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First, My Commentary Shivaji Rao Holkar is the short form name of Maharajkumar Shrimant Shivaji Rao Holkar of Indore (aka Prince Richard Holkar). Shalini Devi Holkar (Princess Sally Holkar) is the Indian name via marriage of Ms. Sally Budd of Dallas, Texas. They met while being students at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Married in 1967. This book was published in 1975. Link+ is amazingly awesome! I didn't know that my local library was affiliated or have membership access free to the public with library card. In addition to my own collection of books, I have been requesting (within reason) books from all over California's public libraries! I have not cooked this recipe...yet! I thought it would be great to share that royal recipes are "relatively easy" and "immensely friendly to the Western kitchens." Filmed at Prince Richard Holkar's residence called Ahilya Fort in Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh. You can see an excerpt of Prince Richard Holkar talking about his book from a recent video on the YouTube food channel called "Khaane Mein Kya Hai" (What is There to Eat?). Talk starts at around 9:59. Serves: 6 Founder’s Feast The founder of the dynasty, the first of the seven Nizams to rule Hyderabad, was Asaf Jha, for whom this dish is named. A famous general before he became a ruler, Asaf Jha used to say to his men that to hold a fort there must be only a head, two arms, and two legs. By that, he meant a commander, reinforcement from two quarters (the arms), and food and water in the fort (the legs). Food in the fort may have meant rice and lentils for the regiments; but for Asaf Jha himself, there were always elaborate dishes. This kaliya, or saucy meat, was one of his favourites. Rich with saffron, almonds, and raisins, it is the epitome of refined Muslim cuisine. Ingredients 3 cups unflavoured yogurt, beaten smooth with a fork 2 Tbs. minced garlic ¼ cup scraped and minced ginger root ½ cup clarified butter 4 tsp. salt 2 lbs. lean, boneless lamb (preferably shoulder or leg), cut into 2-inch cubes ¼ cup clarified butter or vegetable oil 2 Tbs. seedless raisins ½ cup slivered blanched, unsalted almonds 1 cup coarsely chopped onion 1-2 Tbs. ground hot red pepper 2 tsp. sugar 2-4 fresh, green chili peppers, seeded and minced (optional) ½ tsp. saffron threads ¼ cup minced fresh coriander leaf (cilantro) (optional) Method Three hours before cooking, pour the yogurt into a strainer lined with a double thickness of dampened cheese-cloth and set over a bowl to drip. (One cup of waterless yogurt will be required.) Purée the garlic, ginger, and salt with ¼ cup water in the blender. Rub this purée into the meat. In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan, heat the butter and fry the meat until it is golden and the natural water evaporated. Add 2 cups water and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until tender. (Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary to tenderize.) All the water should boil off before beginning the next step. Set aside off heat when ready. Fifteen minutes before serving, in a very small skillet or saucepan, heat the butter and fry the raisins until they puff. Remove to the meat pot. In the remaining oil, fry almonds until golden. Remove to meat pot. Add enough fresh oil to the skillet to cover the onions and fry them until they are golden and crisp. Drain and add into the meat with all remaining ingredients in this section. At this point, the meat can be held for several hours. Twenty minutes before serving, reheat it gently and complete preparation. Powder the saffron and put to soak in a cup with 2 tsp. hot water. Just before serving, beat this saffron water into the 1 cup reserved waterless yogurt. Stir into the meat with the coriander leaf. Beat through and serve immediately over plain, white rice.

By Tan Can Cook Modified and Adapted from Bilkees I. Latif and Pratibha Karan Serves 10 A decadent, slow-cooked boneless chicken with rich, fragrant, creamy gravy, Dum ka Murgh Nawabi is emblematic of the leisure and passion that define Hyderabadi cuisine. Rooted in the Nizami royal kitchens of Hyderabad, Telangana, this dish stands as one of the most elegant in my repertoire—a true “fancy chicken with gravy.” When I cook, it’s not just food for sustenance but exploring, learning, and appreciating the Greater Indian Culture. Hyderabad stands apart as the only South Indian city to rival the refinement and nicety of Lucknow and Rampur, its culinary traditions reflecting centuries of confluence and refinement. Fried Onions / Birista [Yields: 476 g (2¾ Cups) Onion Oil; 192 g Fried Onions] 520 g (3 cups) vegetable oil 785 g (1½–2 large) onions, thinly sliced Charoli-Mixed Melon Seeds-Almond Paste (Ground Into Paste) 12 g (1 tbsp) char magaz (mixed melon seeds) 20 g (2 tbsp) charoli nuts 10 g (8) almonds, blanched 100 g whole plain yogurt Dum ka Murgh Masala (Ground Into Powder) 1 g (6) green cardamoms 0.63 g (6) cloves 3 g (2″) cinnamon sticks 2.25 g (1 tsp) cubeb berry (Piper cubeba) 2 g (¾ tsp) black cumin seeds (Elwendia persica) 3 g (2 tsp) coriander seeds 10 g (1 tbsp) poppy seeds 2.00 g (1 tsp) sandalwood powder, culinary grade (Santalum album) Marination (Overnight) 1.626 kg boneless chicken breasts and thighs, skinned and curry cuts 58 g ghee 96 g (½ cup) onion oil 20 g (1 tbsp) ginger paste 18 g (1 tbsp) garlic paste 1.50 g (½ tsp) turmeric powder Prepared Dum ka Murgh Masala Prepared charoli-mixed melon seeds-almond paste 1.00 g (2 tbsp) dried mint leaves, coarsely crushed 12 g (3 tbsp) fresh coriander, chopped 16 g (2 tbsp) Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika powder 400 g whole plain yogurt 19 g (2½ tsp) fine salt 142 g fried onions Dum Pukht (Slow Cooking) 0.5 g (a large pinch) saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk (or rose water) and ground Dhungar (Smoking) Piece of live charcoal Half an onion with skin ½ tsp ghee Garnishing Mint sprigs, chiffonade 50 g fried onions Zest of lime/lemon Method Fry onions until dark brown. Drain oil. Keep aside 50 g of fried onions and saffron. Mix the rest of the ingredients for the marinade with the chicken. Leave in the refrigerator overnight. Keep at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Add saffron. Place prepared marinated chicken in an oven-proof dish and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 45 minutes. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Before serving, light a piece of charcoal. Put the half-onion with skin inside the dish with ghee in it. Using tongs, pop a burning piece of charcoal in the oil. To catch the fresh charcoal flavor and retain the smoky aroma, cover the dish quickly. Before serving, remove charcoal and spread oil over chicken. Garnish with fried onions and sprigs of mint.

I just created a cheese sauce following these instructions Homemade sodium citrate = smooth cheese sauce. Extremely pleased with the outcome. I had some follow up questions, and posted inquiries elsewhere. In the course of the conversation, someone mentioned that sodium citrate & Sour Salt were the same thing. I then discovered I actually had a bottle of Sour Salt in the cupboard. However, I have since gotten contradictory opinions from sources about whether they are, in fact, the same. As we can see, the label says citric acid.

African Chicken, Macau style This dish remains popular in the 450 year old former Portuguese colony of Macau, on the China coast. It shows the influences of Portugal on Asian cooking, most notably by their introducing ingedients like peppers and peanuts to Asia. Macau was for centuries a place where East met West, and that is reflected in the cooking there to this day. This recipe is supposed to be the version formerly served at Henri's Galley in Macau. Henri's still exists but the dish there has changed. A similar recipe appeared in an article on Macau in Gourmet Magazine in the '80s. If anyone still has that article, please PM me. A 3 -3 1/2 lb. Chicken, halved, quartered or cut into pieces. Marinade for Chicken 1 tsp minced dried hot chile pepper 1 tsp minced garlic 2 T minced shallot 1 tsp paprika 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder 2 tsp crumbled dried rosemary Salt & Pepper to taste. Sauce 1 c minced shallot 1/2 c minced garlic 1-1/2 c minced red bell pepper (or smaller qty of hotter red peppers if desired) 1/4 c canola oil 1/2 c sweet paprika 1 c grated coconut 1/2 c natural peanut butter 1-1/2 c chicken stock 2 bay leaves 3 T canola oil 1 baking potato (or 4-5 new potatoes) Mix marinade ingredients, rub into chicken and marinate covered in fridge overnight. Adding a little oil to the marinade helps the rub stick to the chicken. Sweat shallots, garlic and peppers in oil over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened. Add paprika, coconut, peanut butter, bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Keep warm. Heat oil medium high in a frypan and brown the chicken well with the potato cut into one inch cubes. Even better, grill the chicken, and brown potato seperately. Transfer chicken and potatoes to baking dish, spoon 2 cups of the sauce over, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes if in pieces, a little longer if in halves. Finish with remaining sauce, and serve. Keywords: Main Dish, Chicken, Spanish/Portugese ( RG1085 )

I had a chicken curry for breakfast several days in a row at the original Killiney's Kopitiam - it was one of the tastiest things I had on that trip, which is saying something. When I got home, I tried to recreate it many times but could never get it right. But I think I did it last time.... even if it's not an exact recreation (I haven't had the real thing in 2 or 3 years), it was really tasty. While I've never written a recipe in RecipeGullet before, I have written recipes down for myself - mostly notes of quantities of ingredients.... this one is difficult for me because I didn't really measure anything while making it - so the quantities are going to be REALLY imprecise - to tell the truth though, I don't think exact quantities matter all that much in this case. Makes 4 meals for 2 people each - I cook the rempah and make the curry itself in one large batch since it's a bit of work, then portion and freeze. While it's not typical, it makes fast and convenient meals for us during the week when we don't have that much time. Because I don't like to freeze and reheat meat, I'll make the curry with everything except the chicken in advance and freeze, then I'll defrost one batch in a pot - once simmering, I'll add the chicken. Rempah: about 10 shallots, peeled, chopped very roughly about 10 cloves of garlic (a little less than a head), peeled, chopped roughly about a 6" piece (or bunch of pieces adding to it) fresh turmeric, peeled, chopped roughly about 5T belacan (dried fermented shrimp paste) 6-8 dried puya chiles, destemmed and seeded, chopped roughly (or snipped with scissors), then rehydrated and drained 4-5 dried thai chiles, destemmed and seeded, chopped roughly (or snipped with scissors), then rehydrated and drained a large handful (how do you like THAT for a measurement!?!) ground coriander a small handful ground cumin a small handful ground fennel 3/4C grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil) 2 stems curry leaves, stemmed 1 3" stick of true cinnamon (not cassia) 2 star anise 3 cloves 2-3T coconut cream Curry: 8 yukon gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and par boiled 4C coconut milk about 1T salt about 1T sugar Chicken (for one meal for 2): 4 chicken thighs (we usually only get the thighs as my wife is not too fond of the legs, and it's a lot juicier than white meat) salt 1/2C water (optional depending on thickness of coconut milk used - the curry shouldn't be thick, but more viscous than water) Method: 1) Traditionally, you would pound the first set of rempah ingredients (without the oil) in a mortar/pestle until a smooth paste - but I don't have the time for that... so I use a blender - the results may not be as good, but it works pretty well. To do this, add all the top section rempah ingredients to a blender jar in order. Blend until smooth. 2) In a deep pot over medium heat, add the rempah paste plus the second set of rempah ingredients and fry until the oil separates out and the paste moves around in a more or less solid mass. You need to constantly stir and scrape to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom. If you made the paste with mortar/pestle, add oil to the pot first, then add paste when hot. When it's done, it should look like this: 3) Add the potatoes, coconut milk, salt and sugar, and simmer for a few minutes 4) Chill, dividing evenly into 4 portions; refrigerate overnight, and then freeze for later. 5) To make the complete meal, add one frozen portion to a 4 qt saucepan and add 1/2C water (if needed to adjust consistency) - cover and cook over medium heat until simmering. 6) Meanwhile, salt the chicken and let sit until curry is simmering 7) Add chicken to curry and make sure the meat is submerged. Cover, and simmer for about 8 minutes. At this point the chicken should be mostly cooked through - if so, turn off the heat and leave covered for another 5 min. or so while prepping vegetables etc. 8) Eat with french bread to dip into the curry, or Singapore style roti prata.

11 seasoning fried chicken tenders Serves 3 as Main Dish. Chicken tenders or nuggets are among my favorite foods. Ever since my first church potluck I've been fascinated with fried chicken seasonings. Including trying to figure out the KFC version. I don't really recall purposefully looking at fried chicken seasonings, but I am sure that's had an influence. But rather I've always intuitively tried to find the best savory mix of flavor. Below is what I came up with a couple of years ago and it has performed pretty consistently for me. 30-45 prep time, 1-1/2 hour cooking time depending on pan size. Pre-prepare each step before you get started. ************ Step 1 ************ Into 1 mixing bowel 4 skinless, cut up boneless chicken breasts 1/4 cup honey 2-cups milk 1Tablespoon kosher salt or 1 tsp salt [Cut up chicken breasts into whatever size strips you wish. I like 2-3" pieces. Soak thawed chicken in milk, honey and salt for 1/2 hour. Make sure the milk covers the chicken pieces completly.] Step 2 ************ Prepare: 1 cup of flour in 1 plastic freezer bag With your fingers, collect a handful of tenders at a time, and put into the bag, zip it up and shake. Then take the chicken out and put on a clean work surface. Step 3 ************ Into 1 mixing bowel beat 2 large eggs 1/8 -1/4 cup water Now take the previously floured chicken, a handful at a time, and dip tenders into egg mixture and toss into the next bag and shake (See step 3.5). Then lay out pieces on work surface with pieces not touching each other. Try not to shake the flour off the chiken. During this process you will want to wash your hands so the flour doesn't stick to you so much. Don't worry about a time frame the chicken will sit fine. NEXT BAG (2 nd coating) Step 3.5 ************ Prepare: 1 plastic freezer bag with, 2-cups flour 1-cup of cornmeal and spice mix. [spice mix (dried spices)(try to grind up if too big) -1/2 to 1 Teaspoon (depends on your taste) of: sage, oragano, pepper, paprika, tyme, salt, mustard powder, garlic powder, parsely, basil] Step 4 ************ In a frying pan of about 12-14 inches, with at least 2" sides, fill the pan 1/2 full of the following oil mixture. 1/2 canola or vegtable oil, 1/2 peanut oil, and several drops of seasame oil. Cook the tenders in the oil on med high heat for 6 min. per side until golden in batchs of 6 tenders at a time. You don't want the tenders to touch one another in the cooking process. After they are done cooking, place paper towels on a big plate and put the chicken on that. I then put a paper towel and foil over that, so that the chicken stays warm while the rest of the batches are cooking. I like to have dipping sauces for my tenders too. Keywords: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Dish, Lunch, Intermediate, American, Chicken ( RG2133 )

Big Plate Chicken - 大盘鸡 (dà pán jī) This very filling dish of chicken and potato stew is from Xinjiang province in China's far west, although it is said to have been invented by a visitor from Sichuan. In recent years, it has become popular in cities across China, where it is made using a whole chicken which is chopped, with skin and on the bone, into small pieces suitable for easy chopstick handling. If you want to go that way, any Asian market should be able to chop the bird for you. Otherwise you may use boneless chicken thighs instead. Ingredients Chicken chopped on the bone or Boneless skinless chicken thighs 6 Light soy sauce Dark soy sauce Shaoxing wine Cornstarch or similar. I use potato starch. Vegetable oil (not olive oil) Star anise, 4 Cinnamon, 1 stick Bay leaves, 5 or 6 Fresh ginger, 6 coin sized slices Garlic. 5 cloves, roughly chopped Sichuan peppercorns, 1 tablespoon Whole dried red chillies, 6 -10 (optional). If you can source the Sichuan chiles known as Facing Heaven Chiles, so much the better. Potatoes 2 or 3 medium sized. peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces Carrot. 1, thinly sliced Dried wheat noodles. 8 oz. Traditionally, these would be a long, flat thick variety. I've use Italian tagliatelle successfully. Red bell pepper. 1 cut into chunks Green bell pepper, 1 cut into chunks Salt Scallion, 2 sliced. Method First, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and marinate in 1½ teaspoons light soy sauce, 3 teaspoons of Shaoxing and 1½ teaspoons of cornstarch. Set aside for about twenty minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Heat the wok and add three tablespoons cooking oil. Add the ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns and chilies. Fry on a low heat for a minute or so. If they look about to burn, splash a little water into your wok. This will lower the temperature slightly. Add the chicken and turn up the heat. Continue frying until the meat is nicely seared, then add the potatoes and carrots. Stir fry a minute more then add 2 teaspoons of the dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of the Shaoxing wine along with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium. Cover and cook for around 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are done. While the main dish is cooking, cook the noodles separately according to the packet instructions. Reserve some of the noodle cooking water and drain. When the chicken and potatoes are done, you may add a little of the noodle water if the dish appears on the dry side. It should be saucy, but not soupy. Add the bell peppers and cook for three to four minutes more. Add scallions. Check seasoning and add some salt if it needs it. It may not due to the soy sauce and, if in the USA, Shaoxing wine. Serve on a large plate for everyone to help themselves from. Plate the noodles first, then cover with the meat and potato. Enjoy.

Beer Duck - 啤酒鸭 I understand that, unlike in China, duck is not a common meat in the USA, but it is worth searching out, especially for this dish from Hunan which is basically a duck stew, but full of exquisite flavors. I'm told that frozen duck meat is available in larger supermarkets or Asian markets in the US, but of course, as always, fresh is best. So much so, that your average Chinese home cook will buy the bird alive! Ingredients Duck. 1 lb. This dish calls for cubes of duck meat, preferably from the legs/thighs but breast meat will work too. Beer. One large can (16oz). Ideally you would choose a Chinese beer. Tsingtao is the most widely available internationally. Here in Liuzhou it would be Liquan Beer from Guilin. But actually, any well-flavored lager type beer will do the job. Cooking Oil. Vegetable oil - but not olive oil. If you have duck fat to hand, this is even better. Doubanjiang. 1 Tablespoon. Also called toban-djan or similar in the USA. This is a chile paste made with broad beans. Garlic. About 6-8 whole cloves Ginger. One thumb sized piece, finely chopped Dried Red chillies. One or more to taste. If you can source them, 朝天椒干 (cháo tiān jiāo gān, pointing to heaven peppers) or 七星椒干 (qī xīng jiāo gān, 7 star peppers) are best, otherwise long Indian peppers; not Thai or bird's eye chillies. Dried Tangerine Peel. One large piece - available from Asian markets and stores. Star Anise. One Light Soy Sauce. 1 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce. 1 Tablespoon Scallions. Salt. Method Wash and thoroughly dry the cubed duck meat. Heat oil or fat and add the garlic and ginger. When you detect their fragrance, add the duck and stir to brown the meat. When browned, add the doubanjiang and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the two soy sauces, the chillies, star anise and tangerine peel. Cover with beer. Add salt. Cover the pan and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes, adding more beer if it begins to dry out. Finish by discarding the star anise and tangerine peel, but adding thinly sliced scallions and serve. Accompany with steamed rice and a stir fried green vegetable of your choice. I like spinach. Drink any remaining beer! You didn't just buy one can, did you?

Salsa Para Enchiladas 3 ancho chiles 2 New Mexico chiles 2 chipotle chiles 1 clove garlic, sliced 2 TB flour 2 TB vegetable oil 1 tsp vinegar ¾ tsp salt ¼ tsp dried oregano 2 cups broth, stock, or (filtered) chili soaking liquid Rinse, stem and seed chiles. Place in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil. Cover and remove from heat and let soften and cool. While the chiles are cooling, gently sauté garlic slices in oil until they are soft and golden brown. Remove the garlic from the oil, with a slotted spoon and reserve. Make a light roux by adding the flour to the oil and sautéing briefly. Drain the chilies and puree them with the garlic slices and half of the liquid. Strain the puree back into the saucepan. Pour the remainder of the liquid through the sieve to loosen any remaining chili pulp. Add the roux to the saucepan and whisk to blend. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan, bring to a boil then and simmer 15-20 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and vinegar if necessary.

White Spinach Lasagna Bechamel sauce 6 cups milk 1 cup butter 1 cup unbleached flour salt and pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Spinach Filling 1/4 cup olive oil 4 garlic cloves,crushed 2 cups chopped onions 2 boxes frozen spinach wrung DRY 2 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. dried basil Ricotta Filling 1 lb ricotta cheese 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, freshly grated ½ small jar green pesto sauce 2 cups Italian blend cheese, grated 1 box no boil lasagna noodles Directions Make bechamel: Melt butter, whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk, heat over medium until thickened (10 minutes). Remove from heat and add nutmeg and s&p to taste. Make the Spinach filling: Sauté the onions in the until soft and translucent, add garlic cook another minute. Stir in the spinach and spices and s&p to taste. Make Ricotta filling: Mix the ricotta, eggs, pesto sauce and the parmesan cheese together. Assembly: Oil a large deep lasagna pan. I made 4 complete layers, starting with the sauce, then the no-boil noodles, then spinach, then ricotta, then grated cheese. Lather rinse repeat x 4. Cover the casserole tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover the casserole and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is browned. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

The origin of this recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, but the recipe has developed over time enough that it can be considered a different recipe. Shel’s Baked Wild and Brown Rice Ingredients 1 cup Massa Organics brown rice, rinsed and drained a couple of times ½ cup domestic, cultivated wild rice (Trader Joe's brand is just fine for this) 2⅓ cups liquid (50/50 stock/water combination) 1 tsp unsalted butter or equivalent oil or ghee 2 lightly crushed garlic cloves ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (optional) Fresh ground black pepper Directions Adjust oven rack to middle-high position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread drained brown rice in 8‑inch‑square glass baking dish. like Corningware. Cook ½-cup wild rice and garlic cloves in about 1½-cups water for about 15-minutes, no more. Drain, reserving liquid. Remove the garlic cloves and add the drained wild rice to the brown rice. Bring reserved rice cooking liquid and enough stock or water to make 2⅓ cups, plus the butter or oil and salt to a boil, covered, and then pour liquid over rice. Stir to incorporate. Cover baking dish tightly with doubled layer of foil (the lid from the 8-inch Corningware casserole is fine). Bake rice 1 hour, until tender. Remove baking dish from oven and uncover. Grind some pepper onto the rice, then fluff rice with a fork, cover dish with clean kitchen towel and let rice stand 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff and adjust seasoning, and let rice stand 5 minutes longer. Serve immediately. Notes: This recipe works well when using an 8-inch Corningware or Pyrex dish with lid. If you don't have a lid, cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. I prefer the Massa Organics brown rice http://massaorganics.com/ for this dish, but have made the dish with other brown rice as well, all with acceptable results. Massa's rice can be purchased at the Berkeley Farmers Markets or on line. I use Trader Joe's wild rice as it's cost effective, readily available, and tastes as good as the other cultivated wild rice I've tried. The amount and brand of salt works well for my taste and the boxed chicken stock I use, which is Costco's organic chicken stock mixed about 50/50 with water. If you use another brand you may have to adjust the amount of salt. More than 2 tsp butter or oil makes the cooked rice a little greasy to my taste. I prefer a little less than 1 tsp unsalted butter.

This week I made dinner for a group of friends, and the dinner included Mexican rice. What I made was based on studying several recipes for Mexican rice and then developing my own recipe. It's called "restaurant-style" because it reminds me of rice dishes I've had in several restaurants. So, first the recipe and then some notes. Shel's Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice Ingredients 1 (14.5 oz) can Muir Glen diced fire roasted tomatoes with chilies ½ medium white or yellow onion, peeled and chopped medium 1 cup chicken stock 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or to taste ½ - 1 tsp ground cumin 3 - 4 Tbs neutral cooking oil or rendered lard 1 cup long grain white rice 1-2 chili peppers (optional, or to taste) such as Peruvian, seeded and minced 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed ¼ cup very finely chopped cilantro 3 Tbs fresh lime juice Directions Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Place strainer over bowl and let rice drain. Put the tomatoes their juice, and the onion in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer the tomato mixture to a medium saucepan. Stir in the chicken stock, salt, and cumin and bring liquid to a boil over medium heat. Turn heat down to keep liquid hot, close to boiling. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling, add the rice and sauté, stirring often until lightly toasted and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the optional pepper and cook until slightly softened, a couple of minutes at most, adjusting the heat as needed. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 - 60 seconds. Pour the hot tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine. Be careful, it may bubble and roil vigorously. Turn heat to low and cook, covered, until liquid has evaporated and rice is done, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and gently stir the rice. Cover pot with a clean towel and place the pot lid over, and let stand an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and fluff gently with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Notes: I used home-rendered lard for the oil to sauté the rice. Were I to do this again, I might opt for some lard purchased at the nearby Latino market. Their lard is light tan in color and just a little more flavorful. You can really add a little more cumin without unbalancing the dish. I kept the amount low because one of the guests prefers more mild food. Up to 1 tsp of ground cumin would probably be fine. I used a California basmati rice, as that's what was in the cupboard, and while the results were good, the next time I'd like to try a different long grain rice. Trader Joe's sells an organic diced, fire roasted canned tomato with green chilies. Hunt's also sells a diced, fire roasted tomato, but without green chilies and it's not organic. I've tried them all and prefer the Muir Glen brand, but have used TJ's when necessary. The Peruvian peppers (Aji Amarillo) worked out beautifully in this dish. I used 1 1/2 peppers, each about 3-inches long, with seeds and membrane removed. After tasting the Aji Amarillo in this dish, I'd be hard pressed to use the more common, and typical, jalapeño, but that, and other peppers, or none at all, would be fine. So, give this recipe a try and put your own spin on it ...

I just made this again yesterday and thought I'd share the recipe. Measures are approximate. About 5 chicken thighs on the bone 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, broken up 4 cups chicken stock 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes 1 tb herbs de Provence 1 bay leaf Salt to taste 2 tb butter 1/4 cup flour 1 cup frozen yellow corn kernels 3 stalks celery 2 cups chopped okra rounds 2 large onions 3 tb olive oil 1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil, herbs, and bay leaf in pan and brown chicken. Remove chicken from pan. Add butter until melted. Slowly add flour and cook long enough to make a red roux. 2. Add diced onions and celery and cook until they release their aroma. Add sausage and break up 3. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, and return chicken to pan. Simmer for 45 minutes, covered. 4. Add okra and corn, simmer uncovered 1 hour. Salt to taste.

This quote comes from "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker, last copyright date 1997: "This dish [Chicken Tetrazinni] was created nearly a century ago by the great French chef Auguste Escoffier in honor of the legendary opera star Luisa Tetrazinni." My well-tested recipe comes from the "Betty Crocker Cookbook", last copyright date 1976: Chicken Tetrazinni 1/4 c butter or margarine (use butter, of course, and I’ve also used chicken fat) 1/4 c all-purpose flour 1/2 t salt (this will depend on the salt level of your broth) 1/4 t pepper 1 c chicken broth 1 c whipping cream (I use 2 % milk, and it’s delicious) 2 T sherry (I use 1/4 c good chardonnay) 7 oz [dry] spaghetti cooked and drained 2 cups cubed chicken or turkey 1 can (3 oz) sliced mushrooms drained 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese Heat oven to 350 F. Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. I like to cook this for a while until it’s smooth, bubbly, and has turned into a light blond roux. Remove from heat and stir in broth and cream or milk if that’s what you choose to use. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly until it thickens and boils and simmer 1 minute. Stir in wine, spaghetti, chicken and mushrooms. Pour into greased 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan evenly. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until bubbly. If it hasn’t browned, they say to briefly broil it, but mine always browns nicely by the time it boils. Your oven my be different. They say 6 servings, but we get more like 4 in my house, and we are older and not heavy eaters any longer. Might be different if you used cream, but my husband has a stent, so ... This is a creamy umami bomb with homemade broth, chicken, mushrooms and Parm! I like to add a little more (like a 1/4 c each of broth and milk) because I like it creamy. I’ve also made it with fresh sliced sauteed mushrooms, and it’s even better, but very delectable even with canned ones. I’ve also made it with a chicken bouillion cube when I was younger, before I learned that making your own stock was worth it, and it’s still a good dish. It’s been too long since I made it. I bought a fresh roasting chicken today, so I know what’s happening with some of the leftovers. I hope if you make this that you will enjoy it as much as I have over 40 years.

Shel's Curried Lentil Soup Ingredients 3 Tbs EVOO, divided 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 2 large garlic cloves, chopped and divided 2 Tbs or more of curry powder 1 cup French green lentils (lentils du Puy) 4½ cups or more water, divided (chicken stock and water 50/50 is a good option - don't go too heavy with the chicken stock) Bay leaf or two depending on size, type, freshness (ideally, Turkish bay leaves) 1 Tbs fresh ground toasted coriander 1 Tbs fresh ground toasted cumin seed S&P 1 15-oz can chickpeas or equivalent home made 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice Zest of one lemon 2 Tbs unsalted butter 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 lemon cut into six wedges Directions Heat 1 Tbs oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4-minutes. Add half the chopped garlic, stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4-minutes longer. Add 2-Tbs curry powder, the cumin, the coriander, and stir until fragrant – about one minute. Add lentils and 4-cups liquid. Add bay leaf. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in food processor, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, lemon zest, ¼ cup water, remaining 2 Tbs olive oil, and remaining garlic. Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Adjust salt and pepper, and add additional curry powder if desired. Add water in ¼ cupfuls to thin to desired consistency. Soup can be made a day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing. When serving, sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges. Notes: I use a mild curry for this. I only use Lentils du Puy. and they are highly recommended for the way they cook and their flavor.

Asparagus Pesto on Whole Wheat Pasta Cindy Alexander, an adaptation of a Michael Chiarello recipe This is a great way to use asparagus ends! 1 lb asparagus 20g (1 cup lightly packed) basil leaves 2 tablespoons pine nuts or slivered almonds 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1TB freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 80g (about 1 cup) freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese 1 box (13.25 oz) dried whole wheat rotini or other pasta Boil the asparagus in salted water until very tender. Drain, reserving the water, and cool slightly. Put in a food processor with the all of the other ingredients except the oil, and puree well. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Taste and adjust for seasonings and consistency. It should be about the thickness of mayonnaise. Return the water used for cooking the asparagus to a boil and cook pasta. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Mix the pasta and pesto, thinning with the pasta cooking water as necessary. Taste and add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste.

For those folk who have access to a fig tree or two, here is a recipe for Green Fig Preserve inherited from my fathers recipes. The resulting product is magic on buttered toast and with cheese. The figs must be picked before they ripen and soften. Whole Green Fig Preserve Ingredients: 100 green figs 2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 3.4 litres water Method: Scrub the figs and cut a cross into the end opposite the stalk. Mix the water and bicarbonate of soda and soak the figs overnight. Remove from the water and weigh the figs, recording the weight. Place into clean boiling water and boil for 15 minutes or until just soft. Drain and then dry the figs well, removing excess water. Syrup: For each 500g figs or part thereof, mix 500ml water with 500g sugar. Boil the syrup until it just starts to thicken. Add the figs and boil until the syrup is thick. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice for each 250g figs and just bring to the boil again before removing from the heat and letting cool. Bottle the figs and cover with the syrup. Note 1: If the syrup froths whilst boiling, add a small lump of butter. Note 2: A small stick of ginger can be added during the boiling process to add a slightly different flavour.

Beef Rendang Rendang took the top position on the list of 50 most delicious foods in the world, according to the survey by CNN based on 35,000 votes in 2011. Here is the authentic beef rendang recipe from the birthplace of rendang- Minang, Indonesia. This is my recipe and would like to know what you think: Beef Rendang Recipe (Rendang Minang) Recipe type: Main Cuisine: Indonesian Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 4 hours Total time: 4 hours 20 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients 1 kg of beef Beef 600ml of coconut milk 100ml of vegetable oil (A)Seasoning (blend): 4 candlenuts 12 cloves of garlic 300 g of red chili 250g of onions 50g of ginger 50g of galangal 50g of turmeric 1½ tsp of coriander 1 tbsp (15g) of salt 1 tsp of sugar 4 green cardamom 11/2 tsp of cumin 10 cloves (B)Seasonings and Spices: 4 stalks of bashed lemongrass 3 kaffir lime leaves 1 keping assam keping 2 turmeric leaves, tied up Instructions 1. Dice the beef to 2 cm squares. Do not cut the meat too small so that when cooked the meat does not break into smaller pieces. 2. Place the diced beef in a colander to drain the excess water. Let it dry and set aside. 3. Blend all the ingredients in (A), set the blend aside. 4. Remove the green part and the outer layer of the lemongrass. Use only the white portion of the lemongrass. and bash it so that it can easily release the flavor. 5. Heat up the oil, saute the spice paste (A) on low heat until it becomes aromatic. 6. Add the coconut milk and spices (B). 7. Add the beef and cook on medium heat. 8. Stir continuously over low heat until the oil is separated from the spice mixture. 9. Cook on low heat for about 4 hours until the beef fully absorbs the flavor of the spices and the color turns to dark brown. 10. Serve this delicious authentic Minang rendang with steamed rice. Enjoy. There are some additional details about the cooking method that you can view it at http://tasteasianfood.com/beef-rendang-recipe/ KP Kwan

My grandma used to make us large pot of red cabbage, and we loved it so much. Unfortunately we don't have the exact recipe from her and because her memory isn't the same as before, we can only try and recreate the flavors. I think I've done pretty good and this recipe is a hit at my house. Ingredients: 2 Tablespoon olive oil 2 medium large carrots 1 small-medium white/green cabbage 1/2 package tomato paste (= 130 gram ) 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon paprika 4.5 teaspoons of sweetener or sugar pinch of black pepper Preparation: Separate cabbage leaves, rinse and cut to stripes. Peel carrots, rinse and cut to cubes. Preheat oil in a pot, add cabbage and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, mixing occasionally. Add tomato paste, salt, turmeric, paprika, sugar and black pepper and mix well. Lower the heat to medium and cook with a lid, stirring occasionally. Cook for 20 minutes or until it reaches the desired softness, I didn't add any water, but if you need then add a bit and of course use a pot with non stick bottom.

Broken or Smashed Eggs is a very easy and classic dish that Lucio made famous. Here is the recipe (4 p.) 4 eggs 5oo gr potatoes 1 slice iberian ham (optional) Fry the eggs in a saucepan with high amount of olive oil Peel, cut and fry the potatoes into french fries Cut the slice in mid size pieces (like 2 fries big or so) Serve all together. Cut the eggs so the yolk will drench the fries and ham and mix everything together. You can take this dish as: - A first course and then any other - A main course if you have had some "tapas" or "aperitivo" before. I recommend to pair this with a red wine. I like the "Toro" ones because they have full body and strong flavour. So simple and yet... so hard to pick a seat. It's one of the celebrities spot in Madrid. Booking in advance is a must but going once is well worth it.

This is a great tasting, flavorful method of preparing chicken, especially breasts, with a yogurt marinade. I've made this dish several ways, and with different parts of the chicken. To my taste this marinade works best with breast meat, but you may want to try thighs as well. You can either skin the chicken first, or place the marinade under the skin and then, when baking or grilling the bird, opt for a crisp skin. I haven't found much difference in the moistness of the meat with or without the skin, but I generally slather the marinade on pretty thick. Cooking time and temperature will have as great an effect on moistness as whether you cook the meat with the skin on. Recipe makes enough for 4 - 6 nice sized chicken breast halves. 　 Yogurt Chicken Breasts 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt or regular yogurt 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced very fine or pressed 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (I like Maui or 1015s) 1 Tbs coriander seeds, toasted and ground fine 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, ground 1/2 - 1 tsp crushed chilpectin peppers, seeds included (other peppers are ok, avoid cayenne) 2 Tbs finely chopped fresh mint 4 - 6 chicken breast halves (2 - 3 whole breasts) Take whole coriander and cumin seeds and put them in a small skillet over medium heat and toast them for a couple of minutes while constantly shaking the skillet. As soon as they get aromatic remove from heat and skillet and let them cool a bit before grinding them fine. Grind them with whole (untoasted) black peppercorns. Add the spices, garlic, onion and chopped mint to the yogurt and stir well to mix. Pat the chicken breasts dry and either remove the skin or gently separate the skin from the breast halves, making a pocket into which the marinade will go. Place the breasts in a glass baking dish with sides higher than the breasts are thick and generously cover the skinned breasts with marinade, or stuff a generous amount of marinade under the skin. Cover (if using plastic wrap, take care that the film doesn't come in contact with the chicken breasts) and marinate in the refrigerator for about 8 - 12 hours. Chicken can be cooked in the oven at about 400 degrees for about 30 - 35 minutes, or grilled over hot mesquite coals for about 40 minutes. Naturally you may need to adjust your cooking time and temp depending on the size of the chicken and your own oven. You may certainly adjust the amount of seasoning to suit your taste. I often use a little more of the coriander, cumin and black pepper, depending on my mood and who, if any, my guests may be. Pequin chiles are also good in this recipe. Definitely DON'T use ground cayenne pepper. This also works nicely without the onions.

Maklouba (Arabic for upside-down). An hearty rice dish with baharat spice mix (mostly cumin, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper and turmeric). Roasted eggplant slices, cauliflower and carrot slices. Also plenty of chickpeas and caramelized onion. Topped with toasted pine nuts. It may sound involved, but it is an easy dish to make. The common preparation is to fry the vegetables, but this results in a dish that is too rich and oily to my taste, so I roast them. It is also very common to add chicken, which I do not. If you do eat chicken, it is possible to add it, use roasted chicken thighs instead of some of the vegetables (make sure not to over cook them, as they will steam further in the rice). Rice can be boiled in water, or for better flavor, in chicken or vegetable stock. If using stock, there is no need to discard it after cooking the rice in it, it can be used later. The rice starch will give it some extra body. Make sure to use a non-stick pot or to grease it well. I use an anodized aluminium pot which works wonders. If using a gas stove, make sure the pot has a thick bottom for even cooking. Ingredients about 60 g dry chickpeas (150g ounce cooked, about a cup) 1/2 teaspoon salt a pinch of baking soda for faster cooking 2 small eggplants or a single large one, unpeeled, sliced 1.5cm (1/2in) thick (apx. 600 g) 1 small cauliflower, separated to bite size clusters (apx. 400-500g) 2 carrots, thinly sliced (3mm / 1/8in) (apx. 200g) 1 large onion, diced 2 large cloves garlic, minced 2 tomatoes, diced olive oil or butter 1.5 cups long grain rice (basmati or jasmine) 2 to 2.5 teaspoons salt 0.5 teaspoon hot chili flakes bahart spice mix (see below, 7 teaspoons) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons milk or stock 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 tablespoons well toasted pine nuts for bahart, total of 7 teaspoons (you can use store bought instead, but I prefer to make it to my taste as follows): 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin 0.5 teaspoons ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground allspice 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 2 bay leaves (no need to grind) Preparation Soak rice in water overnight, or soak in hot water for 30-60 minutes. Cook chickpeas in 2 cups of water, with salt and baking soda, until completely soft. Chickpeas can be cooked a day ahead, but must not be cold when mixed into rice. Preheat oven to high heat (250 degC / 460 degF), use convection mode if possible. Brush eggplant slices, carrot slices and cauliflower florets in oil. Roast until cauliflower is browned and slightly charred, yet quite firm and carrots are slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove carrots and cauliflower. Flip eggplant slices and bake until dark brown, another 10 minutes. Bring 6 cups of water or stock (without added salt) to a rolling boil. Add rice and cook like pasta until rice is partly cooked, but still firm in the grain's center. About 4 minutes. Drain rice (do not discard stock, if using, see note above). Wash rice under some cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. cook onion in some oil until browned. Add garlic,salt and all the spices. Cook on a small fire for a minute or two until aromatic. Remove from heat. Mix rice into onion and spice mixture. Add lemon juice, milk or stock, tomatoes and chickpeas. Mix well. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of oil (or butter) into a heavy non-stick pot (about 25cm / 10in), spread oil over bottom and sides. evenly cover the pot with a layer of rice and pack well. layer vegetables and rice in the pot. Cover pot with a thin towel or cheesecloth. Cover with a tight lead. Place on high heat for 10-12 minutes, until sizzling can be heard. Lower to very weak heat and cook covered for 40 to 50 minutes. Place pot on a wet towel to chill it's bottom and make the ricer less likely to stick. Uncover and place a platter on top of pot. Swiftly flip pot and platter together and place on counter. Tap firmly, as needed, to release rice from pot. Sprinkle pine nuts and parsley. Serve immediately. In those photos I used feta cheese instead of pine nuts, also, the crust is a little paler then I like.

Makes 40 cookies, 2 loaves. 50-60 g very aromatic olive oil 80 g honey 120 to 150 g sugar (I use 120 because I like it only gently sweet) 2 eggs 2 teaspoons of fine lemon zest, from apx 1 lemon 230 g flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 75 g lightly toasted peeled pistachios 50 g lightly toasted almonds (you can replace some with pine nuts) Optional: a little rosemary or anise seed Optional: more olive oil for brushing Heat oven to 170 deg C. In mixer (or by hand), mix oil, honey, sugar, lemon, egg and if desired, the optional spices - until uniform. Separately mix together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add flour mixture to mixer bowel with liquids and fold until uniform. Dough will be sticky and quite stiff. Don't knead or over mix. Add nuts and fold until well dispersed. On a parchment lined baking tray, create two even loaves of dough. With moist hands, shape each to be rectangular and somewhat flat - apx 2cm heigh, 6cm wide and 25cm long. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden and baked throughout, yet somewhat soft and sliceable. Rotate pan if needed for even baking. Remove from tray and let chill slightly or completely. Using a sharp serrated knife, gently slice to thin 1/2 cm thick cookies. Each loaf should yield 20 slices. Lay slices on tray and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes until complelty dry and lightly golden. Brush with extra olive oil, if desired. This will and more olive flavor. Let chill completely before removing from tray. Cookies keep well in a closed container and are best served with desert wines or herbal tea.

This style of kugel is called "Jerusalem kugel". Egg noodles in caramel, cinnamon, ginger, plenty of black pepper. Baked, in a low oven all night long in order to give it this signature brown color and flavor. Traditionally made on Friday night and served on Saturday morning. The kugel is best served warm as a warming wintery breakfast, but it can also be served at room temp during warmer months. Most kugels are cooked with no dairy for kosher reasons, but I much prefer the taste of butter. Sub it with natural oil if desired. Raisins can be added if you like. Feeds 8 as a hearty breakfast or much more as a first/last course. It's usually made much larger, and you can scale the recipe both up and down with no adjustments. 400g good quality dry egg noodles or dry egg pasta. I prefer thin noodles, slightly thinner the spaghetti (~3mm). 50g cold butter, cut into pieces 4 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 flat teaspoon dry ginger, or a full teaspoon if you like more ginger flavor 2 to 3 teaspoons black pepper, ground finely (make sure to use freshly ground pepper) 1 tablespoon milk, cream or water 50g walnuts, roughly chopped 200-250g white sugar (I use about 225g, preferring my kugel not too sweet. you can use up to 300g for a really sweet kugel) Pick a somewhat narrow and tall pot that can just hold the cooked noodles/pasta. A cake pan can be used instead, as long as it can be tightly sealed. Make sure to slice the butter and keep it cool. Heat oven to 200 degC. Mix together eggs, milk (or cream/water) salt, spices and almonds. Keep refrigerated. Cook noodles in slightly salted water until almost al-dente, drain well. You can cook the pasta in the pot used later for baking. Meanwhile, in a good, wide pan, cook sugar to very dark caramel. I prefer the dry caramel method, but do use wet method if you like it better. When very dark, immediately remove from heat and add butter to cool the caramel and stop it from burning. Add cooked noodles and mix well to coat in caramel. If caramel starts to harden, place pot on medium heat and push the chunks to the bottom until they melt. Let the noodles chill slightly then add egg and nuts mixture. Mix until well combined. if your pot or pan used for baking is not non-stick, then grease it. Pour noodles into pot or pan and slightly flatten the top to look even. If you see any nuts poking above, push them down slightly so that they don't burn. Tightly cover the pot or pan with aluminium foil to keep moisture inside. Cover with a lid and place in hot oven for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 100 degC (210 degF) and bake overnight, about 10 hours. To serve, remove foil and invert kugel on a tray. Serve with pickled cucumbers (not everyone likes this combination, but try). Leftovers can be chilled and reheated later (microwave or oven both works, the later might dry it too much if you are not careful). You can also pan fry leftover slices.

This recipe is a little labor intensive, but the results are definitely worth it. This is less a recipe than a technique, and so quantities are not specified. Olive or vegetable oil Chiles poblanos, skinned and seeds removed without making a big hole Queso fresco, cut into thick chunks to tuck into the chiles Eggs,separated Flour Salt and pepper to taste Good ripe tomatoes, or canned if the market has let you down White onion Garlic Dried oregano Chicken broth Rub the chiles with a light coating of oil, which makes them blister faster and doesn't overcook the flesh. Put under a broiler or turn over a gas cooktop until blistered and blackened. Pop into a plastic bag to steam and then peel and discard the seeds while trying not to make a big slit in the chile. I use a scissors to snip off the seed thing below the stem. Leave the stem on if you can--it will come in handy later. Put about an inch of oil in a skillet and heat to medium high. Beat the egg whites until stiff, fold in the yolks and enough flour to make a fairly loose batter. Try not to deflate the egg whites too much. Put some flour on a plate. Stuff each chile with a log of the cheese, roll in the flour and then dip into the batter. Try to keep the opening overlapped before you roll in the flour. It will keep the cheese inside a little better. Fry the chiles until both sides are golden brown and delicious (thank you Alton Brown) and remove to a plate lined with paper towels. You can use the stem to turn the chiles, but a spoon also works. If using fresh tomatoes, chop roughly and put in a food processor bowl. Roughly chop the white onion and garlic and add the oregano to the food processor. Buzz together until smooth. If using canned tomatoes, just dump them into the food processor and then add the onion, garlic, and oregano. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the sauce for a few minutes to thicken it, and then add the chicken broth. You are aiming for something runnier than you want for the final sauce. Cook the sauce until there's no taste of raw onion. Gently slip the chiles into the broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, and then serve on white rice. You can add a salad or simple vegetable to the plate. Again, I apologize for the vague ingredient list. I was not given specific amounts by Alicia, because this is less a recipe than a technique, which I think is very straightforward. I've made this several times and I recommend breaking up the tasks, like roasting the chiles the day before. And if it's possible, this is almost better the next day. Nancy in Pátzcuaro .