persian sabzi polo

Sabzi polo is the herb rice traditionally prepared by the Iranians for the Iranian New Year. Iranian people eat it in the first day of New Year (nourooz).serve sabzi polo with white fish.


Basmati rice

Herbs (parsley, dill, coriander, fenugreek, spring onion ends)

Cooking oil

Salt

White salmon fish

Russian Tea Ceremony

Most of the Russian Tea Recipes you will find in cookbooks and on the internet are a dry mix tea or Instant Tea Mix from Russia that actually involves using Tang! (Tang is an instant orange drink / beverage powder).

Of course this wasn’t always the recipe for the tea, as Tang has only been available since 1960. Russia was slow to get on the tea drinking bandwagon considering it is a European country. Tea was introduced to Russia from China in the early 17th century. Prior to Chinese Tea being introduced, the Russians drank a beverage or tea called sbiten.
Sbiten was a brew of herbs, honey and of course water. Today in Russia, tea is the most consumed non-alcoholic drink.
Russian culture and the Tea Ceremony that evolved in Russia included the use of a unique device for keeping the Tea hot, it is called the Samovar. The Samovor can be very elaborate and the Tea Ceremony was one that involved social gatherings.

Chinese Style Fried Rice

Many Chinese from Eastern region, especially Shanghai, like fried rice.  If people have the leftover rice, it is the great way to use these rice to make fried rice.

Lemon Cream  Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 2 cups evaporated cane sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• fresh zest of 1 lemon OR 1 tsp lemon extract*
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Cream the butter, sugar and cream cheese in a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest.
Cover the bowl or wrap the dough in logs and chill for at least 3 hours.  Overnight is better.
Preheat oven to 390F.  Roll dough out on a floured surface or a pastry mat.  If you like a crisper cookie, roll it to 1/4 inch thick.  For moister cookies, roll to 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into shapes and place onto a making sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Bake for 5-8 minutes. For more moist cookies, take them out just before they “look done.”  Like as soon as the timer goes off the first time.
Try to restrain yourself and let them cool… or not your choice.
If you feel so inclined, decorate them with icing.  Royal icing is the typical topping, but I think a cream cheese frosting would be a lovely addition.  You know, cream cheese & heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks and smeared all over the top of everything… err, these wonderful cookies.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

In a large bowl combine ingredients on low speed of mixer about 1 minute. Blend well. Gradually add flour at low speed until just combined; stir in nuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls; place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes until firm to the touch but not brown. Do not overbake. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool; re-roll in powdered sugar before serving.

Morrocan tagine

4 pounds chicken

2 small onions thinly sliced

3 garlic gloves crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

6 tablespoon olive oil

1 small bunch of parsley chopped

¼ tablespoon cumin, fresh pepper, paprika, cinnamon

¼ tablespoon safran

½ salt (or to taste)


In a large non metallic dish mix all the ingredients and leave over night in the fridge.


In a large pan, brown garlic, chicken and onions. After 15 minutes add remaining ingredients.


Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for one hour. You can add carrots, potatoes, or any kind of vegetables.

Chinese Dumpling

Chinese always make dumpling
at Chinese New Year.






This picture is from http//www.wenxuecity.com.

Ingredidents:

•  dumpling dough
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• up to 1 1/4 cups of cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 1 cup of ground beef or pork
• 1 TB say sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 TB Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 TB sesame oil
• 1/2 green onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage
• 4 TBs shredded bamboo shoots
• 2 slices ginger, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

How to do:

• Add salt into flour. Stir slowly in the cold water and form the dough, then to cover the dough and let it stand for 30 minutes.
• Prepared the filling ingredients. Add soy sauce, salt, rice wine, white pepper to meat, and add the remaining ingredients and mix them well.
• Divide the dough into 60 pieces. Roll each piece out into circle about 3 inches in diameter.
• Place a small portion of the filling into the middle of each wrapper. Wet the edge of dumpling with water. Folding the dough over the filling into a half moon shape and pinch the edges to seal and continue with the rest of dumpling.
• Cook dumpling: bring a large bowl with water to boil. Add half dumplings, stir gently. Wait the water to boil and add 1/2 cup of cold water. Cover and repeat. When the dumplings come to the third time boiling, they are ready. Drain and remove.