Vegetarian Shawarma Recipe for Quatar

Vegetarian Shawarma

We love Shawarma now !

It was introduced to me by my elder daughter as I was constantly complaining that she does not eat at home. “What do you eat at Miramar that I cannot make?”   Now throw this challenge to a teenager and be prepared to face the consequences.

She took me to Miramar and fed me Shawarma.  She was shocked that I did not like it. It was bland and I felt not something as good as she described.  

Somewhere around that time it was Wine Festival better known as Grape Escapade  and after our visit there   all of us , we are about 20 of us here ,wanted something to eat.  Most places were closed so we went for Shawarma.  Me grumbling that what muck we have to eat, and imagine 18 of them pouncing on you telling you are you crazy….

This time the place was better and the Shawarma was awesome. Both my husband and I liked it.   

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Vegetarian Anticucheras or Anticuchos from Peru

Anticucheras or Anticuchos

 According to Wikipedia,” Peruvian cuisine reflects local practices and ingredients—including influences from the indigenous population including the Inca and cuisines brought in with immigrants from Europe (Spanish cuisine, Italian cuisine, German cuisine), Asia (Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine) and West Africa. Without the familiar ingredients from their home countries, immigrants modified their traditional cuisines by using ingredients available in Peru.

The four traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn, potatoes and other  tubers, Amaranthaceaes  (Quinoa, Kañiwa and kiwicha) and legumes (beans and lupins). Staples brought by the Spanish include rice, wheat and meats (beef, pork and chicken).

The US food critic Eric Asimov has described it as one of the world's most important cuisines and as an exemplar of fusion cuisine, due to its long multicultural history. “

But I was interested in Street Food…. My chosen theme for the Mega Marathon that we have going for this month at Blogging Marathon which is named “Around the World In 30 Days” where we are blogging international cuisine alphabetically.  So toady for P I have chosen Peru.

In Peru, anticuchos, a type of kebab, are often sold by street vendors called anticucheras. Also, cuy, a species of Guinea Pig is served as a delicacy on religious holidays.

So I made anticucheras, okay you are right I did not use any meat I used potatoes….

Anticucheras or Anticuchos

Vegetarian Anticucheras or Anticuchos

Recipe Source: Food.com.com

Ingredients:

• 1 kg /4-5 big potatoes cut into wedges of about 2 inches long
• 8-10 small onions
• 2 cucumbers cut in thick roundels
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tblspn jeera/cumin powder
• 1 tsp kali mirchi/ pepper corns  ground
• salt  to taste
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 tblspn fresh parsley, finely minced
• 2 tblspn dhania/ coriander leaves, finely minced
• 4 dried chillies
• ¼   cup oil plus 1 or 2 tblspn as needed
• 4-5 ears corn on the cob, cooked (save some of the husk)

Method:

• Par -boil the potatoes with a little salt.
• Soak the red chillies in hot water until they are soft. You could remove the seeds if you feel like. That will make the chillies less spicy. 
• Blend the vinegar, garlic, dried chilli, cumin powder, pepper powder, parsley and coriander leaves with ¼ cup of the oil until you have a soft paste. 
• Pour it on the pieces of potato and onions distribute evenly so all pieces are well covered and can absorb the marinade. Adjust the seasonings.
• Cover and let sit in the refrigerator. I marinated the pieces in the morning and cooked them in the afternoon.   
• I added the cucumber just before the grilling but that was a bad idea. They should have gone in before at least 1 hour before the actual grilling.
• In the meantime, place thick bamboo skewers to soak in water so they don't burn when they go on the grill if you are using bamboo skewers. I used the stainless steel ones. 
• In case you plan to use a charcoal grill and make sure the coals are very hot before you start.  I grilled them on the gas.
• Arrange the potatoes, cucumber and onions on the skewer.
• Save the rest of the marinade in a cup or small bowl and add the1 tblspn of the oil to it, mix well. This will be used for basting the potatoes on the grill.
• Tie some pieces of fresh corn husk with a string made out of some more husk and shred them half the way to make a kind of brush and use it for basting. 

Anticucheras or Anticuchos

•  If like me you are grilling over the gas stove then place the potatoes on the stove and baste them generously with the leftover marinade and oil mix. But be careful as this will drip and  cause the coals/gas to flame.  Make sure it flames over because this is what gives the anticuchos their distinctive flavour.

Anticucheras or Anticuchos

• Cook them well basting and flaming until they are done.
• In case you are cooking on coal fire then at the same time, place the pieces of corn and potatoes on a corner of the grill, baste them with the same marinade and allow them to be flamed too.
• Serve the skewers in each plate.
• Serve hot, right out of the grill, don't let it get cold! ENJOY! 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Simiti or Simit or Turkish Sesame Rings

Simiti  or Simit

For the month Swati of Baking Partners has challenged us to make  Simiti  or Simit from here. I was relieved for i had already made this delicious bread. With the month long marathon at my space and all of sick I did not have too much tension.

Then I began thinking where is the post? Cannot see it at my wordpress site or here on blogspot!! I could locate it on my facebook page. The FB page led me to the domain I had and which crashed without any way of recovering it. I lost so many delicious posts. Boy was I upset?

Luckily for me I had the draft and pics. So for me it’s a repost. I hope you don’t mind Swati.

This is my repost....

"For the month of February Aparna had given us a freehand and we could bake anything we choose. Now there are many that I wanted to bake some are from the challenges that I had missed in the past. But I had made the petimezi/ grape juice thickened in the fridge.  So I made Simitia/Koulouria these were to be made for Eggless Baking, Gayatri’s brainchild.

So enjoy these for we We Knead to Bake

Simiti  or Simit

Recipe Source: My Little Expat Kitchen

Makes 10 Simiti or Simit

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 3 tsp active Yeast
• 5 cups Flour/ Maida
• 2 tblspn  Sugar
• 1 cup Lukewarm Milk
• 1 cup Lukewarm Water
• 2 tblspn Olive Oil + extra for oiling the mould
• 1 tsp salt

For the coating:

• 1 ½ cups Til/Sesame Seeds
• 1/3 cup petimezi /grape juice thickened
• ¼ cup water

Method:

• First make the Petimezi. I have just done nothing but followed the instructions here. As usual I did not follow any measures just crushed and strained the grapes and boiled it stirring constantly. I have done the job in a thick bottomed kadhai/wok on a low flame. 
• In a medium bowl mix the milk, water and sugar. Add the yeast and mix well. Set aside in a warm corner to proof.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl mix together flour, salt, and oil.
• Add yeast mixture to make soft and slightly sticky dough.
• Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for 10 minutes until soft and elastic.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and allow it to double for 1 hour.
• While the dough is resting roast the sesame seeds till slightly brown and aromatic. Remove and cool.
• In a bowl mix together the petimezi thickened grape juice and water. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 180°C. (The original recipe says 200°C but I baked at 180°C).
• Now deflate the dough and divide into 10 equal portions. 
• Divide each portion into two and roll each portion into a 30 cm long rope.
• Attach at one end both the rolls and twist both together to form a braid.
• Make a ring by sealing both the ends to form a braided ring. Repeat with all the portions.
• Dip the ring in petimezi /grape juice and place it on the sesame seeds.
• Coat the ring completely with the seeds.
• Place the coated ring on a baking tray.
• Complete all the rings.  
• Transfer to the oven directly they do not need second proofing.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until nicely browned.
• Remove from oven and serve it hot or warm.
• Serve slathered with butter, jam or chocolate spread and enjoy!!
• Mine disappeared without any spreads. 

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!