RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Lita Lotzkar Hamin, Indian-Style, meat
Archivist's Note: With all due respect to Ms. Bahar and the site from which she took this recipe, ~Hameen~ is Sephardic in origin. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - Spices of India enhance kosher fare from Internet By Zillah Bahar I've learned from the terrific response to my previous column, which featured kosher Filipino recipes, that Bulletin readers have a genuine enthusiasm for kosher-style incendiary fare from Asia. I'm running with it. This time I'm revisiting the Web site www.kashrus.org, sponsored by San Rafael-based American-Asian Kashrus Services, for Indian dishes. The site offers kosher recipes from China, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Sri Lanka and Singapore. I like the Indian section because it includes text about how the dishes fit into Jewish life and alternative ways to make some of the dishes. The introduction to the rice stew Hameen explains that the dish is typically placed in the oven at a very low temperature just before Shabbat begins. It is removed in the late afternoon on Saturday for an early dinner. The idea is to avoid violating the Shabbat laws that prohibit lighting flames, a form of work. In the Hameen recipe included here, however, you are directed to complete the cooking within two hours, for safety's sake. HAMEEN Serves 4 to 6 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 medium-sized onion, sliced 2 cups of basmati rice, rinsed salt and pepper to taste 2 tsp. turmeric 4 cloves 4 cardamom pods 1 cup tomatoes, chopped 1 large stick of cinnamon 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, pressed 5 lbs. roasting chicken parts 2 cups of cold water, divided Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a pot that can be placed in the oven. Add onion and sauté. Add rice, salt and pepper, turmeric, cloves, cardamom pods, tomatoes and cinnamon stick. Fry for a couple of minutes. Add grated fresh ginger and garlic, then stir. Add chicken and stir-fry until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add 1 cup of cold water, cover and cook on medium flame until the water is absorbed, stirring from time to time. Add remaining cup of cold water, cover and bring to the boil. Remove from flame and place in the preheated oven. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, stir and check for doneness. If necessary, add a bit more water and return to the oven. Continue baking until the chicken is tender and the rice cooked through. Cooking note: On special occasions dried fruit, such as apricots, would be added instead of tomatoes, and when in season, pieces of fresh quince. You may also use barley instead of rice. For Carrot Hameen, add 1 lb. whole carrots, or cut into strips, with the chicken pieces.
