Luscious Nature..Anona Parfait

I gotta tell you guys…I`m completely ecstatic..! Why you ask? Because of this amazing desert!

It`s just so important to me to show how all we need is there within the Earth`s produce in such a lovely healthy balance,all we need is to learn it`s language,and oh what a lovely language it is!

I first saw this recipe from the “Purely delicious” magazine, and was totally in awe..Today,as I was feeling a bit down(yes,yes, again..) I felt the desperate need to make some “pick me up” magic,and decided to go for any quick version that I would be able to invent almost in the spur of a moment,and ofcourse with whatever I happened to have on hand at that moment.And to tell you the truth,considering my mood which was accompanied with a huge lack of concentration & patience, I was almost surprised it came out seriously SOOO  fabulous!

Since it was really made in a whimsical whiff,I can hardly account for the exact quantities used,though I will try here to rediscover them for you(and me!) .But rest assure that since it was really that good  I will surely make it again,and I promise to return here and state more accurate measurements.

 

I based my version on the pulp of one large  ANONA  fruit,which I happened to have ,as opposed to the pulp of a coconut in the original recipe;topped with a few Strawberries ,instead of the Rasberries,and I prepared the base with chopped  Almonds,Hazelnuts and Dates creating somewhat of a more chunky version than the original recipe,which was not initially my intention-I was actually going to grind them finer and then a wave of laziness got the best of me.That together with the fact that I realised  I actually prefer the chunks,and now Im glad I left it that way..

The recipe was meant for several “mini-tart” servings,but my Star Anona restricted this whole production to what would be equivalent to about 2 mini tarts.

One more thing before we begin.This is not really a tart as actually the origin calls it a “cream” and suggests the possibility of keeping it cooled in the fridge or frozen in the freezer.In my case,I regard the “cream” I have prepared to be something like a “parfait” ,which was perfect slightly frozen(not completely as it just hardens..),and would probably not hold aswell in the fridge unless you added something like some AGAR  AGAR which is a perfect natural ingredient with which to prepare creamy deserts.

Ingredients:

For base:

10(approx)Dates- soaked in warm water,then pitted and roughly chopped.

15(approx)Almonds-soaked in water enough to peel the skins off;roughly chopped

6(approx)Hazelnuts-roughly chopped.

approx 3 tbs -Date molasses(pure,unsweetened)

Cinnamon

A pinch of Salt(preferably sea salt)

- – - -

For filling:

10(approx)Cashews soaked in water

Pulp of 1 large Anona fruit

3 tsp(approx) Coconut oil

1/4 cup (approx)Soy milk

a few Strawberries for topping

*    *    *    *   *    *    *

In a bowl mix chopped nuts with Dates,add Cinnamon and date molasses,and a pinch of Salt.

Mix together with hands,knead a little and create a “ball of dough”.

Line a small rimmed dish(6.5inch/15cm)with plastic wrap or parchment paper,press the “dough” into the dish,creating an ‘inner dish’,make sure it is dense,and try to even the edges.

Place in freezer and procced to work on filling.

In a bowl mix pulp of Anona with chopped softened Cashews(starined from the water and chopped).I used a “Blender stick”(did I mention I was lazy?)but I guess it would blend smoother in a proper highspeed blender

Add 2-3 tsp Coconut oil,and slowly add Soy milk (about 1/4 cup),use as much as you need to create a creamy consistency-make sure it does not become too liquidy..

Bring back your dish and fill it with the cream,topping it with Strawberries,that you have washed and cut their tops off,decorating in circular motion .Return dish to freezer till ready to serve.Upon serving,delicately remove from the dish to take the paper off and move to apropriate serving dish.

Now for an additional surprise!

I had some filling left over,and found it made a delicious “parfait” /Ice cream ,within itself without the crust!

So,take that into consideration,if you ever would like to prepare an “ANONA PARFAIT” on another occasion!

I would like to emphasize again that all the experiments I share with you here have one goal which is to encourage you to “Go with Nature” and especially to experiment with your creativity! I honestly dont believe in any NoNo`s.If you dont find any Anona,try any other fruit!And if you feel like sharing any version you felt like trying,feel free to come back and tell us all about it,so we can all learn this fabulous language of Nature!

Enjoy!

Red rice Pilaf

After having posted just recently the recipe for the Red rice burger ,I realised That Red rice  is still not that widely known.So I decided to share more basic methods of preparation of this highly nutritious grain,which incidently does seem to be the same Red rice grown in France,to inspire you to begin adding it into your own cooking!

Actually,the basic idea is similar to cooking any rice of your choice,but in this case you need more water .Then, in a skillet,stir fry ingredients of your choice ,flavoring with spices,and adding the rice to create a flavorful mix!

Ingredients:

1 cup Red rice

Olive oil

Salt/Pepper

Baharat/Allspice(or anyother favorite spice blend)

Dried Thyme

1-2Spring onions

4,5 Mushrooms

1 Red bell pepper

2 tomatoes

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Cook the rice in 2.5 cups water

The way I do it is rince the rice and bring to a boil after which I remove the scum formed on top,lower the flame to a low heat,and then add about 1 tbs Olive oil,some salt,pepper and Baharat and leave to cook till all water absorbed and soft.

Meantime in a separate pan add some Olive oil and briefly stir-fry chopped spring onion with chopped mushrooms,then add the chopped Red bell pepper and Tomatoes.Add spices and mix all together,finally adding your cooked rice,blending it in and adjusting the spices to your taste aswell as adding a bit of Olive oil at the end if you feel needed.

I like to have the veggies still firm and crunchy so the whole stir-fry process is quite quick.If you like you can even add some additional freshly chopped Spring onion to top the dish just before serving.

On another occasion I added Spinach leaves and dried Sage instead of the Thyme,

and on another I added More tomatoes instead of the Bell pepper,cooking it a bit longer,

creating more liquids,resulting similar to a stew,for those who prefer it that way..

 

Now there`s no more excuses..embrace this fabulous grain and show us all your creative combinations!

Rustic Strawberry pie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mmmmmm strawberries…Ruby red luscious sweet beauties…

This is just another way I try to preserve Nature`s beauty and sweetness without too much interfering..

Ingredients:

500 gr(approx) fresh strawberries

Lemon-a small squeeze of fresh juice.(optional)

Jaggery-Raw Cane Sugar,much healthier than sugar,I have used it here.Can be purchased at the Indian shops.

Dough:

2 cupsWholewheat flour

a few pinches of Jaggery.

1.5 tbs Cinnamon

1/3 cup Soy milk already diluted with water/or water

1/8 – 1/4  cup Canola Oil.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Prepare the dough:

Place 2 cups whole wheat flour in bowl,add Jaggery and Cinnamon and mix together.

Then add oil and mix,after which add the milk(or water)and form dough adjusting flour or liquid if needed.

Put to rest in fridge.

Meantime,rince strawberries and cut tops containing leaves off.pat dry with paper towel and place in bowl.

Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon and add some pinches of Jaggery to the strawberries.Mix them delicately in the bowl,until the jaggery dissolves and covers all the strawberries.

Take the dough out and flatten into a flat circle with a rolling pin and gently place into a baking dish layered with parchement baking paper.

Preheat the oven.

Place the strawberries one by one on the dough surface in a circular arrangement beginning with the outer circle and moving on to the inner circles,filling up the pie`s surface completely.If you wish you can  again add a few pinches of jaggery over the strawberries.

Place in oven heated to 250 (may differ-I use a toaster oven)for approx 15 min.

Voila! You have yourself a very simple,gently sweetened strawberry tarte.I hope you like it.

Enjoy!

Red Rice Burger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I`ve allways wanted to prepare a meatless burger,but to tell you the truth..I never did.I think I`ve tried once and devastated by the outcome I kind of let it rest..I think I just couldnt get the idea of how it is supposed to work..These days,trying not to loose that boost of creative edge that has been visiting me,I decided to give it another courageous go.I didnt quite know what I`d make them out of,and I didnt feel like browsing any recipes,so I went for red Rice as a base,and I figured I would improvise ,adding as I go along,what I thought might fit.And you know what?They turned out very nice.I wouldnt go so far as to say they`re like hamburgers,though you must admit,visually they do resemble,but they were tasty and definitely wholesome.

I love Red rice.Another food product I have discovered while living in France,first as ”Red rice of camargue” in the supermarket,then I found the Bhutanese Red rice in the Indian grocery shops.I cannot say for sure if it is the same rice,though to me it seemed very similar.In any case the kind I continue to find and use today is the the Bhutanese.

This Rice is very potent as it is high in protein,and I just love it`s flavor especially as opposed to it`s rice ‘cousins’.It has this special warmer nutty flavor, and  is very grounding and fulfilling.I actually eat it when say,another person would go for a ’steak’..if you know what I mean.

Now Just before we go to ‘work’, I`d like to encourage you,after taking a look at this version and/or trying it,if you like,to go at it with any creative combo you feel like.Don`t be as hesitant as I was,I dont really think it`s a specific texture we`re after here,but flavor and of course for it to stick more or less together,which for that we use the  glutinous virtues of the Flax seed.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked Red Rice( 1 cup rice to 2.5 cups water),set aside to cool.

2 cooked Potatoes,peeled and mashed with a fork.

4,5 Walnuts-coarsely chopped

1 small Onion chopped

3 Mushrooms chopped

2,3 tbs chopped Parsley

Olive oil

2 tbs Flax seed soaked in hot water just enough to cover seeds)

whole Sesame seeds

Salt, Pepper

Baharat/Allspice

For the sauce:

Tahin sauce- Bulk Tahin,1/2 Lemon,Cumin,Salt.(1 finely chopped Garlic clove-optional).

*  *  *   *

In a medium sized bowl place cooked rice,mashed potato,Flax seed mixture(which has now become a glutinous mixture),chopped nuts.

In a saucepan saute lightly chopped onion,to which add chopped mushrooms for a quick stir.Then add this to the Rice mixture.

Add chopped Parsely,1.5 tbs Baharat,1 tbs Sesame seeds,Salt and Pepper.Drizzle a bit(approx.2 tbs) of Olive oil and mix all together.Adjust flavor to your taste.

Preheat oven.Layer a baking dish with parchement baking paper.Form balls with mixture(a bit bigger than a ping pong ball),slightly flatten,place on baking dish and sprinkle some more Sesame seeds on the top of each burger.

Bake in oven at 250(may differ-I used a toaster oven)for approx.15-20 min.

Meantime prepare sauce,using 1/3 cup bulk Tahin diluted in 1/4 cupwater ,add squeezed lemon juice(begin with 1/2 the amount and add if needed.), 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp Cumin.Add finely chopped Garlic if you wish(I didnt in this case).Mix well to obtain a smooth consistency,slightly more liquidy than in the preparation of the traditional Tahin,as it`s purpose in this case is to pour over the burgers as an additional sauce.Adjust flavors to your taste.

Serve in a side bowl next to burgers to be added if wished for.

Enjoy!

Dried- fruit strudel

One of the categories in which I feel  especially challenged following up on my approach to food,is in the sweets..we are so accustomed to certain flavours,as to the extreme sweetness of white sugar,normally added in abundance,that I find it a struggle to achieve similar results.But on the light side,I actually enjoy RE-discovering the true flavors of authentic products this earth brings to us,removed from beneath  their camouflage and brought out into the light,aswell as RE-polishing their shining armor of highly potent vitality and virtues they were originally provided with to bring us  a high quality of life!

 

“And God said,behold,I have given you every herb bearing seed,which is upon the face of the earth,and every tree,

in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed;to you it shall be for food.”

Genesis 1:29

 

While I admit it takes quite a lot of adaptation to go through,as I myself have allways been a “sweet tooth junky”,but it is a learning process just like any other,provided we are interested to learn,and believe me the results are well worth the process! If you are even just a bit intrigued,just tag along as I promise to report back with only the most successful experiments!

For this Strudel I have prepared a dough with wholewheat flour seasoned with spices,no sugar,no eggs and no raising agents.I filled it with a mixture of  coarsely chopped dried fruits and nuts;in this case dates,figs,raisins and walnuts were used with some added spices,and some pure unsweetened date molasses.I encourage you to go at it with any mixture you would like,or have on hand,changing it each time for added variation,it`s the basic idea that counts,once you`ve got it,the sky is the limit!

Dried fruit  are wonderful energy boosters,high in vitamins and minerals especially iron,that transform into genuine fuel for the body,providing a more balanced and sustainable vitality as opposed to the instant ”high” followed by an immediate drop brought on by the white sugar,leaving us just craving for more..not to mention the extra unwanted kilograms it delivers,as a result of the body unable to absorb and process it for it`s functioning!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3  cup oil ( I used Olive oil and it was fine,though Sesame oil for instance will

probably gain even tastier  results.choose any you would like providing it is a cold pressed natural oil!)

1/4 cup tepid water

Cinnamon- a mildly sweet,warm spice ,known to aid in digestion.

Anise seed - a refreshing,slightly sweet spice in which it`s components aid in digestion.

Sesame seed(I used whole sesame seeds which are of a more brownish color,and are more nutritious)

and Nigella seeds, both for decoration( aswell as for their nutrional value.)

 

For the filling:

3-4 Dates(pitted)

3 Dried Figs

1.5 tbs Raisins

4 tbs Walnuts

Pure unsweetened Date Molasses

Anise seed

Cinnamon

pinch of Salt

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

In a medium size bowl,place whole wheat flour mix in 1.5 tbs Cinnamon,and 1 tbs sesame seeds.add oil and mix into flour.Then add water,mixing well following by slightly kneading  the dough that has formed, adding water or flour if needed.Place in fridge for an hour.

Coarsely chop the dried fruit and the nuts and place in a bowl,adding 1 tbs cinnamon; 1 tbs Anise seeds,and 1 tbs sesame seeds and a pinch of salt.Mix well while dry ,then add approx 3 tbs date molasses,start with 2 and see if the mixture kind of sticks together without being too liquidy.If needed add some more.

Take the dough out and flatten on a surface sprinkled with Sesame and Nigella seeds into a rectangular shape.Place the mixture in a straight line along the middle of your rectangle.Bring both sides to a close towards the middle,and pinch all along the center ,and on each end ,hermetically sealing the pastry so the filling wont leak.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees( may slightly differ as I use an oven toaster),and bake for about 25- 30 minutes.Stay carefully tuned,allowing the dough to tan and crisp but not burn.

Enjoy!

*Note: I am sending this post as an entry to the brilliant “Novel food event # 7″ launched by Lisa from Champaign Taste,and Simona from Briciole! A combined culinary/literary event presenting dishes inspired by literary work!This is so exciting!

Spinach Samosa/borekito

My favorite comfort food is almost anything with a dough to it..! Lately Ive been feeling in the need for a comfort food fix,but the paradox of it is,that normally this specific mode does not come with enormous amounts of energy..if you know what I mean..resulting in a binge of any comforting ,tasty ,totally unhealthy pastry I can get my hands on! Familiar scenario..?

Well,in this case,I had just enough energy to whip up something quite easy ,comforting and HEALTHY!

The dough is actually the same wholewheat dough I have prepared for the Pizza that I made,with the Ajwan seeds in it,and once formed-decorated with Nigella seeds.The filling is with Sauted Leek,spinach and Champignon mushrooms,much like what I did for the lentils in my Mujadarah post,though can easily be filled with a combo of any of the 3 components,or any of them separate!

The result is a very tasty bite, fit for many occasions such as party bites,snacks,take away lunch for school/travel/work/picnic;or self indulging when in need for a comfort food fix like me 

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup Olive oil

1/3 cup tepid water

salt/pepper

Ajwain seeds

Nigella seeds to decorate

 

For the filling:

spinach leaves

1 large leek(2 small)

Champignon mushrooms

Olive oil

salt/pepper

Baharat (optional)

dried Sage leaves

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Prepare the dough just as I explained here.

place covered in fridge for an hour.(in this case  again I actually only waited 10 minutes..seems Im impatient lately hmmm..but it worked fine all the same!)

Prepare the filling :

In a frying pan,Saute the diced leek in some olive oil,until golden,then add the coarsely chopped mushrooms braising them a bit,then add the roughly torn spinach leaves allowing them just to soften a bit,not totally losing their form as they are yet to be baked aswell.While on the heat add salt,pepper,1 tsp baharat,1.5 tsp crushed dried sage leaves,blending into the mixture and remove from heat.Allow to cool.

Take out your dough,and form balls slightly bigger then a ping pong ball,flatten each ball onto a surface sprinkled with the nigel seeds,to form a flat circle.Add a tbsp of the mixture into the center(make sure there is no excess liquid) and fold the circle in half forming a crescent moon shape,then pressing the edges to make it stick.An added decorative touch would be to start on one end pressing down once with a finger,then twisting the next ‘finger distance’ and pressing down,then again-press down and follow by a twist continuing until you reach the other end.If you dont succeed fist off just stick first time to pressing down firmly to ensure it`s closed tightly.

Prepare all the ‘crescents’ and place on a tray/dish layered with parchment baking paper,bake in oven preheated to 250 degrees(may slightly differ-I used toaster oven), for about 15-20 minutes,take close care not to burn them,allowing them to reach a crisp tan,not more.

Enjoy!

* I am sending this entry to the Healthy bite event  hosted by Rachana from The gourmet launchpad,hoping it will still be accepted,as I have discovered about it a bit too late..! If not it is definitely  inspired by her event !

To see the wonderful roundup of this event( I finally DID participate!) see here!

* I initially titled them here as “samosa” though I personally know and have been preparing them for yrs as “Borekitos”(small borek). I believe this to be yet another delightful and heartwarming example of how so many various cultures coincide,each of them adding their own touch.

Ajwan

 

Since I have introduced Ajwain in my recent post,I feel the need to elaborate on this delightful Spice which has become another favorite of mine,though seemingly not widely known.

My first encounter with Ajwan was quite funny.Years back my sister in law brought me a batch of  a very popular savory biscuit in the mediterranean region,called Kaak, that her Grandmother prepared.I adore these biscuits,but when I took one bite I was totally captured,I have never tasted ones like these.As I tried to further explore their flavor,and discover what it was that made them so special..I found it! I took them apart and found this small innocent looking seed..I asked her what it is..and she had no idea..I kept nudging her till she asked her grandmother from Yemen,who in return explained that this is ”Nachua” -a spice from her specific region in yemen-Aden,and that she has them sent to her especially from the community in London!My God,I said to myself,I have discovered GOLD,this must be special.. I then waited for the next supply to arrive,so I can see the original package.When I did,it read ”Ajwan”,thats weird I thought..

Those days I found a great spice shop,owned by a young man of Yemen origin,I immediatly asked him,tell me,do you have any Nachua? He looked at me kind of weird and said,now how the hell do you know about Nachua?He told me that only Yemenite people from that specific area know about it(especially using this name)..  I considered myself lucky and started to experiment with it..! He also explained that it is great for digestion and stomach aches;and on a different note that some people drink it in their coffee..

When I moved to Paris,and those days I was very much exposed to Ayurveda,I started to explore the indian grocery shops,and there much to my surprise was my friend ”Ajwan”.I was delighted !

I deliberately went into detail here,as I am thrilled once again to trackdown roots and origins of our habits,only to discover ,sometimes in the most surprising places and ways,where they meet aswell as where they differ.

“Ajwan”  as I know it or “Ajwain” is a popular spice in India,normally used in the preparations of dals and pulse dishes,aswell as vegetable dishes and Indian breads such as Parathas,though it seems it`s origin is in Eastern mediterranean,maybe Egypt! Possibly arriving in India during the Greek conquest of Central Asia.In Ayurveda,it is highly appreciated for its  carminative effects aiding in digestion,dispelling gas,releving stomach aches and even used for asthma!

An infusion of these seeds in hot water is an excellent remedy for many stomach related problems,chewing on a few seeds after a heavy meal aids in its digestion,as the presence in the preparation of certain dishes aids in the digestion of that dish..hence maybe the original reason for it`s presence in pulse dishes.

I find that in it`s appearance it resembles exactly the Anise seed,and as I have mentioned earlier it`s flavor slightly resembles Thyme,as it also contains Thymol,but has a much stronger taste,somewhat reminding me of the Cardamom spice.Therefore I personally love adding them into many of my savory pastries.

 

Some very interesting references:

Wikipedia

kfunigraz.ac.at

Kingtutshop.com

I would love to hear if any of you know of this spice from a different angle or origin!

Pizza Rustique

 

 

Wow.I am relatively new to Blogland,but somehow yesterday when I read about one food event and decided to join at the last minute,that kind of got my creative juices flowing and here I am trying to join in another inspiring event(also at the last minute!).

This one is initiated by Vaishali from ‘Holy cow!’ , and the event is  ‘It`s a vegan world’  with this month`s theme- ‘Italian’!

I am not or atleast did not intend to be specifically a food blogger when I began,but food definitely is an important component of my world,and one of the beauties of food is that it connects between so many different people from all over the Globe in such a wonderful way,allowing us each to ‘taste’  from ‘eachother`s world’ in more ways than one..!

In preparing food my approach is Vegan in a philosphical way aswell as healthminded,which means I try to stay close to nature and its basic fresh produce and I do not tend to use processed items not even vegan ones-like commercial  imitation cheese etc.I love Nature and I have this joyful dialogue with it..On the other hand I have Immense respect and appreciation for traditional ways and dishes,creating I guess ,a bond with our ancestors that I can feel in the aura of each meticulously prepared dish,that I wish to preserve and connect to.So I try to come up with creative ways to maintain a fruitful communication between the two,by offering my variations to these dishes aswell as creating new ones.

For this challenge I have chosen to prepare a ‘Pizza Rustique’ which consists of a Wholewheat flour dough without yeast as I do not like to use raising agents that much, into which I add Ajwan seeds . These  are seeds normally used in the Indian Cuisine, that have a similar flavor to Thyme or Oregano and add a delightful touch to the crust which was baked topped with basically fresh tomato slices ,black olives,drizzled Olive oil with fresh Aragula leaves  upon serving.

I hope the Italian among you will not kill me,but you know what? It really came out divine! The crust was a real crust(dont ask me how it got that way without the yeast,asides the ingredients ) ; the Tomatoes tasted like Tomato Confit,and the added fresh leaves just gave an added vitality and crunch.

Now to work? :

Ingredients:

Dough -

2 cups wholewheat flour

1/4 cup Olive oil

1/3 cup tepid water

salt/pepper

2 tbsp Ajwan seeds(optional)

 

Topping -

2 ,3 ripe tomatoes

3,4 pitted Black Olives

3,4 roughly chopped Champignon Mushrooms(optional)

Salt/Pepper

Dried Oregano

Olive Oil

Fresh Aragula leaves(also known as Roket)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Preparing the dough:

In a medium sized bowl,place flour ,add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp Pepper

and 1-2 tbsp Ajwan seeds and mix.

Then add Oil and mix in the flour.At this point I like to crumble a bit with my fingers making sure the oil distributes well into the flour.

add 1/3 cup water to mixture,first by mixing with a spoon then when dough begins to form,begin using your hands to form a nice flexible slightly moist ball of dough,adding if needed a bit of flour/or water.Do not overwork the dough,just maintain a nice soft ball.

place ball covered in fridge for about an hour.(in this case I actually only waited 10 minutes..)

Meantime heat oven to approx 250 dgrees.

Take out dough and flatten with rolling pin to a medium large circle to fit a circle pie dish.

Note that you can ofcourse shape your pizza into a rectangular/square form as you wish.

I line the dish with parchement baking paper,I find its the cleanest simplest way.

Place your basic dough form into the dish,and top with nicely sliced tomatoes forming a circular pattern.

Cut your pitted olives in pieces and add,aswell as your chopped mushrooms.

Drizzle with some Olive oil ,and sprinkle some dried oregano,salt and pepper.

Bake in the Oven for approx 25-35 minutes.(may slightly differ as I used a toaster oven)

Be extra careful not to overbake,just be on the look out that the crust becomes tan and a bit crisp ,but not brown,and the tomatoes bake and shrink very slightly-NOT dehydrate completely.

Remove from the oven and serve warm while adding the fresh Aragula leaves just before serving as they tend to become mushy with the heat,aswell as an additional drizzle of Olive oil if you wish.

Buon appetito!

*Note: I just learned about DMBLGT-”Does my blog look good in this” a  monthly food photography event,hosted this month by Nika from Nikas culinaria,and I decided to send in this post`s photo to the event..see ya there!

My variation on Mujadarah-Middle Eastern lentil and rice dish

 

This is a variation of mine on another favorite Middle Eastern dish, ‘Mujaddarah’   a classic lentil and rice dish ,in which it`s name slightly varies aswell as it`s preparation.The basic concept is cooked Green Lentils with White Rice garnished with fried onions,though sometimes made with Burgul(cracked wheat)and even Red lentils replace the Green in certain variations,while at others thinstrand noodles are added.It is a very simple but  ’hearty’  dish as it represents a great nutritional balance ,served with a small fresh salad,you`ve got all you need!

As I have encountered with many Middle eastern dishes,there exists a similar Rice and lentil dish in the Indian cuisine aswell,and it is named Kichri. Another fact I found intriguing is that it is said to be the dish of ESAU from the bible! Which just goes to show that a GOOD dish sticks around for while.. 

Ok.Now in this case Im sticking to another all time favorite of mine-the Green lentils,but the smaller ones if you can find,and if we`re already being picky here ,then I just ADORE the ‘Le Puy’  lentils! I fell in love with them when I used to live in France,they`re smaller, darker and have this stronger flavor to them ,apparently due to the special soil they grow in which also renders them higher  in protein content. In any case Lentils are known to be very high in iron, making them just perfect for those who do not eat Meat.

Otherwise I am also sticking to white rice,whichever you prefer ( I personally prefer basmatic but I think I`ll talk about that another time..). The variation here is in adding  sauted Leek  and Spinach.Call me a ‘Leek freak ‘ if you will,but I use it a whole lot ,and though I have nothing against onion,I just think that Leek has that added flavor to it..and Spinach as we all know is another high source of Iron and Calcium.Oh and I almost forgot ,I also added mushrooms(Champignon mushrooms) in this case,which is totally optional.

Shall we begin..?

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

1 cup Green lentils

1 large leek

 200gr fresh Spinach

1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms

Dried Sage

Baharat/or allspice

Dried Zaatar leaves (not mix)/or Oregano

Salt and pepper

Olive oil ( Does any other exist..?)

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Rince the Rice in water several times to wash the starch away,you will see the water becoming clear and drain well.bring the water to boil in a saucepan,add the rice with a little salt and olive oil,allow to boil vigorously before reducing the heat,and cook with a closed lid on a low heat for about 20 minutes.

In a separate pan,after rinsing the lentils(some presoak them),place them with water ,bring to a boil.remove scum and add salt and pepper,1 tsp Baharat,1 tsp crushed Dried sage,1/2 tsp zaatar(or oregano) ,lower heat and cook for approx 1.5 hr until tender.

In a skillet saute sliced Leek in some Olive oil until tender ,add the chopped mushrooms and saute slightly until ‘browned’ a bit ,reduce heat and add torn or chopped Spinach leaves,then add the rice and the lentils together,mixing it all together,using a bit of the remaining water inwhich the Lentils were cooked,adjusting the flavors with more of the spices if needed,aswell as an additional touch of Olive oil if you wish.

Et Voila..

Enjoy! 

P.s  I`d Love to hear any other versions you would like to share!

*Update on this post! After reading Simona`s  delicious post - ‘Cannellini bean puree’ on her blog ‘briciole’ , informing us that she will contribute this recipe to a legume centered event  My legume love affair- Eighth Helping , created and hosted this month by Susan, The Well-Seasoned cook, I decided to try and participate ,submitting this post, though almost  at the last minute..Im very excited! Thank you Simona,Thank you Susan!

*Additional note: Just to let you know,the lentils  separately cooked with these spices can be served as a very tasty dish in itself ,aswell as adding the sauted leek and/or spinach to them upgrading the dish a bit and having the rice or something else on the side.

Simple Sweet potato & Pumpkin soup

As I have mentioned recently,I don`t get much chance to create as much as I would like to in the kitchen these days,but this is one of those quick simple dishes to warm you up in this cold weather especially if you don`t have too much time to bother..

 

Ingredients:

1 very large Leek -diced/or 2 smaller ones

1 very large Sweet potato/2 smaller ones – cut into large cubes

250 gr (approx.) slice of Pumkin-cut into large cubes

Baharat  /or Allspice

additional cinnamon

salt/pepper

Thyme

Sage

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In a medium size pot – Saute the diced Leek in some Olive oil;

as they soften,add Sweet potato and Pumpkin cubes

continue to stir-fry a bit  then fill the pot with water almost to the top

bring to a boil and simmer ,

add 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper;  1.5 tsp baharat; 1/2 tsp Cinnamon ; 1 tsp thyme and 1 tsp crushed dried sage leaves

continue to cook covered on low heat ,eventually adjusting the flavors to your taste,till the cubes soften,

simmer a bit more and thats it!

Enjoy!

*Update: I have decided to submit this post to an event named ”food in colors” initiated by Harini of “Tongue ticklers”,and hosted this month by Aparna from “My diverse kitchen”,with ORANGE being this months theme color!

Let`s go ORANGE!