Busboosa

Arabic by descent, this egg free sweet is rooted from Egypt. A typical dessert from the Nile. Abundantly available in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Iran and even Greece, each one in slight variations according to  the abundance of local produce; like the nuts and the rosewater and orange blossom.

Here is my variation of this delightful treat. This is a fool proof family recipe that I share. Be adventurous and try adding your favourite nuts and the essence you enjoy most.

A touch of saffron, some pistachios or walnuts perhaps? 

Moist and delicious

Busboosa

Beat with in an electric beater

1 cup yogurt

½ tsp salt

add in alternately

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup fine sugar

now add 2 cups semolina ~ preferably coarse and not fine.

Pour the whole mixture into a flat, buttered, pie plate. Spread the top with almonds and bake in a  preheated oven at 350F/180C till golden brown and quite firm. It will take about 50 minutes.

In the meantime prepare a simple sugar syrup mixing

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

Bring this to a boil, lower the heat and check for it to become sticky; aik tar no seero.
Check if it is correct by dipping a spoon into the syrup then hold it over the pan and allow the liquid to stream down. The final drops will be a longish slow drip wiry and thick. When perfect remove from the fire and add

1/2 cup salted butter

1 tsp of lemon juice

Mix it well and allow it to cool.

When the Busboosa  is ready to come out of the oven, turn the oven off. Immediately pour all of the sugar syrup, covering the surface all over, cover the Busboosa  with a plate or foil and leave inside the oven to soak for 10 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

For more recipes try my e-cookbook
Niloufer's Kitchen: Persian Fusion

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OSMWS74

For Parsi Food recipes click The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.

To download an e-book click https://read.amazon.com

Photo credit Sheriar Hirjikaka

Readers Comment
February 09th, 2015

Mehreen Uneeb My attempt! It's sooo yummy!

Like · Reply · 6 hours ago

Smoked Salmon Pizzetta

Pizzetta with smoked salmon 

Some days, one needs to prepare something special in a pinch. This recipe is simply divine and needs few ingredients. It tastes great and looks pretty. A great combination as we eat with our eyes first! 
With a variety of ingredients you can add to this plate, it is a versatile, quick and easy fix for friends and family. Served with a side of salad and a glass of chilled white wine, cin cin!

Garlic naan, goat cheese with chopped red peppers, onions, smoked salmon and chives

Pizzetta;  garlic naan, caramalised onion goat cheese, smoked salmon brushed with vodka chopped tomatoes and dill.

Ingredients
4 soft flat breads of your choice, flavoured with herbs or garlic
1 cup of soft goats cheese
1 cup of finely chopped caramelised onions
1 tomato finely diced
a few sprigs of chopped fresh dill
fresh cracked peppercorns

250 g / 8 oz  smoked salmon
Vodka to brush with
OR
fresh lemon juice to squeeze all over

Sliced red onion to garnish



Keep all the ingredients prepared at room temperature. 
Heat the flat bread in an oven or on a griddle. 
Sprinkle the goat cheese immediately. This allows it to melt down just enough to create a butter-like base. Then top with caramelised onions. 
Top these with slices of smoked salmon. Brush each one with the vodka or squeeze the lemon juice on them. 
Sprinkle them with the combined diced tomatoes and the fresh dill. 
Finally, crack the mixed peppercorns all over. 

Garnish with onions if desired. 

Eat immediately. 

Tips
Ready to eat caramelised onion goat cheese is available in some stores. 
Substitute sun-dried tomatoes for fresh ones if you prefer. 
Artichokes and olives are also a good combination to add. A drizzle of your favourite chipotle or alioli sauce is delicious. 
Feta is an alternative to goat cheese. If you have a choice, pick the less salty feta. 
Smoked salmon with vodka or dill is also often available. 
Use a softer flat bread like pita or naan.

To read about an ancient cuisine you can purchase my cookbooks called The World of Parsi Cooking; Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.  

For more fabulous recipes click
Niloufer's Kitchen: Winter  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2US0EK

Walnut Crumble Cake

Walnut Crumble Cake

It is magical, its easy and its quite small!
This said, it is such a tasty moist cake and always enjoyed. There is no icing on it and really rather simple. But almost a comfort food. With a cappuccino or a cuppa it is rather hard not to finish off in an hour or two!

Soft, moist and delicious, Walnut Crumble Cake

Magical Walnut Crumble

Step 1

Line and grease a  8 inch round pan.

Preheat oven to 350F/180C degrees

Step 2

Grind  in a food processor and keep aside

1 cup walnuts

3 tbsp  bread crumbs

¼ tsp salt

Step 3

Beat till light and airy , do not dry them out

3 egg whites

slowly adding

1/4 cup sugar

Step 4

Over a pot of boiling water, 

Beat with an electric beater until it doubles in volume and is a beautiful pale yellow in colour

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup salted butter

1/4 cup sugar

Add to this 1 tbsp  Baileys Irish cream

Now with a metal spoon assemble the cake,

Add all the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture in 3 batches

Then add the egg whites, folding it carefully in two batches.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes.

Tips
When it is done the cake will start to leave the sides of the pan.

Eat it warm, French Vanilla ice cream goes well with it if you like.
If you do not have Baileys, any creamy liquor like Kalhua, Tia Maria will be perfect.
Make sure the eggs are at room temperature otherwise they will not triple in volume nor whip like a meringue.
Always whip the egg whites first. The same beater whisk can then be used on the yolks. However used/dirty whisks do not beat egg whites!!
Only use a metal spoon to fold otherwise the volume will sink immediately.


For more delicious recipes click
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2US0EK
Niloufer's Kitchen : Winter

Moroccan Grilled Chicken Salad

An exclusive to Niloufer's Kitchen

Moroccan Grilled Chicken Salad

Grilled Moroccan Chicken thigh

Basic Moroccan flavours and a basic marinade make up this very easy to do boneless pieces of chicken. Grill it for best results or then cook in a hot oven if you prefer. Sprinkle with lemon juice, slice and eat them on its own or as a salad.

Marinate 4 pcs of chicken breast or thigh ( about 500gms/1lb) in:

1 tbsp of Harrissa paste

3 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

some salt

leave aside for 30- 40 minutes

Heat the bbq or the grill.

Cook the marinated chicken for 6-8 minutes on each side till cooked. Thighs will take double the time to cook as breast. 

Slice the grilled chicken and serve warm with a salad on the side or on its own.

Tips: 

You can marinate the chicken for 24 hours. 

Bring it to room temperature before cooking.

A superb variation of salad to serve with this chicken is available; click on the link in introduction.

To read about an ancient cuisine you can purchase my cookbooks called The World of Parsi Cooking; Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.  

Click the link below to get the recipe to make this amazing salad.
More ideas to use this chicken and many more recipes are available in my e-book
Niloufer's Kitchen : Moroccan Cuisine available on Amazon.com


Photo credit Sheeraz Wania

Cauliflower & Mixed Vegetable

Cauliflower Gajjar ni Subji | Cauliflower Carrot and Potato Stew

A mixed vegetable stew that is interchangeable with other root vegetables if preferred. Add parsnips, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes if desired, but the main flavour of this recipe comes from the mustard seed and curry patta tarko—a deliciously infused oil that is gently heated. Not to be confused with the traditional Parsi lagun nu Ishtu. Eaten with fresh warm rotlis, this dish is complemented by a lemon and date chutney on page xxx or the delicious tomato chutney on page xxx. 

   Serves 6                             

 

In a pan heat……

3 tbsp of oil

Fry till light brown, 2 medium sized finely chopped onions

 

Add to this pan and cook for a minute, constantly stirring,

2 sprigs of curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 ½ tsp garlic 

1 ½ tsp tsp ginger

3 green chillies

1 ½ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chillie powder

1 tsp salt

pinch of brown sugar

 

Add in and mix well, cover and cook till almost done

3 medium finely cut tomatoes

2 medium potatoes in cubes

1 cup water

then add

small florets of 1 small cauliflower head

4 green onions cut into 2 “ pcs

2 carrots in cubes

 

Cook for another 10 minutes after adding a good handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves.

There should be no water remaining and all of the vegetables should be cooked through.

Tips

 Alternatively prepare a tarko seperately in a teaspoon of oil, with the mustard seeds and curry leaves and add it at the end.

Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower head but save the hard base since it contains more healthy nutrients than the remainder of the veggie.

Cut it into smaller pieces to ensure consistent cooking. Maintain the crispness of the cauliflower. This preserves both the flavour and the nutrition. 

A cupful of fresh green peas will add sweetness and colour to this recipe. 

To make it creamy, substitute 1 cup of light coconut milk for the water. 

If you don't like it spicy, cut the chillies in half.

      

For more recipes from the Parsi Food repertoire read my cookbooks
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine and The World of Parsi Cooking Food Across Borders.

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala

Glazed Chicken

Chicken 1...2,...3  This chicken is all about building flavour, substitutes are easy to switch around. Cooking it in larger quantities is easy too. A dish the whole family can enjoy.  really simple.

Serves 6  Wash 1 kg / 2.2 lb of skinless chicken with bone in  The Marinade; Mix together 4 oz red wine 1 tbsp. mustard 1 inch freshly grated ginger 1 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp soya sauce 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar Put all the chicken in the marinade for a minimum of 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 170°C |  350°F. Roast uncovered for 60 minutes until cooked through. Turn once to avoid drying.  Rest for 10 minutes.  Marinate for up to 24 hours; covered and chilled. The chicken is best cooked at room temperature.  You can use half a cup of orange juice instead of red wine. If you have neither, use some chicken stock with 1 tbsp. Port Wine. Replace the rice wine vinegar with any other vinegar you have on hand. Instead of sugar, you may use honey, agave, or maple syrup.  If your chicken has a skin on, allow it to roast for 10 more minutes.  Use a dish where the chicken fits tightly. This keeps the pieces submerged in the marinade and steams them well. Place a parchment paper first in your glass dish to avoid scrubbing it later The chicken glaze served on a bed of egg noodles. For wonderful recipes on Parsi food and cooking click to buy the cookbook The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders  The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine. For more delicious recipes click Niloufer's Kitchen: Moroccan http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GP0CSBI Photo credit Sheriar Hirjikaka

Smoked Oyster Dip

Oyster and cream cheese dip 

Everyone needs to mix a couple of ingredients and hurry it up sometimes! Here's a dip that is delicious and takes less than 10 minutes in total.

                                                                               

Serves 12 

Cream cheese, 250 g (8 oz) tub
2 cans 80-100 g/ 4 oz of smoked oyster; the oil should be drained. 
Keep a spoonful of chopped oysters aside to coat the cheese roll.

In a bowl, mix the cheese with a large metal spoon till it looks whipped and smooth. Add the chopped seafood and gently fold it in. 
Transfer it to your serving bowl. 
Garnish it with the whole mussels and or oysters. 
Serve it with crackers. 

Tips

To keep it in the refrigerator, covered tightly with a plastic film. 
It is best served at room temperature. 
Alternate with one can of smoked mussels instead of oysters. 
Add a tbsp. of cream if you want to soften it further. 
Adding a couple of drops of tabasco will give it a bit of zing. 

Enjoy!

Click here to read more about my cookbook The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine and The World of Parsi Cooking Food Across Borders

Photo courtesy Sheriar Hirjikaka

Delicious Corn Chowder Soup

Corn Chowder

Soup is a lot like a family. 
Each ingredient enhances the others; 
each batch has its own characteristics; 
and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavour- Marge Kennedy

A hearty soup, takes minutes to put together.
It takes under 60 minutes from start to finish.

Serves 6

Melt in a soup pot
2 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
A pinch of brown sugar
3/4th tsp salt
1/4 cup smoked meat, finely chopped
Saute` this until it is lightly browned, which takes about 7 minutes. 
Add a medium potato, peeled and diced.

6 cups of milk, or you can use half stock or broth. 
1 1/2 cups of creamed corn from a can. 
1/4 teaspoon powdered white pepper 

Bring it to a boil, lower the flame, and cook for 40 minutes. Do not cover. Stir occasionally.
Once it is thick and the right consistency, give it a good mix and serve hot. 

Tips
The smoked meat can be anything your family generally likes to eat, any kind of bacon, chicken, turkey, or a favourite sausage etc. 

If you wish to keep this vegetarian  add mushrooms and just omit the meat and fish. It will be just as delicious.
The stock or broth will make the chowder "lighter." Substitute as little of it as you wish. 

White pepper is spicier than black pepper. Add a little at a time. 

Whole milk or 2% is preferable. However, it tastes superb with almond milk as well; omit the sugar mentioned in the recipe as almond milk is naturally sweet. 

Super delicious! 

To read about an ancient cuisine you can purchase my cookbooks called The World of Parsi Cooking; Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.  


For more soups click the link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GEH9PDQ
Niloufer's Kitchen: Soups