Times of Oman - Art of Cooking 2015

ART OF COOKING 2015

CHEF’S SPECIAL

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CONTENTS

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Glossary g - gram tbs - tea spoon tbsp - table spoon ltr - litre ml - mililitre kg - kilogram tt - to taste

CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE CREAM POT 4

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FRIED ICE CREAM Fried ice cream is a ямБxture in after-dinner desserts, but seldom heard of.

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HOME-MADE STIR FRIED SPICY LOBSTER

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20 MANTU – AFGHAN STEAMED DUMPLINGS

I have always been a fan of dumplings – whether it be Chinese dim sum, Tibetan momos or this sublime Afghan delicacy.

25 TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CHERRY SCONES

53 KALONJI POMFRET

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EDITOR'S NOTE

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Sultanate of Oman may be a small country on the world map but this island of peace is significant in so many ways. Rich culture, age-old traditions, history and heritage make Oman unique and special. Food, a world of it, adds to its significance as the cultural capital of the Arab world. A wide variety of global cuisines available across the country sums up the heterogeneous Omani society that is home to people from all parts of the globe.

Oman has witnessed remarkable growth in the last few decades and nothing reflects that more than a thriving tourism and hospitality industry offering multiple choices in local, regional and international cuisine. That’s precisely why visitors to Oman do not struggle to find the type of food they like.

The Omani capital is home to some of the finest hotels and restaurants offering quality food, thanks to the culinary skills of their highly experienced chefs who literally serve as the food ambassadors of the country they come from.

Themed Chef’s Special, this edition of the Art of Cooking is about some of the popular food items you love eating at your favourite hotels and restaurants in town.

Here is your opportunity to try their favourite recipes these chefs have learnt and perfected over time. With the kind of variety it offers, you are going to have the world in your plate.

Time to wear the apron and play chef.

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COLUMN

What makes a dish a chef’s favourite?

By MIKE HARRISON riters, teachers and chefs have one thing in common; they derive real fulfilment from sharing their skills and insights with others.

As a teacher of 30 plus years, my greatest satisfaction has always come from being able to impart knowledge that can be of use to others. Seeing the lights switch on in my students’ eyes has always been a reward I have cherished.

As a writer of some years, the feeling is similar. I love sharing my experiences and giving (hopefully!) a moment of pleasure to others who enjoy reading my sometimes quirky observations of life.

As a cook, the feeling is slightly different but not too much so. The greatest pleasure can be derived from sitting around a table enjoying good company and conversation over tasty plates of food. Praise and compliments for having prepared the food that is being shared has got to be the ultimate accolade.

Unlike the professional chefs featured in this revue (I’ve always considered myself to be a cook, not a chef ), although I delight in the creation of beautiful dishes, it is the social aspects of cooking that I enjoy most: The follow-up, the consumption and the appreciation. I love the creativity required in the art of cooking… but I do have to sit and share it afterwards!

Long before I began independent travelling, I had a passion for other cultures, and once I was able to use my own language to gain a living (as an English teacher), I deliberately sought out jobs in countries where I would be able to learn something new, and be able to use that

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MIKE HARRISON

newly-acquired knowledge in some way.

For me, there have always been two principal ways of learning what makes other people tick. One is through language and the other is through food.

As a student in London, I shared an apartment with an Ethiopian and a Colombian, and it was there that I learnt how to flavour my first rice dishes successfully, something which has proved to be an indispensable skill over the years!

But what is it that actually draws people to the art of cooking? In some cases, they simply fall into it. They observe their mother and aunts taking hours to prepare sumptuous meals with love and creativity, and they want to do the same.

Others view it as their vocation. It allows them to display and develop their artistic side. By constant blending and experimenting, they can create ed-

ible sculptures that receive plaudits and groans of appreciation as the fruits of their labour are – literally - savoured!

I am mildly jealous of those who fall into the above categories, as I have never developed that creative side which would allow me to carve roses from tomatoes. The languages I have learnt have been picked up on the streets of where I lived, not in classrooms. And so it is with my food.

For me, it has always been about curiosity. And the real thrill that comes from taking basic ingredients, blending them in an intuitive way, and producing something that has a pleasant flavour and texture.

There are people who scan a restaurant menu for something familiar and reassuring. They know what they like and like what they know. And there are others who scan the pages until they find something a little unfamiliar. I am of the latter category.

As a young student in France, I dreamed of tasting my first frogs’ legs and snails. I didn’t really care if I liked them, I just wanted to try them and see what my impressions would be.

If you have a passion for something (this applies to almost everything in life), and indulge in that passion with an open eye, ever vigilant for a new twist on that passion, it can help you to build up an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of your subject. Knowledge, passion and a modicum of skill will ensure that you can produce food that for the most part pleases and indulges the palate - so long as your aim is to produce tasty food and not achieve a Michelin star!

I first became seriously interested in

cooking as an art form during holidays in Thailand where I spent a lot of time watching and observing street vendors preparing delicious food from what seemed to be little effort. How I was wrong! Thai food is a complex fusion of four disparate taste sensations that combine to make wonderfully harmonious and delicious food. As soon as you understand that the main requirements are ensuring a combination of sour (or pungent), sweet, bitter and spicy flavours, then you’re off ! From that point, the rest then becomes intuition which you refine and hone with experience. My first attempts at cooking Thai and Chinese food were execrable, but after grasping the essential concepts outlined above, I have not looked back, and experimenting with Thai ingredients is now one of my favourite pursuits (and that of my dinner guests!)

Perhaps strangely for someone born and bred in the United Kingdom, I first learnt to cook in North African kitchens!

As a backpacking student in Morocco, I found myself invited into numerous homes during one long summer holiday, where I observed the long, long process of making delicious, syrupy baklava by hand, rolling out and stretching pastry almost to the size of a trampoline.

I gorged on delicious sweet fusions of meat cooked with fruit; Chicken with olives and almonds; Lamb with apricots; Beef with quince. This all spurred me to go and live in Tunisia upon graduation, where, in the homes of friends over the next few years, I learnt to really appreciate the central role that food and hospitality play in social interactions. I had

discovered another passion, and wanted to share this with the world!

In each subsequent country, I have made sure to learn how to prepare one or two local dishes that have then been carried to the next place of residence: Senegalese peanut stew; Bahraini machboos; Russian beetroot soup; Albanian liver baked in yoghurt, and Afghan mantoo (steamed dumplings), have all since become firm favourites and part of my culinary repertoire.

Each new gastronomic experience has led to others. After a balmy summer in the Baltics, I experimented with cold soups, and one of my favourites, shared with you today, is a delicious, refreshing Spanish gazpacho – made with chilled cucumber, pepper and tomatoes.

Being based in Dubai and Oman for the last fifteen years has helped me to discover the local cuisines to a certain degree, but more especially, has enabled me to develop a love and interest in food of the broader region. Iran produces an amazing array of herbs and other ingredients that are used to produce not only succulent grills, but subtle and colourful dishes with sublime textures. The unique combinations of herbs, yoghurt and saffron are unbeatable. Another of my all-time favourites is fesenjan, a dish prepared with a sauce of pomegranate molasses and walnuts. Other favourites of mine are the great range of plovs and biryanis from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and some wonderful veggie and seafood dishes I’ve learnt to prepare from Kerala and the Malabar coast – the long coastline which has profoundly influenced the cooking of Oman and the broader region.

Preparing this article in the UK where we are currently experiencing a wonderful English summer, I realised that I had neglected to include one particular country from my list of favourites.

All nomads at some point return in some way or another to the point where they started from but I grew up in a country where, apart from the ubiquitous fish ‘n’ chips, we had little to offer compared to some of the world’s finest dishes that were served up in our eastern and southern neighbours of France, Italy and Spain?

But I’m proud to say that in recent years, we have most definitely caught up with our Gallic neighbours, and while 20 years ago you’d be lucky to get a pickled egg with your pint, it seems that almost every village throughout the land now has a gastro pub capable of serving up a delicately-grilled goats cheese tart with a cranberry and honey glaze, followed by crayfish and a mango salsa.

We British have always excelled at pies and cakes, and so in homage to my home country, I have included a set of British desserts to complete my own list of ‘favourites’. There is nothing better on a hot English summer’s day, than a nice afternoon tea of freshly-baked scones with jam and cream.

Enjoy!

(The author is a food and travel writer, cook and motivational speaker, who contributes regularly to a range of regional publications. His books, ‘From Tagine to Masala’ and ‘Real Flavours of Arabia’ are available at bookshops throughout the region. He can be contacted at gourmetmike@yahoo.com )

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FEATURE

Going global With so many new hotels, restaurants and cafes planned in the Omani capital, Muscat is well on its way to becoming a paradise for foodies always willing to try out the number of exotic global cuisines available in the city.

By SARAH MACDONALD

Highlights

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Q The new generation in Muscat

he number of restaurants, pizzerias and cafes in Muscat is increasing all the time, giving foodies and others who enjoy dining out all kinds of options to treat their taste buds.

With each passing year the variety of cuisine available in Muscat grows too, offering international flavours to take diners on culinary adventures around the world. Whether you want a steak cut from the finest imported beef, a rich Moroccan tagine to be enjoyed to the sounds of live oud players, a spicy biryani, or a quick but satisfying Lebanese shwarma, the dining scene in Muscat offers something for everyone.

Saud Al Lamki is an HR manager by day, co-owner of Kiwi Cafe, a popular burger joint in Muscat, and an avid foodie. He has always enjoyed cooking and he eats out regularly, trying restaurants that are new and trendy, as well as those that are tried and true. He says his parents were both great cooks and he got his passion for food from them.

Saud says in the 1980s most of the restaurants were in Ruwi and Al Bustan Hotel, but over the years as the city has expanded, so too have the restaurants. In the past five years the number has really increased, he says.

“As people have travelled to Dubai and went abroad they came back with more ideas and these international flavours

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loves dining out and the city’s burgeoning eateries are wooing them Q Social media has helped change

the way customers interact with restaurants in Muscat Q The global flavours found in

Muscat are a result of Omanis who travel abroad and expatriates who have brought their own cuisine here developed locally, as well as regional flavours like Yemeni and of course Omani, which are very good as well,” says Saud.

Some of the global flavours found in Muscat include, but are not limited to, French, Italian, British and American in addition to Mexican, Argentinean, Japanese and Malaysian. Other flavours include Thai, Indonesia, Chinese, Lebanese, Moroccan, and even Brazilian and Korean. Regional cuisines such as Indian, Pakistani, Iranian and Yemeni are also very popular. All of these options are a result both of Omanis travelling more and eating out more, and the number of expatriates in Oman.

One of the people introducing new types of cuisine to Muscat is Hussain Fadhil, who owns three restaurants - 360 in Ghala, On The Rocks adjacent to the Golden Tulip, and Espeto Gaucho in The

Cave in Darsait. He has had a long-time passion for food and loves serving food that people appreciate not just for eating, but to enjoy for its presentation and for interesting dining experiences, such as the traditional Brazilian steakhouse, Espeto Gaucho, the first of its kind in Oman.

“The new generation doesn’t just want to spend their time at home. Now the trend has changed and people want to go out and try different cuisines, so this is what we plan to bring,” explains Hussain.

Hussain says that now more than ever people in Muscat enjoy going out to eat and their dining patterns have changed.

As incomes increase along with options for dining, and more and more families have both parents working, there is more incentive to dine out.

“People’s ideas about food have changed. Now you see families out in restaurants, even on weekdays,” he adds.

For a local meal there are more Omani restaurants than ever in the market.

Whether it is home-style Omani comfort food like hearty chicken saloona (stew) or kabuli rice served on platter to be shared by many, Omani fusion cuisine that blends local and international ingredients, or Omani food served in a fine dining setting, Muscat now has restaurants to meet everyone’s tastes and desires.

“I’m very happy that there are more Omani restaurants opening. Seriously, we need it. We need to serve Omani food not just in Oman, but everywhere,” says

Chef Khamis Al Hadidi, head chef at Al Manjur, an Omani restaurant that recently opened at The Cave in Muscat.

The dining options in Muscat also cover a range of budgets, from 300bz Omani pancakes at a local chai karak shop, 500bz falafel sandwiches and 800bz curries, to OMR30 lobster, OMR40 wagyu steaks, and OMR190 caviar, and everything in between. You can easily find delicious and affordable food for an everyday meal, or treat yourself to a gourmet, five-star restaurant for a special occasion.

A recent change in how customers interact with restaurants is Muscat is a result of the social media. Whether it is for finding a contact number on a Facebook page to have a meal delivered, making a restaurant reservation online, or sharing feedback and reviews, social media has become a normal aspect of dining out.

Saud says the Kiwi Cafe has not done any mainstream advertising; instead they rely on their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Both Hussain and he say many of the customers now take photos of their food before they eat it and post it online, immediately promoting the restaurant to their friends and family.

“Before the first bite they’ve taken the photo and posted it, so people like the idea of trying new food and presentation plays a massive role,” says Hussain.

Local blogs like Omani Cuisine and FatSu are go-to spots online for restaurant reviews, while interactive Facebook groups like Oman Restaurant Review

lets people post reviews of restaurants and have discussions, ask for recommendations or directions to local restaurants.

Saud says he enjoys posting reviews because it is a hobby and a way to hone his critiquing skills.

“We have definitely taken advantage of social media. Any success we’ve had in the market in terms of popularity is purely due to social media. Many other restaurants have also benefited from

this,” he explains.

Of course there is still room for more restaurants in Muscat, and both Hussain and Saud are hoping to contribute to this. Saud does not go into any details but says African cuisine is lacking in Muscat, while Hussain hints at an American franchise. With the number of new hotels, resorts and shopping malls planned in the city, Muscat’s foodies will be in culinary heaven.

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INGREDIENTS

Recipe Mike Harrison

Watermelon and Feta Salad with Fresh Mint and Olives

Q 1/2 a football-sized water-

melon Q 200g feta cheese Q small handful fresh mint Q 75g black olives Q 1 tbsp gently roasted pine

This is an incredibly easy to prepare but elegant-looking salad.

There are only four simple ingredients, yet together, they form a marriage made in heaven! Sweet, juicy watermelon goes beautifully with the tart cheese and aromatic mint. The black olives add a ďŹ nal, colourful contrast. If you want a little extra crunch, add a few toasted pine nuts.

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nuts [optional]

PREPARATION: Q De-seed and cut the watermelon into bite-sized pieces.

Cut the feta into small cubes.

Finely chop the mint and set aside. In a serving bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, reserving a little mint to sprinkle over the salad just before serving.

Serves 4

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Recipe Mike Harrison

Mike’s Fish & Seafood Pie with Mustard and Spring Onion Mash This recipe uses 3 different fish as its main ingredients [salmon, cod and smoked haddock] because they all have different flavours and textures and make it a lot more interesting than if you would use just one variety of fish. I tend to make this pie more when I am in the UK, because there is a good variety of fish available. If you’re making this in Oman, you won’t be able to find cod, so use any firm fish that can be cut into chunks [hamour, tuna, kingfish]. The following ingredients are for guiding purposes only – Experimentation will make it your own!

INGREDIENTS

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POTATO TOPPING: Q 1kg peeled potatoes, cut

PIE / FISH FILLING: Q 750g mixture of 2-3 dif-

into cubes Q 1 tbsp mustard [with seeds if possible, as this makes the mash more attractive] Q 2 small spring onions, chopped Q knob of butter Q 1 tbsp milk Q sea salt and freshly milled black pepper Q 150g Emmental, mild cheddar or mozzarella [or your favourite hard cheese], grated

ferent fish [I used salmon, smoked haddock and fresh haddock], cut into bitesized cubes Q 75g scallops + 75g prawns [optional – increase or decrease number as per preference] Q 75g butter Q 2 leeks, sliced [hard outer stalks removed] Q 2 medium carrots, sliced Q 75g plain flour Q 600 ml/1 pint milk Q small handful of chopped parsley [optional]

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PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 180°C/400°F. Put the potatoes into a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until soft [test with a fork].

Drain well and then mash, putting in first the butter, then the milk, slowly. Add the mustard and spring onions. Add the pepper and salt after checking the taste. Add half of the grated cheese and stir well.

At the same time, boil the carrots for 5 minutes and set aside.

For the fish filling, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and boiled carrots and stir over the heat. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until soft. Measure the flour into a small bowl. Add the milk, then whisk together until smooth. Add the milk to the leeks, bring to the boil and stir briskly until thickened. Season and add the fish and seafood. Stir over the heat for two minutes, then turn into an ovenproof casserole. Add the chopped parsley. Allow to cool until firm.

Spoon the mashed potatoes over the fish mixture and mark with a fork. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Dot the pie topping with a dab of butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown on top and bubbling around the edges.

Serves 4

Recipe Mike Harrison

Chicken Tagine with Olives and Almonds I could not prepare a set of my favourite recipes without including a tagine! It’s only in the last decade or so that Moroccan food has really come to the attention of foodies around the world, belatedly and deservedly-so. I love the combination of fruit and meat that the Moroccans specialise in. From lamb with apricots to beef with prunes, this innovative slow-cooked fusion of flavours, prepared to perfection in the typical clay dish with a conical lid that is the signature dish of Morocco, is always a winner for me. Check out my first ever book, now in its third edition:- ‘From Tagine to Masala’.

INGREDIENTS Q 1 large chicken, cut into 8

Q pinch of salt

PREPARATION:

pieces (or 8 chicken thighs and legs) Q 1 cup green olives, pitted Q 100g almonds Q 2 tbsp olive oil Q 3 cloves garlic, minced Q 1 onion, finely chopped Q tsp saffron threads Q 2 tsp paprika Q 1 tsp ground cumin Q 1 tsp ground ginger Q tsp turmeric Q tsp cinnamon Q tsp freshly ground black pepper

Q peel from 1 preserved

Combine all the spices in a large bowl. Pat dry the chicken pieces and put in the bowl, coat well with the spice mixture. Let the chicken stand for one hour in the spices.

In a large, heavy bottomed skillet or tagine dish, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt and brown, skin-side down for five minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and onions. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.

Turn the chicken pieces over. Add the lemon slices, and half a cup of water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender. In a separate pan, brown the almonds in a tiny bit of oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove and pat dry. Add the olives and almonds to the chicken dish and serve, decorated with a few sprigs of parsley and coriander. A few threads of saffron sprinkled over will give added colour.

lemon, rinsed in cold water & cut into thin strips Q cup water Q cup chopped fresh coriander Q cup chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

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Recipe Mike Harrison

Fesenjan – Duck with Pomegranate & Walnut Sauce The first food article I ever wrote was about my quest for fesenjan, the sublime Iranian dish, which is made with the most wonderful combination of pomegranate molasses and walnuts. These two ingredients are also popular in the Caucasus states of Armenia and Georgia, and I’m sure this is partly the reason for those countries having such a high percentage of centenarians within their populations! Apart from containing two healthy ‘super foods’, fesenjan is quite simply delicious. For me, it has to be cooked with duck, but if you cannot find it, then replace the duck with chicken breasts.

INGREDIENTS Q 4 boneless duck breasts

Q 1/3 cup walnuts, finely

[alternatively, use chicken if you cannot find duck] Q 1 medium onion, finely diced Q 2 tbsp lemon juice Q 1 cup chicken stock Q 1/3 cup pomegranate molasses

ground Q salt and pepper to taste Q 2 tbsp oil

PREPARATION: Sauté the onion in the oil until translucent. Brown the chicken

breasts in the same oil. Add the lemon juice and chicken stock.

Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts and simmer gently for a further 45 minutes.

Serve with saffron rice and sprinkle a few walnut pieces

over the dish as decoration.

Musakhan – Palestinian Chicken with Sumaq One of my big Middle Eastern favourites is musakhan, the Palestinian national dish. It is ideally cooked in a special tanoor clay oven that each family traditionally has at the bottom of the garden! Of course, if you do not have a clay oven, then a normal one will suffice! Handmade oven bread is soaked in chicken stock and the chicken pieces, marinated in bittersweet sumaq powder, are then roasted and placed over the bread. The juices of the chicken and lovely burgundy coloured sumaq combine to make a sublime flavour.

INGREDIENTS Q 1 whole chicken, cut into 4-6 pieces

PREPARATION:

Q 2 tsp lemon juice

Coat the chicken pieces in a little flour, lemon and vinegar and then wash and pat dry. Marinate the chicken in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, sumaq, cardamom, salt and pepper for at least two hours. Fry the onions gently, adding salt and pepper and a little sumaq to taste. Add the chicken pieces then transfer to a pre-heated oven and roast at 180ºC for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, cut the bread into wide strips to go under the chicken.

Q cup plain flour Q 1 tsp vinegar Q Large onions, finely chopped Q 2 tsp sumaq Q Dash of ground cardamom Q 2-3 tbsp olive oil Q ‘musakhan’ or ‘taboon’ Arabic bread Q Handful pine nuts Q Salt and pepper

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Moisten the bread with spoonfuls of stock from the chicken dish and add a layer of onions. Top each piece of bread with a piece of chicken, sprinkle with pine nuts and a little sumaq and return to the oven for a few minutes until the sides of the bread are gently toasted. Serve with yoghurt and / or a side salad.

Serves Four.

Recipe Mike Harrison

Honey, Date and Walnut Cake Ground walnuts are the star of this easy single-layer cake garnished with honeyed walnuts. The walnuts are toasted to bring out even more flavour. Recently returned from a delightful, short work contract in Rwanda, I used Rwandan rain forest honey for a smoky flavour, Omani dates and Afghan walnuts – paying homage to three of my favourite countries in one recipe! But you can use whatever you find in your local supermarket or kitchen! The finished product was deliciously moist and disappeared far too quickly from the plate…

INGREDIENTS Q 1 1/2 cups walnut pieces Q 1/2 cup honey Q 1/4 cup dates, de-seeded and chopped

into pieces Q 1 cup all-purpose flour Q 1 1/2 tsp baking powder Q 1/4 tsp salt Q 12 tbsp unsalted butter, at room tem-

perature Q 1/4 cup sugar Q 3 large eggs Q 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

GARNISH: 10 walnut halves 2 tbsp honey

PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter and flour a 9-inch cake tin. Spread

the walnuts on a sheet pan and toast in the pre-heated oven for 5-6 minutes. Leave to cool and rub the nuts in a towel to remove the loose skins.

Grind the walnuts in a food processor with 1/4 cup of the flour until quite fine, or alternatively, just give one or two pulses if you want to have more walnut chunks in the cake. Do the same with the dates. In a medium bowl, combine the ground nuts, dates, remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter with the honey until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This can also be done by hand if you do not have a mixer.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly and add the vanilla. Add it in thirds to the butter mixture. Beat well to incorporate after

each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, toast the ten walnut halves on a sheet pan for eight minutes. While they are still warm rub the nuts in a towel to remove the excess skin and place them in a small bowl. Add the two tablespoons of honey and stir until the walnuts are coated. Reserve the walnut halves at room temperature to garnish the cake when it is finished.

Cool the cake in the pan for five minutes and then turn out onto a cake rack to cool.

Garnish the edge of the cake with the walnut halves.

Serves 8 to 10

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Recipe Mike Harrison

Mantu – Afghan Steamed Dumplings I have always been a fan of dumplings – whether it be Chinese dim sum, Tibetan momos or this sublime Afghan delicacy. Mantu are prepared in similar forms from Korea to Turkey and are particularly popular in the former Soviet Central Asian republics, though my favourite is this Afghan version. They consist of a ground meat mixture wrapped in a dough casing, which is boiled or steamed. Mantu were originally carried across Central Asia to Anatolia by migrating Turkic and Mongol horsemen, who passed through Afghanistan several hundred years ago. A salsa of tomato, mint and yoghurt is poured over the hot dish before serving. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CASING: Q 250g regular white flour Q 1 cup water Q 1 tsp salt

GARNISH: Q 1 cup plain yoghurt Q 1 tbsp dried mint PREPARATION:

FOR THE STUFFING: Q 150g minced, slightly fatty lamb Q 1 medium onion, finely chopped Q 2 TBS coriander, finely chopped Q 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Q pinch of salt and ground black pepper FOR THE SAUCE: Q 1 medium onion, minced Q 2 cloves garlic, minced Q 2 tbsp vegetable oil Q 2 tbsp tomato paste

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Sift the flour and make a well in the centre, adding small amounts of water before kneading the mixture until a dough is formed. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin. If you have a pasta-making machine, adjust the setting to the thinnest and run the dough through it several times until a wafer-thin, stringy consistency is achieved.

Otherwise, sprinkle the dough with flour and use a rolling pin to achieve the above consistency, repeating the process 2-3 times. Cut the dough into large squares, the

approximate size of a CD case.

Mix all of the stuffing ingredients by hand and place small portions into the centre of each dough square. Fold the dough over the stuffing on all 4 sides, then twist the ends together to seal the stuffing inside. Place the dumplings in a steamer for 10 minutes.

To make the sauce, gently sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil until translucent.

Add the tomato paste and small amounts of water, stirring constantly. Simmer until the sauce thickens.

To serve, pour a little yoghurt over each dumpling, add some tomato sauce, and sprinkle with dried mint. Serve hot.

Makes approximately 10 pieces.

Recipe Mike Harrison

Boz Ghormeh – Iranian Lamb and Aubergine Stew I have long had a passion for the elegant flavours of Iranian cuisine, which blends fresh herbs, meat and fruit in flavoursome ways. One of my favourite dishes is this stew, or soup, which can be served as a starter or as a meal in itself. The combination of aubergine and lamb works well, but the unique success of the dish is brought about by the subtle addition of yoghurt, mint, walnuts and saffron. You can also add a few leaves of spinach a few minutes before serving. Yum!

INGREDIENTS Q 1 tbsp butter (optional) Q 2 large onions, grated or chopped

Q cup ground walnuts

Q 3 tablespoons butter

Q 3 cloves garlic, grated (optional)

Q 500g breast of lamb Q 1 can beef broth or 1/2 litre beef stock

PREPARATION:

Q cup water

Sauté the onions in 3 tablespoons of the butter until golden brown. Add the meat and sear on all sides. Add the broth, water, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over a low heat until the meat is tender (about 2 hours), adding the aubergine pieces after the lamb has cooked for around 90 minutes.

Ladle a few tablespoons of the hot broth

Q tsp salt Q tsp pepper Q 1 large aubergine, chopped into bite-sized

pieces Q 1 cup liquid whey (or yoghurt) Q tsp saffron Q 1 tsp dried mint flakes

into the liquid whey (or yoghurt) to warm it up before adding it to the meat. Stir in the saffron. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Just before serving, sauté the mint flakes in the remaining tablespoon of butter, and sprinkle them over the soup. Sprinkle the ground walnuts over the top. If desired, sautéed, grated garlic may also be added to the top. Serve in soup bowls, and stir a little yoghurt into each serving.

Serves 4.

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21

MIKE HARRISON

Recipe Mike Harrison

Gazpacho Gazpacho is a Spanish soup, which is served cold and is incredibly refreshing when the temperature outdoors is soaring. I’m surprised we don’t find it listed more often on menus here in Oman during the summer months! It is also an incredibly healthy option, with plenty of raw vegetables as well as bread and olive oil. The following ingredients are what I use, but you should experiment a little to get it to your exact taste. I like to include a juicy stick of celery, when I can find it. Perhaps you would prefer to adjust the amount of vinegar or olive oil. The quantities of bread and water you use will alter the thickness of the soup. A dash of chilli oil gives it a nice zing!.

INGREDIENTS Q 1 1/4 kg ripe tomatoes Q 1/2 medium cucumber Q 1 green pepper Q 3 garlic cloves Q 1/2 medium onion Q 1/4 cup olive oil

GARNISH (SMALL QUANTITIES): Q iced tomato Q iced cucumber Q iced green pepper Q toasted sesame seeds

Q 2 tbsp good quality vinegar

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Q Some stale bread [depending

PREPARATION

on how thick you wish the soup to be. It can be left out completely if you prefer a thinner soup] Q Some chilled water Q 3-4 ice cubes

Blanch the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunging them into cold water. This will make them easier to peel when you take them out of the water.

De-seed the peeled tomatoes.

Some people prefer to avoid the

ART OF COOKING - 2015

fuss, and simply leave the seeds in and skin on.

Chop up the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, and onion. Add them to a blender in small batches along with the (optional) bread and blend until smooth, adding the olive oil in a drizzle while blending. If you want a very smooth soup, then push the gazpacho through a sieve. This will get rid of the tomato seeds and skin if you left them on. At this stage, you can add chilled water to make a thinner soup, if you prefer. Once

this stage is complete, pour the gazpacho into a serving bowl, add the ice cubes and place the bowl in the fridge to chill.

Put the garnish ingredients of diced tomato, cucumber and pepper on a plate and serve with the gazpacho. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on each plate of soup or serve separately in a small bowl as an optional accompaniment for those who like a more nutty flavour.

Serves 6-8

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23

MIKE HARRISON

Recipe Mike Harrison Recipe Mike Harrison

Rhubarb & Apple Crumble with Custard

Traditional English Cherry Scones

This is a homage to my childhood days, when I could not bear the taste or texture of rhubarb, and used to pick out the apple and the crumble from this dessert, discarding the rest. Time does pay tricks on us all, and as an adult, I have come to love many of the dishes that I rejected as a child. Beetroot is one, and rhubarb is another. I have many other crumble recipes in my repertoire, and in the middle of summer, I love one made with summer berries.

Almost any seasonal fruit can be cooked in this way. If you want a hot and cold contrast, replace the custard with plain ice cream.

There really is something special about an English afternoon tea served with freshly-baked scones, warm from the oven, and butter and jam on the side. Or, if you want a real, authentic treat, look around for some good old Devonshire clotted cream. Make these scones your own by experimenting with wholemeal flour or different fruit ingredients: Dried fruit and raisins go well. Whenever I make a batch of scones, I usually make a separate set of cheesy ones – in this case, make the dough in two separate batches, and add 50g grated Red Leicester or Cheddar cheese, and leave out the sugar. I find a 1/2 tsp of paprika powder added to the dough also works a treat!

INGREDIENTS

FILLING: Q 3 cups rhubarb, chopped into 2-3 cm pieces Q 2 apples, peeled and sliced

into wedges Q 1/2 cup sugar Q 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder Q 1 1/4 cups water

CRUMBLE: Q 1 1/4 cups self-raising or all-purpose flour Q 1/3 cup oats Q 1/4 cup almond slivers Q 1/2 cup demerara sugar Q 50g + 10g cold butter, diced into small pieces

PREPARATION: Place the rhubarb and apple slices into a casserole dish and sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over. Cover with the water. Pulse together all of the crumble ingredients until

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they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle and smooth over the rhubarb and apple mixture. Sprinkle the almond slivers over. Dot the mixture with small pieces of chopped butter. Bake at 170ºC for 30 minutes or until the crumble topping is dark brown.

CUSTARD Q 6 egg yolks Q 1/2 cup sugar Q 2 cups whipping cream Q 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract In a saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and sugar for 3-4 minutes; stir in the cream.

Cook and stir constantly over low heat until mixture thickens: about 15- 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm over the crumble.

INGREDIENTS Q 225g self-raising flour Q 1/3 cup of cherries,

de-pipped and cut into slivers Q 1 tsp baking powder Q Pinch of salt Q 55g butter Q 25g caster sugar Q 150ml milk Q 1 medium egg, beaten, to glaze (alternatively use a little milk)

PREPARATION: Heat the oven to 220°C. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and rub in the butter.

Sprinkle in the cherry slivers and mix well. Stir in the

sugar and then the milk to form a soft dough.

Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat it out to a round, 2cm thick one. Use a 5cm cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. If you do not have a pastry-cutter, use the rim of a glass!

Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up. Brush the top of each scone with the beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden. Serve with cherry or any berry jam, and - if you can find it – clotted cream!

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25

CHINA MOOD

Recipe Chef Chen, China Mood, Al Bustan Palace

Shredded chicken salad Shredded chicken is a well-known traditional dish made from Chinese hen. It belongs to the Szechuan cuisine and is a cold dish. It has high nutritional value, and retains the proteins of the chicken. The taste is a bit chewy. It is fresh, sweet, sour, pungent and spicy, and a really good appetiser! The chicken breast meat is low on fat and contains nutrients, such as vitamin B and nicotinic acid, which can have certain cholesterol-lowering effects. It is suitable for people who would like to lose weight.

INGREDIENTS Q Chicken breast 100 g

Q Sesame seed 1tsp

Q Spring onion 20 g

Q Chicken powder 1tsp

Q Salt 5 g

Q 2 garlic cloves, minced

Q Sugar 5 g

Q Shredded ginger 10 g

Q Chilli oil 10 g Q Sesame oil 5 g Q Onion oil 15 g Q 15 grams capsicum

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PREPARATION Q After washing the chicken breast, put it in the pot and

pour a suitable amount of water, to shoot with ginger boil, skim oating foam, and cook by medium heat until the chicken is done and immediately remove to cool.

Q Put shredded ginger, minced garlic, after chicken has

cooled, shred with ďŹ laments.

Q Put seasoning as a mixture

(chilli oil, salt, sugar, vinegar, Chinese prickly ash, minced ginger, chives, chicken soup) Serves 1

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27

CHINA MOOD Recipe Chef Chen

BBQ beef rib with black pepper sauce

Recipe Chef Chen

Steamed prawns with minced garlic The steamed prawn is vey nutritious, especially in proteins and calcium content. Garlic can not only remove the fishy smell of shrimp, but also bring out more flavour.

It is best after being steamed with the sauce. Serve with rice.

INGREDIENTS Q 6 pieces prawns Q 50 grams asparagus Q 20 grams salt Q 15 grams potato starch Q 5 grams sesame oil Q 5 grams pepper Q 25grams cooking oil Q 15 grams spring onion oil Q 10 grams chicken powder Q little sugar Q 5grams soya sauce Q spring onion

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PREPARATION Q Marinate prawns with salt, chicken powder, pepper, sesame oil, potato starch, Q Put fried minced garlic on the top of prawns, then place it in the steamer and steam together for 7 minutes.

Q Pour hot oil after it is steamed.

Serves 1

It is a combination of Chinese and Western styles. Select the beef rib and marbled red meats. It is tasty not greasy. It is a western food item commonly consumed. Made with black pepper and uses traditional “baked” cooking skill. While cooking, the most important thing is the black pepper sauce. It is the key to this dish.

INGREDIENTS Q 800 grams beef rib Q 2 tea spoon BBQ sauce Q 10 grams mushroom Q 20 grams broccoli Q 5 grams salt Q 1 tea spoon sugar Q 1 tea spoon chicken

powder

Q capsicum

Q 2 tea spoon black pepper

Q Fried minced garlic

Q 30 grams corn oil

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PREPARATION Q Marinate beef rib with salt, sugar, chicken powder, pepper, mix BBQ sauce for 2 hours.

Q Roast for 30 minutes.

Serves 1

Recipe Chef Chen

Home-made stir fried spicy lobster

INGREDIENTS Q 400 grams lobster Q 20 grams mushroom Q 15 grams celery

The fried spicy lobster is a new Szechuan cuisine. It is famous worldwide as a part of Cantonese cuisine through innovation and improvement. It is especially for those who like Szechuan cuisine and spicy food. Lobster is rich in protein and minerals and has low fat content.

Q 10 grams baby corn Q 5 grams ginger Q 15 grams spring onion Q 5 grams salt Q 10 grams sugar Q 20 grams garlic Q 15 grams red chilli Q 20 grams fermented black

PREPARATION Q Marinate the lobster with salt, pepper, chicken powder, eggs, sesame oil, potato starch, Q Fry the lobster, mixed with the homemade spicy sauce, Q Stir fry lobster with ginger, spring onion, baby corn, celery and mushrooms.

Serves 1

bean Q 15 grams potato starch Q 2 whole eggs

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29

CHINA MOOD Recipe Chef Chen

Fried ice cream Fried ice cream is a fixture in after-dinner desserts, but seldom heard of. Fried ice cream can give you a different experience. The characteristics of this dessert are a test of the chef’s cooking skills. It requires control of the temperature.

INGREDIENTS Q 2 scoop vanilla ice cream Q 1 tea spoon honey Q 100 grams tempura flour Q 5 grams baking powder Q 10 grams corn oil Q 2 pieces sliced cake

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PREPARATION Q 2 scoop vanilla ice cream coated with baking dough for deep frying.

Q Keep frozen 4-5 hours Q Heat the oil, put frozen ice cream scoop in the hot frying oil until it turns brown.

Serves 1

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31

AL MANJUR

I love these five dishes because they are my favourite among Omani cuisine. True to the Omani society, they will keep you connected with the past and the present at the same time and you’ll feel the magic of distinct Omani flavour and the amazing aroma and effect of our wonderful spices.

When I try this food I feel and find myself in another world of culinary creations where I will always find something to amaze me, letting my creative juices flow; sometimes giving birth to new ideas, new flavours and new recipes.

Chef Khamis Al Hadidi, Al Manjur, The Cave

Recipe Khamis Al Hadidi

Awal Salad INGREDIENTS Q 80 gm dry shark fish Q 30 gm cucumber Q 30 gm tomato Q 30 gm onion Q 20 gm lemon juice Q 20 gm lettuce Q 5 gm salt Q 5 gm garlic Q 3 gm black pepper

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PREPARATION: Q Boil the shark fish (5 to 10 min) Q Strain the shark fish Q Cut all vegetables (Julian Style) Q Mix all ingredients together Q Blind the garlic with lemon, salt and pepper (dressing) Topping of shark fish on the vegetables mixed with dressing Bon appétit

Recipe Khamis Al Hadidi

Baby shark spring roll INGREDIENTS Q 3 pcs of spring roll sheet Q 150 gm fresh shark fish Q 20 gm onion Q 15 gm minced garlic Q 10 gm cinnamon Q 8 gm salt

Q Add and mix salt, pepper and

lemon juice Q Add cinnamon and onion then

mix well Q Prepare the spring roll sheet and

put the ingredients in it

Q 30 gm lemon juice

Q Roll it

Q 10 gm black pepper

Q To stop the dough from opening

PREPARATION: Q Boil the shark fish with minced garlic until cooked Q Strain the water and mash it

while deep frying, add and top slightly (using a brush) the raw roll with flour mixed with water Q Fry the rolls and serve it hot with sweet chili sauce.

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33

AL MANJUR

Recipe Khamis Al Hadidi

Lamb Kalya (Main Course) INGREDIENTS Q 100 gm lamb cubes Q 100 gm lamb kidney cubes Q 100 gm lamb liver cubes Q 50 gm onion

Q Add onion, garlic and mix them together

Q 10 gm black pepper

Q Add water until boiled

Q 15 gm coriander power

Q After 80 per cent lamb cooked, add all spices

Q 15 grs garlic

Q Keep for 20 minutes under low temperature

Q 30 gm water

Q Serve with any kind of bread or rice

Q 15 gm cumin powder Q 10 gm cardamom Q 10 gm cloves powder

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until dry

Q 20 gm salt

Q 15 gm cinnamon powder

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PREPARATION: Q Heat the pot Q Add lamb kidney, liver and lamb cubes. Cook

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37

AL MANJUR

Recipe Khamis Al Hadidi

Chicken Shuwa with Kabuli Rice INGREDIENTS Q 300g chicken Q 100gm Shuwa masala Q 100g rice Q 20g salt Q 200g Omani spices Q 10gm butter Q 5gm cumin seeds Q 20g onion Q 10g garlic Q 150gm water

Recipe Khamis

PREPARATION: Q Wash the chicken Q Marinate the chicken with Shuwa masala Q Keep the marinated

chicken for 30 minutes in the fridge Q After 30 minutes, put the chicken inside the pressure cooker, cook on low fire for 30 minutes.

Q In the meantime, prepare the Kabuli rice.

KABULI RICE PREPARATION: Q Heat the pot Q Add butter with ghee Q Sauté onion and garlic and cumin powder Q Add Omani spices till

colour turns brown.

Q Add 150 gm water Q Add salt Q Keep until boiled Q Add rice (cook on low

fire) Q Serving: Chicken and

rice to be served hot together.

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Recipe Khamis Al Hadidi

King Fish Pablo INGREDIENTS Q 250g king fish cubes without skin

and bones Q 80g onion Q 60g tomato Q 20g garlic Q 40g lemon juice Q 15g turmeric powder Q 20g salt Q 30g fresh coriander Q 10g red chilli Q 500g water Q 20gm fish spices

PREPARATION: Q Heat the pot and add water until boiled Q Add onion, tomato, garlic until

cooked Q Add turmeric powder, salt, red

chili, fresh coriander (keep boiled for 10-15 min) Q Add lemon juice and fish Q Keep for 5 to 10 minutes on low fire Q Serve with white rice

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39

GOLDEN ORYX

PEPPERY HOT PRAWNS

Recipe GOLDEN ORYX

CHICKEN IN SCHEZWAN SAUCE The dish originates from the “Sichuan” province in Southwestern China. It has bold flavours particularly the spiciness and that is the main reason it is such a popular dish of the restaurant.

INGREDIENTS

Q Chicken

750g Q Garlic 10g Q Ginger 10g Q Tomato Ketchup 30ml Q Coriander Q Corn flour Q Salt/pepper Q A few red chillies

PREPARATION Q Dice the chicken, marinate with salt/pepper and corn flour and deep-fry the chicken until crispy.

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Q Put oil in a wok, add the

chopped garlic/ginger and Schezwan paste made of red chillies.

Q Put the tomato ketchup, some chicken stock and toss the chicken in the wok.

Q Add corn flour paste and stir-fry.

Q Add salt/pepper to taste.

Q Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves 4

Recipe GOLDEN ORYX This starter is popular for its crispiness sautéed with onions and dry red chillies, which is simple but impressive.

INGREDIENTS Q Prawns

6pcs

(size 20 x 30) Q Corn flour Q Flour Q Egg white Q Salt & pepper Q Onion Q Ginger Q Dry red chilli Q Spring onion Q Lemon juice Q Oil fry

50g 25g One egg To taste 50g 25g 10g 20g 10ml to deep

PREPARATION Q De-shell and de-vein the prawns. Wash and clean

properly. Make a batter with corn flour, flour and egg white and some salt and pepper. Dip the prawns and deep fry. When it is done remove from the oil keep aside on a tissue pepper to soak the extra oil.

Q Put little oil in a wok and add onion, chopped garlic, crushed dry red chilli, sauté for a while then add spring onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add fried prawns and toss it for some time then take it out and place it in a serving dish.

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41

GOLDEN ORYX

Recipe GOLDEN ORYX

ORIENTAL MERMAID This dish is created by our Master Chef and as the name suggests it is a combination of fish and chicken with delicate flavours adding to its taste and freshness.

INGREDIENTS Q Fillet hamour

200g 100g Q Ginger 25g Q Coriander leaves 10g Q Corn flour 25g Q Tomato ketchup 50g Q Red chilli sauce 25ml Q Vinegar 15ml Q Salt & pepper To taste Q Oil To deep fry Q Minced chicken

PREPARATION Q Cook minced chicken with chopped ginger, garlic, coriander and green chillies. Add salt and

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pepper as required. It has to be dry. Slit the Hamour fillet like a pocket and fill it up with minced chicken.

Q Make a thick batter with corn flour and flour and then add a little baking powder. Dip the fish stuffed with chicken and deep fry. Remove when it is light brown. Keep it aside.

Q Take tomato ketchup, red chilli sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook for a while. Add chopped garlic till you get the right consistency.

Q Place the pieces in a serving dish and top it with a hot garlic sauce. Garnish with chopped red bell pepper.

GAENG KIEW WARN KAI (Chicken in Thai green curry)

Phak phuk prik Thai A freshly cooked seasonal vegetable dish with roasted black pepper preferred by vegetarians. It is usually had as an appetiser with an aperitif.

Recipe GOLDEN ORYX

This popular Thai delicacy is consumed usually with steamed rice or Thai flat noodles. Extremely good recipe combination and is usually called “king” of all Thai curries.

INGREDIENTS Q Assorted carrots 35g Q Cauliflower 30g

INGREDIENTS

Q Button mushrooms 35g Q Potatoes 35g

Q Shredded chicken 200g Q Button/black/fresh mush-

rooms 25g Q Basil leaves, few leaves Q Thai green curry paste 20gms Q Coconut milk 10ml Q Salt/pepper/sugar To taste Q Corn flour 10gms Q Egg 1 no Q Small brinjals 15gms

PREPARATION Q Marinate the chicken with corn flour, egg yolk and deep fry.

Q Make a thin paste with corn

flour.

Q Put oil in a hot wok, add the green curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and stir.

Q Add the chicken, basil leaves, button mushrooms, brinjals and stir.

Q Add corn flour paste to thicken.

Q Add required salt, pepper and a little sugar.

Serves 4

Q Capsicum 25g Q Lady fingers 30g Q Baby corn 30g Q Pepper corns 15g Q Corn flour 10g Q Salt/pepper To taste Q Soya sauce (light and

dark) 15ml Q Chopped onion and

minced garlic 25g & 10g Q Lemon juice 10ml

PREPARATION Q Slice the potatoes like

mushrooms and dice all the vegetables.

Q Marinate all the above with corn flour, maida and deep-fry until crispy.

Q Put oil in a heated wok, add the chopped onions and minced garlic, add soya sauce, salt/pepper/msg and the crushed peppercorns.

Q Put in the vegetables and stir-fry.

Q Add a dash of lemon juice, and serve hot on a platter.

(For 4 persons) (Assorted vegetables in roasted black pepper)

French fries. Finely cut the

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43

GRAND HYATT

Australian prime rack of lamb, Ceps tart Truffle croquette, Red currently Jus

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Recipe Jason Brotherton, Mokha Cafe, Grand Hyatt

INGREDIENTS

Q 4 each

Rack of lamb

Q 400 gm Baking pota-

toes Q 30gm Q 40ml Q 20 gm Q 50 gm Q 40 gm Q 80 gm Q 80 gm

Truffle Truffle oil Flour Beaten egg Bread crumbs Puff pastry Cep mush-

rooms Q 300 gm Duck fat Q 20 gm

Thyme Rosemary Q 10 gm Bay leaves Q 2 clove Garlic Q 80 ml Lamb stock Q Red currant for garnish Q Malden sea salt Q Fresh ground black pepper Q 20 gm

PREPARATION Score baking potatoes and season then place in the oven at 170° Celsius for 1 hour 10 minutes and set aside to cool, and then peel.

Finely chop the truffle, add truffle oil to the peeled potato and season to taste,

Then make cylinder shape, then pane them, then deep fry until golden brown.

Slice cep mushrooms in 4mm thickness lengthwise.

In a baking tray place duck fat, thyme, rosemary, garlic and bay leaves and add sliced cep mushrooms then cooking at 80° Celsius for 1 hour 20 minutes then set aside to cool, then drain the excess fat.

Dock the puff pastry and place on the baking tray with grease proof paper and another baking tray on the top in order to make a thin tart base then place cep mushrooms on the puff pastry.

Pre-heat the frying pan until sizzling, add oil, then sear the rack of lamb as golden brown, then place in the oven at 180° Celsius for 6 minutes as medium or longer for personal preference.

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GRAND HYATT

Recipe Jason Brotherton

INGREDIENTS Q 2ea Q 320ml Q 150gr Q 100ml Q 160gr Q 20gr Q 100ml Q 20ml

DUCK BREAST, DUCK LEG CONFIT, DUCK TORTELLINI, PEA PUREE

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Q 5ml Q 30gr Q 1ea Q 40gr Q 5gr Q 5gr Q 1ea

Whole duck Olive oil Pasta dough Duck stock Green peas (frozen) Butter Duck stock Double cream Truffle oil Thyme fresh Egg (beaten) Malden sea salt Bay leaves Pepper corns Bulb garlic (cut in half)

PREPARATION Q Clean the duck and remove any excess fat, remove the two legs and the breasts from the duck.

Place the legs on a tray cover with Malden sea salt and thyme, leave for 12 hours.

Q In a pan heat 300ml of olive oil to 80°c, add the garlic, 25 gm thyme, bay leaves and pepper corns. Remove the excess salt from the legs, and add to the olive oil, cook for 4 hours. Allow to cool in the oil. Once cooled remove the duck legs, separate the thigh bone and the drum stick.

Q The meat from the thigh bone, pull off the bone and chop for the tortellini. In a bowl add some chopped thyme and check the seasoning and adjust if needed, mix in the truffle oil.

Q Roll out the pasta dough, very thin number 1 on the pasta machine; you should be able to see your fingers through the dough.

Place the confited leg meat in the middle, seal the edges with egg wash, and fold over to form

a half circle. Then hold in your fingers place one finger in the middle, fold round both the corner ends to form a tortellini and fold back the top.

Q With the drumstick cut the done at the top, and slowly push the meat down to expose a clean bone, keep on the side.

In boiling salted water add the peas, butter and cook until the peas are tender, puree and the cream and adjust the seasoning.

Q Remove the excess fat from the duck breasts and score the fat with a sharp knife, season the duck breast, heat the oil in a pan and place the duck breasts in fat side down, until golden and crisp, turn over add the thyme, place in the oven at 180°c for 5 – 8 minutes depending on desired cooking.

Q Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water with olive oil for 5 minutes; reheat the dusk leg and puree.

Q Remove the duck breast from the pan; allow resting for 10 minutes. Remove the excess oil from the pan, heat on a gas burner, and deglaze with the duck stock, reduce to syrup, add a little cold butter and check the seasoning.

Q To plate place the pea puree on the left side of the plate and with the back of a spoon drag to the right. Cut the duck breast in half-length ways and place on the left side, place the tortellini next to the duck breast, then the drumstick so you have a nice group of three items in the middle. Spoon the jus in lines around and garnish with fresh thyme.

Serves 4

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47

GRAND HYATT

Recipe Jason Brotherton

INGREDIENTS

HOME CURED ATLANTIC SCALLOP

Q 12 each Atlantic scallop Q 3 each Baby fennel Q 120 g

Fine green beans Pickled carrot Q 12 g Sturia caviar Q 40 ml Sherry vinaigrette micro cress for garnish For the curing scallop Q 400 g Sea salt Q 20 g Tarragon Q 20 g Parsley Q 50 g Lemon zest Q 120 g

For fennel confit Q 400 ml Olive oil Q 10 g

Thyme

Q 3 clove Garlic

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then remove from the oil.

For pickled carrot Q 2 g Mustard seed Q 20 g Castor sugar Q 40 ml White wine vinegar Q 100 ml Water PREPARATION Q Clean scallop meat and cover with the sea salt for approximately 40 minutes then remove all the excess sea salt from the scallop.

Q Place olive oil, thyme, garlic and baby fennel in a small pot and heat it up gradually at 60° celsius degree until soft

Q Blanche fine green beans in

salted water for 3 minutes and place in ice water to cool; then finely shred and season with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Q Peel carrot and slice in 2mm thickness lengthwise.

Q Add white wine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and water to a pot and heat up until boiling then remove from the heat.

Q Add the sliced carrot to the liquid allow to cool down then remove carrot.

Serves 4

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GRAND HYATT

Recipe Jason Brotherton

INGREDIENTS Q 200gr Lobster tail meat

POACHED LOBSTER, MANGO, GINGER LIME OIL

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cooked Q 160gr Cooked white crab meat Q 120ml Fresh mango puree Q 50gr Roma tomato, peeled diced 5mm square Q 15gr Chives fine chopped Q 40ml mayonnaise Q 2 sheets leaf gelatine Q 150ml Extra virgin olive oil Q 40gr Fresh ginger sliced (keep the skin) Q 20gr Garlic clove Q 1ea Lemon grass stick Q 4ea Caper berry large with stalk Q 5gr Malden sea salt Q 2ea Lime leafs Q 30gr Micro cress leafs Q Salt Q Pepper

PREPARATION Q Warm the Extra virgin olive oil to 60° c, add the ginger, garlic, lime leaf and lemon grass. Keep on the side allowing the flavours to infuse.

Q Remove the lobster meat from the shell, cut 4 nice medallions for the garnish, the rest of the meat dice into 10mm pieces.

Q Soak the gelatine in cold water, warm the mango puree, when the gelatine is soft add to the mango puree, make sure it is all dissolved. Pass the mix through a fine sieve.

Q Add the lobster meat to the mango, spoon into small Teflon muffin molds and refrigerate for two hours, or until the puree is set.

Q In the meantime add the crab

tomato, chives, salt, pepper and mayonnaise to a mixing bowl, Q Mix well.

Q Pass the infused olive oil through a fine sieve to remove all the ingredients, correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Q To plate the dish, spoon the crab on the left side and with the tip of a spoon smooth it towards the right. Place the mango and lobster tower just above the crab, place the lobster medallion, and place a pinch of Malden sea salt on top, garnish with the caper berry, infused olive oil and micro cress.

Serves 4

CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE CREAM POT

Recipe Jason Brotherton

INGREDIENTS Q 30ml

Water Sugar Q 60gr Dark Chocolate Q 4pcs Egg Yolks Q 200ml Milk Q 50ml Espresso coffee Q 60gr

PREPARATION Set the milk & espresso coffee in a cooking pan, bring them to boil then set aside.

Chop the dark chocolate finely, set in a medium bowl and add the 2 egg yolks.

Boil the water and sugar together then pour on the chocolate.

Mix with a whisk till smooth texture, and then pour

in the milk.

Mix with a spatula at this point, to avoid making too much of foam.

Divide into 6 ceramic dishes or small bowls, set in a deep tray, and fill with water till it reaches a 1/4 of the dish inside.

Bake at 90° Celsius (1/4 mark or thermostat 3) for 1 hour.

Let them cool and set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours You can garnish with some diced mango, or fresh berries

Serves 4

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THE INDUS

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Recipe Shaikh Arif Ahmed

KALONJI POMFRET INGREDIENTS

Q Pomfret 250gm

(White Pomfret) Q Garlic Paste 10gm Q Ginger Paste 10gm Q Kalonji Seeds (Nigella Seeds)

10gm Q Kashmiri Chilli Powder 1 Tsp Q Roasted Chana Powder 20gm Q Salt to Taste Q Kalonji Oil 20ml Q Lemon 1 No. Q Egg White 1 No.

PREPARATION Q Clean the fish and make three slits on both sides from head to tail Q Put Ingredients in a bowl and mix properly.

Q Smear the fish with the masala and keep it for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.

Q Shallow fry the fish in Kalonji oil.

Q Cooking time - 7 minutes each side with slow fire.

Q Serve with mint chutney

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THE INDUS

Recipe Shaikh Arif Ahmed

RAAN SHEIKH SALEEM

INGREDIENTS Q Goat or Lamb 1 Leg Q 4 large onions to be roasted

without skin

in oven or in tandoor with a temperature of 300° Fahrenheit till it turns brown.

Q Red Chilli Powder 15gm Q Ginger Paste 2 Tsp

Q After roasting, make a fine

Q Roasted Garlic Paste 2 Tsp

paste of onions and garlic in a mixture.

Q Take the Raan, wash it properly and slice with a knife to enable absorption of spices.

Q Take a big vessel and put the Raan inside it and except lemon add the rest of the ingredients.

Q Marinate it for half an hour.

Q Cover the vessel with aluminium foil and cook on a slow fire for 2 hours.

Q After half an hour, make a

Q Turmeric Powder 1/3 Tsp Q Dry Rose Petals 4 Tsp Q Peppercorn 1/2 Tsp Q Cinnamon Stick 1/2” Q Kebabchini 1 Tsp Q Green Cardamoms 2 Q Juice of 2-3 Lemons Q Ghee 200gm Q Salt to Taste

PREPARATION Q First take the onions and garlic peel them and roast

small hole so that steam comes out.

Q After 2 hours, separate the gravy and the Raan.

Q Strain the gravy and then mix it with the Raan again.

Q Then put the Raan in the oven with 200° Fahrenheit for half an hour.

Q The Raan is now ready to serve.

Before serving sprinkle some lemon Juice.

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NALLI ROGAN JOSH INGREDIENTS

Q Lamb Shanks 6 Pcs Q Water 2 litres Q Salt to Taste Q Garlic (Grounded) 35gm Q Ghee 200gm Q Cloves 12 Q Green Cardamom 12 Q Turmeric 1 Tsp Q Fried Onion Paste 200gm Q Kashmiri Red Chilli Paste 15gm Q Saffron 1/2 Tsp Q Dry Cockscomb 1/2gm heated with 1 cup

water Q Black Pepper Powder 10 gm Q Ginger Powder 5 gm.

PREPARATION Q Boil the lamb shanks in water. Remove the scum with a ladle until the water is clear.

Add the salt and garlic. Boil until the lamb shank is half done. Remove from heat and take out the pieces of lamb shank. Wash them in a pan of cold water. Keep the meat aside. Then strain the water through a fine sieve and collect it in another pan.

Return this pan to the heat and bring the water to boil. Add the lamb shanks.

Q Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a pan, and add the cloves and sauté until they crackle.

Remove from heat, sprinkle 1 tsp of water and cover.

Q To the boiling water, add the green carda-

moms, turmeric powder, clove-flavoured ghee and onion paste. Boil for another 10 minutes. Stir the red chilli water. Reduce heat and cook covered until the meat is tender.

Q Add the cockscomb flower extract, saffron

water, ginger powder and black pepper powder. Mix well and bring rapidly to the boil.

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THE INDUS

MURGH ACHAARI Recipe Shaikh Arif Ahmed

INGREDIENTS

Q Chicken 1 Q Red Chilli Powder 4 Tsp Q Ground Ginger and Garlic 2 tsp Q Ground Cumin and Coriander

Seeds 3 tsp Q Juice of 6 lemons Q 6 Green Chillies, cut into half Q 1/4th cup curry leaves

For (Seasoning) Q Cumin seeds 2 tsp Q Nigella seeds 1/2 tsp Q Dry Whole Red Chillies 6 Q Mustard seeds 1 tsp Q Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp Q Oil 2/3 Cup PREPARATION Q Wash chicken and drain the water out completely.

Q Put the chicken in a heavybased pan and add to it all the ingredients except the ones for the seasoning (baghar).

Marinate for an hour. Heat the oil. Add the whole red chillies, cumin and mustard seeds and after a few seconds nigella and fenugreek seeds. When the colour of the red chillies darkens, pour the baghar over the marinated chicken and cover the dish immediately.

Now start cooking, first on high and then on medium-slow fire, covered. Stir the dish from time to time and cook till the chicken is tender and the water dries up.

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BADAMGIRI KUND INGREDIENTS Q Bitter Almond 1 kg Q Desi Ghee 300gm

Q Then mix almond, milk

Q Cardamom 5gm

and rest of the ingredients altogether and make it a fine paste.

Q Cook the fine paste with ghee again with a slow fire until ghee comes on the top.

Q Garnish with almond slice, sprinkle with cardamom powder and serve it.

Q Sugar 1 cup Q Milk 1 ltr

PREPARATION Q Soak almond overnight.

De-skin it. Fry it with ghee to light golden brown.

Q Keep the ghee separately.

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cool.

Q Javatri 5gm Q Saffron 1/4 gm

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Q Boil the milk and bring it to

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BAIGAN BADAL JAAM

INGREDIENTS Q Big Brinjals 400gm Q Desi Ghee 100gm Q Chat Masala 1tsp Q Tomato 1kg Q Cup Onion 100gm Q Garlic 20gm Q Ginger 10gm Q Red Chilli Powder 5gm Q Salt to Taste Q Hung Yogurt 200gm Q Chopped Coriander 10gm Q Lemon 1Nos. Q Fresh Pomegranate seeds

10gm PREPARATION Q THE Brinjals: Remove stems, wash, slice ends and cut into 3 roundels of equal thickness.

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Heat Ghee in a kadhai (wok) and deep fry the roundel over a medium heat until cooked.

Remove. Lightly grease a roasting tray, arrange the roundels on it without overlapping, and sprinkle chat masala.

Q The Tomato Sauce: Blanch tomatoes, remove the skin, deseed and roughly chop.

Peel, wash and finely chop onions. Peel and finely chop garlic, reserve 10g/1 tbs for the yogurt topping. Scrape, wash and finely chop ginger.

Q Heat Ghee in a kadhai (wok), add onion and sauté until light brown. Add garlic and

ginger, sauté until onions are golden brown. Then add tomatoes, red chillies and salt. Bhunno (fry) until it is mashed. Reduce the masala to a thick sauce consistency and adjust the seasoning.

Q The Topping: Hang yoghurt in muslin cloth until reduced by half, then whisk in a bowl.

Clean, wash and chop coriander, add to the yogurt, along with the reserved garlic and lemon juice. Mix well.

The oven: Pre-heat to 250° F Use garnish and sprinkle fresh pomegranate seed on top.

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