Break the fast with these healthy Ramadan dishes

John Arandhara-Blackwell

John Arandhara-Blackwell

John Arandhara-Blackwell

Chicken mandi (Fragrant chicken and rice)

Serves 10

Ingredients

3 whole chickens, cut into pieces

750g basmati rice

75g carrot, grated

2.5g mandi spices

80g pine nuts

60g seedless raisins

Pinch of saffron

2 pieces dried lemon d

2 cinnamon sticks

75ml olive oil

100g almonds

1L chicken stock

Salt to taste

50g coriander, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 165°C.

2. Mix the chicken, salt, half of the mandi spices and one piece of the dried lemon. Rub everything in well with your hands and cover with aluminium foil.

3. Bake the chicken in the oven for one hour.

4. Wash and rinse the rice before soaking it for 20 minutes.

5. Pour the chicken stock into a pot and add the grated carrots and the other piece of dried lemon, cinnamon stick and saffron. Bring to the boil.

6. Drain the rice, add the other half of the mandi spices, raisins, pine nuts and salt to taste. Add this to the already boiling water, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

7. Pile the rice onto a large serving dish. Create a “hole” in the centre of the rice for the chicken.

8. Serve warm and garnish with coriander and almonds.

Samkeh harra (Arabic spicy hot fish)

Serves 10

Ingredients

3kg fresh whole red snapper (or fillets if preferred)

100ml olive oil

500ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

10 cloves of garlic

400g tahini paste

750ml water

1-2 tbsp salt (to taste)

10g fresh coriander (or to taste)

2 tbsp cayenne pepper/hot chilli powder

75g pine nuts

Method

1. Grease a cooking tray with a sprinkle of olive oil.

2. Score the fish and lay on the baking tray.

3. Rub a tablespoon of olive oil on to the skin of the fish and sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice.

4. Bake at 150°C for 20-25 minutes.

For the sauce:

1.Mince the cloves of garlic and mix with the remaining lemon juice.

2. Mix the tahini paste with the water, salt, coriander and cayenne pepper and add to the garlic and lemon juice. The sauce should have a liquid consistency. If the sauce looks too thick, add a cup or two of water.

3. Pour the sauce on top of the fish and bake for a further 10 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and fresh coriander to serve.

Dajaj bil saynieh (Baked garlic chicken and potatoes)

Serves 10

Ingredients

10 pieces of chicken legs, quarters, or breasts

1kg medium potatoes

8 cloves of garlic

150ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

8 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Pinch of Arabic 7-spices

Vinegar (optional)

Method

1. Soak the chicken pieces in vinegar for 2 minutes, rinse well under cold water and dry with paper towels (optional).

2. Lightly score the chicken so the garlic sauce soaks in and marinates it.

3. Rub the chicken with a tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of Arabic 7-spices.

4. Peel the potatoes and cut them into disks of approximately 2cm. Salt lightly.

5. Place the chicken on a baking tray and lie the potatoes on top.

6. Bake at 200°C for 40-50 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

For the sauce:

1. Place the garlic cloves, ½ tsp of salt and 2-3 tbsp of olive oil into a blender/food processor and mix for 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the lemon juice and mix for a further 4-5 minutes.

3. Pour the garlic sauce over the tray of chicken and potatoes and mix well.

4. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the potatoes turn reddish in colour.

5. Serve warm.

Arabic lamb tajine

Serves 10

Ingredients

2kg lamb shoulder, cubed

350g onion, chopped

30g garlic, crushed

25g red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

10g root ginger, finely chopped

5g ground cumin

4g turmeric powder

3g paprika

1g saffron strands

600g tomatoes, peeled,

deseeded and diced

750ml tomato sauce

100g tomato paste

2.5L vegetable stock

250g fennel bulb, cored and quartered

300g turnip, peeled and cubed

300g parsnip, peeled and cubed

300g pumpkin, peeled and cubed

300g carrots, peeled and cubed

2 cans of chick peas

35g coriander, chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in the pan and sear the lamb.

2. Add and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger.

3. Add the ground cumin, turmeric powder, red chilli and paprika.

4. Stir the vegetable stock into the pan with the tomato sauce and paste.

5. Add the carrots, fennel, diced tomato, turnip, parsnip, pumpkin and chick peas.

6. Add salt, white pepper and saffron.

7. Bring it to a boil and cook until meat is tender.

8. Serve with couscous.

Joojeh kebab (Spiced chicken kebab )

Serves 8

Ingredients

2kg skinless, boneless chicken breasts,

cut into small chunks

50ml olive oil

500g onion, grated

Pinch of saffron

Salt to taste

Pinch of white pepper

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Method

1 Rinse the chicken with cold water and dry. Cut into chunks of approximately 2cm.

2 Mix together the remaining ingredients to make a marinade.

3 Marinate the chicken pieces in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to cooking.

4 Place the chicken pieces on to skewers and cook in the oven until golden brown.

5 Serve with rice and grilled vegetables.

Loubieh bil lahme (Arabic lamb and green bean stew)

Serves 10

Ingredients

2.5kg green beans (fresh or frozen)

1.5kg lamb shoulder, cubed

500g onions, sliced

35g garlic

100ml corn oil

Salt to taste

1.5g Arabic sweet pepper

1.5g cinnamon powder

1L tomato sauce

100g tomato paste

2.5L vegetable stock

Method

1. Sauté the onion with the lamb and garlic.

2. Add the vegetable stock, tomato sauce and paste.

3. Add the Arabic sweet pepper, cinnamon powder and salt to taste and bring to the boil.

4. Cover and turn the heat down. Simmer for 1-2 hours.

5. Add the green beans and simmer covered for an additional hour.

6. Serve with vermicelli rice.

Recipes supplied by Electrolux. Visit electrolux.com