Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Hi everyone:) I am so sorry that I had no chance of posting recipe yesterday, because it was our holiday and I didn't cook anything:) We went to Uzbek restaurant called "Khiva" and enjoyed our romantic evening there. It was fun, live music, candles on water, heart shaped cards and red roses hanging everywhere. I loved that kind of romantic atmosphere there. My daughter was just happy that she could sing on the stage with musicians, she loved that, and so funny that all the applauses went only for her:)
I am posting some pictures of Uzbek dishes that you could see:) Everything was just yummy!!! So first they bring different souses and "Chuzma bogirsoq" as an appetizer



Then we tried some "Kebab", "Tandir somsa" and "Chuchvara"




Very tiny Uzbek bread:)

I will later post the recipe of "Chuzma bogirsoq" and "Tandir somsa", also different types of "Kebab"s :)

Baqlajon qovurdoq (Eggplant stew)

"Baqlajon qovurdoq" is rich in taste, if you like eggplant, then this meal is just for you:) I love it! You can eat it as cool and as hot, as cool it is like nourishing salad.
Ingredients:
70 gr of oil
300 gr of meat, cut in medium sized cubes
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium capsicum, chopped
4 eggplant, peeled and cut in big cubes
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Some fresh chopped coriander or any your favorite green for sprinkling
Heat up oil, put in meat and fry until golden brown, then add in onions, continue frying until golden color, add in chopped tomato and capsicum, fry until oil separates out. Then add in eggplant and fry stirring occasionally for 10 min. Don't stir hard or yo will mash eggplant. Add in salt and ground coriander, reduce the heat on low and cover the kid. Cook until eggplant is soft. Take from the heat, serve and sprinkle some green on top. Enjoy this delicious meal with fresh baked "non" (bread) and a hot green tea:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Liq liq (Jellied hoof and meat soup)

"Liq liq" is very famous meal in Uzbekistan, it is very useful meal for bones as it contains natural gelatin. It's a good cure for broken bones, as it helps them to restore.
Ingredients:
1 kg of hoof, well cleaned and broke in 2-3 pieces
300 gr of meat, cut in medium pieces
3 liters of cold water
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 onions, peeled
3 eggs, hard boiled
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of ground coriander
Some fresh chopped coriander or dill
Put hoof and meat in cold water and bring to boil over high heat, scoop out all the foam, reduce and half cover the lid. Let it simmer for 4 hours, stir occasionally. If you are using a big hoof, you have to boil it a little longer, like 5 hours, if you take hoof of a young animal you can boil it for 4 hours. If the hoof is big, ask your butcher to half it in 3-4 pieces. After 4 hours put in carrots and whole onions. Let it simmer for another 1 hour, add in salt, cumin seeds and ground coriander. After take out all the hoof bones and meat out and separate flesh from bones. Cut the meat in small pieces. You can also put them in food processor and blend them. (The first picture that I posted here is with chopped meat and flesh, the second one is with blended meat and flesh. You can see that if you chop meat and flesh the "Liq liq" will be clear in color, while blended one is smooth in color).

Now take out onions and carrots from soup. Pour soup through sieve as it can contain small bones in it. Then add in blended or chopped meat and hoofs flesh. Mix them well with soup. Slice hard boiled eggs in circles or in small cubes and put to the bottom of hot proof dish, sprinkle some chopped greens, put some carrot that you have taken out from soup and pour soup over. Continue with the rest of the soup, every time putting some egg, carrot and chopped greens to the bottom and pouring soup over them. Use your imagination, choosing your favorite ingredient to decorate, like corn, beans or something else:)
Let them cool then put in fridge for at least 5 hours. Then take out and run the knife over the edge of the dish and place "Liq liq" on plate and enjoy:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Pomidor va rediskalik salat (Tomato and radish salad)

Radish is used in many salads in Uzbekistan, we have different types of radishes, especially famous "turp" which is green in color and very juicy. For todays recipe use regular red radishes. If they are bitter in taste (that happens sometimes) then soak them in cold water before adding in salad.
Ingredients:
3 tomatoes
3 medium sized radishes
Fresh chopped your favorite greens
Salt to taste or 1 tbsp of soy souse
Cut tomatoes in small cubes. Cut radishes in thin strips, chop greens. Combine all ingredients adding salt or soy souse. Some people also add sour cream, about 1 tbp to make this salad richer.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Namatak choyi (Rose hip tea)

"Namatakli choy" is very rich in vitamin "C" which about 1700–2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product. Besides it is also rich in vitamin D, E and antioxidant flavanoids which will help you to stay young and healthy:) if you catch a cold or flu, or you have a headache surely drink this tea with some honey, you will see how it will work. I usually use whole dried rose hips, but you can also use the one that in bags, they are usually powdered or crushed. You will also need a thermos if you are using whole hips.
Ingredients:
1 liter of hard boiling water
60 gr of whole dried rose hips
or
1 tsp of dried and crushed rose hips for a cup
Put rose hips in thermos and pour boiling water over them. Cover it tightly and let it rest for 2 hours. Then pour in cups and enjoy it with honey.
Or
Put 1 tsp of powdered rose hip in cup and pour boiling water over it, stir well and enjoy!
Sog buling- Be healthy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Shovla (The sister of "Palov")

"Shovla" is very good for children, as it is soft and tender, you also can do it with minced meat, if you are going to give it to small children. I myself love this meal with fresh onion, I just peel out the onion, cut the ends, wash it and enjoy it whole with "Shovla". I also like it as cold, spreading it to slice of bread:) My nephew Jahongir loves it, anytime when you ask him what to cook, he will answer "Shovla":)and you won't believe it, but he can eat half of "Shovla" that in pot:) If it is possible always use short grain rice for "Shovla", because it must be sticky.
Ingredients:
120 ml of vegetable oil
400 gr of meat, cut in small cubes or just minced
2 onions, peeled and sliced
400 gr of peeled and cut in not so long strips red carrot
2 big tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small capsicum, finely chopped
300 gr of short grain rice, washed
Salt to taste
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of ground coriander
Fresh chopped coriander for sprinkling
Heat the oil in crock pot and put in meat, fry on a high heat until golden brown, then add in onions. Fry until onions are golden, add in capsicum and continue frying until oil starts to separate. Add tomatoes and fry stirring until oil separates out, then add in carrots. Fry until carrots are half ready, then pour in 1 liter of water. Reduce the heat on medium and let it simmer for 1 hour. Add in salt, spices and then add in rice, finely stir and add another 400 ml of water. Run your spoon into the pan, your spoon must run easily and freely, if it is not then add more water. Bring water to boil, then reduce the heat on very low, cover the lid and cook until rice is soft and ready, don't forget stirring "Shovla" frequently as rice can stick to the bottom, especially at the end. Check in for saltiness and then stir again. Take from the heat and serve sprinkling fresh chopped greens over the top. You will surely enjoy the sister of "Palov" :)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

U'rik djemi (Apricot jam)

I love this jam! The flavor of apricot just makes me happy, it is so tasty. I never bye ready made jams from grocery stores, as I can make them at home, and this is much more tastier and healthier, because you know exactly what you put in there:), no preservatives and no food color! It is great for fillings of cakes, pancakes or just for sandwiches.
Ingredients:
1 kg of apricot
1 kg of sugar
1 tsp of lemon essence
Wash carefully your apricots and remove the seed by halving them. Then mash apricots to puree in food processor or just chop finely. Add in all the sugar and mix well. Put on a medium heat and stirring bring to boil, let it simmer until it gets thick, don't forget stirring jam frequently or it will stick to the bottom of your pan. When it will be really thick, add in lemon essence and continue to cook for more 10 min. In this stage jam is very sticky, so stir it very frequently. Take from the heat, and pour jam in your sterilized and warmed glass dishes.
You will love this jam! It is very simple to make, but really tasty!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!