An Eid feast

On Wednesday Muslims worldwide will celebrate the religious festival of Eid-ul-Fitr . The day is observed by first attending mosque for Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, then families get together and share a delicious feast.

Traditionally, sawine is the sweet which is served, and this is enjoyed from as early as breakfast time in some homes. Today, it is served after the Eid prayers at many of the nation’s mosques.

Lunch is typically a wonderful assortment of eastern dishes shared with family and friends and desserts comprise irresistible Indian sweets.

Food with its all-round universal appeal knows no boundaries, on Wednesday we can all share in the beauty of this religious festival through the preparation and enjoyment of some of these appetising dishes.

Eid Mubarak!

Sawine

2 tbs unsalted butter

4 ozs vermicelli sawine

2 cups water

1 cinnamon stick

1½ cups evaporated milk

½ cup condensed milk

1 cup regular milk

½ cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp crushed cardamom pods

raisins and toasted almonds to garnish

Melt butter in a large frying pan, break the vermicelli and add to pan, turn frequently until the vermicelli is quite brown, remove.

Bring water to a boil add sugar and cinnamon stick, add vermicelli and cook until tender about 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile in a heavy saucepan place all the milk, add the spices and bring to a boil.

Combine sawine with milk and serve garnished with almonds and raisins.

Serves 6 to 8

Butter chicken

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes

1 tbs grated ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tbs white vinegar

¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup plain yoghurt

4 ozs butter

1 large onion, minced

4 cinnamon sticks (2 inches each in length)

6 cardamom pods, bruised

1 tsp salt

3 tsp paprika

2 tsp garam masala

½ cup evaporated milk or cream

Combine chicken with ginger, garlic, coriander, chilli powder, vinegar, tomato paste and yoghurt. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat butter in sauté pan, add onion, cinnamon, cardamom cook until onion is slightly browned.

Add chicken and stir and fry for a few minutes.

Add salt, paprika and stir well, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, of you need to add a little water.

Add garam masala.

Chicken should have a thick sauce, stir in evaporated milk and heat for a few minutes more.

Serve hot with basmati rice or roti.

Serves 4 to 6

Vegetable biryani

2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes, drained

1 tsp saffron threads, toasted and steeped in one cup warm water

3 onions, peeled

4 cloves garlic

1-inch piece ginger, chopped

2 tbs blanched and slivered almonds

3 tbs water

2 tbs cashew nuts

3 tbs raisins

4 to 6 tbs vegetable oil

1½ lbs mixed veg, carrots, cauliflower, potato etc

1 cup yoghurt

6 cloves

½ tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cardamom seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2-inch cinnamon stick

1⁄6 nutmeg

pinch cayenne

Thinly slice 2 onions, set aside.

Place one onion into a food pro or blender; add garlic, ginger and 2 tbs almonds.

And water, process to a paste.

Meanwhile heat some oil in a frying pan, fry cashews until golden, remove then fry raisins until they begin to pop, remove for garnish.

Now add some more oil and fry onion slices until dark brown and crisp, this will take a while.

Now, heat 2 tbs oil in a large sauté pan, or shallow pan, add garlic and ginger paste, stir and fry until medium brown in colour.

Add vegetables to pan and stir and combine, add yoghurt and some salt stir and fry.

Place cloves, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne into a spice mill, process to a fine powder.

Now add all this to the vegetables, add the rice and stir to coat well with spices.

Add 1 cup water with saffron threads and 1¼ cup additional water.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Check and fluff, stir in onions, and decorate with raisins and cashews.

Serves 8

Naan

2 cups baker’s flour or bread flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp dried yeast

½ tsp salt

⅔ cup warm water (105-115F)

1 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs plain yoghurt

2 tsp kalongi seed (black onion seed),optional

2 tbs melted butter or ghee

Place flour, sugar, dried yeast and salt into a large bowl.

Combine the water, oil and yoghurt, add to flour.

Mix well to form a ball of dough.

Knead for about 10 mins or more until dough is satiny and smooth.

Cover and let rest for one hour until doubled in volume.

Preheat tawa to highest temperature.

Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal pieces.

Roll the piece of dough into a tear-shaped naan, 10 inches in length and 5 inches in width.

Slap the naan onto the heated tawah for about 3 minutes, until puffed.

Turn over and leave for 30 secs, remove and keep warm in a towel. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with seeds if using.

Repeat for other naans.

Makes 6

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