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Sheer Khurma

Sheer Khurma, Sev ni Kheer

Sweets
Sheer Khurma, Sev ni Kheer
Sheer Khurma, Sev ni Kheer

Sheer Khurma or Sheer Khorma(literally means “milk with dates in Urdu) is a festive vermicelli pudding prepared by Muslims on Eid ul-Fitr in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is a traditional Muslim breakfast, and a desert for celebrations. Sheer (in Sunskrit has a same meaning as Milk), is Persian for milk and Khurma is Persian for dates. This dish is made from dried dates.

This special dish is served on the morning of Eid day in the family after the Eid prayers as breakfast, and throughout the day to all the visiting guests.

You will find a few different recipes for this. This is my mum’s recipe. This was dinner served with Puri and Batata no Shak

Ingredients

  • 1             tbsp butter
  • 2             oz sev(vermicelli)
  • 1             lt homo milk
  • 1/4         cup sugar
  • 1/4         tsp crushed cardomon seeds
  • 1/4         tsp nutmeg powder
  •                A few strands saffron
  • 1/4        cup chopped finely, almonds and pistachio
  • 2             tbsp finely chopped dates(optional)
  • 1             tbsp raisins (optional)

Method:

  1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and fry the vermicelli till it golden brown in colour, about 5 min.
  2. Add the milk, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to mark 4, add the sugar, and spices and let it cook on low heat stirring frequently till the vermicelli is soft and the mixture is thick, about 15 minutes.
  3. Serve hot or cold.
  4. Decorate with fruit and nuts before serving.

You can use half and half to make it rich.

You can also add 1 small can evaporated milk.

 

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa

Entrees, vegetarian
Masala Dosa
Masala Dosa

Dosa is fermented crepe made from rice and black lentils(urad daal) batter. It is a staple dish of south India. It is also popular in other parts of India, and other countries like, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore.

You will find a lot of different recipes of the dosa filling.

Dosa

  • 3             cups idli rice
  • 1             cup urad daal
  • 1             tsp fenugreek seed
  • 1             tsp salt

Filling

  • 1/4          cup vegetable oil
  • 1              tbsp urad daal
  • 1              tsp mustard seeds
  • 10           curry leaves
  • 1              lb thinly sliced onions
  • 1              tbsp green masala*
  • 1              tbsp corriander powder
  • 1/2          tsp haldi (turmeric powder
  • 1/2          tsp Garam Masala
  • 1              tsp salt or to taste
  • 1              lb potatoes, peeled and diced to 1/2″
  •                Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2             tbsp chopped cilantro

Red Chilly Paste

  • 2              tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 2              tbsp chopped onions
  •                 Green Chutney
  •                 Sambal Daal


Instructions

Dosa

  1. Rinse the rice and daal seperately and soak it in water overnight. Add the fenegreek seeds with the daal.
  2. In the morning drain the daal and reserve the water.
  3. Drain the rice.
  4. In a liquidizer or food processor grind the daal to a fine paste using the daal liquid as needed.
  5. Grind the rice to a fine paste using the daal liquid
  6. Mix the two together, the consistency should be like a pancake mix, quite thick.
  7. Leave this to ferment in a warm place overnight. In cold places it will take 24 hours. The mixture should have doubled in size.
  8. Heat up the tawa to medium hot(if you drop some water on it, and the water disappears rightway, you know the tawa is ready). brush the tawa with oil.
  9. Pour 1/2 cup mixture on the tawa and with the back of the laddle in circular motion, spread the mixture into a 10″ round. the crepe should be thin.
  10. Brush the top with oil, turn it over, cook for 1 min, turn it over again, spread it with red Chilly paste, sprinkle it with chopped onions and cilantro.
  11. In the middle of the crepe put in about 3 tbsp of potato filling and roll it over.
  12. Serve it with the chutney and Sambal.
    Dosa Batter
Filling
  1. In a medium saucepan heat the oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad daal.  When the seeds start to pop, add the sliced onions and fry till they are transperent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the green masala, coriander powder, haldi, garam masala and salt.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the diced potatoes, mix and let it cook on medium heat, about 15 minutes or till the potatoes are cooked.
  4. Add lemon juice and cilantro and mix.
Red Chilly Paste
  • 1/2             cup roasted chana daal (daria)
  • 5                 red chili pepper
  • 5                 cloves garlic
  • 1                 1″ ginger piece
  • 1/2             tsp salt
  •                    Juice of 1 lemon

Instruction

In a food processor, grind everything to a fine paste.

Chutney

  • 1                 tsp oil
  • 1/2             cup peanuts
  • 1/4             cup fresh coconut
  • 4                 green chillies(or to taste)
  • 1                 1″ piece ginger
  • 2                 dried red chillies(optional)
  • 1/2             tsp salt

Temper

  • 1                  tsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4              tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4              tsp cumin seeds
  • 4                  curry leaves
  • pinch         Hing(Asfetida)


Instructions

  1. In a frypan heat the oil.
  2. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds. curry leaves and Hing. 
  3. Add the rest of the chutney ingredients, when the seeds start to pop and fry  for 3 minutes.
  4. Make a smooth paste in a food processor.
Green Masala
  • 2                 jalepeno 
  • 5                 loves garlic
  • 1                 1” ginger
  • 1/2             bunch cilantro
  • 10               leaves mint
  1. Rinse with cold water and puree it in a blender or food processor.

Spinach Dip

Dips, Chutneys, Preserves and Pickles
Ingredients
  • 1               pkt Swiss Knorr, Vegie Soup
  • 1/2            pkt frozen chopped spinach
  • 1               cup sour cream
  • 1/2            cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2            tsp salt
  • 1/2            tsp freshly ground 
  • 1/2            cup finely chopped spring onions
  • 1/2            cup finely chopped green pepper
  • 1/2            cup finely chopped water chestnuts(optional)

Instructions

  1. Defrost spinach, squeeze all the liquid out.
  2. Mix everything together.
  3. Refregerate overnight.
  4. Serve with bread cubes.
 
 
Spicy Chick Peas

Vagarala Chana

Entrees
Spicy Chickpea
Vagarala Chana

Serves 4 Ingredients

  • 1                    cup dried Chana
  • 1/4                cup oil
  • 1/2                tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2                tsp fenugreek seed
  • 1/2                tsp cumin seeds
  •                       few curry leave
  • 2                    medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1                    tsp green masala
  • 1                    tsp cumin and corriander powder
  • 1/4                tsp turmeric powder
  • 1                    tsp salt
  • 1                    tbsp tomato paste
  • 2                    cups Water
  • 1                    lemon or lime
  • 2                    tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Soak Chana in cold water for 5 hours or overnight. In the morning rinse Chana in cold water and boil it for about 15 minutes, till the chana are cooked. Drain, rinse it in cold water and leave it aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
  3. When the seeds start to pop, add the chopped tomatoes, green masala, cumin and corriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and tomato paste.
  4. Turn the heat to low and cook stirring a few times for 5 minutes. The oil should start to separate. Add 2 cups water and lime/lemon juice and the boiled chana. Bring this to boil then lower the heat to medium low (mark 4) and cook for 15 minutes. The liquid will have thickened.
  5. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Cherry and Marzipan Cake with Orange blossom Syrup and toasted Pistachios

Sweets
 
Serves 12 – 14
Cherry and Marzipan Cake
 
 
Ingredients
  • 8              oz butter, at room tempreture
  • 6              oz golden brown sugar
  •                 zest of 1 lemon
  • 2              tsp orange blossom water
  • 4              large eggs
  • 4              oz white flour
  • 3              oz ground almonds
  • 2              tsp baking powder
  • 5              oz marzipan, chopped into 1/2″ cubes,
  •                 tossed lightly in flour
  • 12            oz cherries, stoned and tossed lightly in flour
  • 2              oz shelled, unsaltd pistachios
  •                 Icing sugar to dust

For the syrup

  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Splash of orange blossom water
  • 1 tbsp golden caster suger

Instructions

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Lightly grease and line an 8″ springform cake tin with baking paper.
  3. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl with sugar and lemon zest for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy, then beat in the orange blossom water.
  4. Beat in the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition, then beat in orange blossom water.
  5. Beat in the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
  6. Fold in flour, almonds and baking powder.
  7. Fold in half the marzipan pieces and half the cherries, then transfer to the prepared tin and poke in the remaining marzipan and cherries, making sure they’re just covered by the cake mixture.
  8. Transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then turn the heat to 290 degrees and bake for 50-60 minutes more. Check after 30 min; if it’s looking dark, cover the top with foil – not before, as opening the door will make the cake sink. It is cooked when a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
  9. About 5 minutes defore the cake has finished cooking, make the syrup.
  10. Put all the ingredients in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has melted.
  11. When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and drizzle over the syrup.
  12. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t leave to cool on the base of the springform or the bottom will be soggy.
  13. When ready to serve, roughly chop the pistachios, scatter over the top of the cake and dust with icing sugar

The cake will keep in an airight container for 4 days and tastes best the day after you make it.

Note:

When adding heavy ingredients to cake batter (such as the marzipan and cherries,)tossing them in flour first helps stop them sinking, as does reserving half of them to push into the top of the mixture.

Jugu Pak Basket

Sweets
 

Jugo Pak Jugo Pak Jugo Pak Basket Jugo Pak Handle 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb jaggery
  • 3/4 cup waterI
  • 1 1/4 lb roasted, blanched peanuts

Instructions

  1. Brush a small stainless steel bowl with oil or melted butter.
  2. Boil jaggery and water until jaggery melts.
  3. Strain with a fine sieve.
  4. Return to the saucepan and continue cooking on medium heat until thick. Test by dropping few drops in cold water. It should be hard crack stage (150 degree on candy thermometer).
  5. Add peanuts and mix well.
  6. Spread the mixture evenly inside bowl.
  7. Push a greased smaller bowl into the mixture to help create a hollow bowl shape.
  8. You have to loosen the basket right away otherwise you will have a problem taking it out.

You sieve the mixture because jaggery has small stones in it.

I use a candy thermometer for best result every time. To make the handle: make 1/2 a recipe of the jugu pak. Pour the mixture on a greased surface, and roll into a 1″ round, long stripe (it should be about the depth of the bowl), shape it into a handle. Save about 1 tbsp of the jaggery syrup before you add the nuts, for using as a glue for the handle. After removing the basket from the bowl, stick the handle with the reserved syrup. The basket should be stored in a cool place. You can substitute walnuts or pistachio for peanuts for the handle.

Mango Lassi

Drinks
 

Ingredients

  • 1                 750 ml 2% MF yoghurt
  • 2                 ripe mangoes or
  • 1/2              can mango pulp
  • 1/2              cup sugar (or to taste)
  • 1/2              cup water
  • 1                 tsp dried ginger powder
  •                    ice

Instruction

  1. If using the ripe mangoes, peel and blend it in a blender.
  2. Mix everything together except the ice and mix it in a blender.
  3. Pour it in a glass, sprinkle with ginger powder, add ice and serve.

 

Lasan na Ladoo

Entrees
Lasan na Ladoo

Makes 10 Ladoos

Ingredients

  • 4                 day old rotla, 8 inches in diameter
  • 1/2              cup butter
  • 1                  cup chopped spring garlic

Instruction

  1. Break rotla in small pieces. If you have a food processor,, coarsley break the rotlas till they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. If you do not have the food processor rub it between the palms of you hands and break it.
  2. In a medium saucepan melt the butter add the garlic and saute it for 5 minutes. Add this to the broken rotla. Mix well with a wooden spoon. When the mixture has cooled and and easy to handle, take about half a cup and roll it into a ball. Let it rest for a couple of hours before you serve.
  3. Ladoos can be stored in an airthight container, in the refrigetor for a week.

It can be frozen.

Spring Garlic is the stalk of the young garlic. You can grow your own or buy it. I get mine from Osaka which is a Chinese grocery store. You will only get this in summer. You can buy frozen chopped garlic from an Indian grocery store.

Spring Garlic
Spring Green Onion

Omar and Sabrina’s Wedding

Special Occasion

 

  • Badam Pak
  • Hapsi Halwa
  • Badam Pak 1
  • Pera
  • Double Decker Barfi
  • Topra Pak
  • Uradia
  • Kajoo Barfi
  • Coconut Barf
  • On Wednesday the 20 we had a family dinner and Mehindi night. A lady had come to apply Mehindi, there was music and everybody was enjoying themselves.

For dinner we had

  • Mithais
  • Lapsi.
  • Samosa
  • Lamb biriyani

On Thursday we had the Mandavo.

The food was catered by Asian Village

 

Vegetable PakoraFish PakoraSaladNaanAloo GobiButter ChickenTurka DaalRiceGulab JamunMithai

Friday was a free day. Everybody did their own thing. Some people helped pack the ladoos and some helped in the evening to set up. Most of us hit the Mall!

Saturday

The wedding was at 12.00 follow by lunch in the Jamatkhana Social Hall.

There was Sherbat and Mango Sherbat

Caesar salad andGreek saladTzatzikiHummousSpanakopitaChicken SouvlakiRice, potatoes and pita bread

DESSERT

Mithai Tower

Baklava and CakeReception

Reception was in the evening at Double Tree, Hilton

All the traditional Wedding Ceremonies were done in the evening followed by dinner

Wedding Cake

Salads and AppetizerCaesar saladArugula and Spinach SaladVegetable SamosaChicken SatayMains

Lemon & Garlic Roast Chicken with pan JusAlberta Beef Tenderloin Medallions with green peppercorn saucePotato & Cheddar cheese Perogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour CreamAccompaniments

Roast PotatoesVegetariano Fried riceSeasonal VegetablesBuffet Dessert Bar

Wedding CakeFresh Fruit PlatterBaked cheese cake SquaresAssorted squaresCoffee and TeaOn each place setting there was ladoo and ganthia cones.

Party favour was a chocolate.

Sunday

  • There was a farewell lunch at the bride’s house and they served:-
  • Lapsi
  • Vegetable and chicken Samosa
  • Curried corn
  • Chicken Biriyani
  • Mithai
  • Fruit cake
  • Mango ice cream
  • Fresh fruit

 

Double Decker Barfi

Sweets
 

Chocolate and Plain You have to do this Barfi 2 times, so double the ingredients.

Ingredient

Plain Barfi

  • 8                          oz unsalted butter
  • 1                          can(375 ml) evaporated milk
  • 6                          oz sugar
  • 1                          lb powder milk(Pacific brand)
  • 1/4                       tsp cardomon powder
  • 1/4                       tsp nutmeg powder
  •                             few strands saffron

Chocolate Barfi

  • 1                         tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan melt the butter. Add the milk and the sugar and bring to a boil. Boil it for 5 minutes.
  2. Lower the heat to medium and add the powder milk, cardomon and nutmeg and mix well. Cook it for 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick.
  3. Pour this in a greased 10 in square cake tin.

Chocolate Barfi

  1. Omit the saffron
  2. When the milk starts to boil add cocoa powder and mix well, add the rest of the ingredients and cook till the mixture is thick, 5 minutes.
  3. Add this on top of the plain Barfi and let it set overnight.
  4. Cut into squares or diamonds.

Store Barfi in an airtight container, in the fridge for a couple of weeks. You can freeze it too. Variation You can use 1 cup finely chopped pistachio and a few drops of green color to make a plain and pistachio Barfi. You can olso make it in one flavour.