Harissa

Harissa este o pasta de chili care se gaseste on bucataria nord africana, marocana, algeriana si tunisiana.

Harissa is a chili paste that is found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine.

Harissa se adauga la couscous, supe, paste si alte retete.

Add harissa to couscous, soups, pastas and other recipes.

Ingrediente / Ingredients

• 24 ardei iuti (chili) uscati / 24 dried red chili peppers
• 5-6 catei de usturoi / 5-6 cloves garlic
• 1 lingurita sare / 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 linguri ulei de masline / 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lingurite seminte de coriandru  / 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 2 lingurite seminte de chimen  /  2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 lingurita de chimion / 1 teaspoon cumin

 

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation

1. Ardeii iuti se inmoaie in apa fierbinte timp de 30  minute. Se scurg. Se inlatura coditele si semintele  / Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds.

2. Se macina coriandrul si semintele de chimen / Ground coriander and caraway seeds.

3. Intr-un blender se amesteca chilli, usturoiul, sarea si uleiul de masline / In a blender combine chilli peppers, garlic, salt and olive oil.

4. Se adauga condimentele ramase si se amesteca pana cand se obtine o pasta omogena /  Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste.

Carne de vita in sos de rosii picant / Beef in spicy tomato sauce

Ingrediente / Ingredients

• 800 gr carne de vita macra, fiarta / 800 gr lean beef, boiled
• 3-4 linguri ulei / 3-4 tbs oil
• 2 capatane de usturoi curatate si zdrobite / 2 heads of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 ½ - 2 lingurite faina / 1 ½ - 2 tsp flour
• 400 ml suc de rosii mai gros sau passata  / 400 ml thick tomatoe juice or passata
• 150 ml apa / 150 ml water
• 1 ½ lingurita zahar / 1 ½ tsp sugar
• praf de ardei iute  dupa gust / chilly powder, to taste
• sare dupa gust / salt, to taste
• piper negru macinat dupa gust / black ground pepper, to taste
• manuta frunze patrunjel tocate / a small hand of chopped parsley leafs 

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation

1. Intr-o tigaie mare se incinge uleiul si se prajeste carnea fiarta de vita pe pana se rumeneste pe ambele parti / Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the boiled beef on  both sides until brown.

2. Dupa ce se rumeneste se scoate pe o farfurie iar in uleiul ramas (daca ramane prea putin ulei mai adaugati 1 lingura) se distuie usturoiul avand grija sa nu se arda / After it is browned, take it out on a plate and in the remaining oil (if oil is too little, pour one more tbs) and fry the garlic, taking care not to burn it.

3. Cand usturoiul este distuit se adauga faina si se amesteca si se prajeste cateva secunde / When garlic is fried add flour, mix and fry for a few seconds.

4. Se adauga sucul de rosii sau pasata, apa si fierbe la foc mediu amestecand continuu pana devine de consistenta unei smantani mai groase / Add tomatoe juice or passata, water and boil over medim heat mixing continuously until gets the consistency of a thick cream.

5. Se adauga zaharul, sarea, praful de ardei iute, piperul si se amesteca bine iar in sosul rezultat se adauga carnea de vita si se lasa sa fiarba 2-3 minute la foc mic / Add the sugar, salt, chilly powder, pepper, mix well and in the resulted sauce add the beef and let it boil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

 

6. Cand este gata se stinge focul si se presara patrunjelul tocat / When done, turn off the heat and sprinkle the chopped parsley leafs.

7. Se serveste alaturi de cartofi nature sau piure de cartofi / Serve with baked or mashed potatoes.

Salata libaneza cu iaurt si castraveti (Khyar Bi Laban) / Lebanese cucumber and yogurt salad (Khyar Bi Laban)

Salata cu iaurt si castraveti este foarte renumita pente tot in lume ca in India, numita Raita, in Orientul Mijlociu numita Labane bi khiyar, in Turcia – cacik, in Persia –mast o khahir si Tzatziki in Grecia.

Este simpla, sanatoasa si poate fi pregatita in numai 5 minute.

Yogurt cucumber salad is a very famous dish all around the world, like in India called Raita, in Middle East called Labane bi khiyar, in Turkey cacik, in Persia mast o khahir and Tzatziki in Greece.

It is so simple, healthy and can be prepared in just 5 minutes.

Ingrediente / Ingredients:

• 400 g iaurt / 400 g yogurt
• 2 lingurite menta uscata / 2 teaspoons dried mint
• 2 catei de usuturoi pisati / 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• sare dupa gust / salt to taste
• 150 g castraveti taiati cubulete / 150 g diced cucumbers

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation

1. Se amesteca iaurtul, menta, usturoiul si sarea, dupa care se adauga castravetii taiati cubulete/  

Mix yogurt, mint, garlic and salt and then add diced cucumbers.

 

 

2. Se amesteca din nou si se serveste rece langa gratare, carne la cuptor sau langa orice fel de mancare cu carne in special cele picante sau legume pe gratar / Mix again and serve it cold beside barbeque, roasted meat or beside any dish with meat especially spicy ones or grilled vegetables.

“Ciuspais (Tuspais)” de fasole proaspata galbena sau verde / “Ciuspias (Tuspais)” of fresh yellow or green beans

        Ingrediente / Ingredients

• 1 kg fasole proaspata/congelata galbena sau verde, taia in bucati de aprox. 4 cm / 1 kg fresh/frozen yellow or green beans
• 1 ceapa mare tocata /  1 big onion, chopped
• 2 ardei grasi, taiati cubulete / 2 diced peppers
• 2 rosii  taiata cubulete / 2 diced tomatoes
• 50 ml ulei / 50 ml oil
• 1 usturoi intreg decojit si pisat / 1 full garlic peeled and crushed
• 1 ½  lingura boia dulce / 1 ½ tablespoon paprika
• 2 linguri faina / 2 tablespoons flour
• sare dupa gust / salt to taste
• piper dupa gust / pepper to taste
• ½ legatura marar tocat / ½ bunch chopped dill
  
  
  
  
  Mod de preparare
  
  

1. Fasolea se pune la fiert in apa, impreuna cu ceapa, ardeii grasi, rosiile si putina sare la foc mediu pana cand sunt moi / Put the beans in water to boil together with the onion, peppers, tomatoes and a little salt over medium heat until they are soft.

 2. Cand toate s-au fiert se distuie usturoiul pana cand prinde o culoare usor aurie / When all are boiled, fry the garlic until it turns a light golden.

 3. Peste usturoi se adauga boiaua dulce cu faina si se distuie avand grija sa nu se arda, dupa care se adauga un 1 polonic din zeama obtinuta prin fierberea fasolei si a legumelor  / Add the paprika and flour over garlic and fry taking care not to burn the mixture, then add a ladle of stock that was obtained from boiling the bean and vegetables.

  

 4. Peste amestecul distuit se adauga legumele fierte si scurse de zeama impreuna cu inca cateva polonice de zeama de legume, amestecand continuu pana cand sosul devine de consistenta medie (nici prea gros nici prea subtire) / Over the fried mixture add the boiled and strained vegetables together with a bit more vegetables stock, stirring continiously until the sauce has a average consistency (neither too think nor to thin).

5. Se adauga sare si piper dupa gust, maraul si se da deoparte / Add salt and pepper to taste, dill and keep aside.

6. Se serveste ca si garnitura alaturi de orice fel de carne (friptura, snitele, chiftele, gratare etc.) / Serve beside any kind of meat (roasted meat, schnitzels, meat balls etc.)