Beignets

 

Beignets pronounced benyeys, are little pillows of dough that is fried and then drenched in icing sugar. I say drenched because it is literally coated in icing sugar, so much icing sugar that when you bite into it you get a sugary mustache.  This delicious treat is a specialty of New Orleans and I found the recipe in a book my sister gave  me before she left for New Zealand.

Butter Chicken Lasagne

I often watch this Pakistani cooking channel called Masala tv. One of them is Lazat with chef  Samina Jalil. Having grown up watching Hindhi movies and having lived in Karachi, Pakistan for a few years,  I can understand most of what's being said. 

Valhomas Aglio Olio

 

Aglio Olio seems to be a big favorite these days. I like to make it as well as it is easy to make a few ingredients and can be made in less than 30 minutes.  Nowadays I try to come up with simple recipes, that use easily available ingredients. 

Danish Apple cake

 I wanted to make something simple and came across this recipe called Apple cake (AEblekage) although it is really a trifle. I would say it is very healthy too since it has  oats and apples. 

Spaghetti with sausages and sneaky mum's sauce

 

Giving children vegetables can be a challenge My eldest doesn't like eggplant or bell pepper and when he was little I used to turn the bell pepper into a pasta sauce and eggplant into a dip.  Another thing I would say is they have to see the parent eat the vegetables, which means family mealtimes with a healthy balanced meal.

Vegetable curry

 

Due to the pandemic and also due to various other natural disasters, the cost of fresh produce has skyrocketed.  So certain vegetables such as carrots are really expensive. Nowadays frozen vegetables have become a constant freezer staple in my kitchen.  Instead of buying the expensive ones, I opted to buy a pack of frozen vegetable mix, which costs about 30 Maldivian rufiyaa.

Muranga and Cheddar Parata ( moringa leaves and cheese flatbread)

 

One of my favourite Indian chefs is Tarla Dalal. Sadly she has passed away a few years back , but her recipes live on.  This recipe is a simplified recipe of her Paneer Palak Paratha from her Indian Vegetarian Cookbook. We have a huge moringa tree, locally known as muranga. I wanted to make something healthy for the boys who are growing bigger each day ( Masha Allah). Plus I wanted to get them to eat vegetarian food now and try new food. 

Ulhaali

Ulhaali  is one of my childhood favorite local snacks. These are crispy pieces of fried sweet dough with a slight coconut taste. We usually receive these from  Faathuma, who lives on the island of Angolhitheemu in Raa atoll.  Her husband Abdul Rasheed lived in my great grandfather's home when my mum was a little girl.  

Lasagne ( beef, roasted butternut and spinach)

 

My older one loves lasagne and even requested for one on his birthday but back then in February, we were having another surge in covid cases that we were unable to get some lasagne sheets and ground beef. 

On a trip to one of the major supermarkets, I discovered some nice ground beef and bought it to make some lasagne. 

Banbukeyo Kandhi ( Sweet breadfruit pudding)

I love making Kandhi, a sweet dessert, more like a sweet soup using local produce such as winter melon, pumpkin, plantains and even breadfruit and sago.  I didn't know breadfruit can also be used to make kandhi until I came across the name in an essay about food found in an old Faiythoora  ( a local magazine based on local writings). 

Gulab Jamun

 

My family loves Gulab jamun,  but I have never tried to make it on my own. During this pandemic, I decided to take the plunge and make it at home. Believe me, it was not as easy as it looked during the first attempt. My first attempt ended up with rock-hard gulab jamuns, the sugar didn't soak through.