Easy Lachmacun

Lacmacun is a revelation in flavor. I love its thin crust, the spiced meat and fresh toppings. So much so that I bring some back in my suitcase after a girls trip to Nashville. That lachmacun was devoured long ago, and I'm left with delicious memories and a craving. The meat filling is easy enough, but how do I replicate that wafer-thin crust? The internet has plenty to choose from, complicated and long recipes. The craving is immediate so I improvise. 

Ground meat is mixed with cumin, chile powder, sumac, onion, garlic, cilantro and salt. I apply a thin layer of meat onto tortillas. The tortilla is then placed meat side down and cooked till the meat browns. The torilla is then flipped and crisped. Topped with cilantro, sliced onion, tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon,  the lachmacun slides into my hand, my cravings assuaged!

EASY LACHMACUN

Serves 2

1/2 pound Ground Beef

3 Garlic cloves

1/2 white Onion

1/2 cup Cilantro

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder 

1/2 teaspoon Sumac

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon Pomegranate Molasses

4 Flour Tortillas

Olive Oil

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Grape Tomatoes, halved

Cilantro or Parsley 

Lemon wedges

Chop onion, garlic and cilantro finely. 

Mix ground beef, chopped onion, garlic and cilantro, spices, salt and pomegranate molasses till it is paste like. 

Divide meat into 4 portions. 

Take one portion and smoosh it over the torilla going all the the way till the outer edges, forming a thin layer of meat. Repeat with the rest of the meat and torillas. 

Heat a little oil in a nonstick skillet. 

When it sizzles, place one tortilla meat side down. Let it cook undisturbed till it browns, 3-5 minutes. Then flip the tortilla and brown the otherside.

 Finish the other tortillas the same way. I managed to fit three in one skillet! It all depends on the size of your skillet.

Top lachmacun with sliced onion, tomatoes, cilantro or parsley. Squeeze lemon over the meat and enjoy!

The original is perfection. This is a close second...

Milk Cakes with Fruit Preserves

So many Ottolenghi recipes pass through my kitchen. Some are one time wonders, others live for a few occaisions and some remain entrenched in my memory. This particular one evokes a host of forgotten childhood treats. It is simpleness personified with kitchen staples like eggs, flour, sugar and butter. That quartet sings in pancakes, waffles, cakes and a myriad other sweet concoctions. This song is undoubtedly special.

MILK CAKES WITH FRUIT PRESERVES

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4-6 

6 plus 2 tablespoons Butter

1 1/2 cups Milk

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2/3 cup AP Flour

1 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

Semolina

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Pistachio powder (optional)

Cut 6 tablespoons of butter into small cubes.

Melt the reamining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Place butter, milk and vanilla in a saucepan and let it simmer over low heat till butter has melted. 

Whisk flour, sugar, eggs and salt in a bowl. It will be thick and lumpy. 

Add the warm milk to batter slowly, whisking thoroughly till smooth.

Keep batter aside for 30 minutes. 

Heat oven to 425F or 220C.

Brush a 12 cup muffin pan with melted butter.

Scatter 1/2 teaspoon semolina into each muffin hole.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes.

Place the muffin pan on to a baking sheet and bake for 22 minutes, till edges of cakes are brown. 

The cakes will come out of the oven puffed up. Once they rest on the counter they will subside forming a small depression in the center, the perfect spot for the preserves.

Pry cakes out of the pan with a knife. 

Drop a spoonful of fruit preserve in the center of cake. 

Dust with pistachio powder and serve warm.

Plantains stuffed with Methi

Doomscrolling on Insta is a hard habit to break. Often when you find a gem of a recipe, you hit that 'save' button. Which I do. Of course, the end game is finding that saved recipe. Luck favors me this time, as I have become a little more adept at that venture. 

Ripe plantains stuffed with masala methi leaves. Why havent I eaten that before? Better still, why havent I thought of it before? Chopped methi, cilantro, coriander powder, salt, turmeric and chile powder is mixed and stuffed into sliced plantains. Shallow fried in a tarka of cumin and mustard seeds, the plantains turn golden and delectable. I salute you not.a.chef for this simple but flavorful recipe.

PLANTAINS STUFFED WITH METHI

Adapted from not.a.chef

Serves 2

1 large ripe Plantain

1 cup Methi leaves

1/2 cup Cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

Pinch of Asefotida

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Trim ends of the plantain. Cut into 2" pieces. Slit each piece vertically halfway.

Wash methi leaves well. Pat dry and chop finely.

Chop cilantro finely. 

Place methi, cilantro, turmeric, chile powder, cilantro powder and salt in bowl. Mix well.

Stuff the methi mix into the plantain slits. Use up as much of the stuffing as you can.

Heat oil in a nonstick saucepan. 

When it shimmers, add asefotida, mustard and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.

Arrange plantains in oil and cook over medium heat turning plantain often. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add a little water to the pan, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and cook plantains till golden. 

Enjoy!