I am seriously so excited today – being featured on a world class blog as a part of a series is not something small!!! My joy knew no bounds when Lubna Karim from Yummy Foods asked me to do a guest post as part of her initiative, “Joy From Fasting to Feasting – VI” to feature Muslim bloggers from all over the world who would come along to share their experiences about Ramadan and a recipe close to their heart. Being relatively new to the blogging world, I accepted with trepidation her invitation and set off to think what I should offer her. It was not easy deciding on a recipe, as Lubna is a well-established blogger who clicks absolutely amazing pictures that are accompanied by lip-smacking recipes, and the work I do is so amateur compared to what she does. But I really appreciated that she wanted to include me as a part of the series and here I am!
What I provided her was the recipe of Aleesa, a wheat based dish with a little twist – the Masala Aleesa. For the recipe and more details on how I see Ramadan as, go ahead and give it a read here!!! Hope you enjoy my post and find the recipe interesting as well… As always, awaiting your views… 🙂
Updated with new pictures on September 11, 2017: An update on this post was long due. I have been wanting to click it again properly since this is one recipe that is so close to my heart! Whether it is the recipe or the opportunity to be on Lubna’s blog for the first time… finally this Ramadan, I got a chance to take some decent clicks. Yeah, I know, Ramadan has passed three months ago, but better late than never!
The recipe has also been updated to make it easier… before I used to cook the aleesa separate and the masala separate and then mix it. Now I do it all in one single pressure cooker, so lesser dishes to wash! 😉 Hope you will try this and enjoy cooking it as well.
Keeping the old picture in tact… in fact I remember Jehanne had helped me turn the horrendous looking click into something that was kind of manageable! 😀
Masala Aleesa
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 large onions sliced
- 2-3 green chillies
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 to mato chopped
- 1 heaped tbsp chicken masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 1-1/2 cup whole wheat
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 cup water
- 500 gm chicken with bone, cut into small pieces
- 2 large pcs cinnamon
- ½ tsp garam masala
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
- FOR TEMPERING:
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 4-6 shallots thinly sliced or 1 small onion, sliced
Instructions
- Wash and soak the whole wheat overnight, minimum 8 hours.
- Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker, fry the fennel seeds for a few moments.
- Add in the onions and green chillies and cook till it becomes soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed up.
- Now add in the chicken masala powder and the chicken and mix well. Leave it on low flame for 5 minutes.
- Now add in the coconut milk, water, drained whole wheat and the cinnamon. Give a good mix. Adjust seasoning at this stage.
- Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 5-6 whistles on high flame, and then lower the flame and cook for 15 minutes.
- Switch off and let the pressure go by itself.
- Open the lid, fish out the cinnamon. Take out the bones that can be found at the top.
- Sprinkle the garam masala powder and mix well.
- Using a hand blender, blend the mixture till smooth.
- Heat ghee and fry the onions till browned. Top it on the aleesa along with some coriander leaves and serve hot!
Notes
The ingredients to the masala are totally my level of spiciness. Increase on the green chillies for more spice or add in pepper powder if you like the taste of it.
Congrats Rafee and aleesa looks delicious 🙂 over to yummy food!
thank u so much rekha… 🙂
Fabulous recipe and love the combo of coconut milk and spices.
thank u so much nava…
Congrats Rafee…masala aleesa looks really delicious.
thank u so much meena… 🙂
Beautifully written Rafee
thank u so much humi… 🙂
As-salamu alaykum Sister,
Nice recipe 🙂
http://hyderabadicuisinerecipes-angel.blogspot.com/
waalaikumussalam roha… thank u so much! 🙂
It's my honor to have you Rafeeda….Thank you for the lovely post and yum recipe…Hugs,Lubna.
hey thank u so much lubna for the opportunity… i'm so glad… 🙂 🙂
perfect guestpost for ramadan!!!!
thank u so much priya…
Well written dear…delicious recipe…
thank u so much saranya…
Lovely post with yummy recipe…
thank u so much hetal…
lovely write up, over to Lubna'sspace…
thank u so much priya…
congo girl….5th post thats amazing about you and the host…
thank u so much divya…
That is a lovey post Rafeeda, with beautiful write up!
thank u so much ambreen… 🙂
love reading your post at Lubna's, what a lovely ramadhan story..! this dish is familiar to us, but we call is asyura-a bit similar, but next time will try your version for sure!
thank u so much jehanne… don't we have cuisines that are so influenced by each other??? 🙂
New to me,looks so delicious..lovely post
thank u so much suja…
Congrats on the guest post Rafee 🙂 Aleesa is something very new for me – looks delish. Going to check out the recipe 🙂
Thank u so much priya.. 🙂
congrats on the guest post Rafee. Love this name ~ masala aleesa
Thank u so much shree… 🙂
This dish looka very yummy & going to looks for the recipe. Lovely write up:)
Thank u so much dear… 🙂
Congrats Rafee. A yummy looking dish.. First time hearing about it.. Thanks for sharing !
thank u so much chitz… 🙂