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| Punjab |
The Interior Minister of Pakistan, Afsan Iqbal almost lost his life in an assassination attempt, in the province of Punjab. The Minister was rushed to a hospital and the assailant has been arrested and is being interrogated by the police.
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| Tunisia and the Surrounding Countries |
Tunisia held its first free municipal elections, on Sunday. The turnout was, only, 33.75% of the 5 million eligible voters, thus showing their rage at the “slow pace of change” since the 2011 revolution of the Arab Spring.
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| Kilauea Erupting |
The U.S. Geological Survey announced the Kilauea Volcano on the Large Island of Hawaii erupted on Thursday, killing two people and injuring 28. Officials urged the residents to evacuate the island due to the “extremely high levels of toxic fumes”.
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| No Comments |
According to the White House, Prime Minister Theresa May and President Donald Trump had a meeting on Saturday and discussed various items, including the Iran nuclear deal. They also talked about the nuclear policy of North Korea.
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| A Protester |
During large anti-Putin demonstrations, across Russia, the protesters were chanting “he is not our czar!” Thousands were arrested, including the head of the opposition, and anti-corruption campaigner, Alexei Navalny.
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| The Greek Navy Gunboat |
For the second time, in less than three months, a Turkish merchant ship collided with a Greek Navy gunboat, patrolling the Aegean, just before dawn. The Greek vessel was searching for boats with refugees and migrants, offering medical help and shelter, whenever needed.
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| Boatloads of Immigrants Arriving in Greece |
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| Immigrants being Welcome Ashore |
Officials fear that the spring weather will bring another influx of refugees and migrants to the Greek islands, which are already overcrowded. The European Union’s border patrol, FRONTEX estimates that there has been 17% increase in the number of illegal migrants entering the country, since the beginning of May.
It is heartbreaking, that these unfortunate people, fleeing from their war-torn countries in the Middle East, risk their lives in crumbling boats, in search of hope and normal living conditions, in the European Union.
It is heartbreaking, that these unfortunate people, fleeing from their war-torn countries in the Middle East, risk their lives in crumbling boats, in search of hope and normal living conditions, in the European Union.
Also, AEK's Basketball Team won the third European trophy of its history and its first Basketball Champion's League "triumphing 100-94 over Monaco, in the Olympic Sports Hall in Athens."!!
Here are a few recipes pertaining to the countries mentioned above.
CHICKEN AND YOGURT DISH FROM NORTHERN PAKISTAN
This dish is not cooked with the usual Indian spices, but it is extremely popular and easy to prepare.
4 chicken legs, skinned and divided into thighs and drumsticks
1 chicken breast, quartered
125 ml (½ cup) + 2 tbsp plain yogurt
197.5 ml (¾ cup) water
4 medium-sized onions, peeled, 3 cut in half and finely sliced, the fourth coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
One 2.5 x 2.5 cm (1x1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp or less Cayenne pepper
Place 125 ml (½ cup) yogurt in a small bowl and add the water gradually whipping constantly, until well combined.
Blend the onion, garlic and ginger with 6 tbsp water to a smooth paste and reserve.
Sauté the sliced onions in 3 tbsp olive oil until they are soft and slightly brown around the edges, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
Add the remaining olive oil and sauté the chicken in batches, for 7-8 minutes, until they are browned on all sides, and transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Lower the heat to a minimum, add the blended onion/garlic/ginger paste to the saucepan and stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. Add one tablespoonful of yogurt and continue to stir-fry for one minute more, then, repeat the same process with the second tablespoonful of yogurt.
Add the chicken pieces, the yogurt/water mixture, the sautéed sliced onion rings, salt and Cayenne pepper to taste. Stir well and bring to a boil. Then cover the saucepan, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes more.
Taste and season accordingly, if necessary. Also, if the sauce is too thin, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a hot plate and keep hot. Then, reduce the sauce, by boiling to the desired thickness and transfer the chicken back to the pot. Serve hot over steamed rice, sprinkled with fresh cilantro or parsley.
LAMB WITH CHESTNUTS AND RAISINS
(Market Khastel)
Here is a festive, tasty Tunisian main dish.
16-20 roasted chestnuts, peeled from their shell and inner brown membrane
1 kg (2 lb) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat, washed and patted dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces
6 tbsp sunflower oil
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt or according to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
900 ml (3 cups) water
210 g (7 oz) seedless raisins
1 tsp sugar
Place the lamb in a bowl, sprinkle it all over with salt, cinnamon and freshly ground black pepper and sauté in batches, in sunflower oil, turning around frequently, until richly brown on all sides.
Add the chestnuts and the hot water and bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat to a mere simmer and cook, partly covered for 30 minutes.
Stir in the raisins and sugar and simmer gently, partly covered again, for about 20 minutes more or until the meat is tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Taste for seasoning, and arrange on a hot serving dish and serve with crusty, warm bread
HAWAIIAN AHI POKE
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A wonderful fish dish from Hawaii.
Marinade:
62.5 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
4 tbsp trimmed and finely sliced spring onions plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp ground roasted macadamia nuts
1 tsp hot red chilli pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
(Mix all the ingredients well together)
500 g (1 lb) yellow tunny fish, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes
Sunflower oil
Lemon or lime juice
Sauté the tunny fish, in batches, in sunflower oil, on all sides until it flakes when tested with a fork. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
Place the cooked tunny fish in a bowl and pour the marinade over. Mix gently but thoroughly until all pieces are covered with the marinade. Cover with cling-film and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.
Sprinkle with the extra finely sliced spring onions, and serve with sushi rice or cold noodles and a green salad.
ROAST FILLET OF BEEF WITH VEGETABLE AND WINE SAUCE
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| Beef Tenderloin in Red Wine Sauce |
This is not the proverbial roast beef, England's national dish, but it is one of my favourite main dishes for a small dinner party
1½ kg beef fillet, centre part, tied at 2½ cm (1 inch) intervals with kitchen thread, brushed with
Olive oil and sprinkled with
Salt and thickly ground black pepper, covered and refrigerated
Rosemary sprigs
Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced
250 g (½ lb) fresh white mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 bouquet garni made with 2 parsley sprigs, 1 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 slice of fresh ginger
One 750 ml bottle of red wine like Nemea Agiorgitiko or Barolo
500 ml (2 cups) home-made beef stock
A little sugar
You could prepare the sauce up to two days earlier than you need it. Sauté all the vegetables in olive oil, stirring constantly, until they become soft and dry. Add the tomato paste and ginger and stir for 2-3 minutes more. Pour in 250 ml (1 glass) of wine and cook for 5 minutes until all the wine evaporates. Add the bouquet garni, the remaining wine, and the beef stock. Lower the heat and simmer gently, for at least 1-1 ½ hours. Remove the bouquet garni and the ginger and blend the sauce with a hand blender, cover and reserve, in the fridge.
Three hours before your guests arrive, remove the fillet from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F). Then attach the rosemary sprigs to the meat with the kitchen thread and sauté it over high heat until browned on all sides. Place the fillet on a rack, in a roasting tin and add a little water in the tin. Roast for 15-20 minutes for rare, 20-25 for medium and 25-30 for well done. Then remove from the oven and cover the meat with foil and let it rest for 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the sauce. Strain the juices from the roasting tin into a jug and stir a little into the sauce. Taste the sauce and season with salt pepper and a little sugar if necessary, adding more of the roasting juices.
Carve the fillet in thickish slices, arrange on a hot serving dish and masque liberally with sauce. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables of your choice.
BEEF STROGANOFF
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| Stroganoff Served over Noodles |
A delicious dish of the Russian Cuisine.
2-3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
500g (1 lb) mushrooms, whipped, trimmed and thickly sliced
1 kg (2 lb) fillet steak, sliced then cut into strips
2 tbsp or more plain flour mixed with
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
125 ml (½ cup) white wine
1 tbsp English mustard
250 ml (1 cup) cream
250 ml (1 cup) beef stock
½ cup chopped parsley
Sauté the onions in olive oil, with a cupful of water and a little salt, over medium heat. Stir frequently, and simmer for 15 minutes until the onions are completely soft. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Then add the butter and the mushrooms and cook until soft and most of the cooking liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and tip into a large plate.
Toss the meat strips into the seasoned flour and sauté, in the remaining olive oil and cook until golden brown. Pour in the wine and stir for 2-3 minutes more until the alcohol evaporates. Then return the onion and mushroom mixture back into the saucepan and stir well together. Finally, mix the cream, mustard and stock until well combined and pour evenly over and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes more and sprinkle with chopped parsley
Serve with noodles or rice
STEAMED RICE WITH SAFFRON POTATOES
(Chelo Seebjamini)
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| Iranian Rice and Potato Dish |
Iran has many very interesting rice dishes, this is one of them.
450 g (14 oz) basmati rice
½ tsp of saffron threads
1 pinch of sugar
1 scant tsp warm water
75 g (2½ oz) melted butter plus
30 g (1 oz) butter cut into small pieces
2 small potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
Wash the rice thoroughly and place it in a bowl. add three tablespoonfuls of salt and enough water to cover the rice by 2.5 cm (1 inch) and soak for about two hours and strain.
Bring 1250 ml (5 cups) of water to a boil, in a heavy casserole, add the rice, stir once or twice and boil briskly for 5 minutes then drain in a sieve.
Meanwhile, mash the saffron threads and sugar with a pestle and mortar or the back of a spoon. Stir in the scant teaspoon of warm water and pour into the casserole and stir the melted butter. Add the sliced potatoes, turning them over until they are thoroughly coated. Spread the potatoes over the entire bottom of the casserole and spoon the rice over them, heaping it us slightly in the centre. Dot the rice with the remaining butter, cover tightly and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Cover with a sheet of tin foil to seal the casserole completely. Then cover with the lid and reduce the heat to the lowest possible point and steam the rice and potatoes until tender for about 35 minutes.
Spoon the rice on a heated dish. Gently lift the potatoes and arrange them brown side up on the rice. It is usually served with a stew, but it can also be served with butter, raw egg yolk, salt and pepper and a pinch of dried sumac.
AUBERGINE SALAD
(Melitzanosalata)
This is a traditional recipe for an aubergine salad.
1 kg (2 lb) large aubergines
1 clove crushed garlic
Salt and pepper according to taste
4 tbsp vinegar or according to taste
125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Prick the aubergines and bake in an oven preheated to 200C (almost 400 F) until the skin is charred, to give a smoky flavour to the salad. Split
SUMMER AUBERGINE SALAD
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This melitzanosalata reminds one of guacamole.
1 kg (2 lb) large aubergine
2 tbsp cucumber, finely chopped
2 tbsp multi-coloured peppers finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1½ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp or more lemon juice or
Vinegar to taste
Vinegar to taste
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
For baking the eggplant, please see the preceding recipe. Mix all the ingredients well together and season according to taste with salt pepper, and Cayenne pepper. Place in a serving bowl, cover and chill. Serve with crusty warm bread.
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| Spring Roses from the Kifissia Flower Show |
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