Lemon Curd

Makes around 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 3 large egg yolks, strained
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

Directions

1.     Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.

2.     Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon until consistency is smooth.

3.     Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour.

This recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart’s site.

Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup warm milk

½ cup semolina

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla essence

2 eggs

Butter for making the pancakes

Method

Add all the above ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

    Allow the mixture to rest for 15-20 minutes

   Heat a skillet on medium heat and once the skillet is hot lower the heat to low.

Add spoon full of the batter and swirl to cover the surface. Add ¼  tsp of butter.

 Let it get golden on one side before turning over.

   Allow to cook well on both side to a golden colour.

       Repeat process to rest of the pancakes.

       Make 8-10 pancakes. My pancakes measured about 5 inches each.

Tips:

I like to serve my pancakes with just honey

honey but you can serve with banana’s in between 2 pancakes

or

some fresh cream and strawberries .

Fruit Jelly

Fruit Jelly

Ingredients

1 packet  jelly Orange Flavoured (any brand of your choice)

1 can of segmented mandarin

Method

Make the jelly as per instructions on the packet.

Add the mandarins to the mould and then pour the jelly liquid and allow to chill.

Enjoy!

Kiwifruit Muffins

Freshly baked kiwifruit muffins straight out of the oven.

The muffins got an icing of fresh cream and then topped with fresh cut Kiwifruit.

Another look at those lovely cupcakes.

 

Easy Puff pastry mince pie

Ingredients

1 ½ cup cooked mince (keema matar)

1 cup boiled & mashed potato seasoned with salt & pepper

2 sheets of puff pastry

Method

Pre-heat oven at 180c.

Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 6 pieces.

Place puff pastry in muffin tray, add keema upto 2/3^rd.

Add the mashed potato on top. You can pipe the mashed potato.

Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes till the puff pastry is golden and crispy.

Once done remove the pies from the oven and rest on a wire rack.

This is my recipe made out ingredients at hand.

Enjoy!

Cheese Courgettes

Ingredients

2 large boiled and mashed potatoes

½ cup bread crumbs

2 green chilli & a small bunch of coriander ground to a coarse paste

1 tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste

Cheese filling:

1 cup grated paneer

½ grated cheddar cheese

2 green chillies finely chopped 

2 tsp coriander leaves finely chopped

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chat masala

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

For coating:

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp of water & ½ tsp of salt

1 cup fine bread crumbs mix ½ tsp salt

Oil for deep frying

Method

In a large bowl add boiled mashed potatoes, bread crumbs , green chilli & coriander paste. Mix well and this should have a tight dough consistency.

Divide into 15 equal parts, roll into balls and set aside.

In another bowl, mix all the ingredients of the filling.

Flatten the potato ball into a disc shape. Add the filling in the centre and closed like a dumpling. Roll this into cylindrical rolls and set aside.  Repeat the process for the rest. Set side and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Then dip the courgette into egg then roll in bread crumbs.

Deep fry in oil till golden brown.

Serve with tomato sauce.

Caramel Custard

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup Sugar

2 1/2 cups Milk    

4 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla essence

Method :

Take quarter cup of sugar in a thick-bottomed pan. Add a few drops of water and heat till the sugar caramelizes.
Pour the caramel into a mould and let it settle by cooling.
Heat milk either in a microwave oven or on gas flame.
Place a metallic ring in the pressure cooker. Add four cups of water and heat.
Break eggs into a bowl. Add half cup of sugar, vanilla essence and mix gently with a whisk.
Add warm milk and mix. Strain the mixture. Pour the egg-milk mixture into the mould with the caramel. Cover with aluminium foil and place it in the cooker.
Cover with lid and steam for twenty-five to thirty minutes.
Do not use the whistle. Remove when done.
Serve, turned out with caramel side up, either hot or cold.

Reshma's Notes
This is a recipe from my old Sanjeev Kapoor book. If you wish to make these in an oven place the pudding with the alliminium foil in a bath of water in a baking tray and bake on 180C for 25 to 30 minutes or till the pudding is set.

Morrocan Tagine Chicken

Ingredients for Marinade
1 medium onion
1 meduim tomato
2 tbsp harissa sauce (if you prefer less hot then reduce this qty)
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
Other ingredients
2 green chillies chopped
1/2 cup coriander chopped
4 chicken whole legs
Method
Add all the marinade ingredients to a food processor and process to a smooth paste.
Make cuts in the thighs to allow marinade to be absorbed . Add the chopped green chillies to marinade then add the chicken and leave to marinate overnight. (if pressed for time leave it for a minimum of 4 hours)
Pre heat oven at 220 c.Place the chicken with the excess sauce in your tagine and bake for 40 mins or until the chicken is done.
Serve with Turkish bread or with rice and some potato wedges.
Tips :
This tastes best with the pide turkish bread. I also liked it with plain steamed rice.
Notes:
This is my recipe and came from the left over Harissa sauce and need of a easy to make recipe after a long day at work.

Stuffed Dates with cream

Ingredients
6 Dates
6 Almonds
12 pitachio halves
2 tbsp Cream
1/2 tsp sugar
Method:
Deseed the dates, insert 1 almond and 2 pistachio halves in the dates.
In a bowl take the cream and beat with some sugar until soft peaks form.
Spoon the cream on each date.
Tips:
I used Madjool dates here they are big so you can add stuffing.
If you have to make a large batch for a dawat just double the number.
If the dates you are using are small omit the pistachios or just stuff with pistachios instead of almonds. Take your pick.
You can get creative and make your own stuffing up.
You can use a electric beater to beat cream is quicker.
Notes:
This is great to impress your guest but doesn't take long to do. You can get anyone to help with this. Kids will happily stuff the almonds pistachios for you. I wouldn't give them a knife to deseed the dates.

Orange & Dates

Ingredients
2 Oranges peeled and Sliced
4-5 dates deseed and sliced lengthwise
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Place slices of oranges in a plate. Garnish with dates and give a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Tips
This is a great dish for Iftar.

Healthy Fruit Salad with Yoghurt & Mango Pulp

Ingredients
1/2 papaya (small) peeled deseed and diced
1/2 mango peeled deseed and diced
1/4 pineapple diced
1/2 cup yogurt (esiyo sugar free)
1 tbsp Mango pulp (from a tin)
Add your fruits to a bowl, then your yogurt and drizzle with mango pulp.
Notes :
This is a very satisfying breakfast, keeps you going for a long time.

Bread Butter Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mixed raisin and sultanas
• 4 slices of good white bread
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 750 ml milk
• 60 ml cream
• 3 eggs
• butter to spread on bread-around 30 gms
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Process:

• Butter both sides of the bread and cut into 8 triangles. Place these in a baking tray with a capacity of 1 1/2 litre (almost could be bigger)
• In a large jug mix milk, cream cinnamon, vanilla essence caster sugar and eggs.
• Pour the mixture on the bread.
• Refridgerate for an hour.
• Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top.
• Preheat oven at 180c and bake for 35-40 minutes or until you have a nice gloden crust on the top.

Reshma's Notes:

• Its essential that you use good quality bread otherwise during the soaking the bread pieces will get to claggy.

Tagine Meat Balls

Ingredients
For the sauce:
1/2 cup grated onion
1 can of chopped tomatoes
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp ginger powder
1 pinch paprika
1 pinch safforan powder
1 pinch tumeric
1 tbsp cumin powder
chopped coriander
salt to taste

For the meatballs
2 tbsp grated onions
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
chopped coriander

Method
In a shallow pan add all the ingredients of the sauce and bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile mix all the ingredients for the meatballs and make small balls the size of walnuts makes roughly 20.

Then place the balls in the sauce and simmer for 30-40 minutes . Then break 6 eggs and simmer for a further 10 minues or till the eggs are set.

If using a Tajine :
Pre heat oven at 200 c
Transfer the sauce to the tajine and  place the meatballs in the tajine plate.
Place this in the oven at 200 c for 30-40 minutes.
Then break 6 eggs and simmer for a further 10 minues or till the eggs are set.
Tips:
You can eat this with turkish bread or better still if you get morrocan bread. Tastes equally good with rice.

Spring Roll

Ingredients
1 pkt of rice noddles
1 kg chicken thighs boiled in salt & pepper & then shredded.
150 gms Mushrooms sliced
1 bunch spring onions chopped (6 if you do not get them in a bunch )
1/2 cabbage finely chopped
2 carrots peeled and grated
1 Bunch chopped coriander
2 tbsp butter
Hot chilli sauce to taste
Green chilli sauce to taste
Soy sauce to taste
salt & pepper to taste
50 sheets of spring toll pastry
Paste to seal the spring roll
2 tsp flour
1 tsp water
1 tsp milk
Oil for deep frying
Method
Filling
Make the rice noddles as per instructions on the pckt.
In a pan or wok heat butter and add mushrooms, then add cabbage and just enough salt & pepper.
Once the mushrooms & cabbage look soft remove from heat.
Add all the sauces and mix well
Add spring onions, carrots, coriander & rice (made as per instructions on its pckt).
Mix well and set this mixture aside.
Folding of the spring rolls:
Set a large chopping board on your work table or kitchen bench. Lay a spring roll sheet and add 1 tbsp of the filling in the top centre of the sheet.
Fold in both sides so as to make a rectangle.
Start rolling the top end of the spring roll towards the botton and seal with the flour paste.
Let these dry on a plate before frying.
Take a frying pan with enough oil to fry these.
Serve  with hot green chilli sauce.
Tips:
Cover your spring roll pastry with a damp cloth so that the remianing pastries done get to dry.

Cold Coffee

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp of Maccona Classic Medium Roast (you can use any coffee of your choice this is my fav)
2 cubes ice
Sweet coco powder for sprinkling
Add all the above ingredients in a jug and mix with a stick blender till frothy.
Pour in a tall glass and enjoy.
Sprinkle sweet coco powder.
Easy and refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.

Prawn Bowties

Ingredients
28 Prawns (roughly around 350 gms)
2 cups bowtie pasta
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot chopped (small red onion)
1 tbsp crushed garlic flakes (you can use fresh crushed garlic)
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 cube Maggie chicken stock
½ tsp Pepper
½ tsp red chilli flakes
4-5 button mushrooms quatered
½ carrot finely chopped
3 spring onions chopped
2 tbsp coriander finely chopped
½ cup milk
Method
In a large pot add 4 cups of water and the salt, bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook al-dente (means "to the tooth" or "to the bite"). Takes around 12 minutes plus minus.
Reserve 1 cup of water from the pasta.
Drain the pasta and run under cold water to keep pasta separate.
In a sauce pan, add butter, as it starts melting add some olive oil so that butter doesn’t burn and turn brown.
Add the chopped shallot, fry for a few minutes.
Add the crushed garlic flakes
Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
Add flour and roast for a few minutes till it gives out an aroma.
Add the water from  the pasta, this will make a thick sauce.
Add chicken stock cube, pepper & chilli flakes. Let all the spices mix well.
Add the milk to the sauce and allow to simmer for a  minute.
Add mushrooms and let it simmer for 4 minutes
Add prawns and cook for another ten minutes stirring a few times.
Add the drained pasta to the pan and mix well, let it cook for another 3 minutes.
Remove from stove and let it cool for a while.
Garnish with carrots, spring  onions & coriander.

Enjoy your Prawn!

Date custard pudding

Ingredients
¾ cup finely chopped dried dates
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 cups milk
4 eggs
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Pure cream to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 160c
Grease a 4 cup capacity ovenproof dish (or 4 ramekins of 1 cup capacity )
Combine dates and half the golden syrup in a bowl. Sprinkle date mixture over base of prepared dish.
Bring milk to the boil in a saucepan over medium high heat.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar and remaining syrup in a heatproof bowl until thick and creamy. Gradually whisk hot milk.
Pour milk mixture over dates. Sift cinnamon over mixture. Place dish in another large baking dish. Pour boiling water into a baking dish until halfway up the sides of smaller dish.
Bake for 45 minutes or until just set. Remove dish from oven and water bath. Set aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with cream.

Enjoy!

Jet Lee

Makes 1 small glass

Add 2 tbsp rose syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
3 lychees crushed
1/2 cup water or sprkling water.

In a glass pour your rose syrup, then the lemon juice, lychees and water. You can add crushed ice if you like.
Mix and enjoy!

This is a refreshing drink after a long day of fasting or just after a hot summer day.
Note:
Picture taken before mixing the drink