Making Ramadan Special

Bang Bang Prawns

We’re starting our recipes for Ramadan with this amazing Bang Bang Prawns from @cookingwithzainab With minimal prep and cooking time, they are perfect for Iftar and a real treat!

For the prawns:

• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• 300 raw king prawns, peeled 
• 150ml buttermilk 
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp sriracha hot chilli sauce
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• Small bunch of chives, chopped

For the coating:

• 150g Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

For the bang bang sauce:

• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp sriracha hot chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp honey

Method:

Start by deveining the prawns. Then add the prawns to a bowl along with buttermilk, an egg, plain flour, salt, pepper and sriracha. Mix everything together really well.
In a separate bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs with all the seasonings listed above. Coat each prawn with the seasoned Panko mixture and deep fry on a medium heat for approximately 2 mins or till golden brown. Don’t fry all the prawns at once, do it in batches and then drain them on some kitchen towel.
Now for the bang bang sauce, simply mix together mayo, rice vinegar, sweet chilli, sriracha and honey.
To serve, pour the bang bang sauce over the crispy deep fried prawns, followed by chopped chilli and chives.

Bengali Chotpoti Soup

As part of our recipes for Ramdan @bunsenburhan has shared his Bengali Chotpoti soup with mushrooms, chickpea & poached duck egg. Chotpoti means spicy, so get ready for a fiery, hearty family soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 duck eggs
• 2 sheets samosa pastry
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 pack pea shoot & red radish salad
• 1 white onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g carrots, peeled & chopped 1-2cm thick
• 240g tin chickpeas, drained
• 1 pack baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
• 200g chopped tomatoes
• 2 medium birds eye chilli, halved
• 4g dried cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 3 tbsp Maggi liquid seasoning
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 veg stock cube
• 10g Rajah chaat masala powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric & paprika powder
• 700ml boiling water
• Juice of half a lemon
• 25g fresh coriander
• ½ tsp salt

Method: 

Heat oil in a large saucepan on high heat. Add onion, garlic, chilli, salt, cinnamon and sweat for 2 mins until soft. 
Reduce to low heat and add chaat masala, paprika, turmeric & tomato purée, cook for 2-3 mins then add the chopped tomatoes and carrot. Cook for 3 mins until the tomatoes start to soften.
Add the stock cube, Maggi & 700ml boiling water, stir well, cover with a lid and gently simmer for 20-30 mins or until the carrots are cooked. Stir every 10 mins. The mixture should always be just covered with liquid, if it reduces too much, add water in 100ml intervals until the carrot is cooked.
With caution, place the Chotpoti sauce mix, lemon juice & butter into a blender on max power for 5-10 mins, until the sauce is velvety smooth. Add salt or pepper if required.
Pour the sauce back into the saucepan, add chickpeas & mushrooms and simmer for 10 mins.
In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil with ¾ full of water. Add the cracked duck eggs and reduce to low heat. Poach for 2-3 mins max for a runny yolk. Once cooked, remove and dry on a kitchen towel.
In a shallow frying pan, heat oil to 160°c, gently fry the pastry sheets until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and dry on a kitchen towel.
To serve, pour a couple of ladles of the soup into a bowl, top with a handful of pea shoot salad and the poached egg. Crunch the crisp pastry and scatter over the dish.

Sohail's Lamb Kofta & Spinach Curry

Ingredients

• 2kg mince (lamb)                               
• 4 medium sized onions                                             
• Garlic paste                                                               
• Ginger paste                                                              
• Cooking oil                                                    
• Salt                                                                         
• 1 tsp Chilli powder                                                                  
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder                                                       
• 6 fresh tomatoes                                                         
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander
• 2-3 bullet chillies                                                       
• Garam masala                                                         
• 2 eggs whites                                                              
• Yoghurt                                                                        
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds                                                 
• 1 tsp Coriander powder  
• 2 bags of Spinach                                                                      

Preparation

Amina's Egg Paratha Rolls with Chilli and Tomato Salsa Dip

Tuck into Amina's delicious recipe for Egg Paratha Rolls, super tasty served with a homemade salsa dip.

Ingredients

• Chappati flour
• 6 large eggs
• Room temperature block of butter
• Olive oil
• Crushed fresh garlic
• Large white onion
• Whole cumin seeds
• Hot paprika powder
• Cajun powder
• Red chilli flakes
• 4 fresh tomatoes
• Fresh coriander bunch
• Pack of green chillies
• Lemon
• Pakeezah plain yoghurt
• Salt and pepper

You will need: Thava (Asian griddle) and a Pestle and Mortar. 

Method

Noor's Aloo Tikkis, Samosas and Samosa Chaat Recipes

Aloo Tikkis 

• Potatoes 
• Chilli Powder, Salt, Cumin Jeera Powder, Hot seasoning Red onions, Green Chillies 
• Fresh Coriander 
• Egg (to coat) 
• Sunflower Oil 

1. Boil Potatoes 
2. Add in ingredients / Mix 
3. Make into round flat tikkis 
4. Coat with egg and cook in frying pan 

Samosas 

• Plain Flour (Pastry) 
• Sunflower Oil (frying) 
• Minced Lamb 
• Onions, Green Chillies 
• Chilli Powder, Salt, Cumin Jeera Powder 
• Coriander 

1. Cook Lamb 
2. Add in Onions, Chillies and ingredients 
3. Make Pastry on TAWA 
4. And fill Pastry with Lamb filling 
5. Need Flour to make ‘glue’ to close samosas 

Samosa Chaat 

• Using the samosas made 
• Low Fat Natural Yoghurt 
• Red Onions 
• Chilli Powder 
• Chaat Masala 
• Salt 
• Tamarind Sauce 
• Green Chillies 
• Cumin Jeera Seeds 
• Tin - Canned Chick Peas 

Bao Buns

What do you get when you cross soft fluffy bao buns with fiery chicken? This amazing recipe from @halal_chronicles for Firecracker Bao Buns - a perfect recipe for Ramadan.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 300g chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1tbsp garlic purée
• 1tbsp ginger purée
• Salt, to taste

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
• ½ cup chilli sauce
• ½ cup ketchup
• 2tbsp soy sauce

To serve:

• 8-10 bao buns
• Spring onions
• Red chilli
• Sesame seeds
• Coriander

Method:

Marinate the chicken cubes in garlic and ginger purée, add salt to taste.
Add egg to the chicken marinade and mix. This will help to seal the flavour and allow the flour to bind to the chicken.
Coat the chicken in plain flour and fry in the oil until golden and crispy.
In a separate pan, add the toasted sesame seed oil with chilli sauce, ketchup and soy sauce and mix all ingredients for 1 minute.
Add the chicken to the sauce and thoroughly coat. Add coriander.
Serve on steamed bao buns and garnish with spring onions, red chilli and sesame seeds.

Nazish's Stuffed Chocolate Dates

For a Ramadan treat with a difference, stuff a batch of pitted dates with almonds or hazelnuts and dip in melted chocolate or Nutella - and serve as a sweet popsicle on cocktail sticks.