Tag: main course
Afghan Lamb Kebab
Afghan Lamb Kebab
This particular style of yogurt/garlic marinated lamb kebabs are the most popular in Afghani cuisine. The yogurt and lemon juice act as a natural tenderizer, with the acidity helping break down the connective tissue as well as adding a richness to the lamb. I prepared these under my broiler, but they can definitely be grilled for the same amount of time.
Equipment
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb cut into 1” cubes
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients together.
- Marinate the lamb for 8 hours; preferably overnight.
- Preheat your oven’s broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Thread 5-6 pieces of lamb on each skewer.
- Broil for 5 minutes a side.
Tetelas Oaxaca
Tetelas Oaxaca
Tetales are a refried black bean stuffed masa cake; much similar in concept to the Salvadoran pupusa. The tetelas are pan fried until crispy and topped with crumbled cheese, sour cream, salsa, and cilantro.
Equipment
- tortilla press
- gallon sized storage bag; cut into 2 sheets of plastic
Ingredients
- 1 cup masa harina flour
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 2/3 cup refried black beans
- vegetable oil for frying
Garnish
- queso fresco crumbled
- cilantro chopped
- Mexican sour cream
- red or green salsa
Instructions
- Mix together the mass flour and warm water.
- Roll into 4-6 equal sized balls.
- Place 1 sheet of plastic on a tortilla press. Place 1 of the dough balls in the center, with the other sheet of plastic on top.
- Flatten to 1/8” thick. Remove the top sheet of plastic.
- Place a heaping tbsp of refried black beans in the center of the pressed dough. Spread it around.
- Using the plastic, fold up the bottom third of the tetelas. Fold back the plastic.
- Fold over the right side at an angle. Fold back the plastic.
- Fold over the left side, creating a triangle. Seal the corners.
- Heat up vegetable oil on a griddle over medium high heat. Place the tetelas on the griddle.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes until crispy.
Yucatán Fried Beans
I love refried beans. This is possibly the easiest and most flavorful recipe to make Yucatán style fried black beans. Toast the onions and habanero. Purée the black beans with the onions. Fry the purée with the habanero until it reaches your desired consistency. That’s it. You can use either vegetable oil or lard to fry the beans in; depending if you want them vegan or not.
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 2 slices white onion
- 1 habanero
- 4 cups cooked black beans with broth
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Dry toast the onion and habanero for 5 minutes in a sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Place the onions and black beans in a blender .
- Purée until smooth.
- Heat up vegetable oil or lard in a sauté pan over medium heat. Pour in the beans. Add the toasted habanero back in. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the beans are thickened to your liking. Season with salt.
Pakistani Stewed Beef with Whole Spices
Pakistani Stewed Beef with Whole Spices
What we have here is some serious Pakistani home cooking at its best. Beef stew meat is stewed with an abundance of whole spices and aromatics. Once the meat is cooked down and the liquid has evaporated, yogurt is stirred in and cooked down even more. The beef is coated in the sauce instead of swimming in a heavy gravy. The stewed beef is garnished with cilantro and slivers of ginger. Eating this amazing dish will make you feel good inside. This dish can substitute lamb or chicken for the protein.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 10 dried Kashmiri chilies
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 8 whole cloves
- 3 black cardamom
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 head garlic peeled and minced
- 3 roma tomatoes chopped
- 3 green chilies finely chopped
- 2 lbs beef stew meat
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
- 1 cup plain yogurt
Garnish
- cilantro chopped
- ginger peeled and julienned
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 10 minutes.
- Add in all of the whole spices and dried chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
- Add in the tomatoes, garlic, and green chilies. Sauté for 5 minutes until the tomatoes cook down.
- Add in the beef stew meat. Brown for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 90 minutes.
- Uncover the pot. Turn up the heat to medium high. Cook down until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt.
- Stir in the yogurt.
- Cook for up to 10 minutes until the majority of the liquid has cooked down.
