Recipe of the Week

I started a blog at 5 am this morning that said 'I often sit and wonder..!' Well thats an outright lie! I wish I had time to 'often sit and wonder'! About anything! Ever!

The truth is, and I'm sure I am not alone in this, is that we are all time poor. When do any of us have time to wonder, ponder, stop and smell the proverbial roses? In fact the only time I ever really truly stop is when I am cooking, baking or eating. And for the most part these are also rushed events. But sometimes, on the odd occasion that I do get to enjoy, savour the moment and really take in what I am doing, I want there to be cake involved! Preferably eating said cake! But baking it is a mighty fine way to start my down time!

In my humble opinion, there is not much that feels more indulgent than a yummy slice of chocolate cake! The indulgence, for me, starts the minute the cakes goes into the oven. The smell of a chocolate cake baking is hard to beat. The best kind of pick-me-up-er!

This is my ultimate 'go to' recipe when it comes to chocolate cakes. It is so versatile and yummy and is a real crowd pleaser.  It is light but moist, rich & buttery in texture. I use this if I am making a cake that requires fondant or buttercream or indeed just as in this picture, with a dusting of cocoa and some nuts and rose petals.

So lovely readers, if you can, take some time from your time poor day and eat some cake! Nooshe jaan!

If you enjoyed reading and would like to be kept up to date with new yummy recipes, please follow my page (the link is at the bottom of my home page) or my Instagram account @mylittlepersiankitchen, my twitter account @becksjonesmlpk & facebook page @mylittlepersiankitchen

 My Little Persian Spiced Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

  • 150gm Baking fat
  • 250gm Caster sugar
  • 150gm Self raising flour
  • 125gm sour cream
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 50 cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp of good quality rose water

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160' (fan assisted)
  2. Grease and line a 10' rectangle or square loose bottomed baking tin
  3. Put all of the ingredients into a mixer and mix until combined and smooth
  4. Place the mixture into the tin and bake in the middle of the oven for around 30 minutes or until cracked on top and when a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  5. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack
  6. When the cake is cool decorate with slivers of pistachio, dried rose petals and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Cream Filled Doughnut Recipe

A beautiful friend of mine told me that she had two doughnuts for lunch!
Well. Jealousy isn't a feeling I suffer much, unless it is to do with food! 
So, I created these! Cardamom donuts with Orange Blossom Cream. Let me just stop a second to say....OH. MY. GOODNESS!
Not only are these amazingly simple, but, they are completely, eye closing, mmmmmm soundingly, smile inducing, delicious! I should get them onto a Supper Club menu soon as I need everyone to taste them!
If you, like me, are a donut aficionado, give these a go and let me know your thoughts!

Ingredients
Serves: 6 or 1 very hungry, greedy mummy! 

  • 70g butter
  • 500g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 70g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 260ml milk
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 600ml double cream
  • 100gm icing sugar
  • 2 tsp orange blossom water
  • pistachio slivers to decorate

Method
Prep:15min › Cook:5min › Ready in:20min, less if you are impatient ;0

  1. Sieve flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub in butter. Mix in the sugar.
  2. Beat egg and milk together. Make a well in flour mixture, then pour in the egg mixture. Mix together to form a soft dough.
  3. Roll out dough on a well-floured surface to about 1cm (1/2 in) thick and cut to shape of choice. Personally, I use 2 different sized biscuit cutters.
  4. Fry in hot oil (at approximately 180 degrees C) for 30 seconds, turn over and cook for a further 30 seconds until golden brown.
  5. Drain on kitchen paper until cool. Roll in sugar and cardamom and set aside.
  6. To make cream, combine icing sugar, double cream and orange blossom syrup in a bowl. Whisk on a medium speed for around 3 minutes. Pipe into the centre of the donuts and don't forget to lick the spoon!

 

Pumpkin Stew Recipe

As this week is all about Halloween, I thought I would post a recipe for you all to use that leftover pumpkin flesh.
This weekend, my little man and I decorated the front of our house, carved our pumpkins and decorated inside. Halloween may feel a little different this year without being able to trick or treat and have a halloween party however we are still going to tell spooky stories, do halloween crafts and eat lots of yummy food. This week pumpkin stew, Khoresh Kadu, is on the menu.
I love the crisp clear mornings and chilly nights that have arrived along with Halloween this week. We have always celebrated Halloween, even as a small child my mum used to throw the best Halloween Parties. One year, I think I was around 7 years old, she threw a party for us and all my school friends came. The food she made was so scary that none of the children would eat anything! The standard of costume back in the 80s, for us at least, was a bin bag with our faces painted. Nowadays it is very different! Some of the social media posts I've seen of friends celebrating this year look amazing and a far cry from the old bin bag witch that I used to go as!
In Iran today, many of the younger generations, under 35, that make up 75% of the population, do indeed celebrate Halloween despite the clear risks. They do so away from the watchful eye of the police and demonstrate their knowledge of Western culture and traditions.
Khoresht Kadu, the way I make it, is sweet and sticky and I find works better with the dark meat of chicken rather than any other meat however you can also use beef or lamb.  If you are vegetarian you can replace the meat with chickpeas and broad beans which also works well. It's warming and perfect after a cold autumn day. So if you are struggling to think of ways to use all that leftover pumpkin without making a pumpkin pie or a soup, try this! You won't be sorry you did.

 

 

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My Little Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions diced
750 gm chicken thighs on the bone or lamb shanks
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp plain flour
750 gm diced pumpkin flesh - fried off until browned
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp ground saffron with a pinch of sugar and dissolved in warm water

Method

  1. Fry off the onions until soft. Set aside.
  2. Coat the chicken thighs in the flour and dried spices.
  3. Add to the onions and fry off for 1 minute.
  4. Pour in 1/2 cups of water and simmer for around 45 minutes.
  5. Add in the sugar, lime, saffron and pumpkin and cover and simmer for another 45 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with tadig and rice. Decorate with pomegranate seeds and coriander.

Shakshuka (baked eggs) Recipe

If you are looking for a shakshuka recipe, look no further!
The smell of this delicious dish cooking away offers the promise of something exotic, warm, spicy and completely sumptuous.
This is my version, you can find lots of other derivatives of a shakshuka, some even add varying different beans and vegetables to it. I sometimes add some sliced chorizo if I am feeling a bit on the hungrier side.  
Befarma'id!
If you enjoyed reading and would like to be kept up to date with new yummy recipes, please follow this blog (the link is at the bottom of my home page) or my Instagram account @mylittlepersiankitchen & Facebook page @mylittlepersiankitchen

Shakshuka (baked eggs) Recipe

Ingredients

1 brown onion
1 clove of garlic
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
3 eggs

Method

  1. Peel and slice the onions.
  2. Add a glug of olive oil to a heavy bottomed pan.
  3. Next add the peeled and sliced onions and saute until softened.
  4. Peel and slice the garlic and add to the onions.
  5. Continue to saute for 2 minutes.
  6. When the onions and garlic have softened, add in the spices and mix.
  7. Add the tomatoes and stir.
  8. Cook for 5 minutes to allow flavours to infuse.
  9. Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture.
  10. Continue to cook for 2 minutes on the hob then transfer to the oven at 200' C (fan assisted, 425'F / gas mark 7)
  11. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve hot with chunks of bread!