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!!!

Tovuq qanotlaridan qovurdoq (Fried chicken wings with potatoes)

"Qovurdoq" is high calorie and very nutritious meal. Try to use fresh chicken wings for this meal. You can use lamb's tail fat if you want richer taste. Garlic and red chilies also can be added.
Ingredients:
500 ml of vegetable oil
600 grams of chicken wings
2 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
2 medium sized capsicum,(I took one green and one red)seeded and cut in long thin strips
2 small tomatoes, finely chopped
4-5 potatoes, peeled and cut in medium chunks
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of crushed coriander
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped greens
Heat up 500 ml of oil in deep and heavy bottomed pan. Put in all of potato chunks and fry over high heat until nice golden color. Take out all potatoes and very carefully pour out the oil, leaving about 150 ml in pan.

Put in chicken wings, fry until golden color and add in onions. Put in all spices and continue frying until onions are transparent. Set the heat on medium, add in capsicum, fry for about 5 min, then put in tomatoes. Fry until oil will start to separate and color is bright. Now, put in potatoes, fry for 5-8 min more, add in salt and take from heat. Serve on a big flat plate, sprinkling fresh greens over. Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Macaron shu'rva (Soup with noodles)

"Macaron shu'rva" can be made using different type of meat-beef, lamb, poultry. As I don't eat red meat, I made it out of chicken:) In original recipe it is done with lamb's tail fat, but I replaced it with corn oil. If you want to make it with lamb's tail fat, then melt about 50 grams of it in preheated thick bottomed pan, take out all of shrunk fat pieces and continue as in recipe below. (Recipe will feed 3-4 people)
Ingredients:
6 tbsp of corn oil
2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped or cubed
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and cubed
1 tsp of crushed or grind coriander seeds
3/4 cup of bow shaped (or any other small)noodles
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped coriander or any other your favorite greens
Heat up oil in heavy bottomed pan and put in cubed breast chunks, fry over medium heat, until nice golden color and add in onions, fry until onions are transparent. Now put in carrot cubes and fry for about 5-6 min, then add in tomatoes and coriander. Fry until tomatoes are mushy, bright in color and oil will start to separate. Add in 1 liter of water, bring to boil over high heat. When it comes to boil, reduce the heat on medium and scoop out a little foam, that will float to the surface. Half cover the lid and let it simmer for 30 min. At the end, add in noodles and cook for another 10-15 min or until noodles are finely cooked. Take from heat, add in salt.
Serve in individual bowls, sprinkling freshly chopped greens. You can also add in half a tsp of fresh cream, to make the soup richer in flavor.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

So, so, so busy with a lot of projects!!!

Hi there my dearest followers and readers! I just want to say sorry for such a rare posting in these days! I have done so many work and there was no time to make myself sit and write something. I have finished a lot of sewing projects, I will show them later in my second blog which is here http://malikasday.blogspot.com/
When I start some sewing project, I don't like to be disturbed:) I cook fast and easy recipes, often "cook in no time" meals:)I can't sleep well until I finish my project, I am so inpatient to see the result:) Now, I also have at least 6-7 projects in my mind, can't wait when I will finish them:)
I am sure you will understand and support me! I just want to say that I am here with you and will continue posting Uzbek recipes!
With a lot of LOVE and CARE, with a big HUGS,
Malika

How to make "pishloq" or "tvorog"

I love my home made "pishloq"/"tvorog", as it is tastier and safer, as I know how I made it:) This kind of cheese exist almost in every cuisine and has different names like ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, panir and so on. In Uzbekistan it is mostly called "tvorog". Choose very fresh and natural milk for this purpose, otherwise you won't get anything, but a mess!
Ingredients:
for 150 grams of "tvorog"
1 liter of milk
2-3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
Cheesecloth
Salt to taste (optional, as I usually don't add any salt)
Heat up milk, over medium heat, until small bubbles will start to appear:

Immediately set the heat on low and add in lemon juice. Stir unceasingly. Milk will start to curdle. When milk is finely curdled and you can see that yellowish whey, take from heat and immediately pour the mixture over cheesecloth and let all the whey to drain. You can keep the whey for another purposes if you want.

Your "tvorog" is ready to eat now. If you want to make harder cheese, then hang up that cheesecloth for about 30 min and then keep you cheese in cold, clean water in a glass jar.