Falafel Burgers

1- 19oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and finely chopped
1 small cooking onion, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, finely mined
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp ground coriander
1 small egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp paprika
6-8 Tbsp flour
extra flour for making patties

4-6 hamburger buns
Lettuce
Tomato slices
sweet onion slices
Tzatziki sauce

In a large food processor, add the drained and rinsed chick peas, onion (cut in half), 3 cloves garlic (whole), cumin, coriander, egg, salt, pepper, parsley and paprika to the food processor and chop it all up until it has become well mixed and has turned into a thick, somewhat chunky paste.  (If you don't have a food processor, you'll have to do the best you can with imagination, a knife and a wooden spoon.  Don't worry, I've been there and managed to make hummus!).  Remove mixture into a mixing bowl.  Add the flour (start with 6 Tbsp) to the chickpea mixture and blend well with a wooden spoon.  If needed add the other 2 Tbsp flour and blend again.  The mixture should not be too wet that you can't make some balls and then a burger patty out of it.  It should also not be too dry and crumbly that your ball/patty won't stay together.

In large non-stick frying pan, heat about 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter over medium to medium-high heat, until bubbling.

Have extra flour sifted onto a plate for coating the patties with.  You will find that it helps to coat your hands with flour as well so that it won't stick to them so badly.  Divide up the mixture into either 4, which will make large patties or 6, which will make small patties.  Take each section and roll into a ball with your hands, then flatten into typical burger patty thickness (they don't tend to shrink like meat does when it's cooking, so they'll stay the size you make them).  Lay them onto the plate with the flour and lightly coat both sides with flour, keeping them circular.  As each patty is made carefully lay it in the frying pan.  Keep and eye on the pan side of the patties and carefully flip them when they become golden brown in colour.  Once both sides of the patty are golden brown they're ready!

Assemble them like you would a beef burger, although I would omit the usual condiments like ketchup, mustard and relish, and use Tzatziki sauce with fresh lettuce, tomato and sweet onion slices instead.  I severed these great vegetarian falafel burgers with carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks and extra tzatziki  for dipping.

Enjoy!

Chicken Korma

2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 large pinches ground cloves
1-2 large pinches ground cardamom
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (6 oz, or more) skinless, boneless chicken breast 1.5" cubes
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala (not spicy)
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup ground almonds (could use cashews)
1/2 tsp tumeric
3 small fresh bay leaves
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2-2 cups plain 2% yogurt
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Marinade chicken in yogurt, ginger, 1 clove garlic and paprika for an hour or 2.  In a large frying pan heat oil, butter, onion, and 2 cloves garlic. Cook until onions are clear then add all spices and cook for few minutes while stirring. Add the tomato and cook for a bit longer.  Then add all marinated chicken and yogurt to pan and give it a good stir.  Continue to cook, stirring regularly over medium-high heat.  Once chicken appears to be cooked, or firm add the coconut milk or cream.  Continue to cook for 30 or more minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit.  The sauce, because of the yogurt tends to be a bit watery compared to a butter chicken or paneer dish. That said, don't keep cooking it waiting for it to thicken, just enjoy this dish over basmati rice.  Add some salt to taste if needed.

Very good, but as usual it lacks a certain depth and richness to the flavour, which always seems to happen to me when I make Indian food. 

Since making this dish I have spoken to some Indian friends and they all said that the depth comes with the use of a lot of butter and cream instead of the 2 full cups of yogurt I used.  The used of yogurt and oil without all the butter and cream tends to be how most Indian families eat these dishes, because it is just too rich to have often, not to mention a bit high in calories!

Next time, to try and achieve the depth of flavour which I crave (I don't cook these dishes often, so that's how I'm justifying this...), I will use a lot more butter, slightly less yogurt, instead I'll use cream to make up the difference of using less yogurt.  I also would like to use ground cashew nuts next time instead of almonds.

I was also told to try tempering the yogurt by either watering it down a bit or using milk or cream mixed in the yogurt to try and avoid the fine curdling that happens when you use straight yogurt.

Easy Hearty Chilli

I know this recipe may seem daunting due to the seemingly large list of ingredients, but these are items we should always keep on hand because they are the basis for almost anything you want to cook.  So, don't be scared if your a beginner, this is more of a "throw-it-in-a-pot" and forget about it recipe!

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, chopped
2 large celery sticks, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
6 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
28 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed
19 oz can chick peas, rinsed
1 Aurora beef bouillon cube, crumbled
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

In large pot brown ground beef with onion, garlic and oil over medium high heat.  Break up large beef chunks.  Add carrots, celery, bay leaves and spices to pot, allow to cook for a few minutes stirring regularly.  Then add the kidney beans, chickpeas, and both cans of tomatoes as well as the salt, pepper and bouillon cube. Give this a good stir cover and let cook at a gentle boil over medium heat (or lower) stirring regularly for an hour.  After an hour or so remove lid and continue cooking just above simmer for another half hour to allow it to thicken a bit.  Stir a few times during this period.  Serve with rice and enjoy a comforting fall meal.

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
4 cups water
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Bovril liquid chicken stock

Bring water to a boil, add rice, butter and chicken stock.  Reduce heat to just above simmer and allow to cook for about 12 minutes.  You can stir it once during the cooking time.  Once cooked, fluff with fork and voila, perfect rice every time!


We ate this with some cheese we had on hand which was baby Fruillino, a so called Italian cheese (mild tasting, similar to mozzarella) which we have since decided is perfect melting cheese. Needless to say we allowed some slices of cheese to melt atop the chili on our plates and it brought my chili to another level!