Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

I have to say that I'm delighted with this recipe; since I got it, I didn't roast chicken in any other way.
Yes, Indian recipes always call for a lot of ingredients, but it so worth it.

Ingredients:
1 tbs garlic, crushed / grated
1 tbs ginger, grated
1/2 tbs chilli, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala*
1-2 heaped tbs yogurt
1 small lemon, zest + juice
2 tsp salt
1 free range chicken, about 1,5 kg (or chicken pieces)

*Garam masala (for those who can't buy ready made powder)
1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves, 1/8 tsp ground cloves 

Method:
Pierce chicken skin all over (if using whole chicken). Mix all ingredients for marinade and rub chicken with it. Place it onto baking dish. Leave aside for 30 minutes (if you have time). Preheat oven to 190-200*C. Cover chicken with Al foil (don't let foil touch the meat) and roast for 1 hour. Take the foil off and continue with roasting for another 10-15 minutes (depending on size of chicken). If using chicken pieces, reduce roasting time. Serve with rice or bread and salad.

Pečeno Pile na Indijski način

Moram reci da sam odusevljena sa ovim receptom; od kako sam njega pronasla, piletinu jos nisam ispekla na bilo koji drugi nacin. Jeste, Indijski recepti obicno traze mnogo sastojaka, ali zato nikada ne razocaraju.

Potrebno:
1 K bijelog luka, protisnutog / rendanog
1 K djumbira, rendanog
1/2 K ljute papricice (ljuspice ili svjeze)
1 k kurkurme prah
1 k kima prah
1 k korijandera prah
1 k garam masala zacina*
1-2 puna K jogurta (grcki ili cvrsti)
1 manji limun, ribana korica i sok
2 k soli
1 pile u cjelini (ili dijelovi - 1,5 kg)

*Garam masala (ako ne mozete naci gotov zacin)
1/2 k kima u prahu, 1/2 k paprike, 1/4 k cimeta, 1/4 k kajen bibera/paprike, 1/4 k praha lovorova lista, 1/8 k klincica / karanfilica

Nacin:
Izbockajte kozu pileta (ako koristite cijelo pile). Pomijesajte sve sastojke za marinadu i namazite pile s njom. Smjestite u tepsiju. Ostavite po strani oko 30 minuta (ako imate vremena). Ukljucite rernu na 190-200*C. 
Zastitite pile sa Al folijom (da ne dodiruje meso) i pecite oko 1 sat. Skinite foliju i nastavite peci jos oko 10-15 minuta, u zavisnosti o velicini pileta. (Komadi izrezani trebaju manje vremena za ispeci).
Servirajte sa rizom ili hljebom i salatom.

Biscuit Press Matcha Shortbread...5th year anniversary

Today is  5th anniversary of starting my blog. I have to say that I didn't think it's going to mean so much to me, and I would advice anyone who's thinking of writing a blog (of any kind) to just do it. Feeling that you're giving something in return to the World and humankind is wonderful, and you'll have personal satisfaction - both my English and Bosnian languages became better, all my recipes are in one (presentable) spot + I met wonderful people around the world who think and feel like me.
Of course, there will be 'others' too. Some of them will become your friends, then suddenly 'unfriend' you, others will not return following, and some will never leave any comment to your posts. And then, there are (rare) nasty-ones with negative comments and those who want to 'commercialise' their website through your blog...Many of them will not last!
But, all of that is OK. Take what you like, ignore/ delete what you don't ...and continue. It is secret of successful bloging... Persistence! (like with anything in life).


Beauty about this recipe is that you always can add your favorite flavour, and if you don't have biscuit cookie press, you can shape dough into a sausage, slice and bake it.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened (250g)
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp matcha powder (or other flavouring; vanilla, lemon zest, cacao...)
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup corn starch
Method:
Mix all ingredients into smooth dough. Fill your biscuit press and squeeze shapes onto baking sheet (lined with baking paper). Bake for 10-12 min at 180*C. Dust with icing sugar.

                         

Cacao... and Lemon

 flavoured Biscuits

Keksi sa Prahom Zelenog Čaja (ili drugim aromama)

Danas je 5 godina od kako sam pocela pisati ovaj blog i moram priznati da nisam mislila da ce mi to mnogo znaciti. Stoga podsticem sve one koji su razmisljali da otpocnu svoj sopstveni blog (bilo koje vrste) da to slobodno ucine. Osjecaj da dajes nesto zauzvrat svijetu i ljudima je divan, a  ispostavilo se i to da mi pisanje cini dobro za oba jezika koja koristim + imam sve svoje recepte na jednom mjestu i divno druzenje sa istomisljenicima. 

Naravno, naici cete na razne ljude. Neki ce vas prihvatii kao prijatelje pa zatim iznenada iskljuciti, drugi vam nikada nece htjeti uzvratiti 'sljedovanje', dok ce se treci zareci da nikada nece ostaviti bilo koji komentar na vasim postovima. Zatim, bice tu i onih zlobnih sa negativnim komentarima, zatim 'komercijalista' koji zele preko vaseg sajta steci publiku... Mnogi od njih nece dugo trajati!

 ALI, sve je to u redu! Uzmes sto ti odgovara, ignorises / izbrises negativnosti i nastavis. To je tajna uspjesnog blogiranja...  Upornost! (kao  i u svemu drugome u zivotu).

Ljepota ovog recepta je u cinjenici da ga mozete iskoristiti sa bilo kojom aromom koju volite, a takodje mozete tijesto oblikovati u valjak, rashladiti i rezati na kolutice, ukoliko nemate presu za keksice.
Potrebno:
1 solja maslaca, omeksalog (250gr)
1/2 solje secera u prahu
2 k zelenog caja u prahu (matcha; ili vanila, korica limuna, kakao ..)
1 1/3 solje brasna
1/2 solje skrobnog brasna 
Nacin:
Izmijesajte sve sastojke i umijesite mekano tijesto. Napunite istiskivac / presu za kolacice i istiskujte oblike na tepsiju preko koje ste stavili papir za pecenje. Pecite 10-12 minuta na 180*C. pospite secerom u prahu.

 Matcha tea flavoured Biscuits

Ethnic (Bosnian) Offal Recipe (Bumbar / Širden)

This is an old recipe. Last year, during my holiday in Bosnia, I had opportunity to try making this traditional dish. My father ordered a lamb for spit roast (as we Bosnians usually do whenever big family gathering or celebrations take place) and we got internal organs with it as well. Recipe is from book 'Bosnian Cook' (I slightly  changed and adapted it).

Ingredients:
Internal organs of a lamb
(I used hart, lungs and liver)
1-2 linings of internal fat (Caul fat)
4 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
10 black pepper corns
1 tbs 'Vegeta', or any chicken / beef stock powder
1,5 cups rice (cooked in 1,5 cups water)
1 large bunch parsley leaves, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs 'Vegeta' (chicken/beef stock powder), extra
1 tbs paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
Method:
Cook all organs (except fat linings) with bay leaves, Vegeta, peppercorns, onion and garlic in 1,5 L of water. Cook rice separately (should be half cooked / still very firm).
Preheat oven to 190*C. Take all organs out of cooking water (reserve it), and mince. Mix really well with rice, parsley leaves, paprika, vegeta, garlic and pepper. Cut internal fat linings (caul fat) into 2 large pieces . Divide mixture in 2, place onto caul fat pieces and fold shaping a parcel . Place parcels into a deep oven dish, folded side down. Pour 2-3 cups of reserved water over it and bake for 20-30 minutes or until fat melted and golden brown.



Ovo je stari recept iz knjige 'Bosanski Kuhar' (Alija Lakisic). Prosle godine (na odmoru u Bosni) sam imala priliku isprobati moje umijece na iznutricama. Tata je narucio jagnje (kao sto to svi Bosanci rade kada su velika porodicna okupljanja ili slavlja u pitanju), sa kojim smo dobili i iznutrice. Recept sam blago promijenila i adaptirala nasim potrebama. Originalni recept cu u potpunosti prenijeti na kraju ovog posta.
Sastojci:
Unutrasnji organi jagnjeta
(ja sam koristila srce, jetru i pluca)
1-2 trbusne 'maramice'
4 lista lovora
2 cena bijelog luka
1 crveni luk
10 zrna crnog bibera
1 K Vegete (ili slicno)
1,5 solja rize (skuhane u 1,5 solju vode)
1 veca veza persunovog lisca, sjeckana
3-4 cena bijelog luka, protisnuta
1 K Vegete
1 K crvene paprike
1 k svjeze mljevenog crnog bibera
so prema ukusu
Nacin:
Skuhajte unutrasnje organe (samo ne maramicu) u 2 l vode sa lovorom, biberom, oba luka i Vegetom. Skuhajte rizu posebno; treba biti upola skuhana i ostati jos cvrsta.
Ukljucite rernu na 190*C.
Izvadite organe iz vode (sacuvajte je) i sameljite. Pomijesajte sa rizom i ostalim sastojcima. Dobro promijesajte. Izrezite maramicu na 2 dijela. Na svaki dio stavite pola punjenja i zamotajte u loptu. Slazite u dublju vatrostalnu posudu/tepsiju, sa zavijenom stranom na dole. Zalijte sa 2-3 solje vode u kojoj ste kuhali organe. Pecite 20-30 minuta ili dok se mast ne otopi i ne postane zlatno-zuta.
Evo i originalnog recepta:

Bosanski Širden 
"Uzmi jagnjecu bijelu i crnu dzigericu,operi ih i metni da se kuhaju u slanoj vodi. U medjuvremenu skuhaj pola solje pirinca sa jednom soljom vode.
Tada isprigaj glavicu sitno rezanog crvenog luka na kasicici masti i na taj luk dodaj kuhane dzigerice, koje si sitno isjeckala i sve malo preprigaj, onda saspi kuhani pirinac, ulij 3 jajeta, metni soli, bibera, persunova lista i 3 cesna sitno sjeckanog bijelog luka. Sve izmijesaj i saspi u jagnjecu maramicu, uvij maramicu da nadjev ne ispada, metniu podmazanu tepsiju i peci u rerni. Kada je lijepo porumenio, serviraj topao."

Lebanese Filled Biscuits (Maamoul) - 500th Post!

Here we are - 500th post. It took almost 5 years (celebrating next week).

Recipe makes 20 large biscuits (capacity of the mould I used for biscuits is 2 tbs / 1/8 cup)

Ingredients:

Biscuit dough-

1 cup clarified butter (melt butter then cool it; discard white milky part )

3 tbs icing sugar

2 1/3 cup flour, +

1 tbs milk (cold)

Date paste- (or use walnut filling)*

1 full cup dried dates, pitted, chopped

1/2 tbs butter

1 tsp water

cardamom / cinnamon / vanilla (your choice)

*Walnut filling

1 cup walnut meal

1-2 tbs sugar

1-2 tsp orange blossom water

Method:

Rub butter into flour, add sugar and milk and make soft dough. (Of course, all this can be done in a food processor). Wrap and let it rest in a cool spot.

Place dates in a a bowl add 1 tsp water and microwave it on high for 20 seconds. take out and mash with fork, add butter and cardamom  then knead into a paste.

Shape  'sausages' both from dough and paste. Cut into 20 pieces (each). Dust mould with flour then place a disc of dough into it, following by a ball of date paste. Enclose the dough at the top, bang slightly molud onto working surface to reliese your biscuit. (If you don't have mould, after enclosing dough roll between your palms into a ball, press slightly and decorate top with a fork.) Place them onto lined pan. 

Preheat oven to 165*C; bake biscuits for 10-12 minutes, or until bottom starts getting golden colour (top should stay pale). Take out, cool on a rack then dust with icing sugar and serve. 

Keep in a box for up to 1 week (cool spot).

Libanski Punjeni Keksi (Maamoul)

Evo ga... 500-ti post. Trebalo mi je skoro 5 godina za ovo (proslava sljedece sedmice).

Recept je za 20 vecih keksa (zapremina modle koju sam koristila je 2K ili 1/8 solje)

Potrebno:

Tijesto-

1 solja masla (procisceni maslac - otopite maslac i ostavite da se ohladi; bacite mlijecni dio)

3 K secera u prahu

2 1/3 solje brasna, +

1 K hladnog mlijeka

Fil / pasta od datula- (ili koristite nadjev od oraha*)

1 puna solja datula (bez kospica), isjeckanih

1/2 K maslaca

1 k vode

kardamom (ili cimet, vanila - po vasem izboru)

*Nadjev sa orasima-

1 solja sjeckanih / mljevenih oraha

1-2 K secera

1-2 k vodice od narandzinih cvjetova

Nacin:
Utrljajte maslac u brasno, dodajte ostale sastojke i umijesite glatko tijesto. (Sve ovo mozete uraditi i u sjeckalici). Zamotajte tijesto i ostavite na prohladnom mjestu.
Stavite datule u posudu, poprskajte sa 1 k vode i kuhajte u mikrovalnoj oko 20 sekundi (najjaca snaga). Izvadite, viljuskom izgnjecite, dodajte maslac i kardamom, te umijesite u pastu.
Oblikujte valjak od tijesta i paste, isjecite oba na 20 komada. Pospite brasnom modlu, ubacite rastanjeni komad tijesta, zatim kuglicu paste i zatvorite na vrhu. Lupkajte lagano modlom o povrsinu da oslobodite kekse. (ako nemate modlu, napravite kuglice, blago rastanjite i ukrasite otiscima viljuske.) Smjestite ih na tepsiju (sa papirom). Ugrijte rernu na 165*C; pecite kekse oko 10-12 minuta ili dok donji dio ne pocne zutiti (gornji dio treba da ostane blijed).
Rashladite malo, pospite secerom u parhu i posluzite.
Mogu stajati do 1 sedmincu u zatvorenoj kutiji na hladnom mjestu.

Quick Flat (no knead) Bread

This flat bread is ready in less than an hour, it doesn't need kneading and it stays fresh long. What more could you ask for?!
The other day I forgot to make bread on time. Just before I started making dinner, I've mixed all (down) listed ingredients and let them rest in a warm microwave. In 55 minutes I had fresh, soft bread that we liked very much.
Discovered by accident, adopted very quickly! I make it regularly now.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast (instant)
2 cups water (warm)
Method:
Mix all ingredients (with a spoon) in a large bowl. You'll get very wet dough. Place 1 tbs water on  microwave plate; let it warm for 1 minute (high). Cover bowl with dough with a plate and place it in microwave. Close the door and let it rest for 25-30 minutes (without switching on). It won't hurt if you leave it longer.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 200*C. Oil a (2 cm deep, 33 cm diameter) pizza pan. Pour the dough onto it, spread, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and bake for 20+ minutes.



Brzi Ravni (bez mijesenja) Kruh / Hljeb

Ovaj ravni hljeb / kruh je gotov za manje od sat vremena, ne treba ga mijesiti i ostaje dugo svjez. Sta vise mozete pozeliti?!
Neki dan sam zaboravila umijesiti tijesto na vrijeme. Neposredno prije kuhanja vecere sam pomijesala sve (navedene) sastojke i ostavila ih odmoriti u toploj mikrovalnoj. Za 55 minuta sam dobila svjez, mekan kruh koji nam se jako svidio.
Otkriven slucajno, usvojen jako brzo! Sad ga redovno pravim.

Potrebno:
2 1/2 solje brasna
1 k soli
1 k instant kvasca
2 solje mlake vode
Nacin:
Pomijesajte sve sastojke kuhacom (ili slicno); dobicete jako rijetko tijesto. Stavite kasiku vode na dno mikrovalne i ukljucite (praznu) na 1 minutu . Pokrijte posudu sa tijestom (tanjirom) i smjestite je u mikrovalnu. Zatvorite vrata i ostavite 25-30 minuta (bez ukljucivanja).Nece smetati ako ostavite duze.
U medjuvremenu zagrijte rernu na 200*C. Ulijte tijesto u nauljenu pica tepsiju (koja je 2 cm visoka i 33 cm dijametra), pospite sjemenkama sezama (opciono) i pecite 20+ minuta.