels), it is said he could conjure up culinary delights using only two onions, and a Mughlai dish cooked in that particular style is called a “Do Piaza”.
Water is not used at all when cooking a Do Piaza.
Onions (Piaz or Pyaaz) are used twice – hence the name “Do” [“Two”] Piaza, or Pyaaza, spell it whichever way you like.
Come Dear Reader and fellow Foodie; let’s together cook a Chicken Do Piaza. It takes time, but it’s easy.
THE FIRST PIAZA
First cut a generous number of onions (the more the onions the sweeter the gravy) into rings, yes separate onion rings.
Now, in a large cooking vessel, put in the chicken pieces, add a liberal amount of curds and mix well. Copiously layer the chicken-curd mixture with the onion rings, cover with a tight lid and set aside to marinate for at least an hour.
Remember, do not vigorously mix in the onion rings; just liberally layer the chicken-curd mélange with the onion rings.
After marinating the chicken-curd-onion ring mixture for an hour or more, place the vessel on a slow fire with the lid on, and let the chicken cook slowly in its own juices and those released by the onion rings, till the onion rings are reduced to a pulp and, finally, the liquid almost dries up.
This is the first “Piaza”!
THE SECOND PIAZA
In another pan, pour in and heat pure ghee and fry sliced onions (the “second” piaza) till crisp brown, add finely chopped ginger and garlic, bay leaf, slit green chillies, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and then an adequate amount of chopped tomatoes, stir and fry on slow fire, and when the ghee separates, add the chicken [cooked in curds and onion rings] from the first pot, and stir fry till well browned and the gravy becomes nice and thick.
I don’t like to add garam masala, turmeric, red chilli powder, or any other spice powders; but if you like it, go ahead.
I always find it best to taste the gravy and add the minimal amount of salt as necessary almost at the end of the cooking process.
Remember, do not add water at any stage or you will ruin the dish.
A “Do Piaza” cooks in its own juices – during both the first and second “piazas”.
EATING THE “DO PIAZA”
Place in a serving dish, squeeze a lemon, garnish with fresh green chopped coriander and your Chicken Do Piaza is ready to eat.
But first let’s “visually” savour the Do Piaza in our mind’s eye.
It looks appetizing – nicely browned generous pieces of succulent mutton, in translucent juicy onion rings in scrumptious gravy.
It smells good too – heavenly mouth-watering aroma wafts towards you making you smack your lips and salivate in anticipation of the gastronomic treat that awaits you.
It tastes marvellous – absolutely delicious, not spicy hot, but mild and flavoursome, the unique sweetish zest of onions is discernible and as the heavenly medley of flavours and fragrances synergizes inside you, and you feel a sense of supreme satisfaction.
Relish the Chicken Do Piaza with hot chappties, phulkas or even a piece of soft fluffy pav, and you will experience sheer bliss.
Happy Eating.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
Christopher Carson better known as Kit Carson was an explorer, scout, trapper, Indian agent, rancher and soldier during his 60 years of travels throughout the southwest. Born on Christmas Eve in Madison County, Kentucky, in 1809, Kit was the 9th of 14 children. When he was still an infant, the family moved to Howard County, Missouri where Carson spent most of his early childhood in Boone’s Lick. His father died when he was only nine years old, and the need to work prevented Kit from ever receiving an education. At the age of 14, Kit was working as an apprentice to a saddle and harness maker. However, the young man soon became restless and after about a year he joined a wagon train heading west on the Santa Fe Trail in 1826.
From the Santa Fe Kit went north to Taos where he worked as a cook, errand boy and harness repairer. When he was 19, he was hired for a fur trapping expedition to California, where, in spite of his small stature (he never exceeded 5 and a half feet) he soon proved himself able and courageous. And behind every good man there is a good woman.
Bowl Of The Wife Of Kit Carson
1/4 c chicken (or turkey),Cooked
-meat,in bite-sized pieces
1/4 c rice,cooked
1 c rich chicken broth
1/4 c garbanzo beans,Cooked
1 pn leaf oregano
1/4 whole chipotle pepper
-chopped
1/4 whole avocado,sliced
1/4 c Monterey Jack (or Muenster) Cheese,cubed
Heat broth to boiling and add chicken (or turkey), garbanzos,
chipotle pepper, rice and oregano. Serve in large individual bowls, and add cheese pieces and avocado just prior to serving.
This recipe is from Culinary Delights – 200 Recipes which is availble at
http://healthwiseeproducts.com/prods.php?cat_id=57&prod_id=317
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The finger-licking fajita recipe was actually the discovery of Mexican workers in Texas, USA. However, it is recognized as a Tex-Mex cuisine.
Nevertheless, the name ‘Fajita’ originated many years ago, which vastly includes skirt steak but in the present days a variety of fajitas recipes are available with pork, chicken, shrimp, beef etc.
The traditional fajita meal is usually a combination of meat, vegetables and different ingredients that are mostly cooked on open fire or grilled by wrapping all the ingredients in the flour-based tortilla. The meat is usually cut into strips and among vegetables jalapenos and bell peppers are a must in the wrapping.
History of fajitas
Several studies and researches suggest that the butchers residing in the Texas- Mexico border were using the word ‘fajita’ to indicate the muscle that covers the cow’s belly. And there is no record as to when the name fajita came into the being, although it was seen in print around 1971.
However, the authentic fajita is made with skirt steak and later it was followed by chicken, pork etc. In 1969 Sonny Falcon is supposed to have started the fajita taco stand in Kylie, Texas and eventually sold the fajitas in fairs, festivals etc. A journalist from Austin called Sonny Falcon as ‘The Fajita King’, which made it easy for Falcon to sell his meal with a name that became so popular.
Fajita and it is so easy to cook!
Any fajita recipe is the most the easiest of all to cook; the process and the ingredients that go into the making of fajitas is pretty simple and the cooking time for any fajita is very less, which is why it is gaining more popularity with the working women folks and the taste of it makes it very special dish though.
You can use your creativity to make fajitas, include meat or vegetables and ingredients that will satiate your taste buds. Fajita recipe can be as diverse as you can make them and most importantly you can chew on them when they are hot or cold, either ways fajitas taste yummy; a cheese topping fajita can be an ideal meal. When you have ordered for a fajita recipe in any of the restaurants expect a sizzling sound when it is brought to your table with condiments such as lettuce, sour cream, salsa, tomato etc.
Fajita-a healthy meal
Fajitas are generally spicy and hot, which makes them ideal to increase the body metabolism, effective for sinus and blocked nose. The peppers used in most of the fajita recipe are good to reduce cholesterol and improves blood circulation. Condiments used in the making of fajitas, such as garlic, guacamole, avocado and onions are all very good for health. Generally fajitas are light and serve as a nutritious meal for all.
One of the best ways to make a hot meal with beef is by using the slow cooker. This is also one of the easier ways to cook beef as well because it does not require a lot of work on your part. You simply have to prepare the ingredients and then let it cook while you go about your daily business. One of my favorite meals to make in the slow cooker is chili. This article will tell you exactly how to make great tasting chili in just a few simple steps.
First, you’ll need to gather the ingredients for making the chili. The ingredients are as follows:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can (1 lb.) stewed tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) chili beans
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 c. chopped onion
Pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Once you have all the ingredients you can begin the process of getting it all together to be cooked. The first step will be to brown the beef in a skillet and then drain the excess grease. This will ensure that the beef is cooked thoroughly. You’ll have to chop the onion if you haven’t already done so but once that is ready, you can combine the remaining ingredients together in your slow cooker. If you wish you can mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before adding them to the slow cooker. When you have everything mixed together, you can add it to the cooker along with all of the other ingredients.
When you have combined all of the ingredients and placed them in the cooker, you can set the temperature to high and then cook the entire contents for about 8 hours. The reason cooking this chili is so convenient is because if you have to work or leave the house for an extended period of time, you don’t have to worry about whether or not the meal is going to cook properly. The slow cooking process allows you to cook the chili over the 8 hours without having to watch it.
When the chili has finished cooking, simply stir and serve once it has cooled enough. Chili can also be served as leftovers, or if you prefer, you can freeze it and then reheat it when you want to have another chili meal. If you’re looking for a simple meal that doesn’t take a lot of time to cook and tastes great at the same time, try out slow cooker chili. You’ll be amazed at how great it tastes and your family will love it too.
