Leek, broccoli and Asparagus

This healthy heavenly soup is also adapted from culinary bazar. Excellent soups full of nutrients...
NB- any combination of vegetables can be used.......I tried mushrooms, green onions, leeks, potatoes and squash, veges that I already had in my fridge............Bon Apetite.






What you need:

• 1 onion,chopped
  
• 1 leek,cleaned and sliced
  
• 2 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed and chopped with skin
  
• 3-4 cups of water or vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
  
• about 1-2 cups of Asparagus, chopped
  
• about 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2tbs olive oil and green chills......this is my addition

Directions:

• place all the vegetables in a pan, add water/ stock and bring to boil for 10 min
• Remove the bay leaf
• Cool slightly and puree in a blender
• Return to saucepan and reheat.
• Add salt and pepper.

You can garnish with croutons, parsley, green onions or cilantro...........whatever you like.

Tomato Soup

Soups can be dated back as far as 6000BC, they are usually classified as either clear or thick. traditionally a Somali soup is a clear broth made from bony meat, vegetables and seasonings. In my house hold we use this kind of soup when down with cold or when we feel constipated. This delicious soup have been adapted from culinary bazar a wonderful cook. I have not changed the recipe because it tastes sooooooooooo good.
This soup is simple, time saving and healthy.............Bon Apetite!!!!!
What you need:

• 4-5 huge tomatoes chopped
  
• 1/4 cup of Moong Dal ( I use 1/2 cup for more protein )
  
• 1 Onion - chopped
  
• 2 tsp Sugar [ optional ]
  
• 1/2 cup of Low fat milk ( reduced fat/1% fat/2% fat all work)...I used 2%
  
• 2 tbsp cornflour
  
• 1 tsp low fat butter [ Olive oil is a better/healthier substitute]
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

• Cook tomatoes and moong dal in 3-4 cups of water till the dal is cooked
• Saute the onions in small oil
• Now add the onions along with the cooked tomato dal mixture, cool it for a while and blend till smooth. Strain it with a strainer
• The result is creamier soup. Boil it again and add milk (I also used a little cream..1/2 and 1/2), sugar, if using, salt and pepper as per taste
• Finally add cornflour to thicken as desired
• Add croutons ( optional)

NB-garnish with slice of lemon

Croquette

Croquettes are small fried rolls usually containing mashed potatoes, minced meat ( beef, fish, chicken or turkey) soaked in eggs and encased in breadcrumbs. This is one of the common appetizers usually made during Ramadhan (Islamic holy month). They can be shaped into a cylinder or circular. In Kenya these are known as "CHOPS" and are usually sold at street sides.

• These will make 20-30 pieces.

What you need:

• Minced beef- 3Ib
• 2 medium sized onions diced
• I ts fresh ginger ground
• 1 ts garlic ground
• 1/4 ts turmeric powder
• 2 green chilly (serrano) ground
• 2 ts kashmiri chili powder
• 2 ts garam masala
• 1 ts coriander powder
• 1 1/2 Ib potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 eggs beaten
• breadcrumbs as needed

Directions:

• Cook the potatoes until very tender, mash them and keep aside
• Saute onions on medium high heat for about 2 minutes and add the spices
• Add the ground beef and cook until color changes, continue cooking until dry and allow the meat to brown slightly
• Mix the mashed potatoes with the meat mixture until everything comes together
• Shape the chops as desired- cylinder, circle or oval
• Dip each beef patty into the beaten eggs
• Coat the patties well with bread crumbs, one at a time
• Fry the patties, a couple at a time, and serve hot.

NB- can be served with salad, I also make dips..............Bon Apetite

Red Lentil Soup- Mercimek Corba, Shorbat Ades, Supu ya Ades

This is my favorite soup. It also famously known as Kırmizi Mercimek Çorbasi a Turkish soup. Ive added carrots & Bell pepper to add more veges. It can be eaten as a meal starter and its also a comfort food when you fall sick. Recently I had my wisdom teeth extractions and this soup kept me nourished. Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mint
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. mint
2 tsp. black pepper
2 or 3 tomatoes peeled & diced
2 tablespoons ginger, garlic & parsley mix
3 potatoes cut into cubes, boiled and mash.
2 cups lentils, rinsed
3 teaspoons of tomato paste
1 large onion diced
1 green bell pepper
2 carrots - cut in small peices
2 hot chilli pepper cut in small peices.
3 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil.
4-6 cups of water.

Directions:
1.Boil the lentils until soft in a pot with 4 cups of water. Takes approx 30 minutes.
2.Saute the onions in a saucepan with the oil. Add the ginger paste, and spices. Then add the carrots, diced tomatoes,bell pepper & hot chilli. Add the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer.
3. Add the onion/vege mixture and mashed potatoes to the soft lentil, stir it well. Add the salt and lemon/vinegar and let boil. Take a hand held immersion blender and blend the soup.(I like it blended you can leave it as it is). You can add more water to make the soup thinner. Can add more spices or salt to your liking.
4.Serve with a peice of lemon and warm bread. Bon appetite.

Cioppino

An Italian-American hearty fish stew guranteed to please friends and family-very delicious and full of nutrients. Years back I saw this recipe on Bobby Flay's show and tried out- it was ok but I sort on ways to improving it. Many recipes call for red wine but instead I use clam juice or fish stock. I also use a hot pot-style instead of frying the fish- less fat and still delicious. The original recipe came from tadich Grill Cioppino from Saveur Magazine. It is easy to make- important to have fresh seafood.

what you need: Serves 8

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil


• 16 tbsp. butter or Ghee


• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped


• 2 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and chopped


• 1 rib celery, chopped


• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped


• 1 leek, white part only, trimmed, cleaned, and chopped


• 1⁄2 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped


• 2 28-oz. cans crushed Italian tomatoes


• 2 tbsp. tomato paste


• 4 bay leaves


• 1 tsp. dried oregano


• 1 tsp. dried thyme


• 2 pinches cayenne


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped


• 1 1⁄2 lbs. halibut filet, cut into large pieces


• 16 sea scallops


• 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined1⁄2 lb. raw bay shrimp, if available, or smallest shrimp available, peeled


• crabmeat, preferably dungeness, picked over


• 16 manila clams, scrubbed


• 1⁄2 bunch parsley, chopped


• My addition-5 whole jalapenos, 2 tbs honey, 1 cup clam juice instead of wine, 2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice,1/2 ts red pepper flakes, 1 ts. fresh oregano chopped, 1/2 ib salmon and 1 whole fish any you like- or several whole small fish ( clean and marinate). And a pinch of safaran, 1/2 bunch cilantro, 1/2 ts fresh ground ginger root, 1/2 ts anis seed, and a pich of five spice.

Directions:

1. Heat 1/2 cup of the oil and 8 tbsp. of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes.

2. Add carrots, celery, peppers, leeks, and fennel and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 4 cups water, 1 cup clam juice, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, and cayenne, pepper flakes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

3. Add fish stock to another skillet over high heat, scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of skillet. Add clams, cover, and cook until shells open, about 5 minutes. (Discard any clams that don't open.) Add clams and adjust seasonings.

4. marinate rest of the seafood with garlic, giner, lemon juice, anis seed and five star

5.Add to the soup and let them simmer together until done. Add basil and cilantro and jalepeno last.

5.Ladle soup into large bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve with toasted Italian bread, chapati or any bread that you like.

Sabayat or Chapati

Chapati or sabayat is a round, unleavened flat bread common in most East African countries and West Asia particulary India. The bread is slightly made different in each country but basically look the same. In Somalia it is called sabayat and can be eaten as main dish or as a snack. For breakfast, I usually make the dough overnight and keep in the fridge, in the morning I let it come to room temperature before I roll the chapati out.

What you need:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour


• 1 cup all purpose flour


• 1 ts. salt


• 1 ts sugar


• 2 tbs Ghee or oil


• 1/2 Cup warm water or as needed

Directions:

• Mix flour, salt and sugar in a bowl


• Slowly add warm water and mix to make a thick dough


• Knead the dough in the bowl adding warm Ghee or oil


• take it out of the bowl and continue kneading it on a floured surface for 10 minutes


• Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and let it rest for 30 minutes.


• divide the dough into equal round balls, roll each ball out on a floured surface. Brush with oil or Ghee and fold from four conners, roll it out again about 6-7 inch


• Pre-heat a skillet and lightly grease with oil


• place the flattened bread on the pan and let it form small bubles, turn it to the other side and let it rise-add the Ghee or oil and lightly move it from side to side, fry it until golden brown on both sides.


• serve it hot- with or without sauce.

Dorowat-classic ethiopian chicken

I love Ethiopian dishes, they have distinctive flavor,color and are very spicy.Dorowat is a spicy chicken dish made with Berbere (a spice mixture) and niter kibbeh(spicy butter). The spices can be purchased at any Ethiopian grocery store or substituted with cayenne pepper and paprika. I got this delicious recipe from Congo Cook Book and have been making it ever since......Bon Appetite!!!!!!!!

What you need:

• juice of 1 lemon



• 2 teaspoon salt



• 1 chicken cut into pieces



• 2 or more onions- i usually like lots of onions



• 4tbs nitter kebbeh



• 4 cloves garlic (minced)



• 1 tbs minced fresh ginger root



• 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek



• 1/2 teaspoon cardamon



• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg



• 1/2 teaspoon berber-I use 1 teaspoon.



• 1 cup tomato sauce



• 1 cup water or chicken stock



• 3-4 hard boiled eggs

Directions:

• Combine the chicken, lime juice and salt and let it marinate for 30-40 minutes



• Cook the onions on low dry heat (no oil or water) for few minutes



• Add the berbere, niter kebbeh and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and simmer for few minutes



• Add the water/chickenstock and bring to boil, continue cooking for few minutes



• Add chicken pieces, make sure the sauce covers the chicken and simmer for 30-40 minutes until done

This dish should be served hot with anjela ( Ethiopian or Somali flat bread).

Vitumbua- rice patties

Vitumbua is a breakfast dish in Tanzania you usually have it with a good cup of Chai (Tea in Kiswahili) while its still warm. Back home there are street vendors whom we call "Mama Ntilie" were people would buy them straight from her pan. Its made out of rice, cardamom , yeast and coconut. There is a special pan which has shallow holes 6-7 used to make vitumbua. I dont own the original vitumbua pan (larger in size) instead I have an appam pan . So, it makes smaller vitumbua a plus as it can serve as a snack.
A quick swahili lesson : Vi- signifies plural(>1 so its vitumbua), Ki- signifies 1 so its kitumbua- 1 rice pattie.

Ingredients: makes approx 30 small vitumbua.

1 cups finely ground rice flour
4 tablespoons plain flour (I use wholewheat)
1 packet of coconut milk powder
1 egg white
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon yeast
1/4 cup sugar (You can add upto 1/2 cup, like mine less sweet)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds

oil for frying (some people use vegetable ghee)

Directions.
Mix rice flour, plain flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom and the coconut powder then add the water slowly to form a thick paste.(You may need to add less or more water).
Cover and keep in a warm area (oven with the lamp on) for approx 45-60 minutes you see bubbles on the top and has atleast doubled in size. Some chefs advice to leave it overnight.
Give the batter a stirring.


Heat the appam pan, place a drop of oil in each pan, pour a teaspoonful of batter so that the pan is 3/4 full. Cook for 2-3 minutes (until it browns),flip the vitumbua.
Cook the other side and repeat until all the batter is finished.
Enjoy!!!!

This link does the honours in showing the traditional way!!! Thanks.