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Leila Ally Eshana Suleman

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Ingredients1 kg large pink prawns150 g butter / margarine250 ml fresh cream2 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon aromat1 teaspoon portuguese spice1 teaspoon peri peri powder2 teaspoons white sugar

MethodAdd butter/ margarine and rest of ingredients and boil till mixture thickens slightly.Fry prawns in a little butter / margarine till done. Add to sauce and cook, for 10 minutes.

Note:For this dish, I prefer to use butter.

Lemon Butter Prawns

Ingredients

1kg chicken or mutton mince4 onions grated (all water removed)3 eggs4 slices brown bread (soaked in water)2 green chillies crushed or chopped2 cloves of garlic crushed2 tablespoons dhania/jeera powder (I use course)1 cup green dhaniaSalt to taste

Method:Squeeze all water out of the onions and the bread, add this to the mince.Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well till all ingredients arewell blended. Shape into balls. These kebaabs can be put onto skewers & braaied,grilled,fried in a little oil or airfried.

Lemon butter sauce:3 tablespoons butterJuice of one lemonMelt butter and add lemon juice, pour this sauce over the kebaabsbefore serving.

Note:Soya mince can be used in this recipe.Soak mince in a little water, and make sure all water has been squeezed out beforeadding the rest of the ingredients.

Sheekh Kebaabs

Ingredients dozen trotters (boil until it comes off the bone preferably in a pressure cooker)500g sugar beans (boiled) cup cooking oil1 large onion (sliced finely)2 medium tomatoes (chopped or grated) 6 small to medium potatoes (peeled)1 teaspoon ginger/garlic2 whole cinnamon sticks3 4 whole cloves4 whole black peppercorns3 whole elachi1 teaspoon whole jeera seedsSalt to taste1 teaspoon sugar (optional)2 tablespoons of tomato sauce (optional)3 teaspoons curry powder2 - 3 teaspoons chilli powder teaspoon turmeric powder3 green chillies (slit)Curry leaves cup shallot (chopped) cup dhunia (chopped)

Method:Nobody likes chewing on whole seeds when eating so the cinnamon sticks, elachi, cloves and peppercorns can be dry roasted in a pan, left to cool and then ground in a masala/coffee grinder.Add cooking oil to pot, heat. Add chopped onions and whole jeera seeds and braise until golden brown. Add ginger/garlic, tomatoes, salt, sugar and spices including ground or whole seeds. Al-low this to fry +- 10 15 minutes on a very low heat until you get a lovely aroma of braised spices.Now add your potatoes, boiled beans and trotters and allow to simmer on a medium to low heat until potatoes are done and curry thickened. Add tomato sauce and gently shake the pot (stir-ring with a spoon may break the potatoes). Garnish with greens and serve with roti or rice.NOTE: Even though the sugar and tomato sauce are optional, they give a delicious flavour to the curry.You can substitute the sugar beans for gram dhall for a delicious variation.

Trotters (Paya) and Beans Curry

Ingredients:1 kg mangoes (grated) or remove pith and roughly chop in a blender2 tablespoons crushed garlic2 teaspoons crushed red chillies2 tablespoons freshly crushed green chillies or crushed red chillies1 tablespoons roughly crushed mustard seeds1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds1 tablespoon roughly crushed jeera seeds (roast and crush)1 teaspoon turmeric powder cup vinegar cup cooking oilSalt to tasteA few sprigs curry leaves

Method:Peel, wash and dry mangoes. Grate or cut chunks off seed and chop roughly in a blender. Place in a large dish and add salt, red dried chillies, turmeric powder, crushed mustard, crushed jeera and (if using) dried crushed chillies.

Add oil to a pan and heat. Now add the crushed garlic. When this turns pink, add the crushed green chillies (if using), curry leaves and whole mustard seeds. Remove from stove when mustard seeds start to splutter. Pour the hot oil mixture over your mangoes, add the vinegar and toss well. Bottle when cool. Leave to rest at least 1 weeks and will be ready to eat. Keep refrigerated.

NOTE: Please make sure that the pickle is topped with oil as it will spoil.

Grated Mango PickleThis is a family favourite and very quick and easy to make.

3 kgs green mangoes (washed and cut into quarters)500 g Methi Pickle Masala (use ready Methi pickle masala or follow recipe below)Cooking oil

Method:

Place mango pieces in a large bowl and top with 4 to 5 tablespoons of rough salt. Leave overnight. This helps remove excess water from mangoes.Drop the mangoes into a large colander and leave to drain. Now place the mangoes on an old tablecloth to dry, preferably outside in direct sunlight (for a whole day). The longer your mangoes dry, the longer your pickle will last.Place dried mangoes into a bowl, top with the methi pickle masala and about a cup of cooking oil. Toss well and bottle. Leave overnight to settle. The next day you can press the mangoes tightly down with a spoon and add more oil to the pickle, ensuring you top it up, covering the mangoes completely with oil (allowing at least1 2 cm of oil over mangoes). Leave to pickle at least 2 3 weeks. It is now ready to eat and can be refrigerated.NOTE: I prefer Acklewayas oil methi pickle masala when I am lazy to make my own

METHI PICKLE MASALA

Ingredients:500g methi seeds (roughly crushed)1 cup rough salt1 teaspoon turmeric powder cup jeera seeds (roasted and roughly crushed) cup dhunia seeds (roasted and roughly crushed)500g dried crushed red chillies100 g hing powder (asoefaetida powder)4 tablespoons roughly crushed garlic3 to 4 sprigs curry leaves750ml cooking oil

Method:Place salt on an oven tray and leave to dry in oven for +-10 minutes at 100C.Leave to cool and then crush slightly in a mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin.Heat oil in a deep pan and when it starts to smoke, lower the heat and add the methi. Toss until golden brown then add the crushed dhunia and jeera seeds and salt. Stir well. Lastly add the rest of the ingredients except the hing and leave to braise (15 to 20 minutes), stir-ring continuously until it becomes a deep red colour. Remove from stove and add the hing. Leave to cool. Bottle and keep refrigerated until needed.

It is that time of the year again Mango Pickle season! I have chosen to do a methi pickle recipe which can be quick and easy if you choose to buy the ready made methi pickle masala which is available in all spice shops or you could choose to make your own pickle masala which is much tastier and more rewarding. I prefer using young mangoes which are soft centered and easy to cut, these also soak up the pickle masalas quicker

Green Mango Pickle (Methi Masala)

Ingredients2 cups self raising flour2 tablespoons oil1 1/2 teaspoons sugar1/2 teaspoon salt3/4 cup milk & water mixGarlic butter

Method:

Mix flour, oil, sugar and salt in a food processor. Make a soft doughwith milk & water mix. Cling wrap and leave to rest for an hour.Divide dough into 8 balls, roll out into triangular shapes. Fry on a non stick pan,And brush with melted garlic butter. Once cooked wrap in kitchen towels.

Garlic Butter Tandoori Naan

Ingredients

Fresh ginger 3cm, peeled and sliced1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice1/2 cup castor sugarFresh mint leaves and lemon slices

Method1. Place ginger, lemon juice and sugar in a heatproof jug, and pour 1 litre boiling water over this.2. Mix well and allow to infuse for 2 - 3 hours.3. Chill well before serving.Decorate with lemon slices and mint leaves.

Ginger LemonadeWith the Summer season soon approaching, this refreshing

drink is a sure thirst quencher!

Ingredients250g butter125ml sugar (100g)2 eggs10ml vanilla essence625ml cake flour (350g)10ml baking powder2ml salt

Method1. Cream butter and sugar together2. Add eggs one at a time,beating well after each addition. Add essence.3. Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Mix well.4. Press dough in a biscuit maker, and press onto a greased baking tray.5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes. Cool and store. Decorate as desired. Makes about 80.

VariationsSubstitute the 10ml of vanilla for either strawberry or lemon essence.

For Chocolate BiscuitsAdd 30ml cocoa powder to dry ingredients. When biscuits are cool,drizzle with melted chocolate

TipIf no biscuit maker is available, roll teaspoonfuls of dough in the palm of your hand, place on a greased baking tray, and press lightlywith a fork.

Butter Biscuits

Ingredients125g butter1 cup brown sugar3 eggs1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda1 cup plain yoghurt1 1/2 cups flour1/2 cup self raising flour

Filling1 cup pecan nuts100g grated Cadbury's dairy milk chocolate2 teaspoons cinnamon

Topping 125g cream cheese120g butter3/4 cup icing

Method (for the batter):Beat butter and sugar till light &fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.Add yoghurt and beat well. Add dry ingredients.

Method (for filling)Mix all ingredients together

Method ( for topping):Beat butter and icing sugar till fluffy.Add cream cheese and mix wel, till allingredients are well blended.

Fill a greased muffin pan with the batter 1/4 of the way.Add a teaspoon or two of filling. Continue this once more,endingwith with filling.Bake in a 120C oven for 20 mins.Once cakes haved cooled, add the topping.

Cinnabon Cup Cakes

Ingredients:3 cups cake flour1 tsp Instant dry yeast (5ml)7.5 ml Egg Yellow PowderOil for deep frying1 cup Gram flour12.5 ml sugar+-500 ml tepid waterSyrup:5 cups sugar12.5 ml lemon juice3 or 4 thin slices of lemon12.5 ml rose water4 cups water

Method: Sift cake and gram flours in a large bowl. Add powder colouring and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over. Add water a little at a time to make a smooth pancake like batter. Cover the bowl with cling wrap (but prick holes in the wrap) and leave in a warm cupboard to ferment. Make sure it is not in any direct draught. Allow to ferment for 24 to 36 hours. It will start to bubble and pop, releasing gas bubbles Stir batter well to create a smooth batter like consistency Make syrup following directions below. Pour mixture into a sauce bottle (cut the tip off the nozzle to the desired thickness) Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Test by dropping a drop of batter in the oil. It must immediately pop up to the top of the oil. Squeeze the sauce bottle gently and with a quick twist of the wrist, make circles (from small to large) in the hot oil with the batter. Must look like a curled up millipede or moorkhoo Fry batches of 6 to 8 at a time. Turn over and fry till crispFry 3 5 minutes per side. Remove using a slotted spoon and dip into thick syrup. Remove when jalebis look glossy and fully soaked. Place on a wire rack to drain.

Syrup:Put water and sugar into a deep pot. Add lemon juice and lemon slices. Boil for 20 to 30 minutes until you get a thick, heavy syrup. Switch the stove off but leave syrup on hot plate. Add rose water.

Note: Fry until crisp or it will become soggy after it is dipped in the syrup.Syrup must be thick and glossy.

JalebisJalebis need early planning as the yeast batter has to ferment for 24 to 36 hours depending on weather and temperature.

Ingredients:1 cup water2 cups sugar teaspoon elachi powder tin condensed milk1 tin nestles cream (155g)500g desiccated coconut

Method:Make a thick syrup with sugar and water (must spin a thread). Mix the coconut with the milk and cream and pour the hot syrup over and mix thoroughly. Add the elachi powder and mix well. Set in a greased glass casserole and cut into squares when set.

Note: You can tint it in any colour. If you want a double layer of colour, then tint half the mixture in your chosen colour. Press that into your casserole, then press the remaining (white) mixture over and leave to set.

Coconut Paak

Ingredients175g raisins350g glace cherries, rinsed, thoroughly dried and quartered500g currants350g sultanas150ml sherry or orange juice (non-alcohol), plus extra for feedingFinely grated zest of 2 oranges250g butter, softened250g brown sugar4 eggs1 tablespoon black treacle or molasses75g blanched almonds, chopped75g self-raising flour175g cake flour1 tsp mixed spiceTo finish and decorate About 3 tablespoons apricot jam, sieved and warmedIcing sugar675g shop-bought almond paste or marzipanRoyal icing (1 quantity)

Method Put all the dried fruit in a container, pour over the sherry or orange juice and stir in the orange zest. Cover with a lid, and leave to soak for 3 days, stirring daily. Grease and line a 23cm (9inch) deep round tin with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 140C for thermo fan oven or 120C non thermo fan oven. Measure the butter, sugar, eggs, treacle and almonds into a very large bowl and beat well. Add the flours and mixed spice and mix thoroughly until blended. Stir in the soaked fruit. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and level the surface. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 4 to 4 hours or until the cake feels firm to the touch and is a rich golden brown. Check after 2 hours, and, if the cake is a perfect colour, cover with foil. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. When cool, pierce the cake at intervals with a fine skewer or kebab stick and feed with a little extra sherry or orange juice. Wrap the completely cold cake in a double layer of grease proof paper and again in foil and store in a cool place for up to 3 months, feeding at intervals with more sherry/ orange juice. (Don't remove the lining paper when storing as this helps to keep the cake moist.) Decorate with almond paste (marzipan) and royal icing.

To prepare the Christmas cake ahead: Prepare the fruit and soak in sherry or orange juice 3 days ahead - this is essential to plump up and flavour the fruit. Make the cake and wrap as in stage 4. Store in a cool place for up to 3 months, following stage 4. You could also freeze the cake before decorating, for up to 3 months; defrost at room temperature and then decorate.

Christmas Cake (with non-alcoholic variation)

Best when prepared at least 2 to 3 months in advance