Karamli pompoqcha somsa (Samusa with cabbage)

I love that "Karamli pompoqcha somsa" is very moist, a little bit crunchy inside, tasty and of course very nutritious. You can also add in hard boiled eggs to this stuffing if you like. Try to use new and crispy cabbage for this samusa. The dough is same like in recipe "Pompoqcha somsa".
Ingredients:
300 ml of milk
1 tsp of salt
1 tbsp of sugar
1.5 tbsp of dried yeast
30 gr of butter
Plain flour as needed
For the filling:
One small cabbage
1 medium sized carrot
2 onions
1 small beetroot (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of coriander powder
Half a tsp of pepper
70 grams of butter or clarified butter
1 egg yolk
Sesame seeds for sprinkling
Warm up the milk and add in butter, stir until butter will dissolve in milk. Add in salt, sugar and yeast. Mix well, then gradually add in flour until you form a soft, but not too sticky dough. Cover and set aside to warm place for rising, approximately for 1.5 hour.
Prepare the filling: shred cabbage thinly, peel out carrot and cut in very thin strips or just grate. Peel onions and slice. Melt butter and fry onions until transparent, add in all spices. Put in carrots and beetroot, fry for 2-3 min, add in cabbage. Continue frying for 5 min more. Set the heat on low, cover the pan and cook until cabbage is almost done, but still a little crunchy. Take from heat and add in salt, mix and set aside.
Divide the dough to 20-25 equal pieces. You can make them bigger or smaller to your taste. Roll out each piece to round shape (they must not be thin, roll out approximately half centimeter thick), put 1-1,5 tbsp of filling and pinch the edges.

Brush "Pompoqcha somsa"s with an egg yolk, sprinkle some pepper or sesame seeds and bake until golden color. Can be served as hot and as cold. Goes well with yogurt-"Qatiq".
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Jarkop (Fried meat and vegetables)

When I asked my husband how can he describe "Jarkop", he said "It's yummy!" :) well yeah it is! Also it is popular and loved dish among Uzbek people. "Jarkop" can be cooked with different meat, usually beef with some bones is preferable. As I tend to avoid eating red meat, I used poultry today. Whenever you plan to cook "Jarkop", it is rather to have fresh baked bread, usually "Obi non" or "Sutli patir". I love to soak bread in the juicy oil of "Jarkop", and enjoy it, mmm yummy!
Ingredients:
200 ml of oil
500 grams of meat or poultry, cut in medium, mouthful pieces
6 small or 3 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
4 small or 2 big tomatoes, cut in small cubes
2 medium sized carrot, peeled and cubed
7-8 potatoes, peeled and cut in bigger cubes
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Salt to taste
Heat oil in thick bottomed pan. Put in meat and brown it well over high heat, if you're using poultry, then fry until nice golden in color. Add in onions, garlic and spices and fry until onions are transparent, add in carrots and tomatoes, fry until oil will start to separate out.
Add in potatoes, set the heat on medium and fry constantly stirring, if it seems that potatoes are sticking to the bottom, add in a small amount of water. At the end, add in salt and immediately serve with a fresh vegetable salad on side. Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Macaron palov (Noodle pilaf)

As I mentioned before, "palov" is cooked not only with rice, but also with other substitutes like buckwheat, wheat, mungbeans and pearl barley. There are many types of pilafs that are cooked with noodles and home made macaronis. Today I am posting recipe of "Macaron palov" which is cooked with noodles. You can use any type of noodles, but I think small noodles like elbow or shell types look more beautiful on the plate. Noodles can be grind in food processor, to resemble the rice (which is done often), but I prefer to cook with elbow macaronis as they are small enough and look good.
Ingredients:
120 ml of any vegetable oil (I used corn oil)
400 grams of meat or poultry, cut in medium sized pieces
2 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
300 grams of peeled and cut in thin strips carrot (yellow one is preferable, but it's not available where I live)
350 grams of elbow macaronis
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin seeds
Half a tsp of ground pepper
Salt to taste
Finely heat up oil and brown the meat over high heat (if it is poultry as in my case, fry until nice golden color) and put in onions and carrots, immediately lower the heat and cook under covered lid until carrots are soft for about 40 min. Stir every 6-7 min (no water is required). When carrot is soft and well cooked, add in all the spices and the salt. Layer the macaronis over vegetable and meat evenly. Pour in enough water to completely cover the macaronis.

Set the heat on high and let almost all water to evaporate. Check for saltiness. Lower the heat on very low and cover the lid. Cook for about 10 min and then open up the lid and mix only the macaronis (just the top of pilaf), again cover the lid and cook until macaronis are well cooked, for about 10-15 min more.
When macaronis are soft and cooked, mix finely all of the pilaf and serve on a big plate with fresh vegetable salad. Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

"Ptichye moloko" (Marshmallow cake)

I am familiar with this cake as long as I remember myself. It was very popular then and now it is still loved by many peoples. I really don't know where this cake was originated from, I think from Russian or Ukrainian cuisine. If someone knows, you can leave a comment. I love this cake because it is really easy to make, relatively fast and heavenly delicious!!! In original recipe the base cake is made just like regular sponge cake as I made for "Kiyevskiy tort" (fluffy cake), but I really don't want to waste anything, so I make slightly different cake using only egg yolks, as egg whites are used for marshmallow layer.
As I baked this cake a long time ago,I don't have many pictures, so I promise to post some more pictures later, when I will be baking it in these days.
Ingredients:
for marshmallow layer
5 egg whites
1 very full cup of sugar
1/3 cup of water
2,5 tbsp of gelatin powder
90 ml of water
Half a tsp of vanilla powder or 2 tsp of vanilla essence
For cake
5 egg yolks
1 cup of sugar
100 grams of cream
100 grams of butter, melted
100 ml of milk
1.5 cup of plain flour
1 tsp of baking powder
For light syrup
1 cup of water
3 tbsp of sugar
(for syrup just mix sugar with very hot water until completely dissolved)
For glazing
250 grams of chocolate or
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
3 tbsp of sugar
5 tbsp of milk
1 tsp of butter
For the cake beat egg yolks with sugar until they will be light in color. Add in cream, milk and melted butter, mix well. Mix in baking powder and flour. If it is too runny add in more flour, if it is too thick add in milk (it depends on how big are eggs). Bake in preheated oven until it is ready- insert toothpick and when it will come out clean, the cake is ready. Take it out and let it cool.
For marshmallow, mix gelatin with 90 ml of water and set aside for 20 min. After, heat over double boiler until gelatin is completely dissolved, don't boil!
Pour 1/3 cup of water over sugar and bring to boil over high heat, simultaneously begin to whip egg whites until stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Check the syrup- pour half a tsp of a syrup into the ice cold water and try to make a ball with your two fingers. If it will easily turns to a soft ball, then it is ready. Now, with a running mixer start to pour the syrup with small portions over egg whites, be careful, syrup is very hot. Beat for 5 min more after you use up the syrup. Now start adding gelatin, also pouring it by small portions. Beat for 2 min more. Add in half a tsp of vanilla and mix well.
Slice the cake in two horizontally , making one part thicker than another. Place thick part in plate, put the circle of the spring form over. Sprinkle with a light syrup and pour in marshmallow. Put in fridge for about 20 min or until marshmallow layer will be completely set. Sprinkle syrup over the other thin part of cake and place over the marshmallow layer. Again put in fridge for 15 min.
Run the knife around the edges of the cake and take out spring form. Melt chocolate over double boiler and evenly pour over cake or make chocolate frosting- finely mix cocoa powder with sugar, add in milk and mix again. Put over high heat and bring to boil. Once it comes to boil, lower the heat and cook constantly stirring until it will get thick. At the end add in butter, take from heat and mix well. Pour over cake while it is hot. Let it cool and then put the cake in fridge for about 30 min before serving.
You can also decorate the cake according to your taste.
Marshmallow part also can be made with different taste. If you add 1 cup of fruit puree or chopped fruits, it will be fruit marshmallow, if you pour in 100 grams of melted chocolate, it will be chocolate marshmallow, if you add in 100 grams of condensed milk mixed with 50 grams of butter, it will taste like creamy-vanilla marshmallow. All the additions must be added right after the gelatin.
Enjoy your yummy treat!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Svekolnik (Russian beetroot soup)

"Svekolnik" is originated from Russian cuisine and it is great soup for a hot summer! Try to use sweet and deep red beetroot for achieving beautiful color. I use different greens for this soup-coriander, parsley, celery or even beet tops and spinach-it's up to you. My favorite is with coriander-I just love the smell and taste! You can also add in potatoes boiled in skin, peeling and cubing them. Some add in sour cream for extra taste.
Ingredients:
2 medium sized beetroot
3 eggs, hard boiled
A bunch of greens (I love coriander)
2 medium sized cucumbers
500 grams of natural yogurt-"Qatiq" or "Suzma"
200 ml of clean drinking water
Salt to taste
Put beetroot in boiling water and cook until soft or half soft (to your taste). Let them cool completely. Peel off the skin and cut in medium sized cubes. Cut cucumbers in smaller cubes. Chop up greens.
Finely mix yogurt and water. Add in beetroot, cucumber, greens, salt and mix again.
Serve putting egg halves on top.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

How to make "Suzma"

As I mentioned in my older posts, "Suzma" is quite popular in Uzbekistan, especially in hot summers! It is used for salads, beverages, for soup toppings, also served with vegetables. For making "Suzma", try to use "Qatiq" which is made of full fat milk  - it will be thick and yummy! The taste of "Suzma" depends on how tasty is your "Qatiq", if it is sour, then your "Suzma" will also be sour. That's why it is important to have tasty and full fat "Qatiq", in this way, your "Suzma" will taste just like cream cheese! Spread it to bread, put some sun dried tomatoes, that were soaked in olive oil on top and try- it is irresistible!
Ingredients:
1.5 liters of "Qatiq" (http://uzbekcooking.blogspot.com/2010/04/qatiq-natural-yogurt.html)
Salt to taste
Cheesecloth or cotton fabric
Finely mix half a tbsp or less salt with "Qatiq". Layer cotton fabric/cheesecloth over the strainer and pour all of the "Qatiq" on it.

Gather the edges and secure with rubber band. Hang over deep bowl and let it drain for 7-8 hours.

Spoon out all of the "Suzma" in to a glass jar and enjoy it!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Kiyevskiy tort

"Kiyevskiy tort" is very popular in Uzbekistan and I think it was originated from Ukrainian cuisine. This cake has to be prepared a day before serving, as it will be more tender and mouth melting. Buttery creams or whipped creams must be used for this cake. You can use your favorite one. I usually used the butter and sweet condensed milk cream, but this time I use whipped cream with condensed milk and cream cheese. Actually meringue layer of this cake is called "Kiyevskiy" and it can be used as a layer for other cakes or as an independent cake as itself. For an independent "Kiyevskiy" you have to bake two meringue layers and combine them with buttery cream.
Ingredients:
For meringue layer:
6 egg whites (use big eggs)
1,5 cup of sugar
1 cup of chopped walnuts
3,5 tbsp of plain flour
For fluffy cake:
6 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 full cup of plain flour
For cream:
250 ml of full fat whipping cream
250 grams of cream cheese
1 can of sweet condensed milk
For syrup:
1 cup of water
4 tbsp of sugar
Meringue layer:
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks and then add in sugar with a small portions. Whip for another 2 min. In another bowl mix walnuts and flour and add it into the whipped egg whites, mix very carefully. Layer baking pan with a cookie paper and pour in cake batter. Put in the middle rack of the oven (oven is not preheated) in medium heat for about 20 min and then set the heat on low (lowest heat of your oven), bake/dry for about 4-5 hours or until it is completely dry (check with a wooden stick, it must come out clean when inserted to the meringue). Take out and let it cool. Peel of the baking paper and set aside.

For fluffy layer:
Whip egg whites until stiff peaks, add in sugar in 3 portions and whisk for another 1-2 min. Add in egg yolks, one by one and mix carefully. Now, add in flour and again mix carefully. Pour cake batter in baking pan, layered with baking paper and put in to the cold oven. Bake for 40 min in medium heat, baking time can vary as ovens are different, I baked mine for 1,5 hour:) (My oven is just a disaster!!!)Just check up with a wooden stick. If it will come out clean when inserted, than cake is ready. Take out and let it cool completely. Peel of baking paper, cut in two halves and set aside.

Prepare syrup. Just put sugar in water and boil until sugar will dissolve completely.
For cream:
Whip the cream until it starts to thicken and immediately add in condensed milk, whip again, until it again starts to thicken and at the end add in cream cheese and whip for about 1-2 min. If you want you can add in vanilla at the end.
Now place one fluffy cake layer in flat plate, sprinkle with syrup and spread the cream all over evenly. Place meringue layer on top. Spread cream on top of the meringue layer. Take the second layer of the fluffy cake, sprinkle with syrup holding it in your hand and spread cream evenly and place over the meringue layer.

Spread cream on top and the sides of the cake, decorate as your wish. This time I used my favorite strawberries:)
Put the cake in fridge for at least 6 hours. After that, enjoy and don't swallow your tongue:) because it is unbelievably yummy!!!

Yoqimli ishtaha!!!