Demonstrated by: Sajida Salehmohamed

Ingredients:

· 1 cup sev (thin vermicelli), crushed into small pieces

· 1 cup soji (semolina)

· 12 Tbsp. (1 ½ sticks) butter

· 3/4 cup milk powder

· 3/4 tin sweetened condensed milk

· Crushed or sliced almonds and pistachios, according to your preference

· Elchi (powdered cardamom), according to your taste

Method:

Melt butter in a pan and sauté the soji in it until it is light brown. Add the crushed sev and mix well. Now add the milk powder and mix till the ingredients are well-combined.

Turn the heat off and add the almonds, pistachios and cardamom. In the end, mix in the sweetened milk and stir the mixture until you see the butter form a layer on the top.

Pour the mixture into a dish or tray and smooth out the top. Cut into squares or diamonds and let the Paak cool and then serve.

SPINACH ENCHILADAS

Demonstrated by: Fatema Somji

For Pancakes:

Mix well:

¼ cup white flour

¼ cup corn flour

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ Tbsp oil

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup water

1 egg

For Filling:

½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

½ cup mashed potato

½ cup seasoned and dried spinach

¼ cup chopped onion

Season the spinach according to taste. One medium potato should yield ½ cup of mashed potato. Peel and slice the potato thinly; cook in a little water and mash. Mix together all the filling ingredients.

For Sauce:

1 Tbsp chopped onion ½ tsp chili sauce

1 Tbsp oil ½ tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp flour ¾ tsp salt

½ lb tomatoes ½ tsp garlic/ginger paste

Grated Cheddar Cheese OR a blend of half Cheddar and half Mozzarella Cheese

Cut up the tomatoes and boil with 2 cups of water till soft. Blend and strain. Heat oil and sauté the onion till soft. Add the blended tomatoes and all other ingredients EXCEPT the cheese. (Mix the flour with 1 Tbsp of water to avoid lumps). Cook for a few minutes.

Make the pancakes. It might get a little sticky but do not let the breakage discourage you. This won’t show. Cook till brown on both sides. As each pancake gets ready, put on a plate and place about 2 Tbsp of the filling in the center. Roll up and put the better side facing up, in an ovenproof dish. You should get around 5 enchiladas. Pour the tomato sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in a hot oven at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, till the cheese is completely melted.

SYRUPLESS MONTHAAR

Demonstrated by: Fizzabai Karim

Ingredients:

1 lb gram flour (Channa Atta)

1 lb ghee

¾ lb sugar

½ cup fresh milk

½ cup carnation milk

½ tsp saffron

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cardamom

1 oz. crushed almonds

1 oz. crushed pistachios

Method:

Mix together carnation milk and saffron in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and sauté the flour in it, stirring continuously till it is pale brown in color. Add fresh milk and cook, stirring all the time. The flour will now look crumbly. Continue to cook till the mixture becomes brown in color and is fragrant.

Now add the sugar, cardamom, nutmeg and saffron milk (set aside earlier). Mix the ingredients well and turn off the heat. When all the ingredients are well-combined, pour the mixture into a tray and smooth out the surface. Sprinkle almonds and pistachios all over and set aside to cool.

When the Monthaar is slightly cool but firm enough, cut into squares or diamonds and allow to cool completely.

Store Monthaar pieces in an air-tight container.

SPINACH PATRA
Demonstrated by: AminaBai Jaffer

Ingredients for Patra:

1 cup (full) gram flour

½ bunch fresh spinach cut into small pieces

5 - 6 crushed green chilies

¼ tsp crushed garlic

Juice of one lemon

Salt (to taste)

¼ tsp haldi (turmeric)

2 Tbsp oil

Red chili powder (optional)

Ingredients for Wagaar:

Oil, raay (mustard seeds), tul (sesame seeds) and a few leaves of limbdo (curry leaves)

Method:

Mix all ingredients together with water to make a soft consistency (like making bhajiya).

Pour mixture into a greased pan or round tray and steam (like Dhokra) for 15 - 20 minutes. When done, allow to cool and then cut into pieces. Place these Patra pieces on a serving plate or in a bowl and set aside.

Wagaar:

Heat some oil in a pan and add limbdo, raay, and tul to it. When they stop spluttering, pour this over the Patra.

Enjoy!

SAFEERA

Demonstrated by: ZainabBai Bashir (Jetha)

Ingredients for Pastry: Ingredients for Kebabs:
4 cups flour 1 lb ground meat (kheema)
2 tsp yeast 1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter 1 small tomato, diced
1 Tbsp oil 1 Tbsp oil
Salt to taste ½ tsp garlic
Enough water to bind the dough salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 slices bread, soaked &squeezed
Red chili powder, to taste (optional)
minced Pili Pili Zairewa to taste OR habanera pepper (optional)

Method:

Mix together flour, yeast, salt and butter and bind a pliable dough using enough water. Set the dough aside to rise for ½ hour. When risen, add the oil to the dough and knead again. Let it rise for another 20 minutes.

While the dough is rising, prepare the mixture for Kebabs. Mix all ingredients together and form small Kebabs using this mixture.

After the dough has risen the second time, divide it into small balls and roll each ball into small rounds (like Pooris). Place a Kebab (raw) in the center of each rolled circle of dough. Pinch four sides of each circle from the edge to the center where the Kebab is, so that the result looks like a flower (see diagrams below).

Rolled dough Kebab Pinch

Place the prepared “flowers” (or Safeeras) on a greased tray and bake at 350 degrees till golden brown.

HOT POTATO SOUP
Prepared by: Zarina Alloo

This is a very flavorful soup that goes well with sourdough bread. If you find it too hot, cut down on the red pepper flakes. If you wish, this soup can be made with skim milk, non-fat sour cream or yogurt and/or defatted stock.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups cabbage, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste)
1 small onion, minced
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper (white or black) to taste
2 to 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
sliced red bell pepper (for garnish)

Method:
In a large pot, heat the oil and saute onions and celery until translucent. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add potatoes, cabbage, red pepper flakes and stock and combine the ingredients. The stock should be sufficient to just cover the vegetables but the exact amount will depend upon the size of potatoes used. Add salt and bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Remove 2 cups of the soup from the pot and place in food processor container. Give it a few whirls then add sour cream and milk. Puree further. Pour it back into the pot containing the soup and heat through (do not boil). The idea is to have partially blended soup with chunks of vegetables in it. Add black (or white) pepper to taste.

Serve with a garnish of sliced red bell pepper.
"I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play, each time with a variation" - Madame Benoit

BORSCHT
Prepared by: Zarina Alloo

Soups are always a welcome sight on a menu during the cold winter months. When the weather outside is cold, warm yourself with a bowlful of this popular Russian soup that is healthy, hearty and pleasant to the eye due to its pretty-red color. Borscht could be served as a whole meal by itself accompanied by an assortment of breads/rolls of your choice OR as part of a full-course meal.

Ingredients:
4 medium beets
2 cups cabbage
1 cup carrots
2 stalks celery
1 ½ cups leeks
1 ½ cups onions
8 oz beef (can use bones if you like)
4 cups beef stock
¼ cup butter
¼ cup tomato puree
1 Tbsp vinegar
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 small sprig fresh dill (for garnish)
1 ½ cups sour cream (for garnish)

Method:
Peel and cut 2 beets into 2" long by ¼" thick julienne. Cut beef into 1" julienne. Cut cabbage, carrots, leeks and onions into large julienne and celery into slices. Melt the butter in a large saucepan (Dutch oven). Add beef (and bones if using) and brown it for a few minutes.

Add the carrots, celery, leeks, onions and salt. Cook with the lid on for 5 minutes (this is known as sweating the vegetables). Remove the lid and add beets and cabbage and continue to sweat for about 7 more minutes. Add the stock & tomato puree and bring the Borscht to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is cooked.

Peel and grate the remaining 2 beets finely. Place in a bowl and add vinegar, a pinch of salt and enough water to cover. This process will "bleed" the beets and give the Borscht a bright red color. When the soup is cooked, add the strained juice from the beets. Discard the beet pulp left behind (see my notes). Adjust seasonings.

Serve with a garnish of sour cream and fresh, chopped dill.

Notes & Variations:

Measure the vegetables after cutting them first. Instead of cutting beef and the vegetables into julienne (thin, long strips), just chop them up into small cubes if you wish.

I normally cut the beef into large chunks and par-boil them in plenty of water with some salt, garlic & ginger. I then cut the beef into juliennes or small cubes and use the water in which the beef was par-boiled as stock for the soup recipe. This cuts down on the total cooking time and the garlic & ginger give a wonderful aroma to the Borscht. You can use chicken instead of beef in the soup. I have even made Borscht without any meat or chicken for a vegetarian version and it tastes equally good!

I like to save a little of the strained residue of grated beets once they have been "bled" and their juice used for soup. I sprinkle some of this beet pulp over the Borscht when eating it. Yum!

COLD SHRIMP SOUP
Prepared by: Fatema Somji

Ingredients:
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
Juice of 1/2 lemon or 2 Tbsp vinegar
1 cup water
4 Tbsp sugar
a dash of salt
Mix all ingredients well to make juice. (This will be your basic soup.)

Method:
In a pan, boil about 15 small or 10 big prawns (shrimps) with about 1 1/4 cups water and a dash of salt. Boil for about 3 to 4 minutes. Cut up the cooked shrimps into small pieces (or shred). Mix the shrimps along with the water into the orange juice/soup.

Add the following ingredients to the soup:
Chillies, chopped really fine (1 habanera tastes good too!)
2 Tbsp finely chopped onions
To add color, you can chop colored bell peppers and spring onions
Mix and refrigerate the soup for at least 24 hours for best results.

"Omit and substitute! That’s how recipes should be written. Please don’t ever get so hung up on published recipes that you forget that you can omit and substitute!" - Jeff Smith (the Frugal Gourmet)

Cream of Broccoli - Mushroom Soup
Prepared by: Shamim Sabur

Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped or diced
6 – 7 Tbsp butter (or margarine)
2 ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
2 cups whole milk OR 1 cup whipping cream PLUS 1 cup Half & Half -- warm
4 cups vegetable or meat or chicken broth, warm
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup sliced mushrooms or diced green peppers (optional)
½ - ¾ cup flour
¼ tsp thyme
½ tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp allspice

Method:
In a large pot, melt the butter. Add broccoli, onion and thyme; sauté until the broccoli is almost tender. Add the flour and salt and cook on low heat for about 7 - 10 minutes, stirring often. Add allspice, white pepper and broth and cook on medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.

If you prefer, you can puree the soup in a blender, in small batches. Add the warmed milk (or Half & Half plus whipping cream if using these).

Saute the mushrooms (or green peppers, if using) in a little oil. Use this and cheese to garnish the soup and serve.

"Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts. But to cook well, one must love and respect food." - Craig Clairborne

Noodle Soup
Prepared by: Zeenat Jaffer

Ingredients:
1: Carrot, grated
½ cup: Spring Onions
¼ cup: Green Peppers, diced
¾ cup: Chicken, boiled and shredded
3 cups: Chicken stock
¾ cup: Macaroni, boiled
¾ cup: Milk
1 Tbsp: Butter
½ Tbsp: White flour
½ tsp: Oregano
To taste: Salt & Pepper
Optional: Little Tabasco Sauce for flavor

Method:
1. Boil chicken and macaroni in water, salt, pepper, and garlic.

2. Take butter in a saucepan; add spring onions and carrots. Then add green pepper, little bit of chicken stock, and garlic. After it’s mixed, add flour.

3. Stir for 1-2 minutes; then add rest of the chicken stock.

4. Add macaroni, chicken, and Tabasco sauce (if using).

5. Put in milk, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

6. Add pepper and oregano. If the soup is too thick, add water to thin it down.

Mmmm Good!!!

"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort" - Norman Kolpas

Chicken Corn Soup

Prepared by: Kaniz Najfii

Serves: 10 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 piece of chicken breast
2 wings or neck bone of chicken (optional)
5 black peppercorns
¼ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp minced ginger
1 tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
3 cans Cream of Corn
2 cans water (use the can from Cream of Corn)
1 egg
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Method:

1. Cut the chicken breast into very small pieces. Put in a medium saucepan, add
2. ginger, garlic, salt, peppercorns, water and chicken wings or neck bones if using. Boil for 10 minutes.Add cream of corn, black pepper and soy sauce and continue to boil for 5 more
3. minutes.Beat the egg and slowly add to the boiling soup – this will form as white strips. Let
4. it simmer for 5 minutes.Serve the soup with any kind of bread and hot sauce if craving!

"Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like
and let the food fight it out inside." - Mark Twain

Carrot Soup

Prepared by: Zarina Alloo

Ingredients:
3 cups peeled and coarsely chopped carrots
1 small onion, diced
4 - 6 Tbsp butter
3 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups heavy cream or milk
1 tsp minced or finely diced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic (optional)
1/2 tsp grated orange peel (optional)
1 tsp Sambal or Thai Chili Paste (or to taste) – you can omit this if you like
Salt and pepper to taste (if possible, use freshly ground, white pepper)

Method:
Melt butter in a large pot and sauté onions in it for 5 minutes until transparent. Add carrots, garlic (if using), ginger and salt, give it a stir and cover the pot. Cook on medium heat for 5 - 7 more minutes or until the carrots give off their aroma and juices (this is process is called "sweating" the carrots). Take the lid off and add chicken stock, stir and cook covered for another 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Add chili paste, pepper and orange peel (if using). Puree the soup in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. Add cream (or milk) and heat the soup but do NOT allow to boil. Remove from heat just before it boils. Serve, garnished with ingredients of your choice accompanied by garlic bread/toast or crackers of your choice.

Garnishes:

Thinly sliced ginger sticks Thinly sliced orange peel, boiled Sliced scallions or onions Plain yogurt or crème fraiche Little orange juice Chopped cilantro or parsley

Notes:
To make a heart-healthy carrot soup, omit butter and use 3 Tbsp olive oil.

Also, use skim or 2% milk instead of heavy cream or whole milk. Instead of Sambal, you can use diced red or green chilies or even red pepper flakes.

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." - La Rochefoucauld

Thai Chicken Soup

Prepared by: Zarina Alloo

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 - 3 fresh red chilies, chopped (or to taste)
1 large leek, white part only, thinly sliced
2 - 3 cups chicken stock
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
4 kaffir (lime) leaves or 1-inch piece of lime rind
1 cup frozen green peas
2 Tbsp peanuts
Chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) for garnish
Chopped green chilies for garnish
(Most ingredients are available in Asian specialty shops or some supermarkets.)

Method:
Heat the oil in a large pot over moderate heat and saute the chilies, peanuts and garlic for a minute. Add the leek and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, fish sauce, lemongrass, ginger, sugar, and kaffir leaves (or lime rind) and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the frozen peas and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro and chopped green chilies. Serves 4 to 6.

The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star. - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

SEEKH KABOBS
Contributed by: Fatema Somji

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
salt & pepper (to taste)
1 egg
4 slices of bread (preferably stale bread)
¾ tsp each of minced garlic and ginger
Chopped cilantro and mint leaves to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients well and shape into long-shaped kebabs. Broil till done. Do not over- cook to avoid dryness.

In a saucepan, heat a little oil. Add 1 tsp of garlic paste and ½ tsp of pepper. Let it fry but not burn. Add about a cup of crushed tomatoes and salt to taste. Taste and adjust according to taste. When well-fried, add the pre-cooked Kebabs and smoke* with a piece of charcoal for added taste.

Serve Seekh Kebabs on a bed of chopped salad and sprinkle tamarind chutney on it.

* To "smoke" any food, lay a small piece of foil inside the pan which holds the food. Place ½ briquette of burning charcoal on the foil. Have the lid of the pan ready. Pour 1 tsp oil directly on the hot charcoal and quickly cover with the lid. This adds barbeque smell to the food without having to really bbq it!

SPRING ROLLS
By ZainabBai Hirji

This recipe yields 20 Spring Rolls. You need 2 sheets of spring roll pastry to make 1 spring roll (so you will need twice as many pastry sheets -- in this case, 40 sheets.)

Ingredients:
40 sheets of Spring Roll Pastry (use medium-size)
1 (large) chicken breast (2 halves)
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 small cabbage, cut into long, thin strips
1/2 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut into long, thin strips
1/2 green capsicum (bell pepper), cut into long, thin strips
1/2 yellow capsicum (bell pepper), cut into long, thin strips
1 bunch cilantro (kothmiri), washed and finely chopped (including the branches)
1 large red onion, sliced lengthwise
1 bunch spring (green) onions, cut into half, lengthwise
1 Tbsp each, of any hot chili sauce (e.g. Encona, Tabasco, Matouks, Nandos, etc…)
1 Tbsp sweet & sour sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
10 green, hot chilies, slit lengthwise
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp butter
Oil for deep-frying

Method:
Skin, wash and marinate (overnight in the refrigerator), the chicken breast in 1 cup soy sauce, garlic, ginger, all the sauces, red pepper flakes, vinegar and lemon juice.

Next day, heat the wok on high and sear just the chicken breast (without the marinade juices) for about 3-4 minutes. Turn it over and sear/cook the other side for a few minutes till the chicken breast is white on both sides and has hardened up a little. Pour the liquid left over from the marinade into the wok with chicken breast and stir. Cover and simmer on low heat till it is cooked through -- about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, turn on the heat to high and stir continuously to allow the liquid to evaporate. Caution:

Do not let the chicken dry out completely; it should be slightly wet (but no liquid left).

Remove the wok from the heat, place the chicken in a bowl or plate to cool; then shred into long strips. Set aside.

In the same wok that you cooked the chicken in, stir-fry (without using oil) the carrots, capsicums, onions, ketchup and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes then add shredded chicken and combine the mixture. Remove from heat.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and black pepper. Add shredded cabbage to this and stir-fry on high heat for 3 - 4 minutes, till the cabbage is limp and translucent. Remove from heat and add the chicken mixture, sugar and cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasonings (salt, chili etc…) If you need to add more lemon, do NOT use lemon juice at this point; just add some lemon salts (otherwise the mixture will get too wet).

Cool the mixture and use to fill spring roll pastry (2 pastry sheets for one spring roll). Use a thin paste of white flour and water as "glue" to stick the pastry together.

Deep-fry the Spring Rolls till golden brown.

Serve hot with chutney or dip of your choice.

SAMOSAS
By ZainabBai Hirji..

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (kheema)
1/2 lb onions (about 3-4 medium), finely chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp chopped green chilies
2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 Tbsp garam masala
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro (kothmiri) OR as per your preference
Oil for frying.

Method:
Wash the ground beef and drain. Put it in a saucepan and place the pan on medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, chilies, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook stirring all the time, breaking up the meat. When the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is dry, add the chopped onions. Quickly remove the saucepan from heat and add garam masala. Stir to combine, adjust seasonings and set the mixture aside to cool.

When the mixture is almost cold, add chopped cilantro and mix it in. Allow mixture (filling) to cool completely.

Use the filling for making Samosas. Method for folding Samosas will be demonstrated in class.

Deep-fry Samosas in oil over low to medium heat till golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Serve hot with chutneys or your choice or simply with wedges of lemon.