Chundo jo saak (ground beef curry)

Funny how food has a way to jog the memory, this one brought back instant memories of times past.  Chundo jo saak (ground beef curry)

To prep the ground beef:

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs extra lean ground beef

1 tbsp white viniger

pinch of salt

3 cups cold water

Directions:

Combine above ingredients in a pot

Pour cold water

Boil over medium heat until ground beef is 1/2 cooked

Remove from heat and strain

Thoroughly wash off all “junk” (ie: blood, fat, etc that may float to the top)

Set aside

For Saak

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

2 curry leaves

3 whole cloves (luving)

3 whole black pepper corns

3 whole cardamom (elchi) pods

3 small size cinnamon sticks (taaj)

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp garlic (lasan)

1/4 tsp ginger (adu)

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp turmeric (haider)

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1/3 small can tomato paste

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

1 handful of macaroni (optional)

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp lemon juice

Handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat

2. Sauté curry leaves, cloves, pepper corns, cinnamon until their perfume has been released

3. Add onions until and sauté to a golden brown

4. Add crushed tomatoes, garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, and dhanna jero

5. Let the tomatoes and spices cook for 5 minutes then add tomato paste, garam masala, and lemon juice

6. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water (note:  reduce or increase water based on consistency preference)

7. Add potato cubes, ground beef, and macaroni (optional)
8. Let the mixture merry together over medium heat (30 min)

9. Once the ground beef is cooked, add chopped coriander leaves/stems

10. Enjoy!

Note: Serve with rice or naan or maani/rotli

Chana Bateta (chic pea and potato curry)

Mummy made quick (and tasty!) cooking an art.  We would gather at the table only a few minutes after she was at the stove.  One of her quickest recipes was this go-to item: Chana Bateta (chic pea and potato curry)

Pre-work:

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes

1 can of chic peas (aka garbanzo beans) 

Directions – Part 1:

1. Boil potatoes until cooked.  

2. Cut potatoes into small cubes and set aside

3. Open, strain, and rinse the can of chic peas and set aside

For the masala (curry):

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

6 curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 green chili, halved

1 large tomato

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp turmeric (haider)

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp ghram flour (aka chic pea flour) mixed with 1/8 cup cold water

2 cups hot water (optional)

Handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems

Directions – Part 2:

1. Heat oil on medium high heat

2. Sauté curry leaves, mustard seeds, chili, until the seeds pop

3. Add tomato, salt, turmeric, dhanna jero and cook for 2 minutes

4. Add tomato paste and ghram flour/water mixture, and cook for 5 minutes

5. Add strained chic peas, potatoes, and combine

            5.1 – If you like a dry masala, you’re done

            5.2 – If you like a runny masala, add hot water and simmer for 20 minutes

Note: Serve with a chevero, chips, and tamarind chutney (recipes coming soon)

Bateta Wara (spiced mashed potatoes fritters)

There were always happy memories when family would visit.  Keeping true to tradition, mummy would whip up some quick snacks for our guests.

One go-to item was Bateta Wara (spiced mashed potatoes fritters)

To prep the filling:

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes

2 tbsp oil

1/3 tbsp brown mustard seeds

1/3 tbsp whole cumin

5 curry leaves

1 tsp garlic (lasan)

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp turmeric (haider)

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions – Part 1:

1. Boil potatoes until soft

2. Mash potatoes and set aside

Directions – Part 2:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat

2. Add mustard seeds, cumin, and curry leaves

3. Cover pot and keep it moving until you hear the seeds pop

4. Reduce heat to medium-low

5. Add garlic, salt, dhanna jero, and turmeric

6. Sauté for 3 minutes then add lemon juice

7. Add cooked spice mixture to mashed potatoes and mix

8. Roll spiced potatoes mix into 2-bite size balls

To prep the coating:

Ingredients:

2/3 cups besin flour (golden chick pea flour aka gram flour)

1/2 cup water

Pinch of salt

Pinch of baking powder

Oil (enough for a shallow fry)

Directions – Part 3:

1. Mix coating ingredients (except oil) to a medium consistency

2. Heat oil

3. Dip ball from part 2 into coating mix and fry until golden brown

4. Place on paper towel to let excess oil drain

Note: Serve with a tamarind chutney (recipe coming soon) or express chutney (click here for recipe)

Chicken Saak

Another fond memory I have is a staple in any East-African home: Chicken Saak.

There are countless happy memories of sitting around the table with my family with a pot of chicken saak and rice or maanis (rotlis).

To prep the chicken:

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken cut into pieces

1 tsp garlic (lasan)

1 tsp ginger (adu)

3 whole cloves (luving)

3 whole black pepper corns

3 whole cardamom (elchi) pods

pinch of salt

5 cups cold water

Directions:

Combine above ingredients in a pot

Pour cold water

Boil over medium heat until chicken is 2/3 cooked

Remove chicken and let cool (options with chicken: shred, cube, or leave on bone)

Strain 3 cups of your boiling liquid and reserve for saak

For Saak

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 curry leaf

1/2 can crushed tomatoes

1/2 can tomato paste

1 tsp garlic (lasan)

1/4 tsp ginger (adu)

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp turmeric (haider)

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

3 cups reserved boiling liquid (above)

1/2 tsp garam masala

Handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat

2. Sauté onion and curry leaf until golden brown

3. Add crushed tomatoes, dhanna jero, garlic, ginger, salt, and turmeric

4. Let the tomatoes and spices cook for 5 minutes then add tomato paste

5. Add 3 cups reserved liquid 

6. Let the mixture merry together over medium heat

7. Add potato cubes and chicken

8. Once the chicken is cooked, add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves/stems
9. Let it come to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour

10. Place in a nice bowl and take a picture (like below)

Note: Serve with rice or naan or maani/rotli

Kabab jo Saak (Meatball curry)

As I continue my journey down memory lane , my first stop is at Kabab jo Saak.

Trying to remember how my parents mixed the masala to form the meatballs aka kababs, I think I came pretty close. 

For Meatballs aka Kababs

Ingredients:

1 kg lean ground beef

1 tsp garlic (lasan)

1 tsp ginger (adu)

1/2 tsp salt

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

Handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems

Directions:

Mix above ingredients

Form into balls

Set aisde

For Saak

Ingredients:

1 medium onion

1/3 can crushed tomatoes

1/3 can tomato paste

1 tsp garlic (lasan)

1/2 tsp ginger (adu)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric (haider)

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1 medium potato (in cubes)

2 cups water

1/2 tsp garam masala

Handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems

Directions:

1. Sauté 1 medium onions until golden brown

2. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
3. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of salt & turmeric 

4. 1 heaping teaspoon of dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

5. Add potato cut into 1-inch cubes
6. Let the mixture merry together over medium heat

7. Add 2 cups water

8. Add 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
9. Add a handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems
10. Add the meatballs ~~~ *do not stir*

11. Let it come to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour

12. Place in a nice bowl and take a picture (like below)