A Yemeniyah's Recipes

This is a very flavorful rice that is a highlight on any lunch or dinner table.

For four people you will need:

1) 1 cup rice (half boiled and clean or any water)

2) 4 carrots grated

3) 1/4 cup of raisins (i use both yellow and black raisins–the combinations adds more color to the dish)

4) 1 tsp of fresh ginger grated

5) 1 cube of chicken buillion (i used Maggi)

6) 1 medium onion cubed

7) 3 tblsp of oilive oil

1 jalapeno (or green chilly) quartered lengthwise

9) 1 tsp curry powder (or as desired, less if you would like it less spicy)

10) sprinkle of saffron threads

11) 2 tblsp of Orange Blossom Water

In a pan, sautee the onions in the olive oil. When they are golden brown add the grated carrots and the raisins and let the carrot reduced. Once the carrots are reduced, add the chicken buillion cube, jalapeno pepper, ginger, curry powder and 1/2 cup of water. Let it cook under medium heat until the sauce is thinckened-about 7-8 minutes.

Once it is ready. Then take an oven pan (3x3inches) and place the sauce at the bottom and spread the half cooked rice on top. Sprinkle the saffron and the orange blosson water and sprinkle about 3 tblsp of water and cover with foil. Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Serve hot.

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I used Shan spice mix for this Fish Biryani. You can get a variety of Shan spices from either Middle Eastern or Indian stores. Nowadays Cub Foods and other retailers are also carrying them–although their variety is small.

You will need:

1) 2 7oz salmon steaks quartered (you can actually use any fish you like but you want one that holds up and does not break easily. Fresh tuna would be another good choice)

2) 1 1/2 cups of Basmati rice

3) one medium sized onion cut into thin slices

4) 3 small patatoes halved

5) 4 cloves of garlic minced

6) 2 tblsp of plain yoghurt

7) Juice of 1 whole lemon

2 tblsp of finely chopped dill (DILL AND FISH ARE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN)

9) 2 tblsp Oilive Oil

10) Salt for the water you will boil the rice in

11) 1-2 tblsp (depending on how spicy you would like it) of Fish Biryani Shan Spice Mix

Boil some water with salt–when it comes to a boil add the rice and let it cook until ALMOST done. Run it through a sieve and keep the rice aside while you make the sauce.

Sautee the onions and patatoes in the olive oil until the onions are golden brown. Add the fish, lemon, and spice mix together and let cook for about 3 minutes. Add the youghurt, 1 tblsp of dill, and 1/4 cup of water and let cook for about 5 minutes under low heat. THERE IS NO SALT IN THIS MIXTURE BECAUSE THE SHAN MIX IS ALREADY SALTY.

Once the fish is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Take an oven dish (8x8in) and place the sauce in the bottom and the spread the rice on top. Sprinke with a little additional water (about a quarter of a cup as we need the half cooked rice to cook completely). Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for about half an hour.

Spoon onto a serving dish, and gently toss so the two layers combine to give you the radiant orange and yellow hues that this dish offers. It is as pleasing to the eye as it is the palate. Sprinke with a tblsp of dill and serve with raiti (cucumber sauce)

For the raiti or cucumber yoghurt sauce–grate 4 baby cucumbers with a cheese grate and squeeze all the water out of it. You an put it in a sieve and squeeze it between your fingers. If you miss this step your raiti will become watery and flavorless. You can either use sour cream or yoghurt or a combination of both that I think works best.

Place the grated cucumber in a bowl, add 4 tblsp of yoghurt, 1 tsp of white vinegar, squeeze in a little lemon, sprinke of salt and pepper. Mix together and enjoy. you can also add some finely chopped cilantro, dill or mint.

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