Cooking Persian rice is an Art. Rice is an integral part of the Persian cuisine, in fact being the national dish.  There are many variations of how to cook the rice; Parboiled, Chelow, Polow (Pilaf) and biryani style.  In this recipe, I will share with you the secret of mastering the art of cooking Persian pilaf in the time-honored tradition.  This pilaf recipe celebrates the subtle flavours of spices and saffron and is served with your desired stew or curry. So remember mastering this art requires patience, care and practice.   Ingredients - 1.5 cup Long Grain Sella Basmati rice +1.5 cup water - 2-3 tbsp Persian Ghee - 3 Green Cardamom (bruised) - 2 Black cardamom pods - 1 ceylon cinnamon stick - Good Pinch of Persian Sargol Saffron - Good Pinch of Persian Dried Mint   Method 1. Combine all of the above in a heavy non-stick pot and cover. 2. Bring to rapid boil on high heat for 10mins. stir occasionally. 3. Turn heat to Medium until 90% of water is absorbed. then cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is well cooked and fluffy. This simple pilaf recipe can be enjoyed with many seasonal vegetables and produce. Don't forget to serve it with generous dollop of natural yoghurt.

Persian Sweet Rice. Persian sweet recipe comes with some very sweet childhood memories for me. A day like today - cool and rainy autumn day reminds of the times my mother was preparing this dish in her Persian kitchen. Persian Sweet rice celebrates the seasonal vegetables; Carrot & Cabbage, along with other Persian delicacies such as Saffron, Green Raisin, Orange Peel and Pistachios. Ingredients - 500g white cabbage (shredded) - 500g carrots (grated) - 150g natural sultanas - 1tsp turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp cumin seeds powder - 1/4 tsp allspice powder - 1tsp black pepper - freshly ground - 2 flat tbsp of Advieh - 2 cassia stick - pinch of saffron (brewed) - 12 slivered orange peels (soaked in 3tbsp warm water and 1tbsp sugar) - 1 tbsp garlic & ginger - crushed - 350g Rice -250g Lamb/beef mince - 50g Slivered Almonds - 50g Persian Slivered Pistachios - 100g Persian green raisin - 60g butter   Method 1. In a pot rinse & drain rice until the water runs clear. Then soak in 4 cups of warm water with 1 tbsp of cooking salt. 2. Brew Saffron and make Candied orange peel. (See instruction on each product page) 3. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Fry the onion until slightly golden. For golden onion, see the notes on Tafting method. Add garlic and ginger and saute until soft and coloured. 4. Now add lamb mince and once browned add all the ground spices, Advieh and cassia. Saute until fragrant. Then add the shredded cabbage & grated carrots. Combine all the ingredients well with 2 tbsp of warm water. Cover the saucepan to wilt the vegetables. Stir every a few minutes. Once  the vegetables are soft and reduced in volume - remove the lid and saute for further 10 minutes. 5. Add the natural sultana to the above mixture. Then remove the saucepan from the heat. Set aside. 6. Meanwhile, boil the rice briskly for 10-15mins stirring occasionally. Bite a few grains; if the rice feels slightly soft, it is ready to be drained into a colander. Then rinse with cool water. Return  half of the rice to the pot along with half of the brewed saffron (as well as its residues) and half of the candied orange peel. Mix Well. Then add the meat & vegetable mixture in small batches to the rice and combine well. Repeat this step with the remaining rice. Cover the pot and cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then cook on low heat for 1 hour. 7. When the rice is ready - heat the butter in a saucepan. Add slivered almonds and saute for 2-3 minutes followed by the slivered pistachio and green raisin. Set this mixture aside. 8. Serve the rice on a serving platter and then decorate the nut & fruit mixture on top of the rice. Serve with fresh herbs and natural yoghurt.  

Rendang Curry Rendang curry a classic Malaysian curry. I am a BIG fan of Malaysian cuisine even though some recipes require a lot of preparation. Not to mention the strong odour of shrimp paste or Balachan.... Still worth all the efforts and smelliness. I first tried Rendang Curry at university canteen some years ago. I was absolutely hooked and it was dirt cheap for university students. No doubt there are many versions of this recipes. But this is Anna's one! Using my own perfected Rempah Spice Mix and the right variation of chillies to give it the heat and chilli flavour I was after. I hope you enjoy making this dish as much I do. Love to hear your thoughts... feel free to leave a comment. Enjoy! Watch the video Here https://youtu.be/X0WDXdgPYrQ Ingredients Stage 1 – Rempah Paste 30g of the Spice Library Rempah Spice Mix ADD TO CART 5 shallots roughly chopped 4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped 50g ginger roughly chopped 50g galangal roughly chopped 4 lemon grass – white parts only roughly chopped 120g organic coconut chips – roasted ADD TO CART 10 hot red chillies + 3 Gaujillo Chillies - deseeded and snipped into small pieces. (soak the chillies in ¼ cup of hot boiling ADD TO CARTADD TO CART Stage 2 – Meat and Remaining ingredients   1.5kg of the chuck steak cut into 3-4 cm pieces 1 Cassia quill ADD TO CART 3 black cardamom ADD TO CART 500ml coconut milk Tamarind Paste *** 50g dark brown sugar 1 ½ tsp of salt 160ml of peanut oil Seasoning and extra sugar *** to make tamarind paste – dissolve 50g of tamarind solid in ¼ cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Then message the pulp with your hands until completely disintegrated. Press the mixture through a sieve and discarding the pulp.   Method To prepare the rempah paste, add all the ingredients from stage 1 in a blender and blitz into a fine paste. Heat oil in a heavy based non-stick pot (23cm-25cm diameter) over medium heat until starting to smoke. Add the paste. Stir continuously to mix well. After 10 minutes, turn heat and let the paste to caramelize. Stirring continuously allows for the flavors to evolve and bind together. Add salt and stir again. Continue frying until oil begins to separate from the paste. Remove from heat and set aside. (total of 30-45 minutes) In a larger heavy based pot over medium heat, add stage 2 ingredients. Mix well. Cover the pot and bring to boil for 5 minutes. Then add the rempah paste to the pot, mix through until well combined. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until the meat falls apart and the gravy has thickened. Adjust seasoning and sugar to your liking. Remember you are after sweet, sour and chilli flavour. Serve with fragrant tropical rice. See the recipe for this dish. Note: if you like a much runnier curry, just reduce the cooking time. Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!)  

Kashmiri Kofta Curry This recipe of Kashmiri Kofta Curry is a traditional Tamil Brahmin cooking recipe. The Brahmin cuisine originates from the Kerala in Southern India. Traditionally, onion and garlic are not included in Brahmin cooking and beef is not used. So this Kashmiri Kofta Curry recipe is made in the true Kashmiri style using lamb. I love curries. I love spices in my cooking. And I am passionate about sharing the different ways of using spices in home-cooking. My obsession with spices started 20 years ago at a very young age before settling in Perth, Australia. Whether you would call it fortunate or unfortunate - my immediate family and I lived in refuge camps in Rawalpindi Pakistan for a few years. It was there that I first tasted the HOTTEST potato and green pea curry EVER. When I say the Hottest... I really mean it. I will never forget that burning sensation, the flavour overload and the pleasant yet lingering cardamom and ginger taste.... This dish certainly ignited my curiosity in learning about spices and curries the traditional way. In some ways this dish reminds of those humble flavors, with subtle heat, served with warm indian bread or rice. Happy cooking and Enjoy! This dish is served in our traditional Indian copper serving bowl with crafted handles.   Ingredients 250g lean lamb mince 3/4 tsp of freshly ground ginger 2 Fresh red chilli - chopped finely (remove seeds for less heat) 1 tsp of  coriander seeds ground ADD TO CART 1/2 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder ADD TO CART 2 tsp of garam masala ADD TO CART 2 tsp of cooking salt - adjust to your liking 1 tsp of cumin seeds ADD TO CART 125g plain yoghurt 3 tablespoon of Persian ghee at room temperature  ADD TO CART 125 ml of hot water 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper  ADD TO CART 1 tsp of sugar 1/4 tsp ground cardamom ADD TO CART 6 green cardamom pods ADD TO CART 1 whole red chilli ADD TO CART Seasoning Method In a bowl add lamb, ginger, chilli, coriander, cumin seeds, chilli powder, 1 tsp of garam masala, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of yoghurt. Mix well and knead for 2 minutes. Then form the kofta into small oval shape. Place the kofta on a tray, cover with wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Heat ghee in a heavy based saucepan on low to medium heat. Add remaining garam masala and salt, sugar, cardamom pods and whole chilli. stir for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Then Add the remaining yoghurt. stir to mix well. Add hot water. Bring to boil for 5 minutes. Then add the koftas. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until 1/4 of liquid is evaporated. Then turn the kofta over, add black pepper and more liquid if need be. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes until at least 1/2 of liquid has been absorbed. Sprinkle over with cardamom powder and garnish with fresh mint and extra chilli. Serve with warm indian bread or Cumin Rice. Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!)

Punjabi Leavened Bread Punjabi Leavened Bread especially enjoyed in Punjab in north-west India and Pakistan, is cooked in a traditional coal or wood-fired clay oven called a tandoor. This delicious bread, enriched with milk, yoghurt and butter, is slapped onto the inner walls of the hot oven where they cook quickly, partially puffing, and taking on a smoky flavour. For a conventional western kitchen, baking this recipe in the oven at 200 C also makes a delightful Indian bread with a crisp textured crust. Serve alongside my tandoori recipe for a satisfying Indian home-cooking. Happy Baking! Ingredients 2 tsp of dried yeast - soaked in 60ml of lukewarm water 3 tsp sugar 70g natural plain yoghurt 1 egg - beaten 60ml of melted Persian Ghee -some extra for brushing ADD TO CART 2tsp salt 525g plain flour - extra for the board and kneading 2 tbsp of Nigella seeds ADD TO CART   Method Add 1 tsp of sugar to the dissolved yeast.  The yeast mixture should start to froth. Beat yoghurt and egg in a bowl until smooth. Then incorporate the ghee, salt, the yeast mixture and 110 ml of warm water. Mix well. In a stainless steel/ glass mixing bowl, put 300g of the plain flour making a well in the centre. Add the yoghurt mixture and whisk with a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter. Now add the remaining flour gradually until the dough is too stiff to stir with a wooden spoon. Using your hand continue kneading for 10-15 minutes - add extra flour if required. The dough should be smooth. Roll into a ball and cover the whole bowl with a few layers of tea towels. This is necessary for rising of the dough in a warm environment. Leave in warm place for at least an hour until the dough has doubled in size and when pressed with a finger, it leave an impression. Preheat the oven to 200C, put the baking tray in the oven to preheat. Knock back the dough and divide into 8 balls. Rest for 10 minutes. Pat the dough into circles, keeping thin in the centre. Now pull one end of the dough to form a teardrop shape. Brush the dough with melted ghee and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Bake on preheated trays for 5-7 minutes until puffed and golden crusty. Serve warm with lamb tandoori (recipe here) Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!) *** Cooking Tips *** If your yeast mixture doesnot froth it means your culture is not alive - discard and start again

Dhansak Parsi Curry Dhansak Parsi curry translates to Lamb with legume curry. This curry is a classic festive dish served every Sunday in many Parsi homes. The ingredients used and flavours of this dish is a marriage between the Persian and Indian cuisine. Dhansak Parsi Curry consists of several cooking steps involving preparation of Blended Masala, meat, vegetable pure and combing the different elements to complete cooking this dish. Don't be disheartened by the lengthy recipes - The reward is truly a satisfying curry dish that you would want to cook on special occasions. The picture shows this dish served in our traditional Indian copper serving bowl with crafted handles. Ingredients 1.5kg Lamb Shoulder boned and diced into 5cmm pieces 220g yellow split peas 115g red lentils 100g dried chickpeas 1 eggplant - chopped 2 large onions - chopped 1 cup of peeled and chopped butternut pumpkin 1 large potato - peeled and chopped 2 ripe roma tomatos - peeled and chopped 1/2 bunch of spinach leaves - chopped 3 -5 tbsp of Persian Ghee ADD TO CART 6 dried red chillies - deseeded ADD TO CART 6 fresh green chillies - deseeded 2 tbsp of garam masala ADD TO CART 1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger 1 tsp of ground cumin ADD TO CART 1tsp of ground cardamom ADD TO CART 1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds - bruised ADD TO CART 8 cloves of garlic -peeled 10g fresh mint leaves 20g fresh coriander leaves and stem Method Rinse the legumes (split peas, chickpeas, red lentils) and soak covered with warm water overnight. Drain Well. In a large pot add the legumes and meat and salt. Cover with water. Bring to boil and then simmer to cook for further 30 minutes. Add the eggplant, pumpkin, potato, tomato and spinach. Mix through and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes until the meat is almost cooked. Remove the meat from the above mixture to a plate. Set aside. Add the liquid and vegetable mixture to the food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Remove and Set aside. To make the blended masala, in the same food processor add red and green chillies, ginger, garlic, garam masala and spice, mint and coriander along with 60ml of hot water. Process to a fine paste. Set aside. In a separate saucepan, heat ghee. Add onion and fry until golden. Stir constantly. Add the blended masala and cook until fragrant (10-15 minutes), whilst stirring continually. Add vegetable pure and meat to the fragrant masala. Then reduce the heat and simmer on low heat for further 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasoning and garnish with fresh herbs and raddish. Serve with warm indian bread or Cumin Rice. Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!)

Pomegranate Tabbouleh Pomegranate Tabbouleh is an essential side dish of Middle Eastern Cuisines. Mainly originating from Palestine, Lebanon & Syria. In this recipe I will show you how to use different layers of fresh garden herbs nd spice mixes to create a satisfying and suitable for any occasion side dish. Ingredients 1/2 cup of course cracked Bulgar soaked in warm water 1 tablespoon of Baharat spice mix ADD TO CART 1 heaped tablespoon of freshly ground all spice  ADD TO CART 1 tsp of freshly ground cumin ADD TO CART 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper  ADD TO CART 80ml of good quality olive oil (peppery and fruity flavour) 1 clove of garlic crushed (optional) salt and pepper 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 large bunch of parsley - discard the rough stalks -- roughly chopped 1 bunch of fresh mint - pick the leaves - roughly chopped 3-4 stem of fresh dill  - roughly chopped 2-3 stem of fresh coriander - roughly chopped 3 ripe Roma Tomato - deseeded and roughly chopped 1 large Lebanese cucumber - roughly chopped 1 red onion - finely sliced 1 pomegranate - deseeded Method Prepare the ingredients above. Fluff the Bulgar with some of the olive oil once the water is completely absorbed. Mix the dry spices, salt, lemon juice and olive oil in a separate bowl. Add the freshly chopped herbs, Bulgar, cucumber, onion, tomato & pomegranate seeds to a large serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil mixture and gently toss the ingredients to combine well. Handy Tips Don't bruise the leaves during chopping and mixing. Mix well the olive oil with lemon juice and spices Delicious served with warm Turkish or flat bread. Serve on top of kebab or grilled meat. Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!)  

Argentinian Stew slow cooked in mud oven. This recipe, Argentinian Stew, is inspired by my visit to the Casa de Camp vineyard whilst in Mendoza. One of the friendly Argentinian local recommended this place for a traditional yet hearty Argentinian food that is not solely focused on Asado (BBQ meat). After all the commentary about how good this place was... I was eager to try. " So how do we get there? " I asked...thinking that it would be about an hour or so on the bus. Mind you riding on an Argentinian local bus is like being on an adventure world thrill ride. So in a short note; it requires a brave and determined person to get on the bus. And I was determined to try this amazing food and it surely didn't disappoint. Ingredients -500g Stewing beef -6 cloves Garlic finely chopped  - 2 large onions finely diced  - 1 carrot chopped  - 1 red chilli finely chopped - 1 large potato- quartered - 1/3 cup olive oil - 4 tbsp sunflower oil  - 3 tbsp  Dulce pimenton powder ( Sweet paprika)  - 2 tbsp freshly ground cumin  - 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper - 3 tbsp dried oregano ( highly recommend the Mexican Oregano) - 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley - 2 tbsp lemon juice  - 1/2 cup red wine - 2 cups of beef stock or water. - Sea salt/ pink salt Method 1. Heat 1/2 of each oil in a pot (clay pot if you can get your hands on it) and brown meat on all sides for a few minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside. 2. Saute onion, garlic & chilli for a few minutes without browning. Add pinch of salt and pepper.  3. Add carrot and potato. Saute for a few minutes followed by the herbs and spices. Saute until fragrant, then add meat, lemon juice, red wine and stock. Adjust seasoning. 4. Bring to boil. Cover & cook for 4-5 hours in a mud oven or on stove ( low heat).  

Pork Belly Pintox Pork Belly Pintox is a dish inspired by tantalizing Spanish tapas. This recipe is a fusion of Spanish and Asian flavours. The pork belly is marinated overnight in the classic basque specialty spice mix and then glazed with sweet and sour fruity paste. Serve this dish with steamed greens vegetables like broccoli and carrot. Ingredients 500g of free range pork belly 25g of Pintox spice mix ADD TO CART 2 granny smith apple - cored and diced 1 quince - cored and diced 1 clove of garlic- finely chopped 100ml of sherry vinegar 75g coconut blossom sugar ADD TO CART salt and pepper lemon juice - to balance the sweet and vinegar flavor Freshly chopped coriander for garnish   Method Rub the pintox spice mix onto the meat side of the pork belly Marinade overnight in the fridge (note; don't cover the pork belly as this will help with drying out the skin and achieving crispy finish) Preheat the oven to 200C and roast pork belly for 30 minute at this temperature. Then reduce oven to 165C and roast for further 1 hour until the skin is crispy and pork is cooked In the meanwhile, prepare the glazing sauce by adding all other ingredients (apple, quince, garlic, vinegar & sugar) to a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and then cover and cook for further 10-15 minutes until the fruits are soft and flavors have come together. Blitz the fruit mixture until a homogeneous paste is achieved. Adjust seasoning and add lemon juice as required. Serve the pork belly on a bed of green and carrot vegetables. Then glaze the sauce all over the pork belly. Garnish with coriander. Serve and Enjoy. Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!)  

Jordanian Beef Brisket with Saffron and Pistachio yoghurt Recipe Jordanian Spice Mix is a classic red meat spice mix. This spice mix combines the flavors of Cardamom, cloves, cumin, ginger, Cinnamon, pepper and a subtle touch of chilli powder. Ingredients - Spice mix marinade 1 kg beef brisket on bone 30g of Jordanian spice mix 1 tbsp of ginger - finely grated 2 garlic - crushed 2 tbsp Salt 2 tbsp of lemon juice Oil Ingredients - Yogurt mixture 1/2 tsp of saffron thread- brewed in 1/2 cup of boiling water ADD TO CART 2 tbsp of pistachio 185g plain yogurt 2 tbsp of blanched almonds 3 tbsp of pure honey   Method Make short deep slits over the beef brisket. Combine all the ingredients from spice mix marinade and rub all over the beef. In a food processor - pure the yogurt mixture. Spoon the pure over the spiced beef. Cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 24 hours to 48 hours. Preheat the oven to 170C. Place the marinated beef with juices in a casserole dish along with 1cup of boiling water. Cook for 2-3 hours until the meat falls apart. Once cooked, with a fork pull the meat apart. Serve alongside to hummus and tabbouleh.