SHAKSHOUKA

Shakshouka in Arabic is a dish of poached eggs in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onions, garlic and commonly spiced with paprika, cayenne and cumin.  This Mediterranean dish has been around for centuries and is super easy to make. Its perfect for a  Mediterranean brunch theme served with warm pita bread, crusty bread, roasted potatoes or a fattoush salad.  This saucy tomato concoction can have you going for seconds and thirds.

This recipe is very easy and your guests will feel very special.  Just chop up onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and start by sautéing the onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil.

Add tomatoes and crushed tomatoes and all the greens and save a little parsley to garnish later.

Once you see the tomatoes cooked and saucy, add the eggs slowly and one at a time.

SHAKSHOUKA

• Serves: 4

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Tbsp Olive oil

• 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped

• 6 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 2 green onions, chopped

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper ground

• 1/2 tsp sumac

• 1/2 tsp spanish paprika

• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes

• 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta

• Pinch of Maldon salt (optional)

• Pita bread toasted for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large skillet, on medium high heat, add olive oil and add the chopped onions, peppers and garlic.  When the onions are translucent, add tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and spices and let cook till tomatoes are tender. Add all the greens, saving a little parsley for garnishing.  Cover the skillet and let the tomatoes cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally till sauce thickens.  Take skillet off the heat and break eggs one at a time into a bowl and slowly slide them onto the tomato mixture. Add crumbled feta all around the eggs and bake for 12-15 minutes till egg whites are firm but yolks runny. Sprinkle with parsley and Maldon salt and serve from the pan with warm pita bread.

Enjoy!

CHANNA BATETA (CHICKPEAS AND POTATOES IN A TANGY TAMARIND SAUCE)

One of my favourite snacks while growing up in Kampala, Uganda was channa bateta. This dish was very popular in East Africa and many of the Indians from Gujarat often served this flavourful and tangy dish at their homes when entertaining. One just can’t resist seconds and thirds. I remember my elementary school canteen selling this amazing chickpea stew at lunch time and it was always sold out. This was also a very popular dish sold outside by street vendors on a Friday night after prayers. We used to socialize with a bowl of channa bateta served with crumbled up cassava chips and tamarind chutney drizzled all over it. I have captured the recipe to be similar to what my taste buds can remember as a 9 year old. The chickpeas used in my recipe are the garbanzo beans and the original used in Kampala, are the desi chickpeas (smaller and brown skinned). Both are great!

CHANNA BATETA (CHICKPEAS AND POTATOES IN A TANGY TAMARIND SAUCE)

• Serves: 4-6

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup oil ( I prefer sunflower)

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 10 curry leaves

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 green chilli (your preference of heat)

• 6 large potatoes 3/4"cubed

• 2 tsp garlic minced

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp sea salt

• 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional-only if you want it spicy)

• 3 tbsp crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup tamarind water

• 3 cups boiling water

• 3 cups cooked chick peas

• 1 tbsp chana flour combined with 1/4 cup water (used as a thickener)

• 1 cup chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium pot, heat oil on medium high and add cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, turmeric, curry leaves and split green chilli. Add potatoes as soon as the seeds pop, and saute about 2 minutes.

Add garlic paste, ground cumin, sea salt, cayenne (optional), crushed tomatoes. tamarind water and keep stirring to combine all the flavours.  Add the boiling water, cover and let boil around 20 minutes till potatoes are almost done. Add chickpeas and boil for another 5 minutes till potatoes are soft and tender.  Mix chana flour and water in a little bowl and add the paste slowly. This will thicken the chana bateta (you can add  1 more cup of  boiling water if the mixture is too thick). Lastly, add the chopped cilantro.

To serve this amazing stew, just ladle into a bowl, add crumbled potato chips, or cassava chips or chewdo (a savoury East African mixture of rice flakes, nuts, fried lentils which is amazingly crunchy) and drizzle tamarind chutney all over. Enjoy!

BABA GANOUSH

My favourite go to appetizer or snack is either baba ganoush or my Indian eggplant bhartho which is also one of my shared recipes. Baba ganoush is a really healthy plant-based snack with it’s main ingredient, eggplant. It is full of flavour and a great source of vitamin B, vitamin E, and fibre. When I entertain and my theme is Mediterranean, you can bet that Baba ganoush will be at the centre of the table with hummus, olives, pita, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks and red wine of course!!!

BABA GANOUSH

• Serves: 4-6

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 dome eggplant

• 1 garlic clove minced to a paste or 1 tbsp of dried garlic minced

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp greek yogurt (or a non dairy yogurt)

• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 tsp sumac

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat stove to 350 degrees

Wash the eggplant and remove the leaves leaving the stem intact. Brush oil all over the eggplant then cut one slit 1 inch  deep from top to bottom and place on a baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and increase temperature to broil. Broil for 10 minutes and turn the eggplant to broil the other side for another 10 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the eggplant rest for about 8 minutes in the stove. Remove the eggplant and let cool till you can handle it.  Carefully remove the skin from where the slit was made and place the mushy eggplant in a bowl. Mash up the eggplant with a knife, fork or masher and add all the ingredients and mash till it looks like a yogurt dip ( I like it chunky).  Place in serving bowl and carve out a little circle in the middle for the olive oil to sit in. Drizzle the olive oil, sprinkle the sumac and put an olive in the centre and voila!! Serve with pita bread, olives, red peppers, carrots and cucumber sticks.

INDIAN EGGPLANT AND YOGURT BHARTHO

I have always loved the combination of eggplant and yogurt. Growing up in Kampala, Uganda, my grandmother always made a family favourite passed down from her grandmother in Gujarat, India . She used to make me this amazing refreshing combination of eggplant, yogurt, some spices and fresh paratha which would be ready for me after school on a hot day. This snack was a family favourite and my son always asks for it when he comes home from afar. This refreshing dish is similar to the Lebanese, Baba Ganoush which is also one of my favourites and also on my blog.

INDIAN EGGPLANT AND YOGURT BHARTHO

• Serve: 4

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 dome eggplant

• 1/2 tsp garlic paste

• 1/2 tsp green chilli paste (hot chilli pepper ground in a mortar and pestle)

• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 cup yogurt (dairy or non dairy)

• 1/4 cup green onions chopped

• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat stove to 350 degrees

Wash the eggplant and remove the leaves leaving the stem intact. Brush oil all over the eggplant then cut one slit 1 inch  deep from top to bottom and place on a baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and increase temperature to broil. Broil for 10 minutes and turn the eggplant to broil the other side for another 10 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the eggplant rest for about 8 minutes in the stove. Remove the eggplant and let cool till you can handle it.  Carefully remove the skin from where the slit was made and place the mushy eggplant in a bowl. Mash up the eggplant with a knife, fork or masher and add all the ingredients and mash till it looks like a yogurt dip ( I like it chunky).  Garnish with cilantro and serve with pita bread, vegetables, or spicy paratha.

Enjoy!

YELLOW MUNG BEAN CURRY (MUNG BEAN HUSKLESS)

YELLOW MUNG BEAN CURRY (MUNG BEAN HUSKLESS)

• Serves: 3

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup yellow mung beans ( mung beans huskless soaked about 6 hours)

• 1 small onion chopped

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil (or any other cooking oil)

• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds

• 1 small tomato chopped

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp garlic paste

• 1/2 tsp ginger paste

• 1 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1 cup crushed tomatoes

• Juice of half a lemon

• 2-3 cups hot water

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium sized pot, heat oil and saute onions till they are fragrant and golden brown. Add cumin seeds and saute for another minute. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, cayenne, ground coriander, ground cumin , garlic paste, ginger paste, salt and lemon juice. Keep stirring for five minutes till spices and tomatoes are cooked through. Add soaked, rinsed  and drained mung beans and cook for another five minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and continue cooking for two minutes. Add two cups of water and cook for 20-30 minutes on medium heat till mung beans are tender but not mushy.  If you need to add more water to make the curry saucy, add more water. Serve with roti or rice or just add on a salad as a vegan protein.  Enjoy!

VEGGIE PILAFF

VEGGIE PILAF

• Serves: 4-6

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 chopped onion

• 1 green chilli slit in half

• 1 1/2 tsp whole cumin

• 2 cardamom pods slit

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 whole cloves

• 1 roma tomato diced

• 3 medium potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp garlic paste

• 1 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables

• 2 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 2 cups washed and soaked basmati rice

• 3 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium  sized pot, heat oil  on medium to high heat and add chopped onion.  Once the onions are golden brown and fragrant, add the green chilli and cumin seeds;  making sure not to burn the onions,  add cardamom, cinnamon sticks and cloves;  then add potatoes and keep stirring the mixture making sure the onions don't burn. Add  diced tomatoes, garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt. Stir mixture until potatoes are semi done.

Add water and once boiled, add rinsed and drained rice and frozen vegetables.  Let boil until you see holes at the top. Cover and let it cook in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until rice is cooked through.

You can serve pilaf with the spicy corn (recipe on my blog) and add kachumber ( a simple Indian refreshing side salad)

Enjoy!

SPICY CORN

SPICY CORN

• Serves: 4

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cooking Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tbsp sunflower oil (or any other cooking oil)

• 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds

• 6 curry leaves

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 4 tbsp crushed tomatoes

• 1/2 tbsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp garlic paste

• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

• 3/4 tsp salt (I prefer himalayan)

• 1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

• 3 cups frozen corn

• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium sized pot, on medium heat, add oil then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and turmeric. When seeds start to pop,  add crushed tomatoes, ground coriander, ground cumin, garlic, salt, cayenne and lemon. Stir mixture for about 3-5 minutes then add  corn. Cook until corn is coated and done (about 5 minutes).  Add chopped cilantro and serve as a side dish with bbq meats and chicken tikka or with meat or vegetable/bean pilaff. Recipe for bean pilaff here and vegetable pilaff here.

Enjoy!