Yakhni Pulao?

I know my pulao was not yakhni. I have never made that.

Does anyone have a recipe for yakhni pulao?

Yummy Chicken Pulao

I heart chicken pulao that I get at my friend's pakistani homes, especially Amina Chief with her very spicy, very flavorful, absolutely dreamy pulao. Yesterday I decided to try my hand at it and found a good recipe online that I made several adjustments to. The end result was delicious!

I'm posting the recipe with my adjustments here:

Chicken Pulao

3 cups rice
1 cup natural, low fat yogurt
1 whole chicken
1 large tomato, diced
2 medium onions, sliced fine
2 potatoes, diced into 1 inch pieces
2-4 green chillies, chopped roughly
chili powder to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 star anise
2 tsp whole cumin
2 inches cinnamon
2 large bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 cardamom pods
1 inch ginger and 4 garlic cloves, pureed
3 tbsp sunflower oil
Salt to taste
Handful chopped cilantro
Handful chopped mint
---
In a large pot, bring the oil to heat over a high flame. When it is hot, add the whole spices.

As they sizzle up in seconds add the onions and fry for five minutes until golden brown.

Then add the ginger and garlic and fry for another five minutes until the whole mixture goes a darker shade of brown. Add the turmeric, chili powder (optional), the chillies and the chicken.

Stir vigorously for five minutes until the chicken is brown all over. Now, add the yogurt and leave the chicken to cook on a high flame, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If it does, add a little water.

When chicken is halfway cooked, add potatoes and tomatoes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the rice and fry for a minute or so.

Add about 4.5 cups to cook the rice.
(Very important: If the yogurt has let out a lot of water, then adjust how much water you add here; you don't want to end up with too much liquid or mushy rice.)

Once you have done this, don’t stir the rice because it will get all mushy.
Turn heat down, cover and cook until rice is cooked through. Take a peek to make sure there is enough water once or twice.

When the water dries up and the rice is cooked, the pulao is ready.

Add cilantro and mint and serve with raita.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I was home alone on Sunday so I spent the time doing laundry and catching up on cooking shows (I think I'm showing my age), including Everyday Food and Everyday Baking on PBS. I don't bake very much (not at all is more accurate) but I love watching people bake because they make it look so easy, and it's probably easier than cooking. This recipe was in an episode on Sunday and I'm itching to try it. I might make it for my in-laws who are visiting next weekend. I'm posting it here for anyone who is interested - it looked mighty delicious!

Flourless Chocolate Cake from Everyday Baking on PBS

Serves 8 Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 1 hour plus cooling time

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1/4 cup sifted unsweetened best quality cocoa powder, plus more for pan
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
sweetened whipped cream for serving

To make:

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with a parchment round. Butter parchment and dust all over with cocoa powder shaking out excess; set aside.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter; cool to room temperature.

3. Using an electric mixer on high, beat eggs, sugar, and salt until light and foamy, about 2 minutes.

4. Gently fold ¼ of egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture to lighten the chocolate. Then gently fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture until marbled. Fold in cocoa powder. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center still feels soft (a toothpick inserted comes out moist) and top has a thin crust.

5. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a metal spatula around the sides of pan and invert; remove parchment. Invert again so cake is right side up. Serve with whipped cream. (Berries or ice cream are other optional toppings.)

Fast Beef Chili

This is a recipe I tried some time ago from the Test Kitchen files, but I never got around to posting it. I find that having a basic recipe for chili is useful and I take advantage of its versatility to make it out of whatever I can find in my kitchen. I also serve it with rice because I'm a rice person, but you could serve it with sour cream and cheese on a baked potato, in a wrap or on slices of bread.

Fast All-American beef chili from America's Test Kitchen

1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
2-3 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tsp sugar
salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp veg oil
1 onion minced
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 lbs 85 % lean ground beef

1. pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until slightly chunky, about 5 pulses.
2. bring tomatoes, beans, chipoltle chile, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt to boil, covered, in large saucepan. reduce to simmer and continue to cook until needed in step 5.
3. heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. add onion, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 tsp salt and cook until softened, about 5 min. stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec.
4. increase heat to medium high and add beef. cook, breaking up beef with spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 min.
5. stir in tomato-bean mixture, scraping up any browned bits. bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Grilled Peanut Chicken

This peanut butter theme is completely unintentional :) I just came across this recipe and it sounded like a quick way to make chicken for a sandwich. I used the grilled chicken to fill half pita pockets along with romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, tomato slices, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of ranch or other creamy dressing.

Grilled Peanut Chicken

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
dash of chilli powder
2 chicken breast halves (~ 1 lb)

1. Coat grill with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium.
2. In small bowl, stir together all ingredients except chicken.
3. Slice each chicken breast in half, to create 4 total filets.
4. Place filets on grill without crowding and brush with peanut butter mixture.
5. Grill for 6 minutes, turn and brush with more mixture, and grill for 6 more minutes until chicken is no longer pink or internal temperature is 165 degrees. (On a foreman grill, grill for 7-8 minutes depending on thickness of filet.)

Serves 4.

PB and ..... M?

One thing I absolutely cannot get enough of - I would choose it over ice cream, cake, or any of my other favorite sweets - is medjool dates stuffed with peanut butter. I discovered it in college courtesy of an old friend and I'm just recently re-discovering it. If any of you have never tried it, you're really missing something. Unless of course you hate peanut butter, in which case it's probably not a mistake that you haven't tried it :)

It takes a second to make - just cut open one side of a juicy medjool, discard the seed, and fill with peanut butter. Eat... mmmmmmmmmmmm... and repeat :) Try to control yourself, these are rich ones!

Lemon Butter Salmon

I never realized how simply wonderful a salmon fillet with salt and pepper can be. This recipe adds more deliciousness to the salmon, but the salmon fresh off the grill was almost too tempting not to eat right away.

This recipe is from Epicurious.com, which I like because you can search for an ingredient and a lot of people leave helpful reviews as well. They also have a rating system (with forks :)) which tells you which recipes are the most popular. This one's definitely a keeper.


Grilled salmon with lime butter sauce (from epicurious.com)

Makes 6 servings.

Ian Knauer

6 (6-oz) pieces center-cut salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick) with skin
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest
6 tablespoons lime butter sauce (recipe below)

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Season salmon all over with salt and pepper, then grill, flesh sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using gas grill) 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill (covered only if using gas grill) until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes more. Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each with 1 tablespoon lime butter sauce.

Note: I used a George Foreman grill - just add a bit of olive oil before grilling, preheat on medium and cook for 7 minutes.

lime butter sauce Gourmet | July 2006

It takes only 5 minutes to make this fantastic sauce. Once you see how versatile it is — it works perfectly with the grilled salmon and the grilled corn — you'll want to make it for a whole host of your summer favorites.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Ian Knauer

1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Cooks' Note: Lime butter sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir before using.

Sesame Noodles

Our latest culinary has been Sesame Noodles. This recipe from Cooks Illustrated is so delicious, better than you find at most restaurants..and very substantial as a meal. I haven't actually made them with the chicken yet, but I'm sure that will be even better.

This is one of the easiest recipe ever and highly successful.

Let me know how it turns out for you.

Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken

9/2004

We prefer the flavor and texture of chunky peanut butter in the sauce; in particular, we like conventional chunky peanut butter because it tends to be sweeter than natural or old-fashioned versions.

Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
water (hot)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon table salt
1 pound fresh Asian noodles or 12 ounces dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 scallions , sliced thin on diagonal
1 medium carrot , grated


1. Toast sesame seeds in medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in small bowl. In blender or food processor, puree remaining 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at time until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, about 5 tablespoons; set blender jar or workbowl aside.

2. Bring 6 quarts water to boil in stockpot over high heat. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Spray broiler pan top with vegetable cooking spray; place chicken breasts on top and broil chicken until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken over and continue to broil until thickest part is no longer pink when cut into and registers about 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside. Add salt and noodles to boiling water; boil noodles until tender, about 4 minutes for fresh and 10 minutes for dried. Drain, then rinse with cold running tap water until cool to touch; drain again. In large bowl, toss noodles with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add shredded chicken, scallions, carrot, and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each bowl with portion of reserved sesame seeds, and serve.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

I feel like every now and then there comes along a vegetable or other food item that everyone is talking about or serving. I think Broccoli Rabe is having it's day because I see it everywhere. I've never even had it before and suddenly it's like the "IN" veggie.

So I saw a recipe for shell pasta with broccolli rabe that sounded good. I tried it yesterday and though I couldn't get enough of it, my hubby thought it was a bit too bitter. It is a bitter vegetable, but I developed a taste for bitter vegetables (like bitter gourd) at home so that's probably why I enjoyed it. But apparantly to get rid of the bitterness you should boil it with a little bit of oil, black pepper and crushed red pepper until its tender enough to stick a fork through (tip courtesy of a hardy italian native). Then you can add it to whatever recipe you like.

I used skinny penne in mine, but the original Whole Foods recipe is below.

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe, Sun Dried Tomatoes and White Beans
Serves 6 to 8

1 pound orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 12 pieces), sliced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water and drain pasta thoroughly.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over high heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add half the broccoli rabe and sauté until lightly wilted but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add remaining broccoli rabe to pan and cook for another minute or two. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cannellini beans and toss lightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Add hot drained pasta to the pan (or to a larger bowl if needed) and toss with the vegetables. Stir and add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water if mixture seems dry. Season and taste again. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Re-thinking the Microwave

There were two articles today in the NYT about cooking with a microwave. I remember a colleague telling me once about her old roommate who only cooked in the microwave. It sounded dangerous and irresponsible at the time. I don't know if the jury is out on how safe it is to use a microwave to cook food, but I thought the recipes were interesting anyway, and a good read given we all have one of these in our homes.

The first is by one of my favorite food people - Mark Bittman:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/dining/02mini.html?th&emc=th

The second is by "the curious cook". Aren't we all?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/dining/02curious.html?ref=dining