Anchor Food Professional's Raya inspirations star Anchor Extra Yield Cooking Cream

Fonterra Brands Malaysia's food service arm, Anchor Food Professionals, has introduced 10 traditional dishes reinvented using the Anchor Extra Yield Cooking Cream as part of Inspirasi Raya.

Paying homage to iconic festive dishes and desserts from different states across Malaysia, the campaign aims to ignite the kampung spirit by bringing a taste of home cooking to urban kitchens. Recipes include a variation of state-famous Raya staples such as rendang tok and rendang ayam pedas from Perak as well as rendang kambing hitam from Pahang.

Step-by-step recipes and demonstration videos incorporating the Anchor Extra Yield Cooking Cream were made possible with the help of Fonterra's in-house chefs, Chef Noorfiruz Mohamad Noor, Chef Ichiro Wong and Chef Chrispian Arthur Epui.

Source: Anchor Food Professionals Malaysia. Rendang ayam pedas.

Jack Tan, Fonterra Brands Malaysia's Foodservice Director said, "Following the COVID-19 pandemic, home cooking has been the choice for many families. As the country's largest provider of high-quality fit-for-purpose dairy ingredients, we wanted to provide home cooks with an accessible solution that serves the entire family's sophisticated yet simple culinary-at-home delights.

"Cooking and preparing for a feast during Raya is usually the highlight of the celebration. It has been a challenging year for all of us, and we hope that sharing these recipes will bring light, joy and happiness to those celebrating, near and far."

"Raya preparations is made easier with the Anchor Extra Yield Cooking Cream as it is made for convenience and saves valuable time in the kitchen while maintaining the recipe's consistency," Tan added.

Formulated for heat stability and creamier consistency, Anchor Extra Yield Cooking Cream is positioned as an alternative to santan (coconut milk). It is made from high-quality New Zealand milk sources, and delivered as a prereduced cooking cream with a 20% better yield than most UHT cooking creams. This means it requires no reduction, so 1 litre in the pack means 1 litre in a recipe.

More classic dishes and recipes such as bubur pedas from Sarawak, lontong Johor, ayam Masak Lemak Cili Api, Ikan Bakar, Kuih Lapis, puteri ayu and kurma Banana Shake can be found on Anchor Food Professionals' Facebook page.

In Singapore, wholesale bakery Bake with Yen is running a Hari Raya Anchor Promotion with Anchor Food Professionals SG. The company has a storewide discount on Anchor butter products, and will be giving out a free Limited Edition Anchor Food Professional apron with a minimum in-store purchase of S$40 worth of Anchor products.

Hashtag: #InspirasiRaya

Celebrity chefs sizzle up easy Ramadhan recipes on Dapur Kawkaw Selebriti on Facebook daily

Ramadhan recipes for iftar and suhoor are being shared by Dapur KawKaw Selebriti live on its Facebook page.

A daily live broadcast from 12:30 till 1:30 pm will be conducted on Facebook over Ramadhan for a total of 90 recipes shared by three top Malaysian celebrity chefs.

Each day's episode, produced in TV broadcast-standard quality, features either Chef Nik Michael, Chef Fikree or Chef Naem. To liven up the kitchen with their humour are Imuda, Mat Dan, Rhys William and Cik B. 

Chef Nik was part of the first Masterchef Malaysia in 2011. He went on to host TV programmes like Hello Bro, Tolong Masak. Chef Fikree, a TV programme host, actor and celebrity chef has hosted several TV shows including Dapur Panas, Aroma Tradisional and Hello Bro. Chef Naem won a reality TV competition called Hero Oven. He has hosted several TV programmes as well, including Dapur Panas and Dapur Ramadan.

Source: Dapur KawKaw Selebriti. Celebrity chefs sizzle up easy Ramadhan recipes on Dapur Kawkaw Selebriti live on Facebook for 30 days.

Imuda, one of Malaysia's comedy actors, is best known for his roles in popular sitcoms 2 + 1 and Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu. Mat Dan, a Westerner fluent in the Terengganu dialect, has attracted various opportunities as a TV host. British-born Rhys William hosted TV show Mat Salleh Cari Makan. His fluent Malay, as well as his spontaneous expressions, have made him a household name. Cik B, daughter of cosmetics entrepreneur Dato' Seri Vida, is known for her Instagram stream at @cikb_havoc66.

Chef Yan is known for, Yan Can Cook, So Can You! which has made him one of the most recognised TV hosts in the world. 

Apart from learning how to make quick, delicious, and professional-looking meals using food products from Kawan and Kanika, the main sponsors of Dapur KawKaw Selebriti, viewers have the opportunity to win prize giveaways.

During each live broadcast, viewers can participate in the Teka KawKaw contest, guessing the weight of a given item and typing the answer in Facebook comments. The participant with the closest guess in the fastest time will win a Martin Yan Signature Knife valued at RM178.

Chef Yan will make an online appearance from the US while recording artiste and beauty queen Dr Soo Wincci, a former participant of Celebrity Masterchef Malaysia, is to call in from Spain.

Kawan Food is a Malaysian exporter and the largest manufacturer of frozen Asian food delicacies worldwide. Kanika is the choice of restaurants, hotels, and chefs, filling millions of plates around Southeast Asia.

Allspice Institute shows how Cafédirect coffee can be used in food

The chefs at Allspice Institute who were involved in creating coffee-based recipes with Cafédirect coffee blends. 

Cafédirect, the UK drinks company, presented a number of coffee-based recipes created by the Allspice Institute, a heritage culinary and cooking school, when it launched new packaging for its Smooth, Lively and Intense Roast Coffees.

Chef Sakthi adding coffee grounds to the saucepan ahead of
smoking the cooked chicken for coffee smoked tandoori
chicken.

At the launch event, Chef Sakthivel Karuppiah, COO, Allspice, used coffee in two ways to prepare coffee smoked tandoori chicken. It would have been three ways, he said, but he had wanted to include coffee to make yoghurt instead of mixing coffee with yoghurt, and failed. It turns out that coffee mixed with milk will simply not turn into yoghurt, likely because the acid levels are too high in the first place.

Chef Sakthi's chicken for the dish is marinated in coffee and so tender he recommended that the audience use coffee to marinate chicken from now on. He also demonstrated how to recycle spent coffee grounds to smoke meat using a saucepan and some water.

Some of the recipes presented by Allspice are below:

Silent screamer (beverage)

Source: Mileage Communications. Silent Screamer.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves three

INGREDIENTS:

3 single shots of brewed Cafédirect Lively Roast Coffee. A single shot typically uses 7g of powder to 30ml of liquid
2 tbsp natural coconut oil
360 ml skimmed milk
1½ tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1. Combine brewed Cafédirect Lively Roast Coffee, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract in a jug and mix well.

2. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the milk over low-medium heat until the milk reaches 60-70^o C.

3. Transfer the hot milk into a jug then back into the saucepan, then back again a few times to make sure it is thoroughly mixed and aerated.

4. Pour the mixture into three serving cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder and serve warm.

Coffee smoked tandoori chicken (savoury)

Source: Mileage Communications. Coffee smoked tandoori chicken, served with a mint sauce.

Preparation time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 10–12 minutes
Serves three

INGREDIENTS:

130g chicken, cut into cubes, with enough skewers to hold them for cooking and serving

A double shot of Cafédirect Lively Roast Coffee. Double shots are made with about 14g of coffee and about 60ml of liquid

Pinch of yuzu salt

For marinating:

50 ml thick yogurt. Yoghurt can be thickened by straining it through cloth.
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground smoked paprika
½ tsp Himalayan salt
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

For smoking:

1 tbsp used/fresh coffee grounds
Cardamom

METHOD:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken and coffee; mix well. Cover and place it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to marinade. The chicken should ideally be marinated for two to three hours, or even overnight.

2. In another flat plate or bowl, mix the marinade ingredients to form a smooth paste.

3. After an hour in the fridge, remove the chicken from the coffee, and pat the meat dry with a kitchen towel 

4. Place the chicken onto the marinade paste and ensure the paste coats the chicken well.

5. Cover the chicken with wrap and put it back into the refrigerator for about three to four hours.

6. Remove from the fridge and arrange the chicken on the skewers to pan fry or grill in the oven.

7. Place the coffee grounds and some cardamom `in a large flat saucepan or frying pan that has a lid. Cook covered over high heat for two minutes. Add a splash of water, then place the cooked chicken in a heat-proof bowl or plate into the pan. Cover the pan. Turn off the heat and leave it to sit for two minutes.

8. Serve warm, sprinkled with yuzu salt.

Coffee Religieuse

Coffee Religieuse (dessert)

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes 12 pieces

INGREDIENTS:

Icing sugar for garnishing

For Cafédirect Smooth Roast pastry cream

1 litre milk
1 vanilla pod
125g sugar
240g egg yolk
80g custard powder
30g Cafédirect Smooth Roast Coffee

METHOD:

1. Heat the milk with the split vanilla pod and sugar and once it is boiling, turn off the heat.

2. Add the coffee and leave it to infuse in a covered pot for 10 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk* the sugar and egg yolk, mix in the custard powder.

4. Pour in the hot coffee-infused milk and mix briskly.

5. Strain it through a fine sieve and decant into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Cook for 1 minute.

6. Pour the coffee pastry cream onto a tray covered in food wrap, then cover the pastry cream with another layer of cling wrap. The wrap should be touching the surface of the cream.

7. Place the cream in the chiller to cool down.

INGREDIENTS:

For pâte à choux dough (choux pastry)

220g milk
220g water
4g salt
8g sugar
180g butter
220g flour
400g eggs

METHOD:

1. Boil milk, salt, sugar and butter.

2. Sift the flour and spoon it into the boiling liquid, stirring with a whisk.

3. Dry out the dough to obtain a panade (paste-like consistency).

4. Transfer the panade into a container, then gradually fold in the beaten eggs using a whisk.

5. Add a little boiling milk if needed, depending on the dough consistency**.

6. Pipe spheres onto baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 200^oC for 30 to 35 minutes.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Turn each choux bun upside down, make a small hole in the base and pipe in the coffee pastry cream.

2. Dust with icing powder.

Description for the Smooth Roast Coffee from Cafédirect.

Cafédirect also demonstrated its own recipe for a frappé:

Frappé (beverage)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves one

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp Cafédirect Instant Freeze-dried Coffee
2-4 tsp of sugar to taste
Ice cubes
100ml cold water
100ml to 150ml of fresh milk

METHOD:

1. Place the instant coffee, water and sugar into a shaker

2. Shake vigorously until a light-coloured froth has been created

3. Pour into a glass of ice cubes. Top up with fresh milk.

4. Stir well and enjoy.

Explore:

Read about Cafédirect coffee and try the recipe for coffee damier cake in this Suroor Asia blog post

In Singapore, Cafédirect coffee packs are available at Cold Storage, Fairprice Finest, Fairprice Xtra, Jasons, Market Place and Redmart at S$8.70 per 227g pack.

*Use an electric mixer to whisk.

**The Leiths School of Food and Wine says in a blog post that the right consistency for choux pastry is when a wooden spoonful of the pastry can fall into a container "to the slow count of six". The Flavor Bender blog covers mistakes made with choux pastry.

Cafédirect offers three coffees in all-new packaging

Source: Cafédirect. The Intense Roast Coffee from Cafédirect, presented in the new packaging.

Cafédirect, the UK drinks company, has introduced its Smooth, Lively and Intense Roast Coffees in all-new packaging.

The coffees are carefully formulated by Cafédirect’s own Q-graders (coffee experts) to express the full-bodied taste of the beans and bring out specific notes. 

“The exciting thing about creating these blends is that we are able to choose coffees that complement each other. Blending different varieties and regions together not only allows Cafédirect to tailor the coffee to a particular taste profile but also provides you with a consistent cup of coffee”, said Georgios Kokkalis, Q Grader and Production Manager, Cafédirect UK.

Three coffee blends were presented by Cafédirect at the Allspice Institute, a heritage culinary and cooking school:

Cafédirect Smooth Roast (strength 3)

This smooth 100% Arabica coffee is a blend of Central and South American coffee beans. There is a milk chocolate aroma with natural peanut, brown sugar and gingerbread flavours.

Cafédirect Lively Roast (strength 4)

The perfect balance of body from the Arabica and strength from the Robusta coffee beans, Cafédirect Lively Roast is a skilful blend of Latin American and African beans. It bears a caramel pop-corn aroma with hints of tamarind-like and dried orange flavours, perfect for coffee lovers who enjoy a full-bodied brew that provides a creamy mouthfeel.

Cafédirect Intense Roast (strength 5)

Cafédirect Intense Roast is a superior blend of African and Latin American beans, balancing rich coffee flavours with a rounded toffee finish and a mint chocolate aroma. Strong and heavy bodied, this blend of Arabica and Robusta beans imparts the natural flavours of liquorice and tobacco.

The table setting ahead of the coffee tasting session. Formally, coffee tasting is called "cupping".

Source: Cafédirect. Georgios Kokkalis, Q-Grader and Product Manager, Cafédirect UK showing how perfect coffee can be made simply by using Cafédirect Smooth Roast in a plunger/cafetierre.

Kokkalis also conducted a coffee tasting session for the three blends at the launch. Of the three, with the Intense Roast turned out to be my favourite in terms of aroma and flavour. As an irregular coffee drinker, I assumed a lower-strength coffee would be more to my taste. Lighter roasts, with lower strength ratings, have less intense flavours.

A description of the Cafédirect Intense Roast.

Cafédirect further demonstrated the spectrum of taste profiles of the three blended roast and ground coffees, through a spread of dishes made with coffee. The company invited chefs from Allspice Institute to recreate both savoury and sweet recipes:

Kopi udang (coffee prawns; savoury), which many said was delicious.

Chicken lollipop with coffee sauce (savoury)

Coffee smoked tandoori chicken (savoury)

Coffee religieuse (dessert)

Coffee Damier cake ("damier" means "checkerboard pattern" in French, and the cake when sliced has a checkerboard pattern inside; dessert), another crowd pleaser.

Silent screamer (drink), so called because it will have drinkers screaming in silent delight. The recipe is a twist on traditional coffee tarik with coconut milk and cinnamon added. This was a crowd favourite.

The spread also included coffee-flavoured chendol ice cream and coffee-flavoured hoon kueh, a Peranakan dessert of steamed green bean flour typically mixed with another ingredient, such as corn, and served wrapped in a banana leaf.

Cafédirect’s coffee beans are responsibly grown so that the quality of each coffee bean is at its natural best and a stellar taste profile is retained and delivered freshly ground, directly to consumers. From bean to cup, Cafédirect’s mantra is "100% Fairtrade".

The company's coffee has a premium price as it invests in making sure growers are able to grow coffee sustainably and maintain a better qualify of life. Olivia Minter, Export Manager, Cafédirect UK shared that to date, Cafédirect has directly given over 50% of its profits to 280,000 growers represented by 39 partner grower organisations across 12 countries. In 2017 alone, it has paid £500,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation. On top of the Fairtrade Premium, Cafédirect also pays 36% above the Fairtrade minimum for Organic Premiums, and 46% over the Fairtrade minimum for Quality Premiums.

“Cafédirect integrates environment and social strategies into our overall business strategy. Social targets for 2020 include projects that will impact 1.5 million farmers of which 50% are women and 40% are youth. The approach will support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to improve food security, climate resilience and decrease poverty. We hope to achieve 100% increase in incomes for the farmers and 70% farmer confidence to combat climate change,” she said.

In working directly with charity partner Producers Direct, Cafédirect has impacted 600,000 farmers and their families since 2009. Producers Direct delivers services by farmers for farmers. The services help producers build resilience to market forces through training, pooled knowledge, access to finance and data for better decision-making. Today, the smallholder farmers have enjoyed a 50% increase in income, and 90% of farmers have witnessed an increase in crop quality and yields.

Explore:

Damier cake slices at the buffet.

Recipe for coffee damier cake, created by the Allspice Institute for Cafédirect

Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves six to 12 

INGREDIENTS part 1:

Chocolate Genoa sponge

600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
50g plain flour
50g corn starch
70g cocoa powder
160g egg white
180g melted butter

METHOD:

1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs

2. Fold with the flour and starch

3. Fold in the melted butter, followed by the cocoa powder mixed with the egg white. 

Leave aside until the coffee Genoa sponge is ready.

INGREDIENTS part 2:

Coffee Genoa sponge

600g marzipan (50% finely ground almonds)
420g eggs
70g plain flour
70g corn starch
180g melted butter
30g Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee

METHOD:

1. Mix marzipan with whole eggs

2. Fold with the flour and starch

3. Fold with melted butter, followed by the Cafédirect Intense Roast Coffee

4. Pipe the chocolate Genoa sponge batter and the coffee Genoa sponge batter in alternate strips and in layers into a 20cm x 30cm biscuit frame. A biscuit frame helps to ensure a cake keeps its shape. 

5. Bake at 180^oC for 10-12 minutes

INGREDIENTS part 3:

Chocolate ganache - a filling, glaze or sauce made with chocolate and cream

800g 35% cream  - this is a heavier cream with a higher fat content

100g glucose syrup
1 kg dark chocolate
200 ml softened butter

METHOD:

1. Bring cream and glucose to a boil and turn off the heat

2. Fold in the chocolate and soft butter

3. Cool at room temperature before applying a layer to the cake using a silicon spatula to ensure even coverage.

World Cuisine Halal Gourmet Cookbook features recipes in English, Malay

World Cuisine Halal Gourmet Cookbook, presented in both English and Malay, promotes halal dishes. 

Compiled by the Singapore Halal Culinary Federation (SHCF) and Miles Media, the book features 70 recipes representing five cuisines: American, French, Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian, plus fusion dishes. Thirty-five chefs and professional cooking instructors and contributed their most popular recipes, including Chef Martin Yan and Chef Wan.

A second edition has since been published, featuring 74 recipes.
SHCF consists of culinary and service professionals who aim to educate the culinary world on the dynamism of halal food and to teach and involve food service providers on service quality and best practices required to achieve higher business margins by going halal. Besides food service and development consultancy, SHCF also provides culinary masterclasses, research and development, as well as community outreach services.

Interested?

Buy the 1st edition World Cuisine Halal Gourmet Cookbook 
Buy the 2nd edition of the cookbook

*Image source

posted from Bloggeroid

Eid recipes: Shuwa

Shuwa  شوى

Shuwa is probably the most well-known of uniquely Omani foods. It is typically cooked only during the major holidays of Eid, partly because of the expense, the need to collaborate with other households, and the sheer work required. Shuwa is prepared in Oman twice a year as there are two Eids in the Islamic year. The earlier Eid marks the end of the fasting month Ramadhan, while the later holiday commemorates the prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) sacrifice of his son Ismail (Ishmael) at Allah’s request (Allah later told him to sacrifice a ram at the last minute).

Making shuwa is a big undertaking for Omani families during Eid. Quantities are huge so that there is enough for feasting and sharing with others. The spiced slabs of meat practically fall apart by themselves after being baked overnight in underground ovens, so never turn down the opportunity to try some. Most of the action takes place on the first day of Eid, but preparations begin as early as 40 days before the holiday.

First, ensure you have a shuwa pit. Different households within a family may share one. A pit for a very large family may be lined with stones set in concrete, and sport a custom-made metal cover. Several households may share a small shuwa pit which is made by fitting a petrol drum vertically into a hole, then fashioning a metal cover for the drum.

Next, prepare the spice rub 14 to 40 days before Eid so that it has the time to age properly. 

Ingredients, spice rub, called khamera

¼ kg dried dates

½ kg local red chilli flakes

1 kg garlic

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons salt

2 to 3 litres water

Method

Mix all ingredients together and place in pail.

Seal the pail, and leave in the sun for 14 days.

When ready to use, stir the mixture and strain, reserving the liquid.

Other essentials, shuwa

A sack made of woven date palm leaves (khasfa), or two gunny sacks, the type used for transporting rice or flour

Banana leaves, any amount, and in any condition – fresh or dry, flat or bunched together

Thin wire and wire cutters

Ingredients, shuwa

Meat on the bone from the breast and legs of a cow, or a large goat; about 50kg of meat for a small family

Spice rub

½ kg clove powder

½ kg cumin powder

½ kg ginger powder

½ kg salt

½ kg turmeric powder

1 kg cinnamon powder

1 kg coriander powder

4 heaped tablespoons black pepper powder

Optional: chilli flakes to taste

Sealing the sack by 'sewing' it with wire.

Method

Soak the sacks for half an hour. Use two sacks instead of one if using gunny sacks. About half a goat will fit in one sack.

Soak meat to get rid of the blood.

Chop meat into rough A4-sized slabs.

Add all the spices and the salt to the spice rub, and mix well.

Add chilli if desired.

Apply the spice rub to each slab of meat, ensuring that it is thoroughly covered with the solids in the mixture.

Stack the spiced meat in the sack, alternating a layer of meat with a layer of banana leaves.

From time to time, wiggle the sack up and down to pack the contents more closely together. The sack is porous so this can get messy.

Sew up the top of the sack with wire.

Run more wire around the sack and down its length so that it will be easy to remove the sack later on.

Fill the shuwa pit (or petrol drum) with thick simr (acacia tortilis) branches, and light with petrol.

The pit is ready for use when the simr branches have turned into a layer of glowing charcoal taking up about a third of the pit.

Wedge the sacks into the pit.

Once the pit is full, cover it with its lid and then a mound of earth to make an air-tight seal.

Unearth the sacks in 24 to 48 hours.

The sacks will be brittle; unravel the wire and then carve the meat straight from the sack onto a tray so it can be easily transported home. Most of the large bones will be discarded on the spot.

 Sacks and banana leaves will appear just before Eid at the souqs in Oman.

 Charcoal can be substituted for sidr wood.

 Shuwa will keep in the fridge for several days. Extra spice rub can be kept for the next Eid, in nearly a year’s time.

 Sometimes, pits are uncovered only to find that the shuwa has not cooked because there was not enough heat. This can happen if there was not enough wood in the first place, or if the charcoal was not hot enough when the pit was closed. In such cases it is possible to recreate the heat source and bury the shuwa for another 24 hours.

 A portion of the raw meat is typically set aside for making mushakik, which are a form of kebab. The cubed pieces of meat are threaded onto bamboo skewers and grilled over a charcoal fire on the second day of Eid. A good mushakik has to be ‘strong’, so make sure your teeth can handle it if you try one.

 Over the next few days of Eid, different households will exchange shuwa and mushakik as everyone has a different recipe. The above recipe comes from Eating Omani by Omar Al Aamri.

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee

Browse recipes on Suroor Asia for:

Harees (savoury)
Loqimat (sweet)
Omani shorba (savoury)
Shayariya (sweet) 
Threed (savoury) 

Eid recipes: Arsiya

Arsia up close. 

Arsiya  عرسية

Also called “riz al mudhroub”, arsiya (3rsiya) is a paste of chicken and rice that is eaten with a fruity sauce. It tends to appear during Eid and at celebrations like weddings. The following recipe comes from Eat Omani by Omer Al Aamri.

Ingredients, rice paste

1 whole chicken

5 litres water

1 kg rice

½ teaspoon black pepper powder

½ teaspoon salt

Method

Cut up the chicken into very small pieces.

Wash the rice 4 times, and soak for 30 minutes.

Boil the water and add the chicken, salt and black pepper.

Cook for half an hour.

Add rice and top up water to about 4 litres.

Cook for another half hour or until everything has softened.

Simmer 15 minutes.

Mash into a paste.

Ingredients for sauce, called tarsha:

½ kg chicken

1 litre water for the chicken; additional water for fruit preparation

1 cup raisins

½ small pack tamarind paste (also called subar)

1 tablespoon salt

1 dessertspoon sugar

4-5 dried dates

The following spices are optional:

½ teaspoon each of powdered cinnamon, powdered cardamom, and rosewater.

Method

Mix the tamarind with enough water to remove the seeds easily.

Boil the dates with enough water to make a soft paste.

Wash the raisins.

Cut the chicken into relatively small pieces.

Simmer chicken, tamarind, dates and raisins for 20 minutes.

Add salt and sugar, and cook 10 minutes.

Add other spices if desired, and cook 10 minutes.

Add water until the sauce has the consistency of a watery gravy.

 Arsiya is best eaten warm. It can be reheated in the microwave but should be consumed the day it is cooked.

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee

Browse recipes on Suroor Asia for:

Harees (savoury)
Loqimat (sweet)
Omani shorba (savoury)
Shayariya (sweet) 
Threed (savoury) 

Eid recipes: Muqalab

Muqalab.

Muqalab  مقلب

Muqalab or “muqli” is a dish eaten on the first day of Eid. It is typically made from meat mixed with organ meats though it can be made with meat alone. This recipe is from Eat Omani by Omer Al Aamri:

Ingredients

1 kg or more of fresh meat and organ meats

2 bulbs garlic

2 drinking glasses of water

3½ teaspoons Omani masala*

1 to 1½ teaspoons of salt

Method

Cut meat into small chunks.

Put meat in pan with water and simmer 15 minutes.

Peel and mash garlic.

When water boils, add garlic.

Simmer 30 minutes, then add water if there is too little liquid to prevent burning.

Add Omani masala.

Simmer 10 minutes, then check if the meat is tender. Simmer till cooked if not.

Add salt to taste.

Simmer 10 minutes, adding a little water if needed to prevent burning.

 Muqalab is best eaten with Omani bread**, but can be served with white rice.

 Some recipes include nutmeg and ginger powder.

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee

Browse recipes on Suroor Asia for:

Harees (savoury)
Loqimat (sweet)
Omani shorba (savoury)
Shayariya (sweet) 
Threed (savoury) 

*Masala powder can be substituted. 

**A type of paper-thin flat bread.

Ramadhan recipes: Loqimat

Loqimat.

Loqimat  لقيمات

Loqimat are deep-fried dough balls served with caramel or honey. They sometimes accompany Omani coffee, but are most commonly seen at the iftar (breakfast) table during the fasting month of Ramadhan. Loqimat are delicious when crisp but are often served cool, when they are chewier. This recipe comes from Eat Omani by Omer Al Aamri:

Ingredients

1 box commercial loqimat mix, or mix ½ kg bread flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder together with ½ teaspoon salt

1 litre water, or slightly less

Enough oil for deep frying

Half a small jar of honey or other syrup

Method

Add enough water to the loqimat mix to form a moist dough.

Let the dough rest for one hour.

Heat oil for 10 minutes.

Form dough into small balls about 1 cm across and drop into the oil.

Fry till the balls are golden brown.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

Pour honey over the loqimat, and serve immediately.

 Zanzibari families make a similar dish called kalimat. 

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee

Browse recipes on Suroor Asia for:

Harees (savoury)
Omani shorba (savoury)
Shayariya (sweet) 
Threed (savoury) 

Ramadhan recipes: Threed

Threed  ثريد

Threed is common during the fasting month of Ramadhan as it is easily digested. There are many ways of making threed. One online recipe for threed suggests using Indian naan bread as a base for the stew instead. This recipe is from Eat Omani by Omer Al Aamri:

Ingredients

1 kg fresh khubz rakhl (Omani bread, similar to Chinese popiah skin)

2 litres of chicken or meat saloona (a meat-based stew found in Oman)

Method

Tear bread into tiny pieces.

Fold bread pieces slowly with a spoon into the saloona, until it forms a paste.

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee

Browse recipes on Suroor Asia for:

Harees (savoury)
Loqimat (sweet)
Omani shorba (savoury)
Shayariya (sweet) 

Recipes for Ramadhan: Harees

Harees with bits of chicken.

In Oman, harees is often cooked during the fasting month of Ramadhan for the iftar meal, as it is easily digested. This recipe is from Eating Omani by Omer Al Aamri.

Harees  هريس

Harees is a thick porridge usually made with chicken. Its consistency is sometimes described as ‘gelatinous’. It is fairly bland by itself and is sometimes eaten with the local chilli sauce, which is more sour than spicy. The Zanzibari version is called “boko”.

Ingredients

1 kg wheat

1 kg fresh chicken – do not use chicken that has been frozen

4 litres of water

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method

Soak the wheat for half a day.

Wash chicken, remove skin and cut into small pieces. There is no need to debone the chicken.

Place water, chicken and soaked wheat into a pressure cooker.

Cook for an hour on medium heat.

Add salt and pepper.

Cook till the cooker whistles, or until all the water has been absorbed – the individual wheat grains should congeal.

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee

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