Twice Baked Potatoes

Marhaba!!

Lately, I am into trying out recipes that I have already tried with a variation. This one is a revised version of recipe I had posted a year back. This is how I actually tried my first twice baked potatoes, but never got a chance to share with you all. Even before trying out the meat version, I used to make these for my family. Since I thought meat version was a bit fancy and at that time I was into trying meaty stuff, I shared the meat version first. I make these for my family once in a while, but every time I made them; we would finish it off in a jiffy and I never got a chance to snap it.

Last weekend just to snap it out and compose a blog post, I made them. They are real comfort food for winters. If you have potatoes in your pantry, why not try making these. Happy family, for sure. Here’s the recipe; Ingredients:
3 large potatoes
2/3 cup milk
4tbsp melted butter
2tbsp cream
4 broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1/4 sour cream
3/4 cup shredded chicken
(You can use any dry leftover chicken you have)
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 cup cheese
1 boiled egg, grated
Chili flakes and oregano

Method:
PreHeat the oven to 200C.
1)Pierce potatoes all over with fork. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they’re sufficiently cooked through.
2)In a small saucepan warm together butter and milk, until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot and not boiling.
3)With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoope out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.
4)Pour mixture(butter and milk) over the  scooped potatoes along with the sour cream, salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy and fold in the half a cup of cheese. Add broccoli and chicken and mix together well.
5)Fill potatoes shells with filling. Top potato with grated egg and cheese and pop ’em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese melts fully.
Serve warm.

Some interesting facts about Potatoes:
1)A 5.2-ounce potato has only 100 calories and no fat. Experts agree weight gain occurs when an individual consumes more calories than he or she expends.
2)Potatoes are naturally fat free, cholesterol free, and low in sodium. In addition, potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, and those eaten with the skin are a good source of potassium. Foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium, such as potatoes, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
3)Potatoes are naturally gluten-free and they’re packed with nutritional benefits needed for a healthy lifestyle. Potatoes are one of the world’s most versatile vegetables.
4An ideal substitution for some of your favorite bread, grain and pasta-based dishes, potatoes add a boost of nutritional benefits. Important to a healthy diet, one medium-sized (5.3oz) skin-on potato has:

• Just 110 calories
• No fat, sodium or cholesterol
• Nearly half your daily value of vitamin C
• More potassium than a banana
• A good source of vitamin B6
• Fiber, magnesium and antioxidants
• Resistant starch

Ma’Salama !!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Marhaba !!

Don’t you have one of those days, where you are trying to figure out what kind of emotion your going through?! And in the midst of trying to figure out; you tend to have these silly cravings. When I go through such kind of emotions, chocolate is my only rescue. This time rather than eating a bar of chocolate, I decided to make chocolate cookies. Results were so good that my mood went from gloomy to happy. If you are going through something similar or can relate to it, why not try and make these. They are sure to lift your mood.

Who wouldn’t love a whole batch of chocolate coookies?! These delicious cookies are almost cakes, with a lovely soft texture that melts in your mouth!!! Here’s the recipe; Ingredients:
200 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
80 grams butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla exact
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Method:
1)Melt 200 grams chocolate chips with butter. You can use double boiling method or microwave it. If using microwave; firstly melt butter for 15 seconds, add in the chocolate chips and microwave it again for 20 seconds. Remove and then stir until the chocolate and butter is well incorporated.
2)Beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla exact for 5 minutes, until pale and slightly thick.
3)Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and gently stir in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
4)With the help of spatula fold in half cup chocolate chips.
5)Place the mixing bowl in the fridge and chill for 45 mins.
HEAT THE OVEN TO 250C.
6)Once the cookie dough is somewhat hardened, using the large ice cream scoop, drop the cookie dough on a baking wheel lined with parchment paper.
7)Just before baking, dot the cookies with remaining chocolate chips.
8)Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for exactly 16 mins.
9)Remove from the oven and let it cool for few minutes.

Ma’Salama !!

Mutton Kabsa

Marhaba!!

Kabsa is a very traditional meal in the Arab land. It can be made with many variations, and today I am to share with you all my version of it. A traditional Arabian Fragrant Rice with mutton.  It is mildly spiced, simpler, easier and a one pot version. The main flavoring comes from tomato paste, kabsa mix and the mutton stew. Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup rice, soaked for 30 mins
600 grams mutton with bone and 40% fat
3 cups water
2 -1/2 tbsp Shaan kabsa masala
1-1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 small onion, diced
1 green chili, slit
1 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp clarified ghee
Salt to taste

Method:
The kabsa masala/mix has dried nuts in them. Since we don’t like nuts in our rice, I sifted out all the possible dried nuts from the mixture. 
1)Wash meat and set aside.
2)In a heavy bottomed vessel add ghee and fry the onion until translucent. Add meat and cook on high heat for 3 mins. Add kabsa masala and tomato paste, stir and add 3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook until meat is 90% done (takes about an hour).
3)Add rice and green chilli, coriander leaves, season with salt if needed and stir it all together. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let it simmer for 20mins (add more water if needed).
4)Once the rice nearly done top it with fried onion.
5)Close this set up with an aluminium foil, sealing the edges tightly so that no steam gets out. Leave this on low heat for about 15-20 mins.What happens now is that, the heat slowly spreads from the bottom upwards. During this, the meat and rice are cooked slowly, which finally gives the softness and aroma to kabsa. After about 15 mins, you can check the evenness of heat by touching the top and bottom surface of the vessel. If you find the heat to be even, it means it is almost done. Then, switch the flame off and leave for a few minutes before you open the foil. 
P.S: YOU CAN MAKE A CHICKEN VERSION OF THIS TOO. FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS AND JUST REDUCE THE TIME OF COOKING THE CHICKEN AS CHICKEN GETS COOKED FAST.

Ma’Salama !!