MunatyCooking Magazine by Muna Kenny

MunatyCooking | 1

Contents 4

Bulgarian Stuffed Bread Fluffy and spicy

Hummus with Tahini Lebanese delight

Hammour Escabeche

Steak & Kidney Pie

Experiencing Hai Tao

No Bake Um Ali

Pecan Chocolate Pie

Basboosah By Le yla Hur

This Season Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Reason ...

Did You Know...

Fried Vegetables with Noodles Page 14

8 Interview with Executive Chef Steven Pieters His never ending journey in the culinary world.

How far would you go? with Author Fiona Dodwell

MunatyCooking Magazine Read it online, or download it to your PC for free from :

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MunatyCooking | 2

Find us here:

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March was a month that marked a notable change in

weather, April is promising to be even better. This is

admin@munaty.com

the season to feel life grow and develop; that's the

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reason why we included an article that will guide you

Draw larger audience to y our business and products by adv ertising on Munaty Cooking Online Magazine. www.munaty .com/advertise.htm

in planting and growing your own vegetables. Over the past month, we have received contributions and feedback regarding the magazine, thank you all so much for your support. After reviewing the views

Copyright: The conte nt of MunatyCookin g Online Magazine is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permissio n. You may prin t or download MunatyCooking Onlin e Magazin e fo r your personal and non-commercia l use only.

and visits on the magazine and the blog, we have developed the recipes and articles in this issue to

Photos on pages 7-8-10-13-18-19-20-21 owned by Kempin ski Hote l Ajman. Photos on page 26 owned by Leyla Hur.

correspond to these patterns. We hope you like what

Photos on page 16 owned by Auth or Fio na Dodwell.

And as the case always, we have included

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure that adverts, deta ils, and articles appear correctly, MunatyCooking Onlin e Magazine makes no state ments, representa tio ns, or warrantie s, expressed or implied, that the content and info rmation in MunatyCooking Online Magazine are accurate , comple te , reliable or free from errors or omissions. MunatyCooking Onlin e Magazin e cannot accept responsib ility fo r any loss or damage caused directly or in directly by th e contents of this publicatio n. The vie ws expressed in this magazin e are not necessarily those of its publisher or editors. The info rmation conta in ed in MunatyCookin g Online Magazine is provid ed for general info rmational purposes only. It should not be relied upon as medical or emotional advice. The information may not apply to you and we urge you to seek professional guidance befo re you use any of the in formatio n provided in the magazine. If you utilize any info rmation provid ed in this magazine, you do so at your own risk and you specifically waive any rig hts to make any claim again st MunatyCookin g Online Magazine, its officers, directo rs, emplo yees or representa tives as th e result of th e use of such info rmation.

easy- to-make dishes plus a recipe from an

you see and read.

Executive Chef.

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Muna Kenny

Bulgarian Stuffed Bread

Ingredients for the dough:

Ingredients for the filling:

5 Cups all purpose flour (might need more)

12 Tablespoons cream cheese

1 1/3 Cup warm milk

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons dry yeast

2 Green chili chopped 2 Medium size onion chopped

6 Tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar 1 Teaspoon salt 2 Eggs Olive oil

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Method - the filling:

sheet. Don't brush the third sheet.

1- In a hot pan, add oil and fry onion until golden in color.

9- Put the filling at the edge of the top sheet and roll all sheets together making a long log.

2- Add the chopped chili and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat. 3- Add the cream cheese and stir for 2-3 minutes. 4- Remove from pan and let it cool.

10-Cut along the length of the log, making triangles.

Method - the dough:

11-Place the triangles in the baking pan, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. 12- Brush with mixture of one egg beaten with two tablespoons of milk. 13- Bake in a preheated oven 350F/180C/

Gas mark 4, for 25 to 30 minutes.

1- Mix the wet ingredients plus the sugar and dry yeast. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

14- Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler, for one or two minutes to get the dark golden color.

2- Mi x salt with flour. Pour the wet mixture gradually and knead. 3- After kneading for 10-11 minutes, cover the dough with wet towel and leave it to rise. 4- The dough is ready when it almost triples in size. 5- Make 18 equal size balls from the dough. 6- Dust the working surface with flour, flatten the ball slightly with your hands.

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HUMMUS WITH TAHINI

8- Brush the sheet with olive oil. Make another sheet and place it on top of the first one, brush second sheet with olive oil. Make a third sheet and place it on top of the second

7- Using the rolling pin, roll from the center of the dough and work outwards until you get an almost transparent round sheet.

Hummus with Tahini

DON’T MISS

DON’T MISS DON’T MISS DON’T MISS DON’T MISS DON’T MISS

Ingredients 4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 In a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients and mix for at least 3 minutes. The paste should be smooth with no lumps

1/2 Cup tahini

2 Pour the hummus in your serving plate, drizzle olive oil on top.

2 Cloves garlic minced

3 Sprinkle paprika over the hummus and serve.

1 Can chickpeas ( 2 Cups)

Juice of one lemon Salt to taste 4 Tablespoons water

TIP: If you like your hummus thick, reduce the water and olive oil.

Paprika for garnishing

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This recipe is by Executive Chef Steven Pieters. Kempinski Hotel Ajman Ingredients : 0.25kg Hammour

Hammour Escabeche

10gr

Wasabi

10gr

Garlic

40gr

Lemon

3gr

Cilantro

0.02lt

So y Sauce

2gr

Coriander seed

1gr

Salt

1gr

Pepper

1pc

Orange

- Source fish from your local fish monger Hammour, Faskher or Naggil for the Gulf, Seabass in the Mediterranean, Barracuda in Southern hemisphere. Depending on where you are.

coriander seeds, chop the cilantro, squeeze lemon and orange juice. Mix all ingredients together and lightly season with pepper.

- Scale gut and fillet the fish, de bone and check again for remaining hair like bones.

- Layer the sliced fish along a long thin plate, make a small rose out of the wasabi paste, add soy sauce into a small cup.

Bon appĂŠtit

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Interviewing Chef. Steven P.

- Make a paste from the garlic and add cracked

- Garnish with mixed salad leaves and a light sesame lime dressing.

- Slice the centre or heart piece of the fillet into rectangle pieces at aprox 4cm long and 2cm thick.

- Lace the marinade over the fish and let stand for 15 min.

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Executive Chef Steven Pieters Came in February 2011 from Kempinski Croatia to Kempinski Hotel Ajman. Chef Steven was born in South Africa, but learned the trade in Switzerland, where he refined his knowledge by learning the hospitality industry and not just the kitchen. He is a strong believer in the importance of communication. His career has taken him all over the world for the past 20 years; and within the next 3 to 4 years he could be anywhere in the world. His journey has just begun.

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Executive Chef Stevens Pieters What was your career path like?

How do you handle a stubborn Chef?

After hotel school, I moved to Ireland to complete my in-service training. From there I traveled to Dubai, Croatia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and finally to Switzerland. I started off as a Commis de Cuisine, then Sous Chef, moved up to Executive Sous Chef, and finally became an Executive Chef in 2000 in Switzerland. In 2009, I joined Hotel Kempinski as Executive Chef.

Generally, Chefs have very high opinions of themselves. In this situation, I would explain to that person what they had done wrong, see if they are willing to change. If the y are not willing to change, I have to make a quick decision: Does this person remain in the team and continue to hinder its movement or should he be removed from the wheel? We are human, each man and woman has his dignity. Some people may have had a bad day, it doesn’t mean necessarily that they are stubborn. My job as an Executive Chef is not to only send out food, but to manage people as well. It’s important to keep my staff feeling and believing they can come to me with issues that have nothing to do with their jobs.

How do you distribute work in the kitchen? Kitchen is based on military structure, like a pyramid. One Executive Chef on top, after that there are executive Sous Chefs, then Sous Chefs. I bring them all together to share an understanding of their responsibilities for the 8 hours they are working, right down to the person who cleans the dishes. However, information should be relevant to the position of that chef to understand it and carry out his tasks. One thing that should be maintained in the kitchen is a sense of stability. The saying that “too many cooks spoil the broth” is true because there can be only one person in charge. Through all of that, I maintain open communication with my team, however, there’s one rule: There are no discussions during service time.

Is it necessary for a Chef to develop a thick skin? Yes, because things can get brutal inside the kitchen. When the pressure is on, things are said, and if you take it personally, you won’t last long inside the kitchen. It’s not an easy environment. What makes an Executive Chef? To get that far in your career as an Executive Chef and to remain as one, I’ll put it down to the passion with which you

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approach your life and what you want to do with it, to be 100% dedicated to a profession. What did you want to be when you were a kid?

fatigue, you can see a sense of pride. The next best thing is to walk through a restaurant and without speaking to a guest, that eye contact as you pass by their table, that look of “Thank you, Chef” is huge.

I never wanted to be anything else but a chef. I learnt to appreciate the kitchen from my Every job has tough days, how do you deal grandmother. My mother didn’t with them? enjoy being in the kitchen, so ʻ I never wanted If it’s really tough and I’m reaching by the age of 10, I was the one boiling point, I would walk into the to be anything enjoying the cooking. I never deep freezer, close the door, and worked as anything else in my else but a Chef. shout as loud and long as I can until life besides being a cook. there is no more oxygen in my lungs. I learnt to Who was your inspiration to be This calms me down. If your team appreciate the a Chef? notices that you’re losing control, kitchen from my they get nervous and when they do, Marco Pierre White. By the age accidents and mistakes happen. of 21, he achieved world grandmother. domination through brutal force What are your fa vorite gadgets or and sheer dogged passion to appliances in the kitchen? Why? be the best. He has 3 Michelin stars and he’d My hands, because they are always with me. earned every one of them probably twice as If you can only have success in the kitchen hard as any other Chef ever did. He is my with gadgets then you definitely have an role model. issue. If you can work with your hands you

‚

What do you enjoy most about your work? After a hectic night in the restaurant, the best moment is when I see in my team’s eyes their satisfaction with the day they just finished. If you look past the tiredness and

How often do you come up with new recipes? My own new recipes? Not that often. It’s generally required for a new restaurant with a new concept, one that hadn’t been in operation before. Most Chefs have

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Interview Continues

He should have passion for creativity, an understanding of the world around him. In today’s hotels and restaurants people like to see and eat what’s in fashion, like in clothing. You have to be open to the world.

can work with gadgets, the other way around isn’t always true.

What are the qualities of a Chef?

Executive Chef Stevens Pieters their memory bank of recipes with them. They would usually alter these recipes a little bit, as the situation requires, according to the line they are working and the culture they are serving. What’s your favorite dish to cook and what’s your fa vorite dish to eat? I think everybody enjoys Sushi Sashimi. I enjoy it because I know the amount of work that goes into it. Coq au Vin, which is a classical French dish, is my favorite to prepare, it’s so simple; chicken with white wine. If cooked properly it feels like a melody. I love chicken. Do you use cookbooks as references? I get amazing inspiration from cookbooks by going through what people are mixing and matching in their recipes and menus. What would you advise those interested in going to culinary school? Be prepared for a journey of a lifetime, excitement, heartache, unrecognizable pain in terms of standing on your feet for 10 hours a day. At the same time be ready for the finest experience of all. Being in a position today is not enough, it all comes down to our achieved results, be it positive or negative. What’s a typical day in a Chef’s life? Meet and greet the staff from the night before and the ones starting their shifts, then go to the receiving area to check on goods delivered and their quality. After that it’s time to study the revenue numbers from the night

before and their relevance and reflection on budget. Check duty roster, is everybody present? Is somebody at work who shouldn’t be? Next, prepare for the banqueting and outside catering events for that day. Attend morning meetings with property managers, marketing team, and General Manager. Mingle with guests and introduce yourself to them. When that’s done, check on lunch preparation and production. Sitting with your assistant, set out action plan for the day to achieve our goals. We set our daily, weekly, monthly goals and seasonal goals. It sounds rigid but this is how we know where we stand and are always ready. Work on new projects, upcoming new menus, new restaurants, and promotions. In the afternoon, take a one hour break to prepare yourself for dinner. At dinner time, which is our signature time as a 5 star property, you greet guests and welcome them, making sure there is enough staff to give the required attention and service. By 10:30pm things quiet down, and that’s the time to prepare for next day’s market list.

ʻI get amazing inspiration from cookbooks by going through what people are mixing and matching in their recipes and menus.‚

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At the arrival of night shift team, greet them and then head home. Check on your kids, catch up with your spouse. Unwind. By 6am you’re up and the day starts again. 7am you are on your way back to work. What’s the one task a Chef can’t start his day without? Meeting the team. If it’s a one-man team, then the task is knowing what lies ahead of you, what your guests expect and how many of them there are that day. What’s the one thing you wish you didn’t have to do as a Chef? Paperwork. Inventories. Can you tell us a bit about the recipe you are sharing with us? We serve this dish in Zanzibar Restaurant, our beach restaurant, which had a soft opening on 26th February. It’s made of local fish; Hamour. This dish is similar to Sashimi, but is prepared with lime, fish herbs, and olive oil. Very simple dish, but one geared toward the weather we are going into. I will suggest alternative fish to use instead of Hamour for people accessing the recipe from other parts of the world. Would you ever consider writing a cookbook? It won’t be a cookbook, it will be my culinary journey, it’s all mapped in my head, I just don’t know the ending yet. Basically, I’ll be opening up my soul to people to look at the life of a Chef, privately and professionally.

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Fried Vegetables & Noodles

Ingredients 1/2 Green bell pepper cut in long strips 1/2 Yellow bell pepper cut in long strips

- Heat two tablespoons of oil, add all the vegetables and sautĂŠ for one minute on medium heat.

1 Cup cabbage cut in long strips

- Add oyster sauce and soy sauce, stir for a minute.

1/2 Cup mushrooms chopped 1 Onion chopped 4 Baby corn cut in strips Oil 1 Teaspoon sesame oil Salt Black pepper 2 Cups cooked noodles 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 1 Tablespoon corn starch dissolved in 1/2 cup water.

- Add salt, black pepper, and sesame oil. - Pour the corn starch mixture and stir for 20 seconds. Add the noodles and mix well. - Serve immediately

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Steak & Kidney Pie

Ingredients 1 kg beef cut in cubes 1/4 kg kidneys chopped

1 Brown the meat in preheated oil and keep a side. 2 Brown the kidneys and keep aside.

1 Big carrot diced

3 SautĂŠ all vegetables for 3 minutes.

1 Big onion diced

4 Add meat and kidneys to the vegetables. Keep on medium heat.

6 Button mushrooms cut 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 Tablespoons flour 6 Cups chicken or beef broth Oil 1 Readymade crust

5 Add flour and rest of the ingredients, stir well. 6 Let it boil for two minutes, then cover the pot and place it in a preheated oven, 350F/180C/Gas mark 4, for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Keep the pot on the bottom rack. MunatyCooking | 15

7 Fill the ramekins with the stew. Beat one egg with two tablespoons of water, brush the edges of the ramekins with this mixture, then cover with the crust. Make a hole in the middle of the crust, this will allow the steam to come out. Brush the surface of the crust with the egg and water mixture. 8 Bake in a preheated oven 350F/180C/ Gas mark 4, for 15 minutes or until the surface turns light brown.

TIP: To prepare your own crust, recipe is available on page 25.

How far would you go ? over the years, many of which I was a successful entrant, and this kindled the fire of my ambition. In March of this year, my novel The Banishing was released. This story grew from one sentence that kept haunting me: How far would you go to save the one you love? The story explores some dark issues – at times I wondered if I should delete or re-write certain scenes – but I decided that it would be dishonest of me as a horror writer to not explore fully the horrors of demonic possession and domestic abuse.

by Author

Fiona Dodwell Fiona Dodwell lives in Buckinghamshire in the UK and is an author of horror fiction novels. Her latest book, The Banishing, has recently been released with US publisher Damnation Books. Here Fiona tells us more about herself, her writing, and her love of all things spicy!

“I grew up loving horror, both in film and literature. I enjoyed the greats, from Stephen King to Susan Hill to Edgar Allen Poe. I devoured anything sinister, frightening and disturbing, and this in turn inspired me to create stories of my own. From a young age I began writing poems, short stories and novels, trying to nurture my dream of one day becoming a writer. I entered poetry and fiction writing contests

As I write each day (I am currently working on my next novel) and also work in a local hospital, I find myself with less and less spare time. I have always valued the importance of good, wholesome food, and because I don't want my diet to suffer because of my life style, I have tried to find good recipe's over the years that are tasty, healthy and quick to create. The dish I have created here is a 'Quick and Easy Vegetable Curry,' inspired by a meal one of my character's makes in The Banishing. It doesn't take much time to cook or prepare, and it's tasty, spicy and healthy. The great thing about this dish is that you can alter what you add – you can alternate your choice of vegetables or strength of your curry dish.” You can find out more about Fiona and The Banishing at her website: www.fionasfiction.wordpress.com Her novel is currently available in paperback and e-book formats.

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Quick & Easy: Curry for Vegetarians

You will need: -Vegetables (onion, carrots, diced potato, cauliflower) - Curry powder (mild, medium or strong) - Flour - Vegetable Stock - Basmati Rice - Naan Bread (optional)

1. Prepare your chosen vegetables. Dice them and cook them in boiling water for 20 minutes or until soft. (For this dish you can use diced potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, peppers -whatever takes your fancy). 2. Once the vegetables are soft, add three tablespoons of curry powder to the vegetables (still in the hot water). Use one vegetable stock cube and add this to the vegetables and curry powder. Simmer for ten minutes. 3. Take three heap spoonfuls of flour and add this to a jug. Spoon in cold water until the flour mixes with the water to make a smooth paste. Once this is thick and smooth enough, and you have beaten out any lumps, add this mixture to the pan containing the vegetable stock. This should make the curry smooth and thick. 4. Simmer the entire contents until mixture is hot and keep stirring to keep it lump-free. This dish is beautiful with a side of Naan bread and served with white basmati rice.

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EXPERIENCING HAI TAO RESTAURANT AT KEMPIN

MunatyCooking | 18

NSKI HOTEL AJMAN

Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more personal

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“The first thing you will notice is the cozy and homelike atmosphere evident in their friendly staff’s attitude to help without being obtrusive. ”

Hai Tao is the Chinese restaurant located on

worked well for Hai Tao. Soft lighting and

the first floor of Kempinski Hotel Ajman. Since

melodic ethnic background music created the

the majority of guests are on the beach, by the

perfect tranquil atmosphere for intimate

poolside, or at the barbeque restaurant during

conversations. That sense of privacy was

the day, Hai Tao serves dinner only.

easy to e xperience since the space between

Upon our arrival at the restaurant, we were

tables allowed customers to walk comfortably

greeted with gentle serene smiles. One of the

without bumping into other guests.

hostesses stepped forward and escorted us to our table. A warm subtle welcome that left us feeling as though they were waiting for our arrival.

The menu carried a variety of Cantonese and Szechwan Cuisine. Hai Tao’s return guests favored certain specialty dishes, because of that, the restaurant’s management have kept

An old-looking Chinese carriage was

these dishes in the menu for the past 12 years

positioned in the middle of the dining hall

out of loyalty to their customers. The list of

giving the place an authentic look without the use of the color red; a genuine design that

starters, main courses, and desserts were designed to suit many tastes. We inquired

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Experiencing Hai Tao about some of the dishes, and our server was

Now, here is a heaven on earth; caramelized

more than happy to give brief but sufficient

bananas fritter with vanilla ice-cream. I

information about each of those dishes. This

spooned some of the fritter and the ice-cream,

helped us settle on our choices for the

and closed my eyes. Hot, cold, crispy, creamy

evening. Until the food arrived, we were

and sweet; my senses were in a delicious

served almost four different sauces and dips

flutter from tasting this generously portioned

along with the famous Chinese pickles. Either

delight.

time passed quickly or the service was fast—

Hai Tao is not cheap, but the price is fair if

we later on agreed that it was the latter—, but

compared to the generous portions and

the food was served soon after that. Even

quality of service and food.

before the dishes reached our table, their

We didn’t feel guilty—that much—after eating

aroma promised our taste buds a treat; the

all that food, since we took a relaxing stroll on

presentation was the deal-sealer.

Kempinski's 500 meters long private beach

The fried rice absorbed a mild flavor from the

facing the Arabian Gulf Sea.

fried shrimps, vegetables, and spices. The mix

An ideal ending to a perfect meal in a fabulous

perked its flavor while keeping its zest of

restaurant.

perfectly fried rice; fluffy with soft grains, each

Hai Tao distinguishes itself from the rest

rich in taste.

through its elegant and comfortable interior,

The Beef was divinely tender in the dark and

by providing prominent food and first-class

savory black pepper sauce. The sauce had a

service. We highly recommend this restaurant.

hint of sweetness gained from the properly cooked onion; it gave a good balance to the sauce. The chicken with vegetable and oyster sauce is a must-try dish. Even though the chicken was fried, it carried a combination of a grilled and fried taste. The thick sauce didn't hide the freshness of the vegetables, if anything, it enforced it. If you dislike vegetables, this dish will convert you.

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Would you like to be part of MunatyCooking Magazine?

Chefs Would you like to be interviewed? Perhaps you’ve written a cookbook and would like to promote it? Being part of MunatyCooking Online Magazine is one of the best avenues to promote yourself and your work. A recipe is a nice addition to showcase your talent. Whether you send us an article about your career choice, or any topic related to your passion for cooking, we would love to hear from you.

Authors Did one of your characters prefer a particular dish? Were you inspired by a certain taste to write a scene? Be as it may be, you can submit an article about all or any of the above along with a brief bio and a pitch about that book. This is a great chance to fleshen up your characters to future fans. Everyone is either into food and cooking or at least practices one. Pique people’s interest, increase their curiosity. Don’t miss this opportunity.

here. Display your passion for cooking and share it with many online readers, this will tempt them to visit your website/ blog and see more of what you can do. Through your participation, you will be able to benefit the readers by introducing your tips, techniques, and new ideas. Your dish will be presented with your article.

Our goal in MunatyCooking Online Magazine is to present people with simple-looking yet delicious recipes. Your recipe photos, if you are sending any, need not be professionally photographed.

For submission guidelines please visit http://munatycooking.blogspot.com/p/ announcement-and-invitation.html

Or http://www.munaty.com

If you have an inquiry, please email

Readers and bloggers If you are part of the foodies world, you’ll love it

admin@munaty.com

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No Bake Um Ali

Ingredients

1 Cut the croissant into

Remove from heat after 40

quarters and place in serving

seconds.

plate.

5 Pour the nuts on top of the

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

2 In saucepan, heat milk with

croissant and cover for 30

2 Tablespoons sugar

heavy cream, vanilla, and

minutes.

sugar. Do not let it boil.

6 Serve cold or hot, it tastes

3 Pour milk on the croissant

even better the second day.

2 Medium size plain croissant 3/4 Cup milk

3 Tablespoons crushed almonds 1 Tablespoon crushed pistachios

and cover.

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla

4 On medium heat, melt the

1 Tablespoon butter

butter and add the nuts.

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TIP: You can use plain puff pastry, instead of croissant.

Pecan Chocolate Pie Ingredients for pie crust: •

5 Tablespoons ice-cold water

•

1/2 Cup cold butter

•

2 Teaspoons baking powder

•

1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

•

Pinch of sugar + Pinch of salt

•

9 inch pie-pan

Ingredients for the filling: •

1/2 cup evaporated milk

•

50gm Dark bittersweet chocolate bar

•

1 Cup sugar

•

3 Eggs

•

1 1/2 Cup pecans

•

5 Tablespoons butter

•

1 Teaspoon vanilla

MunatyCooking | 24

The Crust 1 Mi x the flour, baking powder, and salt. 2 Add the cold butter to the flour, rub the flour and butter together with your hands or a fork. The mixture should look like breadcrumbs. 3 Make a hole in the middle of the flour and add the chilled water. Knead for one minute. 4 Cover the dough with plastic and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. 5 Press the dough with your hands, then place it on a floured working surface. 6 Always roll from the center to the edge until dough is 1/8 inch thick. 7 Make sure that the dough can fit in your pan. 8 Carefully fold the dough in half and then transfer it to the pie-pan. Placing it in the center, unfold the dough. 9 Place the index finger of one hand on the edge of the dough, use your thumb and index finger of the other hand to crimp the dough. Repeat this process all around the edge. 10 When done, place the crust in the fridge until you prepare the filling.

The Filling 1 Beat the egg and sugar until creamy in texture. 2 Add vanilla and milk, and beat some more. 3 In the microwave, melt the chocolate and the butter for 45 seconds. Stir with spoon after taking it out. 4 Add chocolate mix to the egg mixture, whisk for two minutes. Add the pecans and stir. 5 Pour the mixture on the pie crust. Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil to prevent it from over browning. 6 Place in a preheated oven 350F/180C/Gasmark 4, for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F/170C/Gasmark 3 and bake for another 15-20 minutes. The pie is ready when you insert a knife in the middle and it comes out clean. 7 The pie will need around 45 minutes to cool completely. Cut and serve with cream or ice-cream.

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Basboosah - Semolina Cake

By Leyla Hur

Syrup:

Ingredients: 1/2 Cup unsalted butter, softened 3/4 Cup white sugar 1tsp Vanilla essence 2 Eggs 2 Cups fine semolina (sooji) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 3/4 Cup plain (or vanilla flavoured) yogurt 12-15 Almonds, blanched and split

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2 Cups white sugar 11/2 Cups water 2 tsp rose water 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Basboosah - Semolina Cake Method 1. Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla essence until mix turns light and fluffy. 2. Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time and beat well. Set bowl aside. 3. In a separate bowl, sift together semolina, baking powder, baking soda. 4. Slowly add semolina mix to the butter mixture, alternating with the yogurt, until both are well incorporated into the mixture. Beat well until very fluffy, this will allow the semolina to expand while baking in the oven. 5. Heat oven to 300*F 6. Grease an 8"x8" square baking dish, or use a round 6" baking pan. 7. Pour the batter in to the baking dish and smooth out. "Pinch" the almonds into the batter, pushing all the way through to the other side (if using round pan), and add the almonds close together to ensure that all pieces of cake will have an almond. If using a square pan and not turning, place almonds on top of cake. 8. Bake for 30-35 minutes (for 8"x8" pan) or 45-50 minutes for 6" round pan. 9. While cake is cooking, make the simple syrup by boiling together the sugar, water, rose water, and lemon juice. Allow to boil for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and place the pan into a larger bowl with cold water and stir well to force-cool the syrup. Keep changing the water in the second bowl as it heats up, replacing it with cold water. Once cold, set aside. 10. When the cake is cooked through, remove from heat and immediately pour the syrup over it. It will look like it is submerged in syrup, but leave it alone for 15 minutes allowing the syrup to soak into the cake. 11. Take a large plate and place over the cake pan, flip the cake pan quickly over with the plate on top and let the cake slip down/out on to the plate. Allow to cool completely before serving.

SERVING TIP: Serve with very strong, unsweetened, mint tea.

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This season there is a reason to grow tomatoes Growing your own tomatoes is a great approach to

day and upper 60s Fahrenheit during the night.

saving. Not only will you be saving moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the seeds

your health and time. Organic vegetables and fruits

The seeds: You can buy seeds from the local nursery, where you can find variety of tomatoes, or you can simply use the seeds from a fresh tomato. To do the latter, follow these steps:

look, smell, and taste more wholesome. Can you

1.Squeeze the pulp and seeds into pail of water.

of one tomato can be used many timesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but you will have an organic vegetable free of chemicals, saving

imagine how good the tomato sauce will taste on your pasta and pizza? How much flavor it will add to your salad? It is priceless when you look at all those red and healthy home-grown tomatoes. Planting tomatoes is easy. In fact, with proper care, you can even grow them in your basement. To grow healthy tomatoes pay attention to the following guidelines. Light and heat: Tomatoes need light and heat to grow, if you are planting them in winter make sure to have a grow light (A grow light is an electric lamp, that mimics natural daylight and outdoor condition). Temperature plays a big role here, so keep it in the 70s during the

2.Stir the water gently and set aside for at least 10 hours. 3.Stir the contents lightly a few times a day for 2 to 3 days. 4.The seeds are ready when the gel surrounding the seeds separates leaving the viable seeds at the bottom of the container or bucket used. This process is called fermentation. 5.After discarding the seeds floating on top, strain the water. 6.Rinse the seeds left at the bottom with fresh water. Place those seeds on a paper plate. Leave them for a few days to dry completely.

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Germinate: Small peat pots are ideal, plant the seeds about 1/8 of an inch deep in the soil, water them then cover the pot with plastic to retain moisture. Avoid over watering and direct sunlight. Keep them in a warm 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds should

developed flowers, your efforts are paying off. But those flowers need to be pollinated, and you can do that by holding the main stem and lightly shaking it. Do this once a week. Ok, now that you followed these guidelines, you will soon reap the fruit of your efforts; succulent tomatoes.

germinate in about a week. Transfer to bigger pot: It's time to relocate the seedlings to a bigger pot or container when they are around three inches tall. Bigger pots give more room for the roots to spread. Fill the pot with standard potting soil, and carefully transplant the seedlings into them. Fertilize and water your plants: You can use organic fertilizers, but all-purpose fertilizers will work the same. Fertilizing is essential for plants to grow healthy. Fertilize it at half the recommended strength. Watering tomatoes is important but you should not water it often. You can actually wait until the soil is almost dry and water it again, avoid leaving the soil soggy. Support it: When your plants grow tall, support is necessary. Using stakes will allow it to grow freely, exposing every part of your plant to both light and heat equally. Keep checking the length of your plant, you will need to re-arrange the stakes as the tomato plant grows. Pollinating your flowers: It is a pleasant surprise when you wake up one morning to find that your plant

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Did you know? Orange Orange juice is rich in Vitamin C, which helps in strengthening the immune system and helps in curing cold and flue. Folate is found in orange and it is known to repair damaged tissues. Orange contains folic acid, which is necessary for proper development of the brain.

Garlic It's said that three cloves of garlic a day can reduce the risk of having a heart attack. Garlic lowers blood pressure and helps improve the digestion system. Frequent consumption of garlic as part of a healthy diet, can prevent blood clot formation. It also lowers cholesterol and protects body from viral and bacterial infections.

Apple Apples are a great aid if you are planning to lose weight. A medium-size apple has more than 3 grams of fiber and is very low in calories. Malic and tartaric acids found in apples help in digestion. Consuming apples often can prevent from colon cancer.

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