Maqluba and Baked Kofta

Maqluba

 1 eggplant

 2 onions

 2-3 tomatoes

 2 large potatoes

 1 cup of broccoli

 1/2 cup of carrots

 1/2 cup of cauliflower

 3-4 cloves of garlic

 2 cups of rice

 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock

 1 tbsp arabic 7 spice mix

 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

 1/2 tsp allspice

 oil for frying

 salt and pepper

In a frying pan in oil fry eggplant, onions, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli separately. Arrange vegetables on the bottom of a large pan. Spice the veggies. Soak the rice in warm water for about 15 minutes. Put the rice on the top of the vegetables. Salt and pepper everything. Grated the garlic over the entire pan. Pour chicken stock over rice. cover and let cook for 45mins- 1hr. When the stock has cooked out and rice is cooked, flip the pan upside down on a large plate. Serve with salad and plain yogurt.

Kofta Recipe

1 lb of ground beef

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

7 spice mix

 Parsley 

Salt and pepper

Mix ingredients shape into logs bake at 375 for 20mins.

 

 

 

Borsch

Borsch Recipe

Beef or Lamb stew meat
1 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
3 carrots chopped
1-2 tomatoes
2-3 beets peeled and cubed
3-4 potatoes cubed
1/2 head of cabbage
3-4 bay leaves
3-4 cloves of garlic
cumin powder
salt and pepper

In a large stew pot fry the meat in about 3-4 tbsp of oil. Salt and pepper the meat. You can also add cumin powder and garlic powder to the meat to give it more flavor. When meat is browned add onion, fry till they caramelize. Then add green pepper, carrots, beets and potatoes. When the vegetables are soft then add  tomatoes and cabbage. Fry until soft.  Add about 5-6 cups of water with bouillon. (or beef stock) Add the bay leaves and about 1 1/2 tbsp of cumin. Let it cook for about 45 mins - 1hr . Chop fresh cilantro and greens onion and sour cream.

Tajik Sauce

Tajik Sauce Recipe
Meat- chicken or beef or lamb stew meat
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
3 carrots chopped
5-6 large potatoes cubed
1-2 tomatoes diced
3-4 bay leaves
2 tbsp dill
2 tbsp cumin seed or powder
3 large cloves of garlic

In a large stew pot  fry the meat in about 3-4 tbsp of oil salt and pepper the meat. You can also spice the meat with the cumin powder and a little garlic powder. When the meat is browned add the onions. Fry the onions until they have caramelized. Next add the green pepper and carrots, when the green pepper and  carrots have softened. Add the tomatoes and potatoes fry them a little till they are soft on the outside. Add water with bouillon or 1/2 water and half chicken stock or beef stock. until you barely cover everything in the pot. Add bay leaves, cumin, grated garlic cloves. Cover and let it cook for about 45mins to 1hr until everything is soft and its not soupy anymore. It should be saucy. (thats why it's called sauce)  towards the end add the dill. I like it salty so salt to your liking. Tajiks eat on a very deep plate with sour cream or plain yogurt. Chop some fresh cilantro and green onion and sprinkle on top. We also eat it with fresh baked bread, for dipping.

I promise i will cook it soon to have a picture. It is very easy to make so don't worry. send me a email if you have any trouble with my recipe. bazaarhona@gmail.com

Quote of the day!!!!

We all have our days when we need a little motivation.

so here is the quote of the day.

May it put a little spring in your step.

This day will end and tommorrow you can't start a new.

When we need prayer

Surah 102, Ayah 1-2 "The mutual rivalry for pilling up (the good things of the world) diverts you (from the more serious business). Until you visit the graves"

Have we forgotten that we cannot escape death? We to often get caught up in the things of this dunya (world). When chaos and disaster strikes we turn to each other and ask why?

The Almighty says, "When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward," (16:61)

I believe that Allah (God) tests us to strengthen or faith. We shouldn't forget that Allah is the one who creates life and he can take life. In times such as this Allah will be waiting for our response.

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested?

Allah tests each person, Allah knows that you are within your capability and within your grasp, yet, each test is not easy, it is their to build you, to make you a better person, to get you closer to Allah.

Pray for Haiti and thank Allah for the life he has given you. Do not lose focus in the midst of your struggles but look forward to the rewards of the hereafter.

I

Most Amazing Site I discovered!!!

I found this website that has totally knocked my socks off. I think if someone could have the my perfect design it would be this woman. Anna Spiro is a designer from Australia. I am putting her designs on my blog to show her talent and to be inspired. Every pic I give total credit to her. he blog is absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com

Inspirations from the east.

i

Isn't LIFE beautiful..............

When was the last time YOU stopped to enjoy the beautiful things in LIFE ?????????

Things I love

 

great images by/cutencool-itkupilli.blogspot.com/

 

Local celebrity caught by the paparazzi.
Almost everyone in Dushanbe knows this man and his bear Maryam.

Beautiful things and curious makeup

Eyebrows are very in!

Me in a nut shell.

Silly me, I never took the time to explain the title of my blog. Bazaar Hona means the home market. Bazaar is universal for market and Hona is tajik (farsi) for home. I do not speak tajik fluently yet. I am still learning. I want my readers to understand the tajik culture from an Americans inside prospective. First I should tell you a little bit about me and my life. I am 25 year old mother of one beautiful boy. I have been  married to my wonderful husband for about two and half years. Like I said before my husband is from Tajikistan. I have been blessed with amazing in-laws who with open arms has welcomed me to their family and have taught me just about all I need to know in tajik culture. I am a muslim and from time to time I would like to give some knowledge to my readers to break the stereotype of muslims. Not all muslims are as you see on t.v. Lets just be honest and call them what they are Crazy!!! They give us peaceful muslims a bad rap. I do not claim to have all the answers, but I love God and seek the truth.

Fast Food

Local women making a living with their versions of the American hotdog.

Tajik Feast!!!!!

Just wanna give you a little taste of whats to come. Some of the food in the picture I will be featuring very soon.

Tajik Salad!!!

A staple at almost every tajik meal.

Cucumbers

tomatoes

cilantro

onion

Challah Tutorial

               1. Add 2 1/2 cups of warm water to 2 packets of yeast. 

 

 2. Add flour until dough is not sticky any more.

3. Knead dough for 7 minutes until dough is fluffy like this.

4. Cover with cloth in a greased bowl. Let dough rise for 1 hour.

5. divide dough in two.

6. Flatten dough and divide in to two.

7. Divide the dough into 6 piece and add raisins to dough.

8. Roll the raisins in the dough.

9. Braid the dough.

10. Shape dough as desired.

11. Let dough rise for 30 more minutes. Apply glaze. 

12. TA-DA!!! Bon appetit !!

Tajik Bread

This is a picture of women in Tajikistan selling their national bread in the market. All this bread is baked in a stone fired oven. Soon I will be showing how to make this bread. Very yummy!

Cold and Winter days

It is a cold a wintery day here in Kansas City. With a little cabin fever I have decided to make one of my favorite bread recipes. Challah bread. Honey, raisins and some love it is a sure to be  a favorite of yours as well. The recipe seems complicated at first but no fear I will provide photos of step by step so you don't have any problems.

• 2 packages dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 3/4 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 9 cups flour

Glaze

• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1 tsp. water
• Poppy seeds

Dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl. Add honey and let stand 2 minutes, until yeast foams. Add salt, oil, and eggs and mix well.

Gradually add flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition. As mixture gets stiff, use floured hands and begin kneading. Knead for 7 minutes, turning dough over often.

Let rise in greased bowl until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour. Punch down dough.

Divide dough into thirds, and braid the dough, place in greased pans or on baking sheet. Let rise again until doubled in size.

Brush with glaze. Bake at 350 until bread is golden brown.
 

Bye Bye 2009 and Hello 2010!!!

    Finally 2009 is over!!! I was soooo excited for 2010 I forced my family to participate in silly new years games and even drag the neighbors over to celebrate. Its a new year, new blog, new diet and a new attitude. One of my new years resolution like a million other americans is to lose weight. ( fingers crossed) My other new years resolution is to keep a positive attitude. 2009 was full of complaints. I want to speak positive words into my surroundings into my family into my friends and even strangers. You can't imagine how far a positive word or gesture will effect someone else life and enrich your own.

      This blog is dedicated to the beautiful people!!! No No not this "beautiful people" we normally think of when we here this cliche phrase. I mean the people who inspire, the people who surround themselves with beautiful. Beautiful homes, beautiful food and beautiful spirits. I believe God puts gifts and talents into people so they can share it with the world. Well my gift is cooking. I can't promise you will keep your 2010 resolutions with my comfort style cooking, but your will be creating something beautiful in your kitchen. 

    My husband is from Tajikistan I know what your thinking tajikawhat? Well Tajikistan is a country that was formally part of the soviet union. I won't give you a history lesson or anything but most of the food I will be featuring in this blog will be Tajik food, It is never spicy its a twist on the american comfort food. Occasionally I will have some middle eastern and turkish dishes. Lets get cooking!!!