Orange & Yogurt Cake (Portogal va Mast Cake)

The idea of baking this cake came when there are  2 cups of yogurt left in fridge. Bff is a fan of yogurt, so do other Iranians but not me. I eat only fruity yogurt. But the other day I bought different type of yogurt for him which has a slightly sweet taste and he did not like it. So, before it expire better i turn it to something that is eatable.

After surfing to some recipes, i end up with recipe from Mrs Hana. Let me share it here.

Ingredients:
~ 220g self raising flour @ flour + 2 tsp baking powder
~ 190g sugar
~ 180g plain yogurt
~ 3 eggs - separate white and yolk
~ 60ml orange juice
~ 1 tsp grated orange skin
~ yellow food coloring

Methods:
~ Beat white eggs until soft peak, put aside
~ Beat butter and sugar until white, add egg yolks
~ Add in grated orange, juice, yogurt and flour, mix well
~ Mix the 2 mixture
~ Bake in oven 190 degree, 50 minutes

p/s: I love to watch bff munching any cake I bake. Normally he will eat it for breakfast and 5 o'clock tea.

...

Song: Inam Bemoone

By: Benyamin

Song: Bargard

By: Kian

Photos: ...

By: this

Salad Shirazi

The most famous salad in Persian cuisine, Salad Shirazi. I think it called shirazi because it originated from Shiraz, one city in Iran. It is really refreshing, best to accompany meaty meals. 

Ingredients:

Cucumber

Tomato

Onion

Salt

Olive oil

Lime juice

Mint flakes

Methods:

Chopped cucumber, tomato and onion.

Mix with all of other ingredients.

Serve chill.

Khoresht Gheymeh (Meat and Yellow Split Peas Stew)

Ingredients:
~ Meat
~ 2 medium onions chopped
~ 1 tbsp tomato paste
~ 1/2 cup yellow split peas
~ 1 tsp turmeric
~ 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
~ 1/2 tsp black pepper
~ 2 limu amani (dried limes)
~ 1 tsp lime juice
~ Potato
~ water
~ oil

Methods:
1. Saute onions until translucent, add turmeric.
2. Add meat, stir until all sides brown.
3. Add yellow split peas, cook for 5 minutes.
4. Pour 4 cup of water, add tomato paste, black pepper, cinnamon and limu amani and lime juice, mix thoroughly. When boil, slow down heat, simmer for 1-2 hours or until meat is tender.
5. Khorest gheymeh must be serve with fries. So, while the stew is simmering, fry the potatoes until golden. You also can bake the potatoes like what I did today.

Serve with saffron rice and your preferred salad!

P/S: Tq bff for your compliments. luv u lots!

principles & believes

Having a mix culture relationship is really a big challenge in my life. It is correct it full of adventure to treasure, full of colors to grasp and a lot of fun to share. But still it will not stop the problem to come.

Maybe one would say we are both Muslim so that the barrier is lesser. Religion does not really a problem to us. Only when it come to Sunni and Shia practice, we found it distracted. Frankly speaking, i am not a really a religious person. I practice the basic of being Muslim, am not keen to complicate things. As long as i follow the  5 Islamic principles & believe the 6 Iman principles, I believe I will not lost. Before I know bff, I did not know that Islam has 2 understandings which is Sunni and Shia. Iran is the largest Shia followers while majority of Muslims in this world are Sunni. Bff told me all about it and I came into conclusion, whatever it is, the most important thing is that we are Muslim. We worship the same God. Why we want to argue which one is best when in the end we will hate each other? So, do not ask me, are you Sunni or Shia? I will say, I AM MUSLIM!

During the 3 years of relationship I observed our progress by seconds. As a normal woman, I am expecting the best man to accompany me for the rest of my life. Based on history I heard on marriage problems, I learn to be very careful in determining my future in term of relationship. Especially, if it really happens it will combine 2 different cultures. I want to make sure we are ready for all of the circumstances then tie the knot. Looking at our current conditions, I really don't think we are ready physically nor emotionally. So for people outside there, could you please shut up your mouth and stop for asking that question? Or maybe my decision has been influenced by Iranians' thinking. Bff told me Iranian usually marry late, getting child late, all late because want to success first. One time also I heard one member from his family said that. But I don't believe. Or maybe they haven't ready for commitments. Because I saw Iranians who married at young ages yet success in life.

So many times I get depressed of our differences. There have times I think this is the end of it. I can't hold it anymore. But, sweet memories and promises are my saver. I hope we will be together forever. For bff, I will love you, wait for you whatever differences we have, keep my patience highest, while I still breathing in this world. I want you to guide me in my future, show me because my eyes is looking and my mind is interpreting.

Honey Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
~ 4 chicken wings
~ 1/2 ginger*
~ 1 small onion*
~ 4 garlic cloves*
~ 1 tbsp soy sauce*
~ 1 tbsp oyster sauce*
~ 1 tbsp mayonnaise*
~ 1tsp black pepper*
~ 1 tsp honey
~ 1 tsp sugar
~ salt
~ oil

Method:
~ Blend all of * ingredients, mix with the wings salt and oil
~ Marinate overnight
~ Bake in oven 200 degree 50 minutes

Tomato with Onion Salad

A refreshing salad to complete your meal

Mix sliced tomatoes, onion, some coriander leaf, lime juice, salt, pepper and sugar.

Put in refrigerator for about 5 minutes.

Yummy

Adas Polow (Lentil Rice)

Anybody that knows me must know that I don't like beans in foods unless it is a dessert. I will collect each beans found and put on side of my plate. I am not sure lentil fall in beans group or not, but I still don't eat it. Bff who likes to eat baked beans always wonder of my habits. But, when it come to Persian foods, beans play a vital role. They like to add beans in their recipes. Chickpeas, mung beans, black eyed beans, red beans etc. So, I have to slowly learn to like beans. Last time I've tried mung beans rice and now I tried lentil rice. By the way, the taste is not bad =_=

Ingredients:
~ 1 cup lentils
~ 2 cups rice - soaked with salt for 3 hrs
~ 1 large onion, chopped
~ saffron liquid
~ 1 tspn turmeric
~ 1/3 tspn ground cinnamon
~ 1 large potato, sliced
~ oil

Methods:
~ Boil lentils for 20 minutes or until soft, drained
~ Boil rice until al dante with some oil, drained
~ In a pot heat oil, saute onion until translucent, add turmeric and cinnamon
~ Add lentils and rice with a pinch of salt, mix together, take out the mixture from pot
~ Because I want to have tahdig with potato, place the sliced potato on the bottom of pan with some oil
~ Put in back the rice mixture, pour saffron liquid on top
~ When steam come out, lower heat, close lid with towel and cook for another 40 minutes

I serve the rice with tomato and onion salad & honey baked chicken wings

Good Song for Farsi Learner

When I was small, I used to learn things' name from picture dictionary. Now, I can learn Farsi through Youtube song. Credits to the genius song editor, your name is Afshin Razi right? It is fun and make me laugh :-))

Each photo will show the meaning of the words sing. So, the learning process is - hear - repeat - look.

By the way this is the original video clip. The song titile is Vay ke Che Halie by Amir Tataloo ft Ardalan Tomeh.

Happy Learning!

Mirza Ghasemi

Another vegetarian meal. If you like garlic, you will like this dish. This is my first attempt, turned out good but next time I think I have to put more eggplants and less eggs. Because I think like eating persian omelette, but still I want to share the recipe here.

Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 medium tomatoes, remove skin, chop
- 7 cloves garlic - chop
- 2 tspn turmeric
- salt & pepper
- oil

Methods:
- Pierce eggplants with fork, bake for 40 minutes or until it soft and the skin crispy. Let it cool, remove the skin and chop it.
- Heat pan, fry garlic until golden, add turmeric salt and pepper
- Pour the beaten eggs, when it scrambled, add eggplants and tomatoes
- Cook over medium heat until the mixture thicken
- Serve with bread and fresh herbs

Bubur Kacang Hijau - Soup-e-Maash - Mung Beans Porridge

In Malay cuisine, we have varieties of sweet porridge, usually consume as dessert. One of them is bubur kacang hijau. In my house, my mum will cook this for afternoon tea and whenever there is left over, she will turn it into "Malaysian ice cream". It is best if you add durian in this porride, but this time I didn't add since I will eat it with people that hate durian. So, here is the recipe:

2  handful of mung beans, soak for 3 hours
1 block of Malacca sugar, grated
250 ml of coconut milk
1 litre of water
5 tbspn of sugar
a pinch of salt

Methods:
~ boil mung beans until slightly soft
~ add Malacca sugar, sugar, coconut milk and salt
~ simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the mixture slightly concentrate
~ thats all!

Hard to say goodbye

37 days, we shared our times, never the times I felt alone,

but the day has come,

i couldn't control, my tears drop,

i never forget the 1 person,

forever in my heart,

have a safe flight back to your loves,

but here, you have one,

til' God send us seconds again....

~Khoda Hafez~