So I’ve decided to start blogging because I realize I’ve turned Facebook into a veritable ‘ramble round the bramble’ area when all I needed was a proper site for shouting out all these wonderful things that popped into my head..or someone else’s. If you love food in any form, and you have a penchance for kids perhaps then this blog would appeal to you very much! I also do television chatter occasionally, shop, malls and restaurants as well so if you like drama then there’s something for all of you out there.. It’s all ‘happening in Dubai’  though so we’re talking red, white, green and black with an Asian-American twist and turn. This should be appealing to everyone when you think about it. I mean who doesn’t love Arabic pita bread with BBQ chicken sandwiched inside in-between leafy greens and some spicy salad dressing right! We’re talking Pita Pocket Burgers. My very own creation from nowhere. So now everyone here knows I’m food crazy, and crazy in love with cooking so I’ll be posting recipes and pictures along with other fun stuff that happens to us all in general. But if you love food..hang around. You are in for a treat! Since I’ve just started on this I’ll post up my pita pocket burger recipe complete with ‘illustrations,’ to set the mood 🙂 We’ll take it from there!Image

Pita Pocket Burgers:

Pita Bread Pocket Recipe:

  1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast = 2.5 tsp.

  1/2 cup warm water

  3 cups all purpose flour

  1 1/4 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  1 cup lukewarm water
Method:

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl.

Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.

Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon until elastic.

Place dough on floured surface and knead for 15 minutes or until dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic. Then you know it’s done..

Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and allow to rest in a warm place.

After an hour you’ll see the dough has risen. Punch it down.

Or, just allow to sit for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 250 deg C. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet.

Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick. If its too thin you’ll have a poppodom like bread..

Bake each circle for 4 minutes or until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.

Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.

Storing Pita Bread

Pita bread can be stored for up to a week in a pantry or bread box, and up to a month in the freezer. Use a container or bag which can be tightly closed or sealed when storing in the freezer.

 

Chicken Breast Marinade Recipe:

Yield: Makes about 1 cup of marinade

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley or fresh chopped
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika or chili powder (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a ziplock bag and add chicken breasts. This is enough marinade for 4 to 6 chicken breasts.

Bake in oven for 1/2 an hour at 180’C

.Assembling Burgers:

Pita Bread

BBQ chicken

Thousand Island Dressing

French Dressing

Salad Leaves

Paprika

Onions cut in rings and roasted on a frying pan for a minute or two

Nandos sweet chili Peri Peri Sauce to serve

Wash and pat dry salad leaves of your choice. Cut chicken breast into small cubes and set aside. Mix salad dressings with a touch of paprika if you like heat. Otherwise you may leave it out altogether. Assemble burger with chicken pieces, salad leaves and onion rings. Serve with sauce!

       This stuff went down great when my husband was busy watching his cricket match, and he was just shoveling them in. Make them mini burgers and prick through with a toothpick, the colored ones look even better, and there you have it. One happy family 🙂 lol!

        Okay, so now I swear I can hear the refrigerator calling my name. It’s singing ‘Pineapple-Lime-mint slush with umbrella inside is sooo ready!,’ so I better run before someone beats me to it but trust me when I say I’ll send you a picture 🙂 Aloha!

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