Cookery

Talaat

Your recipe for "seek kebab" sounds good. Your spelling of the word is incorrect and an offence to the Sikh Nation.

I would be grateful if you could change the spelling or remove the recipe until you can.

KryssTal Reply: The spelling has been changed to Seekh. No offence was meant. May I take this opportunity to wish you a happy vaisaki.

I'D LIKE TO OPEN A KEBAB HOUSE HERE IN SPAIN. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE CAN I INFORM ME ABOUT WHERE TO BUY THE MACHINES I NEED, OR IF YOU KNOW ANY FRANCHISE.

IF YOU CAN HELP ME I'D BE VERY PLEASED.

KryssTal Reply: Sorry - try a search on "kebab" "spits" "wholesale".

appreciate the free recipes and the web page structure,

Best, Paul

dear talaat,

can the black eyed beans be cooked in a pressure cooker. if so, for how long (time) and how much water required for cooking? would much appreciate your reply.

Thanks

KryssTal Reply: It's still best to soak them for 2 hours. If not put them in the microwave and cook for 10 minutes in plenty of water.

In the pressure cooker, cook the beans for 20 minutes and use enough water to double (or triple) the volume taken by the beans.

Regards and hope it goes well...

Is the Shami Kebab recipe named for anyone in particular? My mother's maiden name was Shami and this is one of the meals she made?

KryssTal Reply: "Sham" is night in Urdu, so shami kebab is a night kebab.

I guess from your phrase "named FOR" that you are North American. The British say "named AFTER". Do I guess right?

Yes, you are correct. I am an American of Middle Eastern background. Thank you for your explanation.

Dear Talaat

I'm searching the web for a decent reciepe for Chicken Jalfrezi and i wondered if you had any suggestions. A decent curry is rather hard to come by in Brooklyn so I have to resort to my own efforts. Congrats on an interesting web sight

KryssTal Reply: Thank you for your appreciation of my cookery web pages.

I am in the process of compiling and extending them. They will have a vegetarian, meat and daal (lentil) section. I intend to feature seafood as well. I will devote a few pages to long cooling drinks and sweets and puddings. I want to create a special section for yoghurt, rice dishes and breads of the world.

We are off on a 4 month trip to South America which will start with the Total Eclipse of the Sun in Venezuela in Feburary 1998. For further information please see our web pages at:

On our return I will write recipes to all the menus that have been created on my web page.

Please try my web page later on in the year. I will also show you how to make these dishes from places such as Thailand and Indonesia.

You are absolutly right that Chicken Jalfrezi recipes are difficult to find, even in recipe books in the UK (the World capital in Curries). I looked through all the ones that I had and couldn't find any.

However, this is the way we make Chicken Jalfrezi at home. Let me know how it turned out.

Ingredients

1 lb (450g) Chicken Breast (cut into small pieces)
2-3 medium size onions finely chopped (the more onions you have the more Jalfreize sauce is made)
1 large roughly sliced onion (either length wise or into rings)
4-5 pieces of garlic (I like lots so I would add about 9-10 pieces. It is good for your heart)
1 inch (2.5cm) ginger finely chopped
4-6 medium firm tomatoes (cut into 8 pieces each)
concentrated tomato paste (a heaped tablespoon)
corriander fresh (to taste)
ghee or vegetable oil 4-5 tablespoons

Dry Masala(spices)

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
a pinch of turmeric
heaped teaspoon of whole corriander
teaspoon of garam masala(ground mixed spice)
white zeera powder (cumin seeds)1 teaspoon

Method

1 Finely chop all the onions (except the one large one that you slice). Add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee in a deep saucepan. Add the onions and half the tomatoes. Gently roast in a deep saucepan using a wooden spoon until the onions are soft and golden.

2 Add the washed chicken pieces and continue to dry roast in the same way until the chicken has changed to a golden colour. Add the ginger, garlic and all the dry spices and half the fresh corriander. Continue to dry roast until the masala (all the mixture except the chicken) is begining to form a paste like consistency.

3 Add the tomato paste and continue to dry roast using the wooden spoon. It should turn a lovely warm red colour. Keep a cup of boiling water with you and add a sprinkle at a time if the mixture sticks to the pan. I find that I will generaly add about 1/2 of the water during the 30 minute cooking process. Add a little more oil if you feel you need to.

4 Add a little water to the saucepan, cover with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat and let it cook for a further 10 minutes until the chicken is tender.

5 In a frying pan add a little oil or ghee and fry the onions and tomatoes until both of them are soft and the onions are golden brown. Add the fresh corriander. Put all these ingredients into the pan with the chicken. Mix gently so that the chicken is not broken. Pour into a casserole dish and cover with the lid so that it stays hot. Sprinkle with freshly chopped corriander.

Serve with Pilau rice or chuppatis (roti) or naan.

Cooking Tips (and a little banter)

As with all cooking, preparation is the most important ingredient. Wash and cut all the igredients that need washing and cutting. Measure all the dry masalla ingredients in to a plate. Get all the utensils ready.

However, other important ingredients for the Jalfrezi are tomatoes and onions. I find that one needs plenty of chopped corriander for that perfect finish.

As with all Pakistani / Indian dishes the spices are a matter a taste. Vary the ingredients until the dish pleases you.

One can eat the Jalfrezi with Pilau rice or as I prefer it with freshly made chuppatis (roti) or freshly made naan.

Variations

You can substitue the chicken for lamb, mutton, beef, fish or prawns

There shall be Jalfrezi in Brooklyn.

Happy Cooking. Let me know if something is not clear. Best wishes.

Thanks for the reciepe i'm off to try to cook it now. I hope the trip goes well.

Hello from Houston, Texas, USA:

Enjoyed your website very much. The two of you have wide-ranging interests, and it was a pleasure to share a few of them with you. Talaat, I hope to try out a few of those terrific recipes you posed. Kryss, thanks for the information about languages -- as a writer and editor, I was fascinated. But the information about London was what interested me the most.

The two of you have inspired me -- and I'm sure many others -- to travel with a more finely-honed sense of curiosity and adventure.

KryssTal Reply: Thank you very much - you'll be assured of a good welcome in London - and don't forget to try the food - especially a curry!!

Thanks, I shall. And I hope some day you two will have the opportunity to enjoy what Texas has to offer.

KryssTal Reply: Ahhh the Lone Star State. One day!!

Hello Talaat,

I ran across your and your husband's fascinating web site and read with interest your recipe for Keema. I'm going to try it as soon as I can buy some okra. Incidentally, here is my variation of that dish:

KEEMA

East Indian and (for some time now) Western Canadian serves 5 or 6

2 lb lean ground lamb or beef (1 to 1.5 kg)
2 large green peppers chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large yellow or Spanish onions, coursely chopped
1 cup of frozen (or fresh) peas, or (so my son says) fresh lima beans
3 medium sized tomatos, cut into 1/8 wedges
1/4 cup (50 ml) Canola oil (or if your diet permits, butter)
1/4-3/4 cup (50 ml) of your favourite curry powder (actually, to taste. I prefer Madras)
And, if your fellow diners own gas masks: 3 (or more) garlic cloves, sliced or diced
1 1/2 cups(375 ml) good quality long grain white rice (or brown & wild)
3 cups (750 ml) cold water
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. butter

Side boys (Optional extra garnishes. Use any two or three of them or all, if you really want to splurge): Or you can sprinkle them on top of a serving.

1 large banana, sliced into 1/2 inch "coins"
1 jar of any good hot mango chutney
2 or 3 Kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced into small chunks
1 can (drained) of mandarin orange slices
1 small can (drained) diced pineapple (or if you've got it, dice some fresh)
1 basket of fresh strawberries, sliced
1 melon (sans seeds), scooped into little balls or cut into 1 inch chunks

1. Brush skillet with 1 tbsp. oil, add meat and place on medium heat. Brown meat while breaking it up by alternately chopping it finely with spatula and turning frequently. (No piece of meat should be bigger than 1/4 inch). If you are making the aromatic version, add the garlic slices towards the end. Gradually add 1 or 2 tbsp. of curry powder while chopping and browning. Once browned, remove meat, drain fat, and store temporarily in large bowl.

2. Add 2 tbsp oil to skillet , add green peppers and onions and reduce heat slightly (to low-medium) and simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and gradually sprinkle 2 tbsp. curry powder into the mixture.

3. Add browned meat back into the skillet and, using a chop stick, mix everything up throughly. Once meat vegetable mixture gets back up to temperature, add the frozen peas (and more curry powder, to taste). Stir thoughly, then lay the tomato wedges in pretty flower petal patterns over the top of the mixture, and carefully dust each tomato wedges amply with more curry powder. (And if you wish, also sprinkle VERY sparingly with a touch of salt )

4. Tightly cover (you can use foil), turn heat to low, and simmer for another twenty or thirty minutes (until the tomatoes have cooked enough to absorb the curry).

5. Rice: Add the rice, an equal amount of water, the salt and a tbsp. of butter to to a pot, and cover. Heat till it begins to boil, then simmer for exactly twenty minutes (30-40 min. for brown & wild). Remove from heat and let stand for about five minutes.

6. Serve by spooning rice onto plate, then covering it with the Keema (generously, if you like it hot, sparingly if you're chicken). Spoon chutney and/or fruit on top (or beside) for a nice taste contrasts.

(If your guests are not averse or allergic to them, you might also wish to provide a small bowl of peanuts, cashews, cooked pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds for those who would like some crunch with their meal.)

Use tea to fight any fires! (Red wine goes well too.)

(My thanks to Mohammed Sham Sudin from Calcutta, India who gave me the original recipe years ago (1960?) while he was studying entomolgy at University of Alberta! My kids grew up thinking it was a western Canadian dish. The side boy ideas came form some ex-Nigerian friends.)

Suggested companion dishes: For salad, Kheera Dhye (see below), and for dessert, Baclava

And here is that cucumber salad recipe (from the "Spice Island Cookbook"):

KHEERA DHYE (CUCUMBER YOGURT)

About 3 Cups

1 lb. fresh firm cucumbers
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Shredded Parsley
1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pint commercial yogurt

Pare cucumbers; cut into small bite-size chunks. Sprinkle with salt; allow to stand one hour. Meanwhile combine Parsley, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, lemon juice and yogurt. Drain cucumbers; stir into yogurt mixture. Serve at once.

Talaat, I'm sure that you can make a much better curry powder than those commercial ones that I buy in the store. With respect to presenting the Keema to guests, for a big batch I generally use a paella pan. It has lots of room for those tomato 'flowers'. If the guests are uninitiated to the dish, we serve the portions.

Thank you again for putting up your informative and entertaining web site. Your husband's 'math' page contains the best (and shortest) introduction to Number Theory that I have ever seen.

Cheers.

Mama Marie's Casserole

She can trace her roots back to Naples, but she loves her husband from Lake Wobegon, so when she was invited to the Travel Club ( still can't remember the name) Marie helped John with his Zuck Problem.....

ZUCCHINI ROMANO

1/3 cup olive or salad oil
1 cup diced celery
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds zucchini, washed and sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup buttered bread cubes
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Heat oil in heavy casserole over low heat. Saute celery, red pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Add zucchini, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. remove the cover and sprinkle top with bread cubes and cheese. Bake in moderate oven (375 deg F) 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread is browned and crisp.

Here in Central Minnesota, all food discussions start and end with the Hot Dish (Casserole), so as I fling the last of the Unfaded Green things into the chopper lets get back to basics with a flair.......

Here is another " traditional " one, but the addition of the sour cream gives it a rich quality and the use of the stove top stuffing gives it an unusual twist. ENJOY !!!!!

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

6 c fine cubed zucchini
1 c shredded carrots
1/2 c chopped onion
1 c butter
1 pkg stove top stuffing
1 can cream of chicken soup
1-16 oz carton sour cream

Boil the zucchini, carrots and onion in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain. In another bowl, melt butter and add stuffing. Mix well. Place 1/2 of stuffing in bottom of casserole dish. Add soup and sour cream to the vegetable mix. Spoon over stuffing in casserole. Top with other half of stuffing. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

OK... Here was the problem : This month's country for the Travel Club ( by the way does anyone remember it's name) in Lake Wobegon is Italy, but you have promised to dispose of at least one of those unfaded green things per day.... And yes I do lock the 87 Chevy station wagon... So if you bring lasagne, do you think they will notice ??? Maybe we should have a little more wine first.....

ZUCCHINI LASAGNE

1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
7 lasagne noodles, cooked & drained
3/4 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 c. zucchini slices

Preheat oven to 375*. Brown sausage with onion; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water and seasonings. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine grated cheese and flour. Layer half the lasagne noodles on bottom of buttered 13.5 x 8 x 8.75" baking dish. Top with the meat sauce and half the cheese. Repeat layers of noodles, zucchini, cheese mixture and meat sauce. Bake 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Add remaining cheese; return to oven until cheese begins to melt. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Opps... Company is on the way and you need to fix something in a hurry.. And as an added benefit, they don't know about your " Zuck Problem", or if they do, they have decided to come anyways. Pop it in the oven and in less time than it takes to tell the story of the Lone Norwegian, it will be ready and you will be rid of another one of the Unfaded Green things.

ZUCCHINI "PIE"

3 c Thin sliced zucchini
1/2 t Oregano
1 c Bisquick baking mix
1 ea Finely chopped garlic clove
1/2 c Finely chopped onion
1/2 c Vegetable oil
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 ds Black pepper
2 T Parsley
4 ea Eggs
1/4 t Season salt (or regular)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Spray a 13x9x2 no-stick pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 deg for 20-25 minutes.

Note : to make low-fat, use reduced-fat Bisquick, and 1 c egg substitute instead of 4 eggs.

This little wonder comes from The University of Minnesota Campus.

The poster writes " This is from the Best of Bridge series of cookbooks - the "Winners" book. (You won't have any trouble get your neighbours to take this kind of zucchini!) " And I agree... If there were more creations like this out there, I might even leave my Station Wagon unlocked.

ZUCCHINI CHOCOLATE CAKE

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Mix in zucchini and chocolate chips. Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan or a 9X13 pan at 325 for 45 minutes.

Well, the company that droped in a few days ago liked your Quick Zucchini Pie and have decided to stay for the weekend... Here is a nice breakfast treat that will help you dispose of the monster that up until now was the doorstop in the kitchen...... What did you say?? Those Unfaded Green things don't look like apples, well I guess you will just have to get up a little earlier than everyone else.

ZUCCHINI COBBLER

8 c. chopped, seeded, peeled zucchini (about 3 pounds)
2/3 c. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Crust:
4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. cold butter
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a large saucepan, over medium-low heat, cook & stir zucchini & lemon juice for 15-20 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Add sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg; simmer one minute longer. Remove from heat & set aside. For crust, combine flour & sugar in a bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir 1/2 c. into zucchini mixture. Press half of remaining crust mixture into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Spread zucchini mixture over top; crumble remaining crust mixture over zucchini. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375'F for 35-40 minutes or until golden & bubbly.

NOTE: Most people will think this is made with apples.

What??? It can't be true !! The Zucchini (opps.. did you think it was apple) Cobbler is all gone... but the weekend guests are still here. It is time to try another breakfast treat... By the way, I've noticed that the dog dosen't seem very hungry these days.. hmmmmm

ZUCCHINI CARROT MUFFINS

2 c. shredded carrots
1 c. shredded zucchini
1 c. chopped peeled apple
3/4 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. chopped almonds
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbls. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Gently toss together the first 6 ingredients & set aside. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine egg, oil & vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened (batter wil be thick). Fold in vegetable mixture. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375' F for 20-22 minutes or until they test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to rack. Makes 18 standard size muffins.

It is almost August and the very last of the frost covered oak leaves have been cleaned out of the low spots in the back yard... OK maybe that was a week or so ago, but Summer has been very slow in coming to Central Minnesota this year, with night time tempertures in the 40's still possible.

Here is a nice way to celebrate summer and make use of your garden harvest. Now... where did I put leaf rake...

ZUCCHINI & TOMATO SAUTE w / HERBS

Yields 2 Servings

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup tomatoes, seeded
2 tbls butter, unsalted, or chopped fine
2 tbls olive oil
2 tbls mint, fresh
2 cups zucchini, scrubbed
2 tbls basil, or sliced thin 2 tbls parsley leaves

Cook the onion in the butter in a skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add the zucchini. Saute over moderate heat, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until just tender. Stir in the tomatoes. Cook, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are just heated through. Stir in mint, salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Well what more can I say: IF you don't live where these Unfaded Green Things grow all year, it's not all that bad.. so it could be worse.

STUFFED WHOLE ZUCCHINI

Yields 4 Servings

10 6"x1 1/2" Zucchini
2 Tbls Sweet Butter
1/2 Lb Ground Veal
1 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Egg
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
4 Tbls Parmesan, Grated
1 Tbls Parsley, Chopped
1/2 Cup White Bread Crumbs
2 Tbls Tomato Paste
3 Tbls Cooked Ham, Chopped
1 Cup Water
Fine 1 Bay Leaf
Black Pepper, Ground
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

Cut a slice from both ends of each zucchini, making them all the same length (about 5 1/2"). Carefully hollow out the center of the zucchini using a zucchini corer (you may use an apple corer for this, but BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK THE SKIN - the zucchini will fall apart while cooking if you do), working it in from both ends and leaving the vegetable whole. Combine the egg, veal, parmesan, bread crumbs, ham, pepper and oregano. Mix thoroughly. Stuff the zucchini with the mixture. Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the oil. Heat. Add the onion. Cook over moderate heat until transparent (about 3 minutes). Stir in the parsley, tomato paste and water. Add the bay leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, forming a single layer. Cover. Simmer for 40 minutes, turning the zucchini once during that time. Discard the bay leaf. Serve topped with pan juices.

They're back.... Or maybe they just aren't gone yet... In fact yesterday I found several more of those Unfaded Green things in my garden, but they were not attached to a vine.. Hmmmmmm.. I guess I should say that having a few extra in the garden is not so bad because that's better than the neighbors finding a way to unlock the hatch on my new Station Wagon... So it could be worse.

EGGPLANT CHEESE PIE w / ZUCCHINI CRUST

Yields 6 Servings

1 1/2 tbls butter, or 3/4 tsp basil, dried
1 1/2 tbls margarine
2 dashes cayenne
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, unpeeled,
2 cloves garlic, minced sliced
1 lb eggplant, unpeeled,
2/3 cup skim milk, evaporated
cut into 1/2-inch 1egg cubes
2 cups mozzarella, part-skim,
1/2 tsp salt grated
3/4 tsp oregano

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter or margarine, Saute the onion, garlic and eggplant in a large skillet for 2 minutes. Cover. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant is soft, stirring a few times. Add the salt, oregano, basil and cayenne. Stir well. Line the bottom and sides of a greased 10" pie plate with the zucchini slices. Carefully spoon the eggplant mixture over them. Combine the evaporated milk, egg and cheese in a bowl. Pour over the vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Here is another way to use peeled cucumbers and zucchinis.

CUCUMBER SALAD

2 small cucumbers or zucchinis, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion also thinly sliced
1/2 cup of commerical sour cream
1/3 cup vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine the green and white things and cool until ready to serve. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add sauce just before serving and toss lightly.....

Another variation is to mix equal parts of vinegar, vegetable ( olive oil will not work), and sugar in a large bowl.. enough to cover a quanity of sliced cucks, zucks and onion ( maybe a tomatoe as well ) and just keep it cool. As you you eat, replace and continue until the garden is finished and then save the liquid for salad dressing.

We do what we can.......

OK.... We all know why ( because they are all around us ), but here is another idea about how....

ZUCCHINI BOATS w / HOT BUTTERED NOODLES

Yields 4 Servings

4 Medium Zucchini
2 Tbls Tomato Paste
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1 tsp Almonds, Roasted
1 Medium Tomato, Chopped Ground
1/8 tsp Thyme, Dried
1 Lb Egg Noodles, Cooked
1/8 tsp Marjoram, Dried Drained
Salt
1 Tbls Butter
Black Pepper, Ground

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut each zucchini in half. Scoop out the centers of both halves of all the zucchini. Combine with all the remaining ingredients except the pasta and butter. Place the zucchini shells, centers facing up, on a baking sheet. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini shells. Bake until the zucchini are soft and the filling is heated through. Serve over hot buttered noodles.

OK.... It's time for the annual block party, and they are wise to your Zucchini Hot Dish, your Zucchini Pasta Surprise, and your Zucchini Jello Molded Salad, so the food committee decides to ask you to bring appetizers. And now you can fool them again........

ZUCCHINI HORS D'OEUVRES

Yields 48 Appetizers

1 Cup Bisquick
1/8 tsp White Pepper
1/2 Cup Onion, Chopped Fine
1 Clove
Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Parmesan, Grated
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tbls Fresh Parsley, Chop'd
4 Medium Eggs, Well Beaten
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Cups Zucchini, Sliced Thin
1/2 tsp Oregano, Ground

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients but the zucchini. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the zucchini. Lightly grease a (13"x9"x2") baking pan. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cut into 1 1/2" squares. Serve warm.

ZUCCHINI AND GREEN-CHILI RELISH

2 1/2 lb finely chopped zukes
3-5 fresh green chilis, stemmed and finely chopped
5 large onions, finely chopped
5 tbsp coarse salt
2 1/4 cups cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp grated nutmeg
2 tsp celery seed
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 fresh red chili, stemmed and finely chopped
In an enameled or stainless-steel pan, mix the zukes, green chilis and onion with the salt and refrigerate over night. Drain and rinse with cold water. Do this twice, then drain again. Mix with the remaining ingredients and boil for 30 minutes. Pour into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and do the canning thing. Makes four pints.

KryssTal Reply: Thank you very much for all your lovely zuccini recipes. I can't wait to try them when the summer comes and we get those vegetables in London.

I must say I was surprised that you can make a chocolate cake with them!

I have a nice recipe for pumpkin pudding from Pakistan which I'll add to my page soon.

Dear Kryss and Talaat

CHEESE CAKE....

Ingredients.

1 1/4 lb soft cheese
1/4 lb butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 bottle double cream
2 tbsp plain flour
juice 1/2 lemon

Method.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add cheese, egg yolk, cream and lemon juice. Fold in flour. Fold in stiffly beaten egg white. Pour mixture over cake tin lined with crushed digestive biscuits.

Oven 150c for 1 1/2 hours approx or until set.

CARROT CAKE....

Ingredients.

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp groung cinnamon

Method.

Mix sugar and oil together. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Fold in carrots and raisins.

Oven 350c 45 mins-1 hour.