Chicken Zucchini

Ingredients

4 pieces of lean skinless chicken breast 

1 cup raw Zucchini 

2 table spoons of any kind of shredded cheese 

1 raw onion 

salt 

pepper 

oregano

Method
Pre-heat oven to 450
Cut Zucchini and Onion into slices
Arrange Chicken breast onto non stick baking pan
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano
Sprinkle cheese onto chicken
Arrange sliced Zucchini so that its covering the chicken
Arrange onions onto Zucchini
Bake for 30 minutes covered

Lamb Kofta Manchurian

Ingredients:
The Kofta:
450 gms - freshly minced lamb
1 tbsp - ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp - garlic, finely chopped
2 - green chillies, finely chopped
½ cup - spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp - soya sauce
1 tsp - black pepper powder
1 tbsp - vinegar
2 tbsp - flour
2 tbsp - cornflour
½ cup - spring onion leaves
cornflour for dusting
oil for deep frying
salt to taste
The Manchurian Sauce:
2 tbsp - garlic, chopped
3 tbsp - ginger, chopped
3 tbsp - celery, chopped
1 - medium red onion, chopped
½ cup - spring onions, chopped
In a bowl:
2 tbsp - oyster sauce
½ tsp - ajinomotto
1 tbsp - red chilli paste
1 tsp - white pepper powder
1 tbsp - vinegar
1 tsp - sesame seeds
1 tbsp - cornflour, dissolved in � cup water
1 ½ cups - lamb/chicken stock
2 tbsp - oil
2 tbsp - coriander leaves
salt to taste

Method
To make the koftas:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the kofta in a bowl and knead for 2-3 mins.
2. Refrigerate for 30 mins.
3. Shape into walnut sized balls and roll in the cornflour.
4. Heat oil in a wok. Deep fry the koftas till golden brown.
5. Drain and keep aside.

To make the Manchurian sauce:

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a wok.
2. Add red onions and saut� for 30 seconds.
3. Add ginger and garlic and celery. Saute for another 30 seconds.
4. Now add the chopped spring onions and saut� for further 30 seconds.
5. Add the sesame oil and stir.
6. Add the contents of the bowl.
7. Add stock and when it starts simmering, add the ingredients mixed in the bowl.
8. After 30 seconds, add the koftas.
9. Simmer for 30 seconds and stir in the cornflour solution.
10. Check seasoning and add salt.
11. Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Chicken Kiev

Ingredients:

100g (3 ½ oz) butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, crushed
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
3 tbsp plain flour
1 egg, beaten
150g (5 ½ oz) fresh breadcrumbs
sunflower oil, for deep-frying

Prepare Ahead:

The flavoured butter can be made up to 1 day in advance and chilled.

Preparation:

1 - Place the butter in a bowl and stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Form into a block, wrap in cling film, then chill until firm.
2 - Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of cling film; pound them flat using a rolling pin.
3 - Cut the butter into 4 sticks and place one on each of the breasts. Fold the other side of the chicken up and over the butter, enclosing it completely.
4 - Season the flour with salt and pepper. Keeping the chicken closed, dip each piece in the seasoned flour, then in beaten egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs to coat evenly.
5 - Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry the chicken for 6-8 minutes depending on size, or until golden brown.
6 - Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot.

Fiqh of Halal Meat

Based on a verbal

Fatwa by Mufti Rafi Usmani

Raised by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question What are some general principles related to Halal meat? Can we trust others' word on whether the meat is Halal?
Answer
1. In general, the Jurists (Fuqaha) mention that one can trust another’s word (Muslim or non-Muslim) that the meat has been properly Islamically slaughtered [Fatawa Hindiyya, Radd al-Muhtar].

2. However, when there is reason to be cautious, it is recommended to take the means to make sure that it is in fact Halal.

3. When there is ‘reasonable’ fear that this particular meat is possibly Haraam - or when it is generally the case that meat labelled ‘Halal’ is dubious--then it would be one’s duty to make sure.
(End of Fatwa)

Keeping the above in mind, Muslims living in this country need to ponder as to which situation relates to them. The first and second situations are both out of the question, and the reason is obvious. The third situation also does not relate to us, since there is not only ‘reasonable’ fear that the meat labelled as Halal is possibly Haraam. Rather, based on the research and investigation of many individuals and organisations, the current situation is even worse – that is there is ‘extreme’ fear that a particular meat labelled as Halal may be Haraam.

Therefore, one must not take another’s word at face value; rather it will be one’s duty to ensure that the meat is Halal, whether individually or through an organisation that one trusts and who would give this assurance.

And Allah knows best
Mufti Muhammad Ibn Adam Al-Kawthari

Shake n Bake Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1 chicken
1 teaspoon chilli garlic paste
1 teaspoon barbecue spice
1 teaspoon aromat
1 teaspoon chicken spice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk

COATING:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon barbecue spice
1 teaspoon chicken spice
1 teaspoon aromat
½ teaspoon red chillies
½  teaspoon baking powder

METHOD
Cut chicken into pieces.
Combine spices, lemon juice, egg and buttermilk.
Marinate chicken overnight.
Combine the flour and spices for the coating together.
Place flour in a plastic bag and add chicken portions. Shake well, remove from bag and fry portions in shallow oil.
Place chicken in an oven tray and cover with foil.
Bake at 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes

Source: radioislam.org.za

Spicy Vegetable Wrap

Ingredients:

• 300g sweet potatoes , peeled and cubed
• 400g can peeled plum tomatoes
• 400g can chickpeas , drained
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp mild curry paste
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh corriander
• 4 plain chapatis (Indian flatbreads)/wraps
• 4 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt 

Method:

1. Cook the sweet potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10-12 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, put the tomatoes, chickpeas, chilli flakes and curry paste in another pan and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill. Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the tomato mixture. Stir in the spinach and cook for a minute until just starting to wilt. Stir in the coriander, season to taste and keep warm.
3. Sprinkle the chapatis with a little water and grill for 20-30 seconds each side. Spoon on the filling, top with yogurt and fold in half to serve.

 

Cheest Twists

Ingredients

Makes: 1 bowlful

• 150g Red Leicester cheese

• 40g butter, softened

• 160g plain flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)

• milk, as required

• plain flour, as required

 

Method

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 15 mins

Grease a large baking tray with butter. Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas 5.

Grate the Red Leicester and place it in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter roughly into cubes - this makes it easier to work with - and cream the two together. Don't worry if it looks a bit of a mess, this is a very rustic snack!

Add the flour to the bowl (there’s no need to sieve) and the salt. If you want, this is the time to add 1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard, for a stronger flavour. Mix all the ingredients together to make a dough, usually you'll need to add milk until it comes together, but make sure you add very small amounts at a time. Now you may have a sticky dough, put a small amount of flour onto the mixture (too much and you’ll dry it out) and lightly knead it in your hands. Now you’ll have what appears like a speckled bread dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough, using a floured rolling-pin, to a thickness of 3mm. Cut off the rough edges of the rolled out dough to make a square/rectangle. Cut the square into longish strips, I usually cut mine 7cm long and 3cm wide.

Hold both ends of a strip and twist one of your hands to make a twist in the strip, this'll make it resemble a double helix, then transfer to the baking tray. Do this for all the strips and repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have none of the dough left.

If you want a shiny glaze on your cheese straws, use a greasing brush to distribute small amounts of egg over each cheese straw; but as I said earlier, this is a rustic snack and looks better without the glaze.

Place the cheese straws in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese straws have puffed up and are golden-brown. Use a palette knife to scrape the cheese straws off the baking tray and place them in the oven, unlike many other things you may bake you don’t need to wait for this treat to cool! Place the cheese straws in a bowl and garnish with a dusting of flour. They taste great warm but they’re still very pleasant served cool. Enjoy!

Tip

Don't worry if the cheese straws are slightly burnt around the edges, this adds colour and texture and should not be considered as a bad thing.