Tuna Sushi Bowl with Crispy Rice, by Diane

 

I have been craving a chilled, easy lunch recipe for the week to batch cook, and created this bowl out of a few trending recipes I saw online. I used canned tuna for convenience here, but really any protein would work well. I thought this would be great fresh, but it actually worked better after a few hours to sit and marry all the ingredients together.

Ingredients:

3 tins canned tuna (I used fish wife albacore in spicy olive oil)

2 cups crispy rice (click link for recipe)

1 cup julienned carrots

4 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts

1 cucumber, thinly sliced (I used a mandolin)

1-2 cups edamame, shelled

2 packets seaweed sheets

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

3 tbsp fried shallots

Sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp chili sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!!

Crispy Rice, by Diane

 

I've seen this trend for crispy rice salads for a while, and I made a batch to put on my Tuna Crispy Rice Sushi Bowl this week! This was super easy to make, very versatile in terms of type of rice and flavorings, and can be used in so many things. I actually didn't love how this turned out as it was kind of tacky and not all crunchy, it may have been I needed to cook it longer.

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice (can be day old, or freshly cooked, I used a packet of microwavable rice that I did not cook)

2 tbsp chili oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

Directions:

Mix ingredients well and place in an airfryer basket in a single layer, cook at 400 for 15 or so minutes. Stir every 5 min to make sure rice cooks evenly and doesn't burn. I left this on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.

Quick Sushi Snack, by Cheryl

Um, how is it the end of February and this is my first post of the year? 

This sushi has become a staple snack in our house. And it's super easy to make! My kids would have sushi everyday if we let them so this is a great option without breaking the bank. You really can put anything you want in here, but we've been keeping it simple with some sushi rice, avocado, and some cooked salmon in a sweet chili sauce. Dipped in some soy sauce this snack is just what everyone needs after a long day. Yum!

Ingredients: 

Salmon, cut into cubes, marinated in sauce for a couple of hours (optional)

Seaweed paper

Avocado, sliced

Sushi rice

Sweet chili sauce

Soy sauce, optional

Directions:

1) Cook sushi rice according to directions

2) Cook cubed salmon in a pan until just cooked through. 

3) When rice and sushi are done, arrange them on the seaweed with the avocado. Roll the seaweed. Cut in half or into pieces. Dip in soy sauce for extra flavor. 

Chao, by Diane

 

When I'm in Vietnam, my most favorite breakfast (before pho!) is chao, aka congee or jook- there are tons of Asian cultures that eat this with different names. It is a simple rice porridge made with broken white rice, and then you can top it with various things. After making my amazing pork seaweed rolls last week in the snow, I realized I had all the toppings for chao in my house and decided to try and make it for warm savory breakfasts. While this turned out amazing flavor-wise and very comforting, the consistency was off no matter how hard I tried to adjust. It came out with soft but intact grains of rice in a thick porridge, but I was looking for rice that had broken down more. In the end it was delicious but I'll try it with white rice next time (brown was what I had on hand).

*note- I am not sure about the correct ratio here of water to rice but will update next time! I had to boil the excess liquid off for 20 min at the end which you aren't supposed to need to do.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

6 cups water (I used 4 water and 2 beef stock)

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp soy sauce

Toppings: pork floss, sliced green scallions, soy sauce, fried shallots

Directions:

Combine all ingredients but toppings and bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook one hour or until it gets to the desired consistency (mine took almost 2 and then I boiled it for the last 20 stirring constantly to get a thick, glossy porridge that was super flavorful).

Lamb Biryani, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from the NY Times, and it looked like the perfect dish to make for a cozy winter weekend. It did involve prep a day ahead, and was a little laborious, so I would save this for a week when I had the time to cook it. Overall, I liked it but it was a bit drier than I hoped. Some biryani dishes I've had are on the dry side so this wasn't a problem with the recipe I don't think. Another complaint was that the whole spices had to stay in while it cooked so every few bites I'd get a cardamom pod or a piece of cinnamon stick (also not uncommon), but I think next time I'd put these in a little bag and take it out before the oven step. On the plus side, the lamb was super tender and the rice was nice and fluffy, and the heat level with just one green finger chile and the 1 tsp of Kasmiri chili was a perfect mild-medium level. I also added currants to one bowl on whim and really like the pop of sweetness! And, while there was a ton of cilantro and mint in this I couldn't tell at all, all the flavors really blended nicely. 

Ingredients:

For the Lamb:

4 green finger chiles (or serrano chiles), stems removed (I used one)

1 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

8 cloves garlic, peeled

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered

2 roma tomatoes, quartered

1 cup full fat yogurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp Kasmiri chile powder, plus more if desired

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp kosher salt, plus more if desired

2.5 to 3 lbs lamb chops (shoulder bone in or boneless) (I cut this into bite size pieces)

3 Indian cinnamon sticks half inch each, or 1 large cinnamon stick

12 whole black peppercorns

6 cloves

6 green cardamom pods

1 tbsp garam masala

For the Fried Onions:

1 cup neutral oil like canola

2 yellow onions thinly sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the Rice:

kosher salt

water

3 cups basmati rice

For Assembly:

6 tbsp whole milk

1/2 tsp saffron threads

2 cups mixed fresh cilantro and mint leaves

6 tbsp unsalted butter, sliced

Directions:

1. Prep the lamb marinade by adding finger chiles, garlic and ginger to a food processor until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and onions until smooth. Add to a ziplock bag with the lamb, yogurt, mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chile powder, turmeric and salt. Combine well and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prep the fried onions by heating oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook until browned about 25-30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and spread out so they don't clump. Set aside.

3. Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom to the remaining oil and fry over medium heat for one minute until fragrant. Add the meat mixture with the marinade plus one cup of water and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, on a low simmer (adjust heat as needed) until the meat is tender and the sauce is dark (about 2.5 hours). Add in garam masala, then chile powder/salt as needed.

4. Heat the oven to 350 F. Prep the rice by adding it to a large pot of salted boiling water for 3 minutes, stirring well and often, then strain and run cold water over the rice. Set aside.

5. Prep the saffron milk by warming the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming. Remove from heat and add saffron, crumbing it with fingertips as you drop it into the milk. Set aside.

6. In a large dutch oven with a lid, add 1/3 meat mixture to the bottom layer of the pot evenly. Sprinkle the meat with 1/3 herbs and 1/3 rice, assembling lightly without packing the layers down. Drizzle 2 tbsp of saffron milk over the rice and add 1/3 fried onions. Build 2 more layers like this and top with butter pats. Cover the pot with foil and then the lid.

7. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake for one hour until piping hot. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving, digging all the way to the bottom with the spoon to serve. Reheat in a covered dish in the microwave for leftovers.

Deconstructed Salmon Avocado Rolls, by Cheryl

While scrolling Instagram Jon came across a reel that featured these deconstructed salmon avocado rolls and immediately knew that we had to make them. I made them right away, ha! They were so good! They look like they take a while to make, but they were actually super easy and quick. These were great for dinner, but also for quick snacks throughout the day. Yum!

Ingredients: 

1 salmon fillet, cubed and removed from the skin

Bachans or other Japanese bbq sauce

Traeger Fin and Feather rub (I used a mix of sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder, and chili pepper)

1 cup sushi rice

Avocado, cubed

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Marinate the salmon with the bbq sauce and rub. This is a quick marinade while you prep the other stuff. 

2) Meanwhile, cook the sushi rice according to the package directions.

3) Cut the seaweed into squares. 

4) Place a tablespoon or two of cooked rice into each square. It'll soften the seaweed. Place each square with the rice into an individual cupcake tin. 

5) Top each cupcake tin with the salmon. 

6) Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Top with cubed avocado, a drizzle of spicy mayo, and chives. 

Fall Bowl, by Diane

I created this warm bowl for dinners this week and haven't wanted anything since!! It is SUCH a great combo of flavors and so freakin easy to meal prep and heat up during the week. And it's healthy to boot. Total win! Side note, this was my first time whipping up my own vinaigrette, and it was SO delicious. I was out of dijon mustard so I had to get creative, and I'm pretty impressed with the outcome. I think it's what makes the whole bowl shine, and I can see this used as a marinade or dressing for so many other recipes! I ran out of pecans which I was going to chop and add to this bowl for crunch, and I think that would be a good addition! I also added it over some kale one day as a salad, and one day there was some goat cheese in it. Yum!

Note: this made about 4 bowls across the week, with some leftovers for another 1/2 bowl at the end of the week. For leftovers, I warmed up all the ingredients except the apple and the dressing.

Ingredients:

For the Bowl:

Chicken, grilled and sliced (I used 2 bags of pre-grilled chicken to make this easier)

2 crowns broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 portobello mushrooms

2 cups wild rice and quinoa mixture, cooked according to package directions (I used 1/2 cup warmed rice in each bowl)

2 sweet crisp apples, peeled and cubed (I used 1/2 an apple in each bowl)

EVOO

For the Dressing:

5 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp mustard powder

1 medium shallot, minced

1 stalk rosemary leaves, minced

5 stalks thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tbsp fig jam

Instructions:

1. Toss the broccoli, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms in EVOO and roast until tender at 350. I made sure the sweet potatoes really caramelized on each side before pulling them out to add extra flavor. 

2. Whisk all dressing ingredients together and set aside.

3. Combine all ingredients and devour :)

 

Easy Asian Rice Cakes, by Diane

 

I've seen these posted on several accounts over the years, and decided to make them the other day as a side dish to a Korean menu I made for family friends. This was quick and easy, and really flavorful! The sauce would also pair well with regular noodles as well. 

Ingredients:

1 small pack rice cakes, frozen

2 tbsp chunky peanut butter

2 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1 tbsp chili crisp oil

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced

Directions:

1. Boil the rice cakes until completely cooked through and soft- not mushy or chewy!

2. While the rice cakes boil, mix the remaining ingredients together in a sauce and taste to adjust. 

3. Pour sauce over rice cakes and serve immediately!

Salmon Teriyaki Bowl, by Cheryl

While mindlessly scrolling Instagram I came across this recipe from Primal Kitchen. It looked so good from the way they showed the recipe I knew I had to try it! A quick Whole Foods shopping list was made and I was good to go! The recipe was super easy to make and was different! We enjoyed it very much. Next time I would make more of the mayonnaise, but other than that this was a great meal. Yum! 

Ingredients:

Salmon teriyaki:

1lb salmon, cut into cubes

Primal Kitchen no soy teriyaki marinade

Quick-pickled vegetables:

1 carrot, sliced into circles

1/3 cucumber, peeled, sliced into circles

2 tbsp water

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup rice vinegar

Sriracha Mayo:

1/4 cup Primal Kitchen Mayo w/ avocado oil

1 tbsp sriracha or chili paste

Bowl Assembly:

1 cup short grain rice

1 avocado, diced

2 individual packages nori

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Cover salmon with teriyaki sauce in a bowl for at least 20 minutes.

2) Prepare the pickled vegetables. In a bowl, add rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk together until combined. Add cucumber and carrot slices. Set aside for 20 minutes. 

3) Line a baking tray with foil and spray with avocado oil. Add cubed salmon and broil in the oven until browned on top and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4) Between 2 bowls, split rice evenly. Top with cubed salmon, vegetables, avocado, and drizzle the mayo.

5) Serve with nori and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. 

Uzbek Plov, by Diane

 

This weekend thanks to Covid our plans got cancelled and we were stuck at home, so my friend and I resumed our virtual Cooking through the Countries series and picked Uzbekistan. Plov is the classic Uzbek dish of meat and rice, and having had it before at a local restaurant I was excited to make this! Traditionally it's made with lamb, but I used beef here. This was really warming, and very tasty. 

The instructions for cooking the rice wound up being incorrect for both of us, so I'm writing what we did here as well to correct it. We also added more salt throughout the cooking process and changed the garlic instructions, and were glad we did both. All our notes are in the recipe below.

Overall through this series we have learned that pretty much every country has a meat and rice dish, and that rice is very hard to cook with all the different methods! Both of us said we would make this again, and my friend used chicken and said it also was great! 

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless lamb cut into 3 inch pieces (I used beef stew meat for ease here)

2 cups basmati rice

4 garlic heads, whole (we used 2 but think 3 would be great), washed and top trimmed off to expose cloves

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large onions, sliced thinly

5 large carrots, coarsely grated

2 tbsp each cumin and coriander seeds

1/2 cup fresh barberries (I subbed currants)

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 cups boiling water

2 tbsp salt (we used more)

Directions:

1. Cover rice in a bowl with warm water and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or skillet over high heat until smoking. Salt the meat, then add to pot, browning on each side. 

3. Stir in onions with a sprinkle of salt, cooking for 10 minutes until brown and soft.

4. Stir in carrots, cooking for 10 minutes until soft.

5. Stir in cumin seeds, coriander seeds, barberries and peppercorns. Stir in a pinch of salt and mix well. Add garlic heads face down on the bottom of the pan (this part was my addition and it worked well to caramelize the garlic). Reduce heat to medium and cook covered for 30 min. (We shortened the cooking time for beef to 20 and chicken by 15).

6. Wash and drain the rice until water is clear in hot water. Pour the drained rice in an even layer over meat mixture, then cover with boiling water about 3/4 inch and do not stir. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of salt and reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 20 min until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

*note- this method did not work for us, so we would either do this for 10 min then stir together and cook until the rice is soft, or mix all together from the start. Our water did not cover the rice by 3/4 of an inch either, and we both thought we might increase the liquid by .5 cup.

7. Stir everything together at the end, adjust for seasonings, and serve with garlic heads on top.

*note- we squeezed the roasted garlic out and stirred this in too, it made it taste great!

Fesenjaan, by Diane

 

Part of our Winter Solstice celebration!

I made this dish with a friend to celebrate the Winter Solstice, which is a dish typically made in Iran to celebrate this night. This was a so warming and really, really good! I will definitely be making this again, but in much larger quantities! I also might add currants as well. I wound up using smaller pieces of orange rind, because I couldn't peel it all in one shot, but that worked really well because you could eat them and it made the flavor better! Recipe from here. Works best served over Persian saffron rice!

Ingredients:

2 cups walnuts

1.5 lbs chicken, cubed

1 generous pinch salt and pepper

2 tbsp EVOO

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper

1.5 tsp salt

3 large 1.5 inch slices of orange zest

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp maple syrup

Optional: 1 can chickpeas (we didn't use these)

Directions:

1. Heat the walnuts until golden over medium low heat for 10 minutes, let cool, and grind finely in a food processor. Set aside.

2. Use the same pan to heat the oil and butter. Toss the chicken in a pinch of salt and pepper, then sear on all sides. Set aside.

3. In the same pan, add the onions and cook for 6 minutes until golden, then add garlic and cook 4 more minutes. 

4. Add cumin, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.

5. Add the broth, scraping the brown bits, then add pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, chicken, and walnuts to the pan. Stir well and bring to a boil.

6. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

7. Uncover and cook 15 more minutes until thicker. If using chickpeas, add in at this step. 

8. Serve hot, preferably over saffron rice!

Nasi Goreng, by Diane

 

Nasi Goreng was my most favorite dish in Indonesia, a staple at most places. I ate it every day, and if you know me I like to taste EVERYTHING so this was an anomaly for sure- it was just so dang delicious!! I learned to cook it at a little tiny warung (an indonesian restaurant) that was basically a bamboo tent with a roof on an island called Gili Air, and it was my local spot each day. After the third day in a row, the chef offered to teach me how to make it, and I gladly accepted! It's pretty easy to throw together, and *almost* as good as in Indonesia...

Note: to make this last for the week's dinners I used 1.25 lbs chicken, 1 lb shrimp, 4 eggs, and 6 cups rice

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken, cubed

1 inch fresh turmeric, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp palm oil

1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned and tail off

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 egg

4 cups cooked white rice

1 shake white pepper

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp each salty soy sauce (our regular soy sauce), king sauce (fermented soy sauce), fish sauce, worcestershire sauce, sweet soy sauce 

6 large green onions, chopped (use green and white parts)

1 tbsp white sugar

Optional: shrimp chips

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken cubes in turmeric and 1 clove minced garlic for a few hours.

2. Heat a large wok on high, when hot add butter and oil. Add chicken and cook until the outside turns white.

3. Add in the shrimp, cook until just opaque.

4. Add in the egg and don't stir for one minute, then stir until fully cooked.

5. Add in onion and remaining 3 cloves of minced garlic, stir for 1 minute.

6. Reduce heat to low, add in rice, sauces, and pepper. Stir well.

7. Add in green onions and sugar, stir and adjust for taste.

8. Serve by packing the mixture into a bowl, then flipping over on a plate. Serve with shrimp chips on the side for scooping!

Fall Harvest Moon Bake, by Diane

 

This was the main course meal for a recent Hunters Full Moon ceremony I went to and the food theme was fall harvest. I had my doubts about this recipe because there was no liquid added to the ingredients, so I switched the dried rice to cooked, added a splash of chicken broth, and reduced the heat. I also added spinach for a more complete meal, and when I cooked it the second time, I did it in a dutch oven to make this a one pot dinner, which I'll likely repeat again. This came out SO good I made it again the next week for dinners too! It is just a really good, healthy, and easy mix of the best fall flavors, and I'll definitely make this one again soon!

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken (I used rotisserie chicken as a short cut, the recipe calls for thighs)

EVOO

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp fresh diced sage

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1/2 tbsp fresh diced rosemary leaves

1 package cooked wild rice in a pouch (don't heat this, just add to the pot as is from the package)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened or low sugar if possible)

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

Splash chicken broth

1/2 cup diced pecans

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken fully and set aside. When cool, shred or dice into bite size pieces.

2. While the chicken cooks, heat EVOO in a large pot on medium heat. Add in onions and brown. 

3. Add the butternut squash to the pot along with the herbs and salt, stir and cover. Uncover and stir for about 10-15 minutes until the squash softens. Add in rice and stir, cooking two more minutes then remove from heat.

4. Preheat the oven to 400. Place chicken, squash mixture, spinach, and cranberries in a casserole dish, mix well. Add a splash of chicken broth to the mix.

5. Top with pecans, cover with foil, and bake for 15 min or until everything is heated through.

Machboos, by Diane

This week for cooking through the countries we chose Qatar, and this was our entree. Machboos is also a dish of chicken and rice cooked with Baharat spice mixture, and has some slight differences in the Middle East depending on the country. This dish had a lot of potential, but was incredibly spicy despite halving the chili pepper and also very over-spiced. I had to do a lot of tweaking here to get this slightly improved, so overall I wouldn’t make this recipe again. 

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon baharat (see recipe below)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons oil
• A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3 pounds)
• 1 hot green chili pepper (e.g., jalapeno), seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 5 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, juices drained)
• 2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one
• 5 green cardamom pods
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 2½ cups chicken stock
• 2 cups basmati rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Rosewater for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)
• For the Homemade Baharat:
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds
• 1 tablespoon paprika powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Set the paprika and nutmeg powders aside. Place all remaining ingredients (whole seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves) in a small frying pan and dry roast over medium-high heat, tossing regularly to prevent scorching, for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant. Transfer to a spice or coffee grinder and let cool. Add the paprika and nutmeg and grind all the ingredients to a fine powder. Store left over baharat in an airtight jar.

2.Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the Dutch oven.

3. Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes.

4. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.

5. Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.

6. Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.

7. Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has absorbed the liquid.

8. Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater (optional).

Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice, by Diane

This was our main course for our cooking the countries theme, this week being Israel- more specifically Jerusalem. This recipe was SUCH a hit. Neither of us could believe it had come from our kitchens, and it was absolute comfort food. My friend will usually only have 2 or so bites of chicken in a sitting and she wound up eating two whole pieces herself! This would be wonderful to serve to guests as it looks and tastes impressive but actually involves very little work. This dish just tasted like a warm hug, and will definitely be on rotation.

This recipe called for barberries, which are traditional to the area. I subbed in currants and they were fantastic with the dish, but next time I'd like to attempt the more traditional route. If using barberries, soak them in water and sugar for a bit ahead of time to tone down the tartness. There was also an option to eat this dish with warm greek yogurt mixed with olive oil as a topping, which I declined (it's in the recipe if you're interested!).

Ingredients:

4 tbsp EVOO
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs chicken (I used breasts but thighs would work well here)
Salt and pepper
10 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 2/3 basmati rice
1/8-1/4 cup currants (I like the little pops of sweetness so I did 1/4)
2 1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tbsp flat parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Directions:

1. Place the chicken in a large bowl, and add in 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. Massage into the chicken and set aside.

2. Heat a large saucepan to medium heat, add in the remaining 2 tbsp of EVOO and the onions, stirring often for 15 minutes until caramelized. Remove the onions and set aside.

3. Add the chicken, spices, and oil to the pan. Sear the chicken 5 minutes on each side until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan, keeping a thin film of oil.

4. Add the rice, onions, currants, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to the pan. Stir well for one minute.

5. Return the chicken to the pan, pressing it down into the rice. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and cover tightly.

6. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.

7. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from heat, uncover, and quickly place a tea towel over the rice before re-covering with the lid. Let the rice stay off the heat undisturbed for another 10 minutes.

8. After 10 minutes, remove the cover and add in the fresh herbs. Fluff the rice with a fork as you mix them through. Top with warm yogurt mixture if desired.

Rose Scented Saffron Rice (Mulhammar), by Diane

This was the final dish we made for our Bahraini meal and it was also really delicious! The combination of flavors worked well on their own but also surprisingly went really well with the shrimp balls! Again, this tasted like something that would never come out of either of our kitchens, and we were pumped. Also great leftover!

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp saffron threads
3 cardamom pods, cracked
2 tbsp rose water
6 cups water
1 tbsp salt
2 cups basmati rice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. In a small bowl mix saffron, cardamom, and rosewater together. Set aside.

2. In a medium pot, bring the salt and water to boil.

3. Rinse the rice under cold water repeatedly until the water runs clear.

4. Add rice to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes uncovered, stirring every few minutes. Drain and return to pot.

5. Put the rice back in the pot and add the saffron mixture along with melted butter. Poke holes in the rice with a wooden spoon. Cover and steam over very low heat for 20 minutes or until fork tender.

Nutty Wild Rice Salad, by Cheryl

This is a recipe from Once Upon a Chef. It's the cookbook my friend chose for the cookbook club this month. This recipe was a hit! It's great cold or slightly warmed up. So flavorful and yummy! And not too bad for you either. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup wild rice, rinsed
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice from 1 orange
1/4 cup EVOO
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley,
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tart yet sweet apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup roasted and salted pepitas
2 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced

Directions:

1) In a medium pot, cook the wild rice according to package directions.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper, and remaining salt. Add the cooled rice, pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, apple, pepitas, and scallions. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Avocado Salmon Rice Bowl, by Cheryl

I made myself cauliflower rice

This is a pinterest find (originally from here) and it was really good and satisfying! I had made this a few months ago when I was going through a bowl phase and just thought of it again and remembered that it was tasty! A couple of things: 1) The avocado makes the dish. Without the avocado mixture this dish would be very boring. 2) I'm not too sure what the glaze on the fish does... I really couldn't taste it at all. Overall, it's a solid dish. Yum!

Ingredients:

Rice:
1 cup jasmine rice
1.5 cups water
Juice from 1/2 large lime
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp chicken or vegetable stock
salt

Salmon:
1lb salmon fillet
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp minced cilantro
salt

Avocado:
1 avocado
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp minced cilantro
salt

Directions:

Rice:
1) Cook rice according to package directions.

2) Mix stock, lime juice, honey, and cilantro together in a medium pot over medium heat. Let simmer for a minute. Take off heat. Mix in rice. Season with salt. Mix. Set aside.

Salmon:
3) Preheat oven to 425. Rub salmon with some oil and place skin side down on a baking sheet.

4) Mix together all of the salmon ingredients. Rub glaze over salmon fillets. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Avocado:
5) Chop avocado and add to a small bowl. Add in all avocado ingredients and mix together.

6) Assemble rice bowls with the rice on the bottom, then the salmon, and top each bowl with the avocado.

Paprika Chicken and Rice Bake, by Cheryl

What an easy peasy meal to put together and it's delicious and healthy too! 100 Days of Real Food shared this on their facebook page from buzzfeed and it was really very tasty. It even comes with one of those fast videos that shows you the process, which made it look even more scrumptious. Especially the rice. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs since that's what I had on hand and it turned out great. I just didn't have an oven proof pot so I did steps 3-5 in a regular pot on the stove and then transferred everything to a glass baking dish. Turned out great. Next time I may add chopped carrots and celery to go in the rice. Yum!

Ingredients:

5 chicken thighs (I used two bone-in chicken breast halves)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup red onion, diced (I used sweet)
1 cup long grain rice (I used brown)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) In a large bowl, season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, and parsley.

3) On high, heat olive oil in an oven proof pot and place chicken thighs skin side down, in the hot oil. Cook 5-6 minutes or until the thighs develop crispy skin, and flip over. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove from the pot.

4) Add the garlic and onions and cook for a few minutes.

5) Pour in rice and chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil.

6) Add the chicken back to the pot, skin side up, on top of the rice. Bring back to a boil and cover with a lid.

7) Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.

Spanish Rice, by Diane

My mom makes this dish a lot, and it's been a comfort food since I was little. When I was in Istanbul a while back I stocked up on some newer spices to try and I figured this was a good dish to try them in! It's super quick for a weeknight hit of comfort. The recipe is pretty basic and easy to modify, and I can see this going well with ground turkey or different kinds of rice/grains too. I'm posting the version you see here, with the added spices and immune boosting ingredients!


Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 spanish onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground beef
Salt and pepper
2 tsp spanish paprika
1-2 tsp dried oregano
1-2 tsp turmeric
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce (or one 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce)
1.5 cups instant white rice
1 cup water
Goya seasoning (to taste)


Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, add the oil through beef and cook until the beef is brown and crumbled and the onions are translucent.

2. Drain the beef mixture and add in the remaining ingredients, cooking on low-medium heat until the rice is cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed.