Recipes from Reza
Reza Mahammad's new cookery show Reza's African Kitchen kicks off today. To celebrate here are two recipes from the celebrity chef...
BROTH
TEMPERING SPICES
METHOD
Dry roast the Fennel seeds, black peppercorns and Coriander seeds, then grind in coffee grinder.
Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the onions sauté to soften. Now toss in the ginger and garlic and lightly sauté to cook through. Add the dry roast spices, the tamarind and the Chilli Powder. Pour in the fish stock and chopped tomato.
Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
Strain, pressing against the solids to remove as much flavour as possible - Discard the solids.
Bring the reduced liquid to the boil, toss in the Mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes until mussels have opened. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil to smoking hot, add the asafoetida, crackle the mustard seeds then add the curry leaves and chilli.
Once the spices are all tempered, pour onto the mussels, stir through and sprinkle with chopped chives.
Served with a crusty bread such as the Onion and Cumin Bread.
METHOD
Dry roast the cumin Seeds, then once fragrant add the olive oil and Onion. Sweet the onion, till soft then add the sugar and salt. Cool and reserve.
Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
Place the flour, oil and salt in a mixing bowl. Place the yeast in a small bowl and add half the water, stir to combine. Add to the flour mixture along with the remaining water. Mix with a dough hook on medium speed for 6 minutes. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Prove in a warm place until double in size. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and firmly knock back, by using your fist to flatten the dough. Scatter with the reserved onion mixture and the roll up. Now gently shape to the size of the loaf tin and place inside to prove in a warm place for 1 hour, this time covering the tin with a tea towel.
Place in an oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
When ready, remove the onion bread from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. When you are ready to serve, slice generously or tear into chunks.
METHOD
Rinse the rice in warm water then in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice for about 20 minutes, drain in colander and then leave to dry for another 10 minutes.
Heat the 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot with 150 ml of water. Add the spinach and bring to the boil, until the spinach wilts. Drain off the water- reserving the liquid.
Heat the remaining oil, add the cardamom, cumin and cloves and allow to crackle and then sauté the leeks until soft but not coloured. Add this to the spinach, with the dill, fenugreek, some salt and ground pepper.
Bring one litre of water to the boil with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add two thirds of the rice and par boil for 4 minutes, then drain in a colander.
Brush a non-stick pan with liberally with soft butter, mix the third of soaked rice with the egg and any remaining butter, and pack all around the bottom and sides of the pan.
Mix the remaining par boiled rice, with the spinach leek mixture, and then pack the rice into the rice encrusted pan. Pour in the reserved spinach water; Place the pan on a medium high heat, cover with a dry tea towel, and then a tight fitting lid. Fold the cloth over the lid, to ensure that it does not catch alight. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, leave to stand for five minutes then invert onto a platter.
Reza Mahammad's African Kitchen starts on the 11th March 2013 on the Food Network.
MUSSELS IN A SPICY TOMATO & TAMARIND SAUCE (pictured top)
SPICE BLEND- 1tsp. Fennel seeds
- 1tsp. Coriander seeds
- 1tsp. Peppercorns
BROTH
- 1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
- 1 Onion, Diced
- 1Tbsp. Garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. Ginger, minced
- 1tsp. Chilli Powder
- 2 Tbsp. Tamarind Paste
- 1 tin Chopped tomato
- 800 ml Fish Stock
- 1 Kg Mussels
TEMPERING SPICES
- Pinch Asafoetida Powder
- ¼ tsp. Mustard Seeds
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 2 Green Chilli, split
- 2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp. Chives, chopped
METHOD
Dry roast the Fennel seeds, black peppercorns and Coriander seeds, then grind in coffee grinder.
Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the onions sauté to soften. Now toss in the ginger and garlic and lightly sauté to cook through. Add the dry roast spices, the tamarind and the Chilli Powder. Pour in the fish stock and chopped tomato.
Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
Strain, pressing against the solids to remove as much flavour as possible - Discard the solids.
Bring the reduced liquid to the boil, toss in the Mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes until mussels have opened. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil to smoking hot, add the asafoetida, crackle the mustard seeds then add the curry leaves and chilli.
Once the spices are all tempered, pour onto the mussels, stir through and sprinkle with chopped chives.
Served with a crusty bread such as the Onion and Cumin Bread.
ONION & CUMIN BREAD
- 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
- 1tsp. Sugar
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. Oil
- 250g Bread Flour
- 25 ml Olive oil
- 10g Salt
- 10g Yeast
- 125g Tepid Water
METHOD
Dry roast the cumin Seeds, then once fragrant add the olive oil and Onion. Sweet the onion, till soft then add the sugar and salt. Cool and reserve.
Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
Place the flour, oil and salt in a mixing bowl. Place the yeast in a small bowl and add half the water, stir to combine. Add to the flour mixture along with the remaining water. Mix with a dough hook on medium speed for 6 minutes. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Prove in a warm place until double in size. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and firmly knock back, by using your fist to flatten the dough. Scatter with the reserved onion mixture and the roll up. Now gently shape to the size of the loaf tin and place inside to prove in a warm place for 1 hour, this time covering the tin with a tea towel.
Place in an oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
When ready, remove the onion bread from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. When you are ready to serve, slice generously or tear into chunks.
SPINACH & LEEK PILAU
- 450g. Basmati Rice
- 2 tsp. Cumin seeds
- 450g Spinach, washed and chopped
- 5 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
- 225g Leeks, washed and Sliced
- 1 Tbsp. Dried Dill
- 1tsp. Fenugreek Seeds, ground
- 3 Cloves
- 3 Cardamom pods
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- 1 Beaten egg
- 150g Soft Butter
METHOD
Rinse the rice in warm water then in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice for about 20 minutes, drain in colander and then leave to dry for another 10 minutes.
Heat the 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot with 150 ml of water. Add the spinach and bring to the boil, until the spinach wilts. Drain off the water- reserving the liquid.
Heat the remaining oil, add the cardamom, cumin and cloves and allow to crackle and then sauté the leeks until soft but not coloured. Add this to the spinach, with the dill, fenugreek, some salt and ground pepper.
Bring one litre of water to the boil with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add two thirds of the rice and par boil for 4 minutes, then drain in a colander.
Brush a non-stick pan with liberally with soft butter, mix the third of soaked rice with the egg and any remaining butter, and pack all around the bottom and sides of the pan.
Mix the remaining par boiled rice, with the spinach leek mixture, and then pack the rice into the rice encrusted pan. Pour in the reserved spinach water; Place the pan on a medium high heat, cover with a dry tea towel, and then a tight fitting lid. Fold the cloth over the lid, to ensure that it does not catch alight. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, leave to stand for five minutes then invert onto a platter.
Reza Mahammad's African Kitchen starts on the 11th March 2013 on the Food Network.