Tomato, Coriander and Cumin Rice with Grilled Lamb

Rice dishes are very often on my table and this is one of my favourite ways of serving it. Perfect as a companion to any kind of red meat. 4 serves -  3,5 WW points each ( add points for meat - in this case 5 points per chop) 

Ingredients: 

Rice-

1,5 tbs olive oil

1 cup long grain rice (Basmati)

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp cumin, ground

3-4 tomatoes, diced

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/3 cup coriander leaves  

Meat-

4 lamb chops

salt and pepper

spices for meat according to your taste

(I like using coriander, cumin and oregano powder with lamb)

Method: 

Heat oil, add rice and stir for a couple of minutes. Add onion, garlic and cumin. Cook until aromas are released, then add tomatoes, mix well and pour stock. Cover and cook (reduce heat) 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let it (covered) cool slightly. Fluff the rice (with a fork) and stir in coriander.

Season lamb chops and grill them 5-6 minutes each side (or according  to your liking). Serve with rice and salad.

Riža sa Paradajzom, Korijanderom i Kimom uz Grilovano Meso

Razliciti prilozi od rize se jako cesto nadju na mojoj trpezi, a ovaj dolje navedeni nacin je jedan od meni najdrazih. Perfektno za servirati sa bilo kojim crvenim mesom.

Potrebno:

Riza-

1,5 K maslinovog ulja

1 solja rize dugog zrna (Basmati)

1 manji crveni luk, sjeckan

3 cena bijelog luka, protisnuta

1 k praha kima

3-4 paradajza, sjeckana na kocke

2 solje kokosijeg ili povrtnog bujona / supe

1/3 solje lisca korijandera, sjeckana krupno

Meso-

4 kotleta (ja sam koristila jagnjetinu)

so i biber

zacini za meso po vasem ukusu

(u ovom slucaju korijander, kim i origano u prahu) 

Nacin:

Zagrijte ulje, proprzite rizu par minuta, zatim ubacite luk i kim. Mijesajte i kuhajte malo zatim dodajte paradajz i supu / bujon. Poklopite, smanjite i kuhajte 20-ak minuta. Smaknite s vatre, ostavite poklopljeno par minuta, zatim viljuskom 'izgrebite' rizu (da se odvoji) i pospite sa liscem korijandera.
Zacinite meso i pecite / grilujte 5-6 minuta svaku stranu (ili duze ako volite dobro peceno). Servirajte sa rizom i salatom.

Happy Valentine's Day

For all those who believe in love!

It is a classic Red Velvet Cake, baked in form of cupcakes / harts (brushed with strawberry jam).

Za sve one koji vjeruju u ljubav - sretan dan zaljubljenih!

Radjeno po receptu  klasicne torte 'Crveni baršun '  (Red Velvet Cake), u formi 'kapkejka' / srca (premazano dzemom od jagoda) .

Poppy Seed Wreaths - Austrian 'Mohnkranzerl'

Austrians are great at baking goods with yeast, and this is one of my  favourite. I love having it for breakfast and or snack.

Ingredients:

Dough-

4  cups flour 

2 tsp instant yeast

60 g sugar 

1 egg, beaten

100 g butter, melted 

pinch of salt

1 cup warm milk

Divide into 16 (around 60 g each)

Filling-

(I used ready made, canned filling)
200 g poppy seeds, grounded
1/2 cup milk
80 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1/2 lemon
pinch of cinnamon
1 tbs rum
sultanas or citrus peel (optional)
Glaze-
1 egg beaten
poppy seeds (optional)
Method: 
Filling-
Cook all ingredients for 10 minutes, let it cool.

Dough-

Make a soft dough (by hand, mixer, or bread machine). After rising, divide into 16 pieces. Roll each into a

long strip (20 X 4 cm).  Fill with poppy seed mixture; pinch edges together and roll between your hands and 

working surface to stretch it more . Wrap 2 of prepared logs around each other, then cut into 2. Shape each 

into a circle and place it onto lined baking sheet. You'll get 16 wreaths. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle 

with poppy seeds (optional)

Bake 20 min on 180*C, or until golden brown. Freezable!

Austrijski vijenci sa makom  

Volim Austrijeske specijalitete sa kvascem / germom, i ovo je jedan od meni najdrazih. Odlicno za dorucak ili uzinu!

Potrebno:

Tijesto-
4 solje brasna (oko 600gr)
2 k suhog kvacsa
60 gr secera
1 jaje
100 gr maslaca
malo soli
1 solja mlakog mlijeka
Fil-
(ja sam koristila gotovi iz konzerve)
200 gr mljevenog maka
1/2 solje mlijeka
80 gr secera
malo vanila
korica 1 limuna
malo cimeta
1 K ruma
grozdjice ili usecerena korica citrusa (po zelji)
Glazura-
umuceno jaje
mak u zrnu (po zelji) 
Nacin:
Fil-
Skuhajte sve sastojke za fil; ostavite prohladiti.
Tijesto-
Umijesite (rucno, mikserom ili uz pomoc masine za kruh / hljeb) glatko mekano tijesto. Nakon nadolazenja, podijelite na 16 jednakih dijelova i svaki razvaljajte na trake 20 X 4 cm. Filujte sa makovom masom; stisnite krajeve zajedno i jos malo razvaljajte blago istezuci. Uvrnite po dva zajedno, zatim presijecite na pola. Stisnite krajeve svake, formirajuci krug. Postavite na papirom pripremljenu tepsiju. Dobicete 16 komada. Premazite svaki vijenac sa jajetom i pospite makom (ako zelite). Pecite oko 20-ak minuta, ili dok ne postanu zlatno-zute. Mogu se zamrznuti!

Lamb Kofta with Humus - Lebanese style

The mix of spices really do wonders for this juicy 'burger'. 

Ingredients:

500 g lamb mince

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small onion, finelly diced

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp paprika, smoked if available

pinch of oregano powder

salt and black pepper, to taste

Humus- 

1 can chick peas, drained, liquid reserved

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lemon juice, or to taste

1-2 tbs tahini 

2-3 tbs olive oil 

1/2 tsp cumin powder

salt

Slices of lemon, for serving - optional

Oil for frying

Method:

Mix all ingredients well and leave it at least 30 minutes for flavours to develop. Heat oil in a pan, fry both sides of kofta for a few minutes. Meanwhile, blend all ingredients for humus into a smooth paste; add as much liquid from can as you want your humus to be thick. Serve with a good bread, accompanied with  a lemon slice.

Jagnjeci 'Kofta' Libanonskog Stila

Mjesavina zacina koja je koristena u ovom receptu, zaista cini cudo za ovaj 'burger'.

Potrebno:

500 gr jagnjeceg mljevenog mesa

1-2 cena bijelog luka, protisnutog

1 manja glavica crvenog luka, sitno sjeckanog

1/2 k korijander praha

1 k  kima u prahu

1/2 k paprike, dimljene ako je pristupna

prstohvat origana u prahu

so i crni biber prema ukusu

Homus / Humus

1 konzerva slanutka / leblebija, ocijedjena, tecnost sacuvana

2 cena bijelog luka, protisnutog

1 limun, sok (ili prema ukusu)

1-2 K tahini paste

2-3 K maslinovog ulja

1/2 k kima u prahu

so prema ukusu

Reznjevi limuna, za servirati

ulje za prziti

Nacin:

Pomijesajte sve sastojke i sotavite bar pola sata, kako bi se arome razvile. Zagrijte ulje i przite obje strane kofte nekoliko minuta. U medjuvremenu, napravite humus. Miksajte / blendirajte sve sastojke, dodajte dovoljno tecnosti iz konzerve koliko zelite da humus bude gust. Servirajte sa komadom boljeg hljeba/kruha i  sa  kriskom limuna

Tomato Soup ... feel-good-soup

This soup is most desirable in my family...When it's cold outside, my boys want tomato soup; when they're upset for some reason, they want tomato soup; when they're sick - tomato soup again. I wonder why I didn't post this recipe long time ago?! Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil (or half butter, half oil)
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tbs flour
1 can diced tomatoes (or 5-6 fresh, diced)
2 tbs tomato paste (for thickness and colour - optional)
5-6 cups water
Oregano and / or Basil leaves, thorn
salt (or vegetable stock), pepper, sugar - to your taste
Method:
Heat oil, sautee onions. Add half of garlic and flour, cook and stir for a minute. Place diced tomatoes inside and pour water over it. Bring to boil and cook for 15 minutes. Add all other ingredients according to your taste, boil for another minute. Blend to desired smoothness, or leave it chunky. Serve with crusty bread or Focaccia (served with Oregano and Parmesan Focaccia).

Paradajz Supa ... da se bolje osjećaš

Ova supa / juha je najtrazenija u mojoj porodici... Kad je hladno vani, moji decki traze ovu supu; Kad su neraspolozeni, zele paradajz supu; kad su bolesni - opet paradajz supa. Pitam se zasto ranije nisam objavila ovaj divni recept?! Lako i ukusno!

Potrebno:

2 K maslinovog ulja (ili pola ulje pola maslac)
1 manji crveni luk, sjeckan
2-3 cena bijelog luka, sitno sjeckana
1,5 K brasna
1 konzerva isjecenog paradajza (ili 5-6 svjezih, sjeckanih)
2 K gustog paradajz sosa (za gustinu i boju - nije neophodno)
5-6 solja vode
Origano i bosiljak, istrgani
So (ili Vegeta), biber, secer, prema ukusu
Nacin:
Zagrijte ulje, proprzite luk. Dodajte pola bijelog luka i brasno, mijesajte jos minutu. Ubacite paradajz i uspite vodu. Kuhajte oko 15 minuta, zatim dodajte ostale sastojke, prema ukusu. Kuhajte jos jednu minutu. Izmiksajte do zeljene gustine ili ostavite 'u krupno'. Servirajte sa nekim dobrim hljebom / kruhom ili fokacom (recept - na slici je Origano i Parmesan Focaccia).