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Nargisi kofte

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nargisi kofte

This recipe is a result of my passion for fusion cuisine. I am highly impressed and inspired by the idea of fusion cooking. It is nothing but a marriage of different cultures that gives you a single eating experience where imagination is the limit!

The traditional nargisi kofta is usually stuffed with boiled eggs or onion chutney (chopped onions and green chillies mixed with yoghurt). I didn’t like biting into a kofta and eating the boiled egg. It was like eating two different things in one. Anything stuffed I feel should give a unique combined taste. So I mixed mint chutney with the hard boiled yolks and stuffed the mixture in the boiled egg whites before enclosing them with the kofta dough. They were basically devilled eggs with the mint chutney egg yolk filling, stuffed inside the koftas – something different, yet a marriage of two different cultures – the East and the West! I also tried mixing mashed egg yolks with cheddar cheese and it tasted really good with the melted cheese inside. Well, you can go on trying different combinations and the sky is the limit!

Ingredients:
1 lb Lamb or Beef
1/2 cup Channa dal lentils
4-6 small green chillies
6 cloves
6 green Cardamom
1 onion small
4 medium garlic  cloves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chilly powder
salt to taste
4 hard boiled eggs
2 tbs mint chutney
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup vegetable oil for deep frying

Instructions:
1. Clean and wash the meat (lamb or beef), cut into cubes or chunks.
2. Clean and wash the channa dal.
3. Take a pot and add the washed dal and the meat cubes and all the other ingredients except the hard boiled eggs.
4. Cook on medium heat with the lid on till you see steam coming out.
5. Open the lid, give it a stir and check to see if the meat has stiffened a bit and is no longer pink.
6. Remove from the stove. Let it cool for a while.
7. Pick out the whole spices (cloves and cardamoms) from it and keep aside.
8. Pick out the meat pieces as well and set aside.
9. Grind the rest of the cooked ingredients in a wet grinder. If the dal (lentils) is moist with a little water left at the bottom, then do not add any more water. This would be sufficient enough to grind the dal. Otherwise add 2 tbs of water and grind the dal finely with the green chillies, onion and garlic.
10. Remove the dal mixture and set aside.
11. Now add the meat pieces to the grinder and just shred them by pulsing 2 or 3 times.
12. Pound the cloves and cardamom using a mortar & pestle and crush them fine.
13. Combine the ground dal mixture and the shredded meat in the wet grinder along with some cilantro (1/4 cup) salt and the ground whole spices by pulsing till everything is well blended. The kofta dough is now ready. If the dough feels too dry (if you use beef you could expect this) sprinkle a little bit of water or knead it well with wet hands.
14. Take a little kofta dough the size of an egg and roll it into a small ball in the palm of your hand. Make small balls of the same size with the entire kofta dough.
15. Peel the hard boiled eggs, cut into two halves breadthwise and set aside.
16. Pick the hard boiled yolks from the halved eggs, mash them, sprinkle a little salt & pepper then mix with 2 tbs of the mint chutney. If you are not using chutney add the grated cheese to the mashed yolks, do not add salt as the cheese is salty enough.
17. Fill the hard boiled egg whites with the mashed yolk & mint chutney filling or cheese filling to make devilled egg halves.

kofta making

18. Take one kofta dough ball, make a depression in the centre, widen it so that it is big enough to hold the devilled egg half.
19. Cover it completely with the kofta dough. Repeat the same process for all of them.
20. Deep fry them in hot oil till crispy and golden. Serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney. Enjoy!

Mint Chutney ingredients:
1 cup fresh Mint leaves
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic
4-6 small green chillies
1/2 tamarind (seedless)
Salt to taste.

Instructions:
Grind all the above ingredients together with a little salt. Your chutney is ready for the stuffing. For serving the chutney with snacks add a tomato and an onion (both small size) and pulse one or two times after grinding the above ingredients.

Notes:
1. You can make variations of the stuffing for this recipe. Use different chutneys or sauces or combine the egg yolks with different seasonings to fill in the boiled eggs.

2. You could also mix the ground dal mixture with the shredded meat by hand, actually I prefer it this way, though it is a little time consuming, I love the end result. When  you pulse to mix everything the shreds of the meat are lost as they get ground. but when you combine everything manually the shreds are still there and give an overall defined texture to the kofte. You realize this when you bite into them. I feel they are more tasty too. Still it is personal preference.

3. The oil should be hot enough to sizzle and sear the kofte but not too hot to burn them.

You may also like my other kofte recipes:

Fried lamb/beef/veal kofte

Fried Shrimp Kofte

Lamb kofta curry

Red bell peppper chicken kofta curry

Recipe

nargisi kofte

Nargisi kofte

Author: Fouzia Husainy
Traditional kofte stuffed with boiled eggs
Course Deep fried, glutenfree, Non Vegetarian side dish, stuffed
Cuisine South Indian muslim Cuisine

Equipment

  • Cast iron wok

Ingredients
  

  • Ingredients:
  • 1 lb Lamb or Beef
  • 1/2 cup Channa dal lentils
  • 4-6 small green chillies
  • 6 cloves
  • 6 green Cardamom
  • 1 onion small
  • 4 medium garlic  cloves
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp red chilly powder
  • salt to taste
  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 2 tbs mint chutney
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 cup vegetable oil for deep frying
  • Mint Chutney ingredients:
  • 1 cup fresh Mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4-6 small green chillies
  • 1/2 tamarind seedless
  • Salt to taste.

Instructions
 

  • Clean and wash the meat (lamb or beef), cut into cubes or chunks. 
  • Clean and wash the channa dal.
  • Take a pot and add the washed dal and the meat cubes and all the other ingredients except the hard boiled eggs.
  • Cook on medium heat with the lid on till you see steam coming out.
  • Open the lid, give it a stir and check to see if the meat has stiffened a bit and is no longer pink.
  • Remove from the stove. Let it cool for a while.
  • Pick out the whole spices (cloves and cardamoms) from it and keep aside.
  • Pick out the meat pieces as well and set aside.
  • Grind the rest of the cooked ingredients in a wet grinder. If the dal (lentils) is moist with a little water left at the bottom, then do not add any more water. This would be sufficient enough to grind the dal. Otherwise add 2 tbs of water and grind the dal finely with the green chillies, onion and garlic.
  • Remove the dal mixture and set aside.
  • Now add the meat pieces to the grinder and just shred them by pulsing 2 or 3 times.
  • Pound the cloves and cardamom using a mortar & pestle and crush them fine.
  • Combine the ground dal mixture and the shredded meat in the wet grinder along with some cilantro (1/4 cup) salt and the ground whole spices by pulsing till everything is well blended. Alternatively you could mix and combine everything manually. It is better this way though a bit time consuming coz the shreds of meat give a defined texture to the kofte otherwise they get ground in the grinder. The kofta dough is now ready. If the dough feels too dry (if you use beef you could expect this) sprinkle a little bit of water or knead it well with wet hands.
  • Take a little kofta dough the size of an egg and roll it into a small ball in the palm of your hand. Make small balls of the same size with the entire kofta dough.
  • Peel the hard boiled eggs, cut into two halves breadthwise and set aside.
  • Pick the hard boiled yolks from the halved eggs, mash them, sprinkle a little salt & pepper then mix with 2 tbs of the mint chutney. If you are not using chutney add the grated cheese to the mashed yolks, do not add salt as the cheese is salty enough.
  • Fill the hard boiled egg whites with the mashed yolk and mint chutney filling or cheese filling to make devilled egg halves.
  • Take one kofta dough ball, make a depression in the centre, widen it so that it is big enough to hold the devilled egg half.
  • Cover it completely with the kofta dough. Repeat the same process for all of them.
  • Deep fry them in hot oil till crispy and golden. Serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney. Enjoy!
  • For the Mint Chutney: Grind all the above ingredients together with a little salt. Your chutney is ready for the stuffing.
  • For serving the chutney with snacks add a small tomato and a small onion and pulse one or two times after grinding the above ingredients.
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Pepper Chicken

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This recipe can be used for a whole chicken as well. For the whole chicken use the zafrani chicken baking technique by closing and cooking the chicken for 1 hr at 350 degrees fahrenheit and then roasting the chicken on convection roast in the last half hour. If you do not have convection roast setting in your oven then raise the temperature to 400 degrees fahrenheit and let it roast for 30 mins.














Ingredients:
Whole Chicken- 1 cut into pieces at the joints.
Garlic cloves- 4 med size
Black Pepper corns – 1 tblspn
Cumin seeds – 1 tspn
Green chillies – 2 small size (optional)
Cloves – 6 (optional)
Green cardamoms – 6 (optional)
lemon juice – 2 tblspns
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Clean, wash and cut the chicken into 8-12 pieces at the joints only. If you cut the bones they not only bleed a lot while cooking but you will get small pieces of bones in your mouth when you eat the chicken which is really annoying.
2. Rub the chicken with 1/2 a tspn salt and lemon juice and set aside for 10 mins.
3.Grind together garlic, pepper, cumin and green chillies. For added flavour and spicy taste you can add the optional ingredients. Otherwise just keep it light to satisfy a western palette.
4. Rub the chicken with the ground masala, put them in the baking dish and let it rest for 1/2 an hour.
5.Bake the chicken in the preheated oven at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 45 mins.
6. Remove from the oven and serve hot with ghee rice or peas palao.

Spinach Dill Vadai (fritters)

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These Vadas smell great when frying and taste great too. They are very flavourful and make a good evening snack with tea. I made them for Ifthaar with ganji (a kind of flavourful rice porridge made in south India especially for Ifthaars). They disappeared in no time.

Ingredients:
Whole urad dal – 1 cup
Spinach chopped – 1 cup
Dill chopped – 1 cup
Onions chopped – 1/2 cup
Green chillies chopped – 4-6 small
Curry leaves chopped – 1/4 cup.
Cilantro chopped – 1/2 cup
Ginger chopped – 1 tbs
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil to deep fry – 2 cups

Instructions:
1.Clean, wash and soak the urad dal overnight or for atleast 4 hrs. Clean wash, drain and wipe dry the spinach and dill after picking the leaves from the stems. Then chop them well and set aside.

2. Take half the dal and grind it fine in a food processor. Remove and set aside.

3. Put the rest of the dal and pulse it just two or three times so that it breaks up a little. Remove and mix it with the finely ground dal to make a sticky dough. Do not add water while grinding. You could just sprinkle a little bit when you finely grind the first half.

4.Mix together chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves and chop them all together on the cutting board with a little salt which is just enough for the onions.

5. Add a little salt to the ground urad dal and mix well. Now add the chopped spinach, dill, cilantro, curry leaves and onion mixture and mix everything well with the urad dal.

6.Take a lump of the Vada batter with wet hands press gently to give a flat shape and make a hole in the centre using your fingers and thumb and gently immerse it in the oil. You have to be really very careful at this step. You can use a flat spatula to slowly drop the Vada in the oil if you are not confident.

7. When it turns golden brown at the bottom and crispy on the sides, it is time to turn it over and fry on the other side.

8. Fry in batches of 4 – 6 depending on the size of your frying pan till all of them are evenly browned and crisp.
.
9. Remove from frying pan, drain on paper towels and serve them hot with mint  or red coconut chutney.

10. Or you can enjoy them with rice porridge.

Salmon Biryani

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Yesterday I made Salmon biryani for Ifthaar. I had such a craving for fish biryani as I hadn’t made it  in a long time. Unlike me, nobody loves fish in my family. It turned out delicious – just the way I imagined it! I did not touch any of the ifthaar food as I wanted to save my appetite for this salmon biryani which I could not wait to enjoy.  I made the mint and the yoghurt chutneys which not only complemented it but added a zing to it.

salmon biryani

salmon biryani

Ingredients:
1 lb Salmon (6-8 medium size pieces)
3 onions (medium size)
2 Tomatoes medium size
4-6 Green chillies small
1 tbs Ginger Garlic paste
1/2 a cup thick Yoghurt
A few Mint leaves (Fresh)
1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
1 inch Cinnamon stick
5 Cloves
5 Green cardamoms
2 tsp Red chilli Powder
1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 tbs Lemon juice
Salt
a pinch of Saffron
2 tbs Warm milk
1 1/2 cups Basumati Rice
1/4 cup Vegetable oil + 2 – 3 tbs for frying salmon.

salmon biryani roast

Method:
1. Slice the onions and cut the tomatoes into quarters. Make fresh ginger garlic paste and set aside.

2. Wash the basumati rice and let it soak for 30 mins,

3. Rub the salmon pieces with salt, lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp cumin. Marinate for half an hour and set aside.

4. Fry the salmon in the vegetable oil for 2 or 3 mins on each side by turning over only once.

5. Heat the oil in a pot, add the whole spices – cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms then the sliced onions and fry till golden brown.

6. Add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and tomatoes and simmer till the tomatoes turn soft. Mix well.

7. Spoon in the whisked yoghurt then the green chillies, mint and cilantro. Mix well and cook till the sauce is smooth.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Transfer the sauce to a roaster, add the fried salmon pieces to it and simmer in the preheated oven for 5 mins. Then remove the fried salmon pieces from the sauce and set aside. Dissolve saffron threads in 2tbs warm milk and keep aside.

9.Meanwhile bring to boil 4 to 5 litres of water in a big pot. Add the rice with 2 tbs of salt and cook till half done. To test if the rice is done pinch a rice grain between your index finger and thumb, it should be gritty/ breakable and you should be able to see two or three white spots inside. This is the texture we want so switch off the stove immediately and drain the rice in a colander.

10. Layer the cooked basumathi rice on the sauce in the roaster, add fresh mint leaves, cilantro, then the saffron milk. Now place the cooked salmon pieces that we removed from the sauce on the rice layer. You could sprinkle some more white cooked basumathi rice and chopped cilantro on top just for decoration. Cover the roaster with its lid and steam in the pre-heated oven for 10 – 12 minutes.

salmon biryani decor

11. When done, remove the roaster from the oven and let it rest for 5 – 10minutes. Then mix the rice little by little with a flat spatula by scooping the rice from the bottom and spreading it on the top layer slowly and gently without breaking the fish pieces.

12. Serve the biryani garnished with a little fresh cilantro and enjoy with yoghurt and mint chutney on the side.

Recipe

Salmon Biryani

Author: Fouzia Husainy
Yesterday I made Salmon biryani for Ifthaar. I had such a craving for fish biryani as I hadn't made it  in a long time. Unlike me, nobody loves fish in my family. It turned out delicious - just the way I imagined it! I did not touch any of the ifthaar snacks as I could not wait to enjoy it.  I made the mint and the yoghurt chutneys which not only complemented it but added a zing to
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine indian cuisine, South indian Cuisine

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Salmon 6-8 medium size pieces
  • 3 onions medium size
  • 2 Tomatoes medium size
  • 4-6 Green chillies small
  • 1 tbs Ginger Garlic paste
  • 1/2 a cup thick Yoghurt
  • A few Mint leaves Fresh
  • 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
  • 1 inch Cinnamon stick
  • 5 Cloves
  • 5 Green cardamoms
  • 2 tsp Red chilli Powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tbs Lemon juice
  • Salt
  • a pinch of Saffron
  • 2 tbs Warm milk
  • 1 1/2 cups Basumati Rice
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable oil + 2 - 3 tbs for frying salmon.

Instructions
 

  • Slice the onions and cut the tomatoes into quarters. Make fresh ginger garlic paste and set aside.
  • Wash the basumati rice and let it soak for 30 mins,
  • Rub the salmon pieces with salt, lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp cumin. Marinate for half an hour and set aside.
  • Fry the salmon in the vegetable oil for 2 or 3 mins on each side by turning over only once.
  • Heat the oil in a pot, add the whole spices - cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms then the sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and tomatoes and simmer till the tomatoes turn soft. Mix well.
  • Spoon in the whisked yoghurt then the green chillies, mint and cilantro. Mix well and cook till the sauce is smooth.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Transfer the sauce to a roaster, add the fried salmon pieces to it and simmer in the preheated oven for 5 mins. Then remove the fried salmon pieces from the sauce and set aside. Dissolve saffron threads in 2tbs warm milk and keep aside.
  • Meanwhile bring to boil 4 to 5 litres of water in a big pot. Add the rice with 2 tbs of salt and cook till half done. To test if the rice is done pinch a rice grain between your index finger and thumb, it should be gritty/ breakable and you should be able to see two or three white spots inside. This is the texture we want so switch off the stove immediately and drain the rice in a colander.
  • Layer the cooked basumathi rice on the sauce in the roaster, add fresh mint leaves, cilantro, then the saffron milk. Now place the cooked salmon pieces that we removed from the sauce on the rice layer. You could sprinkle some more white cooked basumathi rice and chopped cilantro on top just for decoration. Cover the roaster with its lid and steam in the pre-heated oven for 10 - 12 minutes.
  • When done, remove the roaster from the oven and let it rest for 5 - 10minutes. Then mix the rice little by little with a flat spatula by scooping the rice from the bottom and spreading it on the top layer slowly and gently without breaking the fish pieces.
  • Serve the biryani garnished with a little fresh cilantro and enjoy with yoghurt and mint chutney on the side.
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Stuffed Paneer Croquettes

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paneer croquettes
This is one of my new creations. I imagined a snack version of the malai kofta and came up with these paneer croquettes. I wanted them light and less spicy so that the kids could enjoy them. But at the same time to add the zing I stuffed them with chopped walnuts and raisins seasoned with mint chutney. They turned out so delicious and yummy!

Here’s the recipe………….

Ingredients:
1 cup paneer grated (I used half of the 400gm pack of Baba Paneer)
1 cup potatoes boiled and grated
1 onion chopped (medium size)
2 small green chillies s
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
black Pepper – just to sprinkle
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup corn flour
1 cup corn flakes ground – 1 cup
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Stuffing:
1 heaped tbs mint chutney *(check recipe below)
1/4 cup walnuts chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins chopped

paneer croquettes

Instructions:
1.Mix together the grated paneer and potatoes.
2. Add lemon juice and salt to chopped onions and green chillies. Cut and chop them together again with the salt and lemon juice and then add to the potato paneer mixture. Add chopped cilantro, mix everything together and set aside.
3. Prepare the stuffing by mixing together the chopped walnuts and the chopped golden raisins with the mint chutney.The walnuts and raisins should be just coated with the chutney.
4. Make small portions of the stuffing.
5. Make small balls of the potato paneer mixture. Make a depression in the center, add a portion of the stuffing and close it.
6. Roll the ball in the corn flour, then dip it in the beaten eggs and then roll it again in the ground corn flakes and set aside.
7. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot, set it on medium heat. Add the croquettes and fry them till golden brown. When they are done, you will see small white spots popping out. This means they are done.So remove immediately from the pan and drain on paper towels. If you delay any longer they would burst in the pan and the oil would splutter and make a mess. So please do not wait till this happens. Let them cool for a bit before you serve them with mint chutney. Their texture is much better when they cool  down a bit. And when you make them you can give them any shape. Enjoy with more mint chutney or ketchup.

Mint Chutney:
1 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup curry leaves
1 cup cilantro
1 small tomato
4 green chillies
1 big marble size tamarind or 4 tbs pulp
2 big garlic cloves

Instructions:
Grind everything together in a blender or wet grinder without adding any water, add appropriate salt mix well  and serve with snacks.

Baked Pies

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Ingredients:
Flour – 4 cups
Yoghurt – 4 tblspns
Yeast – 1 tblspn
Warm water – 1/2 cup
Baking powder- 1 tspn
Olive oil – 1tblspn + enough for brushing

Method: Add yeast to 1/2 a cup of lukewarm water along with a pinch of sugar. Stir well and let it rest for 5 -10 mins till it rises. Meanwhile add 4 cups of all purpose flour to the processor, add salt, pulse once or twice so that the salt gets nicely mixed in the flour. Now add yoghurt and baking powder and pulse again., Pour in the yeast solution little by little while pulsing. Finally add the olive oil, and pulse again 2 or 3 times till the dough starts spinning. If the dough is dry, sprinkle a little more water and pulse again. The dough should be soft and spongy and a little bit gooey. Remove from the processor, form into a ball and let it rise in a covered greased bowl for atleast 2 hrs. The dough is now ready for making pies. Take small balls of dough shape them in the form of a circle with your palms and toast them on one side in a griddle or frying pan. Spread a mixture of olive oil and zavtar and keep it on broil for 3 – 4 mins till the pies are nicely done. You can use any kind of topping for these pies like meat mixture, cheese, veggies etc. You can even spread the dough on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the top with olive oil and keep it in the lowest wrack of the oven for 10 mins and once the bottom is a bit brown, put it on broil for another 2- 3 mins till it is golden brown. Enjoy these with your favourite dips.

Crunchy fried banana with Vanilla Ice cream

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fried banana

My son developed this craving for fried bananas after dining at a Caribbean restaurant. I have never tried frying a banana before, because it never occurred to me that fruits could be fried. Anyway it turned out mushy when I first fried it. I somehow managed to satisfy his palette by frying it again after rolling it in flour. It turned out well this time and he enjoyed it too. But my imagination by now had scaled to different heights I wanted to do much more than that. Being a south Indian myself I was enamoured by stuffed banana recipes from Kerala and Thasneen’s blog post on pan fried bananas stuffed with coconut and raisins, kind of inspired me. But I knew my kids with their Canadian taste buds would deem it too sweet. So I decided to stuff the bananas with a mixture of nuts and Nutella and also give it a crunchy outer crust. It turned out well.  I served it with vanilla ice-cream and it was  a big hit.!

Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
2tbs Nutella
1/4 cup chopped mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios & walnuts)
1/4 cup white flour
1/2 cup corn flakes crushed
Enough oil to deep fry

Instructions:
1. Peel the bananas, cut into 2 pieces horizontally and set aside.

2.Beat the egg and get two half plates ready – one with white flour and the other with corn flakes.

3. Add Nutella to the chopped nuts in a bowl, mix well and set aside.

4. Slit the bananas lengthwise, stuff them gently with the Nutella nut mix and close them by pinching the opened edges together with your fingers and smoothen the closed slit well so that it is fully secured.

5. Take each stuffed banana piece, roll it in flour, then roll it in beaten egg with the help of a fork, then finally roll it again in the crushed cornflakes. Repeat the same procedure for all the stuffed pieces and set aside.

6. Add the oil in an electric deep fryer or frying pan and set it to medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough just put a small crumb in the pan and if it sizzles it means it is ready for frying. Do not fry them on high heat, nor put them in the pan when the oil is not hot enough. Deep fry two or three pieces at a time (not more than that as they might burst due to change in temperature). Drain them on paper towels and serve them hot on a bed of cold vanilla ice-cream. You might think it is weird eating a hot and cold dessert. But it a great experience. Try it and enjoy!

zaffrani falooda

zafrani falooda

banana halwa cake

Banana Halwa Cake

My Croissant Sandwich

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croissant gourmet sandwich

This relishing gourmet sandwich stuffed with chicken and fresh salad ingredients in a buttery croissant is a perfect choice for a quick lunch or brunch, so delicious and yummy that keeps you wanting for more.

Ingredients:
Frozen Croissants
Chicken breasts
Romaine or Leaf Lettuce
Tomatoes
Swiss cheese singles
Lemon pepper/Mango Chipotle powder or spices of your choice
Mayonnaise
Dijon Mustard sauce
Olive oil
Ketchup – optional

gourmet croissant sandwich
Instructions:
1. Thaw the frozen croissants according to instructions and bake them till golden brown.
2.Meanwhile cut the chicken breasts into thin slices or strips. Rub with lemon pepper, or chipotle mango powder or any spices of your choice. (I used chipotle mango powder from Costco)
3. Add some olive oil and roast or broil them in the oven till done. Remove from the oven and let it cool down to room temperature.
4. Slice the tomatoes, wash, towel dry the lettuce and keep aside.
5. When the croissants cool down a bit, slice them in the centre with a bread knife more than half way through, without separating the two slices.
6. Spread some mayo & dijon mustard lightly on the inside, add the chicken then top with Swiss cheese, tomato slices and lettuce.
7. Drizzle some ketchup to the chicken if you want, just a little. Now close the sandwich and serve for lunch with some garden salad. You may also wrap it with cling wrap and pack it for lunch. The Croissant Sandwich is ready to go.

croissant sandwich

Recipe

croissant sandwich

My Croissant Sandwich

Author: Fouzia Husainy
This relishing gourmet sandwich stuffed with chicken and fresh salad ingredients in a buttery croissant is a perfect choice for a quick lunch or brunch, so delicious and yummy that keeps you wanting for more.

Ingredients
  

  • Frozen Croissants
  • Chicken breasts
  • Romaine or Leaf Lettuce
  • Tomatoes
  • Swiss cheese singles
  • Lemon pepper/Mango Chipotle powder or spices of your choice
  • Mayonnaise
  • Dijon Mustard sauce
  • Olive oil
  • Ketchup – optional

Instructions
 

  • Thaw the frozen croissants according to instructions and bake them till golden brown.
  • Meanwhile cut the chicken breasts into thin slices or strips. Rub with lemon pepper, or chipotle mango powder or any spices of your choice. (I used chipotle mango powder from Costco)
  • Add some olive oil and roast or broil them in the oven till done. Remove from the oven and let it cool down to room temperature.
  • Slice the tomatoes, wash, towel dry the lettuce and keep aside.
  • When the croissants cool down a bit, slice them in the centre with a bread knife more than half way through, without separating the two slices.
  • Spread some mayo & dijon mustard lightly on the inside, add the chicken then top with Swiss cheese, tomato slices and lettuce.
  • Drizzle some ketchup to the chicken if you want, just a little. Now close the sandwich and serve for lunch with some garden salad. You may also wrap it with cling wrap and pack it for lunch. The Croissant Sandwich is ready to go!

Notes

  1. You could also use freshly baked croissants from the bakery store and make your sandwiches with chicken/ lamb/ beef or any filling of your choice. 
  2. Croissants are very soft and delicate to handle so it is much better to to use mayonnaise or sauces on the meat and salad rather than on the bun itself as it tends to break. 
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Peas Pulao

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Ingredients: 
Basumati Rice – 2 cups 
Green Peas – 1 cup
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tspns
Cloves- 4
Green Cardamoms-4
Cinnamon sticks – 1 inch
Turmeric – 1 tspn
Red chilly powder – 1/2 tspn
Onions – 1 slightly large 
Green chillies – 4 small
Tomato – 1 med size
Yoghurt – 1/2 a cup
Fresh Mint – a few leaves
Cilantro – 1/4 cup chopped
Vegetable/Canola Oil- 1/4 cup
Method: 
Wash and soak the rice in water for at least 1/2 an hr.  Heat the oil, add sliced onion and fry till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilly powder followed by chopped tomato, whole green chillies and yoghurt. Stir and mix till it turns into a nice masala paste. Add the green peas (fresh or frozen) and let it simmer for a while. Then add the soaked rice, and gently turn over from all sides till it mixes well with the masala. Now add 4 cups of water, 2 tspns salt, chopped cilantro and a few mint leaves. Close the pot with a lid and cook on high heat till the water starts boiling.Turn the heat to medium and cook till the water gets absorbed. Give it a stir and put it on simmer for 5 mins. The Peas Pulao is ready to be served. Enjoy the Peas Pulao with Mint chutney, Raita and roasted chicken. 

Stuffed pineapple cake

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This is another recipe circulating amongst our relatives in Canada. We make this quite often especially when we invite someone over. The cake has a soft and light texture and the fruit stuffing with cool whip is so refreshing that you cannot stop eating it. Though the recipe calls for using crushed canned pineapple and juice from it, I prefer using fresh fruits and fresh pineapple juice. I don’t like the metallic taste of the canned fruits at all.  Moreover it is so unhealthy. 

I decided to post this recipe at the request of one of my friends who enjoys my cooking and is especially very fond of this cake because its taste some how reminds her of the indian bakery cakes which she adored as a child.

Ingredients:
Eggs – 2
Sugar – 1 Cup
Vanilla – 1 tspn
Flour – 1 Cup
Baking powder – 1 tspn
Salt – ½ tspn
Milk – ½ Cup
Butter- 1 tblspn
Crushed pineapple – 1 cup or subsitute for 1 crushed pineapple can 
Pineapple juice – 1 cup fresh juice or from the can. 
Fresh ripe strawberries – 1 cup
Kiwi, strawberries and pineapple, mango, peaches or any other fruit to decorate.

 Method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Beat the eggs, add sugar gradually, add vanilla essence. Mix the dry ingredients and stir it into the egg mixture. Heat the milk and butter and add to the batter and stir well. Grease a 9 X9 inch pan, dust with flour and pour the cake batter in it. 
 Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 mins.
Let the cake cool for 1 hr then cut the cake into two equal halves. Do it carefully either with the help of a sowing thread or a knife. Pour the pineapple juice generously and evenly on the insides of the cake and let there not be any dry areas here and there. Leave for sometime – 10 mins. 

 Spread the cool whip icing or whipping cream on the cake.
Make a stuffing with chopped strawberries and crushed pineapple and close the cake after putting the stuffing. Make a stuffing with chopped strawberries and crushed pineapple and close the cake after putting the stuffing.
 Spread the whipping cream or cool whip icing on all over the cake – on the top and sides. Decorate with Strawberries, pineapple, peach, mango or kiwi slices. 
 Enjoy!

Roast Chicken Zafrani (Saffron Flavoured Chicken Roast)

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zafrani chicken roast

The use of saffron in this chicken roast transforms it into a rich and aromatic delicacy that has been relished and enjoyed ever since the days of the Mughals and the Nawabs in India. I still don’t know when and how this recipe was created and developed. But it has been circulating in our family ever since we came to Canada. I would call it chicken roast indian style! It is not roasted with any vegetables but is very flavourful and tasty. The chicken just comes off the bone and is so juicy. It is enjoyed with naan, biryani rice or any kind of rice.
The chicken is marinated in prepared spices and then roasted closed for 1.5 hours, then roasted again at a higher temperature for another 30 minutes. It is so full of flavour and so delicious!

roast chicken zafrani

Ingredients:
1 whole Chicken
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
5 – 6 cloves
1/8th of a tsp saffron
1/4 cup almonds
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 a tsp turmeric powder
1 tbs vegetable Oil
2 tbs lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Grind the ginger and garlic to a fine paste, grind the almonds in a wet grinder to a fine paste.

2. Clean and wash the chicken, drain and towel dry. Heat a small frying pan with oil. Add the cloves, immediately followed by ginger garlic paste, turmeric, coriander and red chilli powders, then ground almonds stirring well with a small whisk after each addition. Cook the masala quickly till smooth. Do not burn them. Remove and let it cool down for sometime.

saffron

3. Crush the saffron in a mortar and pestle, add a few drops of water to it, mix well and pour this saffron water in the marinade but only after it cools down so as to retain the saffron flavour.

4. Meanwhile make slits all over in the chicken especially in the thighs, drumsticks and breasts. Rub the chicken with salt and lemon juice leave for 15 mins.

saffron chicken

5. Now smear the chicken with the prepared masala all over and leave to marinate for up to 4 hours.

6. Preheat to oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Put the chicken in a roasting pan add 1/2 a cup of water, cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours

7. After 1.5 hours uncover the lid, change the oven setting to convection roast and raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. If you do not have convection roast setting in the oven, not a problem, you could just raise the temp to 375°F and continue roasting.

8. Roast the chicken uncovered for another 20 – 30 mins. Keep basting the chicken every now and then with its own juices so that it remains moist throughout. Remove when nicely roasted. If there are any juices left pour them over the chicken before serving. Serve hot with saffron rice, naan or rumali rotis and enjoy!

Persian Style Saffron Rice

Recipe

Roast Chicken Zafrani (Saffron Flavoured Chicken Roast)

Author: Mamasecretrecipes
The use of saffron in this chicken roast transforms it into a rich and aromatic delicacy that has been relished and enjoyed ever since the days of the Moghuls and the Nawabs in India. I still don't know when and how this recipe was created and developed. But it has been circulating in our family ever since we came to Canada. I would call it chicken roast, indian style! It is not roasted with any vegetables but is very flavourful and tasty. The chicken just comes off the bone and is so juicy. It is enjoyed with naan, biryani rice or any kind of rice.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Non Vegetarian
Cuisine indian cuisine

Ingredients
  

  • Ingredients:
  • 1 whole Chicken
  • 1 tbs ginger garlic paste
  • 5 - 6 cloves
  • 1/8 tsp saffron
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 a tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbs vegetable Oil
  • 2 tbs lemon juice

Instructions
 

Instructions:

  • Grind the ginger and garlic to a fine paste, grind the almonds in a wet grinder to a fine paste.
  • Clean and wash the chicken, drain and towel dry. Heat a small frying pan with oil. Add the cloves, immediately followed by ginger garlic paste, turmeric, coriander and red chilli powders, then ground almonds stirring well with a small whisk after each addition. Cook the masala quickly till smooth. Do not burn them. Remove and let it cool down for sometime.
  • Crush the saffron in a mortar and pestle, add a few drops of water to it, mix well and pour this saffron water in the marinade but only after it cools down so as to retain the saffron flavour.
  • Meanwhile make slits all over in the chicken especially in the thighs, drumsticks and breasts. Rub the chicken with salt and lemon juice leave for 15 mins.
  • Now smear the chicken with the prepared masala all over and leave to marinate for up to 4 hours.
  • Preheat to oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Put the chicken in a roasting pan add 1/2 a cup of water, cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours
  • After 1.5 hours uncover the lid, change the oven setting to convection roast and raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. If you do not have convection roast setting in the oven, not a problem, you could just raise the temp to 375°F and continue roasting.
  • Roast the chicken uncovered for another 20 - 30 mins. Keep basting the chicken every now and then with its own juices so that it remains moist throughout. Remove when nicely roasted. If there are any juices left pour them over the chicken before serving. Serve hot with rice, naan or rumali rotis and enjoy!
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Pistachio Almond Chocolate Truffles

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Ingredients:
1 cup Almonds
1 cup Pistachios
1 cup Chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Orange blossom water- 2 tbs
Fresh whipping cream – 2 tsp

Method:
1. Pound coarsely 1/4 cup each of the almonds, pistachios and the chocolate chips separately. Keep this coarsely ground mixture aside.
2. Grind together coarsely the remaining almonds, pistachios and chocolate chips. Add the orange blossom water and fresh whipping cream and mix well with a rubber spatula until moist.
3. Shape into small round balls, roll them in the coarsely ground nut mixture and then leave them in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least a couple of hours. Enjoy!

Recipe

Pistachio Almond Chocolate Truffles

Author: Fouzia Husainy
Course Quick and Easy
Cuisine Canadian Cuisine

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Almonds
  • 1 cup Pistachios
  • 1 cup Chocolate chips semi-sweet
  • Orange blossom water- 2 tbs
  • Fresh whipping cream - 2 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Pound coarsely 1/4 cup each of the almonds, pistachios and the chocolate chips separately. Keep this coarsely ground mixture aside.
  • Grind together coarsely the remaining almonds, pistachios and chocolate chips. Add the orange blossom water and fresh whipping cream and mix well with a rubber spatula until moist.
  • Shape into small round balls, roll them in the coarsely ground nut mixture and then leave them in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least a couple of hours. Enjoy!
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