Category: Dinner

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Vegetable Pulao using Handi Extreme Double Extra Long Grain Rice

Pulao has always been a staple in our house. I grew up eating more pulao than biryani. I think it might be a Kashmiri thing. Anyways,  the subtle yet flavour packed rice has been my favourite for many year and now it’s a highly requested dish by both of my toddlers. While we love beef pulao (recipe in my Ramadan eBook here) I like to change it up from time to time and make a vegetable pulao, especially when serving it with a main meat dish (re: kofte or a mutton dish)

This recipe comes together very fast, in under 30 minutes, which is essentially why I love it. 

Pre-soaking the Handi Handi rice is essential to this recipe but don’t worry I’m not talking hours, I just soak the rice for 15 minutes or the time it takes to makes the masala part of the recipe. The Handi Extreme Double Extra Long Grain Rice is the perfect rice to use. The long grains soak up the water, reducing cooking time a tad bit. First, I rinse the rice until the water turns clear after washing. Then I soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes prior to cooking (that’s when I brown the onions and sauté the spices!)

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Handi Extreme Double Extra Long Grain Rice

1 tsp Handi Pink Hemalayan Salt

1 tsp Handi Garlic and Ginger Paste

4 cups water

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

6 black cloves

2 black cardamom pods

1 bay leaf

1 tsp whole black pepper

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 star anise

1 small onion, sliced thin

1 small cinnamon stick

                                                                                                         1 tbsp coriander seeds

                                                                                                    1 tbsp fennel seeds

 

 

Preparation:

  1. In a pot fry onions until very dark brown (but not burnt) 
  2. Take onions out, and put in mortar and pestle and grind 
  3. In the same pot add in the spices and fry until fragrant, about a minute or two
  4. Add in the Handi garlic and ginger paste
  5. Add in the frozen mixed vegetables and sautée for a five minutes
  6. Mix well for a few mins 
  7. Add 2 cups pre-soaked rice (but remove liquid by drawing the rice before adding to pot)  to 3 cups water when it boils first add in crushed onions 
  8. Add in Hand Pink Salt Grains (ground up using the mortar and pestle) and cumin seeds to taste 
  9. Cook on medium high heat until water evaporates 
  10. Cover and put in oven at 350 for 30 minutes 
  11. Optional-remove large pieces of whole spices at this point before serving
  12. Enjoy!

 

 

 

All of the products I’ve used can be found on the Handi Food Products website: https://www.handifoodproducts.ca

Handi ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvJipWgS1Wg

 

I would love to see your Ramadan creations so don’t forget to tag me on instagram @kashmirifoodie

 

Happy cooking!

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Vegetable Curry with a side of Furlani Garlic Toast!

I’ve been keeping a little secret….we LOVE garlic bread in this house, specifically Furlani Garlic Toast! The versatility and subtle garlic flavour of this toast is what I love most about it. Furlani products are vegetarian, so I can feed my family in confidence 🙂

A little backstory for you all: One day I was at home with the kids and I hadn’t gotten a chance to pick up the traditional roti we usually pair with our homemade curries (Hi, my name is Tabassum and I cannot for the life of me make a round soft roti so I gave up for now lol) and my kids were HUNGRY. So I was picking my brain on what vehicle to use with the curry to feed the kids. Then the lightbulb moment happened: I had Furlani Garlic Toast! I quickly popped a few pieces into my oven and within 5 minutes dinner was ready! The kids gobbled up the curry and garlic toast and were really happy doing so may I add!

That night I put the kids to bed and taste tested this out myself…and guys, we have a winner!! The thickness of the bread is perfect to sop up delectable curries and the subtle garlic bread added another element of flavor to overall dish!

And so, ladies and gentleman, I present to you: Fusion Vegetable Curry with a side of Furlani Garlic Toast!

Vegetable Curry Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups mixed vegetables (I used frozen)
1 medium potato
1 medium onion, diced
1 tomato, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mined
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger 2 tsp garam masala
1⁄2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1⁄2 tsp black pepper
1⁄2 tsp red chilli powder
1⁄2 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 cups vegetable broth
1⁄4 cup cilantro (garnish)

 

 

 

 

Method:

●  Add the the vegetable oil to a large pot and place over medium heat

●  Sautee the onions for 5 minutes or until golden brown

●  Add in the tomatoes, garlic and ginger and cook down until soft or the onion and tomato mixture gets to a paste consistency, stirring periodically

●  Add in the spices: salt, garam masala, turmeric, ground coriander, black pepper and chili powder

●  Saute for one minute

●  Add in the vegetable broth along with the mixed vegetables and the potato

●  Stir to incorporate and cook covered or 10 minutes, stirring periodically

●  Uncover and mix gently, 5 minutes

●  If there is a lot of liquid left, continue to boil on medium head until reduced (curry should

be thick but if you like it one the thinner side, reduce boil time)

●  Once the potatoes have softened completely, the curry is complete!

●  Enjoy!

 

I hope you will try out this vegetable curry recipe with a side of Furlani Garlic Toast! You won’t be disappointed.

Website: ​https://furlanis.com/garlic-texas-toast/

Available at the following retailers: Metro, Costco, Sobeys, No Frills, Loblaws, Giant Tiger, Walmart

#MyFurlani #FurlaniRecipes #Garlictoast #garlicbread

 

Until next time,

Tabassum

 

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Lentil Soup (Instant Pot)

We love soups in this house and one of our favourites is this lentil soup! It’s healthy, delicious and packed with a ton of protein! Soups are a great way to fill up without that heavy feeling. One of the key things I did to lose weight over the course of many months, was to implement soups into my diet at least four times a week. This really helped me curb my craving pangs and focus on my goals.

While the final result of the soup is indeed yellow, I actually used RED lentils for this soup! We did add a bit of turmeric  which has an abundance of health benefits and gives this soup the vibrant yellow shade.

You can follow along on my YouTube channel:

 

Here is the complete recipe:

 

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Lentil Soup

I used the Instant Pot for this recipe but you can easily make this on the stove top too.

Course Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Author Tabassum

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Cup Red Lentils Washed & Drained
  • 1/2 Tsp Garlic Cloves (or Garlic Powder) Crushed
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Cumin
  • 4 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
  • 1-2 Bay Leaves
  • Optional: Garnish with Hot Sauce

Instructions

  1. Chop up the onion and set aside.

  2. Crush the garlic cloves now if you are using fresh garlic.

  3. Plug in the instant pot and hit the Sautee button.

  4. Once the instant pot says "Hot" add in the onion and mix.

  5. Once the onions are golden brown, add in the garlic and mix.

  6. After a minute add in the lentils and mix.

  7. Add in the vegetable stock and the spices now. Mix well.

  8. Hit the cancel/off button on the instant pot.

  9. Put on the lid of the instant pot (making sure the valve is pointed to the centre!).

  10. Hit the multigrain button and reduce the time to 10 minutes.

  11. The instant pot will take 15 minutes to pressurize.

  12. Once the instant pot is done cooking it will beep. 

  13. Carefully turn the nozzle and release the steam.

  14. Open the lid and mix the lentil soup.

  15. Enjoy a healthy and delicious meal! Serve with a crusty bread or with nachos as I did!

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Keema Mirch (Ground Beef & Green Bell Pepper Curry)

Keema Mirch, which translates to ground beef and bell pepper curry, is one of my childhood favourites!

When it comes to the best keema mirch recipe, I’ve had my fair share from my mom’s homeade to picking some up from a local restaurtant. And the truth is, there’s no singular authentic recipe. They’re all tweaks and variations. But today, I’ll share with you my tried and true keema mirch recipe that always brings my family back for seconds.

 

I’ve made this recipe quite a few times over the years and it’s always a hit with my family, especially my kids. I’m happy to be able to pass down my Pakistani/Kashmiri heritage to my children through my cooking. And I have a HUGE announcement for everyone- I have just launched my NEW YouTube Channel! Here you go:

 

The complete Keema Mirch Recipe:

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Keema Mirch (Ground Beef & Green Pepper Curry)

A simple and hearty meal to end the day with!

Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Pakistani
Keyword desicooking, Foodblogger, Pakistani Cooking, pakistanicuisine
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Author Tabassum

Ingredients

  • 1 Small Onion
  • 1 Small Tomato
  • 1 Large Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 lb Halal Ground Beef
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
  • 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic Paste
  • 1-2 Tsp Ketchup
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Green Onions

Instructions

  1. Begin by chopping up all of the vegetables.

  2. Dice up the onion and set aside.

  3. Cube the tomato and set aside.

  4. Dice up the green bell pepper to be used later on.

  5. Turn on your stove to medium high heat. In a medium sized pot, add in the vegetable oil and onions.

  6. Give the onions a good stir and let them cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  7. The onions should be golden brown/dark brown (but not burnt!).

  8. Add in the tomatoes and stir. Wait for the tomatoes to simmer down and then add the spices (everything except the ketchup).

  9. Stir this mixture and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Keep stirring.

  10. Now add the ground beef to the pot.

  11. The meat will take about 5-7 minutes to cook through. Keep stirring during this time.

  12. Now it's time to add the ketchup to the pot. The secret ingredient! Mix well

  13. Add in the chopped green bell peppers, mix and cover the pot with the lid. Cook on medium heat for about 7-10 minutes.

  14. The keema mirch is done! Garnish with green onions and serve with brown rice.

 

I hope you’ll try out this recipe! Let me know your thoughts by tagging me @kashmirifoodie on Instagram.

 

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Shrimp Stir Fry with Cauliflower Rice

 

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Shrimp Stir Fry with Cauliflower Rice

This is a simple and nutritious meal that was a huge hit with my family, including my kids! I kept the shrimp super basic in this particular recipe but feel free to toss in the shrimp with the vegetables to add more flavour!

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Tabassum

Ingredients

  • 300 gram Cooked Shrimp tails off
  • 1/2 Red Onion thinly sliced
  • 1 head Broccoli
  • 2 cups Asparagus chopped
  • 1 cup Julienned Carrots
  • 1 tspn Garlic crushed
  • 340 gram President's Choice Crumbled Cauliflower
  • 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Cremini Mushrooms
  • 2 tsp Green Onion garnish
  • 1 tsp Sesame Seeds garnish

Instructions

  1. Remove tails from the shrimp and thoroughly wash the shrimp, removing all black pieces

  2. In a pan, on medium high heat, add in 2 tbsp olive oil and add in the shrimp. Sauté shrimp and season with salt and garlic to taste.

  3. Remove shrimp from pan in a clean plate and set aside

  4. In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil and sauté the onions until light gold.

  5. Add in the remaining vegetables and sauté for about 5 minutes on high heat. Add the soy sauce to the vegetables and mix well.

  6. Remove the vegetables from the pan and place in a clean plate.

  7. In the sauce that remains in the pan, add in the crumbled cauliflower and mushrooms. Cook until the cauliflower turns translucent. 

  8. Plating Time: In a clean bowl, add a layer of the cauliflower rice, topped with the vegetable mixture and then the shrimp. Garnish with the green onions and sesame seeds. Optional: drizzle with hot sauce (I did!)

  9. Voila! A simple, quick and nutritious meal the whole family can enjoy!

  10. Remember to tag me @kashmirifoodie if you try out this recipe! I'd love to see your creations!