Shirali va yongoqli bodroq (Popped corn with syrup and nuts)

"Shirali va yongoqli bodroq" is a good snack while watching some movie:) It is tasty, nutritious and just fun. In Uzbekistan we also make "Halva" with popped corn, I will post the recipe soon. For today enjoy this one:)
Ingredients:
1 cup of nuts
7 cup of popped corn (I used one package of microwave popped corns)
1 cup of sugar (I used brown sugar)
50 ml of water
Crush your nuts well.

Mix it with popped corn.

Prepare the syrup. Boil 1 cup of sugar with 50 ml of water without stirring, until it will start to thicken. Don't over boil it.

Quickly and very carefully pour the ready syrup on to the corn and nuts, continuously stirring. Stir well, your snack is ready!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Yupqa (Uzbek pancakes)

"Yupqa" is a truly Uzbek pancake:) I love it!!! It is a little messy to cook this dish, but I am sure that you will like it! If it is possible, try to cook it with some friend or a helper, to make thw work easier for yourself. One will be rolling the dough and the other will be frying and folding it. In my case, I work just by myself:) My husband mistakenly called me "Shiva" thinking that it was an Indian Goddess with six hands, but thanks to one of my Indian reader, we find out that the name of that Goddess is "Durga":)
You will get 12 "Yupqa"s from this recipe. In Uzbekistan we have many variety of recipes and ways of cooking this dish, I am posting you the easiest one. By the way, keep it under a towel or make sure that it is covered well, as it dries out quickly.
Ingredients:
200 gr minced meat
200 gr peeled and grated carrot
80 gr of vegetable oil (in original recipe filling is cooked with lamb's tail fat, but I used corn oil)
1 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of cumin seeds
Salt to taste
For dough:
1 egg
100 gr of water
Half a tbsp of salt
Plain flour as needed
40 gr of melted butter for greasing
Some vegetable oil for frying "Yupqa"s
First of all make the dough. Beat slightly together, egg, salt and water.

Gradually add in flour until you form a medium hard dough, don't make it hard, as it will be hard to roll it out thinly and the dough will quickly dry out. Cover the dough and let it stand for 30 min.
While your dough is resting prepare the filling. Heat up oil in thick bottomed pan.
Fry ground coriander and cumin on a high heat for a 2 min and then put in minced meat and fry on a low heat with a covered lid. Fry until meat is brown in color, then add in carrots, add in 30 ml of water, and cover the lid. Fry until carrots are soft and ready, then add in salt. Take from the heat. Set aside.

Now when your filling is ready, prepare your dough for rolling. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Heat up your frying pan. Roll pieces one by one, as thin as you can.

Try to work very fast, as if dough will dry out you will not be able to fold it.
If you are cooking it alone, then roll and fry your dough pieces one by one. When your pan is hot enough, put some oil in a pan and fry rolled piece just 10-12 seconds for each side. Don't over fry or it will dry out and then you won't be able to fold it!

Then take it, quickly brush the surface with melted butter, put 1 tbsp of filling and fold it. Cover with towel. Repeat with other pieces.
After you will finish all this routine, just prepare some hot tea or a coffee (I like eating "Yupqa"s with coffee+milk), relax and enjoy your Uzbek pancakes with your family, surely you will get an appreciation for your work:) Believe me it worth it!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Bug'lama dolma (Steamed stiffed vegetables with meat and rice)

You can cook this dish with various vegetables like bell peppers, tomato, potatoes, aubergine, onion or any other vegetables that you can make a hole and put filling in it. You can also use cabbage leaves, but you have to put them in boiling water for 5 min before using, as they are not flexible to fold. Today I used zucchini and tomato.
Ingredients:
300 gr minced meat (I used chicken)
2 onions, peeled and chopped finely
50 gr short grain rice, washed
1 egg
30 gr of melted butter
Salt to taste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp of pepper
5 medium zucchini
3 tomatoes
Mix well together meat, onions, rice, egg, butter, salt and spices. Cut zucchini in thick slices and peel out inside of each piece making bowl from it. Cut the top of the tomatoes and also take out the pulp. Fill all the pieces with meat filling.
Place all of your "Bug'lama dolma" in to the steamer's sheet and cook for a 40 min. Pre boil the water in a steamer before putting sheets. You can also sprinkle some grated cheese at the end of the cooking to make the richer taste. After it's done serve with some kind of side dish or a salad. Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Parmuda somsa

"Parmuda somsa" is one variety of Uzbek somsas. It is comfortable to eat, as it is small and handful:) You will enjoy the process also, involve your children if you have them:) That would be good mother or father activity with the kids.
Ingredients:
260 ml of water
1 egg
1.5 tsp of salt
Plain flour as needed
100 gr of butter for greasing
450 gr meat minced (preferably lamb)
250 gr chopped onion
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of ground pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
Some black sesame seeds for sprinkling
Make medium hard dough mixing water, egg, salt and flour. Cover and let it rest for 15 min. Then roll it out, and grease the surface evenly with melted butter. You can roll the dough not very thinly, approximately half cm. After greasing butter, roll around itself forming a log. Put this log in to the fridge for 30 min. While it is in fridge prepare the filling.
Mix well together, meat, onion, salt and spices.
Now take out the dough, and slice the log in equal 1 inch pieces. Put them on their flat side, sprinkle some flour over it. Now roll each circle and put some filling in it. Make sure you roll the edges slightly thicker than the middle as while pinching it gets thick.

Now pinch the edges in the middle forming round "somsa"s.

Slightly brush some water on edges and stick 4 "somsa"s together. Brush them with slightly beaten egg and sprinkle some seeds.

Bake in preheated oven over high heat until nice golden color.
Enjoy your delicious "Parmuda somsa" s with your family, with some cup of hot tea:)



Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Qatiq (Natural yogurt)

"Qatiq" is favorite drink in Uzbekistan. It is useful, refreshing, helps to avoid intoxication, digestion problems, diarrhea and many other health problems. Especially it is important to drink it during summer season. Preparation is very simple, you just need a small quantity of natural yogurt or greek style yogurt and some time.
Ingredients:
1 liter of milk (full fat or low fat)
3 tbsp of plain natural yogurt
If you are using fresh farm milk, then boil it and let it simmer for 15 min. Cool down up to 50 degrees. If you are using pausterized milk, then just heat it up to 50 degrees. Check it with your finger, you must be able to hold your finger in a hot milk for 10 seconds. Now mix 3 tbsp of natural yogurt with milk. Pour in glass dishes and close tightly.

Wrap them with thick towel and again wrap in to another one. Repeat. You will use 3 thick towels. Using towels helps to keep the temperature. Put it in warm place for 8 hours. You can also use some thick bed covers to wrap it, just be sure to keep the temperature warm. After 8 hours your home made, natural yogurt is ready! Enjoy with anything you like.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Asallik qulupnay (Strawberry with honey)

This is one of the healthy and natural desert of Uzbek people. It is useful and refreshing. I love to eat it with some pancakes, using it as a sauce. You can also top cakes with this desert. Or make cake rolls filling it with "Asallik qulupnay". try it it is just heavenly sweet!
Ingredients:
600 gr fresh, ripe strawberries
300 gr of honey
1 tsp of lemon juice
Wash your strawberries carefully, take out stems and slice. Set aside. In a saucepan bring honey to boil and simmer over low heat until it will thicken well. When honey is heavily poured from spoon it is ready. But don't over boil it, or while pouring on strawberries it will just harden. Now pour honey as hot over strawberries and stir carefully, not to smash strawberries. Pour also 1 tsp of lemon juice in this stage. Let it cool. You can serve it as hot and as cool. I suggest to serve it with pancakes:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Olma dolma (Baked stiffed apples)

"Olma dolma" is a healthy desert which is full of flavors and very delicious. It is very useful for children as it contains main vitamins and minerals. It is usually cooked in our special clay oven "Tandur" and tastes heavenly! But I make it in the oven:)
Ingredients:
Take one apple for each person, (I took 3)
Handful of walnuts
Handful of black raisins
3 tbsp of honey
Cut the middle of each apple with a special knife to get rid of those seeds and then scrab out small hole with knife. Be careful not to cut your hand. Fill the empty space with walnuts and raisins. Pour in 1 tbsp of honey to each apple.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 min or until apples are soft.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and Enjoy with your loved ones!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!