Unusual Recipes? Or Favorite Recepies?

Question

Hi guys, I'm getting board with cooking the same thing every week. I'm wondering if you have any favourite recipes to share.

Answer 1

Here are some Ethiopian recipes...you eat everything by using the injera (spongy) bread to scoop up the food, instead of using utensils...traditionally...the recipe with teff flour is probably more authentic..

Yemiser W'et (spicy lentil stew with peas)

Servings: 8
# 1 c Dried brown lentils
# 1 c Onion; finely chopped
# 2 Cloves garlic; minced
# 1/4 c Niter Kebbeh
# 1 tsp Berbere
# 1 tsp Cumin seeds; ground
# 1 tsp Paprika; sweet Hungarian
# 2 c Tomato; finely chopped
# 1/2 c Tomato paste
# 1 c Vegetable stock or water
# 1 c Green peas; fresh or frozen
# Salt to taste
# Black pepper; fresh, to tst
# 3 Batches Injera bread
# Plain yogurt or cottage cheese

Rinse and cook the lentils.

Meanwhile saute the onions and garlic in the niter kebbeh, until the onions are just translucent. Add the berbere, cumin, and paprika and saute for a few minutes more, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water and continue simmering.

When the lentils are cooked, drain them and mix them into the saute. Add the green peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

To serve Yemiser W'et, spread layers of injera on individual plates. Place some yogurt or cottage cheese alongside a serving of w'et on the injera and pass more injera at the table. To eat, tear off pieces of injera, fold it around bits of stew, and, yes, eat it with your fingers.

Yetakelt W'et (spicy mixed vegetable stew)

Servings: 6
# 1 c Onions; finely chopped
# 2 Garlic cloves; minced
# 1 tb Berbere
# 1 tb Sweet Hungarian paprika
# 1/4 c Niter Kebbeh
# 1 c Green beans; cut into thirds
# 1 c Carrots; chopped
# 1 c Potatoes; cubed
# 1 c Tomatoes; chopped
# 1/4 c Tomato paste
# 2 c Vegetable stock
# Salt and black pepper to tst
# 1/4 c Parsley; fresh, chopped
# 2 Batches Injera
# Plain yogurt or cottage cheese

Note: Try making this dish and Yemiser W'et for the same meal. In Ethiopia, it is customary to offer several stews at one time, and people eat some of each kind.

Saute the onions, garlic, berbere, and paprika in the Niter Kebbeh for 2 minutes. Add the beans, carrots, and potatoes and continue to saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender.

Add salt and pepper to taset and mix in the parsley.

Serve with injera and yogurt or cottage cheese following the same serving and eating procedure as for Yemiser W'et.

Injera (Ethiopian Flat Bread)

Servings: 1
# 1 3/4 c Flour; unbleached white
# 1/2 c Self-rising flour
# 1/4 c Whole wheat bread flour
# 1 pk Dry yeast
# 2 1/2 c Water; warm
# 1/2 tsp Baking soda
# 1/2 tsp Salt

Combine the flours and yeast in a ceramic or glass bowl. Add the warm water and mix into a fairly thin, smooth batter. Let the mixture sit for three full days at room temperature. Stir the mixture once a day. It will bubble and rise.

When you are ready to make the injera, add the baking soda and salt and let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes.

Heat a small, nonstick 9-inch skillet. When a drop of water bounces on the pan's surface, take about 1/3 cup of the batter and pour it in the skillet quickly, all at once. Swirl the pan so that the entire bottom is evenly coated, then return to heat.

The injera is cooked only on one side and the bottom should not brown. When the moisture has evaporated and lots of "eyes" appear on the surface, remove the injera. Let each injera cool and then stack them as you go along.

If the first injera is undercooked, try using less of the mixture, perhaps 1/4 cup, and maybe cook it a bit longer. Be sure not to overcook it. Injera should be soft and pliable so that it can be rolled or folded, like a crepe.


Berbere

Servings: 1
# 2 tsp Cumin seeds
# 4 Whole cloves
# 3/4 tsp Cardamom seeds
# 1/2 tsp Whole black peppercorns
# 1/4 tsp Whole allspice
# 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
# 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
# 8 To 10 small dried red chiles
# 1/2 tsp Grated fresh ginger root OR
# (1 tsp dried)
# 1/4 tsp Turmeric
# 1 tsp Salt
# 2 1/2 tb Sweet Hungarian paprika
# 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
# 1/8 tsp Ground cloves

In a small frying pan, on medium-low heat, toast the cumin, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, and coriander for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Discard the stems from the chiles. In a spice grinder or with a morter and pestle, finely grind together the toasted spices and the chiles. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

Store Berebere refrigerated in a well-sealed jar or a tightly closed plastic bag.

Niter Kebbeh

# 1 lb butter; unsalted
# 1/4 c onions; chopped
# 2 cloves garlic; minced
# 2 tsp Ginger; grated, peeled, fresh
# 1/2 tsp Turmeric
# 4 Cardamom seeds; crushed
# 1 Cinnamon stick
# 2 Cloves; whole
# 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
# 1/4 tsp Ground fenugreek seeds
# 1 tb Basil; fresh OR (1 tsp dried)

In a small saucepan, gradually melt the butter and bring it to bubbling. When the top is covered with foam, add the other ingredients and reduce the heat to a simmer. Gently simmer, uncovered, on low heat. After about 45 to 60 minutes, when the surface becomes transparent and the milk solids are on the bottom, pour the liquid through a cheesecloth into a heat-resistant container. Discard the spices and solids.

Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, Niter Kebbeh will keep for up to 2 months.

Note: A good quality olive or other oil may be substituted for the butter.

Injera (more authentic)and Doro Wat

For the Injera:
(must be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead of use)
1 1/2 lbs. teff (grain found at health food stores)
1 qt. of water
Salt

For the Wat:
2-3 lbs. cut-up frying chicken, marinated in juice of one lime
1/2 cup clarified spiced butter*
3 lbs. red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1/2 cup of berbere sauce**
9 oz. tomato paste (optional)
1/2 cup or more of water
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
4 hard-boiled eggs
Fresh ground black pepper

Serves 6 to 8

Prepare the Injera:

Mix the teff and water and let stand at room temperature in a covered glass or ceramic bowl for three days.

When the mixture bubbles, it should smell a bit sour, and have the consistency of pancake batter. Mix in about 1 tsp. of salt. This should stop the fermentation. You must immediately cook the teff.

Oil the bottom of a large, heavy-bottom frying pan (cast-iron is best). Heat the pan at a medium-high temperature, when a few drops of water sizzle away quickly, it is hot enough to begin. Then pour in enough batter to cover the base of the pan.

Cook until holes form on the face of the injera and the edges lift from the pan. Do not turn over. Remove and let cool.

Prepare the Doro Wat:

Before you begin cooking, marinate the chicken for about an hour in the juice of one lime.

Poke the chicken to ensure that the liquid will be absorbed. After the chicken has marinated, place 2 tbsps. of spiced butter in a heavy- bottomed pan at medium heat.

When the butter is melted, add the onions and cook until tender. (The onions should be translucent, but not brown.) Add the remaining butter, Berbere sauce, wine, garlic, ginger, and cayenne. Blend this mixture well and bring to low simmer.

Slowly add the raw marinated chicken pieces and the water. (If you prefer a red tomato-flavored sauce, add the tomato paste now.) Stir and cook uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. You may need to add additional water to avoid scorching.

To ensure chicken has cooked thoroughly, cut into the breast. If it appears pink, cook until it is completely white. Finally, just a few minutes before serving, add the cooked eggs but make sure you allow enough time for them to warm through. Add ground black pepper to taste.

*To make spiced butter you will need to clarify 1 lb. of butter with the following spices: 2 tsps. ginger, 3/4 tsp. tumeric, a pinch of cardamon seed, a pinch of nutmeg 1 clove, 1/2 cinnamon stick, 1 tbsp. dried onion, 2 tsps. garlic powder.

** Berbere sauce should be available in most gourmet stores. It is a piquant combination of wine, cumin, clove, cardamon, tumeric, allspice, fenigreek, ginger, chili and garlic.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/php/recip...


Dabo Kolo - Ethiopian "Little Fried Snacks"

Ingredients:

2 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbl Sugar
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1/4 cup Oil
Water

Method:
They will look like flat peanuts, and are served as a snack or with cocktails, and like peanuts, once you start eating them you can't stop.

In a 1-quart bowl mix flour, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper and oil. Knead: together and add WATER, spoonful by spoonful, to form a stiff dough. Knead dough for 5 minutes longer.

Tear: off a piece the size of a golf ball.

Roll: it out with palms of hands on a lightly floured board into a long strip 1/2 inch thick.

Snip: into 1/2-inch pieces with scissors.

Spread: about the handful of the pieces on an ungreased 9-inch frying pan

(or enough to cover bottom of pan). Cook over heat until uniformly light brown on all sides, stirring up once in a while as you go along.

Continue until all are light brown.

NOTES : For "teaspoon", the original recipe says tsb, whereas the

"tablespoon" ingredients say Tbs...
http://www.fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/rec...

Ethiopian Alicha Wot (Spicy Stewed Chana Dal or Split Peas)

Variation: Indian
The final dish will resemble spicy creamed corn. It will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve with Ethiopian Injera (teff pancakes) or even Indian Chapati, or over rice or barley.

1 1/2 cups Chana Dal (may substitute yellow split peas)
2 cups finely chopped onion
1-2 inches ginger, finely mashed/chopped
1/4 cup garlic, finely mashed/chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup spicy butter or olive oil (below)
1-2 tablespoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
white or black pepper to taste
salt to taste

Indian variation:
you will add 2 cups diced tomatoes and 1/4 cup diced mild green chilis after the onions are translucent. Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder and 1/2 tablespoon garam masala with the other spices. Garnish the cooked dish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Sort and wash Chana Dal, removing all black or green pieces as these add bitterness. Cover with water , 3 inches above the level of the beans. The liquid will provide the "gravy" for this dish. Simmer gently. When dal are almost translucent and are softened, set aside. Some of them may split; this is okay. This step can be done ahead, but the dish is even better if the whole stew is completed and then allowed to blend together.

Meanwhile, in another heavy pot, sweat the onions in a little bit of water until very translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and saute' for a minute or two. Add oil or butter and saute' until the mixture is very softened. This must not burn or bitter taste will result. Add the remaining ingredients except salt (will toughen dal...add at end to taste) and fry until the oil separates.

Add the dal with their liquid and cook until the dal are very soft, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Spicy Oil/Butter
To make spicy oil/ butter, gently heat a pint of olive oil (preferably extra virgin) or ghee (clarified butter) with sliced onions, smashed garlic heads, smashed ginger, cracked or ground nutmeg, black peppercorns, a little turmeric, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods.

You are not frying, you are actually simmering the spices in the oil. The result will be a colored and fragrant ghee or olive oil. I use about a tablespoon of each spice, adjusting the onion or garlic to taste. Strain the oil into a dry container and store refrigerated.
http://www.ellenskitchen.com/recipebox/b...

VEGETABLE ALECHA
Vegetable Stew
Yield: 8 portions
The Copts in Ethiopia have many fast days on which they are not permitted to eat meat. Vegetables Alechas and Wats are substituted on these days. (The Wat differs from the Alecha in that it is made with a spice called Ber-beri or Awaze.)

In a 4-quart saucepan:
Saute:
1 cup Bermuda onions in
4 Tbs. oil until soft but not brown.

Add:
4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch slices
4 green peppers, cleaned and cut in quarters
3 cups water
1 6-oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Cook for 10 minutes covered.

Add 4 potatoes cut in thick slices.

Plunge 2 tomatoes in boiling water, remove skins, cut in 8 wedges each, and add to stew.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add 8 cabbage wedges, 1 inch wide.

Ethiopian Green Beans and Potatoes

2 large white potatoes, diced (and peeled if desired)
1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch sections
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz. can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Bring enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil in medium saucepan, and place the potatoes in. Cook for 12 minutes over high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Drain the potatoes and green beans in a colander.
Heat large non-stick skillet. Sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapeño for about 4 minutes, adding a little water, if necessary to prevent sticking. Stir in the seasonings and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the potatoes and green beans, stewed tomatoes, and lime juice and cook for 7 to 10 minutes more over medium heat, stirring frequently.
http://www.fatfreevegan.com/veggies/ethi...

Answer 2

When I run out of ideas I start looking at some cook shows or in a cookbook or online. I know what you mean. Here's a few.
Hungarian Barley Stew
2 Tbl oil
1 and 1/2 lb. beef stew meat(I cut a chuck roast up)
1 clove garlic(minced)
1-28oz. can whole tomatoes
3 cups water
2/3 cup barley
1 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl paprika
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp caraway seed(optional)
In Lg pot add meat, onion, garlic and cook till meat is browned & onion tender. Add remaining ing. and simmer uncovered for about 1 hr or till meat and barley are tender.

Harvest Vegetable Casserole
(I like this when the veggies are FRESH and in season better.)
2 Tbl oil
2 lg onions(slice 1/4 " thick and seperate into rings
2 med Green peppers cut in 1" strips
1 cup water
1/2 cup barley
1 bouillon(or base)--BEEF flavor
2 LG carrots
2 LG tomatoes(peel and cut into 4ths)
2 small zucchinni(cut into 1-1 and 1/2 " chunks)
3/4 lb. green beans cut in half
1 cup frozen peas(or fresh)
1/2 small heads cauliflower seperated into flowerettes
2 TBL lemon juice
1 clove garlic crushed
1 TBL salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup parsley
In 12" skillet over med heat cook onions and peppers till LIGHTLY browned. In 13x9 pan or shallow 3 and 1/2 qt. casserole mix water and bouillon & barley. Layer with carrots, tomatoe, zucchinni, beans, peas, cauliflower,then onion mixture on top. In cup combine lemon juice and garlic and pour over all. Sprinkle with salt, papper, paprika. COVER tightly and bake 400 for 1 and 1/2 hrs or till done. DO NOT PEEK for the original time. Mix in parsley just before serving. (I can make a meal on this by itself...GOOD stuff)

Answer 3

Buy a cookbook from one of your favorites on Food Network or watch a few of the specials they offer on the weekends. I just got one of Paula Deen's cookbooks for Christmas & have used it at least once a week!! Most of them are pretty easy & you should have many of the ingredients already in your cabinets......