* Stir fry chicken with almonds

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For the sauce:
1 tblsp soy sauce (preferably dark)
1 tblsp water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp white vinger (I did not have any so I uses pomegranate vinger)

Combine and stir all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

For the chicken:
1/2 kgs julienned chicken
1 tblsp dark say sauce
1 tblsp lemon juice

Marinate the chicken in the soy sauce and lemon and leave it aside till you prepare the veggies.

1 cup frozen birds eye peas
1 green bell pepper julienned
1 red bell pepper julienned
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ginger root or powder
1 hot green chilli minced
1 tblsp vegetable oil
a handful of slivered almonds toasted.

pPlace pease in boiling water and once water comes back to boiling take them off and drain (they don't need much cooking)

In a hot thick pan over high heat place oil then when it is hot add garlic, ginger and minced green chilli and stir for 1 min, add chicken and stir fry for 2 min (till all chicken change color) add sauce and stir for 5 minutes then add peas and stir for 1 min then green and red pepper and stir for another minute.. if too dry add 1-2 tblsp water and then take off heat and stir the toasted almonds

* Batbout bread with chicken salad filling

For the filling

2 boiled chicken breast (or left over chicken)
1 onion
red, yellow and green pepper
grated cheese
mayonnaise (I used spicy mazola)

heat some oil, add onion, peppers and stir for a while then add chicken cut into pieces, season to taste.
remove from heat, let it cool, mix with mayonnaise, fill batbout bread and top with grated cheese

* Risotto recipe

ingredients
2 cups risotto rice (i used long grain gold rice & it was perfect)
2 tbsp butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1l4 tsp pepper

preparation
melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat
add the onion and cook for 3 min
add the rice and cook for 2 min, stirring constantly
add chicken broth, 1l2 cup at a time, wait until absorbed before adding more, stir occassionally
it should take 30 min for the broth to be absorbed
remove from heat and add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper

* Mashweya Salad

Mashweya Salad: Grilled Pepper Salad with Tomatoes



Ingredients

2 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 ribe tomatoes
1 finely chopped garlic clove
The juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp paprika
Salt & pepper
Some chopped parsley


Directions

On an open flame grill all your pepper. Once it all blackened and tender remove from heat and immediately put it in a plastic food bag or a plastic box and cover it, this will help the skin separate from the meat and you can easily remove it then. Leave it to rest and cool and then get it out and start pealing, do not even think of peeling it under running water as this will take away all the smoky flavor. Cut your peppers in fine strips and then remove the pit of the tomatoes and also cut them in fine strips

* Chicken stuffed with Kuskus and cooked in onion ginger and almond sauce

Ingredients for the Chicken Marinate

2 small whole chickens
2 red onions
6 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cardamon powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt & pepper
The juice of 1 lemon
½ tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil



Ingredients for the Kuskus

800 gm kuskus
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp sugar
¼ cup almonds pealed, finely chopped and toasted
½ cup raisins
Olive oil
Margarine



Ingredients for the Chicken Sauce

3 red onions sliced
1 tsp garlic chopped
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp paprika
1 bay leave
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup almonds, pealed



Directions

For marinating the chicken, add all ingredients in the food processor and process till all ingredients blend well and get very fine. Leave the mixture to rest to 30 minutes and then bring your clean chicken and start rubbing the marinate all over it inside and out and also under the skin. Leave your chicken to marinate over night.

To prepare the kuskus, we poor it into a large bowl and add some olive oil, we mix it very well with the palms of our hands together to make sure every little piece is covered with olive oil. Add one cup of water and then the salt and repeat the same mixing technique tell the kuskus starts plumping. Poor in the mixture into the kuskus pan and let it steam for about 30 minutes. I didn’t have a kuskus pan so I used just a regular pan and added a tin between the flam and the pan to make sure the heat is very low and it worked fine for me. Now poor the kuskus back into your bowl and add another cup of water, mix with your hands again tell all water is absorbed and then put back on the heat for another 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add some olive oil and some margarine and mix again with your hands. Add all the spices, the sugar, the raisins, the almonds and mix well. Set aside until the stuffing begins.

Bring your chicken out of the marinate and stuff the cavity with your prepared kuskus, stuff it very well and don’t leave any empty spaces inside the chicken, close the downside cavity of the chicken with a tooth pick of two and tie the legs together. In a large pan heat some olive oil and margarine and let it heat very well, put your chicken in the oil margarine mixture on high heat to close the skin and make sure it will retain it’s juices and also to give it a nice golden color. Once the color is golden brown remove your chickens from the pan and add the onions, season and the onions with all spices and leat it tender and caramelized. Add the garlic and then return your chickens to the pan, let them cook for a while with the onions and then add some water, the water should be shallow and not covering the chickens at all. Add the almonds and cover the pan to allow the chickens to cook well and the also to allow the sauce to thicken and have a concentrated flavor.

Now to serve the dish, you should position your chickens in the middle with the sauce around them and garnished with some almonds

* Msakhan Rolls

For Boiling the Chicken

750 gm chicken breasts
4 large onions cut in small cubes
3 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamons
2 magi cubes
Salt & pepper


The Remaining Ingredients

1 ½ tbsp Sumac
A good pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp chopped garlic
¼ tsp cinnamon
Salt & pepper
¼ cup pines
¼ cup olive oil
Sharak bread or Lebanese bread


Directions

Start cooking the chicken breasts in cold water and keep removing all the foam the chicken produces. After the foam stops appearing add the onions, the magi and all the spices and leave the chicken to boil very well.

After the chicken is fully cooked remove it from the stock and shred the chicken to small pieces. Strain the stock to get all the onions out, remove all the spices and bay leaves and start sauteing the onions in the olive oil seasoning with all the spices, leave the stock cause we’ll need it later. When the onions start turning golden add your shredded chicken and the garlic. Leave the mixture to take a nice golden brown color and taste to make sure the seasoning is good. Add the pines in the end and mix them in.

Cut your bread in large triangles and get your cooled chicken mixture so you’d start rolling. Soak every bread piece in the chicken stock and then add the filling in the middle and roll like you’d roll a spring roll. Brush the bottom of baking dish with some oil and lay your chicken rolls in it, brush the top of the rolls with oil as well. Bake in a hot oven until your rolls get a pretty golden brown color and serve hot

* Pasta with Pesto and Scallops

Ingredients
16 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1/4 cup pesto
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 pound scallops
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1.In a large pot with boiling salted water cook fettuccini pasta until al dente. Drain. Stir in pesto sauce and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add green bell pepper, mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in dry white wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Add scallops and toss for 2 minutes. Take care not to overcook the scallops, as they will toughen when exposed to prolonged heat.
3.Toss the pesto covered pasta with the scallop sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 610 | Total Fat: 22.6g | Cholesterol: 36mg