Lal Masoor Ki Dal aur Palak (Red Lentils with Spinach) لال مسورکی دال اور پالک

Lal Masoor Ki Dal aur Palak is a very tangy and tasty vegetarian dish of all seasons. 

 لال مسورکی دال اور پالک

Ingredients:

• Masoor Ki Dal (Red Lentils) 1 cup
• Palak (Spinach) chopped and boiled 1 cup
• Onion chopped 1
• Tomato chopped 1
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon 
• Garlic paste  1 teaspoon
• Oil 1/2 cup
• Tamarind pulp 1 tablespoon
• Kadi patta/Karhi patta  5-6
• Cumin seed whole 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Red Chilli powder 1 teaspoon
• Haldi powder 1 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Boil  dal separately in enough water, drain and keep aside.
• Add cumin seeds and Karhi patta to hot oil and fry for 1 minute.
• Then add onion and fry to a light golden colour.
• Then add ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, and other spices.
• Fry for few minutes, when oil separates out add boiled palak. 
• Cook for 5 more minutes, now add dal and cook on medium flame for 15-20 minutes. 
• At last add tamarind pulp and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with green chillies and fresh coriander leaves.
• Delicious Massor Ki Dal aur Palak is ready.
• Serve with Tarka rice/boiled rice or roti and pickles.

Sambousek (Arabian Snack) سمبوسك

Sambousek is one of the most popular snack in Arab world. From Saudi Arabia to UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.  Try this recipe for Iftar this Ramadan and feels a touch and love with Arab world.

Sambousek

Ingredients For Dough:

• Super Fine Wheat flour/starch (Maida)  1/4 kg
• Salt  1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon
• baking soda  1/4 teaspoon
• Zaatar 1/2 teaspoon

Ingredients For Filling:

• Minced lamb/Mutton 250g
• Oil 1/4 teaspoon
• Tomatoes chopped 1
• Onion chopped  1
• Parsley chopped 1 tablespoon
• Green chillies chopped 1-2
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper 1/2 teaspoon
• Cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Sumac powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Pine nuts  a few

Procedure For Filling Cooking:

• Fry onion in oil till golden, then add tomatoes, and spices fry for 3 minutes.
• Now add minced meat and fry for 5 more minutes, then add a cup water and continue to cooking till meat is tender. Evaporate excess water by increasing flame with constant stirring.
• Now sprinkle green chillies, pine nuts and parsley.
• Simmer and then cool. 
• The Filling for Sambousek is ready.

Preparation and frying of Sambousek:

• Add salt,  cumin , baking soda and zaatar to the flour and mix well. Then add little water to make a hard dough. Keep aside for 30 minutes in a cool and dry place.
• Now make dough ball, wall nut size, from the prepared dough.
• Take a dough ball flat it 3-4 inch diameter round  with the help of roller pin and board.
• Place a small quantity of filling on it then fold to make semicircle shape.
• Seal the open ends with the help of fork.
• Make more sambousak from remaining dough.
• Now heat oil in a deep frying pan, add 3-4 sambousek at a time and fry till golden in colour.
• Delicious and tangy Samousek are ready.
• Serve at Iftar with tomtot ketchup or chutney.

Chicken Kachori/Keema Kachori چکن کچوری / قیمے کی کچوری

Chicken Kachori is a very very tasty and mouth watering snack. It is a very popular snack in bazaars, and also served on engagements and  weddings as a side dish.

Chicken Kachori / Keema Kachori

Ingredients:
For Covering (shell)

• Maida 1/2 kg
• Suji 2 tablespoon
• Salt 1/2 teaspoon
• Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
• Ajwain 1/4 teaspoon

Ingredients for Filling:

• Minced Chicken Meat (Chicken Keema)  250g
• Onion filnely chopped 1/2
• Green Chillies finely chopped 2
• Fresh mint leaves 1 tablespoon
• Fresh Coriander leaves 1 tablespoon
• Tomatoes finely chopped 1 small
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic crushed 1 teaspoon
• Oil for cooking 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Haldi 1/4 teaspoon
• Garam Masala 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

Ingredients for Frying

• Oil

Procedure for Keema Cooking:

• Fry onion in oil till golden brown.
• Now add tomatoes, ginger garlic pastes and spices and fry for 2-3 minutes, then lower the heat and cook till chicken is done.
• Sprinkle green chillies, fresh mint and coriander leaves and simmer till oil separates out.
• Chiken Keema is ready for filling.
• Keep aside to cool.

Preparation of Kachori:

• Add suji, salt, ajwain  and baking soda to the maida. Then add enough water to make a hard dough. Keep aside for 1/2 hour.
• Now make small balls (wallnut size) from dough.
• Take a dough ball and  flat it 3-4 inch round with the help of roller pin and board.
• Place a small portion of filling on it. Then surround it with surrounding dough to seal filling.
• Round then flate again like a shami kabab.
• Make more kachories in the same way.
• Now heat oil in a karahi, slip one by one 3-4 kachori in it.
• Deep fry till golden brown.
• Keema Kachoris are ready.
• Serve with a cup of hot tea and mint chutney.

Suji Ki Meethi Tikkian سوجی کی میٹھی ٹکیاں

Suji Ki Meethi Tikkian are very tasty homemade sweetmeat snack. It is very easy to prepared and can be stored in an air tight container for more than 15 days.

Suji Ki Meethi Tikkian   سوجی کی میٹھی ٹکیاں

Ingredients:

• Suji (semolina/rava) 1 cup
• Maida (wheat starch)  2 cup
• Icing Sugar 1 cup
• Cardamom small crushed 10-12
• Ghee (melted) 3 tablespoon
• Ghee for deep frying as required

Procedure:

• Mix together all ingredients (suji, maida, sugar, cardamom and ghee), add little water (1/8 -1/4 cup) to make a hard dough.
• Now spread  on a pre-glazed roller-pin, 5-8 mm thick.
• بیلن کی مدد سے پھیلا کر گلاس کی مدد سے گول کاٹ لیں اور گرم گھی میں سنہرا تل لیں
• Cut round shapes with the help of glass or cup.
• Now deep fry in a pre-heated ghee to a golden brown colour.
• Delicious Meethi Tikkian are ready.
• Serve with hot tea.

Baingan Ke Pakore بینگن کے پکوڑے

In Ramadan when your are looking for a different snack for Iftar, Baingan ke Pakore is a best choice. It is very soft and different taste Pakoras.

Baingan Ke Pakore/Pakode بینگن کے پکوڑے 

Ingredients:

• Baingan lambay walay (Aubergine)  4-5
• Oil for frying
• Basen 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies 1/2 teaspoon
• Haldi 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin seed powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander whole 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seed whole 1/2 teaspoon
• Qasuri Methi dried  1 teaspoon
• Baking soda  1/4 teaspoon
• Lemon juice (optional) 2 teaspoon 

Procedure:

• Cut Baingan in strips along length or round discs.
• Mix all spices to the besan, then add 1/3-2/3 cup water and mix well to make a hard  batter.
• Dip baigan pieces in batter, then fry in hot oil till tender.
• Delicious Baigan Ke Pakore are ready.
• Serve at Iftar with Tamarind/Mint Chutney.

Punjabi Chana Chaat پنجابی چنّا چاٹ

Punjabi Chana Chat (Cholay Chaat) is a very popular Iftar time snack. It is almost daily that this chaat is at Ifatr. It is very delicious and tangy recipe popular all over Pakistan and India during Ramadan.

Chana Chaat  چنّا چاٹ

Ingredients:

• Kabuli Chana, soaked overnight , 2 cup
• Oil 1 tablespoon
• Onion  chopped 1
• Tomatoes chopped 1
• Green Chillies chopped 2
• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Haldi powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Tamarind pulp 2 teaspoon

Garnish:

• Green Chillies  chopped finely 2-3
• Fresh Coriander leaves chopped 1 tablespoon
• Fresh Mint leaves chopped 1 tablespoon
• Spring onion chopped 1 tablespoon
• Finely diced tomatoes
• Lemon wedges

Chaat Masala  for serving

Procedure:

• Boil the pre-soaked kabuli chana, drain and keep aside.
• Now saute onion in oil till soft.
• Add tomatoes , green chillies, spices and tamarind pulp fry for 2-5 minutes. Then add boiled chana and fry for another 5 minutes.
• Remove in a serving bowl.
• Decorate with garnish.
• Delicious Punjabi Chana Chaat is ready to serve.
• Sprnikle Chaat Masala while serving.

Upma उपमा உப்புமா ഉപ്പുമാവ് उप्पीट

Upma is a South Indian breakfast dish.  I dedicate my this recipe to Mr Abu Zar who was a Purchase Manager at Ahmed Food Industries some 17 years back from now, he knows most of the Indian languages, he translate different languages for me when ever I needed during the development of South Indian recipe like Rasam ,Sambar and Meat Masala. Tamil , Malayalam And Marathi languages are also given in Sanfaz Mersi Food  recipe leaflets developed by me and translated from India via Dubai. My nieghbour's (Chand Mian Sahab's) mother belongs to South India. 

Upma  اپما

Ingredients:

• Semolina (Suji/Rava)   1 cup
• Water 3 cup

Tadka/Tarka:

• Oil 2 tablespoon
• Onion chopped 1/2
• Mustard  1/2 teaspoon
• Kadi patta  4 -6 ( کڑی پتہ )
• Red Chillies whole   2-3
• Cumin whole 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Sugar 2 teaspoon
• Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
• Ginger diced 1/2 teaspoon
• Green Chillies  chopped 3-4

Vegetables:

• Potato  chopped 1
• Tomato  chopped 1
• Capsicum (optional) chopped 1
• Peas (optional) 1/4 cup
• Carrot (optional) diced 1
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
• Fresh grated coconut for garnish

Procedure:

• Dry roast suji/rava till golden. Cool and keep aside.
• Now in a frying pan saute onion in oil till soft.
• Add mustard to pop, then all the other tadka material and fry for 1-3 minute.
• Now add 3 cup water add vegetables and cook on low heat till tender.
• Then add roasted suji/rava in portions with constant stirring to avoid lumps.
• Upma will be ready in 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with grated coconut and fresh coriander leaves.

Hareesa (Pakistani Snack Dish) ھریسہ / حریسہ

Hareesa is a popular snack dish of  Lahore Pakistan. It is a very tasty and mouth watering dish. Also Popular in Peshawar and Kashmir. However it is also well known in other cities of Pakistan. My meat seller Salman always ask me when will I cook Hareesa. When I was buying mutton from him two day back he again ask me weather you are cooking Hareesa today. I replied him yes now I am cooking Hareesa and Harees both. He also knows Harees (Arabian dish) because he also works for Shaikh Muhammad , The Ruler of Dubai, 4 month in a year. So he arrange both type of mutton for me, boneless for Pakistani Hareesa and with bone for The United Arab Emirates Harees. So I dedicate my this recipe to our Meat Merchant Salman, Rafa e Aam Society Market.

Hareesa/Harissa

Ingredients:

• Mutton boneless  1/2 kg
• Wheat, washed - soaked and drained  1 cup
• Mung/Moong Dal washed  1 tablespoon
• Oil 1/2 cup
• Onion chopped 2
• Tomatoes chopped 2
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Yoghurt 1/2 cup

Garnish:

• Fried Onion  1/2 cup
• Green Chillies chopped   3
• Ginger Juliane cut  1 tablespoon
• Fresh Coriander leaves  1 tablespoon
• Fresh Mint leaves  1 tablespoon
• Lemon wedges  from 3-4  lemons
• Chat Masala  as required

Spices:

• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies powder 1 teaspoon
• Haldi powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Garam Masala  1/2 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Fry onion in oil till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste  fry for 1 minute, then add tomatoes, yoghurt and spices fry for 3-5 minutes.
• Now add meat  and fry for few more minutes.
• Add 2 glass water, mung dal and soaked wheat and cook on low flame till meat and wheat are fully tender. Add more water during cooking if needed.
• When meat and wheat is fully tender mash it with masher (Gotni) .
• Delicious Hareesa is ready to serve.
• Serve hot with garnish.

Harees الهريس Ramadan Dish of The United Arab Emirates

Harees is a most popular Ramadan dish in The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and also in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.  The below recipe  of Harees is from The United Arab Emirates. It is a very nutritious and tasty dish to be served either at Sehar or Iftar during Ramadan to get extra energy for fasting.

Harees  الهريس

Ingredients:

• Mutton with bones  1 kg
• Wheat soaked for 6-8 hours  2 cup
• Water 4-6 cup
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper 1 teaspoon
• Cinnamon sticks 4-6
• Cumin seeds powder 1 teaspoon
• Cardamom powder 1 teaspoon
• Butter for serving and garnish as required
• Sugar for serving

Procedure:

• Boil meat in water till tender. 
• Remove bones and discard. Retain meat.
• Now in a pan add water, boiled meat , wheat and spices and cook on low heat till wheat is fully tender.
• Mash to a fine texture.
• Delicious Harees is ready to serve.
• Serve with melted and caramelized butter and sugar.

Onion Bhajias /OnionBhajiya / Onion Bhaji प्याज भाजी

Onion Bhajias is a world popular Indian Snack. It is a tasty and delicious snack easy to prepare. This Ramadan you can make it at Iftar and enjoy.

Onion Bhajias

Onion Bhaji /Onion Bhajiya

Ingredients:

• Onion   finely sliced  3-4
• Oil for frying
• Besan (Chickpea flour)  1 cup
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped  1 tablespoon
• Fresh Mint leaves chopped 1 tablespoon
• Green Chillies chopped 3-4
• Kadi patta   6-8
• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies 1/2 teaspoon
• Haldi 1/4 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin whole 1 teaspoon
• Coriander whole 1 teaspoon
• Fennel whole 1/2 teaspoon
• Ajwain 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard whole 1/2 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Mix all ingredients together except onion and oil.
• Add water gradually in portions to make a thick batter.
• Now add onion to this batter and coat well.
• Heat oil in a karahi, add  coated onion in small portions, and fry till golden brown on medium heat.
• Delicious Onion Bhajias are ready.
• Serve hot with Tamarind Chutney/Mint Chutney or raita or with Tomato Ketchup and a cup of hot Tea.

Batata Vada آلو وڑا બટાટા વડા आलू वड़ा

Batata Vada is a popular snack from Maharashtra state of India. The important cities of Maharshtra state are Mumbai(Bombay), Nagpure, Pune and Aurangabad. It is a very tasty and delicious and mouth watering snack. Make this snack at Iftar during this Ramadan and enjoy.

Batata Vada

Batata Vada just before dipping into batter and frying

Ingredients:

• Potatoes     3-4 

Tempering:

• Mustard  1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds whole 1/2 teaspoon
• Kadi patta  4-6 (کڑی پتہ)  
• Hing 1 pinch
• Ginger paste 1/2 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil 1-2 tablespoon

Other Spices:

• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Haldi powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander whole 1/2 teaspoon
• Lemon juice  1 tablespoon
• or Tamarind paste 2 teaspoon

Garnish:

• Fresh coriander leaves  1 tablespoon
• Green Chillies  finely chopped 3

Batter:

• Chickpea flour (Besan) 1 cup
• Water as needed
• Salt to taste (1/2 teaspoon)
• Red Chillies powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Haldi powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Baking soda 1/4 teaspoon

Frying:

• Oil 

Procedure:

• Boil potatoes, peel and mash. Keep aside.
• Now heat 1-2 tablespoon oil in a frying pan.
• Add mustard to crackle, then add cumin seed whole, kadi patta, ginger garlic paste and hing. 
• Fry for 1-2 minutes, then pour over mashed potatoes.
• Now add other spices, lemon juice and garnish. Mix well.
• Make small balls or flatten patties from this mixture. Keep aside.
• Now make a thick batter from batter ingredients. Add spices to the besan , add water in portion to make a thick batter.
• Now heat oil in a karahi, dip potato balls or flatten patties in batter and deep fry till golden.
• Delicate Batata vada are ready.
• Serve with Mint chutney/ Coconut chutney/Tamarind chutney/Tomato ketchup.

Kandhari Murgh Tikka قندھاری مرغ تکہ

Kandhari Murgh Tikka is a famous BBQ dish from the famous city of Afghanistan. Kandahar city is famous for its good quality and sweet taste pomegranate (anar). Pomegranate juice or dehydrated pomegranate seeds (Anardana) is the main ingredient of this dish.

Kandhari Murgh Tikka   قندھاری مرغ تکہ

Kandhari Murgh Tikka   قندھاری مرغ تکہ

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken cubes   1/2 kg
• Butter for dripping during grilling
• Pomegranate seed dehydrated (anardana) crushed 1tablespoon
•   if fresh juice is available us 2-3 tablespoon instead of anardana
• Yoghurt beaten 1/4 cup
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds powder 1 teaspoon
• Ajwain powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Black salt 1/4 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Add anardana, ginger garlic paste and spices to the yoghurt and make a paste.
• Apply this paste to the chicken pieces and keep in cool place for 2 hours.
• Insert marinated chicken pieces on skewers (seekhs) or pre-soaked wooden skewers.
• Grill over charcoal fire till chicken pieces are tender.
• Drip melted butter on chicken pieces during grilling.
• Delicious Kadhari Murgh Tikka is ready.
• Serve with fresh coriander mint raita and Kandhari Naan.