Pui Stroganoff / Chicken Stroganoff

Ingrediente / Ingredients

• 5 pulpe de pui superioare fara piele, dezosate si taiate in bucati mici / 5 skinless, boneless chicken thighs washed and cut into bite size pieces
• 35 g linguri  boia dulce / 35 g  paprika
• ½ lingurita sare / ½  teaspoon salt
• 30 g faina / 30 g flour
• 1 ceapa mica tocata / 1 small chopped onion 
• 300 g ciuperci feliate / 300 g sliced mushrooms
• 60 ml vermouth sau vin alb / 60 ml vermouth or white wine
• 125 ml supa de pui / 125 ml chicken stock
• 1 lingura pasta de rosii / 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 frunza foi de dafin / 1 bay leaf
• 60 g iaurt simplu / 60 g  plain yogurt
• sare si piper dupa gust / salt and pepper to taste
• putin patrunjel tocat (optional) / some chopped parsley (optional)

Method of preparation

1. Se prepara puiul iar dupa se amesteca cu faina, sarea si boiaua dulce.

Prep the chicken then mix it with flour, salt and paprika. 

2. Intr-o tigaie incinsa la foc mare se adauga putin ulei de masline si se rumeneste puiul pe toate partile.

In a hot pan over high heat add some olive oil and brown the chicken on all sides. 

3. Puiul se scoate pe o farfurie .

Remove the chicken  to a plate. 

4. Se mai adauga ulei daca este nevoie iar dupa se adauga ceapa si ciupercile. Acestea se rumenesc, asigurandu-va  ca nu se ard.

Add some more oil if needed then add the onions and mushrooms. Get these  brown tossing to make sure nothing gets burned.

5. Se pune (deglaze) vermouth sau vin in tigaie dupa care se adauga supa de pui, pasta de rosii si frunza de dafin.

Deglaze the pan with the vermouth or wine then add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and bay leaf.

6. Se da focul putin mai incet si se adauga puiul. Se lasa puiul sa fiarba, amestecand pentru a amesteca faina de pe pui cu sosul pentru a se ingrosa.

Turn down the heat a bit and and add the chicken. Let the chicken cook, stirring to mix the flour on the chicken with the sauce to help it thicken.

7. Odata ce puiul este gata iar sosul este gros, se da focul mai incet si se adauga iaurtul.

Once the chicken is done and the sauce is  thick, turn down the heat and add the yogurt.

8. Se adauga inca putin sare si piper daca doriti.

Add some more salt and pepper if you like.

9. Se presara cu putin patrunjel tocat si se serveste peste taitei cu ou.

Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve over egg noodles.

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.

Smoothie de pere / Pear Smoothie

Portii 3 / Serves 3

Ingrediente / Ingredients:

• 350 g pere coapte (reci sau inghetate), decojite si taiate cubulete / 350 g ripe pears (cold or frozen), peeled and diced
• 380 g iaurt semidegresat / 380 g  low fat yogurt
• 2-3 linguri de miere organica / 2-3 tablespoons organic honey
• 1 lingurita esenta de migdale / 1 teaspoon almond essence
• 8 cuburi de gheata (optional) / 8 ice cubes (optional)
• decoratuni (fulgi, bilute) de ciocolata / chocolate sprinkles

Mod de preparare / Method of preparation :

1. Se adauga perele, iaurtul, mierea si esenta de migdale intr-un blender impreuna cu cuburile de gheata / Add the pears, yogurt, honey and almond essence in a blender along with the ice cubes.

2. Dupa ce se adauga ingredientele, asigurati-va caci capacul blenderului este inchis bine pentru a avita un dezastru / After you add ingredients, make sure the lid of the blender is secure and shut tight to avoid a mess.

3. Se adauga miere in functie de gust / Add honey according to taste.

4. Blenderul se pune la cea mai mare viteza si ingredientele se blendeaza pana se omogenizeaza / Put the blender on the highest setting and blend the ingredients until smooth.

5. Se toarna in pahare si se decoreaza  fiecare pahar in parte cu decoratiuni de ciocolata / Pour into glasses and ganish each with chocolate sprinkles.

Kebab din carne de vita / Beef Kebabs

Ingrediente / Ingredients

Pentru kebab-uri / For the kebabs:

• 900 g carne macra de vita tocata / 900 g lean minced beef
• 1 ceapa mare, tocata / 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 cm radacina de ghimbir proaspat, tocat / 5 cm piece fresh root ginger, chopped
• 2 catei de usturoi, zdrobiti / 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 ardei iute proaspat verde, tocat / 1 fresh green chilli, chopped
• 1 lingurita praf de chilli / 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 linguri de coriandru (cilantro) proaspat tocat / 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1 lingurita garam masala / 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 lingurite coriandru macinat / 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 lingurita chimion macinat / 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 lingurita sare / 1 tsp salt
• 1 ou / 1 egg
• 1 lingura iaurt simplu (low fat) / 1 tbsp plain yogurt (low fat)
• 1 lingura ulei / 1 tbsp oil
• salata mixta, pentru servit / mixed salad, to serve   

Pentru raita / For the raita:

• 250 ml iaurt simplu (low fat) 250 ml plain yogurt (low fat)
• ½ castravete, tocat fin / ½ cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 linguri menta proaspata tocata / 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• ¼ lingurita sare / ¼ tsp salt

Mod de preparare / Preparation

           

1. Pune toate ingredientele pentru kebab, cu exceptia iaurtului si a uleiului, intr-un blender si se amesteca pana cand compozitia se leaga / Put all the ingredients for the kebabs, except the yogurt and oil, into a blender and  blend until the mixture binds together.                                                     

    2. Scoate amestecul intr-un castron,  acopera-l si se lasa-l la marinat timp de 1 ora / Spoon the mixture into a bowl, cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

 3.  Pentru raita, amesteca toate ingredientele si lasa-le la racit in frigider timp de 15 minute / For the raita, mix together all the ingredients and chill for atleast 15 minutes in a refrigerator.

 

  4. Cu mainile usor infainate, imparte amestecul de vita in 8 portii egale, modeleaza-le in forme de carnati lungi / Devide the beef mixture into eight equal portions with lightly floured hands and mould into long sausage shapes.

 5. Unge kebab-urile usor cu iaurt si ulei si frige-le pe un gratar fierbinte intorcandu-le ocazional pana cand sunt rumenite peste tot / Brush the kebabs lightly with the yogurt and oil and cook them on a hot grill, turning them occasionally, until brown all over.

  6. Serveste kebab-urile pe un pat de salata mixta impreuna cu raita / Served the kebabs on a bed of mixed salad together with the raita.