Welcome back to our weekly cooking series, where we feature two talented home cooks in Qatar. This week, meet our first home cook - Dr. Princy Moli George with her recipe inspired by the vibrant flavours of India and the Middle East plus our second home cook, Hasna Abdul Hameed, with a spiced up savoury crepe packed full of flavour.

Our cooking series features Qatar’s diverse and talented home chefs with a passion for food. If you’d like to be featured in our series please share your food photo on Instagram and tag @ilqlive and @mama_baba_ganoush plus the hashtag #qatarhomecooks.

Full name: Dr. Princy Moli George
Country: India
How long have you lived in Qatar? Since the 1980s
Occupation: Periodontist

Has COVID-19 changed the way you cook at home? Though COVID-19 has the ramifications of being cooped up at home, one positive aspect has been spending more time with family and having fresh home-cooked meals. Now is the time to experiment and recreate recipes in our kitchen. Some dishes are a family team effort. We appreciate the effort it takes to prepare a meal.

What is your dish? Saffron milk cake - a dessert that combines a simple vanilla cake with the flavours of Rasmalai – an Indian dessert. It is similar to the Tres Leche as the cake is baked and left to soak in saffron and cardamom flavoured milk with nuts added as a packed treat. I use white chocolate ganache, nuts and saffron to decorate the cake.

Why have you chosen this particular dish? If COVID-19 has taught me one thing - it is never to take for granted the smallest of things. Celebrate and savour the little moments of happiness. Cakes are a favourite at home in India where the food is quite colourful and dramatic. Fusion food represents a mix of both worlds - just as we enjoy life here in Qatar.

Social media: Instagram @thewayfaredontist

Princy's Saffron Milk Cake

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 35 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Step 1: Vanilla cake preparation

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk (whole milk/ evaporated)
2 eggs (large)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a large bowl, mix and sift the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the oil, milk, eggs, vanilla essence for a minute. Add the sifted dry ingredients little by little. Mix thoroughly by hand or with an electric mixer until well combined.
4. Pour into a baking tray. Bake at 180 °C for 35 minutes or until a skewer/toothpick comes out clean after insertion.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place onto a serving platter or plate, and serve.

Step 2: Saffron Milk Preparation

Please note: The saffron milk can be prepared while the cake is in the oven (see Step 1 above)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Lt full-fat milk
4 tbsp sugar (adjust according to taste)
8 to 10 strands saffron
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp rose water
10 almonds (crushed or slivered)
10 pistachio (crushed or slivered)
Optional: condensed milk

Method:

1. In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir frequently so the milk doesn’t stick or burn at the bottom of the pan. (Optional: add sugar or a few teaspoons of condensed milk, according to taste)
2. Stir constantly until the mixture is thickened and reduces to half the amount with a yellowish tinge.
3. Insert holes into the cooled cake with a skewer or fork.
4. Pour 3/4^th of the saffron milk around the cake – the cake will soak up the milk
5. Cut the cake into pieces. Pour the remaining milk upon serving. Use almonds, pistachios, saffron strands, whipping cream to garnish. Get creative with flowers too!

Name: Hasna Abdul Hameed
Country: Doha, Qatar
How long have you lived in Qatar? 30 years

Has COVID-19 changed the way you cook at home? Yes, it has changed my way of cooking. We started growing microgreens and it was a great success. Now, we have microgreens in our diet. We have started using the ingredients available at home, avoid unnecessary shopping and enjoy a healthier way of living by including dried fruits, nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables.

What is your dish? Malabar Style Layered Crepe – a savoury dish with chicken and spices.

Why have you chosen this dish? I have chosen this recipe as it is a family favourite - healthy and tasty with readily available ingredients. It can easily be served as a snack or dinner.

Social media: Instagram @Hasna_abdul_hameed and Facebook @Hasna Abdulhameed

Hasna's Malabar Style Layered Crepe (Chatti Pathal)

Ingredients:

200g chicken
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chillies powder
¼ tsp salt
Oil

For the filling:

3 onion (medium size) - chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 Green chillies
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp pepper powder
½ tsp salt
Oil

For soaking:

7 eggs
½ cup milk
¼ tsp pepper powder
Pinch of salt

For the dough:

¾ cup flour
Salt and water – as required

Method:

1. In a frying pan, add a little oil. Cook the chicken with salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
2. Once cooked, place the chicken in a bowl and shred.
3. In a saucepan, scramble 3 eggs. Set aside
4. In the frying pan, heat some oil. Sauté the onions, green chillies and ginger-garlic paste with salt and turmeric until well cooked.
5. Divide this mixture into two. In one, add the shredded chicken along with chilli powder and cook well. This is the Chicken Masala.
6. In the other half - add the scrambled eggs and pepper powder. This is the Egg Masala.
7. Make a dough using the flour. It should not be too soft nor too hard. Make 5 round sheets in the shape of very thin chapati. This should be almost the size of the pan you are using.
8. Heat a frying pan. Cook each sheet for approx. 20 sec on both sides. Set aside.
9. Heat up a non-stick saucepan. Pour a little oil into the saucepan and brush all over the pan. We will use this pan for the layering.
10. Beat the remaining 4 eggs along with the salt, pepper and milk until thoroughly combined. This is the egg mixture.
11. Dip one sheet into the egg mixture and lay on the bottom of the saucepan. Add the chicken masala.
12. Add the 2nd sheet dipped in the egg mixture and add the egg masala.
13. Alternate each sheet with the egg and chicken masalas until finished.
14. Pour the remaining egg mixture onto the top.
15. Add a lid to the saucepan and cook on the lowest flame for around 10-15 minutes
16. Flip the mixture into another saucepan and cook for a further 2 minutes.
17. For serving - flip the cooked mixture onto a flat plate and cut into servings like a cake. Serve warm with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

What have you been cooking at home? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Kim Wyatt

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