Sunday 12 July 2015

Fried Chicken + Cheddar Waffles + Watermelon: 4 July - 10 July 2015.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful




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this week has whizzed by.
I feel like once the routine of Ramadan sets in, time flies. with the prayers, the early-morning meal, the pre-iftar rush, long days, staying awake at night because there is no point in sleeping. seriously, guys, with me, if I fall asleep between iftar and sehri, I just won't wake up. so I stay awake.


the weekend was filled with chocolatey banana bread, coconut daal, potato galette and beautiful sunset clouds.

oh my gosh, on Monday, I made fried chicken with waffles and gravy. I haven't cooked it since I shared the recipe with you guys last year, and I'm happy to report that it's just as delicious as ever.

the days continued with slices of cold watermelon, egg fried rice, newly discovered flowers in the garden, curry lessons and surprise boxes of the sweetest mangoes ever.

we ate nachos this week, enjoyed the scent of the best-smelling flowers ever, munched cheesy chicken wraps and made the infamous chilli chips.

the most blessed day of the week arrived with me baking my breakfast apple crumble for sehri (god knows how I was so organized). also, there was a deliciously spiced lamb curry being cooked, a giant stromboli in the oven and a platter of the sweetest fruit for dessert.

something I read this week and loved:

Some of the earliest responses were promoted initially by motives which could not be ascribed to any human attempt to persuade.
Abu Bakr (ra) had long been known throughout Makkah for his ability to interpret dreams; and one morning he had an unexpected visit from Khalid (ra), the son of a powerful Shamsite, Sa'id ibn al-'As. The young man's face still showed signs of having been recently aghast at some terrifying experience; and he hastened to explain that during the night he had had a dream which he knew must be significant though what it meant he did not understand.
Could Abu Bakr (ra) tell him the meaning of it?
He had dreamed that he was standing at the edge of a great pit in which was a raging fire so vast that he could see no end to it. Then, his father came, and tried to push him into it; and as they were struggling on the brink, at the moment of his greatest terror, he felt round his waist the firm clasp of two hands which held him back despite all his father's efforts.
Looking round, he saw that his saviour was al-Amin, Muhammad (saw) the son of Abdullah, and at that moment he awoke.
"I wish thee joy," said Abu Bakr (ra), "This man who saved thee is the Messenger of God, so follow him - nay, follow him thou shalt, and shalt enter through him into Islam which shall safeguard thee against falling into the fire".
Khalid (ra) went straight to the Prophet (saw), and having told him of his dream, he asked what his message was, and what he should do. 
The Prophet (saw) instructed him, and Khalid (ra) entered Islam, keeping it a secret from his family.
{Muhammad: his life based on the earliest source}

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here are my highlights:

 Saturday baking session!
I baked this double chocolate banana bread. half was munched and the other half was frozen for a rainy day.
for iftar, ingredients out to make a coconut daal.
the smell from these frying onions, garlic, ginger and spices was delicious.
 onions frying in butter and salt on Sunday evening.
potatoes still in their skins were sliced.
a simple pastry was made - I told you, I'm obsessed!
chives from the garden were sliced.
the smell from these frying onions was heavenly. I think when we are fasting, our sense of smell is heightened because everything just smells delicious and we begin researching if candles are made in said scent.
ooh! potatoes! frying!
in butter! 
salt and vinegar potatoes, those beautiful caramelized onions, chives and Cheddar all wrapped up and in to bake.
while I go gawp at the sky.
67:3

(And) who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return (your) vision (to the sky); do you see any breaks?
(Surah Al-Mulk, Verse 3)
salt and vinegar potato galette done! do you see my Mother ready for action with her two spatulas?
 marinaded chicken ready to dredge in flour on Monday.
chicken frying.
to go with it, a batch of Cheddar waffles.
the chicken continued to fry.
the waffles were cooked in my trusty waffle maker.

once the chicken was all done ...
... a gravy was made in the same pan to catch all the delicious flavour.
ready to eat!

with the obligatory slices of spring onion and pickled peppers. the full photo recipe is here!
Tuesday was watermelon day!
Ramadan wouldn't be Ramadan without cold, sliced watermelon.
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at iftar, there was cold cooked rice in the fridge.
so I made egg fried rice!
also, there was leftover Cheddar waffle batter hanging about so my Mother made them into crispy pancakes. you guys, if you don't have a waffle maker at home, make pancakes out of the mixture - it is cheesy goodness at its best.
beautiful flowers growing on the deck on a rainy Wednesday afternoon.
and, you guys, how pretty are these tiny flowers that fell onto the wet deck? they look like stars!
and, here is the culprit.
there's a pink and white version. they're actually planted in the neighbour's garden but overhang into ours. I love it when that happens.
later, lessons in curry from the Mother.
giant mango gifts!
nachos at iftar - simply place tortilla chips + tomato salsa + grated Cheddar + pickled jalapenos onto a baking tray.
bake at 200C until crispy. so simple but so good.
also, chicken curry with soft tortillas.
 picking mock-orange flowers from the garden on a very hot Thursday morning.
the smell from these is sooooo good.
iftar scenes: cheesy chicken wraps being assembled. I actually used the leftover chicken curry from the day before - waste not, want not.
on the cooker, the wraps frying and chilli chips in the making.
in all their glory, cheesy chicken wraps made with homemade tortillas no less.

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 Friday! the best day! in the early afternoon, I made the easy dough for a chicken stromboli.
it was set aside to rise for later.
since I was being so productive, I decided to bake my breakfast apple crumble for the next day's sehri.
apples were sliced.
into a pan with cinnamon, ginger and honey.
coconut milk is poured in.
the whole thing simmers for about half an hour.
before being covered with granola and thrown into the oven to brown and bubble.
I also added pumpkin seeds, banana chips and leftover crumble from this recipe.
dough rising for iftar.
I used up odds and ends from the veg drawer in the filling including leeks, carrots, green beans and peppers.
the chicken filling was cooked and fresh basil stirred through to give it a little zing.
all wrapped up.
baked.
and, sliced. the full photo recipe is here!

also today, a delicious, deeply spiced lamb curry.

for dessert, a platter of nature's bounty: mangoes + dates + pears + plums + peaches. I love summer!
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this time one year ago:
Driving Tests + Couscous + Milkshakes

lately, on the blog:

Smoky Chicken Cobb Salad + Hottest Day + Spicy Chicken Sandwiches
Peri Peri Oven Fries

Sweet + Savoury Shortcrust Pastry

a few of my favourites from around the web this week:
1. apple crumble pie. two of our family favourites in one.
2. roasted strawberry and balsamic vinegar ice cream sandwiches. yes, yes and yes.
3. aloo gosht shorba. with boiled rice, this is one of my ultimate comfort foods.
4. cheesy potato, corn and zucchini galette. this should feed our never-ending galette obsession.
5. night time in Ramadan. this is so our house - everyone beginning to wake up.
6. Abu Dhabi + Dubai. beautiful photography, as always.
7. cheese lovers samosas. omg, yes!
8. date truffles. perfect for all those post-Ramadan dates.
9. fish curry. I was thinking about this the other day and this curry sounds perfect.
10. don't stop being kind. so many good ideas.


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41:30
Indeed, those who have said: "Our Lord is Allah" and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, (saying), "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.
41:31
We were your allies in the worldly life and the Hereafter. And you have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request.
41:32
As accommodation from a (Lord who is) Forgiving and Merciful.
{Surah Fussilat, Verses 30-32}

Keep me in your duas, please, and have a beautiful week!

Wasalaam! 


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