In many a kitchen, a feeling of excitement prevails. The reason? EID! With just a few days to go before the blessed day of Eid, and many spending time in the kitchen in preparation of Eid, Bhabi’s Corner can lend a hand with some lovely Eid recipes this week…..courtesy of Irene Dasari. If you’re thinking sweet treats for Eid, there’s nothing much sweeter than burfee, the ultimate sweet treat…..or the lovely carrot coconut cake. The Bhabi’s Corner takes this opportunity to wish all our readers, who will be celebrating, a truly blessed Eid day!

Roast Chicken Pieces

1 kg chicken pieces
1 tbs lemon pepper
3 tbs chicken spice
1 tbs rustic garlic & herb spice 1 tbs aromat
2 tbs mayonnaise

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients & place in an oven suitable tray. It’s best to marinate for a few hours / overnight if you have time, but it can also be done immediately with great results.
2. Bake in a pre-heated oven in the middle shelf at 240°C for 15 mins. Pour out excess liquid (optional but recommended – can be used to make a gravy if like), reduce heat to 170°C and bake for a further half hour or until chicken is cooked through.
3. You can brush roasted chicken with a sauce of your choice when you take it out of the oven, if you like.
4. Bon appétit.

Chicken / Lamb Masala Breyani

Steam 4 peeled potatoes (quartered & coloured with a little food colouring) in microwave for 5 mins then lightly fry until crisp on the outside.
Par boil 3 cups rice of your choice. Boil 2 cups breyani dhall (masoor) or use 2 cans of brown lentils.
In a large pot, fry 2 large onions with 1 tsp each jeera & fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp freshly ground elachi and 2 cinnamon sticks in 2 tbs olive oil.
Place the ingredients below into the onions & spices in the pot and mix well to combine.

2 kg chicken / lamb pieces
2 teaspoons each of freshly roasted dhania seeds, jeera seeds, fennel seeds, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 4 cloves & 4 elachi (all ground)
1/4 tsp hing (used to eliminate the gaseous effects of foods like lentils, cabbage, etc.)
2 bay leaves, 1 tsp tumeric,
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste,
2 tbs chilli powder (to taste), 1 grated tomato
2 tbs mixed masala,
2 sprigs curry leaves,
10 peppercorns freshly & coarsely ground,
4 dried chillies
1 cup sour milk / buttermilk / yogurt
1 sachet tomato paste
Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight in fridge.
Cook for +-30 mins on medium high heat or until marinade has
reduced and thickened.
Mix in: 1 bunch of mint leaves (roughly chopped) & lentils. Spread a thin layer of par cooked rice at the base of an oven proof pot or large
oven tray. Top with the meat mix and cover with the remaining rice, a few blobs of butter and food colouring over the top. Add half tsp saffron mixed in 1 cup boiling water, cover pot / tray with foil and then the lid & bring to the boil. Reduce heat to the lowest and steam until rice is cooked through for -+ 1 hour or bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 1 hour. Do not mix the breyani. Serve the rice and meat mix as layers. Enjoy with raita.

Burfee

Makes +/- 24 depending on the size.
This recipe can be doubled for larger quantities.

250g klim milk powder, 1/4 cup fresh cream 3/4 cup milk and fresh cream mix (equal amounts of each)
3/4 cup icing sugar, 125g butter
+-1/4 tsp saffron / rose essence (its concentrated so be careful not to add too much)
Mix the first 2 ingredients together to fine bread crumb like texture and allow to dry for a few hours. Pulse in a food processor until fine and lump free. Mix in +-1 tsp freshly ground elachi and keep aside until needed.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a heavy based pot and bring to a slow boil. Allow to simmer on medium low heat for 8-10 minutes.
Add the klim mixture into the pot and stir well and fast until it comes away from the sides of the pot. Remove from stove at this point to prevent drying out.
Set in a greased shallow dish or once it cools slightly to the touch, roll into equal sized balls, push tightly into Malaysian moulds and press put onto a tray or clean surface.
I used fancy cake/biscuit decorations but almonds or any nuts of your choice can
be used instead, to decorate.

Carrot Coconut Cake

Beat together:

1&1/2 cup oil, 1 cup brown sugar 4 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla essence

Add:

2 cups self-raising flour, 4 cups grated carrots 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon powder
Half cup nuts of your choice
Mix well and then fold in grated carrots, half cup mixed walnuts & pecan nuts and half cup raisins.
Pour into a prepared baking dish & bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg cel for +-30 mins or until tooth pick comes out clean when cake is pierced. Ice once completely cool. 

Icing:

3-4 cups icing sugar mixed into a smooth icing with 125g butter or margarine (I use floro margarine – stays super soft and makes me feel a little more health conscious 🙂 and 2 Tbs coconut cream / full cream milk. Ice cake when cake is completely cooled. Roast 1/2 cup desiccated coconut + 1 handful of fresh coconut + 1/4 cup nuts of your choice in a hot pan until golden brown and sprinkle over icing when cooled.

Food for thought

“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” 
– Albert Einstein