kiya kaamil hame’n ik umr mein soz-e-mohabbat ne

huye ham aatish-e-gham se kebab aahista aahista

I was whole, after burning in love for a lifetime,

The fire of love, it grilled my heart like a kebab on slow fire

— Wahshat Raza Ali Kalkatvi

So what exactly are kebabs and how did they travel to India?

Since the discovery of fire, whole animals or chunks of meat were cooked on open fire. At some point in time, early men and women learnt to pierce pieces of meat with wooden sticks to prevent getting burnt — thus, grilled food was invented.

The popular seekh kebab originated in Central Asia and comes from the Turkish word shish kebab, which literally means “skewer” and “roast meat”.

Though they did not invent the shish kebab as Homer’s Odyssey refers to meat cooked on skewers in an open fire.

For the Central Asian nomad, cooking was not a luxury but a necessity. They would travel with meat pieces and mince, marinated in different spices to tenderise and flavour the meat and cook it in the evening when they camped. Since a lot of meat would be game unusual smells were also taken care of in the marinating process.

Mongol soldiers, too, carried on this practice keeping marinated meat in their saddlebags and cooking it easily and in quick time on fire, once they camped for the night. Since they travelled and conquered vast swathes of land, the shish kebab too travelled with them. This practical dish gave rise to exotic kebabs of many kinds.

kebabs came to India with the Delhi Sultans and were refined under the Nawabs of Awadh in Lucknow’s kitchens.

The 15th century Nimatnama of the Sultans of Mandu or The Sultan’s Book of delight containing recipes from the reign of Ghiyath Shah mentions many recipes for kebabs.

In a fish seekh kebab recipe, cooked fish mince is mixed with coarsely ground coriander and roasted fennel seeds. To this, we add potherbs and ebony fruit. The kebab is then wrapped in cotton and skewered. A mixture of camphor, musk and rosewater with ghee is rubbed on the skewered mince every hour. The recipe says, serve it when it’s red.

The Sultan’s recipe sounds quite mysterious for I have no idea how this worked as cotton would have got burnt on the skewers. However, as there is also no mention of coals, it is possible that the cooked mince was just lightly rubbed with the mixture and the cotton removed before serving the kebabs.

The book Awadh Symphony by Aslam Mahmood gives a detailed description of kebabs. He mentions a Persian book Sheeshagaran Vaghairah Wa Bayan-I Aalat-I Aanha (the Illustrated book about makers of Glassware etc and a description of their tools) by Ghulam Yahya — translated by Mehr Afshan Farooqi as Crafting Traditions: Documenting Trades and Crafts in Early 19th century India — which mentions many types of kebabs.

These are Dumpukht kebab — a small goat, skinned and with offal etc removed, stuffed with curd and spices, cooked over a slow fire in a copper vessel; fish kebab; kofta, pasanda (slivers of marinated meat cooked on charcoal fire); shami kebab; gilani kebab (served in a gravy of clotted cream); galawat ke kebab (raw marinated mince tenderised with green papaya paste and then fried); chicken kebab and shahpasand kebab (with egg white and spices added to it).

The shami kebab is said to have been invented for a Nawab sahib of Awadh by a Syrian (Shaam in Arabic) cook because the toothless nawab sahib found it difficult to chew meat.

Kofta was probably invented by a frugal soul who could not bear to see the wastage of meat pieces too small to be put on skewers. The word kofta originates from the Persian word kufta, meaning to beat or to grind.

There is an extremely elaborate version of kofta called Nargisi Kofta where a special kebab mix is wrapped around a boiled egg and fried.

The kofta is then cut carefully in half and because the white and yolk of the egg resemble the narcissus flower, it is called nargisi kofta. (Nargis is the Urdu name for narcissus flower.)

The Kakori kebab is said to have been invented by the rakabdar (chief chef) of the Nawab of Kakori, who had been taunted by a British officer over the rough texture of a seekh kebab. So, this kebab is made from a special cut from the leg of mutton and khoya added to it make it soft.

Most kebabs are very time consuming but the shami variety is simple and its paste can be made in bulk and frozen.

In the month of Ramzan, shaami kebabs are a very popular item on the table at the time of iftar (when the fast is broken at sunset).

Here’s a simple recipe that I learnt as a child and use even now.

Shami kebabs

Ingredients

For boiling

1. 1/2 kg mutton mince (Make sure you get mince without fat. Wash the mince and let it stay in a strainer so that all the excess water can drain off).

2. 1/2 cup chana dal.

3. 1/2 onion (medium size) chopped.

4. 1/2 ” ginger stick.

5. 1 onion chopped.

6. 1 badi elaichi (seeds only).

7. 3 pieces laung (cloves).

8. 1/2 tsp peppercorns.

9. ½ tsp cumin seeds.

10. 2 tez patta (bay leaves).

11. Whole red chilli (to taste).

12. Salt to taste.

To be added to the mince paste before grinding

1. ½ a onion sliced finely and fried.

2. 1 tsp grated dessicated coconut, lightly roasted on a dry frying pan.

Method

Put in all the ingredients, and bring them to boil with one-fourth cup of water.

Cook it for 10 minutes in the pressure cooker.

Once done, let it cool.

If there is some water left , open-cook it till dry. (If the paste is not thick enough, the kebabs will break.)

Grind to a paste in food processor.

Add finely chopped onions, green coriander and green chillies to the mix. I add ½ tsp chopped mint in summers as it gives it a fresh flavour.

Make kebab-shaped cutlets out of the mix and shallow fry.

The trick is to fry the kebabs on very slow heat and to add only dashes of oil at a time. With excess oil, the kebabs break.

Press down with a slotted spoon so that the kebab is evenly fried on all sides.

Take the ready kebabs out on a round flat dish and garnish with onion rings and mint leaves.

Serve them with chapatti or parantha and green chutney.

Green Chutney 1

I cup chopped green coriander leaves.

½ tsp garlic paste.

Few green chillies as per taste.

Salt to taste.

½ tsp lemon juice.

Grind into a fine paste the first four ingredients. When ready pour lemon juice and mix well.

Green Chutney 2

This is a summer special.

1 cup chopped mint leaves.

1 tbsp grated raw mango.

Few green chillies as per taste.

Salt to taste.

Grind everything to a fine paste, and savour it with kebabs.

Published on DailyO.in

Ramzan is the holiest of months according to Islam. It is in this month that the Prophet had the revelation: Allah proclaimed him the messenger and sent down the Quran or Holy Book.

When we were children these were magical days for everyone in the family would prepare for Ramzan weeks ahead as it was a month of piety and devotion. Also, fasting is far more fun when there are many involved. The discussions on food are endless and so are the preparations.

Today, social media is divided on whether it’s Ramzan or Ramadan and whether correct way is to wish anyone Ramzan Mubarak or Ramadan Karim. These are semantics. India was the land where Persian used to be the court language under the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals. Even the British had to learn Persian in order to administer properly.

Scholars knew Arabic and though it was part of the languages whose words were imbibed by Hindavi (modern day Urdu, henceforth called Urdu), it was overshadowed by the number of Persian words in it. Arabic alphabet has 28 letters, Persian has 32 and Urdu written in the Perso-Arabic script has 36 to accommodate the Indian sounds. The Urdu pronunciation naturally was also influenced by the Persian pronunciation and in Persian the Arabic letter “zwad” is pronounced as “z” and not “dw” as in Arabic.

Naturally, Indians also pronounced it as “z”, so we said Ramzan and not Ramadan.

However, with the opening of employment opportunities in the Gulf, Indian Muslims were exposed to Arabic and over the years the Arabic word Ramadan has been used by many.

It really doesn’t matter for we are not speaking in Arabic but Urdu where we call prayers which is “salah” in Arabic as namaz and the fast which is sawm in Arabic becomes roza in Urdu.

Whatever you call this month, the real purpose is to follow the spirit that is inherent in the faith.

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil.” (The Holy Quran, 2:183)

Ramzan is not just about fasting or staying hungry and thirsty for one month, but much more. This is the month for piety and devotion.

It’s main purpose is to learn self-control and strengthen will power. Ramzan is the month in which we have to guard against all temptations and evil.

A roza is not for the stomach alone, it’s for the tongue too: one must not utter anything harsh — in anger, malice, spite or cruelty.

Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (that is Allah will not accept his fasting).”

A roza is for the eyes: one must guard oneself from being attracted towards evil and to raise ones voice if one witnesses oppression.

A roza is for the body: one must not indulge in wrongful and illegal acts.

A roza is for the heart and the mind: to remain engrossed in remembrance of God and spirituality, and to increase one’s faith in God and remain steadfast.

Ramzan is the month for charity: for giving zakat and helping those who are needy.

However, Allah does not want the people who are fasting to be inconvenienced either and in case one is sick or travelling, one can make up for it later by fasting.

Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him”. (2:185)

If, as in my case, one can’t fast because of medical advice, one should offer the less privileged the meals that they would themselves have in the morning and evening, or give them the money to buy those meals with.

There are occasions when one thoughtlessly puts some food into one’s mouth. When it is unintentional, there is no need to curse oneself — just resolve to be more vigilant because as per the Hadith: “If one forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his siyam (fast), for it is Allah who has fed him and given him drink (Bukhari, Muslim).”

In this month, one sees a number of people sending iftar to mosques and calling people to their house for iftar, as the Hadith says:

He who provides for the breaking of the Siyam of another person earns the same merit as the one who was observing Siyam without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter (Tirmidhi).

The roza starts with suhoor or sehri as it’s known in India and that’s an important meal (to be had before dawn prayers). Anas related that Rasulullah said: “Take the Suhoor meal, for there is blessing in it (Bukhari, Muslim).”

This gives one energy to last through the day and it is important to have food which aids the slow release of nutrients throughout the day, such as dates and oats porridge. The fast should be broken with dates because of their nutrient value and natural sugar content. It aids the effect that the sudden intake of food has on an empty stomach.

That is why traditionally, one breaks the fast with dates and a milk-based drink or a light snack and then goes for prayer. The rest of the meal is had after that, when the stomach is again producing digestive juices.

It is also a month of detox, something we otherwise spend a lot of money on. But we must be careful not to indulge in very heavy, fried items when breaking the fast as they can have an adverse effect on the digestive system.

My favourite iftar item and a very popular one is ghughni or black gram salad:

Recipe (serves two)

Soak one cup of black gram, overnight

Ingredients:

½ an onion- sliced finely1-2 whole red chillies as per taste½ tsp of zeera (cumin seeds)salt to taste1 tbsp of oilwater

Method:

In a pressure cooker fry the onion slices, zeera and chilli till onion is golden brown.

Add the soaked gram and salt.

Add 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for 10 minutes

If there is excess water then dry it.

It is healthy, nutritious and tasty. For me, Ramzan is incomplete without it.

Published on DailyO.in

2 cups safed urad ( maash)

Soak for an hour.

Boil with extra water and salt, ginger stripes and keep removing foam from top. Till 3/4 done

Strain if there’s extra water.

Note: I don’t use garam masala I my cooking but for those who do add a bit of ground masala when it’s almost done.

At this stage jab dam par rakhna Hai add a couple of whole green chillies and a few mint leaves & garam masala .

Cover with a tight lid & let it steam on Sim.

The urad dal has to cooked to perfection – should be khushk like rice- too mushy.

Remove the adrak, mint leaves & green Chilli before serving. It should be plain white.

The baghar ( tad a) has to be sliced onions & whole red chili fried in copious amounts of ghee.

(Some is poured on top, rest kept aside to be poured on top.)

garnish with the beautifully fried crispy golden brown onions and ginger juliennes, a few mint leaves and green chili

Keep the extra ghee & fried onions to be put on individual plates.

https://youtu.be/kgaolSnCzlU

It can be made for iftar as well.

Subuhi Safvi came up with an oats Omlette

Ingredients & Method:

1/2 cup oats- ground to a fine powder in the mixing

Mix some water in it. Should be just runny enough to spread on tje frying pan but not too thin ( like a cheela or do a batter). Add salt to taste. Add a pinch of turmeric for colour.

Slice and caramelize onions with a bit of sugar

Chop capsicum ( yellow and red) & some spinach leaves

Spread it out on a frying pan

Top it with the capsicum and spinach leaves ( if you prefer you could lightly saute the capsicum before hand). Spread the caramelized onions & sprinkle grated cheese ( vegan used here)

Once it’s cooked flip over

And serve

1. Boiled potatoes -2-3

Finely chopped coriander leaves, green chilli and 1/2 tsp onions.

1/2 tsp roasted Cummin powdee

Khatai – amchoor – dried mango powder

Salt and red chili to taste

Peel potatoes add all ingredients and mash well. Salt should be last thing you add as mix will leave water.

Alternate mix:

You can stuff it with crushed paneer and peas instead of potatoes.

Or make it half paneer/ half potato mix

& add green boiled peas to it

2. 6 slices of bread ( edges trimmed)

Method:

1. Dip bread slice into slightly warm water and then lightly squeeze out water.

2. Keeping it in the palm of your hand fill potato mix in it and close the slice around it to form a roll.

3. Brush it with oil.

Bake either in an OTG / oven or air fryer.

Tasty and light snack for iftar

Serve with tomato ketchup

prepare half of it as for shami kabab 

http://ranasafvi.com/shaami-kabab/ 

The rest put into a blender. Add 1tsp khus khus , 1 sliced and fried onion, 1/2 tsp chopped ginger and salt and blend till well mixed

Now mix the 2 mince meat together

Boil 8 eggs till hard. Cool and peel.

Cover the eggs with the mince mix 

Dip the egg mince in beaten egg and shallow fry. 

Note when covering it make sure you roll it well so that it is smooth and won’t crack when frying. In case it does- I always test fry one- tie it up with thread. 

Shallow fry them all and set aside.

For gravy

Fry 2 onions golden brown and grind them.

Take 1cuo thick curds

1 tbsp dhania p

1 tbsp garlic paste

Chilli to taste 

Salt

Roast  all of above in oil till a nice aroma emanates and oil leaves the sides . Add water -1 cup

Cut the eggs into half lengthwise

It’s called nargisi because it resembles a narcissus. The term is also used to describe beautiful eyes and eggs cooked and cut like this resemble eyes.

Use very sharp knife. Pat back mince in place if dislodged.

Pour gravy into shallow bowl. Place the eggs one by one. You could put in microwave for a minute.

Let the gravy soak in for 5 min after that and serve.

Ready to serve 

Mutton – 1/2 kg

Curd (thick) 3/4 kg

Onions ( medium) -2 – sliced and fried golden brown – crushed by hand

Garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Cardamom big and small – 2 each

Stick of cinnamon

Zeera seeds  -1/2 tsp

1 tsp of garam masala powder

Besan – 1 tbsp

Saunf powder – 1 tbsp

Oil ( preferably ghee) – 3 tbsp

Method

Boil mutton with very little water. Add the garlic , salt and whole garam masala. When semi tender (usually 15-20 min depending on cut you use)

Heat the ghee add the curds ( which has been mixed well with Besan to prevent it from curdling)

Stir till curd reduces then add the crushed fried onion ( you can grind it coarsest).

Add the mutton, garam masala and saunf powder.

Bring it to boil and add the mutton soup.

Cool for 5 min on sim

Garnish with dried mint leaves

(Recipe courtesy Mrs Tasneem Haji)

1 large onion chopped 

1 tomato chopped (I’d peel it & then chop it – easiest way to peel is to make a deep cross on top of the tomato & zap in the microwave for 2 mins). 

1 tbs of ginger garlic paste

1 onion ground to a paste

1 tsp of dhania powder, lal mirch (can put less) & haldi

 salt (to taste)

1 tsp Garam masala
Garnish with hara dhania & add a dash of garam masala (extra) 
Aloo – maybe 2 cut up into large pieces so just halved. 
Add oil to the Pressure cooker, heat & when hot: 
1. Add chopped onion. Fry onion, when golden add ground ginger & garlic paste, Haldi mirch, dhania powder and the ground onion. Fry till fragrant. Keep adding sprinkles of water if it looks like it’s going to burn. 

2. Add 1 chopped tomato. Keep bhunoing for 15 min. Add dashes of water to prevent burning. These 2 steps are the hard bits – need elbow grease & a whole lot of bhunoing. Should look a bright colour when it’s done. 

3. Add salt garam masala, meat & water – a cup). Cook under pressure till meat is kind of half done. Say 10-15 mins. 

4. Add potatoes diced in 4 and pressure cook – check water, it it looks as if it is dry add some more. The gravy should be patla
5. Once cooked add garam masala & hara dhania (garnish). 
*can replace aloo with gobhi, Palak, lauki & timatar 
**With Palak & tomato use very little water and keep it dry
***Timatar gosht made same way only – add 1/2 kg tomato to masala instead of aloo. Keep it dry.

The very spirit of the month which is self- restraint, piety, introspection gets lost in the din of following the Arab pronunciation and denying our Perso-Urdu roots. This month is not about semantics but ‘niyyat’ or intention.

However, let’s discuss whether using the word Ramzan is right or wrong.

We in the sub-continent are blessed with a 800 odd years of a Perso-Urdu legacy. The language we all speak is Urdu which is derived from amalgamation of the local languages with Persian, Turkish, Arabic.

Persian was the court language and so the most popular.

Urdu follows the Persian script as opposed to the Arabic script.

The Persian Script

The Arabic Script

In Persian the letter “ض ” is pronounced as Zu’aad while in Arabic it is pronounced as D’aad. The Makhraj of ض is pronounced with the sides of the tongue touching the gums close to the upper molars (white teeth in the picture)*.

This letter is used in Ramzan ‘رمضان ‘

*http://www.essentialilm.com/makhraj.html )

From childhood I have heard people using word Ramzan and keeping rozas. Of late it has become Ramadan. The object of my blog is to trace how this happened and whether we can still use Ramzan.

In Surah Baqarah, the second Surah of the Quran e Majeed, comes the command from Allah for the believers to fast.

The first verse on this 2:183 talks of what is required and the word mentioned is ‘assiyamu’ fasting , the word for fast in Arabic Sawm (Arabic: صوم‎, plural: Siyam)

[Yusufali 2:183] O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-

In the next ayat or verse the rules are prescribed for fasting and word saum is implied but not used.

In ayat 2:185 the word Ramadan is used and the blessings of the month are described .

[Yusufali 2:185] Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

I am quoting this for the benefit of friends who said but we must pronounce it the way it is given in the Quran e Majeed. The Quran is written in Arabic and it is prescribed upon us to read it as such. We have to recite our prayers in Arabic but we are permitted to make our niyyat ( intention ) in our own mother tongue and supplicate in our own mother tongue , why on earth would we wish someone in a foreign language? ( English / Urdu / Hindi are now our mother tongues but Arabic is not)

When we went for Hajj we had hired a muallim (someone well versed in how to perform it correctly). He guided us on all the prescribed procedures and told us which Ayats to recite at which step , but when it came to supplication he advised us to do it in the language we are most comfortable with.

“Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai,” (whatever pours froth from the heart has effect).

When one is writing/ talking to one’s parents, friends, children we use the language we can express ourselves best in, so why would we not supplicate God in same too and why would we wish someone in anything else too.

This is nothing but the hardening of religious stances syndrome. The difference from my childhood to now is that , now with petro dollars flowing in we want to emulate the Arabs too.

It is this syndrome which says that saying Khuda hafiz is wrong, it should be Allah hafiz. We try to bring God down to our own narrow, petty level. Will HE not protect me if I call him Khuda, instead of Allah?

Will he not accept my ‘ rozas’ kept in the month of ‘Ramzan’ as opposed to those who keep ‘sawm’ in Ramadan’?

I recite my ‘ namaz’ in Arabic as prescribed and supplicate Him for my needs in Urdu. Arabic speaking people recite salaat’ and supplicate in Arabic because that is what they are comfortable with. But He is not limited by narrow confines of language. He sees what is in our hearts. He is not us, so let’s not confuse Him with our own petty selves.

( Namaz is Persian and salaat Arabic for the prescribed Muslim prayers)

True we are now exposed to Arabic in a way we were not in my childhood. But we are also getting exposed to bigotry which we were not exposed to in my childhood.

We can’t give up the Persian influence in our lives, heritage and language just because of modern geo-politics.

We forget one of the first lessons in Islam taught us by the Prophet pbuh by appointing an Abyssinian slave as Islam’s first muezzin (the one who recites azaan and calls the faithful to Prayer).

Hazrat Bilal had a lisp. It is reported he couldn’t differentiate between ‘س ‘ (seen) and ‘ش ‘ (sheen) and the very important “Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah” ( I bear witness that there is no god except the One God) would not come as it should.

The qawwali “ Bhar de Jholi “ immortalises an episode where some companions complained to the prophet pbuh and he asked Hazrat not to give the azaan but that day . But that day even after the azaan the sun didn’t rise as normal. So they went to Prophet pbuh , who told that Allah had sent a message via Jibraeel that the sun not to rise until Bilal gives the Call to Adhan.

Whether this episode is factual or not it to me epitomises the spirit of Islam’s inclusiveness, equality and brotherhood.

Today we may be learning correct pronunciations but we are forgetting the spirit.

This article was first published in Tehelka blogs

http://blog.tehelka.com/the-journey-from-ramzan-to-ramadan/

Having grown up in Moradabad and Aligarh , the art of fine seekh kebabs was something I grew up with.
Melt in the mouth kebabs, crisp yet soft.
Today the seekh kebabs one gets are tough and tasteless -The meat is drowned in spices
The art of the kebabchi  lies in blending it just right so it doesn’t break – to overcome that modern kebabchis  add too much besan or other binding agents.
So Babu Bhai kebabs come as a treat.
He sits in Chitli Qabr area of Old Delhi. One has to walk down from the Karim lane in Matiya  Mahal towards Chitli Qabr and you will find him in a shop in one of the Masjid alcoves.
Earlier he says his father the actual Babu Bhai had a shop underneath the masjid

Sewain 1/2 kg
Sugar 1/2 kg + little less than 1 cup of water
Mawa/ khowa 1/4kg- brown till light golden brown
Cook the sugar, water n a lil colour – not too thick syrup.
Add browned khowa – keep aside.
In some ghee add 3-4 choti illaichi n 3-4 Laung.
Add the sewain n bhuno till lightish golden.
Add about 11/2 cup hot milk ..cook a little.
Add the sugar syrup n cook again fr a bit. Add keowra n dry fruits.

Tip : Make the syrup in very little water n milk really hot so that d sewain gets soft n cooked immediately But if u find that ur sewain hard or what we call akar gai अकड गई then don’t worry just add some warm milk cover d degchi put weight put on “dum” It will become absolutely ok

Khichra –
Broken wheat (or daliya) – 2 tbsp
Chana dal – 2 tbsp
Urad dal – 1 tbsp
Masoor dal – 1/2 tbsp
Moong dal – 1/2 tbsp
Rice – 1/2 tbsp
Jau – 2tbsp
Soak the above ingredients fr two hours

1. Bring water to boil with the following ingredients-
Mustard oil – 1tbsp
Haldi – 1 tsp
Dhaniya – 2tsp
Ginger/garlic paste – 1 tbsp each
Salt n red chilli of to taste.
Tezpat -1
Bari illaichi – 2
Laung – 2
Peppercorn- 7/8
2. Add the soaked lentils n bring to a boil, stirring.
3. Pressure cook fr 8mins on a low flame.
4. Add bhunna meat (recipe given below) n mix really well.
5. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala pd.
6. Fry some sliced onions in ghee.
7. Add to the Khichra. Garnish with podina, hara dhaniya,ginger n green chillies. Serve with lemons.

Bhunna Mutton –
Heat oil – add 1/2 kg meat n fry till changes colour.
Add :1tbsp ginger,
1 tbsp garlic,
2 onions (paste)
1tsp haldi,
salt n mirch to taste
1tsp dhaniya pd
Brown well till moisture dries n raw smell of masala goes. Add water n cook till done. Dry water n then add to the cooked lentils.

Note: Can make it without the meat too for vegetarians. Just increase the masala a little.
Also, I use Daliya instead of kuta gayhun (wheat) n Porridge (oats) instead of Jau as it’s not always easy to get both. If using porridge then don’t soak it n add it directly whilst boiling.
Recipe and photographs by Sakina Hussain

Safed Salan
Meat cooked in milk

1 kg meat- breast and shoulder pc
200 gm ghee/ vegetable oil
6 pieces laung
1 inch Dalchini
Salt to taste
1 tsp lal mirch powder
20 peppercorn
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp garam masala
250 ml milk
2 cups water ( if pressure cooking)
4-5 if cooking in degchi

Heat the ghee in a pot ( degchi- broad bottomed) and add the laung, peppercorn, dal chini,  lal mirch and meat.
Keep turning the meat till it is light brown.
Add sugar and sufficient water.
Allow to simmer for 30 min till tender or pressure cook for 15 min.( if meat is very fresh then maybe 10 min)
Add garam masala
Slowly pour in milk
Cook on slow fire for 10 min
Gravy should be reddish white
Serve with roti
From recipe book of Kashmiri recipes by Krishna Prasad Dar
Sent by Mrs Radha Khan

PRAWN KORMA
Ingredients:
Prawns -750gm (soak in vinegar for an hour)

Mix together:
Dahi-1/2kg
Ginger/Garlic paste- 11/2 tbsp each
Dhaniya pd-1tsp
Haldi-3/4 tsp
Kashmiri Mirch n salt to taste
Posta Dana paste (without browning)-1/2cup

Garam masala:
Choti Illaichi-2
Bari illaichi-2
Dalchini-1 pc
Oil
Method:
1. Heat oil n add the garam masalas.
2. Add dahi mixture n cook for a minute or two.
3. Add a little water n bring to a boil.
4. Drain out the vinegar n add the prawns to the boiling gravy. Cook till done.
5. Garnish with hara dhaniya, podina patta n green chillies.
Recipe via Mrs Sakina Hussain

put atta
salt
saunf
ajwain kasuri
methi
ghee
two eggs
a bit of milk
in a food processor
In a cup of warm water
add yeast
a bit of sugar.
when it foams add it to atta
add some pissa lassan
some bhuna zeera &mirch powder
Make a dough  and keep till well risen. Punch back and wait for second rising.

Now make rotis on tava…and cook (aag par sekna) on gas.
Put ghee on it
Enjoy

Sent by Mrs Zeba Hussain
#TavaNaan
#DastarkhwaneRamzan

Tuna Roundels
Ingredients:
Tuna (preferably in brine n not oil)- 1 can
Mayonnaise -enough to make a paste with the fish
Lemon juice to taste
Spring onions- chop finely both the green n white parts
Jalapeño- chop finely- 1/2 tbsp
Boiled egg-sliced
Lettuce leaves
Bread-cut into rounds
Method:
1. Drain the tuna n fork it nicely.
2. Mix together the fish, mayonnaise,jalapeño,onion,and lemon juice.
3. Place a lettuce leaf on the bread circle, spoon a large scoop of the tuna mixture and finish with a slice of egg.
4. Put in the fridge for a little while and serve cold.

Via Mrs Sakina Hussain

Quick Meetha Tukdra –
Ingredients:
Full cream milk – 11/2lts
Condensed milk – 1 tin
Bread – 8 slices
Choti Illaichi – 2
Method:
1.Cut the bread in half n deep fry till golden.
2.Boil the milk and illaichi till it reduces to less than half the quantity( keep stirring).
3.Throw the illaichi.
4.Add condensed milk and mix well.
5.Cook the pieces of bread in the milk for just a minute; a few at a time..should remain crisp.
6. Layer the bread in a dish.
7. Let d milk mixture boil till nice and thick.
8. Take off the fire. Add keowra and saffron.
9. Pour over the bread slices.
10. Garnish with silver warq and almonds.

Add keora and saffron. Serve cold.
Note: Be careful to stir in the condensed milk properly as it tends to sit at the bottom and burn.

Recipe via Mrs Sakina Hussain

Ingredients

3 white fish fillets (200 g each)
1 tbsp olive oil
pepper & salt
1 bunch fresh basil (15 g)
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp pinenuts
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
250 ml extra virgin olive oil
Method

Preheat the Airfryer to 180°C.

Brush the fish fillets with the oil and season with pepper & salt. coat with bread crumbs. Place in the cooking basket of the Airfryer and slide the basket into the Airfryer. Set the timer for 8 minutes.

Add basil leaves and place them with the garlic, pinenuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil in a food processor or pestle and mortar. Pulse or grind the mixture until it turns into a sauce. Add some salt to taste.

Place the fish fillets on a serving plate and serve them drizzled with the pesto sauce.

(Philips Air fryer recipes)
Sent by my friend
Neena Singh

Chicken mince 1/2 kg
2 finely very finely chopped onions, 5 cloves garlic finely chopped- almost a paste
Take dhania seeds &zeera seeds+ whole red mirch ( 1/4 tsp dhania,1/4 tsp zeera – 1/4 tsp mirch) roast on dry pan
– grind to a powder
Garam masala powder
Hara dhania & podina chopped finely
+1 tbsp olive oil.

Mix it well in the keema.
Use your hands to mix it well
Leave in fridge for 2 hours.
Shape as in photo

Put them in a non stick pan and cover. Turn flame on high
It will leave water let it cook in that. Turn it a couple of times so it’s evenly cooked
When water is dry
Add a bit of oil and let it fry for a bit
Keep turning so uniformly brown
Serve as an iftari  snack

Recipe sent by my friend Mrs Zeba Hussain