bFeedme

Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

B’stilla

By

B’stilla or spiced chicken parcels is a Moroccan recipe that makes delicious snacks or appetizers. If you are wondering what ras el hanout is, it is a Moroccan spice mix which includes cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, ground chili peppers, turmeric, nutmeg and peppercorn. Just in case you cannot find the prepared spice, perhaps you can make your own or  substitute it with other spice mixes like mandy spice or baharat.

 

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons olive oil

130g unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 chicken breast fillet, roughly chopped

2 teaspoon ras el hanout spice

50ml white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

16 sheets filo pastry

2 tablespoons toasted almonds, chopped

2 tablespoons almond, flaked or sliced

 

Preheat the oven at 200C and lightly grease a baking tray with melted butter or oil.

Heat the oil and half a tablespoon of butter in a medium sized frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 2 minutes until they are light brown.  Add the ras el hanout spice and cook it for another minute until it is fragrant.

Fry the chicken for -23 minutes until the edges are light brown. Pour in the wine and the chicken stock. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. After, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for another 5-8 minutes or until the flavors are absorbed by the chicken and the liquid evaporates.

Combine the egg, coriander and parsley in a food processor or blender. Process it for 2 seconds until almost smooth. Set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan or microwave it for 30 seconds. Get a piece of filo pastry and spoon some chicken, egg mixture and chopped almonds at the center of the pastry. Fold the filo to enclose the filling. Make sure that it is wrapped well and the edges are secure. Brush the pastry with melted butter and sprinkle it with flaked almonds. Repeat this for the remaining ingredients. Place the b’stilla on the greased baking tray and then bake it for 12-15 minutes until the parcels are golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand for 3 minutes. Transfer them to a serving plate or individual plates. Sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Serve warm.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  scaredy_kat

Harira

By

Harira is a traditional Moroccan dish that is often eaten to break the fast during Ramadan. It is also prepared during special occasions or celebrations. This hearty soup is a meal in itself. The meat used can vary depending on the occasion. Lamb and chicken are also commonly used for this recipe.

Slow cooking is required to make sure that the meat and other ingredients are soft and the flavors set in. If you do not have the luxury of time, you may use the pressure cooker to cook the meat and use the broth instead of water and chicken stock. I prefer this technique because it gives the soup a beefier taste.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried chickpeas

800g beef rump, cut into 2cm pieces

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1/2 cup brown lentils, rinsed

1/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

2 cups fresh or frozen broad beans, peeled

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, shredded

1/4 cup mint leaves, shredded

 

Soak the peas in a large bowl with cold water overnight.

Place the drained chickpeas, beef, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, tomatoes, water and chicken stock in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Stir occasionally.

Add the lentils and rice into the pot. Cook it for another 30-45 minutes or until the lentils and rice are soft. Stir in the broad beans. Season it with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with the shredded mint leaves and parsley. Serve warm.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: Girl Interrupted Eating