Sunday 20 July 2014

Victoria Sandwiches + Farm Walks + Shawarma: 12 July - 18 July 2014

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful




To attain happiness and peace you must be from those who hasten to do virtuous and beautiful deeds.




 The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:
Strive towards that which benefits you and seek help from Allah.


We are now into the last third of this blessed month of Ramadan, alhamdulillah. Can you believe how fast it has whizzed by? We thank Allah for making the long summer fasts bearable and we pray that He accepts all our efforts - Ameen. Keep all the Muslims around the world in your prayers during these last few blessed days and nights. Make the most of them using these 11 Suggested Activities for the Last Ten Days of Ramadan.



Some of the little things which have made me happy this week include:

1. Cooking a proper Shepherds Pie!

2. Reading the book Gems and Jewels - I really recommend it to you guys. You can buy it here.

3. Summer evening skies!

4. My cousin turning 11 - where have the years gone?

5. Soft boiled eggs at Sehri!

6. Sweet and juicy Alphonso mangoes!

7. My dads' Spicy Scrambled Eggs!

8. Sweet, hot Indian tea to curb the moodiness in me at Sehri time!

9. Picking the first raspberries of the year with my nieces!

10. Gluten free Cinnamon Rolls!

11. My mums Chicken and Potato Shorba!

12. Summer sunsets!

Saturday: No photos from today so here are a few of my favourites from Pinterest this week. I aspire to make a cake like this one day!


How beautiful is this kitchen?

Tiramisu Torte - genius!


 Sunday: Cooking up the lamb for a proper Shepherds Pie.
I also made Chinese Fried Rice.
Shepherds Pie filling waiting to be topped.
Iftar included fresh cherries ..
Proper Shepherds Pie - here is the full recipe.
Chinese Fried Rice - here is the full recipe.
And, a Mint Chutney. This is made by blending together fresh mint, fresh coriander, salt, water, green chillies and dried pomegranate seeds.



 Monday: We took a long walk to a nearby small farm. It was a lovely day with a fresh breeze blowing - perfect for when you're fasting!
Have you ever thought about how the fragrant and beautifully coloured flowers you see everyday have come out of pitch black, muddy soil? So, glorious is Allah, the best of Creators.

At Iftar, we prepared a jug of Iced Tea.
Filled with sliced fresh fruits and plenty of ice.

Puff pastry was waiting to be rolled out for Fruit Tarts.
Mum made a batch of her famous Vegetable Pakoras.
There was leftover Shepherds Pie.
Green Pumpkin and Lamb Curry
Fruit Tarts



 Tuesday: Tonight's Iftar was something which is turning into a bit of a Ramadan tradition round here.
Chicken Twister Wraps!
Tasty, succulent pieces of chicken, salad and sauce wrapped in soft tortillas.
Served with crispy oven fries!



Wednesday: Today I started preparing a batch of Cinnamon Rolls.
But these were no ordinary Cinnamon Rolls - these were gluten-free! A bit difficult than usual but we got there in the end, alhamdulillah.
I also assembled desserts using strawberry puree, whipped cream, chocolate pudding, biscuits and fresh cherries.
For Iftar, I made Chicken Shawarma. All you do is mix together:
1 Chicken Breast, cut into thin strips
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Vinegar
1 tablespoon Brown Sauce
1 and 1/2 tablespoon Yoghurt
1 and 1/2 tablespoon Chilli Sauce
Pinch of Ground Cinnamon
Leave to marinade for about 15 minutes and then ..
Cook in a little oil until dried out and the chicken is completely cooked through.
Serve with pitta bread or naan along with sliced lettuce, tomato, cucumber and pickled peppers.
I also made a Tahini Dipping Sauce by mixing together:
1 tablespoon Tahini Paste
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Garlic
1/2 cup Plain Yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Abu Huraira (ra) reported the Prophet Muhammad (saw) saying:
Every good deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving tenfold to seven hundred fold reward. 
Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said:
With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for one who abandons his passion and food for My sake.
There are 2 occasions of joy for one who fasts:
1) Joy when he breaks it
2) And joy when he meets his Lord.
The breath of an observer of fast is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.
(Muslim)


 Thursday: The gluten-free Cinnamon Rolls were baked and ready for their glaze.
And, what better than a maple syrup glaze?
Ready to be handed out!
We have been blessed to have had such beautiful weather this week, alhamdulillah.

And, have been blessed with very sweet Alphonso mangoes from Pakistan.
The best kind of mango in my opinion, they always arrive in cardboard boxes, each mango wrapped in tissue paper and if we're lucky, a little tinsel.
My mum was cooking her Chicken and Spinach Curry.
Then, she made her Chicken and Potato Shorba.
The recipe for which I'll be sharing soon, inshallah.
Update: Here is the recipe.
Time to pick a few raspberries and enjoy the warm, evening sunshine!
For Iftar, we boiled rice.
And served it with Chicken and Potato Shorba - simplicity at its best! Here is the recipe.
No matter how excited or enthusiastic you are to do lots of different worship, there will come a point when you are bound to experience some kind of slowdown. That's why we always have to ask Allah to keep us steadfast with the above prayer.

Friday: By studying and appreciating the wonders of Allah's creation, you will find peace.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight.
(Surah An-Naml, Verse 60)
Hope these raspberries ripen soon!
Sweetcorn
Spring Onions
Ilya Abu Madi said:
O complainer who has no cause to grumble,
Imagine how you would be if you became ill, 
Do you see the thorn and the roses yet remain blind?
Or the dewdrops: did you miss them?
He who himself is void of beauty,
Sees nothing beautiful in nature.

I baked a Victoria Sandwich on Friday.
Butter, sugar, eggs and flour all flavoured with the seeds of a vanilla pod.
Sandwiched with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
At Iftar, we had these Coriander Chilli Cheese Toasts.
Mix together grated Cheddar, fresh coriander, green chillies, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Melt over slices of bread under a hot grill.
We also had leftover boiled rice and shorba.


Recipes posted at This Muslim Girl Bakes this week:


 Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 - my new favourite recipe for this classic cookie. The secret ingredient? Two kinds of brown sugar!


Punchy Crunchy Chicken Noodle Salad - perfect to use up leftover chicken and the dressing is just what you want during these hot days.


Incredibly relevant considering recent events - keep the entire Ummah in your prayers during these blessed nights.

Hope you all have a beautiful week ahead,

Wasalaam!


Spice Enthusiast
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