Maqluba

 

When you are beckoned by someone eating a dish and the restaurant owner invites you (later you discover for free) you know the universe loves you.

Yes of course i did ask him how he did it after i showered him with compliments

here's what he said and what i interpretred

its all in the layer

 Potatoes

Veggies - cauliflower 

Rice fry first - semi cooked

with spices

Paprika hot and sweet

Turmeric 

Cardamom 

White pepper

Chicken on top 

Bit of water 

Oil around edge

Towel around lid to seal

Four hours small fire

still not sure about the water thing.

here chicken on top, juices run down onto rice.....

burnt potatoes on top

The aroma of the cardamon was heavenly.

another way on YT - upside
chicken on top 
rice raw - mix spices

tomotoe paste and garlic with rice too

baking paper on bottom of pot . easy peel of when serving. non stick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRK3IQQbChQ&ab_channel=%D9%85%D8%B7%D8%A8%D8%AE%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8AOurYemeniKitchen

WIth nuts on top and eggplant surround.
Nice spices of cinnamon and person lemons, cardamon, bay leaves, all spice, tumeric, lcoves 

(1:43) spice pic for chicken 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvnC_fWcipY&ab_channel=AbirzKitchen

Open pie - tart - apple crostata

 

Recipe Dough

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted or unsalted butter, cold - will update in grams

 Ice water Add just enough till forms a ball

Lemon zest (Yes in the dough!) adds a fantastic zing

Fillings: with whatever seasonal fruits in the fridge:
ie. Pears, Nectarines, Peaches etc
Top with nuts ie Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds...

Tip: Dust fruit chunks with cornflour. This prevents a runny watery pool but makes a thick syrup fruit sauce.

The recipe does not use any artificial sugars!

Dust with roasted soybean powder before serving. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

Original

Kate D. recipe

If you wish to 'bake along with Kate', here is the necessary ingredient and equipment list:

Dough

For 1 dough disc (can be doubled)

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted or unsalted butter, cold

5 tablespoons ice water

Suggested Ingredients for Fillings

Cinnamon

Sugar

Any jam or lemon curd

Nuts

1/2 to 1 cup of any fruit, fresh or frozen (apple, banana, berries, pear, etc)

Equipment

Measuring cup and spoons or scale

A bowl

A knife

A fork

A spoon

A spatula

A rolling pin (or even a wine bottle)

A baking tray or cookie sheet

A smile, that's the most important ingredient!

Filling options mine
Apples

Raisins

Walnuts

Seasonal fruits

tip: Dust fruits with cornflour to thicken the fruits juices to a sticky syrup and not a runny sauce.

Ginger and Green onion sauce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrEM86KUjg&t=18s&ab_channel=2tired2cook

Green onions (Scallions)
Ginger grated
Salt

Oil (neutral) 

Goes on anything, rice as is, on stir-fires, pasta, hummus!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLrEM86KUjg&t=18s&ab_channel=2tired2cook

Green onions (Scallions)
Ginger grated
Salt
Oil (neutral)

Elves Bread - lembas or waybread: Made from all good things

Yes!
This tastes better than it looks and it looks darn good! It is insanely delicious and addictive. 

This 'bread' kept me alive during the long excruciating months of chemotherapy. 

I ate two slices of this for the whole day. Packed with vital nutrition.  

AND my bowel movements stayed regular during all my treatments which is unheard of. 

My whole family eats this now and a friend who baked this for me during chemotherapy now bakes this regularly for her family too!

Hence the name Elves bread "Lembas"

Recipe

Recipe can be used for both bread and crackers

Ingredients:

0.5 cup  Flax seeds ( best freshly grind as it looses nutritional value fast)

4 tablespoons psyllium

2 tablespoons chia seeds  (whole)

1.5 cups of oats (rolled whole, or ground- Whatever is on sale)

1 cup whole nuts (ie walnuts/almonds/hazelnuts or a combination of your choice)

1 cup of mixed sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds 

4 tablespoons ground coconut (optional)

1.5 glasses of water. Yes, 1.5!

3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil.

1 teaspoon salt.
0.5 cup Cranberries or Raisins (optional)

Instructions:

• Mix all dry ingredients together.
• Add wet ingredients and mix well.

TIP:  Recycle a clean nylon shopping bag by mixing all dry ingredients inside! Then add the wet ingredients and massage the bag from the outside "kneading' thoroughly the dough

Keeps hands clean with zero dishwashing!

• Transfer the dough to a lined loaf pan. The dough will quickly start to harden.
  
  
• Leave at room temperature overnight or long enough to allow the batter to solidify (minimum 2 hours)
  
  
• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, or till firm on top and the loaf stays in shape when turned out of tin. If it still slouches bake further till firm to stand alone. 

• Remove the bread from the pan, and continue to bake upside down for a further 20 mins, to 'crisp' the sides. Do not brown too much, should be soft to the touch.

• Remove from the oven.
  
  
• Leave to cool. Semi freeze or refrigerate overnight. Before slicing.

Tip: This bread cuts much easier when cold. Best enjoyed cut to thin slice

Note:

This bread freezes really well!

For best results, slice thinly BEFORE placing in the freezer. 

Great for family, anyone on a budget. It is very economical, my family takes out the exact number of slices when needed.

TIP: Use a long cheese knife (one with holes inside -  see pic below)
It really helps to cut super thin slices.

To maximize oven space I make two loaves at a time, one sweet with cranberries and another savoury with onions and sage/rosemary.

Always a winner at gatherings or the perfect food gift.

Note:

I always bake two loaves. I sliced them up and put them straight in the freezer. 

Pulling out the EXACT amount of slices on demand. So nothing goes to waste.

They are also the best food gifts.

This 'dough' can also be rolled out and flattened to make awesome crackers!

It is very impressive looking and goes great with any homemade cheese (see easy cheese recipe)
I love it with cashew or almond cheese looks great and tastes divine!

This bread will regulate your bowels, even if you were not having problems, it does wonders. It kept me regular all through my chemotherapy and I have no doubt did other wonders to my body as it fought against Cancer as well as healing after and from the chemotherapy effects.

Drink plenty of water psyllium, flax and chia as big liquid absorbers.

Older version of recipe with raisins

Older recipe versions

First blog Guten Free recipe

Scones, Tea loaf, on a rainy day

 

Ramen soup

Fast, hot, super tasty with a fiery zing!

A Winter's stew

Army boy calls about food on his way home for the weekend.

Been a long week.  Israel's freezing under a cold front and blustery winds whipping the coastline and hurling palm branches recklessly across the sea front and motor lanes.

I arrived home late and get a big hug.

"Mum that soup on the stove was DELICIOUS.  I really like the chick peas and beans inside.
Scooped up with fresh home made bread all waiting in the oven :)

When a house becomes a home.

Goulash / Cholent / Kishkeh stew

Barley
White beans (post soaked - taken from freezer) - no need to thaw
Chick peas (Frozen)
Carrots
Fresh Coriander (stub of bunch)
Potato
Tomato paste
Goulash meat 0.5kg
Onion
Garlic (lots used 4 cloves)
Cumin
Coriander seeds
Turmeric
Kishkeh

Fry and seal the meat, add chopped onions.  Stir till soft.
Add spices.  Stir.
Add garlic, carrots, potato (any other veg you may have ie courgette)
Add frozen chick peas and beans.
Add water to cover, bring to boil,
Place in pre-heated oven at 150 for ages (about 6  hours)
After 3 hours in the oven.  Place kishkeh on top of stew and return to oven for further 2 - 3 hours till done.  If drys or thickens too much to your liking, just add more water.  Cover and continue to cook.
If your kishkeh begins to fall apart in the liquid (depending on the kishkeh, some behaves differently from others) Just take out carefully while still relatively firm and set a side.  Cover, wait till the rest of the stew is ready.
Serve by cuting slice of kishkeh cover with soup/stew and serve hot.  With black pepper or chili flakes - I like mine quite chili.  Serve with fresh warm bread if possible.  Or grated cheese, or freshly baked scones.

Toffee with Oats (Healithier -ish) Flapjacks

Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 50g/1¾oz demerara sugar
• 50g/1¾oz golden syrup
• 50g/1¾oz Oats
• 25g/1oz dried cranberries or glacé cherries, finely chopped
• 50g/1¾oz candied peel, finely chopped
• 25g/1oz almonds, finely chopped
• 25g/1oz walnut pieces,
• Raisins (optional)

Melt butter, sugar, and treacle in a pan.

Be watchful as it reaches it nice brown colouring, at this stage move fast before the syrup burns, Also here people have their preference how "burnt" they like their toffee.  I like mine just on the border, between almost too burnt but not quite with that full on flavour.  I don't like my pale toffee. 

Nuts are great! for that extra crunch.

• Original Recipe

Sabich - Home grown oops... made

Oh yea!
Tasted as good as it looks!

Felafel and Sabich

Crispy light and delicious
I cut the aubergines/eggplant to thick 1.5 cm thick for a good "steak'
My son likes them super thin as served on the streets in Tel Aviv.
BTW, I don't always bother or have time or mood to salt the aubergines.
If you can, sprinkle lightly salt, no need to wash off.
Dip in flour
Then dip in thick batter (water, flour, salt - whizz in blender to thick cream consistency)
Fry in very hot pre-heated oil

Don't think twice.  Cooked the whole batch.
Below the secret is revealed on how to re-heat to crispy fresh perfection!

Squish in freshly made salad, chili flakes and we're done!

Home made humus, fried onions and mushrooms to top,
Paprika and coriander for garnish

Crazy good

When in the mood for Sabich, felafel is a good companion

Secret is out!:
best way of re-heating sabich is in the toaster!! along with the pitta.
The sabich comes out hot and toasty crisp. Perfect!

Blueberry trifle

Make shift Trifle with fresh fruit

Quick trifle

Blueberry sauce with sugar
Whipped cream with strawberries
Bananas (sliced) bottom