Kabab/Meatball/Koftas Biryani Soft and saucy kababs/meatballs and potatoes cooked in a special spicy biryani masala, served on a bed

of saffron-scented, delicious basmati rice. A truly outstanding meal! Serves 4-6 people For the kababs/koftas/meatballs: 500gm lean beef mince (no fat) 1 onion, chopped 1 small bunch coriander leaves with stems, chopped 2 green chillis 1 slice bread soaked in milk half tsp garlic paste half tsp ginger paste 1 tsp black pepper powder half tsp cumin powder quarter tsp tandoori masala quarter tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp salt Put the chopped onion, coriander, ginger, garlic pastes and chillis in a processor and grind until smooth, try not to use any water for this. Next, add the minced meat and process together with the green paste until well combined and the mixture is very very smooth. Turn it out into a bowl, add the cumin, turmeric, tandoori, black pepper and salt. Mix well. Squeeze out the milk from the soaked bread then add the bread into the mixture. Discard the milk. Knead the mixture properly for about 3-5 minutes until everything is very well combined. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Shape the meatballs (make sure they are very smooth and round) and then lightly shallow fry them in very little oil preferably in a non-stick pan, just for a couple of minutes on each side. Drain and set aside. They will cook further in the gravy/masala, so don't over-cook them at this point. If they crack a little bit during frying, don't panic, they will be covered in gravy later so the small imperfections won't show, just be gentle when adding them to the hot oil and lifting them out. Now prepare the masala/gravy.

You will need: 4 onions, sliced finely and fried until golden quarter cup oil (you can use up the one you fried kababs/onions in) 5 fresh tomatoes, chopped into small pieces 4 peeled, quartered and fried potatoes (optional) quarter cup yoghurt, fresh and whipped half tsp garlic paste half tsp ginger paste 1-2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 green chilli, chopped 1 cinnamon stick 1 cardamom pod 2 cloves quarter tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp sugar to cut the acidity from the tomatoes (optional) 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp garam masala pinch of saffron salt to taste chopped coriander for garnishing Heat the oil in a deep pot then add the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves) followed by the fresh tomatoes and half the green chilli. Cook until the tomatoes are dry, then add half of the remaining fried onions (reserve a handful for later). Add the garlic and ginger pastes, followed by the tomato paste. Sprinkle salt, cumin, chilli, turmeric and coriander powders. Cook together until the oil is released from the sides. Then add the whipped yoghurt and cook until the gravy is is thick and cooked through. Sprinkle the sugar and mix well. Next, add some water (about half cup...just enough to immerse the kababs in). Once the water simmers, reduce the heat to low and then gently add the fried kababs. Cover and simmer on low heat to cook the kababs through. Every once in a while, open the pot and gently swirl everything together so that the gravy coats the kababs and they get turned over so that they may cook evenly on all sides. Don't use a spoon to mix as this might break the kababs. Once the kababs are fully cooked, adjust salt, add the remaining chopped green chilli, garam masala and chopped coriander. Add the potatoes if you want to use them in the recipe and stir them in.

Rice Recipe: Wash then soak 3 cups of rice in water for about 20-30 mins. Soak a few saffron strands in some water and set aside. Bring a big pot of water to boil, add salt, 4 cardamom pods, 2-3 cinnamon sticks and 2-3 cloves plus about 2 tbsp of oil. Drain the soaked rice and add it to this water when it is boiling. Cook until the rice is about 3/4 done, remove and strain out all the water. Put the rice back into the pan with the reserved fried onions, drizzle about 2-3 tbsp of oil and the saffron water. Add a bit of orange colour on one side and mix it up a bit with a spoon then cover the pot tightly. Steam this on low heat for 15minutes or put in a 180 C preheated oven for about the same time. Serve the rice with the Meatball Biryani Masala on top and garnish with coriander and chopped chillis. TIP: Alternatively, you can layer the masala between the rice in the pot by first putting half the rice, followed by the cooked masala and remaining fried onions and the remaining rice on top, then drizzle the colour and a bit of oil on top and then steam as directed, for about 15minutes on low heat. This tends to infuse the lovely biryani flavour into the rice as it steams. Enjoy! :) Lemon Cake Am personally a HUGE fan of lemon cake, and have been experimenting to discover the most perfect recipe for a long time! FINALLY I achieved the results I've been dreaming of! This is one of the softest, lightest, fluffiest lemon cakes you will ever taste. I served it without any toppings as it was just perfect on it's own with a cup of tea...but it can also be served with softly whipped cream or a simple lemon glaze. 1 and a half cups flour (180gm) half cup butter/margarine (112gm) three-quarter cup sugar (150gm), grinded 2 large eggs (use 3 if you have small eggs) juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 tbsp FRESHLY SQUEEZED) half tsp vanilla essence zest of half a lemon (about 1 tsp) half cup milk (100ml)

2 level tsp baking powder half tsp salt TIP: Make sure ALL the ingredients are at room temperature before you start. Grind the sugar to a powder and set aside. Sift the flour twice with the salt and baking powder. Grease and line an 8" round pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 170 C. Beat the butter with the sugar until light and creamy. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Now add the freshly squeezed lemon into the milk and stir. The milk will thicken slightly on adding the lemon, that's ok. Add a third of the flour and beat until combined, then add half the milk. Don't panic if it looks curdled, it will be fine. Again beat the batter until milk is mixed in. Add another third of the flour, mix it in, then add the remaining milk. Finally add the last of the flour, the zest and the vanilla essence. Beat just until everything is well combined. Do NOT over-mix at this point, you can even finish up the mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula. The batter will be very light and fluffy. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy! :) Black Forest Gateau A slice from my wonderfully moist and yummilicious black-forest cake. This recipe is courtesy of my hubby's beautiful and talented niece, our sweet Shahida from A TableSpoon of This. PS: Have added several alterations of my own to the recipe. :) Ingredients for the cake: 6 oz sugar (170gm or three-quarter cup) 4 oz plain flour (120gm or 1 cup)

2 oz cocoa (60gm or half cup) 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 tbsp baking powder 6 eggs (at room temperature) The rest of the ingredients: 1 carton 375ml double/whipping cream Grated chocolate/ flake chocolate crumbled Strawberries (The more, the better) Sugar for macerating TIP: I also made a simple syrup by mixing 5 tbsp sugar with 5 tbsp water in a small pan, then bringing it to a boil and simmer for a minute. Let this syrup cool to room temperature, then add a few drops of vanilla essence. This will be used for drizzling on the cake after it's baked, to give it extra moistness. Sieve the flour with cocoa and baking powder three times to incorporate extra air and lightness. Set aside. Preheat the oven at 170 C. Grease and line one 8" pan. Beat the eggs on low speed until frothy, then increase speed to medium and start adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Keep going until all the sugar has been added and the mixture is light and foamy. Add the vanilla and beat it in. Turn of the beater/mixer and then add in flour and cocoa in two additions (don't add the whole lot at one go or the eggs will deflate and you will lose the volume created) and fold and cut nicely and gently to combine. Do not over-mix. Pour the batter into prepared pan. I baked at 170 C for about 40-45 minutes. Do not over-bake as it will dry out the cake. Remove once a toothpick stuck in the center of the cake comes out clean. In the mean time, chop up some strawberries (around a quarter of your quantity) and sprinkle some sugar over them (about 3-4 tbsp). Leave them to macerate/soften and release their juices. When the cake is done, slice it in the middle (like a sandwich), brush some of the simple syrup and then pour the macerated strawberries and spread them out on the bottom half. Whip some double or whipping cream with 3-4 tbsp icing sugar and half a tsp of vanilla until it reaches firm peaks and spread it out on top of the strawberries. Sprinkle lots of grated chocolate on top to make it chocolatier :-)

Place the top layer of the cake onto the cream and drizzle the remainder of the simple syrup, then spread lots of whipped cream around it generously, covering the entire cake. Sprinkle lots of grated chocolate on top and cover the entire cake with strawberries. Let it chill in fridge for about an hour before you serve. (That is- if you can wait that long :-) ) Moist Layered Chocolate Cake In honour of our 6000th member, I present a super moist yummy layered chocolate cake! It's most delicious, but more than that, it is one of the easiest cakes to prepare! I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com, with a few tiny alterations of my own. Moist Chocolate Cake- One Bowl Cake Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 cup HOT brewed coffee (1 tsp of instant coffee mixed in 1 cup of hot water) 2 eggs Directions: Preheat oven to 175 degrees Centigrade and grease and flour two 8 inch cake pan. In a bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Create a well in the centre and add all the rest of the ingredients except coffee. Mix well until combined and then add the hot coffee. Mix once again. Pour into greased pans and bake in the middle rack in the oven for approximately 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out just clean. Cool on a wire rack. Slice each cake into two slices, then layer using buttercream frosting, and cover the cake with melted chocolate or ganache. I sprinkled crushed pistachios and almonds on top. For the frosting used in the layers, I used my buttercream frosting with some cocoa

added into it: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=229126450434170&set=a.228796003800 548.78661.228648080482007&type=1 For the ganache on top, here is the recipe I used 8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces 3/4 cup (180 ml) whipping cream 1 tablespoon (14 gram) unsalted butter Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, then just pour or drizzle it over the cake and let it fall on it's own down the sides of the cake. Enjoy! :) Malai Tikka Gravy This dish is BEYOND amazing!! I got the recipe from a dear friend, Fatii Naz. Thanks so much sweety!! It's one of the tastiest, creamiest, most delicious chicken dishes I've ever made! My biggest food critic is my darling hubby. Something has to be really REALLY fabulous for him to like it enough to comment on it...but with this fantastic chicken, he took the first bite, and his immediate comment was 'AWESOME!' :D Needless to say, we licked our plates CLEAN! I served the dish with my yumyum parathas/chapatis. But it can go well with naans too. Here is the recipe: Ingredients for marination: 1 kg chicken, without skin, cut into 10-12 pcs. Then slit the pieces for perfect marination 3 tbsp full thick yoghurt 3 tbsp fresh cream 1 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Tandoori Masala 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp fenugreek leaves 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp finely crushed cumin 1 tsp finely crushed coriander salt to taste 1/2 tsp meat tenderiser (skip this if you are marinating overnight) 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp melted butter or ghee Mix together all the ingredients including the chicken .Cover and keep it in fridge for 2 hours if you're using tenderiser, or preferably overnight if without tenderiser. For the sauce: 4 tbsp butter + 1/4 cup oil (I later drained the excess oil) 1 tsp ginger garlic 300 gm tomatoes, finely chopped Salt to taste 2 green chilli, sliced 1/2 cup fresh cream Method: Pre-heat oven at 200C and grill the chicken. Place the chicken pieces on an oiled oven grill & keep an oven tray underneath to catch any drippings which will be used later in the sauce. Grill the chicken pieces on both sides, for about 8-10 min per side or until slightly charred. In a large pan, on medium heat, melt the butter then add the oil. Add the ginger & garlic,1 green chili and fry for a few seconds. Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook until all the water from the tomatoes dries up. Add the grilled chicken, the remaining marinade and drippings, salt and green chilli. Keep on low heat, covered & cook for 10 mins. Add the cream and cook for another 2-3 min. Serve hot! Here is my step by step parathas recipe/instructions:

Potato Salad This is a creamy delicious side-dish that works beautifully with just about any meal. It goes especially well with bbq, roasts, fried chicken, hamburgers and cold sandwiches. It is easy to make and tastes ABSOLUTELY amazing. Here is my version of the recipe: 500gm white potatoes 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cubed half cup mayonnaise quarter cup thick yoghurt or sour cream 1 small red onion, finely chopped 2 small spring onions, chopped 1-2 green chillis, finely chopped half tsp red chilli flakes half tsp red chilli powder half a cucumber, washed and finely chopped half tsp black pepper juice of 1 lemon pinch of cumin powder half tsp sugar quarter tsp garlic paste 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander or dill salt to taste Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1 inch cubes. Wash them, then put them in a pan. Cover them with water and add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and let them simmer on medium heat until the potatoes begin to soften. Do not over-boil, they should be done but stil firm or else they will get mashed when mixing the salad. Drain and put the potato cubes in a bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice, quarter tsp salt and red chilli powder. Add the chopped red onion and green chillis. Toss them gently to combine. Set this bowl aside for the potatoes to cool completely. To speed things along, you can pop the bowl of potatoes into the fridge until they are cool. If the mayonnaise is added onto the hot potatoes, it will thin out and you will lose the thick creamy consistency, so don't omit cooling the potatoes. In the meantime, in a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt, garlic paste, black pepper powder, chilli flakes, cumin powder, sugar and salt. Whip it well with a fork until smooth and well combined.

Put the chopped cucumber in a kitchen towel or tissue and squeeze out any excess water. Then add the cucumber into the mayo mixture and stir. Once the potatoes are cool, add the chopped boiled eggs and chopped coriander, then pour in the mayo mixture. Gently stir everything together to combine. Sprinkle some spring onions and a dusting of either paprika or red chilli powder. Taste and adjust. TIP: You can omit the boiled eggs and have a plain potato salad, or use chopped cooked sausages, or shredded chicken for variety. This salad is best served cold, so you can keep it refrigerated until time of serving. Enjoy! :) Masala Kababs/Koftas Amazingly soft, spicy and utterly delicious saucy kababs/koftas...perfect to have with plain rice or naans or even with spaghetti! Recipe: For the kababs: 500gm lean beef mince (no fat) 1 onion, chopped 1 small bunch coriander leaves with stems, chopped 2 green chillis 1 slice bread soaked in milk half tsp garlic paste half tsp ginger paste 1 tsp black pepper powder half tsp cumin powder quarter tsp tandoori masala quarter tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp salt Put the chopped onion, coriander, ginger, garlic pastes and chillis in a processor and grind until smooth, try not to use any water for this. Next, add the minced meat and process together with the green paste until well combined and the mixture is very very smooth. Turn it out into a bowl, add the cumin, turmeric, tandoori, black pepper and salt. Mix well. Squeeze out the milk from the soaked bread then add the bread into the mixture. Discard the milk. Knead the mixture properly for about 3-5 minutes until everything is very well combined. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Shape the meatballs (make sure they are very smooth and round) and then lightly shallow fry them in very little oil preferably in a non-stick pan, just for a couple of minutes on each side. Drain and set aside. They will cook further in the gravy/masala, so don't over-cook them at this point. If they crack a little bit during frying, don't panic, they will be covered in gravy later so the small imperfections won't show, just be gentle when adding them to the hot oil and lifting them out. Now prepare the masala/gravy. You will need: 3 onions, chopped finely quarter cup oil (you can use up the one you fried kababs in) 5 fresh tomatoes, chopped into small pieces quarter cup yoghurt, fresh and whipped half tsp garlic paste half tsp ginger paste 1-2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp fresh methi/fenugreek leaves 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 green chilli, chopped half tsp cumin seeds 1 cinnamon stick 1 cardamom pod quarter tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp sugar (to cut the acidity of the tomatoes) 1 tsp garam masala salt to taste chopped coriander for garnishing Heat the oil in a deep pot. Add the methi leaves, followed by the cumin seeds, cinnamon and caradmom. Once they splutter, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Next add the fresh tomatoes and fry until they dry up and all excess moisture is gone. Add the garlic and ginger pastes, followed by the tomato paste. Sprinkle salt, cumin, chilli, turmeric and coriander powders. Cook together until the oil is released from the sides. Then add the whipped yoghurt and cook until the gravy is is thick and cooked through. Sprinkle the sugar and mix well. Next, add some water (about half to one cup..just enough to immerse the kababs in). Once the water simmers, reduce the heat to low and then gently add the fried kababs. Cover and simmer on low heat to cook the kababs through. Every once in a while, open the pot and gently swirl everything together so that the gravy coats the kababs and they get turned over so that they may cook evenly on all sides. Once the kababs are fully cooked, adjust salt, add the chopped green chilli and garam masala, garnish with coriander and serve!

TIP 1: If the kababs are cooked and you have too much gravy, gently remove the kababs with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl. Simmer the gravy on its own until it reduces in volume to the consistency you like. Once ready, slip the kababs back in and give them a swirl. Done! :) TIP 2: If you want a slightly smoother gravy, before adding the kababs into it, you can blend HALF of the gravy and then pour it back into the pot and add the kababs. Enjoy! :) Fried Kabab recipe: 1 kg beef mince ( you can use mutton mince too if you prefer it, although beef tastes better) 6 medium onions, grated 5 slices of bread, soaked in water then drained 1 bunch chopped coriander 1 egg 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tsp garlic paste 2 tbsp gram flour 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp dhana jeera (if you have it) 2 tsp freshly grinded cumin powder 1 tsp turmeric powder 2-3 green chillis, chopped finely juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp butter or margarine salt to taste 1 tsp black pepper (more if you prefer hotter kababs) a pinch of soda bicarbonate (baking soda) Method Remove a small portion of the raw mince and set it aside. (Less than quarter). We'll use this later on. Put the remaining mince directly into a pan, and add some coriander, garam masala, dhana jeera, cumin powder, turmeric, salt, ginger/garlic, green chillis and some of the lemon. Place the pan on medium heat and dry the mince, keep stirring the mixture regularly so that it it's evenly cooked and doesn't form lumps. Once it's totally dry (when you notice it starting to stick to the bottom of the pan) spill the mixture into a bowl and set it aside for a while. Using the same pan, put the butter, heat it a little, then add the grated onions and black pepper and stir fry them until the onions soften. Pour back the dried mince into the onions n stir thoroughly on low heat. Taste and

adjust salt/pepper/lemon according to your taste. Switch off and let the mixture cool. Once the mixture is completely cool, add the raw mince you had set aside earlier, gram flour, egg, the soaked n drained bread and the pinch of soda bicarbonate (helps make the kababs soft but make sure you add this right before frying otherwise your kababs will be too soft and might fall apart in the oil). Mix thoroughly until the mixture is completely combined. Make a dip in the center of the mixture, put a small piece of foil, light a coal n place it on the foil, then pour a drop of oil on the coal and cover the bowl for about 2 minutes so that the mixture of kabab has a nice smoked smell. Shape the kababs and fry! PS: If kababs break during frying, mash them back in the mixture and add a bit of gram flour, shape and fry again.

Coastal/Kenyan Mutton Biryani My absolute favourite kind! Again, with this biryani, the masala is cooked separately and the rice separately, then the two are served together. Serves 4-5 Recipe for Masala: 1 kg mutton or lamb, on the bone, cut into pieces half kg onions, sliced then fried until golden 1 tbsp ginger paste 1 tbsp garlic paste 2 tbsp grated raw papaya 1 tbsp red chilli powder 1-2 green chillis 1 tsp cardamom powder 3-4 sticks cinnamon 4 cloves 2 tbsp lemon juice 250ml yoghurt 2 pinches of saffron 2 cups hot water 1/2cup of oil 4 tbsp Tomato Paste 2 fresh tomatoes, grated or blended 1 tsp turmeric

orange food colour (powder) 5 potatoes, peeled and halved, then fried until a knife can pierce through easily Method: Clean the meat. Now in a bowl add meat, salt, ginger n garlic pastes, red chilli powder, green chilli, half the fried onions, half the yoghurt, 2 tbsp of the oil, cardamom powder, half of the tomato paste, raw papaya, turmeric powder, pinch of orange food colour, pinch of saffron and lemon juice. Mix it well then marinate overnight. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, then add the whole spices followed by the fresh tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are dry, then add half of the remaining fried onions (reserve a handful for later) and all of the remaining paste, yoghurt and saffron. Cook together for a few minutes, then add the marinated mutton/lamb with its marinade. Let these simmer then add the hot water (it should completely cover the meat, so add more water if you find that the 2 cups aren't enough) and cover the pressure cooker. Cook for about 25 minutes on medium heat or until the meat is tender. Once ready, add the fried potatoes, mix and simmer on very low heat for a few minutes for the potatoes to take on a good colour and for the masala to thicken and the oil to rise to the top. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, then turn off the heat and set aside. TIP: You can also cook this masala in a regular pan, it will take slightly longer but the result will also be great. Rice Recipe: Wash then soak 3 cups of rice in water for about 20-30 mins. Soak a few saffron strands in some water and set aside. Bring a big pot of water to boil, add salt, 4 cardamom pods, 2-3 cinnamon sticks and 2-3 cloves plus about 2 tbsp of oil. Drain the soaked rice and add it to this water when it is boiling. Cook until the rice is about 3/4 done, remove and strain out all the water. Put half the rice back into the pan, drizzle about 2-3 tbsp of oil and the saffron water. Add a bit of orange colour on one side and mix it up a bit with a spoon then cover the pot tightly. Steam this on low heat for 15minutes or put in a 180 C preheated oven for about the same time. Serve the rice with the Biryani Masala on top. TIP: Alternatively, you can layer the two in the pot by placing the cooked masala at the bottom of the pan and the rice on top, then steam as directed, for about 15minutes on low heat. This tends to infuse the lovely biryani flavour into the rice as it steams.

Chicken Biryani This biryani is the type where you cook the masala separately and the rice separately, then serve the two together. Serves 4-5 people Recipe for the masala: 1 chicken, without skin, cut into 8-10 pieces half kg onions, sliced and fried to golden 5 tbsp tomato paste half tbsp garlic paste 1 tbsp ginger paste 1 tsp tandoori masala 1 tsp red chilli flakes (optional) 250ml plain yoghurt (whipped till smooth) orange food colouring 2 pinches of saffron 4 tbsp oil (for marination) 4 tbsp oil (for cooking) 5 potatoes, peeled, cut in half then fried until a knife can pierce them easily salt to taste 2-3 slit green chillis whole spices: 2 cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cloves First marinate the chicken in the ginger, garlic, whole spices, half of the yoghurt, 3 tbsp tomato paste, oil, tandoori masala, pinch of orange food colouring, salt, 1 slit green chilli and a pinch of the saffron. Mix everything together and marinate overnight for best results, or at least 4 hours. Heat the remaining 4 tbsp of oil, then add the remainder of the fried onions, tomato paste, saffron, green chilli and yoghurt. Add the marinated chicken with it's marinade, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes. Keep the pan covered and give the mixture a stir after every few minutes. Adjust salt, chilli to taste. Add the fried potatoes once the chicken is tender and cook toghether on low heat for 5 minutes so that the potatoes take on a nice colour. Sprinkle garam masala and set aside. Rice Recipe: Wash then soak 3 cups of rice in water for about 20-30 mins.

Soak a few saffron strands in some water and set aside. Bring a big pot of water to boil, add salt, 4 cardamom pods, 2-3 cinnamon sticks and 2-3 cloves plus about 2 tbsp of oil. Drain the soaked rice and add it to this water when it is boiling. Cook until the rice is about 3/4 done, remove and strain out all the water. Put half the rice back into the pan, drizzle about 2-3 tbsp of oil and the saffron water. Add a bit of orange colour on one side and mix it up a bit with a spoon then cover the pot tightly. Steam this on low heat for 15minutes or put in a 180 C preheated oven for about the same time. Serve the rice with the Biryani Masala on top. TIP: Alternatively, you can layer the two in the pot by placing the cooked masala at the bottom of the pan and the rice on top, then steam as directed, for about 15minutes on low heat. This tends to infuse the lovely biryani flavour into the rice as it steams. Tasty tender mutton liver cooked with potatoes and served with a tangy lemon flavoured rice. Liver Fry Recipe: 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed, then fried until tender and drained. 250 gms mutton liver, cleaned and washed, then cut into cubes 1 onion, chopped 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp black peppers, roughly ground 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes some freshly chopped coriander leaves 4 tbsp oil 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp lemon juice 2 green chillies, chopped Salt to taste Method Heat oil in a pan, fry onions until translucent, then add liver with ginger/garlic paste and add all the spices along with lemon juice, green chillis and salt/pepper. Cook until the liver changes colour and is about done. Add the fried potatoes and stir together so the potatoes get well coated with the onion masala.

Once done, immediately remove from heat, otherwise the liver will become hard if overcooked. Garnish with coriander leaves. Lemon Rice Recipe: 1 cup white pre-cooked rice (just regular boiled, if you want it yellow add turmeric powder to it whilst boiling) juice of 2 lemons plus half tsp lemon rind/zest) 1-2 green chilies very finely chopped 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera /cumin 2 curry leaves, chopped fine 3 tbsp oil Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, followed by the curry leaves and green chilli. Add the lemon juice followed by the rice. Stir together for a few minutes until it is heated through then add the zest and serve hot! Tartar Sauce This can be prepared hours ahead of time, or even from the day before. Ingredients half cup mayonnaise half a cucuber, grated and moisture squeezed out 1 tablespoon finely minced onion 1 tablespoons lemon juice chopped fresh dil or parsley or coriander salt and pepper to taste In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, cucumber and minced onion. Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then mix in the chopped herbs. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.