Fluffy Strawberry Pie with Pretzel Crust

Ingredients

• PRETZEL CRUST
• 1 1/4 cups crushed pretzels
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• PIE
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 package (4-serving size) strawberry-flavored gelatin

• Directions

  1. 1In medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients. Press mixture firmly against bottom and side of 9-inch glass pie plate.
  2. 2In large bowl, pour boiling water on gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in lime peel and lime juice. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until very thick but not set.
  3. 3Beat gelatin mixture with electric mixer on high speed about 4 minutes or until thick and fluffy; set aside. In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream and crushed strawberries into gelatin mixture. Pour into crust.
  4. 4Refrigerate about 8 hours or until set. Garnish with chocolate-covered strawberries. Store covered in refrigerator.

• 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups strawberries, slightly crushed
• Chocolate-covered strawberries, if desired

Almond Joy Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened coconut
2 cups chopped almonds

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375°F Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until well mixed then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely

Spiced potato dumplings with green chutney

Ingredients

• 250 gpotato, chopped
• 50 gfresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tbspcorn flour
• 1 tspvegetable oil, plus extra to deep fry
• salt
• 1 tbsppeanuts
• 25 g(2 tbsp) sesame seeds
• 25 g(⅓ cup) shredded coconut
• 15 g(1 ½ tbsp) raisins, chopped
• 1 tspcrushed ginger
• 1 tspfinely chopped green chilli
• 1 tbspchopped coriander
• 1 tspicing sugar
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• coriander or mint chutney, to serve

Instructions

The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted, simmering water. Cook for 13-15 minutes until soft. Drain well then return the potatoes to the pan and stir over a low heat for 1-2 minutes to evaporate any residual water. Push the potatoes through a sieve and add the breadcrumbs, corn flour and oil. Season with salt, mix to combine, then roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a ball. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture and set aside.

In a mortar and pestle, pound the peanuts into a paste then add the sesame seeds, coconut, raisins, ginger, chilli, coriander and sugar. Pound a few times then add the lemon juice and mix until well combined. Roll 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture into marble-size balls.

Flatten a potato ball in the palm of your hand and place a spiced ball in the centre. Fold the potato around the spice ball and roll to enclose. Repeat with the remaining balls.

Heat 10 cm of oil in a deep sauce pan to 180˚C. Deep-fry potato dumplings for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

Serve hot with chutney.

Spiced flatbread (methi paratha)

Ingredients

• 2 tspvegetable oil
• 2cm-piece ginger, finely grated
• 2long green chillies, seeded, finely chopped
• ½ tspcumin seeds
• ¼ tspground turmeric
• ½ cupdried methi (fenugreek leaves) (see Note)
• 2 tbspghee
• mint and tamarind chutney (podina), to serve

Paratha dough

• 160 g(1 cup) wholemeal flour
• 150 g(1 cup) plain flour
• 2 tbspghee

Instructions

Heat oil in a frying pan over low heat and cook ginger, chillies and cumin seeds for 2 minutes or until ginger is soft. Add ¼ tsp salt and turmeric, and stir until combined. Remove from heat, stir in methi and set aside.

To make paratha dough, sift flours together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and stir in ghee and 220 ml warm water until mixture forms a smooth dough; add more flour if necessary. Knead in spice mixture, then divide into 8 balls. Roll each ball out on a lightly floured surface to a 20 cm round. Place on an oven tray lined with baking paper and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Heat a large heavy-based or non-stick frying pan over high heat. Working with one round at a time, cook dough for 2 minutes each side or until starting to brown. Drizzle with 1 tsp ghee and cook for a further 30 seconds or until golden, then flip and repeat on the other side. Repeat with remaining dough rounds. Serve warm.

Tomato and cucumber salad (kachoomar)

Ingredients

1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil 
½ tsp ground cumin
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 Lebanese cucumber, roughly chopped
½ small red onion, sliced
1 long red chilli, sliced
 

Instructions

Whisk the lemon juice, oil and ground cumin in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and chilli in a bowl. Toss with the dressing until combined.

Serve with the roasted chilli yoghurt chicken (taj murgh musallam) and almond-stuffed meatballs with spiced tomato sauce (kofta kari).

Sindhi biryani

Ingredients

• vegetable oil 
• 3medium onions, finely sliced 
• 1 kgboneless goat meat, cut into large cubes 
• 3 tbspgrated ginger 
• 1 tbspcrushed garlic 
• 100 gnatural yoghurt 
• 1 tbspchilli powder 
• 2 tspturmeric 
• 2 tspsweet paprika 
• 1 tbspground coriander 
• 2heaped tsp ground cumin 
• 2 tspcumin seeds 
• 10cloves 
• 4cinnamon sticks 
• 14green cardamom pods 
• 3brown cardamom pods 
• 5bay leaves 
• 10dried plums 
• 1 tbspsalt 
• 8peppercorns, ground 
• 4long green chillies, 3 left whole, 1 finely sliced 
• 3medium potatoes 
• 500 gbasmati rice rice, soaked for 30 minutes 
• 1 tbspsaffron threads, soaked briefly in milk 
• 3medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges 
• 1 bunchcoriander, chopped 
• 1 bunchmint, chopped 
• onion rings, fried until dark brown and caramelised
• 25 gsultanas
• 25 gslivered almonds
• 25 gwalnuts
• 25 gcashew nuts

Instructions

Heat a little vegetable oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion until golden brown. Add the goat and fry for a few minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic, then add the yoghurt, ground spices, whole spices (reserve 8 green cardamom pods for the rice), bay leaves, dried plums, salt and pepper. Add the whole chillies and 250 ml water. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes whole until tender, then drain and cut in half. Keep warm. Drain the rice and boil with the reserved cardamom. When cooked, drain and put half into a bowl. Add the saffron milk and stir until the rice is evenly yellow. Keep the plain and saffron rice warm.

Combine the tomato, coriander, mint and sliced green chilli. Add one-third of the tomato mixture to the goat curry. Cover and cook for a further 5–10 minutes.

Spoon half of the plain rice onto a large serving platter. Top with the goat curry. Spoon over half of the saffron rice and scatter with half of the remaining tomato mixture. Scatter with the boiled potatoes, then add final layers of plain rice and saffron rice. Scatter with the fried onion. Top with the remaining tomato mixture then sprinkle over the sultanas and nuts. Serve immediately.

Layered saffron rice and goat curry (bakra biryani)

Ingredients

• 2 tbspghee
• 1large onion, thinly sliced
• 400 gbasmati rice
• 2 tspsaffron threads
• 1tomato, roughly chopped
• ¼ cupcoriander leaves
• ¼ cupmint leaves
• 1long green chilli, sliced
• 2 tbspsultanas
• 2 tbspblanched almonds, toasted

Dry goat curry

• 60 ml(¼ cup) vegetable oil
• 2large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 kgbone-in goat leg or shoulder, cut into 4 cm pieces (see Note)
• 6garlic cloves, crushed
• 15 cmpiece ginger, finely grated
• 10whole cloves
• 6whole green cardamom pods
• 1 tbspground chilli
• 6bay leaves
• 1 tbspground coriander
• 1 tbspground cumin
• 140 g(½ cup) natural yoghurt

Instructions

To make curry, heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions for 8 minutes or until golden. Add goat, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until meat is sealed. Add spices and cook for 1 minute. Stir in yoghurt and 500 ml water, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until goat is tender and sauce has thickened. Season with salt. Set aside and keep warm.

To make fried onion, heat ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

Cover rice with water in a bowl. Stand for 30 minutes. Drain and cook in boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until cooked. Drain and divide rice between two bowls. Soak saffron in 2 tsp boiling water for 10 minutes. Using the back of a spoon, press saffron against the side of the bowl to extract as much colour and flavour as possible. Stir in soaked saffron and soaking liquid into one bowl of rice until combined. Set aside and keep warm.
 
Press one-third of the saffron rice into the base of a 20 cm deep bowl. Top with one-third of the plain rice, then half the goat curry. Top with half the remaining saffron rice, then remaining white rice, pressing down firmly. Top with remaining goat curry, then remaining saffron rice, spreading to cover goat curry. Cover surface with plastic wrap and press down firmly to compress layers.

Upturn bowl on a large serving platter and gently remove the bowl. Serve scattered with tomato, coriander and mint leaves, sliced chilli, sultanas, almonds and the fried onion.

Falooda

Ingredients

• 60 g(⅓ cup) basil seeds (takmania)*
• 60 gfalooda sev noodles*, broken into 8cm lengths
• 250 ml(1 cup) rose syrup (rooh afzah)*, or to taste, plus extra, to serve
• 8scoops vanilla ice-cream or kulfi*
• 500 ml(2 cups) cold milk
• 4basil sprigs, to serve

Instructions

Soaking time 2 hours

Place basil seeds in a bowl and cover well with water. Soak for 2 hours, then strain through a fine sieve or muslin-lined bowl.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a small saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain, refresh, then drain again.

Divide noodles among serving glasses. Evenly spoon over rose syrup, then reserved basil seeds. Place 2 scoops of ice-cream in each glass and pour over milk. Drizzle over extra rose syrup, then top with a basil sprig and serve immediately.

Note
• Basil seeds (takmania), falooda sev noodles and rose syrup (rooh afzah) are from Indian and Middle Eastern food shops.

• Kulfi is a type of ice-cream made from sweetened, evaporated milk. You can make your own or use regular ice-cream.

Tamarind Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp / 2 fl oz cooking oil
• 8 pieces of Chicken, each about 7.5 x 5 cm (3 x 2) inch
• 500ml / 16 fl oz / 2 cups coconut cream (santan pekat)
• 4 tbsp / 2 fl ozTamarind juice (assam juice) - mix tamarind pulp with hot water, strain
• 1 lemongrass (serai), bruised
• 500g / 1 pounded pineapple - peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
• 2 handfuls of laksa leaves or Vietnamese mint (daun kesum)
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• Spice Paste Ingredients: to be finely grounded
• 10 shallots (red onion), peeled
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 lemongrass (serai), sliced
• 2 cm / 1 inch turmeric (kunyit), knobbed, peeled
• 2 cm / 1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 Kaffir lime leaves (Makrut, daun limau purut), central stems removed
• 2 tsp roasted shrimp paste (belacan)
• 5 tbsp / 2 1/2 fl oz, ready-made chili paste (cili Boh)
• Handful laksa leaves or Vietnamese Mint (Daun Kesum)
• 1 tbsp / 1/2 oz coriander powder (serbuk ketumbar)
• 1 cup water
• 
  
• Method
• Heat oil in a deep pan or pot. Sauté the blended Spice Paste over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until fragrant and oil starts surfacing.
• Add in chicken and pineapple and render for another few minutes.
• Add in laksa leaves and lemongrass, and stir well. Cook and stir regularly for 5 minutes.
• Add tamarind juice and coconut cream and kaffir lime leaves.
• Add water to prevent the chicken pieces from sticking to the pan or pot, if necessary, and cook till tender.
• Sugar and salt to taste. Serve.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

8oz pkg. cream cheese
8oz. Pepperjack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded
8 flour tortillas
cooking spray
shredded cheddar cheese
green onions, for garnish
sour cream
salsa


Stir together cream cheese, Pepperjack cheese and taco seasoning.
Fold in chicken.
Divide among flour tortillas.
Tuck in sides, and roll up each tortilla.
Lay seam side down in a sprayed 9x13" baking dish.
Spray tops of tortillas with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Turn chimi's over, and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Serve with cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, and salsa.

Cream puffs

1 8 ounce cream cheese (softened), 
1 box instant vanilla pudding 
1 cup heavy cream 
1 cup milk.

Mix cream cheese in bowl with electric mixer until smooth, light and creamy. Add pudding mix and milk and mix on low until incorporated and then mix on med until thickened. Enjoy ladies. These are actually my cream puffs shown.

Donut:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 eggs

Over medium heat melt butter in water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Immediately add flour salt and sugar whip in with a wooden spoon. Add one egg at a time to incorporate well into dough. Drop by cookie scoop onto parchment paper on baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 min. Cool on wire rack then fill with the custard mixture I posted earlier and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!!!!!

Spinach Raita

Spinach raita is a refreshing yogurt based dish, made with spiced spinach and yogurt. By adjusting it’s thickness, spinach raita can also be used as a sandwich spread or as a dip for fresh veggies. Spinach raita tastes delicious any way you serve.

This recipe will serve 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• Pinch of asafetida (hing)
• 2 whole red chili
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 1/2 cup yogurt

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium high. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
2. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds crack, add red chilies stir-fry for few seconds.
3. Add spinach, salt and black pepper and stir-fry, making sure to press the spinach down so most of the water can evaporate, still leaving spinach moist.
4. After the spinach cools off, mix it well into the yogurt.
5. Add milk to the raita about half a cup adjust to the desire consistency.
6. For best result serve chill.

Tips:
Frozen chopped spinach can be used instead of fresh spinach.

Variations:

1. Spinach raita also can be served as a spread with bread or crackers keep the consistency thick do not need to add any milk.
2. To serve as a dip add about ¼ cup of milk but keep thicker then raita.

Serving suggestion:Serve over plain rice or as a side dish with any meal.

Badam Burfi (Almond Candy)

Badam (almond) Burfi is a healthy substitute for candy but is rich in flavor. Almond burfi can be served as dessert or snack.

Recipe makes 20 pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of Cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons butter or ghee (clear butter)
• 1/3 cup milk

Method

1. Soak the almonds in hot water for 30 minutes.
2. Peel the skin off the almonds. Blend the almonds into a fine paste using just enough milk as needed to blend.
3. Add the sugar and whip it for a couple of minutes.
4. Heat the ghee in the frying pan on low-medium heat.
5. As the ghee melts, add the almond paste and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously.
6. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of bread batter, and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
7. Add the cardamom powder. Remove the frying pan from the heat.
8. Whip the batter using a spoon in a circular motion for about two to three minutes.
9. Pour it into the prepared greased pan.
10. Smoothen the surface of the mixture to about a quarter inch thick.
11. Let cool for about 20 minutes until burfi is just look warm.
12. Cut into 1-inch squares or any shape you like.
13. Cool to the room temperature and store burfi in an airtight container.
14. Almond burfi has a long shelf life and can be kept outside for up to one week. When refrigerated, almond burfi will last a couple of months.

Suggestions:
You can make burfi using almond meal or almond flour. If you are using almond meal, mix one cup almond meal with the sugar and milk and knead the mixture for two minutes. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then follow the directions above. The almond flour burfi will be a little chewy.

Oven Baked Lamb Maglouba

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice or 400 g, washed and rinsed

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 teaspoons dried lime powder

2 teaspoons ground cloves

2 teaspoons arabic mixed spicess

3 small eggplants or 400 g, cut into round slices

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup vegetable oil, for deep frying

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

400 g lamb, loin chop, with bones

1 medium onion or 100 g, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cubes MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon or 20 g

3 cups water or 750 ml, hot

2 tablespoons butter, melted

300 g cauliflower, cut into medium florets

1 medium onion or 100 g, sliced & fried for garnishing

½ cup pine seeds or 50 g, slightly toasted

100 g dough

1 teaspoon butter, melted

Preparation

Soak rice for 30 minutes and drain. Combine all spices and gently mix together with wet rice, allow to sit for 15 min.

Peel and cut eggplants into 2cm thick slices, dredge with salt and allow juices to draw. Heat vegetable oil in a pan, pat-dry eggplants and fry on both sides until golden brown.

In large sauce pan, heat Oil and fry Lamb pieces until golden brown, add chopped Onions and fry for another 5 minutes. Add Garlic, MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon and water and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour. Remove lamb and reserve hot stock.

Pour melted butter in the bottom of a Dutch Oven or ovenproof pot (a clay pot would work best), Layer Cauliflower florets on the bottom and cover with half of the rice. Layer the fried eggplants over the rice, place lamb pieces over the eggplant, and cover with the remaining rice. Make sure the content of the pot only fills 2/3 of the pot size, since rice will increase in size once fully cooked.

Pour hot stock over the rice, garnish with Fried Onion slices and Toasted Pine Seeds. Rice should be covered with stock, if needs be add more water.

Role out bread dough to a large enough size to cover the top of the rice pot plus an extra 3cm hanging over the edge. Place over the pot and gently pinch the edges ensuring a tight seal between pot and dough.

Brush with melted butter and bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.