Healthy choice

Georgian Salad

The weather leaves much to be desired here (in Dubai), and the sun is all day long. Today is 47C (117F)!!!! and needless to say, how hot it is πŸ˜€

So I’ve started enjoying salads for dinner pretty much. I know what you could think: salads are boring! Be creative! Upgrade your small salad to big entree and add extra meat or beans to make it more hearty.

The below salad is named Georgian or Tbilisi, after the country, which cuisine offers various meat dishes with herbs and vegetables.

We need 300 g of baked (or boiled) beef meat;

1 can of red beans;

2 yellow or green bell peppers;

1 red onion;

1-2 cloves of garlic;

seeds of 1 pomegranate;

juice of 1 lemon;

olive oil;

khmeli suneli.

First, I need to explain what khmeli suneli is. It’s a Georgian spice mix, which can be used in any dish, it gives nice flavor to beef stew, goulash or hearty soups. You can buy it at any Russian store or DIY πŸ™‚

In equal parts (all ingredients are dry):

-dill

-parsley

-coriander

-crushed bay leaves

-marjoram

-chili pepper- much less~2%

Next ingredients are not necessary, but you can put them as well:

-fenugreek leaves or seeds

-basil

-mint

-savory

-saffron ~0.10%

Cut the red onion into half moons and keep it in a hot water. Meanwhile cut the meat and peppers into cubes.

In a serving bowl, combine together meat, peppers, beans (without liquid) and onions.

In a small cup, prepare the dressing-mix olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic and spice mix (khmeli suneli). Pour it over our salad, mix well and let stand for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, black pepper and salt.

 

Bon appetite!

Special tea

The cold is going around here this days. Unfortunately,Β  few days back I woke up with a tickle in my throat and blocked nose.Β  The good tea to drink to fightΒ  a cold is very easy to make.

You need around 3-5 cm of ginger root (peeled and sliced). Put it in 1 litre of water and let simmer for 10 minutes, then add pinch of cinnamon, 2 cloves, several mint lives, 2 tsps of green tea (optional), juice of one lemon. Strain the tea into a cup and add the honey to taste.

The ginger brings relief from cough and cold and strengthens your immune system!

Enjoy and stay healthy! πŸ˜€

Fish. Sea bream.

Hello my dear readers!

Today I will tell you something about fish πŸ™‚Β 

Β  Rivers hold a special place in Russian history.Β Waterways have been major routes of trade,Β settlement and cooperation. Goods ferried by water between important trading regions which were located near rivers.Β As a result the fishing was one of the most important trades for the Slavs since ancient times.

Β Β  Russian cuisine is a famous with an incredible number and variety of fish dishes at all time.Β Uha with sterlet (fish soup), solyanka with sturgeon or pike (soup), fish balyks (curred fillet), various fish-pies, baked or fried fish in sour cream – were popular not only among tzar family (Imperial family) and merchants. Fish was on a table ofΒ commonΒ people as well, particular freshwater fish from rivers and lakes. A caviar was a treat also, either red or black. Festive days fall on a fasting days sometimes,Β when it isn’t allowed to eat meat and diary, and a fish is served as the main dish.Β 

Β  There were some typical methods to prepare fish: boilingΒ (whole or sliced),Β steamed fish (usually whole), baked or fried fish fillets, stuffed, salted, jellied, even raw (“stroganina” – Β in Western Siberia sliced frozen fish).

Β  Now-days fish isn’t well-liked as a main course. We still have rivers and a fish in it. But compare to a sea-fish, a freshwater fish has more bones, butΒ inexpensive.Β Faves are salted salmon and red caviar.

Β Β Β  What about me, I like fishΒ whether it’sΒ salted, fried, steamed or in a soup.πŸ™‚

Well, I’ve got 2 fresh cleaned sea-bream.

sea_bream-1

Rinse the fish in cold water. Pat dry with paper towel and rub both sides with salt (and rosemary optionally).

Preheat oven to 190Β°C (370Β°F).

Place the fish in a baking pan greased with some olive oil. Stuff fishes with the lemon slices and choppedΒ freshΒ corianderΒ (or parsley).

Make 2-4 gashes on the top sides and put in lemon slices. Squeeze the juice out of one lemon over the fishes.

Place the fish in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Garnish with broccoli and asparagus. Enjoy! πŸ™‚

sea_bream-2

Ingredients:

2 medium sea-bream

1.5 lemon

small bunch of fresh coriander (or parsley)

olive oil

some salt

Breakfast. Russian Salted Salmon.

Β  Β What homemade breakfast isΒ enjoyable for you?Β For me it is a sandwich with homemade salted salmon. Thin slices of salmon on a piece of Russian rye bread. May be some butter, chopped dill.. No words! It sounds so delicious, so amazing! I’m already hungry! πŸ˜€
Β Β  You can also add aΒ thin slice of lemon or lime.Β The citrus really comes through, but doesn’t overpower the delicate taste of cured salmon. Such breakfast would be a great start to the day for sure!
Β Β  Don’t forget to prepare a cup of fresh coffee or tea. Now you can enjoy theΒ incredibly tastyΒ breakfast!
Β  Β Β Β 
Β Β  We do like a red fish in Russia!Β  But during Imperial times in Russia not only fish with red meat were called “red”. Sturgeon, Β beluga (hausen) and sterlet were served for imperial dinners as “red fish”. List of red fishes was named notΒ by the color of the meat or by the breed, but byΒ excellent and tender taste, a certain size, and the prestige! It’s fishing was very difficult and sometimes dangerous. For example, beluga could weight up to 200-300 kg and could easily sinks the fishing boat. In 1827 beluga was fished with weight around 1500 kg!!! Siberian sturgeon got the title “The king fish” for it’sΒ strengthΒ and size. So such dainty fishes been expensive, not everybody could buy it. Only for imperial family, noblemen and gourmets. Fishes with red meat (salmon) were more ordinaryΒ andΒ oftenΒ were made salty for longΒ storage.
Β  Β Popular and widely-sold types of red fish in Russian are chum salmon andΒ pink orΒ hunchback salmon (they’re not very expensive), salmon and Β trout are more expensive species but definitely more tastier fishes. Nowadays,Β it’s possible toΒ buy already salted salmon in supermarkets but many Russian women prefer to buy a whole fish (often it’s sold frozen) and cure it themselves. TheΒ weather in Russian is cold most of the time, so fish’s head, tail and fins go well into soups and chowders, such comforting and nourishingΒ meal can easily warms you up.
Β Cured salmonΒ can be eaten as is, or on a slice of your favourite bread. ItΒ is a deliciousΒ appetizer, which accompanies vodka and other strong drinks. More pure vodka – more salmon should be eaten, it helps to reduce an alcoholic intoxication.
Β  I’m sure your guests would be glad to taste Russian salted salmonΒ and interested in the recipe.Β Shall we keep itΒ in a secret?Β Can’t say for you, but I’ll show you how to prepare it soon (you can find the recipe by clicking here).
Β Β Stay healthy!

Name it!

So the salad which I’ve written about called as “broom” or “brush”, composed of raw vegetables, it evacuates the bowels as a broom (sweeps out all waste products from or digestive system).

Β It has the specific flavour which may varies depending on a beetroot – more sweeter or rough. You need to press several times thinly shreded vegetables (raw!) – that’s it! And if you don’t like in a least add some lemon juice. But here of course sense not in a taste – Β in a usefulness. Hope this “broom’ will do you good! πŸ˜‰
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