Auckland food writer Ashia Ismail-Singer is currently working on her third book of delicious, Indian-inspired recipes.
She shares two sweet recipes for the long weekend – a simple but flavour-packed Carrot Halva and a sure-to-impress Frosted Blueberry Chai Loaf.
Auckland nurse, real estate agent and food writer Ashia Ismail-Singer. Photo: Supplied
Recipe: Carrot Halva with Mascarpone
Photo: Manja Wachsmuth
Recipe: Frosted Blueberry & Chai Loaf
Recipes from Ashia Ismail-Singer's first two books (My Indian Kitchen and Saffron Swirls & Cardamon Dust):
Roast Lamb with a Chilli Rub
This is one of my favourite ways to roast a leg of lamb and is perfect for a family gathering. It adds a lovely Indian twist to the traditional Western roast. You can serve this with all the roast trimmings to make it the perfect meal for a celebration.
Photo: Ashia Ismail-Singer / Facebook
Chilli-basted Roast Chicken
A roast is one of our favourite family meals. It’s usually eaten on a Sunday, with all the trimmings. This fusion-style recipe offers a different take on the traditional roast.
Photo: Supplied
Puri
These are so simple, and one of my favourite things to make with my children. It’s a fun way to get the kids involved, with lots of laughter and lots of mess. Bliss! Puris can be served alongside a curry, filled with something sweet, such as kheeraj, or something savoury, such as pani puri.
Photo: Supplied
Medjool Dates with Peanut Butter Chocolate
In our family, we have always eaten dates, particularly during the month of Ramadan when they are used to break the fast at the end of each day. This recipe makes a perfect lunch or after-school treat. And the chocolate icing makes a great topping for ice cream, too.
Photo: supplied
Rose Burfi
Burfi is a delicious Indian sweet, essentially a milky, almost fudge-like, dessert that's served at special occasions. This is my mum's burfi ― it brings back so many wonderful memories whenever I make it ― which can be flavoured and coloured to your liking. I've used rose water and food colouring to flavour and colour it respectively, however you can leave those out and just decorate with rose petals and pistachios if you prefer.
Photo: supplied
Pavlova with Rose Cream, Cardamom & Salted Caramel Shards
The first time I had pavlova was when I was invited to a Christmas lunch with my husband's family. This is my mother-in-law Wendy's recipe, to which I have added an Eastern twist.
Photo: Supplied
