Halwa suji

I have tried many halwa suji recipes, but this one is the best ever... As far as my sis and I are concerned... I am sure you will agree too :)


Ingredients:
2 ½ tablespoonfuls (4 oz.) set butter fat
4 oz. semolina
6 oz. sugar
2 oz. milk
10 oz. water
2 tablespoonfuls sultanas
2 tablespoonfuls sliced almonds
1 ½ teaspoonfuls crushed cardamom seeds or grated nuts
A pinched of saffron

For 4 people.
Mix the sugar, saffron, milk and water, and boil for a few minutes; then pour this hot syrup into a jug. Melt the butter-fat in a large saucepan or deep frying pan, mix in the semolina and fry very slowly for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time. When the butter begins to separate from the semolina, and the mixture is a golden colour it is time to pour in the syrup. Add the will-washed sultanas, and boil quickly until all superfluous liquid has dried off, stirring all the time with a large spoon; this should not take more than 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the halva into a shallow pyrex or china dish, and decorate it with thinly sliced almonds and cardamom seeds or nutmeg. Instead of all sugar, I have used 4 oz. sugar and 1 ½ tablespoonfuls honey. After it is ready, it can be kept hot in a covered dish in a very low oven for an hour or so. It can be re-heated, which should be done very slowly, so that the halva does not become too stiff.

Ginseng juice

1 red or orange (bell) pepper
200g/7oz pumpkin
Squeeze of lemon juice
5ml/1 tsp ginseng powder
Ice cubes

1. Using a sharp knife, discard the core from the pepper and roughly chop the flesh. Slice the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the pips (seeds) with a spoon and then cut away the skin. Chop the flesh. Halve and stone (pit) the apricot.

2. Push the pumpkin, pepper and the apricot pieces through the juicer. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and he ginseng powder, and stir well to mix together. Pour the juice over the ice cubes in a tall glass and serve.

CREPES

I have never missed this one! Give it a try!



100g plain flour

Pinch of salt or sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

300ml milk

1 teaspoon vegetable oil


This mixture makes 12 crepes.


Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a sell in the centre and break an egg into it with half the milk. Beat well, then when smooth add the remaining milk. Leave the mixture to stand for 40 minutes. Grease the frying pan and heat it a little. Pour the batter into the pan. Quickly tilt and rotate the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the frying pan and pour off the excess batter. Cook over a moderate heat until the underside of the crepe is gently brown. Turn the crepe over and brown the other side. Turn onto a greaseproof paper and keep warm.

Khima Briani

Everyone knows Briani in Mauritius and it's one of the star food in Mauritius!!!!
This recipe is a bit different as I used Kheema ( minced mutton) for the biryani.
500 gr mutton mince
1 cup chana dal
1 cup parboiled rice
8 onions
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 tsp pounded red chillies
2 whole green chillies
1/2 tsp cummin/coriander powder
3 potatoes cut in halves
1/2 tsp saffron
1/4 cup tomato juice grated or pureed- I use fresh ones
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger/garlic
1/2 cup ghee and oil
4 cardamoms
2 sticks Cinnamon
3 Cloves

Braise mince with ginger/garlic, salt, pounded chillies and cummin/coriander powder. When dry remove from stove and cool. Add yoghurt, saffron, tomato juice and whole cummin. Add cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves.
Fry onions in ghee/oil. Remove when golden colour, drain from the ghee and when cool crush with the back with a spoon and add to mince. ( Save a little for decoration on top of rice)
Fry potatoes in the same ghee and oil. Remove.
Place a first layer of mince in the deckchi or utensil. Then place the potatoes, then the dal. Lastly add the rice.
Decorate with fried onions, and sprinkle rest of ghee and 5 tblsp of cold water and simmer for 30 mins.
Serve with piments confits!!!! ;)

Mauritian Fried rice

Mauritian Fried rice

Ingredients:

1 bunch spring onion
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
4 cups cold cooked basmati rice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
300 gr chicken fillet

Preparation:
Wash and finely chop the spring onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Cut the chicken fillet into half centimetre cubes. Season with salt, pepper and fish sauce (1 teaspoon) to taste.

Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry. Remove the eggs and clean out the pan.

Shred the carrots and fry them in 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove the carrots and clean out the pan.

Fry the chicken pieces until thoroughly cooked and light golden in colour. Flavour the chicken by adding 1 teaspoon of oil towards the end. Remove chicken pieces, allow oil to drain off and put aside.

Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce oyster sauce.

When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg and chicken into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the spring onion. Serve hot with garlic sauce and chilli sauce.

Can be served with sweet and sour prawns.

Prawn Curry

Prawn Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. (450g) prepared prawns

1 onion, skinned and sliced

4 cloves of garlic

2 red chillis

2 tbsps. ground coriander

1 tsp salt

4 tblsp cooking oil

1 cup water

pinch of ground cummin

1 tsp turmeric

1/s tsp ginger


Cooking Instructions:

Heat cooking oil in a pan and add the sliced onion

Fry the onion until a golden brown then add the prawns and continue cooking until the prawns are browned

Sprinkle the salt over the prawns then add the spice ingredients and mix

Pour water over the prawn mixture

Simmer the prawns until tender.

Garnish with a spring of coriander.

Dal

Dal :

Whole chana dal 200 Grams

Water 500 ML

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

1/2 Teaspoon Chili powder

2 Chopped Green Chili

3 tablespoons of Ghee

2 chopped onion

1 Teaspoon Ginger Paste

1 Teaspoon Garlic Paste

Salt to taste



Method of preparation:

Cook dal in pressure cooker with turmeric for 45 minutes.

Heat ghee in a pan & fry chopped onions till golden.

Add ginger garlic paste & green chilies.

Add boiled dal & cook for 2 minutes.

Add butter & chopped coriander on the top.

Serve hot with rice