Tag: main course
Kanda
Kanda
As the name says, the Central African Republic is located in the heart of Central Africa. Kanda is a popular dish of beef meatballs simmered in a tomato sauce, served with steamed rice. What sets these meatballs apart from others is that ground toasted pumpkin seeds are used in place of breadcrumbs. They add a texture to the meatballs that I now wish all meatballs had. The meatballs also are thrown in uncooked into the sauce. They turn out extremely tender. Considering how basic this entire recipe is, there is no shortness of flavor. Instead of serving the meatballs with pasta, they are served with rice.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
Sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 Roma tomatoes diced
- 3 bird’s eye chilies chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups water
- salt to taste
Garnish
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a cold, dry pan. Turn the heat to medium. Dry toast for 5 minutes.
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a food processor. Grind into a powder.
- Place the onions, garlic, and parsley in the food processor. Purée. Mix with the ground beef, ground pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper.
- Roll into golf ball sized meatballs. Place in the refrigerator until ready for use.
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and chilies. Season with salt. Cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for for 5 minutes.
- Add in the tomato paste. Pour in the water. Give the pan a stir. Add in the meatballs. Place the cover on a simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and simmer for a few more minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
Adobo sa Gata
Adobo sa Gata
Adobo sa gata is pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, and coconut milk with heavy amounts of garlic and a little heat from bird’s eye chilies. You can use either pork shoulder or pork belly, depending on how fatty you like your meat. The adobo is best served with heaping piles of steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder cut into 2” cubes
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 head garlic peeled
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 bird’s eye chilies finely chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the pork, onions, garlic, water, vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Strain the liquid from all the ingredients in the pot. Save 1 cup of the braising liquid.
- In the same pot over medium high heat, add the vegetable oil. Sauté the strained ingredients for 10 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved braising liquid, coconut milk, and chilies.
- Braise for 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Chicken Salan
Chicken Salan
Chicken salan is considered to be comfort food in Pakistan. Let me tell you: I was comforted after eating this chicken curry. The preparation is pretty straight forward. Cook down onions and tomatoes. Add the spices. Brown the chicken. Add water. Then simmer for 30 minutes. Unlike many of the curries that you are used to eating, the shorba(curry gravy) is thinner, more like a soup. Serve chicken salan with steamed rice and parathas.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes cut in half
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1” ginger minced
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 whole cloves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 green cardamom pod
- 3 whole chicken legs drumsticks cut in half; thighs cut into 4 pieces
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
Garnish
- cilantro chopped
- red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Mix together all of the spices. Set aside.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Place the tomatoes cut side down. Place a cover on the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Take off the cover. Remove the skins from the tomatoes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and all of the spices. Mash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon.
- Cook the masala down for 5 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated.
- Add in the chicken. Toss in the masala.
- Brown the chicken on all sides for 10 minutes in total.
- Pour in the water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and allow the sauce to thicken for 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and red onion.
