Cashew Rasin Crisps

Ing for Cashew Rasin Crisps:
250gm milk chocolate, melted
50gm cashew nuts, roasted, cooled and chopped 
50gm raisins
25gm crunch or praline 
(Crunch : Melt 25gm sugar, till it turns brown. Quickly remove on a greased lid and spread. When cool, crush lightly. Refrigerate till using).

Method:
In the melted chocolate add raisins and cashews. 
Add crunch. 
Mix well. 
Pour the mixture in moulds or petit four cases. 
Refrigerate. 
Makes 24.

Cashew Rasin Crisps by Zarnak Sidhwa

Surprise Brownies

Ing for Surprise Brownies:
200gm cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla essence
9 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
100 gm butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder
100gm self raising flour
50gm walnuts, chopped

For the Frosting :
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp milk
100gm icing sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
halved walnuts to decorate

Method :
Beat cream cheese, essence and 2 ½ tbsp of caster sugar. 
Set aside.
Beat eggs and remaining sugar till light and fluffy. 
Heat butter and cocoa gently. 
Cool slightly and add in the eggs and fold in flour and nuts. 
Pour half of the brownie mixture into a greased 8” tin and carefully spread the cream cheese mixture onto it. 
Cover with remaining mixture. 
Bake at 180° for 40 minutes. 
Cool in tin atleast 6 hours. 

To make frosting:
Melt butter add milk, cocoa and sugar. 
Spread over the brownies and decorate with halved walnuts.
Makes 16.

Note:
For self raising flour: 
Add a tsp of baking powder to 1 cup of flour and sieve well before using.
For cream cheese: 
Use Happy Cow or Philadelphia cream cheese available in tubs as the rest of the available brands are quite saltish. 

Surprise Brownies by Zarnak Sidhwa

S'Mores

Ingredients
1 ½ cups digestive biscuit crumbs
100 gms butter (melted)
Topping:
1 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking tray with aluminium foil.

Stir together the biscuit crumbs and melted butter and stir until all the crumbs are moistened. 

Press this mixture firmly onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and evenly sprinkle with the chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the marshmallows are soft, lightly golden, and starting to meld together.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, lift the squares from the pan by holding the edges of the foil. 

Cut into squares and serve.

Lebanese Kebab

Ingredients:
Beef Boti 250 gms
ginger garlic paste
salt and pepper to taste
Sugar 1/4 teaspoon
Soya Sauce: 5 tbsp
Red chili flakes 1 tsp
Potato 2, medium boiled and mashed
Spaghetti 1/4 cup boiled
Egg beaten 1 to 2
Bread Crumbs
1 cup
Oil for deep frying

Method:

Boil the beef boti, in garlic/ginger paste, salt, black pepper powder, sugar and soya sauce.

Boil till the meat is thoroughly cooked and shred the meat and set aside.

Now add mashed potato in the shredded meat and mix well.

Now add the boiled spaghetti and combine all the 3 things well. 

Shape into cutlets.
Beat egg with a pinch of salt n black pepper in a bowl. 

In a plate, put bread crumbs. 

Dip these Kebabs in egg and then coat them well with bread crumbs. 

Heat oil in a deep wok and deep fry them on medium flame till golden brown. 

Serve hot with ketchup.

Greek Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
Greek yogurt 8 oz
Fruit cocktail with
Pineapple ½ cup
Bananas ½ cup
Cherries a few
Leeches ¼ cup
Mangoes ½ cup
Sugar or honey 1 to 2 tbsp
Almond extracts ¼ tsp
Mint leaves for decoration

Directions

Whip the yogurt with sugar or honey and almond extract.

Mix with fruits and stir well to coat fruits thoroughly.

Serve with mint sprigs.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients for Pasta Salad:    

Apples diced 1 

Walnuts chopped ½ cup (optional) 

Potatoes diced 2 

Raisins ½ cup 

Carrots diced 1 

Capsicum diced 1 

Macaroni 1 cup boiled 

Greek yogurt ½ cup 

Mayonnaise ½ cup 

Salt to taste 

Black pepper to taste 

Sugar 1/4 tsp 

Method: 

Whisk the mayo along with the yogurt, salt, white and black pepper and sugar until well mixed.

Now put all vegetables, raisins and walnuts in a bowl along with the apple.

Pour over the salad dressing and mix well to combine. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Chicken, Potato and Mayo Cutlets

Ingredients:
Chicken boneless 150 gm
Potatoes boiled 2
Green chilies chopped 2
Fresh bread crumbs 4 slices
Mustard paste 2 tsp
Mayonnaise 2 tbsp
Red chili powder ½ tsp
Vinegar 2 tbsp
Soya sauce 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander 2 tbsp
Corn flour (optional)
Oil to fry
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Boil the chicken and cook it with red chili powder, soya sauce, mustard paste, salt and ½ cup water till the chicken is tender.

When the mixture is cool and adds chopped green chilies, fresh coriander, boiled potatoes and mayonnaise.

Make cutlets of the mixture. 

If the mixture is too soft add a little corn flour.

Make a paste with flour and water as required. 

Dip cutlets in paste and coat with fresh bread crumbs. 

Deep fry in hot oil till its color turn to golden brown.

Chicken On Fire

Ingredients:
Thinly sliced chicken breast fillets 2
Fish sauce 2 tbsp
Salt/pepper to taste
Ginger/garlic paste 1 1/2 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
1 egg
2 tbsp flour
Chili sauce 2 tbsp
Soya sauce 2 tbsp
Brown sugar 1 tbs
Crushed chili 1 tbsp
Lemon half squeezed
Chicken skewers

Method:
Marinade the chicken in all these given ingredients
Soak the skewers in water for at-least half an hour so That they don't burn while grilling.
Put the chicken in skewers.
Heat the skillet add a little oil and grill these chicken skewers.
Serve hot with sauce.

Gujarati Aloo

Creamy Stuffed Dates

Ing :
10 oz dates, pitted
2 oz cream
4 oz chocolate
2 oz almonds, whole blanched

Method :
Boil cream. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stir till it melts. 
Let it cool and thicken. 
Put mixture in a piping bag and pipe in the cavity of the pitted date. 
Top with a whole blanched almond. 
Refrigerate and serve. 
Makes 48.

Creamy Stuffed Dates by Zarnak Sidhwa

Mocha Brownies

Ing for Mocha Brownies:
2 oz butter
4 oz chocolate, chopped
6 oz brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
3 oz plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
2 oz chopped walnuts

Method :
Melt chocolate and butter and set aside to cool. 
Beat sugar and eggs and fold in the chocolate mixture and cooled coffee. 
Fold in sifted flour and baking powder and walnuts. 
Pour in a greased and lined 8” square tin and bake at 180° for 25 minutes. 
Cool in tin and then remove from tin, peel off paper and cut in squares and serve.
Makes 16.

Mocha Brownies by Zarnak Sidhwa

White Choc & Orange Collettes

Ing for White Choc & Orange Collettes:
100 gm (4oz) white chocolate

Filling :
150gm orange-flavoured chocolate
2 tbsp icing sugar
150 ml (5 fl oz) cream

Method : 
Melt the white chocolate and spoon into 20 paper cases or foil petit four cases and using a brush spread well into the sides of the cases. 
Place upside down on a tray lined with greaseproof paper, to let the excess drain off. When set, carefully peel the paper cases and refrigerate. 

To make the filling:
Melt the orange-flavoured chocolate, mix with icing sugar and cream. 
Beat till smooth. 
Chill till mixture is smooth enough to pipe. 
Using a star nozzle, pipe a little into each case. 
Sprinkle orange rind and refrigerate.

White Choc & Orange Collettes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Sachertorte

Ing for Sachertorte:
150gm (5 oz) dark chocolate, melted
150gm (5 oz) unsalted butter, softened
125gm (4 oz) caster sugar (+ 2 tbsp)
3 eggs, separated
150gm (5 oz) flour, sifted

To decorate:
225gm (8 oz) apricot jam
125gm (4 oz) dark chocolate
125gm (4oz) unsalted butter
25 gm (1 oz) milk or white chocolate, to write

Method :
Beat butter and 4 oz sugar and add in the yolks one at a time. 
Stir in melted chocolate and fold in the flour. 
Whisk whites separately till stiff and add in the 2 tbsp sugar. 
Fold in the chocolate mixture, spoon in a greased and lined 9”cake tin. 
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 for 30 minutes. 
Cool on a wire rack. 
Overturn and split the cake into two. 
Heat the jam and sieve it to remove any fruity bits. 
Brush onto the first half and cover with the other cake. 
Leave to set for 30 minutes at room temperature. 

For the Topping:
Melt dark chocolate and butter for the topping, stir till choc is melted and cool. 
Pour over cake and spread with a palette knife to cover sides too. 
Melt the white or milk chocolate and pipe the word “Sacher” in the middle of the cake. 
Set at room temperature.

Note:
Use unsalted white butter from a local dairy.
Lurpak is an imported expensive brand for unsalted white butter.

Sachertorte by Zarnak Sidhwa