The aromas of freshly fried samosas, smoky sheekh kebabs, and sweet khoobani ka meetha are synonymous with the month-long Ramzan festivities. But the celebrations and food walks are on hold courtesy the lockdown. However, though most of us are confined to our homes, the isolation is a chance to whip up some easy iftaar snacks. We speak with five home chefs who share their secret recipes...
CHICKEN MASALA CREPE PARCELS
Shazia Khan, who was the first runner-up of MasterChef India Season 2, has created her own recipe, Chicken Masala Crepe Parcels, which is her take on crepes. “I call them ‘parcels of happiness.’ Thin crepes stuffed with chicken, these are made with ingredients that are easily available at home. It’s the perfect snack for iftaar,” she says.
Ingredients:
For Crepes: 1 1/2 cup flour 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 cup water Salt to taste
For the Filling: 7 tbsp oil 4 onions (finely diced) 5 green chillies (finely chopped) 2 tomatoes (finely diced) 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tsp garlic paste 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 250 gms chicken ( boiled and shredded) 3 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped) Salt to taste Maida slurry (made with 1 tbsp maida + 5 tbsp water)
Method for Crepes: Combine all the ingredients for the crepe and beat until it forms a smooth, thin batter. Rest for 20 minutes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for a minute, until the sides leave the pan, remove and keep aside on a lightly oiled flat tray. Repeat the process till you have used the whole batter.
Method for the Filling: Heat oil in a pan, add onions, fry till slightly brown, add the green chillies, and ginger and garlic pastes. Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt and sauté for a few minutes. Add the shredded chicken and coriander leaves, mix well and keep aside to cool. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center of the crepe, fold on all the four sides, forming a square. Seal the edges with the maida slurry. Fry the parcels on a non-stick pan, until golden brown.
CHAAT BASKET
This vegetarian dish is for chaat lovers. A basketshaped crust is stuffed with a piquantfilling, topped with khara boondi and sev. Home chef Asma Alam Syed shares this recipe with us. “My mother came up with this dish just before she got married,” says her son Arham, who is also a chef.
Ingredients:
For the Filling: 2 boiled potatoes, peeled and smashed 150 gms boiled chickpeas 1/2 cup diced onions 1/2 cup diced tomatoes 1/2 cup diced cucumber 1/2 diced apple Sev and khara boondi for garnish For topping - salt, cumin powder, red chilli, chaat masala, green chutney, tamarind chutney and curd
For Dough: 200 gms maida Oil or ghee Salt Water
Method: Knead the dough and keep it aside for 30 mins. Cover the outside of a small steel bowl with the dough to give it the shape of a basket. Dip this into hot oil. Fry on medium heat until slightly golden. Place smashed potatoes and chickpeas in the basket. Sprinkle with salt, red chillypowder, chaat masala and cumin powder. Top with cucumber, onions, tomatoes and apples. Add the chutneys, curd, sev and boondi.
KACCHE KHEEMA AND BAJRA KABAAB
Home chef Mubina Amjad learnt the Kacche Kheema and Bajra Kabaab recipe from her mother-in-law as a young bride. “This dish is a family favourite, and it’s the first thing we think of for iftaar,” she says.
Ingredients: 1/4 kg mutton kheema 1 medium-sized onion (sliced) 1/2 cup coriander 4 green chillies (finely chopped) Juice of 1 lemon Salt to taste 2 large tbsp of bajra atta 2 tbsp coriander seeds (lightly roasted and crushed coarsely)
Method: Wash the kheema in a sieve and let the water drain completely. Mix the sliced onions, coriander, chillies, lemon juice and salt with the kheema in a large bowl. Add the bajra atta slowly to this mixture. Make small oval-shaped balls, using your palms Deep fry immediately Your Bajra Kabaabs ready to eat.
KIWI BURFI
Home chef Farrukh Aziz who also runs the blog Cubes n’ Juliennes came up with this innovative dessert during Eid-ul-Adha last year. She says, “I had made up my mind to make something different from the usual Sheer Kurma or Sevaiyan. That’s how I got the idea to make a barfi with something unique, like kiwis.”
Ingredients: 5 kiwis (peeled and finely chopped) 1/3 cup sugar For Barfi: 1 cup chenna/paneer 1½ cup full cream milk 1½ cup milk powder 1 tsp cardamom powder ½ cup sugar (you may increase or decrease the quantity as per preference) Slivered almonds, pistachios and saffron strands for garnishing
Method: In a heavy bottom pan, combine kiwi and sugar. Cook till it reaches a thick consistency. Take it off the stove and keep it aside. In another pan, combine milk, milk powder, saffron and chenna /paneer and cook till it starts thickening, stir intermittently to avoid burning. Add cooked kiwi, cardamom powder and sugar. Cook till it thickens and leaves the pan to form soft dough. Take it off the heat. Spread it on a greased tray. Allow it to cool completely till set. Refrigerate. Garnish the top with slivered almonds, pistachios and saffron. Cut the barfi into your desired shape.
BASBOUSA SEMOLINA CAKE
The Basbousa is a traditional Middle Eastern sweet cake that originated in Egypt, and home chef Shahanaz who runs Ghar Ka Khaana catering has created her own version of it. “It is an Egyptian delicacy made with very few ingredients and we don’t use too much sugar. So it isn’t too sweet. It is an energy-boosting snack because of the ingredients that are used,” she says.
Ingredients: 6 eggs 300 gms sugar 500 ml fresh cream 250 gms melted butter 180 gms desiccated dry coconut 500 gms sooji 2 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
Method: Blend all the ingredients together using an electric blender. Bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees. Make sugar syrup with 100 gms of sugar, add rose essence and pour over it the baked dessert.
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