Thursday, March 26, 2009

When chicken kitcheree meets swank!..... A dish inspired by Chicken Kitchen.

Read it on:
Chefs.com

Here now is my version of this absolutely stupendous dish!!
This is absolutely my favorite dish!!!

Chicken kitcheree with khuri( curry yogurt sauce)

click on pic.




I was going to post this menu two weeks ago but unfortunately my sweetie dropped my camera on the slopes. This "mogul maniac" was going at a crazy speed when the ski patrol chased him halfway down the mountain and finally caught up with him and cited his a.. He did however finally buy me another camera, hence the reason for me blogging again. So all is forgiven!





Khuri (curry yogurt sauce)
Drizzle over the spring salad/ or the bundt

click on pic




Language itself cannot explain how absolutely palate pleasing this menu is!!! I find myself saying ooooh! mmmmm! wowweeee and acting completely inappropriately when I prepare these dishes. I am overcome with a paroxysm of glee and I cannot suppress it! It is that good!
Even though, the spices and the way I prepare my rice and chicken are old family recipes, this dish was inspired by "Chicken Kitchen"( restaurants in Miami). Of course I love my flavors better and I took it a step further by encasing the chicken and rice in phyllo dough and now everybody says "Now you've gone and done it missy!"


Groete Suid Afrikaners!

Woorde alleen kan nie hierdie heerlike maal beskrywe nie. Die geur alleen sal jou voorsmaak heeltemal bedwelm! Die enigste motief agter hierdie spoggerige maal met al die ingewikkelde voorbereidings is pure plesier. Geniet asseblief!
Die uwe,
Duiselige gastronomer.



Chicken kitcheree encased in "Athens" phyllo pastry baked in a bundt pan. Adorned with toasted nigella seeds ( Kalonji) and a spring salad (lettuce, avos, cucumbers and grape tomatoes).

click on pic ( A crispiness that only "Athens" phyllo delivers!)



A little slice of Heaven! I prepare the basmati
rice with sauteed onions, roasted garlic, vegetables etc....

click on pic (This bundt slices perfectly)





This was my Mom's bundt pan which is giving
me the same amount of joy. Only she used to
make the real McCoy.
Lightly grease your pan and layer several
sheets of phyllo dough into the pan, brushing
only the 5th layer with melted butter.
Layer alternating rice and chicken layers
and then cover with several sheets of phyllo
brushing only the 5th layer. I only used about
2T butter in all.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 mins.




Ingredients:

  • Please use organic ingredients when possible.
  • 4 large chicken breasts with bone and skin( The skin and the bone in keeps the breasts juicy when baked. You will however discard these after baking.
  • garam masala( I roast my own mixture)
  • my home made blend of masala for chicken
  • fresh oregano
  • dry mustard powder( Coleman's )
  • kosher salt
  • lemon pepper( I make the lemon part from scratch)
  • 1 ball of pounded garlic
  • olive oil
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • my homemade prepared panko mix. See turkey roulade for this panko mix
Wash and dry the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with kosher salt and the spices on both sides of the chicken. Add the pounded garlic and the juice of the lemon to the olive oil and baste the chicken with this mixture. Bake for 20 mins, remove and sprinkle with the prepared panko mix and the herbs and bake for another 15-20 mins until golden. Shred the chicken into pieces and discard the skin and bones. Prepare your rice. Serve with rice on the bottom, a layer of shredded chicken, a layer of the spring salad and then drizzle with the khuri.

For the khuri:
  • quarter cup organic Greek yogurt
  • half cup Miracle whip plus 3 t
  • 1 t turmeric
  • 1 t Annie's organic yellow mustard
  • 1 t dry Coleman's mustard powder
  • half cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • half t red pepper flakes
  • pinch organic sugar
  • pinch kosher salt
Mix the turmeric and the orange juice together until incorporated. place the remainder of the ingredients in a blender and pulse. Add the turmeric and the orange juice mixture and blend until incorporated.




This is what my neck of the woods looked
like today. Blizzard conditions with zero
visibility. Last week we had springlike
weather but apparently Father winter
made a comeback!



click on pic to see accumulated snow in just a
short time




Thank you Selba for this really cute award.



Please everyone grab it and pay it forward.


This post is in memory of my Uncle Toyer. " Swank" was indeed his middle name!
"If I said to you and Mom, I want you back I would not be lying!"
"If only for a moment to abate this incessant crying!"

God knows best!!!!


Experiment globally!
Nazarina A

Monday, March 9, 2009

Drinks are on the house and definitely no designated drivers needed!!

Greetings everyone!

Happy birthday Galiema!!!!!
Happy birthday Takoa!!!!

Sorry for my absence! I hope I can make it up with this labor of "drinkin" love.

Virgin drinks are not exactly every one's idea of a good time but mine sure spells "Let's get this party started." I mixed several organic fresh fruity flavors to keep it 'serious' and for some silliness, I added a splash of fizz from my sexy red" carbonizer."
Intoxication over at my house only means that you will be high on life. Not only will these non- intoxicated beauties entice you but my "bar aesthetics" sure will thrill you. So come on over and join in on this "wet your whistle" nostalgia, boogie until dawn and still leave in the morning with your good name in tact! LOL!

Groete Suid Afrikaners!

Alhoewel, hierdie drankies nie vir n' skemer partytjie is nie, sal dit nogtans n' indruk maak op jou gaste . Met n' bietjie karbonering en vars organiese vrugte sal jy groot sukses behaal met hierdie drank resepte. Jy hoef ook nie jouself bekommer oor gaste wat sal besope raak nie en daarom is aangewyse persone ook nie verpligtend om gaste huis toe te ry nie.
Kom ons jolyt en geniet asseblief!


"Seedless raspberry and coconut cream dream"


This is listed first because it was my ultimate favorite!
What a drink!!!! This dreamy concoction will envelop
your taste buds and melt all your inhibitions!!!

Puree 6-8oz of fresh organic raspberries and then
strain to remove the seeds. Blend with quarter cup
of pineapple juice and some ice.

For the coconut part of the drink, blend 1 cup of coconut milk,
1 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 teaspoon of banana smoothie powder,
quarter cup of organic rice milk or you can use dairy and some ice. I
added a half of a cup of premium coconut ice cream as well( optional).








Banana and dark chocolate milkshake

Blend half cup of premium chocolate ice cream with
1 cup of organic milk, some ice and for the banana part of the
shake: blend 1 banana, 2 teaspoons of banana smoothie
powder, quarter cup of coconut milk and quarter cup
of organic rice milk( you can use dairy) and some ice.
Garnish with a Flake chocolate.

Click on this pic.





Lychee and Asian pear( or Bosc pear if you so please!)
Ostentatiously Oriental! Lychees have a subtle and fragrantly
sweet taste and also contains a significant amount of vitamin C.

Freeze some lychees for the garnish ( I used the canned variety).
You can of course use the fresh ones if you are lucky enough to have
them in season. Blend 1 cup of lychees and some of the juice,
1 small Asian pear(peeled and cored), quarter cup of coconut milk,
quarter cup of pineapple juice half cup of ice and top it off with a splash
of Australian ginger beer.

Place some of the frozen lychees in the bottom of your glass and enjoy!
I drank both of these all by myself. I dipped the fortune cookies in dark
chocolate and sprinkled them with white nonpareils as a garnish!




Virgin party drinks Click on title for all these recipes!

The orange drink is my " lilikoitizer" Hellooooo Hawaii,
the two tone drink is a strawberry and mango coconut concoction
and the red drink is a Pom( pomtizer)




These are premium virgin drink mixes( blueberry, mango,
lime, pomegranate and cranberry). Add the seltzer and
you are all set! They are a little tart and fizzy!! Just freeze
some ice cubes in a mold for some added whimsy.




No drink will be complete without some kind of a nut!!!

Mix together 1 cup each chopped chili mangoes, roasted
cashews ( and freeze dried cherries and blueberries.
My idea of a trail mix!!!




Cashews roasted in a 350 degree oven for 15 mins.
or until golden, with organic agave honey, a little organic olive oil,
a splash of fresh orange juice and a sprinkle of sweet pickle masala
( just like the sweet Hungarian paprika)




My sexy" carbonizer"





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I received this award from Yasmeen.
Thank you so much! I love your blog too!





I received this sweet award from MaryBeth.
Thank you! I feel the same way about you too!


I would love to pay these two awards forward to everyone that commented and also visited my blog!






Chefs.com

click here for more virgin drinks

and here for cool garnishes for fruity virgin iced tea!