Chapati

Bismilahi er-rahman elrahim

Chapati has been mainly introduced to Oman by Omanis who lived in Zanzibar and the East coast of Tanzania Now. Zanzibar and the areas in the coast were under Oman, conquered in the seventeenth century till the last century.

I would guess that it started with people living there who originally are from the Indian sub-continent. Whether this is called chapati or not in these areas I am not sure, but it is known as chapati in Oman.

Ingredients:

These ingredients will give you six medium-sized chapatis

2 glasses of flour (I mix 1 cup of all purpose flour and a cup of wholewheat flour)

2 tbs powdered milk

2 tbs ghee

1 tsp salt

1 glass water

المقادير:

كوبين طحين (كوب طحين ابيض, وكوب طحين اسمر)

ملعقتي طعام حليب باودر

ملعقتي طعام سمن

ملعقة شاي ملح

كوب ماء

Method:

• Mix all ingredients, knead the dough in a floured surface, add more flour if it sticks and knead till you get a smooth dough, the longer time you knead the better

• divide into 3 balls

• use a rolling pin, roll the balls till they are very thin, don't focus on them being perfectly round because it's not your last step. Add a little less than a teaspoon of ghee and rub over the chapati, the next pictures show you what to do next.

• Here you might need to hold the mid-part of the chapati so it doesn't be pulled while you roll.

• Here you will need to squeeze them to be sort of flat. the corn-shaped one move the top part in circular motion as you move down,I don't know if I am clear!

• Heat a pan (low heat), roll into not very thin chapatis, cook till you see puffy chapati, and turn it to the other side, in this step always increase the heat to moderate, and squeeze the chapati a little.

• Turn the chapati again but now add a tsp of greese, turn it back and squeeze it.

• Turn it again to the other side for few seconds, and remove it to the plate.

I hope I was clear. Chapatis are served anytime, with breakfast we have them with milk tea or herbal tea. Or at lunch or dinner with curry or salad.

Beef Stew

Bismillah elrahman elrahim

Beef stew (maraq laham)

I love this dish, we have it with white rice (it is put on the rice)

and salad for lunch. It is so simple yet delicious.

Ingredients:

1 kg beef cubes

2 medium potatoes, cut into cubes

1 small tomato peeled and cut

5-8 garlic cloves, mashed

1 tbs ginger, mashed

carrot+onion+ cauliflower (optional)

water (around three glasses or more)

black pepper, salt and lemon (to your flavour)

Coriander

Method:

• marinate the beef with garlic, ginger, salt and pepper
• put the marinated beef in a pan, add water that almost covers the meet, cover and cook.
• if the meat is taking long time to cook, keep checking the water, you might need to add more
• check the meat, when it is nearly done, add potatoes
• then add tomato
• when the meet is tender, add lemon juice and coriander leaves, and it is ready to be served.

• 

Scottish Short Bread

Asalaam Alaykum Muslimat and hello to all readers.

I'll be starting with one of my favourite biscuits, the Scottish short bread. I used to enjoy these biscuits in my stay in Scotland, so when I came back home, I had to learn how to make them..:). They are great to serve for guests with coffee and they are a must now in my Eid baking list (Eid=celebration in Islam)

Ingredients:

400 gram unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups corn flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup rice flour

1 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Method:

• In a bowl, mix all ingredients with hand
• flatten the dough, and cut into shapes you like
• preheat oven to 160-170 degrees, place them on the baking tray, and bake for around 10 minutes or so, I use an electric oven so it does take me a bit longer.

To start with..

Asalaam Alykum muslimat and hello to all my friend

When I was in school and at my parents' house, the only thing I did was cakes, baking cakes and some other simple things. When I finished my school I got a scholarship to study in Scotland.

On the first two years I stayed in Families hosting us Foreign students to help us with our English. So again I didn't cook. The real cooking started when I stayed in a flat with a friend of mine, when we had time to cook something proper :)..

I started really enjoying cooking after getting married and having my first child. I enjoy baking and cooking for people who appreciate different flavours and give you their opinions.

Yesterday I made chapati (the Omani Swahili version-will tell you its story next time with the recipe)...Unfortunately I didn't have a camera except for my phone camera which is not good (as you can notice from the picture). Next time I make chapaties I will make sure to takes proper photos of the steps.

Other previous Pictures I've taken of some of my simple dishes

xx