Persian Delights
for Eid

After a month of fasting you might want to try something new, and more importantly, delicious on the Eid day. To make your Eid experience more delectable, the Star Weekend Magazine presents five recipes of two international award-winning cooks, SHOBHA HEJMADI and ANJALI VELLODY. Bon appetite!

Borani Spinach
1 kg Spinach, fresh or frozen
2tbs Yoghurt
100gm Onion, chopped
50gm Onion, sliced
1tsp Saffron Juice (saffron soaked in water)
1tbsp Corn Oil
2tbsp Butter
1tsp Garlic, finely chopped
1tsp Turmeric powder
½ cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Thaw the spinach, chop coarsely, squeeze and remove the water from it. If using fresh spinach clean and chop it coarsely, blanch in boiling water for few minutes and drain immediately. Add cold water and drain. Squeeze and remove the water as above.

Now heat oil in a pan and fry sliced onions to a crisp brown. Remove, drain on a kitchen towel and set aside. Add chopped onion into same oil and sauté, along with butter, chopped garlic, turmeric powder, spinach, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until spinach is tender but not discoloured. Add cream and yoghurt.
Serve spinach on a platter garnished with yoghurt, cream, saffron, cream, saffron juice and fried onions. This is served hot as a starter along with bread.

Khoresht-e-Bamiah
(Okra stew)
Ingredients:
350gm Okra, fresh or frozen
150gms Onion, chopped
75gm Tomato paste
100gms Tomato, chopped
150ml Oil
1tsp Turmeric powder
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Preparation:
Sauté the chopped onion in a pan in hot oil till light pink and add the tomato paste, turmeric powder, pepper and salt. Mix well, and add 2-3 cups of water. When the water boils, add the cleaned and washed okra. Cook for ten minutes and add lemon juice and chopped tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes till the tomatoes are soft and serve hot with white rice or bread.

Mirza Kasimi
Ingredients
1kg eggplants, medium size
50gm garlic, peeled and chopped
100gm onion, chopped
100gm Tomato, peeled and diced
1tsp Turmeric powder
1tbsp oil
1tsp Black pepper powder
Salt to taste
For garnishing use: mint powder, cream, saffron soaked in water and fried onion.

Preparation
Clean, wash and grill eggplants in a hot oven or cook covered in a wok on some oil, turning them frequently till done. When cooked, peel and discard the skin, chop/mash the eggplant and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and sauté
onion and garlic in it. When the garlic browns, add turmeric, black pepper powder and eggplant. Mix well and add tomato and salt. Stir and blend lightly and finish.

Garnish with cream, mint powder, saffron and fried onions and serve hot with bread.

Murg Makai Seekh Kebab Ingredients
800g boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 ½ pieces.
Salt to taste
4 green chillies, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic
1 ½ inch piece ginger
½tsp white pepper powder
2tbsp cashew nut pulse
½tsp garam masala powder
2tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
½ cup boiled and strained corn kernels
1tbsp roasted gram flour (besan)

Preparation
1. Grind green chillies, garlic and ginger into a fine paste with a few spoons of water.
2. Mix all the ingredients except corn kernels and gram flour. Apply the paste to the chicken; leave aside for 2 hours.
3. Mince the chicken twice to make a fine mince. Add corn kernels and gram flour. Mix well. Adjust seasoning.
4. Take portions of minced chicken and put on the skewers in kebab shapes. Barbecue till done.

Malai Seekh Kebab Ingredients
500g finely minced mutton (keema)
1 cup Onion, finely chopped
3 green chillies, finely chopped
2tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
3tbsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/8tsp Cinnamon powder
1/8tsp powdered cloves
1/8tsp powdered mace (javitri)
1/8tsp powdered nutmeg (jayphal)
1/8tsp black pepper powder
¼tsp red chilly powder
Salt to taste
2tbsp cream
2tbsp chickpea flower
dry roasted on a griddle (tawa)
1 egg
Oil for frying

Preparation
Combine all the ingredients except oil. Mix well. Spread a little oil on your palms and shape small portions of keema mixture into kebabs. Flatten slightly. Heat oil in a wok and shallow-fry kebabs in batches on medium heat until done and well browned. Serve hot.

These recipes were first published in the Khaleej Times Weekend.