Tag: cumin

• 

  Harissa Spice Blend

  Harissa is a spice blend of Moroccan origin. Generally, it features cumin, chilli, salt, ground coriander seeds, garlic, paprika and caraway seeds.  

  

  This warm, earthy tasting blend is perfect for rubbing on any meat and making marinades.

  Here is an example straight from my BBQ. Lamb rack rubbed in harissa and garlic.

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more ingredient and moroccan posts for you.

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  August 6, 2019

• 

  Bombay Brasserie’s Chicken Shorba Soup

  Making this spicy Indian chicken soup was a labour of love. It was however very worth the effort.

  The recipe comes from an collection called The Bombay Brasserie Cookbook. It tastes and smells amazing with a hearty but flavoursome kick to it.

  I love the colours of the ingredients and also that it uses chicken frames to get the base flavour. Talk about thrifty!

  From this.

  

  To this heavenly result.

  

  Steps

  1. Boiling the chicken frames
  2. Frying the ingredients for half an hour
  3. Simmering for 1 hour
  4. Thickening and straining the soup
  5. Serving

  Ingredients

  Halved from original recipe.

  • 2 chicken frames
  • a good slug of olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, sliced
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 6  garlic cloves, diced
  • 3 small green chilies
  • 2 sprigs coriander
  • 1 sprig fresh mint
  • 1/2  tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp Garam masala
  • 1/2 Tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • table salt, to taste
  • 2.5L water
  • 1/2 Tbsp gram flour
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

  Equipment

  • 1 chef’s knife
  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 stockpot
  • 1 sieve or fine strainer

  Boiling the chicken frames

  1. Bring a sauce pan of water to the boil.
  2. Add your chopped up chicken frames.
  3. After a few minutes drain the water.

  

  Frying the ingredients for half an hour

  1. Put a good slug of olive oil into your stockpot on medium heat.
  2. Add the 1 brown onion and fry until golden and soft.
  3. Add the:
     • 1 brown onion
     • 2 large tomatoes
     • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
     • 1 tsp minced ginger
     • 5  of the garlic cloves
     • 3 small green chilies
     • 2 sprigs coriander
     • 1 sprig fresh mint
     • 1/2  tsp coriander seeds
     • 1/2 Tbsp Garam masala
     • 1/2 Tbsp ground turmeric
     • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
     • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  4. Fry for another 15 minutes.
  5. Add the chicken bones and fry for another 15 minutes breaking the bones up as you go.

  

  

  This is the consistency you want.

  

  Simmering for 1 hour

  1. Add the 2.5L of water and bring everything to the boil.
  2. Simmer for about 1 hour.

  

  Thickening and straining the soup

  1. We don’t want add room temperature flour to a hot stock so heat some more olive oil (about 1 Tbsp) in your saucepan.
  2. Add the:
     1.   1/2 Tbsp gram flour
     2. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
     3. and 1 sliced garlic clove
  3. Fry until the flour is golden brown.
  4. Very carefully slowly add this to the soup, stirring as you go.
  5. Strain the soup back into the stockpot and briefly return to the boil.
  6. Season with salt to taste.

  

  

  Serving

  No spoon required, just lots of naan, coriander leaves and lots of slurping. 🙂

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

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  CHICKEN DISHES

  SOUP

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  January 21, 2019

• 

  PK Makes Rick Stein’s Chicken Vindail

  I love the beguiling simplicity of this curry. For me, the fenugreek makes the dish but everything works together to make a most tender, most aromatic meal.

  My wife loves it too as it is a one pot, low mess deal. 🙂

  

  Steps

  1. Preparing everything
  2. Cooking the curry
  3. Serving

  Ingredients

  • A good slug of olive oil
  • 2cm cinnamon stick
  • 1 clove
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 brown onions, chopped
  • 10 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp ground fenugreek
  • 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 500g fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1kg chicken drumsticks, bone in
  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar

  Equipment

  • 1 chef’s knife
  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 heavy fry pan, or equivalent

  Preparing everything

  1. Finely dice the 10 garlic cloves.
  2. Chop the 2 brown onions.
  3. Rough chop the 500g fresh tomatoes.

  Cooking the curry

  1. Chuck a generous slug of olive oil into your chosen dish and bring to medium heat.
  2. Throw in the cinnamon stick, the clove and the star anise.
  3. Fry for a few minutes to allow the spices to infuse the oil with their flavour.
  4. Add the chopped onions and soften them up.
  5. Stir in the 2 finely diced garlic cloves, the 1tsp of ground cumin and fry for a few more minutes.
  6. Add the:
     • 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
     • 0.5 tsp ground fenugreek
     • 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
     • 1 tsp salt
  7. Give everything a thorough but gentle mix.
  8. Add the 500g chopped tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes to soften them up.
  9. Cover the pan and cook for about 35 minutes.
  10. Add the 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar and the 1 tsp sugar.
  11. Gently mix everything and cook for another 5 minutes or the chicken is cooked through.

  

  Serving

  Serve on a bed of basmati rice and provide lots of pappadams.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  ---

  YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

  INDIAN CUISINE

  MORE CHICKEN DISHES

  MORE RICK STEIN

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 20, 2018

• 

  Cumin

  Cumin is the seed of a small annual herbaceous plant that is native to the Middle East and is in the same family as parsley and coriander.

  It has a most wonderful warm earthy flavour and smell. You can use them whole, as an ingredient or garnish in their own right or grind them for use in your favourite garam masala or spice pastes.

  

  Cumin pairs well with almost everything and it turns up worldwide in everything from drinks to snacks to main meals and desserts.

  I have some recipes using cumin below for you. 🙂

  Dietary Info: Great for vegetarians,  vegans and is gluten free.

  This particular cooking ingredient is in PK’s Essential Pantry Cupboard Contents.

  Enjoy,

  PK

  ---

  YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

  MORE ON USING CUMIN

  INDIAN CUISINE

  THE FULL GICICI INGREDIENTS LIST

  GICICI’S WHAT TO GROW IN PERTH GUIDE

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 12, 2018

• 

  PK’s Shakshuka For One

  After recently being introduced to this amazing dish by ShakShukaMoroccan (these guys are super friendly and they bring skill and passion to their work) at the Palmyra Markets (Western Australia), I have dreamt about it ever since. I present my first attempt in the hope you get addicted too :).

  There is something captivating about this ‘eat any time of the day’ dish because the list of ingredients is so simple but the end result makes your draw drop and your senses swim. I intend to chop and change some of the ingredients depending on what I have in the back of the fridge but the core is lots of tomatoes, onion, capsicum, cumin, leafy greens and poached eggs.

  

  You will be:

  1. Preparing your ingredients.
  2. Stewing the tomato base.
  3. Poaching the eggs.
  4. Serving.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • a punnet of cherry tomatoes, sliced
    • half a brown onion, thinly sliced
    • half a capsicum (bell pepper), sliced
    • 1 -2 garlic cloves, finely diced
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, ground
    • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
    • a generous dash of dried paprika, ground
    • a handful of spinach
    • a good slug of olive oil
    • a really good slug of tomato paste
    • black peppercorns to taste, cracked
    • table salt to taste
    • chili powder to taste
    • coriander leaves to garnish (mint leaves are also good)
  •  Equipment:
    • a long sharp knife
    • a chopping board
    • a dry mixer or a mortar and pestle
    • a cast iron skillet (mine was 21cm wide) or heavy pan
    • a wooden spoon

  Preparing your ingredients

  1. Roughly slice the punnet of cherry tomatoes.
  2. Finely slice or chop the half a brown onion.
  3. Slice the half a capsicum (use more if you prefer).
  4. Finely dice the 1 -2 garlic cloves.
  5. Roast and the grind the:
     • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
     • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  6. Wash the handful of spinach.
  7. Wash the coriander leaves and rip them up some.

  Stewing the tomato base

  1. Bring your skillet to medium to low heat and add a good slug of olive oil.
  2. Add the sliced onion, the ground cumin seeds, ground coriander seeds and a generous dash of ground paprika.
  3. Cook until the onions have started to soften and add the sliced half a capsicum.
  4. When the capsicum slices are starting to soften add the punnet of sliced cherry tomatoes and the handful of spinach leaves.

  

  

  

   Poaching the eggs

  1. Once you are happy with the tomato stew turn the heat right down.
  2. Make a couple of indentations in the stew with your wooden spoon.
  3. Crack an egg into each indent and keep cooking until the eggs are how you like them. You can put a plate over the skillet if you like the top of your eggs cooked.

  

  

  Serving

  Garnish with some ripped coriander leaves or mint and serve piping hot and still in the skillet.

  I couldn’t wait and started eating it while it was still on the hob :).

  Enjoy,

  PK

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 15, 2017

• 

  Chicken Dry Rub #1

  This is the first attempt at a dry rub for roast chicken.

  I am pretty pleased with the taste and just look at the colours. 🙂

  Please see  PK’s Dry Rub Split Roast Chicken  where I tested it out for the first time.

  

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 Tbsp ground rock salt
    • 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp ground paprika (I used smoked)
    • 1/4 tsp onion powder
    • 1/4 tsp kashmiri chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp tumeric powder
    • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
    • 1/4 tsp beetroot powder (for colour, I make my own here)
    • 1/8 tsp garlic powder

  Steps:

  1. Bring all the ingredients together.
  2. Get distracted by how amazing it looks and smells.
  3. Mix everything together.
  4. Rub it all over the chicken including the cavity.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  January 29, 2017

• 

  DryStuff: Chicken Dry Rub #1

  I think a natural progression from making dry masalas to make curry pastes is making dry rubs for roasting meat. This is the first one I have ever made and I used on an oven roast chicken along with this basting sauce as inspired by http://noblepig.com/.

  My hat off to the people over at noblepig.com you are doing amazing work :).

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 Tbsp ground rock salt
    • 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns
    • 1 tsp ground paprika (I used smoked)
    • 1/4 tsp onion powder
    • 1/4 tsp kashmiri chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp tumeric powder
    • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
    • 1/4 tsp beetroot powder (for colour, I make my own here)
    • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  •  Equipment:
    • a bowl for the dry rub
    • a fork for mixing

  Steps:

  1. Bring all the ingredients together.
  2. Get distracted by how amazing it looks and smells.
  3. Mix everything together.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  January 29, 2017

• 

  PK Makes Rick Stein’s Chettinad Chicken

  This is by far my favourite recipe from the TV series and book, ‘Rick Stein’s India’ (see BBC link here).

  In my family’s version we keep the heat factor low and serve it with lightly steamed vegetables to keep it kid friendly. Well that is what my wife (who hates chili and curries in general) tells everyone but you didn’t hear it from me. Also in my defence, she shouldn’t have bought me a book full of curry recipes :).

  

  Despite the shameful lack of chili and heat, our version of this dish is still amazingly dry, peppery and oh so flavoursome. I think it loses some of the colour that so defines these type of curries however. I hope I am forgiven though as the result is very tender, sticky chicken calling out for some rice and sides of your favourite green vegetables :). Edit: I now use ground annato seed to impart a natural red colouring but one without the heat of chillis.

  A couple of recipe notes:

  • This dish calls for the use of a lichen called dagarful and I beg you to try it. I used cinnamon as a substitute originally but I have used the real deal in this post and there is no going back.
  • I use my home-made chicken stock instead of water.
  • Please check out my masla making tips in PK’s Curry Paste Kit before you start.

  You will be:

  1. Making the dry masala.
  2. Cooking the chicken.
  3. Serving.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • Dry Masala
      • 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
      • 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
      • 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
      • 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
      • 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder (go 1 Tbsp or more if allowed)
    • Chicken
      • 1kg skinless boneless chicken thighs, chunky sliced, short ways
      • 200g red shallots, diced
      • 200ml home made chicken stock
      • 50ml olive oil
      • 1 tsp fennel seeds
      • 8cm cinnamon stick
      • 1 Tbsp dagarful, rinsed and rough chopped (or an extra 3cm cinnamon stick)
      • a very large handful of curry leaves (the more the better)
      • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
      • 4cm ginger, peeled and grated
      • 1 tsp raw sugar
      • 1 tsp table or ground rock salt
  •  Equipment:
    • a chopping board
    • a long sharp knife
    • a frypan
    • a dry mixer
    • a deep frypan for the chicken

  Steps:

  Making the dry masala

  1. In a frypan, dry roast the 1 Tbsp fennel seeds, 1 Tbsp cumin seeds, 1 Tbsp coriander seeds and 1 Tbsp black peppercorns.
  2. Allow to cool and then and to your dry spice mixer.
  3. Add 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder as well and then give it a quick pulse.

  Spice heaven:

  

  Coarsely ground dry masala (looks and smells amazing):

   Cooking the chicken
  

  1. Peel and dice the 200g of red shallots.
  2. Chop the 1kg of chicken thighs short ways to get roughly 2.5cm chunks.
  3. In a deep frypan heat the 50ml olive oil.
  4. Add the 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 Tbsp dagarful and the 8cm of cinnamon stick and stir for a few minutes.
  5. Add a very large handful of curry leaves and the 200g of red shallots. Stir until the latter are soft.
  6. Add the 1kg of chicken and stir for a few minutes.
  7. Add and stir for a few minutes the:
     1. dry masala
     2. 4 cloves garlic
     3. 4cm ginger
     4. 1 tsp raw sugar
     5. 1 tsp table salt
  8. Add the 200ml chicken stock.
  9. Cook for about 45 minutes or until the sauce is much reduced and sticky.

  I love the colours of this dish’s ingredients:

  

  Sauté the spices, red shallots and curry leaves:

  Add the chicken, stir and then add the garlic, ginger, sugar, salt and dry masala:

  Cook until the sauce is thick:

  

   

  Serving

  1. Cook your favourite rice, mine is basmati :).
  2. Steam some green vegetables for a splash of colour.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are more Indian cuisine posts and Rick Stein recipes:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  December 13, 2016

• 

  Easy Sesame and Cumin Lamb Chops

  This lamb chop recipe is so easy to prepare. All you need are sesame and cumin seeds, a splash of oil and your choice of lamb cut.

  Simply take your lamb chops (I like to use forequarter chops) and rub with olive oil. Peanut oil works a treat too.

  Then on each side, coat in ground pepper, salt and an equal ratio of sesame seeds and cumin seeds.

  Pop them in the fridge the day before if you can.

  

  Then bake, grill or barbeque them.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more lamb posts  and other simple to prepare meals: 

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  November 12, 2016

• 

  PK’s NoRecipe Sesame and Cumin Lamb Chops

  I was amazed at how well the sesame seeds and cumin seeds paired with the lamb. So easy to prepare ahead of time and then cook them on the barbecue :).

  Take your lamb chops, I used forequarter chops, and rub or spray them with some olive oil. I bet peanut oil would work a treat too.

  Grind over them some pepper and salt to taste and then sprinkle equal amounts of sesame seeds and cumin seeds.

  I left them in the fridge while I went to my day job :).

  

  I got home and while they were grilling on the barbecue I made a quick salad.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  November 12, 2016