Bis Keemiya

Bis Keemiya; one of the few Maldivian vegetarian short eats is truly a delight and sometimes makes one wonder why eat meat at all! Although you would normally buy them at your local cafe', it is undoubtedly very easy to make and you will be rewarded at the end of the day when you're sitting in front your TV with your group of friends devouring a bowl full of Bis Keemiya! 

The process is similar to the process of making Bajiya - which involves making flat bread/chappaati and also the filling.

Things you need for the dough:

• 2 cups of fine wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
• 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup hot water

Things you need for the filling:

• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic finely choppes/crushed to form a paste
• 3 Thai Pepper Chillies chopped  or if you prefer to use Scotch Bonnet use a little bit according to your needs
• 2 hard boiled eggs cut into small bits using an egg slicer
• 2 cups cabbage finely sliced
• 1/2 Tablespoon ground pepper
• Salt to taste

Preparation of the dough and flat bread:

 

First put flour in a mixing bowl and make a depression in the center using a spoon and pour the vegetable oil into the depression and sprinkle salt over the flour.

With a wooden spoon mix the flour, vegetable oil and salt together.

Pour in the hot water. This is an important step as too much water can completely ruin the sheets that you are going to make and too little water will make the dough difficult to roll as it will turn out too dry and hard. Mix with the wooden spoon as you pour the hot water.

Knead the dough for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until the it becomes soft.

Then shape the dough into balls the size of a strawberry.

After you are done, using a rolling pin and board roll out each of the balls into circular sheets 3inches in diameter. This can be made easier if you dust the rolling board with flour throughout.

Place the sheets on a clean surface such that each consecutive sheet will not touch eachother.

Repeat until you are done with all the sheets.

Preparation of the filling:

Place the onion, garlic, chilli and salt in a mixing bowl and mix together using a wooden spoon or if you prefer you can use your hand too. When adding salt keep in mind that there are still ingredients to be added.

Add the cabbage and mix well.

Next add the eggs as you are mixing and keep in mind not to mix too hard because  the egg bits will break and form a paste eventually.

Add pepper when you are done mixing.

Preparation of the Biskeemiya:

The preparation of the Biskeemiya involves folding the sheets with the filling inside. The steps involved are shown in the pictures below.

1) Place the sheet on a flat surface and place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the sheet as shown below.

2) Next, fold opposite ends of the sheet as shown below and secure them.

3) Then fold one of the two remaining sides as shown.

4) Finally fold the remaining side as shown and secure it.

 The folding process is not very easy if you are doing this for the first time but don't worry because soon enough you'll master the skill and the process will be easy peasy!

After you are done preparing all the Bis Keemiyas, its time to deep fry them. Deep fry the Bis Keemiya's in vegetable oil in a large frying pan at medium heat until they turn golden brown. This usually takes approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Enjoy!

Bajiya

No. Bajiya is not Samosa. Its an authentic Maldivian short eat that doesn't quite taste the same everywhere. The recipe below is one of the variants of Bajiya that is extremely popular and extremely delicious to eat! The recipes are usually passed on through generations and this particular recipe has also been through the same. However, the recipe has been adapted to make it easier for the modern woman (or  even man) to make! Enjoy!

Things you need for the dough:

• 2 cups of fine wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
• 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup Pastry glue made by mixing 2 parts fine wheat flour and 1 part water.

Things you need for the filling:

• 1 tin of tuna chunks in oil
• 2 regular sized onions cut into thin slices
• 2 garlic cloves crushed and chopped
• 3 Thai Pepper Chillies chopped  or if you prefer to use Scotch Bonnet use a little bit according to your needs
• 1/4 teaspoon of Ginger Paste
• 10grams of Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Power
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Poweder
• 1/2 Tablespoon of Curry Powder 
• Salt to Taste

Preparation of the dough and sheets:

 

First put flour in a mixing bowl and make a depression in the center using a spoon and pour the vegetable oil into the depression and sprinkle salt over the flour.

With a wooden spoon mix the flour, vegetable oil and salt together.

Pour in the hot water. This is an important step as too much water can completely ruin the sheets that you are going to make and too little water will make the dough difficult to roll as it will turn out too dry and hard. Mix with the wooden spoon as you pour the hot water.

Knead the dough for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until the it becomes soft.

Then shape the dough into balls the size of a large walnut.

After you are done, using a rolling pin and board roll out each of the balls into thin circular sheets. This can be made easier if you dust the rolling board with flour throughout.

Next, heat an empty frying pan for 5 minutes and place the circular sheet in it. Heat for approximately 1 minute each side on low heat. The purpose is not to heat the sheets until they turn out like Roti's or Chappatti's but to slightly heat them until they are not raw anymore.

Repeat until you are done with all the sheets.

Next place all the sheets that you've made on the rolling board one on top of eachother, all completely aligned. Using a knife cut  the stack of sheets so that each sheet makes 4 equal quarters.

When you are done place the quarter sheets all in one plastic bag or cover them in food wrap.

Preparation of the filling:

Put the onions, chillies, garlic and ginger into a mixing bowl.

Add salt, curry powder, Chilli Powder and Turmeric Powder and mix together.

Next add the tuna chunks (oil drained) and mix well.

Finally add sugar and mix evenly.

Preparation of the Bajiya:

The preparation of a Bajiya involves you making a cone out of the quarter sheets that you made before. The steps that involve are shown in the pictures below:

1) Place the sheet on a flat surface and apply pastry glue using a cotton bud / your finger tip on the lower edge of the sheet; starting from the center towards the left as show below.

2) Next fold the right corner inwards as shown.

3) As shown stick the two sides together to form a cone

4) Fill the cone with 1 table spoon of filling and apply pastry glue on the remaining side as shown.

 5) Fold the remaining side of the cone downwards and stick.

Repeat the above steps until you make your desired number of Bajiyas. After you are done deep fry the Bajiya's in vegetable oil in a large frying pan until they turn golden brown. This usually takes 5 to 7 minutes per batch.
Enjoy!

Cocktail Sausage Rollers

Things you need:

• Cocktail Sausages 

• Chicken Ham

• Half a cup of Garlic Paste (you can either buy a bottle of Garlic Paste or do it yourself by crushing the garlic until it forms a paste)

• Ground Pepper

• Half a cup of Brown Sugar

• A set of toothpicks

Cooking Instructions:

If your Cocktail Sausages and Chicken Ham are frozen, make sure that they are completely thawed before you begin. 

Begin by cutting strips of ham that have the same width as the sausages, so that you can roll them all the way around the Cocktail Sausages later. Usually, each slice of ham can be cut into 3 strips.

Place a strip of ham on a flat surface (I use a cutting board), and with a small pastry brush or a spoon spread half a teaspoon of garlic on the surface of the strip. If using a pastry brush or a spoon is too difficult you can use the pulp of your finger. 

Next, sprinkle a pinch of ground pepper on to the ham strip over the garlic that you've just spread.

Then, take one cocktail sausage and place it on one edge of the strip of ham and roll the ham to cover the sausage.

Next use a toothpick to secure the ham to the sausage. 

When you've finished rolling up all the sausages, set the oven to preheat at 180 degree Celsius for 10 minutes

.

Then, arrange all the rolled sausages on an aluminium foil covered baking tray (or you can lightly grease the baking tray with salted or unsalted butter) ensuring that no two rolled sausages touch each other.

When you are done, sprinkle quarter teaspoon of brown sugar on the top surface of every rolled sausage.

Place the baking tray in the oven set at 180 degrees Celsius and bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Enjoy! 

Cocktail Sausage Rollers ready for baking

All ready to eat!