Monthly Archives: August 2013
Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak
As Ramadan leaves us, we pray that Allah accepts from us all the acts of worship that we have been diligently performing during this month, and may He give us the ability to maintain our determination and enthusiasm that He blessed us with – Ameen!
Prawn Breyani
Prawn Breyani
Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
500g Basmati rice
1 kg large prawns shelled and deveined
To marinate prawns:
1 cup yogurt
Juice of 1 lime/ lemon
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tablespoons garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
Salt to taste
To fry: 4 large onions sliced thinly (divided into 3 equal portions)
3 large tomatoes chopped finely
For dry masala/ spice mix:
2 tablespoons whole koljana/coriander seeds
1 tablespoons whole jeera/cumin seeds
1 tablespoon saunf/ aniseed/ fennel seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 pieces of cinnamon
5 cloves
5 green cardamom
10-12 black peppercorns
2 dry red chillies
For wet masala: 2 green chillies
1/2 cup fresh dhanya leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
3-4 tablespoons fresh chopped dhanya/coriander leaves
4-5 tablespoons cooking oil
Preparation:
Wash the rice. Soak it in warm water for 30 minutes.
Cook the rice till almost done. Drain remaining water (if any) and keep aside.
Marinate the prawns with the marinating ingredients.
Heat a flat pan on a medium heat and gently roast all ingredients mentioned under “For dry masala/ spice mix” till they start to become slightly darker and give off a faint aroma.
Now grind all the roasted ingredients to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder or use a mortal & pestle.
Grind the ingredients mentioned under “For wet masala”, to a smooth paste in a food processor.
Heat the cooking oil in a deep pan till hot and then fry 1 of the 3 portions of sliced onions till crispy and golden. When done, drain and remove from the oil and keep aside on paper towels to garnish breyani later.
In the same oil, add the remaining sliced onions and fry till soft. Now add the tomatoes and fry till soft.
Add all the dry and wet masala ingredients prepared earlier and fry till the oil begins to separate from the whole mix.
Now add the prawns and all the marinade to this spice mix. Stir and allow to cook till the prawns are done. Do not overcook as the prawns will get rubbery in texture. Season with salt if required.
Remove from heat.
Take a large, deep baking dish/ ovenproof dish (it MUST have its own cover) and grease lightly with cooking oil. Layer the rice and prawn as follows: rice – prawn – rice. End with a layer of rice.
Garnish with the crispy fried onions, chopped dhanya leaves. Cover the dish and seal tightly.
Bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes.
Arabian Breyani
Arabian Breyani
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons onion, choppel
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron or turmeric
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
1½ pounds boneless lamb, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked basmati rice, stirred with a pinch of saffron or turmeric
Garnish
2 tablespoons shredded or whole almonds
1 tablespoon golden raisins
1 hard-boiled egg, quartered
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne pepper and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Combine the onion mixture with the yogurt in the blender and puree until smooth. Set this mixture aside.
Heat the remaining butter and sauté the meat, a few pieces at a time, until golden on all sides. Season with the salt and pepper then add the yogurt mixture, cover the saucepan, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine the meat with the rice and smooth the mixture into a large baking dish. You may cover the mixture with foil and refrigerate until ready to serve or bake the mixture in a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 170C. Garnish before serving.
Chops Sosatie
Chops Sosatie
Chops Sosatie
1kg lamb chops
500g thinly slices onions
Marinade:
15ml crushed garlic
5 bay leaves
5 whole cloves
2ml dried thyme
5ml dried sage
20ml curry powder
60ml lemon juice or vinegar
45ml sugar
5ml salt (or too taste)
Marinated Chops Sosatie
Combine the marinade ingredients and marinade chops for at least 1 hour or longer if you have time. Transfer into a oven proof dish cover with sliced onions and cook, covered, with aluminium foil in a preheated oven (200C) for 50 – 60 minutes.
Ready For The Oven
Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed mixed vegetables.
Savoury / Dhanya Rice
Dhanya Rice
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked long grain rice or basmati rice
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cardamom pods
2 stick cinnamons
100g butter
1 teaspoon salt
Handful chopped dhanya
Method:
Parboil the rice until half cooked.
Pour into a colander, rinse, leave the rice in the colander whilst preparing the onions.
Heat your saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, melt, add the cardamom and stick cinnamon. Add the onions. Braise the onions until golden brown. Add the half cooked rice, salt and a cup of water. Heat the rice until warmed through. Add the dhanya, stir with a fork to loosen the grains and turn the heat off. Leave the sealed saucepan on the stove, the retained heat will complete the cooking process and any water left will be absorbed leaving you with fluffy and tender.
VARIATION:
Add a cup of mixed vegetables with the rice before steaming.
Add a tin of drained chick peas with the rice before steaming.
Mavrou
Mavrou
A Cape Malay traditional dish which is usually served at weddings, on Eid and other special occasions. Mavrou is a very colourful dish and is usually made with steak.
Mavrou
Ingredients:
1 kg cubed steak or goulash
10 ml salt
10 ml ground jeera (cumin)
15 ml ground koljana (coriander)
10 ml barishap (fennel seeds)
15 ml crushed red chillies
3 cloves
3 whole all spice
10 ml ground ginger
10 ml ground garlic
3 cardamom pods
3 cinnamon sticks
Few strands saffron (optional)
4 large onions, thinly sliced
Oil for braising onions
2 large tomatoes, grated
Method:
• Combine all spices and mix well with meat. Marinate for at least an hour.
• Heat oil in large pot and braise onions until soft and golden, adding water when necessary.
• Add meat and cook covered until soft, adding water when necessary.
• Serve with white or savoury rice decorated with boiled eggs cut into quarters.
VARIATION:
Served with steamed mix vegetables of peas.
Bread Rolls
Rolls
Makes about 10, depending on the size. This recipe can easily be doubled if you require more rolls.
Ingredients:
500g cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 packet (7g) instant yeast
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
25g sugar
1 egg
½ – ¾ cup warm milk
Method:
In a large bowl add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast.
In a separate bowl mix the egg, oil and yoghurt. Add to the flour.
Add the milk and mix thoroughly.
Knead the dough until smooth and the dough no longer stick to your hands.
Cover the bowl with plastic and leave to rise in a warm place until double in size.
Knock the dough down to let the air come out.
Divide the dough into 10 and form into shapes.
Place in a baking tray dusted with flour. Leave to rise for 10 minutes.
Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).
Bake in a preheated oven at 190C until light brown approx 25 – 30 minutes.
Tear & Share
I’ve used my basic rolls recipe for this, use small pieces of dough roll into a ball between your palms. Arrange in a round baking tray couple of centimetres apart to allow rising. Bake as usual and enjoy!
Plaited Rolls
Again I’ve used the basic recipe. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll to form three even ‘sausage’ shapes. Plait the three dough ‘sausages’ together to form a large loaf and place onto a lightly floured baking tray.
Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights - Salwaa Smith 
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