Ramadan in UAE: Some Iftar treats to try at home

Boneless chicken cubes 500gm

Thick yogurt 100gm

Fresh cream 100gm

Fresh ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Green chili paste.....................2 tsp

Black pepper powder 1 tsp

Garam masala powder 1 tsp

Cumin powder 1 tsp

Coriander leaves (garnish)..2 tsp

Lemon juice 1 tsp

Oil 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Cornflour 1 tsp

METHOD

1) Prepare the marinade using all the ingredients mentioned and apply it to the chicken pieces. Keep it refrigerated for 2-3 hours.

2) Take a skewer, grease it well with oil, and put chicken pieces to it one by one in a pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and gently place chicken skewers over it and fry on moderate heat on both sides first and then cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat or until done.

3) Once the chicken is cooked well, hold the skewers over direct flame. That will give a nice coat of brown colour spots on the chicken and the flavour will come out very well.

4) Take a lump of heated coal in a small bowl, place it on the pan with the chicken, and close the lid and leave it for 5 minutes. It will give a nice smokey flavor to the tikka.

5) Transfer it to the serving plate and enjoy.

STUFFED CHICKEN WITH EGG MASALA MALABAR STYLE

INGREDIENTS

Whole chicken, skinned and cleaned – 1 medium

Oil as required

FOR MARINATION

Lemon juice from half a lemon

Kashmiri chili powder..4 to 5 tsp

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Water as required

Pepper powder 1 tsp

Garam masala 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Saltt o taste

METHOD

1) Combine all the ingredients with sufficient water to form a smooth paste.

2) Rub the marinade onto the chicken.

3) Cover and refrigerate overnight

or at least for 6 hours.

FOR EGG MASALA STUFFING

Hard boiled eggs 2

Onion sliced 1 large

Green chilies, cut vertically... 3 -4

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Ginger-Garlic paste 1 tsp

Kashmiri chili powder 1/2 tsp

Garam masala1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Coriander leaves................ 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil as required

Cashew nuts 1 tsp

Raisins 1 tsp

METHOD

1) Heat ghee in a pan, add cashew and raisins. Saute it for some time, and remove it.

2) Add onion, green chilies, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic paste. Saute until the onion turns golden.

3) Now reduce the flame to low and add Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt to taste. Saute for few minutes or until raw smell goes.

4) Next, add fried cashew and raisins with boiled eggs.

5) Stuff the chicken. Firstly, place the eggs into the cavity and then the onion mixture. Tie the chicken legs together using kitchen twine. When done, keep it aside.

FOR THE GRAVY:

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri chili powder 1 tsp

Onion, sliced 2

Green chilies, chopped 4

Ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp

Curry leaves few

Tomato, sliced 2 medium

Salt to taste

Coconut milk 1 cup

Oil as required

METHOD

1) Heat oil in a pan, add onion, green chilies, and curry leaves. Saute until the onion turns golden brown.

2) Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell is no longer there. Add tomato and cook until it turns mushy.

3) Reduce the flame to low and add all the powders, salt to taste, and coconut milk.

4) Boil it.

5) Finally, place the marinated chicken into the coconut gravy and slow cook it, covered for 30 minutes.

6) After 30 minutes, take out the slow-cooked chicken, fry it for 10 minutes in a pan. You can also bake it according to your liking.

NOTE

You can serve this chicken with rice Pathiri (pancakes made with rice flour).

KUNAFA PANNA COTTA

INGREDIENTS

Milk 1 whole cup

Heavy whipping cream 1 cup

Granulated sugar.............. 1/3 cup

Cardamom powder....... 1/2 tsp

Gelatin....... 1 tbsp

A pinch of salt

Kunafa dough....... 1½ cup

Butter........4 tbsp

Grounded pistachios and rose petals for garnishing

Honey or sugar syrup (optional)

METHOD

1) Stir the gelatin powder into the bowl of milk. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, boil the whipping cream with sugar. Cook on low heat for some time, and then add the milk-gelatin mixture to it. Cook on low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved (make sure not to boil it)

3) Add cardamom powder and mix well. Pour into cups and refrigerate for 2 hours.

FOR THE KUNAFA

1) Take a pan, melt butter and add Kunafa dough, and roast till it turns golden. Let it cool down, or you can bake the Kunafa dough with butter in the oven.

2) Once the panna cotta is set, layer the Kunafa on top of it. Garnish with pistachios and rose petals.

FOR ROSE SYRUP

Sugar 1/2 cup

Water 1/2 cup

Lemon juice few drops

1) In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool, and then add lemon juice and rose essence.

2) Finally pour the sugar syrup or honey on top and serve.

Recipes courtesy Shameema Abdul Shukoor, a Dubai-based food blogger, recipe developer, food photographer and stylist. An engineer by profession and a food photographer by passion, Shameema hails from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Shameema is a passionate traveller, baking enthusiast, art lover and a loving mom! Find her @my_pinchofwow