'Such' (Sač) - Traditional method for outdoor cooking

'Such' is traditional metal dish that is used for outdoor cooking in many Balkan countries, primarily in Bosnia. Its parts you can see below. A large amount of live coals is needed for this kind of slow cooking. Dish is filled, set on its posts above the coals, covered, ring placed on the lid and hot ash is placed on top. It should not be opened during the cooking, as it ensures preserving all aromas.
  
  Such Parts                                                Bosnian pita cooked under the Such

Ingredients:
4-5 tbs oil
Large cuts of lamb (or any other meat), with bones please
Potatoes, peeled
Other vegetables (optional)
salt and pepper
bay leaves
200 ml water ( or wine)

Method:
Season meat and vegetables, pour oil over it and mix to coat. Place meat first in the dish, then arrange potatoes around. Pour water over it, add bay leaves and place lid on top.
Set such over live coals (heat shouldn't be too strong), place ring on the top of lid and cover with hot ashes and small pieces of live coal. Let it cook for at least 2 1/2 hours. Let it cool slightly (uncovered) before serving.




Waiting for such...You can see on our faces that we were very hungry!
Cekanje da bude gotovo...Na licima nam se vidi da smo gladni!

Tradicionalno pečenje ispod sača

Sac je metalna posuda koja se koristi za pecenje u zaru. Njegove dijelove mozete vidjeti gore na slici. Nista nije tako ukusno kao obrok pripremljen na ovaj nacin. Bitno je pripremiti dosta zara prije pocetka kuhanja. Tokom pecenja, sac netreba otvarati, jer se na ovaj nacin osigurava zadrzavanje svih aroma i ukusa.

Potrebno:
4-5 K ulja
veliki komadi jagnjetine (ili drugo meso), sa kostima molim
krompir, oguljen
drugo povrce (opciono)
so i biber
lovorov list
2 dl vode (ili vina)

Nacin:
Zacinite meso i krompir, pospite ulje po tome i izmijesajte. Smjestite sve u sac (najprije meso, a krompir okolo), ubacite lovor i uspite vodu. Poklopite i smjestite iznad zara koji nesmije biti prejak. Postavite prsten na poklopac, zatim pospite vrelim pepelom i manjim komadicima zara. ostavite peci najmanje 2 1/2 sata. Prije sluzenja, ostavite neotklopljeno da se malo prohladi. Uzivajte!

Creamy Potato Salad

It's a pity I have less and less time for blogging. Life's been pretty hectic at the moment...My house is on sale (http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-south+penrith-121964590), and I have to prepare many things for moving out...reason for that I will tell you some time later. 

Meanwhile, here is a recipe for a common potato salad that is often served as accompany to fish dishes. 

Ingredients:

8-9 boiling potatoes (red skinned are good for boiling)

4 eggs

1 small to medium Spanish onion

1/3-1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/3-1/2 cup sour cream

3-4 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

chives for sprinkling 

Method:

Place potatoes and eggs in a pan, cover with water and put to boil. Take out eggs after 10 minutes, potatoes after 35-40 minutes. Let it cool. Peel potatoes and eggs. Slice them the way you like. Arrange layers of potatoes, eggs and sprinkle with diced onion. Mix all ingredients for dressing and pour over the salad. Sprinkle with chives.

Kremasta Krompir Salata

Zao mi je da imam manje i manje vremena za blogiranje. U ovom momentu, moj zivot je poprilicno hektican. Kuca mi je na prodaji (http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-south+penrith-121964590) i moram da pripremim mnoge stvari za selidbu. O razlogu moje selidbe jednom drugom prilikom u buducnosti.
Za sada evo recepta za jednu uobicajenu krompir salatu, koja se obicno sluzi sa ribom.

Potrebno:
8-9 krompira (crveni su najbolji za kuhanje)
4 jaja
1 ljubicasti luk, srednje velicine
1/3-1/2 solje majoneze
1/3-1/2 solje pavlake (kisele)
3-4 K maslinovog ulja
so i biber
vlasac za posuti
Nacin:
Stavite krompir i jaja kuhati. Jaja izvadite nakon 10 minuta, krompir nakon 35-40 minuta. Prohladite i ogulite. Narezite na ploske. Postavljajte slojeve krompira, jaja i isjeckanog luka u posudu. 
Pomijesajte sve sastojke za preljev i prelijte preko salate. Pospite isjeckanim vlascem.

Sour Cherry and Coconut Cake

" One day someone will walk into your life, open your heart and set your soul on fire"...

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 3/4 cups caster sugar
250 g butter, melted
2/3 cup sour cream, warmed
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup SR flour
1 cup coconut, dessicated
1 jar pitted sour cherries

2 tsp corn flour

Method:
Preheat oven to 180*C (160* fan forced). Prepare a cake tin.
Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy, add melted butter and sour cream. Mix well, then sift flours on top of mixture, add coconut; fold in slowly by hand (spatula). Finally add  1/2 fruit and pour into tin. Bake for 1 hour (or more) or until inserted toothpick doesn't come out clean. Let it cool slightly. 
Mix 2 dl of jarred cherry liquid with 2 tsp corn flour (or cassava, or arrowroot); cook for 1 minute in microwave. Mix in the rest of cherries. Pour over the top of the cake. Let it set, then serve.

Kolači sa Višnjama i Kokosom 

"Jednoga dana, neko ce usetati u vas zivot, otvoriti vam srce i zapaliti vatru u vasoj dusi"...

Sastojci:
6 jaja
1 3/4 solje secera
250 gr maslaca, otopljenog
2/3 solje kajmaka/pavlake
1 solja brasna
1/2 solje samodizajuceg brasna
1 solja kokosa
1 tegla visanja u soku
2 k gustina
Nacin:
Ukljucite rernu na 180*C (160 sa fenom). Pripremite cetvrtasti kalup za kolace.
Umutite jaja sa secerom u pjenu, dodajte otopljeni puter i kajmak. Promijesajte. Na povrsinu prosijte brasna, dodajte kokos, pa lagano rucno sjedinite. Ubacite 1/2 voca, promijesajte i sve prerucite u kalup. Pecite oko sat vremena ili duze (provjerite sa cackalicom). Ostavite da se prohladi.
Umijesajte 2 k gustina u 2 dl soka / tecnosti od visanja. Kuhajte oko 1 minutu u mikrovalnoj. Umijesajte preostale visnje. Prelijte preko kolaca, ostavite da se stisne i sluzite.

Date and Walnut Loaf

It's been a long time since I wrote my last post. Meanwhile, I've returned from Bosnia to my beloved Australia. New year has begun and I have to tell you that I expect big changes in my life in 2016 . Some of them already started to develop...I'm much happier person today, than I used to be 6 months ago...Life's good again!

Ingredients: 

1 cup self-raising flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp bicarb
2 tsp cinnamon
½ cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped walnuts
30 g butter
2/3 cup water


Method: 
Preheat oven to 180*C; prepare a loaf pan (25 X 7.5 cm). Sift flour, sugar, bicarb and cinnamon into a bowl. Add the chopped dates and walnuts and mix well. Heat butter and water in a saucepan (or microwave) until water just reaches the boil. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the hot liquid and mix well. Spoon into greased loaf pan; bake for 35-40 minutes.

Vekna sa Datulama i Orasima

Dugo vremena je proteklo od mog posljednjeg napisanog posta. U medjuvremenu sam se vratila iz Bosne. Nova godina je otpocela i moram vam reci da ocekujem velike promjene u mom zivotu u 2016-oj. Neke su se vec otpocele desavati...Puno sam sretnija osoba danas, nego sto sam to bila prije 6 mjeseci...Zivot je divan ponovo!

Potrebno:

1 solja samodizajuceg brasna

1/2 solje secera

1/2 k side bb

2 k cimeta

1/2 solje sjeckanih datula

1/2 solje sjeckanih oraha

30 gr maslaca

2/3 solje vode 

Nacin:

Ukljucite rernu na 180*C; pripremite kalup za veknu.

Prosijte sve suhe sastojke u posudu, dodajte sjeckane datule i orahe. U drugu posudu zagrijte vodu i maslac do vrenja; uspite u suhe sastojke i dobro izmijesajte. Prebacite smjesu u kalup za veknu. Pecite 35-40 minuta.

Moody December in my Birth Town

I was hoping for more snow in Brchko (my birth town), or at least some  memorable 'crystal' scenes , when rain and low temperatures coat tree branches  in ice and put on an unforgettable magical display. Instead we had beautifully moody weather with thick fog. Nothing could spoil my time in Bosnia...but, I suppose that happens whenever we´re in love! 

Nadala sam se ponovnom snijegu u Brčkom ili makar onim nezaborabnim ´kristalnim´scenama, kada kiša i niske temperature ´obuku´ grane drveća u nezaboravljivu magičnu postavku. Umjesto toga smo imali ćudljivo vrijeme sa gustom maglom. Nije mi to pokvarilo raspoloženje...ali, pretpostavljam da nam se to uvijek dešava kada smo zaljubljeni!

   

There were a few sunny days too ; central park in Brčko (where all first loves begin).

Bilo je i sunčanih dana: centralni park u Brčkom (gdje su sve prve ljubavi počinjale). 

Night walk through my town and a Croatian celloist concert (Ana Rucner...listen to her Lindjo)

Noćna Šetnja i koncert Hrvatske čelistkinje Ane Rucner (poslušajte Lindjo)

Food here is AMASING, afordable and service supreme. Best restaurants in Brčko are: Bakarni lonac, Sheher, Kutak and Cicibela.

Hrana je ovdje BOŽANSTVENA, sa pristupačnim cijenama i savršenom uslugom. Najbolji restorani u Brčkom su: Bakarni Lonac, Sheher, Kutak i Cicibela.

I chose to eat freshwater fish whenever I could, because that´s something I can´t have in Australia.
Birala sam riječnu ribu kad-god sam mogla, jer tako nešto ne postoji u Australiji.

Walking through my town

Šetnja mojim gradom

 

    One late December rose
    Jedna zakašnjela decembarska ruža

  

November in Bosnia

On our way (pause in Abu Dhabi)

1st day in Bosnia

 

 Art of sausage making in Bosnia...glad I had my chance to help! I brought my recipe for Chorizos with me!

Umjetnost pravljenja kobasica..drago mi je da sam mogla pomoci. Donijela sam svoj recept za Chorizo kobasice.

2nd day

Visit to our cousin in Grbavica  (My father`s birth village)

Švargla (recipe coming!)

 

 Our hosts!

3rd day we had first snow! YAY!

Trećega dana je pao snijeg i obradovao nas!

 

Chicken Saag

Aromatic, spicy chicken stew in a rich spinach sauce. One of best Indian recipes.

Ingredients:

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

6 cardamom pods

2 tbs oil

2 onions, diced

2 cm ginger, grated

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 chilli, sliced

800 g thihg filets, cubed

2 pst turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2-1 tsp chilli powderĝ

1 tsp coriander powder

2 bay leaves

1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth

1 bunch spinach (frozen ok) - 250 gr

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs fresh coriander

1/3 cup yogurt 

Method:

Roast first 4 ingredients on a dry pan (until heated trough and aromatic); set aside.

Heat oil, sautee onions for 3-4 minutes. Add meat, garlic, ginger and chilli. Stir until meat change colour, then add roasted spices and all other powdered spices, bay leaves and beef broth. Cover and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours (or until meat tender). Last 10-15 minutes add spinach and season to taste. Garnish with yogurt and coriander before serving (with rice).

Pileći 'Saag'

Mirisno i pikantno pilece meso u bogatom spinat sosu. Jedno od meni najdrazih jela iz Indije.

Potrebno:

1 k fenugrek sjemenki

1/2 k kima

1 stapic cimeta

6 cijelih kardamoma

2 crvena luka, sjeckana

2 cm djumbira, sitno rendanog

3 cena bijelog luka, protisnutog / rendanog

1 ljuta papricica, cjeckana

800 gr piletine (nadbataci), isjecene na kocke

2 k turmerika u prahu

1 k kima u prahu

1 k korijandera u prahu 

1/2 - 1 k chili praha

2 lista lovora

1 1/2 - 2 solje pileceg temeljca / supe

1 veza spinata , moze i smrznuti - 250gr

1/2 k soli

2 K lisca korijandera

1/3 solje jogurta

Nacin:

Zagrijte tavu na na suho proprzite prva 4 sastojka (dok ne pocne mirisati); ostavite po strani.

Zagrijte ulje u serpi / loncu, proprzite luk, zatim dodajte meso, bijeli luk, djumbir i chili. Dinstajte dok meso ne promijeni boju. Ubacite sve zacine, ukljucujuci one u prahu, lovor i zalijte temeljcem. Pokrijte i kuhajte oko 1-1 1/2 sat ili dok meso ne omeksa. Zadnjih 15 minuta dodajte spinat i so. Prije serviranja (sa rizom) stavite jogurt i korijander na vrh.