Rose-Flavored Wedding Drink (Sherbet)

We are well into the summer wedding season in North America.  In many cultures, weddings are associated with particular foods.  In Mexico, a spicy lamb stew called birria is the centerpiece of the traditional wedding meal.  The English serve fruitcake as their wedding dessert.  In Italy, five sugar-covered almonds known as Italian confetti or Jordan almonds are given to guests as favors.  The almonds symbolize happiness, longevity, health, prosperity, and fertility.

In my community, the traditional wedding dish is beef biryani.  The meal is finished with ladoos (sweet chickpea balls) and gathiya (savory deep fried chickpea dough).  In addition to food, sherbet (a rose-flavored milk drink) is traditionally served at weddings, engagements, and other celebratory events.  This sweet beverage is thought to augur a sweet marriage.  It is easy to make and keeps for several days (without the nut garnish).

Ingredients

6 cups whole milk

1/2 can (7oz) sweetened condensed milk

2-3 teaspoons rose water or a few drops of rose essence

2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-6 drops red food color

finely chopped almonds and pistachio for garnish

Directions

1.       In a large pitcher combine the first five ingredients.  Use a long spoon to mix well.  Adjust rose, vanilla, and food color as desired.

2.       Pour into 6 to 10 glasses.  Garnish with nuts and serve.

White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake

Growing up I only ate white chocolate when it was brought as a gift by relatives visiting from London.  I remember with special fondness Toblerone white chocolate bars with honey and almond nougat which were savored one or two ‘triangles’ at a time.  As far as I can tell, white chocolate appears to be more popular in Europe than North America.

Despite its light color, white chocolate contains cocoa butter, the pale yellow vegetable fat extracted from cocoa beans.  It does not include the low-fat cocoa solids – that contain minerals, flavonols, caffeine, and theobromine – which give regular chocolate its characteristic brown hue.

The United States, Canada, and the European Union require true white chocolate to contain at least 20% cocoa butter or fat.  However, much of what is sold as white chocolate contains no cocoa butter at all.  Some manufacturers pass off a confection made of sugar, milk powder, and hydrogenated vegetable oil (from non-cocoa sources) as white chocolate.  This is what most white chocolate chips are made from.

Besides a 2008 guest post of my friend Sarah, this is the first Treat a Week recipe I have made with white chocolate.  This early summer cheesecake benefited from the strawberry season which was at its peak in early June.

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 to 6 tablespoons strawberry or vanilla yogurt (reduced fat acceptable)

10 tablespoons strawberry preserve (add water if necessary), slightly microwaved

9 ounces white chocolate (equivalent to 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips)

1/4 cup milk (whole or reduced fat)

24 ounces cream cheese, softened (full or reduced fat, or a combination)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 pints strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, 3 tablespoons sugar, and yogurt.  Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.

2.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325F.

3.  On stovetop or in microwave melt white chocolate with milk, checking frequently and stirring until smooth.

4.  In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate/milk mixture.

5.  Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the batter.  Pour remaining batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.

5.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is almost set.  Keep cheesecake in the oven with the heat turned off for an 30-60 additional minutes.  Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, cover with foil, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan.

6.  To remove cheesecake, slide butter knife around the edge of the pan.  Gently release springform pan.

7.  Top with halved strawberries in concentric circles.  Brush strawberries with remaining strawberry preserve and/or serve strawberry preserve on the side.

Pomegranate and Walnut Chicken Stew (Khoresht-e-Fesenjan)

March 21st is both the first day of spring and Navroz (Persian New Year). To learn more about the holiday, please see my blog post for kuku, a herb frittata commonly made for the occasion.

Several recent films have featured Persian characters or culture. The 2004 Oscar-winning Crash depicted an Iranian-American shop owner and his daughter. The 2007 action film 300 portrayed the ancient victory of the Spartans over the Persian King Xerxes and his army. That same year, the animated film Persepolis depicted the coming-of-age of a young Iranian woman. Last year marked the release of A Separation, which follows the separation of a middle class couple in Tehran. This January, the film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, becoming the first Iranian film to garner that honor.

Persia has also recently shown up in television. The current show 90210 features a Persian American character named Navid Shirazi and I recently learned of a new reality show – the Shahs of Sunset – about some members of the Persian community in Southern California.

The interest is beginning to extend to Persian cuisine which is becoming increasingly popular in North America.  Even some South Asian dishes – including biryani – have their origins in Iran.  One of my favorite dishes is this rich and sweet chicken stew made with walnuts and pomegranates.  This is an easy and forgiving dish; it can be made several days in advance and will last for about a week.


Serves 8

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds skinless chicken or duck legs or thighs (dark meat is better than white meat)
2 onions, roughly diced
2 cups walnuts, finely ground
2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 teaspoons salt or to taste
black pepper, to taste
2-3 tablespoon sugar or to taste
pomegranate arils, fresh dill, or lemon zest (optional)

Directions
1. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, brown chicken in olive oil. Remove and reserve on a plate.
2. Add onions to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add walnuts, stock, and browned chicken. Bring to a boil; simmer covered for 30 minutes.
4. Add pomegranate molasses, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer covered for a further 60 minutes. The sauce will thicken and turn dark brown in color. The meat may come off the bone or you can pull it off the bones as it softens. In either case, discard the bones.
5. Add sugar, if desired, and adjust other seasonings. Simmer for 15 more minutes.
6. Garnish with one or more of the following - pomegranate arils, fresh dill, and lemon zest.
7. Serve with basmati rice (plain, dill or sour cherry) or couscous.

Shrimp Biryani

This is my first post in 2012 – it’s been a busy year so far!

While I continue to cook fairly regularly, my blogging has lagged as I’ve not been able to find the time to draft detailed and history-rich entries. I’ve decided that – in the interest of posting more often – I may limit the preludes to my recipes.

This is the second biryani I’ve featured on this blog. A chicken version, featured in a post which describes the history of biryani, is available here. While biryani is most commonly made with lamb, beef, and goat, this shrimp version provides an alternative for pescetarians. You can read more about shrimp in my post for Lime Shrimp Curry.


Ingredients
Shrimp
2 lbs shrimp
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Rice
3 1/2 cups Basmati rice
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 medium onion, diced (optional)
3 pieces cinnamon bark
5 cardamom pods
7 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Sauce
2 tablespoons oil
4 cardamom pods
3 pieces cinnamon bark
1 1/4 cup fried onions, ground in a mortar and pestle
3 tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)
3 green serrano peppers (optional - they are hot)
3/4 cup yogurt
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup water (as desired)
cilantro (optional)


Directions
Shrimp
1. Marinate shrimp in lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Rice
2. Wash rice and soak for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil on medium low, and sauté onion. Once translucent, sauté cinnamon bark and cardamom pods until bubbling. Add water (be careful as this will splatter). Then add salt and increase temperature to medium high.
4. When the water boils, add turmeric and then soaked rice. When the water boils again, cover (leaving room for steam to escape) and turn to low heat (not simmer).
5. After about 10 minutes when the majority of the water has evaporated, shake the pot and lower heat to simmer. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Alternately, place pot in an oven at 225 F to dry slowly which will produce fluffy rice.

Sauce
6. In a large pot, heat oil. Once warm add cardamom pods and cinnamon bark.
7. Then add fried onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.
8. Then add next nine ingredients and sauté for 5 minutes until you have a thick gravy. Add water as desired.
9. Add shrimp and stir until warm.
10. Serve on a large platter with rice as the base. Then spoon shrimp biryani on top. Garnish with cilantro.

Note: Do not eat the cooked cardamom pods and cinnamon bark. They add aroma and taste but should not be consumed.