Author Archive for mercina

Spinach Paratha (Indian Flatbread) (Roti Style)

Published on February 16, 2009 in Bread, Dipali, Indian, Roti and Spinach. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , .


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Paratha are a type of flatbread that originated in India. They are made with whole-wheat flour and typically pan fried with ghee (clarified butter) or oil. The stuffing for a paratha can either be mixed into the dough, or placed into a ball of dough which is made into a pocket. In this receipe we are keeping it simple by just mixing the stuffing directly into the dough. For the stuffing we are using a form of spinich called, fenugreek.

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • ¼ cup chick pea flour
  • 3 cloves shredded garlic
  • ½ tsp shredded ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 bunch or 1 bag of fenugreek spinich (methi) washed, cut and blended
  • pinch of sugar
  1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Try and get rid of any lumps.
  2. Add the wet ingredients (water, yogurt, oil) and work the dough until all the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Heat a non-stick pan on the stove on medium heat.
  4. Make a ball of dough (about half the size of a golf ball) and douse it in some all purpose flour.
  5. On a smooth surface, roll the ball of dough to about 8-10 cm in diameter using a rolling pin. Roll with a very light hand and douse the paratha in flour when needed to avoid sticking.
  6. Place the paratha on the pan and lightly cook one side. After about 15 seconds flip it over and cook the other side. After another 10-15 seconds flip it over again. Lightly brush this side with oil. Flip it over again and with a spatula, press down on the paratha, allowing it to cook and absorb the oil. Flip over and continue this.
  7. Repeat steps 4-6 for the remainder of the dough.

** Note – You need not finish all the dough at once. You can store it in the fridge for a couple days.

Enjoy!

Fish Baked in the Oven w/ Lemon, Carrots, Onion & Potatoes

Published on February 9, 2009 in Baked, Eva, Fish, Greek and oven. 7 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .


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With thousands of miles of coastline, it is not surprising that Greeks have developed numerous delicious ways of preparing fish. In this video, Eva show us how to prepare fish baked in the oven with onions, carrots, garlic, lemon, parsley and olive oil. We love this recipe for its simplicity and nutritional value. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

  • 6 herring fillets (you can use a different type of fish if you prefer)
  • 2 medium onions chopped
  • 5-6 cloves of garlic (leave whole)
  • 2 carrots coarsely chopped
  • 4 small potatoes cut into small wedges
  • ¼ a cup of chopped parsley
  • About ½ cup of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Juice from 1 ½ lemons
  • ¼ cup of wine
  • 1 glass of water

Clean the fish well and season it with salt, pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Set the fish aside in the fridge for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a large pan with a few drops of olive oil and place the fillets on the pan. Place the chopped onion on top on the fish. Add the garlic, carrots, and potatoes to the pan. Season the vegetables with a pinch each of salt and pepper, and the fresh parsley. Add about 1/3 a cup of olive oil, the remainder of the lemon juice, the wine, and water to the pan.

Cook in the oven at 350 degrees. After an hour take the pan out of the oven and turn the potatoes over on the other side. Put the pan back in the oven for another 30 minutes. It is now ready to serve, enjoy!

Swiss Chard and Black Eyed Beans

Published on December 19, 2008 in Beans, Eva and Vegetarian. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .


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Here is another wonderful vegetarian dish that uses only a few simple and healthy ingredients. Both Swiss chard and black eyed beans are rich in nutrients and very high in fiber. In Greece, this dish is usually eaten as the main meal, but it also makes a great side dish.

About 1½ cup of black eyed beans
Half a bunch of Swiss chard
1 medium onion chopped
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 cup of tomato juice
Pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper

Wash and strain the black eyed beans and place them in a pot of boiling water for about 5 to 10 minutes (the time really depends on the beans; some beans need longer than others).

Chop the Swiss chard into small cubes. Wash and strain the Swiss chard and place the leaves in a separate pot of boiling water for about 3-4 minutes.

Once the Swiss chard had finished blanching, remove the leaves from the heat and strain the water. Do the same with the black eyed beans.

In a medium sized pot, place the oil and onions. Over a medium heat setting, sauté the onions for about 2-3 minutes. Add the beans to the pot and stir for a few minutes. Add a dash of salt and pepper and, if you like a little extra kick, add a pinch of hot pepper flakes. After about 2 minutes, add the Swiss chard and stir. Add the tomato juice and 2 cups of water and stir well. Once the water has begun to boil, cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat. At a low heat setting, allow the beans and Swiss chard to simmer for about 45 minutes to one hour (while stirring periodically). The beans need to cook until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Makes 4 servings.

Kulfi (Qulfi) Flavoured Frozen Indian Ice Cream

Published on December 12, 2008 in Dessert, Dipali, Ice Cream and Indian. 21 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .


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Kulfi is a type of frozen Indian dessert similar to ice cream. It comes in many different flavours such as, mango, pistachio and rose. In this recipe we are going to keep it simple and just use a combination of ground almond, cardamom and saffron to provide flavour.

Ingredients – Half Quantity (Full Quantity)

  • 185mL 1/2 can (370mL 1 can) Evaporated Milk
  • 75mL 1/4 can (150mL 1/2 can) Condensed Milk
  • 500mL 1/2 tub (1L 1 tub) Whipped Cream Cool Whip
  • 2 tbsp (4 tbsp) Ground Almond
  • 1 tsp (2 tsp) Ground Cardamom
  • 1 tsp (2 tsp) Sugar
  • 1 tsp (2 tsp) Saffron
  • Handful sliced almonds
  • Handful sliced pistachios

Directions

Saffron Powder

Using a mortar and pestle we want to combine the sugar and saffron and grind them together.

  1. Combine some of the sugar and saffron in the mortar.
  2. Using the pestle, grind until and sugar and saffron have become one powder.
  3. Repeat until you have gotten through all the sugar and saffron.

Kulfi Mixture

  1. Combine evaporated milk, condensed milk and whipped cream in a bowl and blend until no lumps remain, using a hand blender.
  2. Add the ground almond, ground cardamom and saffron powder into the mixture.
    Mix thoroughly.
  3. Pour the mixture into a tray or individual serving cups. Garnish with the sliced almond and pistachio.
  4. Put into the freezer to freeze. Freezing time is about 5-6 hours.

** Half Quanity makes about 7-8 servings
** Full Quantity makes about 14-15 servings

Chicken Avgolemono (Egg-Lemon) Soup

Published on December 6, 2008 in Chicken, Greek, Irene and Soup. 9 Comments Tags: , , , , , .


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This is another classic Greek dish which has been handed down from generation to generation. It is made with fresh and healthy ingredients, and it is the perfect meal to serve on a cold winter’s night. There are different variations of Avgolemono soup, but in this video Irene shows us how to prepare it with rice and chicken.

To prepare the base:

4 quarter chicken legs
2 medium potatoes cut into quarter pieces
1 cup chopped carrots
2 medium onions
2-4 stalks of celery
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of vegetable seasoning (Irene uses Vegeta)
1 cup of rice

To prepare the Avgolemono

2 eggs, separated
The juice of 2 lemons

Boil the chicken in a large pot filled with water. After about 10 minutes of boiling the chicken, remove any film that develops at the water surface. Add the coarsely chopped vegetables, olive oil, salt, and seasoning to the soup. Allow to boil for another 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add 1 cup of rice to the soup (be sure to wash the rice thoroughly before you add it). Add 1 cup of warm water and allow the rice to cook for 20 minutes.

Tear the chicken into small pieces and remove the bones. Add the meat to the soup and stir well. After about 2 minutes turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites until fluffy. Add the yolks and continue to whisk the eggs. Add the juice of 2 lemons and mix well. To add the avgolemono to the soup, first add a small portion of the soup into the egg mixture and then slowly add the entire mixture to the soup.

Garnish with fresh pepper and lemon.

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon Potatoes

Published on November 24, 2008 in Chicken, Eva and oven. 20 Comments Tags: , , , .


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This is the perfect meal to make on a weekend afternoon. It is simple and healthy and fills the house with wonderful smell. Add a side of salad and it is perfect for family gatherings!

Potatoes (use 2-3 potatoes for each person)
2 carrots
1 whole chicken
¼ cup of lemon juice
Half a lemon
5 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of oregano
Salt and pepper
¼ cup of olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean, peel, and cut the potatoes and carrots. Place the chicken at the center of your pan and assemble the potatoes and carrots.

Season the chicken and potatoes with salt, pepper and oregano, and squeeze out the juice of half a lemon. Place the remaining lemon inside the bird, along with a clove of garlic.

Place the remaining garlic cloves on the pan and add the ¼ cup of lemon juice to the potatoes. Add the olive oil and a large glass of water to the pan.

Cook in the oven for about an hour at 400 degrees. Turn over the chicken and potatoes and cook for another 45 minutes.

Gigantes/Yiyantes (Greek Giant Baked Beans)

Published on November 16, 2008 in Beans, Entree, Eva and Greek. 16 Comments Tags: , , .


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This is a nutritious and wonderfully satisfying vegetarian dish. The name ‘yiyantes’ comes from the Greek word for giant (‘giant beans’). Yiyantes can be cooked a couple of different ways, and in this recipe Eva shows us how to prepare these giant beans in tomato juice baked in the oven (plaki-style).

3 cups of large lima beans (yiyantes)
½ cup of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 pieces of garlic, finely diced
1 cup of chopped carrots
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
2 cups of crushed tomatoes, or tomato juice
Salt and pepper

Place 3 cups of washed lima beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Allow the beans to soak in the water overnight. Drain the water and pour the beans into a large pot of boiling water and blanche them for about 5 minutes.

In a large pan, add the olive oil and sauté the onions. Add the garlic, carrots, salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

After about 5 minutes of boiling the beans, remove them from the heat and drain the water. Place the beans in a large pan. Add the tomato sauce to the beans. Add 4 cups of water and mix well to ensure the tomato sauce is evenly spread.

Allow the beans to cook in the oven for about an hour at 350 degrees.

Serve as a side dish or as the main meal. Enjoy!