Cajun pasta

Combining pasta, chicken and cream is comfort food at its best..ad.d in the Cajun spices and this dish takes on a brand new taste. Cajun cooking comes from the native French-speaking Acadian descendants inhabiting Louisiana and parts of other Southern states. Bell peppers, onion and celery form the base of most dishes. Parsley, bay leaves, and scallions are commonly used, as well as garlic and cayenne pepper. Cajun cuisine as a whole has been called “more Mediterranean than North American”.

 Ingredients:

200 gm spaghetti

2 boneless chicken breast (cut in to strips)

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp butter

 1 medium onion (finally chopped)

1 red bell pepper (sliced)

1 green bell pepper (sliced)

4-6 mushrooms (sliced)

1 green onion (chopped)

1 cup cream (heavy, single sour, whichever is available)

¼ tsp dried basil

 3 tbsp tomato puree (use ketchup if you don’t have puree at hand)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 slices of cheddar cheese

For Cajun seasoning:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1& 1/2 tsp paprika

½ tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder

 3/4 tsp dried oregano

¾ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Stir together all the above ingredients until well blended then store in a air tight jar.

Method:

1) Marinated the chicken strips with 2 tsp of Cajun seasoning and a tbsp of vinegar, leave aside for 30 minutes.

2) Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until done or as per packet instruction.

Now melt 2 tbsp of butter in a pan, add in the onions and sauté till they turn translucent, then add in the chicken and cook until done.

3) Add in the mushrooms, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and green onions, stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.

4) Reduce the heat; add in the cream, tomato puree, 2 cheese slices, basil, salt, black pepper and garlic pepper, heat through, let it cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. (Now if you feel the sauce is too thick you can add ½  cup of milk or chicken stock).  Turn of the flame and serve hot. 

Note:  For serving you can mix pasta in the sauce or serve the pasta and sauce separately.

Chicken stroganoff

 Stroganoff is a Russian dish of sauteed pieces of meat served in a sauce with sour cream, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe. Although it’s mostly made with beef but i have used chicken, mushrooms and sour cream to create this classic comfort food.

Ingredients:

250 gm Boneless Chicken breast (cut in to 1 inch cubes or long strips)

2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion (finely sliced)

Can of   mushrooms (sliced)

1 tbsp plain flour

1/2 cup cream

2 tbsp vinegar

I tsp crushed garlic (2 cloves)

2 tbsp tomato puree     

½ tsp paprika (or use ¼ tsp red chili powder)  

    

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried parsley

3/4 cup chicken stock    

                 

Method:

1) Melt butter in a pan add in the onions and saute till onions get soft, now add in the crushed garlic with chicken and 1 tbsp of flour and fry for 2 minutes. Add in the sliced mushrooms and fry for a further 2 minutes.

2) Now add in the chicken stock, salt, paprika, tomato puree, worcestershire sauce and let cook till the chicken gets done.

3) Add freshly ground black pepper, cream, vinegar, dried parsley and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens, sprinkle serve hot with noodles or boiled rice. 

Seekh Kabab Pizza

 I had some left over seekh kababs at home, so thought of using them in pizza.  You can use any kind of toppings you like, I wanted to keep it simple so I have only used onion, tomato and capsicum along with a few olives.  A friend from my Facebook suggested me to add cornmeal in pizza dough for soft, fragrant and crispy pizza crust, I would like to thank her for sharing such a great tip with me ;)

For Dough

2 &1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp milk powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 & ½ tsp instant yeast

3-4 tbsp oil

½ cup warm water

Method

1) Mix all these ingredients and knead it with warm water till the dough forms. Dough should be soft. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

2) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth, rub a bit of oil all over the dough, place dough in bowl and cover it.

3) Cover it with a kitchen towel and put it aside for an hour or till it doubles in size. Meanwhile you can prepare the sauce and the toppings and grease the pizza pan

4) Once the dough has doubled in size take it out of the bowl and punch it down. Then knead again for 2-3 minutes, roll it out and spread it on the pizza pan, again cover with a cloth and set aside for 30 minutes. (You can use little flour if you have difficulty in rolling it out.

5) Prick the dough with a fork and bake it for 7-8 minutes in a preheated oven at 180C -200C.

For Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

500 gm tomatoes (pureed)

1/4 cup ketchup

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 tsp red chili flakes

½ tsp black pepper powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small bay leaf

1 medium onion chopped

1/2 tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp crushed fennel seeds

Method:

1) Melt butter with the oil in a pan; add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and transparent. Add the pureed tomato along with all the remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer.

2) Simmer for 30-60 minutes or till the sauce gets thick and turn off the flame. Remove the bay leaf before spreading the sauce on dough.

For Toppings:

1 small onion sliced

1 tomato sliced and deseeded

1 capsicum sliced

5-6 seekh kababs (sliced in to bite size pieces)

7-8 olives slices

Sliced green chilies or some jalapeno slices

1 & 1/2 cup of mozzarella and Cheddar cheese.

To Arrange:

Spread 1/3 cup of sauce over the pizza base, followed by 3 tbsp of Cheddar cheese, and then spread the seekh kabab pieces over, followed  by sliced, onions, capsicum, tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle rest of the cheese over the toppings (you can also  sprinkle some red chili flakes on top) and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (180C-200C).  Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Tip: If you also want to add cornmeal in your pizza dough then for every 10 cups of flour you will add 1/1/2 cup of  cornmeal. 

Khow suey

 “Khow suey” is a one-dish meal of Burmese origin. It is mostly made with curried chicken or beef and served with a coconut based sauce.  It’s a considered as a part of “memoni cuisine” in Pakistan. I have to admit that before today I had never tried khow suey in my entire life, although I heard a lot about it on TV shows and always had a curiosity to cook it. To my surprise it tasted great, although it’s been a very different experience for my taste buds but I loved it. Khow suey is usually served in individual bowls. A portion of noodles topped with meat and coconut curry is added first, then each diner chooses from an array of garnishes. 

Ingredients:

For chicken Curry:

½ kg bone less chicken (cut in to small cubes/you can also use beef or mutton of you like)

¼ cup oil

1 large onion (blended)

2 medium tomatoes (blended)

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chili powder

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp garam masala powder

For coconut curry sauce:

5 tbsp gram flour (dry roasted in a pan)

1 medium onion (finelly chopped)

¼ cup oil

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp salt

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tin coconut milk (or you can use coconut powder, follow the instruction on pack)

1& ½ cup yogurt

Accompaniments:

Spaghetti (1/2 pack)

Lemon wedges

Fried brown onions

Fried garlic (sliced and fried)

Red chili flakes

Chopped green coriander & spring onions.

Green chilies (slices)

2 eggs (hard boiled and chopped)

Fried Potato sticks

Method:

For chicken Curry:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add in the blended onions, fry well until the raw smell of onions have gone, next add in the ginger garlic paste and blended tomatoes along with cumin seeds, red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder and coriander powder, fry it nicely adding a few splashes of water when needed.

2) Once the masala is done and the raw smell of masala is gone add in the chicken cubes  fry it well, add in 3/4 cup of water and let it cook till the chicken gets done.  When the chicken gets done add in ½ tsp of garam masala powder and let cook for 5 more minutes on low flame.  The gravy consistency should be a bit thick but not on the dry side.  (for beef or mutton add a bit more water and cook till the meat gets tender)

For coconut curry:

1) Heat ¼ cup of oil in a pan, add in the chopped onions and fry them till they get translucent , add in garlic paste along with the salt, red chili powder, and turmeric powder, also add 1/3 cup of water, now fry the masala nicely.

Mean while add the dry roasted gram flour, yogurt and coconut milk and one cup of water in a blender and blend it till everything is mixed. (if using coconut powder add in 4-5 tbsp of coconut powder along with the gram flour, yogurt and 2 cups of water and blend everything.)

2) Once the masala is done nicely add in the blended mixture of yogurt and coconut milk and let the mixture come to boil, keep stirring. Once the mixture starts to boil lower the flame and let it simmer for 15 -20 minutes. Once it reaches your desired consistency turn of the flame and set aside. ( it shouldn't be to runny or to thick, we want a medium consistency)

For serving:

Boil the spaghetti as per the instruction on packet, drain and keep aside, when ready to serve you can either serve the chicken curry and coconut curry in separate bowls, or mix the both together and serve it in one bowl. To serve put spaghetti in a plate, top it with some coconut, then with some chicken curry, and then top it with accompaniments of your choice

Classic Lasagna

 Everyone has their own favorite lasagna recipe, I prefer to make it the classic way, I remember the very first time I made lasagna was in my school’s cookery classes in Bangor (U.K), I remember my father had to go look for a halal meat shop to purchase minced meat for me, back in 1996 it was very hard to find a halal meat shop in Bangor. Hope you’ll enjoy making it and eating it as much as I do....

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil

30 gm butter

1 large onion chopped

2-3 garlic cloves (crushed/or use paste)

500 gm minced beef

8-10 tomatoes (pureed)

2-3 tbsp tomato puree

1 cup water

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tbsp sugar

1/ 2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp crushed fennel seeds

12 lasagna sheets

Grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese (1 cup each)

 For white sauce:

60 gm butter

1/3 cup plain flour

3 cups milk

Salt & pepper to taste (keeping in mind the amount of salt and pepper added in mince sauce)

¼ tsp nutmeg powder

Method:

1) Heat oil and butter in a heavy based pan, add in the onions and garlic and cook until softened, Increase the heat, add in the mince and brown well, breaking up any lumps with a fork.

2) Add in the tomatoes puree, water, salt, pepper, sugar, fennel seeds and the herbs.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes.

3) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.

4) To make white sauce, melt the butter in a medium pan over low heat until foaming, add in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the milk, return to heat and bring to a boil until thickened, when thick simmer for 2 minutes, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

5) Preheat oven to 180 C (350F/gas 4), butter a ovenproof dish well, spread a thin layer of the meat sauce over the base and top it with a thin layer of white sauce, if the sauce becomes thick, warm it gently to make spreading easier. Lay the lasagna sheets on top, gently pressing to push out the air.

6) Continue the layers, finishing with white sauce, sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 35-40 minutes or until slightly brown, set aside 15 minutes before cutting.

Macaroni and Cheese

This creamy and delicious no- bake “macaroni and cheese” is so quick and easy to make, a perfect comfort food for cold winter days. Its best to serve it straight away but you can always reheat it by adding a little whole milk to restore the creamy consistency.

Ingredients:

250 gm elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

180 ml evaporated milk

1 tbsp hot sauce (or you can use ½ tsp red chili powder)

1 teaspoon salt

Fresh black pepper

1 tsp dry mustard

280 grams cheddar cheese (shredded)

Method:

Boil the pasta as per packet directions with some salt and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter, toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Continue to stir over low heat for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Chicken Fajita Pasta

Pasta mixed with tender chicken strips, onions, capsicum, zesty tomatoes, and fajita spices....a flavorful quick weeknight meal. 

Ingredients:

1 packet pasta (400g) (you can use any pasta of your choice)

500 gm chicken Brest (cut in strips)

1 large green capsicum (thinly sliced)

1 large yellow capsicum (thinly sliced)

3-4 tomatoes (deseeded and cut in thin strips)

2 medium onions (finely sliced)

1 tsp soya sauce

1 & ½ tsp salt

 ½ tsp black pepper powder

4-5 garlic cloves (crushed or make paste)

1 tsp cumin seeds (dry roasted and crushed)

1 tsp red chili flakes

4 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1/3 cup oil 

Method:

1) Mix all the spices in a small bowl.  In a bowl add half of the spice mix along with 2 tbsp of lemon juice, chopped garlic, 1tsp soya sauce and chicken strips, mix every thing together and let it rest for 30 minutes

2) Prepare the vegetables, cook the pasta in boiling water according to packet instruction, remove from heat, rinse with cold water, drain and set aside

3) Heat oil in a wok or wide pan, add the chicken strips and fry 3-4 minutes, take the out and keep aside.

4) Add in the capsicum and onions, sauté for 2-3 minutes with frequent stirring.

5)    Mix in the pasta along with the remaining spice mix, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and freshly chopped coriander, toss well and heat throughout for 2-3 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, mix with a light hand and turn off the flame. You can eat it as it is or have it sour cream and salsa.

Note: I have only used green capsicum as I could not find red or yellow peppers.

Chicken Tikka Pizza

Want to try a spicy pizza!!! then this is the perfect recipe for you...a great blend of flavors from East and West. Making pizza at home is so much fun and easy, so why waste money on takeaway pizzas when you can make much better, hygienic and tastier pizza at home. 

 For Dough

2 &1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp milk powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 & ½ tsp instant yeast

3-4 tbsp oil

½ cup warm water

Method

1) Mix all these ingredients and knead it with warm water till the dough forms. Dough should be soft. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

2) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth, rub a bit of oil all over the dough, place dough in bowl and cover it.

3) Cover it with a kitchen towel and put it aside for an hour or till it doubles in size. Meanwhile you can prepare the sauce and the toppings and grease the pizza pan

4) Once the dough has doubled in size take it out of the bowl and punch it down. Then knead again for 2-3 minutes, roll it out and spread it on the pizza pan, again cover with a cloth and set aside for 30 minutes. (You can use little flour if you have difficulty in rolling it out.

5) Prick the dough with a fork and bake it for 7-8 minutes in a preheated oven at 180C -200C.

For Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

500 gm tomatoes (pureed)

1/4 cup ketchup

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 tsp red chili flakes

½ tsp black pepper powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small bay leaf

1 medium onion chopped

1/2 tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp crushed fennel seeds

Method:

1) Melt butter with the oil in a pan; add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and transparent. Add the pureed tomato along with all the remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer.

2) Simmer for 30-60 minutes or till the sauce gets thick and turn off the flame. Remove the bay leaf before spreading the sauce on dough.

For Chicken Tikka:

  

200 gm boneless chicken (cut in small cubes)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red Chili Powder

1 tbsp lemon Juice 

1/2 tsp salt 

2 tbsp yogurt 

1/2 tsp garam masala   powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds (crushed)

A pinch of tandoori food color

2 tbsp oil 

Small piece of coal

Method:

 1) Make a paste by combining all the ingredients. . Rub this paste on all the chicken pieces, and let the chicken marinate for an hour.

2) Put the chicken pieces along with all the marinade in a pan, and let it cook on low-medium heat, turning once or twice until the chicken pieces get done. It will take 5-10 minutes to get ready. 

3) Put the coal over medium flame, wait until the coal is fully red and is covered by white ash. Put a small piece of aluminum foil in middle of the chicken pieces. Place the burned coal over it and put 2-3 drops of oil on it. Cover it at once with a tight fitting lid and put aside. Remove the coal after 5 minutes. You can also bake or grill the chicken.

For Toppings:

1 small onion sliced

1 tomato sliced and deseeded

1 capsicum sliced

7-8 olives slices

1 & 1/2 cup of mozzarella and Cheddar cheese.

To Arrange:

Spread 1/3 cup of sauce over the pizza base, followed by 3 tbsp of Cheddar cheese, and then spread the chicken pieces over, followed by sliced, onions, capsicum, tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle rest of the cheese over the toppings and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (180C-200C).  Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Fish Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is a real classic pasta dish and I am a huge fan of spaghetti bolognese too, the idea of making "Fish Bolognese" was given to me by my brother living in Belgium, so I decided to give it a go, and it turned out quite delicious, I didn’t follow any particular recipe, just followed the same bolognaise sauce I  normally make....

 Ingredients:

 200 gm pasta

250 gm fish fillets cut in to one inch chunks (you can use canned tuna as well)

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juice

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 cup water or chicken broth

¼ teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp crushed black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium capsicum chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon sea salt

Grated cheddar or parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions and garlic, fry till onions get translucent, add in the mushrooms and capsicum and fry for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes, ketchup, oregano, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes  and simmer over low hear for about 20 minutes; add the fish chunks to the sauce (or just drain and add the tuna if using tuna can). Bring back to a simmer and continue simmering until the fish is just done, break the fish into small pieces with a spoon. Mean while cook the pasta according to packet instruction. Add the drained pasta and toss with the sauce, serve it hot (topped with grated cheese if you like).

Qeema Veggie Macaroni

I am a big fan of pasta and “QeemaVeggie Macaroni” was the first ever pasta dish I ever tried, obviously made by mom. You can make it for lunch or dinner and enjoy a spicy pasta meal with your family....

Ingredients: 

200g elbow macaroni 
250 g minced meat (chicken/mutton/beef)

1/2 bunch of fresh coriander
2-3 green chilies
4 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion
Salt to taste
1tsp red chili powder (or according to your taste)
1 cup boiled peas (blanched/boiled)
1 large green capsicum thinly sliced
2-3 large tomatoes (deseeded and thinly sliced)
1/4  cup oil 

Method:

1) Put the onions, garlic cloves, green chilies and green coriander into blender and make a paste. 

2) Take a big pan/pot, add mince, green paste, salt and red chili powder and half a cup of water. Let it cook on medium-low heat for half hour or until the qeema (mince) is done. 

3) Mean while you can boil the macaroni according to instructions given on pack. Drain, rinse and keep aside.

4) Once the water in mince has dried add 2 tbsp of oil and fry the qeema for 5-6 minutes on medium-high flame, then add in the green capsicum and peas and stir fry for 4 mins. Now add in the macaroni mix well, add in the tomatoes . 

5) Heat 1/4 cups of oil in a pan (to give extra desi touch you can add in 1tsp of cumin seeds) and pour it on top of macaroni. Stir it once, keep covered on low flame for 5 mins. Serve hot.

Note: If you want to give it extra touch of spicyness try adding in some hot sauce according to your taste.