Yogurt Sauce 

·      1 cup Greek yogurt

·      1 clove garlic , crushed

·      1 tsp cumin

·      Squeeze of lemon juice

·      Salt and pepper

Combine the Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).

Shawarma Sauce 

   

• 250gms plain yogurt 
• 4 tbsp tahini 
• 1 fat or 2 smaller garlic cloves, finely grated or minced 
• fat pinch salt, or to taste 
• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Combine  the yogurt with the tahini and garlic, stir and salt to taste, and sprinkle with a few pomegranate seeds.

Chicken Shawarma 

Serves 4 – 6

1 kg chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless

Marinade

·      1 large garlic clove , minced (or 2 small cloves)

·      1 Tbsp. ground coriander

·      1 Tbsp. ground cumin

·      1 Tbsp. ground cardamom

·      1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp to make it not spicy)

·      2 tsp smoked paprika

·      2 tsp salt

·      Black pepper

·      2 Tbsp. lemon juice

·      3 Tbsp. olive oil

To Serve

·      6 flatbreads (Lebanese or pita bread)

·      Sliced lettuce (cos or iceberg)

·      Tomato slices

1.   Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl).

2.   Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. If using a ziplock bag, I find it convenient to close the bag then massage the bag to disperse the rub all over each chicken piece.

3.   Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours.

4.   Heat grill/BBQ (or large heavy based pan on stove) on medium high. You should not need to oil it because the marinade has oil in it and also thigh fillets have fat. But if you are worried then oil your hotplate/grill.

5.   Place chicken on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).

6.   Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

To Serve

1. Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad, Yoghurt Sauce and the Shawarma sauce .

2. To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!

Rabri / Rabdi

Serves 6

• 1 litre milk, full cream cows / buffalo milk
• 1 cup Condensed Milk
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 Tbsp saffron milk

1. Firstly, in a large nonstick pan heat thick cows or buffaloes milk. Stir occasionally making sure the milk doesn’t stick to bottom of vessel and get to a boil. 
2. Furthermore add 1 cup of condensed milk. add more condensed milk, if you looking for too sweet rabdi. Stir well and get the milk to boil. Also reduce the flame to medium and once a layer of cream is formed over the milk, stick it to sides of vessel.
3. Make sure to stir from bottom of vessel so that milk doesn’t burn. Further, get the milk to boil again. Repeat the gathering of cream to sides of kadai / Wok for at least 3 -5 times or till milk reduces to one-third. 
4. Add cardamom powder and saffron milk. Give a good mix and get the milk again to boil. Also scrape off the collected cream from sides. and give a good stir. 
5. Simmer for 2 minutes and rabdi / rabri is ready.

Salt & pepper squid

Serves 4

• 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium (about 100g each) cleaned squid hoods, cut into 5mm-thick rings
• 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
• 1 x 100g pkt baby Asian greens

1. Place the flour, pepper and salt in a clean plastic bag. Add the squid rings and tie the bag to seal.
2. Kids' task: Shake the bag until the squid is fully coated in the flour mixture and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the squid, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer to a large plate lined with paper towel.
4. Divide the baby Asian greens among serving plates. Top with the salt & pepper squid.

Garlic-studded veal with mushrooms & green olive gremolata

Serves 8

• 900g veal eye of loin (backstraps)
• 3 garlic cloves, each cut into 5 slices
• 8 large flat mushrooms
• 60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable stock
• green olive gremolata
• 2 lemons
• 50g green olives, pitted, chopped
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the veal on a clean work surface. Use a small sharp knife to cut 1cm-long slits, about 1cm deep, along the veal at 2cm intervals. Place a slice of garlic in each slit. Tie the veal at 2cm intervals with unwaxed white string to help hold its shape during cooking.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the veal and cook, turning once, for 4 minutes, or until browned on each side.
4. Place mushrooms in a single layer in a large non-stick roasting pan and drizzle with stock. Place veal on top. Cook in preheated oven for 25 minutes for medium or until veal is cooked to your liking. Turn off oven. Transfer veal to a large plate, cover loosely with foil and set aside for 10 minutes to rest. Cover mushrooms with foil and return to oven to keep warm.
5. Meanwhile, to make green olive gremolata, use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to peel rind from lemons. Remove any white pith from rind. Cut rind into thin strips and then finely chop. Combine chopped lemon rind, olives and parsley in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. To serve, cut the veal crossways into 8 medallions. Place the mushrooms on serving plates and top with the veal. Sprinkle with the green olive gremolata and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Tim tam tarts with raspberries and tim tam 'soil'

Serves 4

• 200g pkt Tim Tams
• 30g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
• 200ml pure (thin) cream
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks
• Raspberries, cocoa and vanilla ice cream, to serve

1. Grease four 8cm loose-bottomed tart pans. Place Tim Tams in a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs. Remove 3 tablespoons for the soil and set aside. Add melted butter to the processor and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into the base and sides of the prepared pans and chill for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
3. Place cream in a pan over low heat and bring to just below boiling point. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stand for 1 minute to melt a little, then stir until smooth. Cool chocolate mixture, then add vanilla and yolks and stir to combine. Pour chocolate filling into tart cases. Bake for 15 minutes or until just set. Cool tarts completely in the pans.
4. When ready to serve, remove tarts from the pans, then top with berries and dust with cocoa. Serve with vanilla ice cream and Tim Tam soil.