Vancouverite Recipes

Mariam’s Instant Pot Biryani

INGREDIENTS

2.5 lbs chicken

2.5 cups rice

1 onion

3 tomatoes

Canola oil

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

Shaan biryani masala

Pinch of Salt

1 Cinnamon Stick

Cloves

Cardamom

Bay Leaves

Peppercorn

1 Cup Yogurt

Yellow Food Coloring

Cilantro

Mint

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash 2.5 cups rice with spring water and soak for 20 min. Defrost 2lbs chicken in the microwave.

2. In the meantime, cut up 1 onion and 3 tomatoes.

3. Put canola oil and onion into instant pot. Press Sauté.

4. Add 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste each into instant pot.

5. Add 2.5 lbs chicken into instant pot and stir.

6. Add Shaan Biryani masala, pinch of salt, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, and peppercorn. Stir until most of water in chicken is gone.

7. Add tomatoes and 1 cup yogurt. Stir.

8. Drain rice and add to Instant Pot. Do NOT stir. Feel free to add yellow food coloring.

9. Add cilantro and mint. Add 1/2 cup water before closing lid. Set valve to sealing, press High Pressure and make sure it is set to 0:10 (10 minutes).

10. When done, set valve to venting for 10 minutes before opening. Stir and serve!

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast

Fish sauce

lemon pepper seasoning

chili flakes

Italian seasoning

Freshly cracked black pepper

Avocado or olive oil

garlic powder

Plain greek yogurt

1 red onion

1 spring onion

Dijon mustard

Celery

Cilantro

Pickled jalapeños

1 Lemon

1 Lime

Hot sauce (Frank’s red hot)

Croissants

Instructions

1. Put the chicken in a ziplock and marinate it with fish sauce, lemon pepper seasoning, chili flakes, Italian seasoning, black pepper, oil, garlic powder. Mix and store in fridge for 30 min.

2. Bake the chicken in oven

3. Chop red onion, spring onions, celery, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños.

4. Shred the chicken.

5. Grab a big bowl and shred chicken in it.

6. Add Greek yogurt. Add Dijon mustard. Squeeze lime and lemon. Add Frank’s hot sauce, red onion, spring onions, celery, and cilantro. Add jalapeños and some of the juice from the jar. Mix. Add more black pepper.

7. Spoon some into croissants and serve

Source: https://www.tiktok.com/@charinecheungg/video/7421096603148225798

Adana Kebab

Cook Time: 40 min

Ingredients

1 lbs Ground beef (medium/lean)

1 Spanish onion

1⁄2 Red bell pepper (large)

4-6 Garlic cloves

1 Jalapeno

1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste (heaping)

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1⁄2 tsp Red pepper flakes

1⁄2 tsp Ground coriander seeds

1⁄2 tsp Cumin

1⁄2 tsp Black pepper

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Butter (garnish)

1 tbsp Parsley (garnish)

White Sauce

1⁄2 cup Mayo

1⁄4 cup Yogurt

1⁄4 tsp Dried mint

1⁄4 tsp Sumac

1 Garlic clove (small)

1⁄4 tsp of a Lemon juice

1⁄4 tsp Salt

Instructions

To a food processor, add in roughly chopped yellow onions, red bell peppers, jalapeno and peeled garlic cloves. Blend until all there are no large chunks of vegetables left.

Place a cheesecloth over a large mixing bowl and pour the blended vegetable mixture on top squeezing out all or most of the liquid. Set the liquid aside into a separate bowl then add the remaining blitzed up vegetables to the bowl.

Season the vegetable mix with turkish red pepper paste, ground coriander seeds, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, black pepper and salt. Mix this together very well then add in the ground beef.

Incorporate the ground beef with the seasoned vegetable mixture by using squeezing and folding motions for about 1-2 minutes until the meat becomes sticky. Refrigerate the mixture to allow the flavours to penetrate ideally for a couple hours to overnight or a minimum of 30 minutes. You want the beef mix to be cold before shaping it into kebabs.

Use the residual vegetable juices that were squeezed out of the vegetable mix to wet your hands- keeping your hands wet while working with the beef will prevent your hands from sticking while infusing extra flavour into the kebab. Take a slightly smaller than palm sized amount of the meat mixture about 90-100 grams and compact into a tight oblong ball shape. Slide onto a metal skewer and start pressing on both sides to fix the meat onto the skewer. Once the beef is mostly spread onto the skewer, use your fingers and thumb to create a kebab pattern- once on each side. See the video above to see a visual of shaping the kebabs.

Once the kebabs are formed on the skewers, place them over a large tray and refrigerate from another 20-30 minutes to firm up before cooking.

Set the oven to broil and allow the oven to get hot for 10-15 minutes. Place the beef skewers over the rack closest to the broiler. You may need to reposition the rack to bring it closer. Cook for about 4-6 minutes on the first side and another 2-4 minutes on the other side or until an internal temperature of 165 is reached. Watch the kebabs closely while they are under the broiler as this high temperature can burn the kebabs quickly.

Remove the kebabs from the oven and brush with melted butter, and garnish with sumac and fresh parsley.

White sauce: add mayo, yogurt, dried mint, sumac, garlic, lemon juice and salt into a bowl and mix with a spoon. If you have fresh mint, blend in magic bullet with a little bit of water and yogurt, then add to the bowl of the rest of the ingredients.

Source: https://nutrient-matters.com/recipe/adana-kebab/

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1 of 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup tomato or red bell pepper, diced

1 can black olives, sliced

1 cup cucumber, diced

1/2 cup red onion, finely diced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 cup cooked quinoa (I used tricolor cooked and veggie broth)

1/3 cup parsley or cilantro, minced

1/4 cup salted pistachios or seed or nut of choice (I love walnuts, pine nuts & roasted pumpkin seeds too)

1/2 avocado, diced (optional)

Cumin Tahini Sauce ✨

2 tbsp tahini

1 lemon, juiced

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp water

1/2 tsp cumin

Instructions

Wash and strain 1 cup quinoa with water. Bring 2 cups veggie broth to a boil on medium heat. Add the quinoa on low heat and cover for 15 min. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Open the can of chickpeas and wash with water and strain. Bring 1 cup veggie broth to boil in a pot on medium heat. Add chickpeas, cover with lid on low heat for 15 minutes.

Add all salad ingredients, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk or put into magic bullet until smooth and top on the salad and mix until well combined.

Optional: I added some cooked chicken to my bowl with the chickpea salad for a great dinner meal!

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYWdAaNC

Marination

Chicken - 2 lb

Heavy Whipping cream (whipped to make it a little thick) - 3 tbsp

Hung curd/Greek yogurt - 1 cup

Chopped cilantro 1/3 cup

Olive oil 1 tbsp

Paste of cashews

garlic 1 tbsp

ginger 1 tbsp

green chillies 1 tbsp

Spices

salt 1/2 tsp

black pepper 1/4 tsp

cumin powder 1 tsp

coriander powder 1/2 tsp

chat masala 1 tsp

garam masala 1/2 tsp

tandoori bbq masala 1/2 tsp

Instructions

1. Marinate overnight, tightly packed in skewers & grill.

2. Grilling: Toss it in some melted butter and chat masala after grilling (I don't do this step).

or

Serves: 2

* 1 cup strong coffee made ahead of time and very cold or 2 shots espresso cooled

* 1 cup milk of choice

* 2 cups ice

* ½ cup chocolate syrup - store bought or homemade

* ⅓ cup chocolate chips

* Toppings: homemade whipped cream and chocolate chips

Source: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFLD61Bd/

Ingredients

Chicken bouillon

1 tsp Salt

Packet of noodles

1 stick of butter

1 tbsp minced garlic

Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp parsley

Instructions

Boil 2 cups of water in a pan

Add chicken bouillon and 1 tsp salt

When the water is boiling, add a packet of noodles

Save a cup of the pasta water on the side into a cup. We’re going to save it to thicken the sauce later.

Drain noodles and set aside

Melt a stick of butter in the pan and add 1 tbsp minced garlic

Add pasta water into pan

Put noodles back into pan

Add Parmesan cheese

Add seasoning: 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp parsley and more chicken bouillon

If sauce is too thick, add more pasta water

High Protein Creamy Garlic Cheesy Chicken & Potatoes!

Macros per serving (4 total)

502 Calories 153g Protein | 38g Carbs |

15g Fat

Ingredients (4 servings)

800 Cubed Chicken Breast

3-4 Garlic Cloves Minced

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Mixed Herbs

1 tsp Chilli Flakes

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Olive Oil

Crispy Potatoes

800g Uncooked Potatoes

1 tsp Salt, Garlic Powder, Mixed Herbs, Chilli Flakes, Paprika

Optional Olive Oil or Cooking Spray

Air Fry for 18-20 mins at 200C / 400F

Oven Bake for 20-23 mins at 200C

Creamy Garlic Parm Sauce + Mix

120ml any milk of your choice

100g Light Cream Cheese (Philadelphia Lightest)

40g Grated Parmesan

Extra Seasoning (Salt, Garlic, Mixed Herbs)

50g Shredded Mozzarella (or any low fat cheese)

Garnish with Fresh Parsley

Important Cooking Notes

When cooking the potatoes make sure they do not burn and get too dry. You can skip the olive oil and use cooking spray instead

After cooking the chicken for 5-6 mins, make sure you lower the heat before adding the milk and cream cheese

Mix the cream cheese till it melts and becomes smooth and creamy

After adding the potatoes in, mix till combined then add cheese, cover for 4-5 mins till the cheese is melted

SERVE & ENJOY!

Brown Butter Sage Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 lbs Rigatoni 16 ounces

Set one cup of pasta water to the side

Brown butter sage:

8 tbsp Butter, unsalted 113 grams fresh Sage handful of fresh leaves

Roasted veggie tray:

1 Butternut squash

1 Garlic bulb 10 cloves garlic

1 Onion

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Cheeses:

4 oz White cheddar, freshly grated

4 oz Parmesan, freshly grated

6 oz Aged Gouda, freshly grated

Sauce - Throw these ingredients into your blender:

1 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Salt start with 1/2 tsp and adjust (remember, the cheeses, and pasta water bring quite a bit of salt to this dish already)

All of your roasted veggies

1/2 cup Pasta Water

Source: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8r3js1q/

{with coconut milk and apple brie grilled cheese}

Ingredients

1 medium-sized butternut squash (or any squash of your choice), peeled and cubed

1/2 can of full-fat coconut milk

4 carrots

2 shallots

1 garlic head

2 Thai chili peppers(optional, depends on your heat preferences)

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 1/2 cup of vegetable broth or chicken broth or more, depends on desired thickness

Olive oil to drizzle vegetables

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

For grilled cheese (2 slices of sourdough, 2 sage leaves, thin apple slices, butter)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 380F

2. Prepare all listed vegetables and place on the baking dish.

3. Add seasonings and olive oil

4. Bake for 45 min, until vegetables are golden and soft inside.

5. Place everything in a pot, add coconut milk and broth. And blend with blender.

6. Adjust seasonings to taste, garnish and serve with apple brie grilled cheese.

7. For grilled cheese:

Slice sourdough, sage, brie and apple slices.

Assemble, add butter and melt on the griddle or pan until golden brown and cheese melted.

Serve and enjoy!

Source:

Ingredients

* 3 chicken breasts

Seasoning

* Salt

* garlic powder

* onion powder

* paprika

* oregano

* black pepper

Veggie prep

* 1 small container of cherry tomatoes

* 1 chopped onion

* 1 whole bag of spinach

* 1 container of sliced mushrooms

* 1 sliced lemon

Cook

* 1 jar of sun dried tomato

* olive oil

* 2 tbsp garlic

* Chicken broth

* 1 1/2 cup heavy cream

* Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Butterfly the chicken into 6 slices.

2. Seasoning the chicken slices with: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, black pepper.

3. Pour the oil of the sun dried tomato into pan as well as olive oil

4. Lay down chicken and sear on both sides

5. Prep veggies: split cherry tomatoes in half, chop an onion. Wash spinach and the mushrooms.

6. When chicken has nice colour sear on sides, remove from pan. Toss in the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for 5 min. Add sliced mushrooms. Cook.

7. To deglaze bottom of pan, add chicken broth

8. Add cherry tomatoes and chopped sun dried tomatoes

9. Optional: add red pepper flakes, and a little more oregano

10. Add 1 1/2 cup heavy cream. Stir and simmer. Add spinach and stir to wilt. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese.

11. Add chicken back to sauce. Cool for 5-10 min to get sauce thick and creamy.

12. Squeeze lemon over dish.

13. Serve with mashed potatoes, polento, or rice.

Ingredients

Chicken breast

Spring roll sheets

Cabbage

Onion

Carrots

Soy sauce

Garlic paste

Flour

Chili flakes (optional)

Instructions

Boil chicken in water. Take the chicken out and shred the chicken with 2 forks.

Shred and then stir fry the garlic paste, cabbage, onion, bell peppers, and carrots. Add salt, pepper, soy sauce, and chili flakes.

In a bowl, add the chicken and stir fry veggies. This will be the filling.

Mix some flour and water and make a paste.

Lay out 1 spring roll wrap as a diamond shape and put in 2 tbsp of the filling in the middle horizontally. Roll up the spring roll and tuck in the edges. Use the flour paste as a glue to seal the roll’s edge.

Prep Time: 8 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

¼ cup butter

½ cup chicken broth

¼ cup lemon juice

1 lemon sliced

½ cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum optional or cream cheese

Instructions

1. Sprinkle the garlic powder over the chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Set your Instant Pot to high saute and melt the butter. Add the chicken to the pot, cooking in batches, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until brown.

3. Return all of the chicken to the pot. Add the broth and lemon juice to the pot. Top with the lemon slices.

4. Add the lid and set it to seal. Cook over high pressure for 6 minutes.

5. Allow to naturally release for 3 minutes, and then do a quick release. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to rest. Discard the lemon slices.

6. Set the pot to low sauté and add in heavy cream. (You can add more if you would like more sauce.) Sprinkle with xanthan gum and cook for about 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

7. Plate the chicken and drizzle with the sauce.

Source: https://kicking-carbs.com/instant-pot-lemon-chicken/

Ingredients

Marinade for the chicken:

2 lb chicken breast

1/4 cup yogurt

2 tbsp garlic

2 tbsp ginger

2 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp cayenne powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp tumeric

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Base:

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 chopped onion

1 cup diced tomato

Other ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp Kasuri methi

Chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Make the marinade for the chicken cubes above. Store in a bowl covered by plastic wrap in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of 30 min before using it for cooking.

2. Put olive oil into a pan and fry the marinated chicken.

3. Base: In a separate pot, add the butter and fry the onions. Add the rest of the Base ingredients. Add 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 tbsp kasuri methi. Stir well and cook.

4. Sprinkle cilantro on top as garnish.

5. Serve with basmati rice or garlic naan.

Sources (combining these 2 recipes):

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpVfsKH/

Note: link at bottom has video!

PREP – 15 MINS

COOK – 30 MINS

TOTAL – 45 MINS

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil

8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, washed, dried, stems and leaves separated, then each chopped

1 medium-size yellow or red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, peeled, chopped

2 medium zucchini, tops removed, sliced into rounds or half-moons or diced

2 golden potatoes, peeled, small diced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

Salt and pepper

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 (32-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

2 bay leaves

½ teaspoon dry thyme

6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lime

⅓ cup toasted pine nuts, optional

Instructions

1. Sauté Mushrooms: In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from the pot and set aside for now.

2. Add fresh veggies and spices: Add more olive oil, if needed and heat. Add the chopped parsley stems, (save the leaves for later), onions, garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini and small diced potatoes. Stir in the spices, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables have softened a bit.

3. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes: Now add the chickpeas, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and broth. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover partially and cook for 15 more minutes.

4. Return mushrooms to the pot: Uncover and add the sauteed mushrooms. Cook for just a few more minutes until mushrooms are warmed through.

5. Add finishing touches: Finally, stir in the parsley leaves, lime zest, and lime juice.

6. Enjoy! Remove from the heat. Remove bay leaves. Transfer the vegetable soup to serving bowls and top with toasted pine nuts, if you like. Add a side of your favorite crusty bread or pita along with extra lime wedges and crushed red pepper. Enjoy!

Easy Slow Cooker Nihari (Pakistani Beef Stew)

This Easy Slow Cooker Nihari recipe takes less than 30 minutes of prep time but does not compromise on the authentic taste of this traditional Pakistani Beef Stew! Layers of flavor in every bite!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Whole Spices

1/2 piece of a small star anise

1-2 small bay leaves

1 inch piece cinnamon stick

Ground Spices

2-3 whole cloves ground into a powder using a mortar and pestle

2-3 green cardamom pods seeds removed and ground into a powder using a mortar and pestle

1/2 tsp fennel seeds ground into a powder using a mortar and pestle

1/2 tsp paprika powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4-1/2 tsp Asian red chilli powder or cayenne

1/4 tsp crushed red chilli flakes

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder (optional)

pinch nutmeg

1/2 tbsp Nihari Masala Powder

Nihari

1/3 cup canola or other neutral oil

1 tbsp ghee or butter

1 large onion thinly sliced

5-6 garlic cloves crushed

3/4- inch piece ginger crushed

1 1/4 tsp salt or to taste

1/4 cup atta flour or corn starch

4 cups water

1 lb beef stew or shank pieces - about 1 1/2 inch cubed

Garnishings

crispy fried onions

1 inch piece ginger julienned

1 lemon sliced

1/4 bunch fresh cilantro chopped

1-2 green chillies chopped

Instructions

1. Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Heat oil and ghee and add the whole spices.

2. 1:01 Add onion and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to sauté until the raw smell disappears, about 30 seconds.

3. Add beef and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until it changes color.

4. Lower the heat and add the powdered spices and salt and sauté for about 20 seconds.

5. Carefully pour this beef mixture into your Crockpot or slow cooker.

6. Add the water and stir to mix. Cook on low for 8-10 hours (preferable) or high for 6-7 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. Cooking times will vary depending on your meat and slow cooker.

7. Toward the end of your cooking time, remove your whole spices and take out a cup of the liquid of the Nihari into a bowl. Let it cool a little by adding an ice cube to it. Place the atta in another bowl. Bit by bit, add the atta to Nihari liquid to form a smooth slurry. Slowly add this slurry back into the crockpot while stirring to prevent clumps. Let it cook for another 30-45 minutes. Serve hot with the garnishing and naan or sheermal.

Notes

*If you do not add the pre-made nihari masala, adjust the quantity of the other spices per taste. **Traditionally, atta is used to thicken the curry. I highly recommend you use it for an authentic taste. For a gluten-free option, see notes!

Source: