Saturday 20 / April / 2024
CRISPY POTATO BALLS
Quick to make and savoury, these potato balls are the best appetisers to serve on Eid.
Ingredients
• 2 cup potatoes (boiled, peeled and finely shredded)
• 3tbsp corn starch
• Salt and pepper as per taste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2tsp oil
Preparation
• In a bowl mix potato, corn starch,
and salt.
• Add garlic powder and oregano and mix well.
• Divide the dough into 16 balls by rolling them between your palms greased with oil.
• Heat oil in a frying pan on
medium heat.
• Drop the potato balls slowly
and gently.
• Fry the potato balls until they turn golden brown, turning them occasionally.
• Serve hot with marinara sauce or ketchup.
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TASHREEB AL DAJAJ
An Iraqi delight of chicken and chickpeas that will wow your guests.
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 kg whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 medium tomatoes peeled and pureed
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 dried limes
• 2 cubes chicken stock
• 3 cups water
• 2 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1 cup canned chickpeas
Preparation
• Heat vegetable oil in a pan, add chicken pieces and fry till the chicken changes to golden brown for about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and mix.
• Add tomato pureed, garlic cloves, dried lime, chicken stock cubes, onion and water. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes over a low heat.
• Add potato and chickpeas and simmer for 20 minutes till chicken is cooked and the potato softened. Serve hot on bread.
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SHAHI TUKDA WITH RABRI
A Royal Indian dessert of bread soaked in aromatic creamy sweet thickened milk (rabri) and garnished with dry fruits.
Ingredients
• 4 slices large white bread
• (edges trimmed off)
• Ghee for deep-frying
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup thick cream
• Cardamom powder- pinch
For rabri
• 5 cups milk, full cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
For garnishing
• 2tbsp almonds, slivered
• 2tbsp pistachios-slivered
• Few saffron strands
Preparation
For the rabri
Boil milk in a wide, heavy-based pot.
Add sugar and simmer over low heat.
Once the cream layer is formed, push it away from the sides towards the centre, stir the milk below gently to avoid burning.
Repeat the process till one-third of the volume of milk is left.
When done, the colour changes and the cream that was pushed aside, collects in layers. Remove from heat. When cool, transfer to a dish.
For the Shahi Tukda
• Cut the bread slices into half and deep fry in hot ghee, till crisp.
• Dissolve the sugar in the milk and bring to a boil, and keep aside till cool.
• Dip the bread in the milk and sugar solution, and arrange the pieces in a serving dish, in one layer.
• Sprinkle the cardamom powder in to the prepared rabri and spoon it over the bread slices coating all.
• Spoon the cream over the centre
of each slice.
• Garnish with almonds, pistachios and the saffron strands.
• Refrigerate and serve cold.
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LEBANESE SPICED RICE
This unique combination of rice and vermicelli with a dash of cinnamon is a must try.
Ingredients
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1/2 cup vermicelli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt as per taste
• Pinch of cinnamon
Preparation
• Soak rice with water for 20 minutes.
• Drain well and set aside.
• In a pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add vermicelli and saute, stirring frequently until all the vermicelli is a golden brown colour.
• Transfer the rice over the cooked vermicelli, and stir to combine and coat the rice with olive oil.
• Season with salt and cinnamon.
• Add 4 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes.
• When the rice is fully cooked, remove from the heat and allow to cool and fluff with fork before serving.
• Serve warm with fresh parsley, and toasted nuts, if desired.
Oneza Tabish is a food blogger, consultant, and columnist based in Oman. She is also the owner of Oman’s popular Facebook group ‘What’s Cooking Oman.’
