Naan
Ingredients:
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Superfine sugar
• 1 tsp Dry yeast
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Ghee or Oil
• Water as per requirement
Method:
•Take the yeast and dissolve it water taken in a bowl.
•Cover the mixture and leave it aside for 10 minutes.
•Now take the all purpose flour in a shallow tray and make a depression in the center.
•Add yeast, ghee, sugar and salt. Mix them properly.
•Add some more water if it is required.
•Put the mixture on a floured surface and make dough. Knead it well for 5-7 minutes.
•Keep it in a warm place for 1 hour and cover it so that it can rise.
•After due time period, make small balls out of the dough.
•Flatten each ball to make ovals of about 1 cm thickness.
•Put these ovals on a smeared heavy-duty aluminum foil.
•Grill it under a preheated broiler till golden brown color appears.
•Repeat the procedure with rest of the balls.
•Naans are ready to serve.
Read MoreSholeh Zard (Saffron Rice Pudding)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup short grain rice
8 cups water
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup un-salted butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup silvered pistachios
1/2 tsp ground saffron – dissolved in 2 tbs hot water
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup rose water
2 tbsp rice flour – dissolved in 2 cup water
Method:
Wash the rice.Combine the rice with 6 cups water and bring to boil. Simmer for 35 minutes until the rice is soft.
Add sugar and 2 more cups warm water and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the butter, almonds, saffron water, cardamom, and rose water – mix well, cook with very low heat for 20 minutes.
Add the dissolved rice flour and cook for 20 more minute.
Spoon the pudding into a bowl , decorate with cinnamon, almond and pistachio. Serve chilled.
Read MorePersian Style Lamb with Couscous
Ingredients:
(serves 4)
• 600g lamb meat, trimmed of fat and cubed
• 400g couscous
Marinade:
• 250g thick Greek style yoghurt
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chilli flakes to taste
• Persian mild Seasoning (Masterfood or own mix*)
To Cook:
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh root ginger
• 1 large brown onion, halved and finely sliced
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Aprox. 250 mls water or chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to tatse
• 2 pinches of saffron threads
*Persian Mild Seasoning:
• 2 tbs ground coriander
• 2 tbs ground cumin
• 1tsp ground ginger
• 1tsp fenugreek
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp thyme
To garnish:
• 15g fresh coriander, chopped
• 25g pistachio and/or walnuts, roughly chopped
• seeds of 1 pomegranate
Method:
Marinate the lamb cubes with yoghurt, salt, pepper, minced garlic, chilli flakes and Persian seasoning by mixing it well to cover it all over. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or overnight.
Heat the oil in the pan, then add the garlic, onions and ginger. Fry over a low heat, stirring frequently, until transparent and soft. Add ground cumin, coriander and nutmeg, stir for couple of minutes to just release the fragrance.
Add the marinated lamb to the pan along with complete marinade and fry on low for about 10min or until meat is browned and marinade half cooked by constant stirring. Add water to cover it well, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for about an hour or until meat is tender and water evaporated enough to create a thick sauce.
Sprinkle it with chopped coriander leaves and garnish with nuts and pomegranate seeds (optional) for authentic Persian dish.
Serve with Persian seasoned couscous or rice and fresh mixed greens salad or cucumber raita.
Persian seasoned Couscous:
Measure 400 ml water and bring to the boil (electrical jug is just right). Put couccous with salt, pepper and Persian seasoning into serving bowl and mix it well dry. Pour hot water over, add 1-2 tbs oil, tightly cover and set aside for 2-3 min. Use a fork to lightly fluff up the grains of couscous, then garnish (optional) with pistachios, coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.
Persian Jewelled Rice
Ingredients:
* 275g Basmati Rice
* 18 – 20 saffron threads (1/2 sachet)
* 1 tbspn boiling water
* 1 rounded tspn cardamom pods
* 1 rounded tspn coriander seeds
* 3 tbspn olive oil
* 75g dried cranberries
* 110g raisins
* 50g peeled pistachio nuts
* Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method:
* Rinse the rice in cold water and drain well.
* Mix the saffron with the boiling water and leave to infuse for 10 mins.
* Add rice to large pan of salted boiling water with the cardamom and coriander.
* Bring to the boil and leave to hard simmer for 8 – 10 mins until rice is al dente (soft on outside but firm in centre). Drain in a colander.
* Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the dried fruit and nuts and sauté for 1 min to plump up.
* Stir in the rice and the saffron liquid, season to taste and stir well to combine.
* Serve.
Note: This beautifully fragrant and slightly sweet rice dish is great served with cold cuts of turkey or a gammon joint.
Read MoreMoroccan Pan-fried Fish
Ingredients:
(serves 4)
* 1 bunch coriander, washed, dried, ends trimmed
* 3 garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 tsp ground cumin
* Pinch of chilli powder
* 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
* 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
* 80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil
* 2 tsp sweet paprika
* 190g (1 cup) couscous
* 250ml (1 cup) boiling water
* 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
* 4 (about 700g) firm white fish fillets (such as snapper)
* Olive oil spray
* 90g baby spinach leaves
Method:
1. Place the coriander, garlic, cumin, chilli, lemon rind, lemon juice, oil and half the paprika in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Place couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water and set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to separate grains.
3. Meanwhile, combine the flour and remaining paprika on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Add the fish and turn to coat. Shake off excess. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray and place over medium heat. Add the fish and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown.
4. Place the spinach on a serving platter. Top with the fish and drizzle over the coriander mixture. Serve with couscous.
Note: More options-
* Marinated Moroccan fish: Reduce paprika to 1 teaspoon. Omit flour. Add 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves and 1 small red onion, peeled, chopped, in step 1. Place the fish in a glass dish. Add the coriander mixture and turn to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate. Continue from step 2.
* Moroccan fish rolls in tomato sauce: Replace the white fish fillets with skinless white fish fillets. Reduce oil to 60ml (1/4 cup). Spread 1 side of the fish with coriander mixture. Roll up to enclose filling. Use toothpicks to secure. Combine 1 x 700g btl tomato pasta sauce and 60ml (1/4 cup) water in a frying pan over medium heat. Add fish and cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked through.
* Moroccan fish cakes with sweet chilli sauce: Reduce oil to 1 tablespoon. Chop the fish and add to the food processor in step 1 with 40g (1/4 cup) plain flour and 1 egg. Process until just smooth. Spray a frying pan with olive oil spray and place over medium heat. Spoon four 1-tablespoonful quantities of fish mixture into the pan and use the back of a spoon to flatten. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining fish mixture. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.
Read MoreBaklava
Ingredients:
* 455 g chopped mixed nuts
* 2 g ground cinnamon
* 448 g phyllo dough
* 225 g butter, melted
* 200 g white sugar
* 235 ml water
* 120 ml honey
* 5 ml vanilla extract
* 2 g grated lemon zest
* 1 thinly sliced lemon seedless
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a square baking dish.
2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Store in a fridge for a day before serving.
Note: There are many types of baklava, this one is rich and juicy. Serve with a cup of strong coffee or a dollop of cream / yoghurt.
