Qabuli Palau - Pilau from Afghanistan - Perfect for Shabbat

I got this recipe through a dear friend Mohammad Juwad from Afghanistan.  It is very much like Sefardi Pilau and would be an easy Shabbat evening or Shabbat day meal.  Try it with chicken, lamb or beef. 


Qabuli Palau

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 lbs lamb
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cardamon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala

NOTE:  The cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, cumin and garam masala are best but if you do not have these spices, 2 tsp of good quality curry powder can be used in an emergency.  When buying garam masala, purchase the best you can afford.  It is delicious.
1 tsp. salt
2 cups water.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 carrots - cut like matchsticks if you are cooking for that night.  Cut larger if cooking for Shabbat day.
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup raisins
1 cup blanched almonds (I use toasted pine nuts)
1 cup un-salted pistachios

2 cups basmati rice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. saffron
1 cup water

Method:

In a heavy pot, fry the onions until golden brown. Cut the lamb into bite-size cubes and add to the onions. Add salt and spices. Add water. Mix well, cover and cook until the lamb is done.

Meanwhile cut the carrots into toothpick-size pieces. Fry them on vegetable oil with sugar until tender. Remove from oil. Add raisins to the oil and fry until they swell up. Remove from the oil. Add almonds to the oil and brown. Repeat with the pistachios. Remove and set aside.

Once the lamb is done, remove from the water and set aside. Add rice to the remaining lamb stock. Add salt and water.

If you are making this as cholent/hamim for Shabbat day, stop here and put in an oiled, heavy bottom pan, cover tightly, and cook overnight in a very low oven temperature.  If some rice sticks to the bottom of the pan don't worry - that is the BEST PART!

Boil until the rice is done, about 20 minutes.

To cook the rice, boil the meat juice and add 2 cups long grain rice, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and sufficient water to bring the liquid 2 inches above the rice. Add the oil in which the carrots were cooked and 1/8 tsp. saffron (optional) to the cooked rice. Put meat and rice in a large casserole, cover and set in a 300 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

Serve by placing the lamb on a serving plate, covering it with the rice, and topping it with the carrots, raisins, almonds and pistachios (the toppings are optional depending on your taste)

K (F)
Serve with lemony salads, dips and lots of challah

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients (serves 6-8 ish...)

• 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 kg (~3 lbs) beef (tri tip/brisket/chuck), trimmed, cut into 5cm pieces - (My butcher does this for me) or see link below for additional cuts of meat that are kosher. *
• 1 large brown onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed
• 2 cups red wine (500 mls)
• 2 cups brown beef stock (500mls)  I usually use half and add more if necessary toward the end.
• Herbs of choice - I used 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped and a bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 16 small pickling onions, peeled (see tip)
• sliced carrots or better yet, baby carrots if you can get them
• 400g (~ 3/4 lb) small button mushrooms - Sautéed lightly in olive oil
• Green beans and garlic mashed potatoes (or pasta) to serve

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over medium-high heat. Dry the beef cubes or they will not brown well.  Cook beef, in batches, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl.  If you cook too many of the beef cubes at once, they will not brown nicely.  Take your time with this!
   
2. Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining oil in dish. Add minced onion. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.  Garlic burns easily so watch it carefully.
   
3. Return beef and juices to pan. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Add stock until the meat is covered and then stir in tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add pickling onions, sliced carrots and lightly Sautéed mushrooms. Check to see that there is enough liquid left.  If necessary, add the rest of the stock.  Cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until meat and onions are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
   

*Notes:
 Kosher Beef Cuts  <---Link to Kosher cuts of beef

Tip: Leave a little root attached to each pickling onion to prevent them falling apart during cooking.

If you wish for a thicker gravy, then you can combine 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour to 1/4 cup cold water and add this and cook until the sauce becomes clear again. Omit this step during Passover.

Serve with green beans and mashed potatoes - I make garlic mash to go with this dish. 
I also make a good basic french bread/baguette to help with sopping up the gravy.

This makes a great hamin/cholent, too!  Just make the meat ahead of time and add the veggies and put it on a blech just before candle lighting.  Yum!

K (F)

Portuguese-Style Piri-Piri Chicken

The flavours of this recipe are so delicious it will become a family favourite. Serve the chicken hot on rice or couscous, or cold with salad in pita bread, wraps or on sliced challah. If you don't have a slow cooker, or if you want to serve it for the evening meal, you can marinate the chicken in a casserole for a few hours, then cook (covered) in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C (350 F) for 40 minutes or until done.

Ingredients
20 ml olive oil (1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp.)
juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano or one tsp of fresh oregano, chopped
3 teaspoons Nando's peri-peri sauce (kosher in AU!) or 1 teaspoon chili powder or use
the homemade peri-peri sauce below
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
30 ml tomato paste (2 Tbsp.)
160 ml fruit chutney (heaping 2/3 cup) (I use mango chutney)
8 chicken thighs and legs, skin and fat removed


Preparation method:
1. Quickly brown the chicken pieces in a bit of olive oil - do not cook too long if using slow cooker
2.  Use some of the olive oil to grease the slow cooker (or casserole)
3.  Place the rest of the oil and all other ingredients except the chicken in the slow cooker or casserole and stir to mix.
4.  Remove any excess fat from the chicken pieces and place in the slow cooker or casserole dish.
5.  Stir to coat well with the marinade.
6.  Cover and cook on LOW overnight or place casserole on your blech over low heat.
7.  Serve hot on Basmati rice, with salad and bread.

This delicious recipe can easily be doubled.  You can also cook it more quickly for the evening meal by cooking in a conventional oven as directed at top of recipe.
This does make a great winter Hamin or Cholent, though.

Homemade Piri-Piri Sauce:

10 – 12 birdseye chillies, chopped finely (medium size, medium heat)
Pinch salt
Juice of ½ lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp garlic powder or 2 fresh garlic cloves, pressed)
1/4 tsp corriander powder or 1 tsp chopped fresh corriander/cilantro

Place above ingredients into a blender or magic bullet and puree it all together.  Be careful to wash your hands or wear gloves when handling the chilis!

Delicious served warm or cold!