Ma'jun palov (Pilaf with carrot juice)

"Ma'jun palov" is one of the oldest and almost forgotten recipes of pilaf. It is always cooked with chicken (which is perfect for me:) According to our great ancestor Abu Ali Ibn Sina, this kind of pilaf is very useful and healthy, as it is cooked with carrot juice. In our folk medicine "Ma'jun palov" is used as a cure for anemia and for diabetics. Besides, it is really really tasty and nutritious. I just loved it!
Ingredients:
100 grams of any vegetable oil
500 grams of chicken
2-3 onions, peeled and sliced
1.5 kg of carrots
1 tbsp of ground or crushed coriander seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
350 grams of rice (I used basmati, but i think any type of rice will go well)
Salt to taste
Peel all of your carrots. Use red and juicy, sweet type of carrot, mine were dark red carrots.

Make juice out of all carrots, but 2-3 pieces. 2-3 carrots must be cut in thin long strips.

Wash up your rice and add in 1 tbsp of salt, then pour very hot water over rice to completely cover it. Mix slightly and set aside.
Now heat up the oil in heavy crock pot and put in sliced onions. Fry over high heat, until onions are transparent, then add in chicken and continue frying until chicken is nice golden in colour. Add in carrots and fry continuously stirring, for about 5-6 min. Add in some carrot juice, just enough to half cover chicken and vegetables.

Lower the heat, half cover the lid and simmer for about 30-40 min. At the end, add in all of spices and some salt to taste.
Finely drain rice and evenly layer over vegetables. Pour carrot juice over rice, enough to cover it for about a half inch.

Set the heat on high and let all of the juice to evaporate. Check for saltiness, add some salt if needed.

When all of the juice is evaporated, lower the heat on very low, slightly mix up only the top of the rice, cover the lid and cook for about 15 min. Then, open up the lid, again mix only the top of the rice, cover the lid and cook for 10-15 min more or until rice is completely cooked.
When pilaf is ready, finely mix the entire pilaf and serve it in a big flat plate. You will see how beautiful and tasty is this pilaf, orange-red in color and rich in flavor! Serve some fresh salad on side. Enjoy your yummy "Ma'jun palov" with your family and friends!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

How to make different shapes for buns

This post is about how to make those different shapes out of dough, to make your buns look beautiful and tempting:) These are just some varieties, but you always can "invent" your own way. These are not my own inventions, I have learned them from different sources:)
So, how to make this gorgeous heart?

This is how: Roll out small portion from the dough, grease the surface with butter, sprinkle some poppy seeds or cinnamon and sugar.

Now roll it around itself:

Fold this log in half and cut the middle:

Open up the edges to outer side, and voila! You have your heart shape:

How to make a rose:

Roll out the small portion of dough, grease with butter, put poppy seeds or any other filling you like right in the middle. Cut 4 lines around it:

Start folding the edges, making sure that center part is open, just fold them one on top of another:

Spirals:

Make the same log as for rose. Don't fold it. Just cut the log along lengthwise:

Now fold these two parts, making spiral:

Now you know how to make all these beautiful shapes!

Yarim qovurma karam shu'rva (Half fried cabbage soup)

I love thick and flavorful soups! "Yarim qovurma karam shu'rva" is just the right one for me:) It is thick, healthy, nutritious and just yummy! You can skip the part, where I mash potatoes and keep them whole, I mash them because I like to make my soup smooth and thick.
Ingredients:
Half of chicken
60 grams of butter
1 big onion, peeled and sliced
1 carrot, peeled and cut in thin strips
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Half of medium sized cabbage, thinly shred
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut in medium chunks
1 tsp of ground or crushed coriander
Half tsp of cumin seeds, crushed
2-3 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped greens
Put chicken in cold water and bring to boil. Scoop out all of the foam, lower the heat and let it simmer for about an hour. Add in potato chunks and cook until potatoes are soft and mushy. Take out all of potatoes and set aside. In another pan, melt 20 grams of butter and fry onions, until slightly golden in color. Add in garlic and carrot strips and fry until carrot is soft, but not mushy. Set aside. Separately melt 40 grams of butter and put in all of the cabbage, cover the lid and cook over low heat until cabbage is finely cooked.
Finely mash potato chunks, until smooth, adding some chicken broth. When it is smooth and without any crumbs, add it back into the soup. Now, add in all of the fried vegetables and spices. Cook for about 10 min, add in salt and take from heat. Cover the lid for 5-7 minutes and then serve sprinkling some fresh chopped greens over the soup. Chicken is served separately. Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Guruch Lagmon (Rice with gravy)

"Guruch Lagmon" is prepared just as regular "Lagmon", but instead of noodles, it is served with rice. The gravy which is often called "Say" is easy to cook, but so yummy and flavorful. If you can find, you can also add fresh baby bean sprouts, that will give an extra special flavor to the gravy. Today I cooked gravy without cabbage and turnip, as I couldn't find them at home, but that didn't affect to the taste. So enjoy the recipe!
Ingredients:
2 cups of rice
1 tsp of clarified butter
300 gr of meat (lamb, beef or chicken)minced or cut in long thin strips
80 ml of vegetable oil
2 small onions, peeled and sliced
50 gr of cabbage, shred
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp of tomato paste/sauce
1 turnip, peeled and cut in thin strips
1 carrot, peeled and cut in thin strips
1 capsicum, cleaned from seeds and cut in long strips
Fresh chopped coriander and dill
4-5 cloves of garlic, cut in small cubes
Salt to taste
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of fresh ground pepper
1 tsp of ground coriander
Put the rice in to the boiling water and cook until soft, but not mushy(stir occasionally). Drain all the water (if there is any) and add in salt, 1 tsp of clarified butter and mix well. Set aside.
Heat up oil and fry meat(I used chicken)over high heat,until nice golden color. Add in onions and fry until onions are transparent. Add in carrot and capsicum, fry for about 1 min, then add in tomato, tomato sauce, garlic and spices. Fry for about 5-6 min. Add in 450 ml of water. Bring to boil and then lower the heat. Let it simmer for 20 min, add in salt and take from heat.
Serve putting some rice and topping it with gravy, sprinkle some fresh chopped greens and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Ku'knori urug'lik kulchalar (Poppy seed buns)

I love poppy seeds! Pity that, you can't find it where I live, so I brought them from Uzbekistan, use them rarely and usually for a special buns:) Today I am posting the recipe of my favorite poppy seed buns and hope you will enjoy!
Ingredients:
500 ml of milk
50 ml of vegetable oil
2 sachet of dried yeast (2 tbsp)
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of sugar
Plain flour as needed
1 cup of sugar
100 grams of butter
1 cup of poppy seeds
1 egg
Heat up milk, add in salt and sugar, mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Add in oil and add in yeast. Start adding flour (sifted twice) until you will form soft and a little bit sticky dough. At the end, oil your hands and knead the dough for about 5 min. Cover and let it rise for 1.5 -2 hours.
Take the dough and divide a portion. Roll this portion on a oiled surface in to narrow oval shape. Now, grease the entire surface with a soft butter, sprinkle some sugar (to your taste) and at the end, sprinkle poppy seeds. Softly press down the surface with the palm of your hands.

Roll it around itself forming a log and evenly cut it out into 1-1.5 inch pieces.

Put these pieces on their flat side and grease with an egg yolk. Cover with a cotton towel and let them rest in warm place for about 10-15 min.

Bake in preheated oven until nice golden color.
You can make different shaped buns, and cinnamon also can be used for the sprinkling.
Some more photos of my buns:
Heart

Rose

Cinnamon and poppy seed spirals

Sabzavotlar bilan dimlangan baliq (Fish, baked along with vegetables)

"Sabzavotlar bilan dimlangan baliq" can be cooked with different types of fish, especially it is yummy with carp or salmon. I used (if I am not wrong) herring. Fish fillets without any bones would be perfect, especially when you are cooking for children.
Ingredients:
If it is small fish take one fish for one serving, otherwise, use 2-3 pieces of fish for each person
1 lemon juice (2-3 tbsp)
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 capsicum, sliced or cut in strips
3-4 potatoes
1 tsp of cumin seeds
Half a tsp or less fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
3-4 cloves of garlic (optional)
4-5 tbsp of vegetable oil (I used sesame oil)
First of all we have to marinate our fish in lemon juice for at least 2 hours. Just rub lemon juice, salt and spices inside and outside of the fish, cover and put in fridge.
Cut out big piece out of foil, evenly put onion slices on top, put tomato and capsicum slices on top of onions, sprinkle some salt and spices. Put fish on top of vegetables. Place all of potato pieces around and between fish and drizzle with oil.
Finely wrap up the foil.

Bake in preheated oven for about an hour. Check up carefully opening the foil, fish must be cooked well.

Serve and enjoy this yummy, useful and easy to cook meal with your family and friends:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!