Tag: dill

Simple Biryani with Turkey Meatballs and Peas

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Biryani is a rice casserole. It is traditionally made with Basmati rice. This can be a very complex dish and take many many hours.

However, this is a simple and quick version. It is still very delicious and satisfying.

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Start with the meatballs for the biryani

Pick a protein – I used minced turkey but you can use what you like – beef, lamb, chicken – I would say even fish would be great.
Season generously with salt, pepper, chopped cilantro, ginger and garlic. I also used fresh dill since I love the fresh flavor of dill.
Form the balls and cook them on the stove top in a skillet with a little oil.
They can also be baked. I have added them raw too.

I know I frustrate some people with my recipes – but I like to have options. Technique is far more important than exact instructions and so I am not a baker.

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Set the meatballs aside – they should not be cooked through – just browned. They will finish cooking in the rice.

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Heat a casserole and add a tbs oil.
Add cumin seeds, a couple bay leaves, cardamom pods and dry red chillies if you have them.
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Next add a sliced onion and saute for about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt.

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After the onions have browned, add frozen peas if you like.No need to defrost – they will cook sufficiently in the upcoming process.

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Next 2 cups of rice. You can increase or decrease the amount of rice. A rule of thumb when cooking rice is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of liquid. Be aware if your base has its own liquid, like if you were using tomatoes – to reduce the amount of liquid.

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Stir the rice, onions and peas well for a couple of minutes. I like to brown the rice a little at this stage.

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Next add the water and stir.
Stick your finger in the water to check for seasoning.

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Bring to a boil and cover with the flame on a low simmer.

Rice normally takes 20 minutes – at the 10 minute point is when I add the meatballs. I push them down into the rice – so they cook evenly.
Cover again and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand covered for up to 20 minutes.

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When you open the lid, the rice will be on the top and all the yumminess underneath. Use a spatula to gently mix everything.
I happened to have boiled eggs laying around and so I used them for garnish.

I served it with yogurt on the side and Indian pickles if you have them.

I hope you try this simple and healthful dish.

Until I cook again!

Meatball fettucine in a creamy dill sauce

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  • I wrote about these meatballs a while ago and made them again last night for my sweet.

    I make extra meatballs, use some with pasta and save others for the week which I use in sandwiches, salads or just for a snack.

    They are simple and versatile – you can use many different seasonings and make them your own.

    For the past few weekends my dad and I have had a standing date watching Homeland – the amazing Showtime show.  We watch several episodes a weekend to get ready for the new season starting October 5th.

    This date sometimes puts a crimp on our dinner style 🙂

    The wine is flowing freely as we watch but this girl can’t live on wine alone.

    The father made a request for pasta with Swedish meatballs.

    In my mind Swedish meatballs means tons of dill in a sour cream sauce and so that’s what I did.

    We took a twenty minute break from our TV watching and I had dinner ready at the end of it.

    I took coarse minced beef (you can use turkey, chicken, pork or a combination of) and added a handful of chopped dill, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

    I browned these in olive oil as the pasta cooked in salted water.

    When the meatballs were browned in about 10 minutes or so, I added a cup of sour cream and a half cup of milk.  I added the pasta to this mixture, more dill and chopped garlic – and then red pepper flakes because that’s what I do.

    Some vinegar or lemon juice for a tang, check for seasoning and dinner is ready.

    Ladle in bowls and we watch as we are mesmerized by Homeland.

    Try this recipe, watching TV or not.

    I promise you will love it.

    Until I eat again!

     

Meatballs in a Creamy Sauce – and a great way to involve your kids in the kitchen

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Just imagine for a moment, tiny hands making tiny meatballs as you sit back and sip a glass of mine.  How heavenly is that?

Well, you could do that with your kids.

Everyone loves meatballs – I know that I do and you can use them in so many ways.

Here I have them in a creamy sauce with Indian flavors but you can flavor them any way that you like and have them with pasta, make mini burgers, as a snack – the sky is really the limit.

For the mix:

Use your choice of meats – mix and match all you like

Use:

beef, pork, chicken, veal or lamb.

Chop up some herbs like cilantro, mint or dill and add to the meat.  Season with salt and pepper and some garlic would be nice.

Now for the secret – how do you make and keep the meatballs soft?

Bread – plain old white bread – moistened in water and then squeezed – trust me, this is waaay better than bread crumbs.

For the sauce, I added some whipped yogurt and a tiny bit of tomato paste for a lovely hue.

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After your kids have formed the balls, just saute them lightly in some oil and then add to the sauce.

If not using a sauce, just finish cooking them and then make mini burgers for your minis.

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This is where I used the same meatballs with pasta, extra dill and red chili flakes.

I urge you to experiment and get your kids involved.  I promise they will eat everything they make and give you a breather.

Until I cook again!