Ramadaan Mubaarak and Ma'amoul

Firstly, Ramadaan Mubarak to all Muslims around the world! May Allah make this month a blessing for us all, that we drawer closer to Him, seeking His Forgiveness and His Pleasure.

Today I have a rather quick recipe post, since I decided to make Ma'amoul ( for the first time) this morning. I don't yet know if it turned out any good. We fast for 20 hour here in Scotland, so I've still got another 9 hours to go before I can try them ;)
This is also usually made with semolina, which I did not have, hooray for using what is available to hand.


Ingredients
8oz Plain Flour
4oz Butter
3tbsp Water
2tsp Rose Water
7oz Date Paste

Optionals
Spices and/or nuts to add to the date paste (I used cinnamon, though cardamom as well as pistachios are often used)
Icing Sugar for dusting.

Add butter and flour to a bowl, rub together until it resembles bread crumbs

Add water and rose water and using a knife, mix until combined and a dough is formed.
If it become too sticky add more flour.
Cover and leave to rest for 30min.

In another bowl, sprinkle on your cinnamon if using

Squeeze paste together with fingers to ensure even distribution of cinnamon
*if you are not using any spices or nuts in your filling then you can just use the date paste straight from the packet, save on washing up, you know ;) 

Take a bit of dough (however big or small depending on  the size you want them) and roll into a ball

Flatten dough by pressing you palms together and add some date paste.
Fold the sides up and press together, gently roll back into a ball shape.

Now if you are cool, you'll have one of these nifty ma'amoul cookie presses and life will be incredibly easy for you people.
If you are no so cool, like myself, continue to spend the next hour of so hand pressing your desired design with a knife.

Place on a lightly greased tray and over loosely with foil
Bake in a preheated oven, (180C) for about 20-25min, removing foil half-way through cooking

Allow to cool completely, then dust with icing sugar if you so wish.
Enjoy! (Or fight with the temptation to try one for 9 hours ;) )

Read More

Chicken Filled Savoury Croissants

This recipe caught my eye some months ago, on a facebook page called Fauzia's Fun Kitchen. I have adapted her recipe to my preference and for a first time  recipe it turned out pretty good! I did learn that I absolutely suck a rolling croissants though, but practice can make for near perfection :)

The overall ingredients list is as follows
For the Dough (makes about 8 croissants)

2cups of plain flour
1tsp of salt
1tsp of sugar
1tbsp of dried active yeast*
quarter tsp of baking powder
3tbsp of softened butter
2tbsp of oil
SOMETHIGN OF WATER
*with this recipe I just followed the instructions on the back of my yeast package. I advise you adapt the recipe according to the instructions of your yeast for the best results.

For the Filling (fills about 8 croissants)

1 large boneless chicken breast, chopping in to very small pieces
1 whole bell pepper (or two halves, on red and one green), grated
half a small onion, grated
1 green chilli, chopped
1tbsp of sweetcorn
half tsp of garlic paste
half tsp of ground cumin
half tsp of garam masala
half a tsp of paprika
some chopped coriander, to taste
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
oil, for frying

Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder in to a large mixing bowl

Add 2tbsp of the butter and rub in until you get a fine crumb like consistency

Dissolve the sugar in a jug with 2 parts cold water, 1 part boiling water.
Add the yeast then whisk well

Leave in a warm place for about 15min until the top is covered in a froth. Whisk again.

Gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour mix, mixing with a spoon to begin with until is starts to combine

Once it starts to combine , use you hands to work the dough, keep adding more of the yeast mix until you get a slightly sticky dough.
If you find you use all your yeast mix and the dough is still not sticky enough, then keep adding some warmed milk until it it.

Rub some oil all over the dough, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for about 40min - 1hour.

Make your filling while you wait!

Ingredients

For the Filling (fills about 8 croissants)

1 large boneless chicken breast, chopping in to very small pieces
1 whole bell pepper (or two halves, on red and one green), grated
half a small onion, grated
1 green chilli, chopped
1tbsp of sweetcorn
half tsp of garlic paste
half tsp of ground cumin
half tsp of garam masala
half a tsp of paprika
some chopped coriander, to taste
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
oil, for frying
 

Fry your grated  bell peppers and onion in oil for around 5min

Add you chicken and brown

Add the sweetcorn, chilli, garlic paste and spices (garam masala, cumin, paprika salt and pepper). Cook until chicken is completely cooked

Add in you chopped coriander,  stir for another 1-2min until it becomes fragrant. Turn off the heat and squeeze over the juice of half a lemon and mix well.

Now you are read to make you croissants! I was rushed for time at this point, so I didn't manage to take pictures of each step. However, Fauzia has a wonderful step by step on her facebook page which you should just follow exactly! :) Just hit the next button for each step.                

Pop in the oven at about 175C for 12-15min and you are done!
You can also sprinkle these with different types of seeds, I went for sesame, for you pop them in the oven ;)
Enjoy!

Read More

British take on Ma'asoob (معصوب)

So this is no proper 'traditional' recipe, but just a British variant because I can't find any decent Middle Eastern bread to use for it. Alas, the bog standard loaf of wholemeal bread that was laying around would have to do! And I think it worked quite well, if I do say so myself.

EDIT: So I just found out from a friend that the bread usually used to make this is called 'fateerah' (فطيرة) and that it is actually the same as South Asian 'Parathas'. So if you can find either, use that! :)

Ingredients

2 Bananas
3 Slices of bread (wholemeal if you wanna be healthy)
Optionals:
Dates
Some extra thick spooning cream (Not single or double)
Runny Honey

In a Large bowl, mash up your banana

Add your chopped dates if using

Toast you bread until lightly golden brown, do not burn!

Crumble the toast into the bowl by squeezing and rubbing it in your hands

Mash it all up some more with the help of a potato masher

Add a large spoonful of cream if using

Mix it all up

Place in a microwavable dish and heat until hot, drizzle with honey (optional) and serve.
And do not be fooled by what looks like a very modest portion size, there is 3 slices of bread, 2 whole banana, 4 dates, cream and honey in the dish! ;)

Read More