Rasima Abd Manaf

Breakfast peppers & chickpeas with tofu
Method
STEP 1
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Tip in the onions, cover and cook for 5 mins. Remove the lid and stir the onions – they should have softened and started to brown in places. Stir in the pepper, chilli, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, bouillon powder, oregano, paprika and chickpeas, along with the liquid from the cans. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins until slightly thickened.

STEP 2
Meanwhile, slice half the tofu and fry in ½ tbsp oil over a medium heat until lightly golden. Combine the yogurt and garlic in a small bowl. If you're following the Healthy Diet Plan, serve half the tomato and chickpea mixture with the tofu, half the yogurt and a scattering of parsley and extra paprika. Leave the leftovers to cool completely and chill the remaining chickpea mixture and yogurt for up to three days. Reheat the chickpea mixture in a small pan with a splash of water until piping hot, then fry the remaining tofu as above before serving.

Chicken shawarma salad
Method
STEP 1
Mix the garlic, olive oil and lemon juice together in a reusable plastic container or bowl. Stir in all the spices, oregano, a large pinch of salt and the yogurt, then mix to make a paste. Tip in the chicken, tossing to coat, then cover and marinate for at least 1 hr, or chill overnight.

STEP 2
To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, season, cover and chill until needed. Can be made up to two days ahead. Toss all the salad ingredients, except the lemon juice and olive oil, together. The salad can be assembled 1-2 hrs ahead and kept chilled.

STEP 3
Light the barbecue or heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 5 mins on each side, or until lightly charred and cooked through. Lift onto a board and set aside.

STEP 4
Drizzle the salad with the lemon juice and olive oil, then season with salt and toss everything together. Scatter the salad over a large platter or tip into a large serving bowl. Slice the chicken, then arrange it over the salad (or serve it on the side if you’re also cooking for vegetarians). Serve the salad with the tahini dressing on the side for drizzling over, along with toasted flatbreads or pittas for stuffing the chicken into and pickled chillies, if you like.

Seared steak with chimichurri dressing
Method
STEP 1
To make the chimichurri dressing, toast the seeds in a small non-stick pan for 30 seconds or so, until they smell fragrant. Tip into a small bowl and stir in the chopped parsley, chilli, thyme, oil and vinegar. Season well with pepper – you can add salt just before serving.

STEP 2
Put the steak onto a plate and rub over about a quarter of the dressing. Leave the steak marinating at room temp for about 30 mins. If you’re making ahead chill for up to 2 hrs, then bring out of the fridge about 15 mins before you want to cook it.

STEP 3
Heat a barbecue, griddle or heavybased frying pan until really hot. Season the steak and dressing with salt, then cook the steak for 2-3 mins on each side depending on the thickness and how you like you meat cooked. Serve on a board, then slice into thin strips as you eat – spooning over the remaining dressing.

Herby mushroom pasta
Method
STEP 1
Put the mushrooms, mustard, garlic and vegetable stock into a frying pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins or until the stock has nearly all evaporated and the mushrooms are soft.

STEP 2
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain and toss with the mushrooms, parsley and lemon zest. Season to taste and serve straightaway.

Goat's cheese, tomato & olive triangles
Method
STEP 1
Follow our triangular bread-thins recipe to make your own.

STEP 2
Cut the bread thins in half, put cut-side up and spread with the goat’s cheese. Top with the cucumber and tomato, then scatter over the olives and top with the rocket. Eat straight away or pack into lunchboxes for later.

Triangular bread thins
Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a bowl, then stir in the diluted yogurt with the blade of a knife until you have a soft, sticky dough, adding a little water if the mix is dry.

STEP 2
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape and flatten with your hands to make a 20cm round. Take care not to over-handle as it can make the bread tough. Lift onto the baking sheet and cut into six triangles, slightly easing them apart with the knife. Bake for about 10-12 mins – they don’t have to be golden, but should feel firm. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

STEP 3
Use to make our wild salmon & avocado triangles and goat's cheese, tomato & olive triangles. The rest can be packed into a food bag to use later in the week, or frozen until needed.

Beef, potato & banana curry with cashew rice
Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and heat half the oil in a large frying pan. Brown the beef in batches, and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. Add the remaining oil to the pan with the onions, and fry gently until softened. Stir in the lemongrass, ginger, tamarind, garlic, turmeric, curry powder and sugar, and fry for a few mins until fragrant. Add the coconut milk with 1 can of water, stir into the beef and bring to a simmer. Cover and bake for 1 hr. Meanwhile, toast the cashews in a dry frying pan until golden.

STEP 2
After 1 hr, stir in the new potatoes and cook for 1 hr more until the potatoes are tender, removing the lid halfway. The casserole can now be cooled and chilled, or frozen, if preparing ahead.

STEP 3
Put the casserole back onto the hob. Stir in the bananas and garam masala and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins until the sauce has thickened.

STEP 4
Cook the rice following pack instructions, then mix with the cashews, crispy onions and some salt. Scatter the curry with coriander, season well, then taste – it may need a squeeze of lemon to finish it off.

Thai green chicken curry
Method
STEP 1
Put 225g new potatoes, cut into chunks, in a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 2
Add 100g trimmed and halved green beans and cook for a further 3 minutes, by which time both should be just tender but not too soft. Drain and put to one side.

STEP 3
In a wok or large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil until very hot, then drop in 1 chopped garlic clove and cook until golden, this should take only a few seconds. Don’t let it go very dark or it will spoil the taste.

STEP 4
Spoon in 1 rounded tbsp Thai green curry paste and stir it around for a few seconds to begin to cook the spices and release all the flavours.

STEP 5
Next, pour in a 400ml can of coconut milk and let it come to a bubble.

STEP 6
Stir in 2 tsp Thai fish sauce and 1 tsp caster sugar, then 450g bite-size chicken pieces. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

STEP 7
Tip in the potatoes and beans and let them warm through in the hot coconut milk, then add 2 finely shredded lime leaves (or 3 wide strips lime zest).

STEP 8
Add a good handful basil leaves, but only leave them briefly on the heat or they will quickly lose their brightness.

STEP 9
Scatter with lime to garnish and serve immediately with boiled rice.

Baked carrot & nigella seed bhajis with raita
Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.Line one large or two medium baking trays with baking parchment.

STEP 2
Mix all the ingredients for the carrot bhajis, apart from the carrot and oil, together in a large bowl to form a thick batter. If the mixture looks a little dry add a splash of water. Stir in the sprialized carrots, cutting any large spirals in half, and season.

STEP 3
Dollop 12 spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking tray, leaving enough space to flatten the bhajis with the back of a spoon. Drizzle over the oil and bake for 25 mins or until golden brown, flipping the bhajis halfway.

STEP 4
While the bhajis are cooking, squeeze any excess moisture from the cucumber using a tea towel then combine all the ingredients for the raita together in a small bowl, seasoning to taste. Serve alongside the baked bhajis.

Easy onion bhajis
Method
STEP 1
Soak the onion in cold water while you make the base mix. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add the chilli powder, turmeric, chopped chilli and a good sprinkling of salt. Mix in about 100ml of cold water to make a thick batter – add a splash more if it feels too stiff.

STEP 2
For the raita, peel the cucumber and grate it into a sieve set over another bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients with some seasoning and the drained cucumber – squeezing out any extra moisture with your hands – then spoon into a small serving bowl.

STEP 3
Drain the onion well and mix it into the batter. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok or deep pan. Do not fill the pan more than a third full. Add a tiny speck of batter. If it rises to the surface surrounded by bubbles and starts to brown, then the oil is hot enough for frying.

STEP 4
Lower heaped tbsps of the bhaji mixture into the pan, a few at a time, and cook for a few mins, turning once, until they are evenly browned and crisp, so about 3-4 mins. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little salt and keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve with the raita.

Melt-in-the-middle espresso martini brownies
Method
STEP 1
Tip the butter into a heatproof bowl with the dark chocolate. Fill a small pan about a quarter full with boiling water, then sit the bowl on top, not touching the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan and leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.

STEP 2
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a shallow 20cm square brownie tin. Using an electric whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are thick and creamy and doubled in volume. This can take 3-8 mins, depending on how powerful your whisk is. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a spatula, moving the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a dark brown. Try not to knock the air out.

STEP 3
Sieve the flour and cocoa over the eggy chocolate mixture along with a good pinch of salt. Gently fold in this powder as well as the espresso mixture using the same figure-of- eight action as before. The mixture will look dry and dusty at first; keep going until it looks fudgy, but don’t overdo this mixing. Pour the mixture into the tin and gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin and paddle the spatula from side to side across the top to level it. Push the chocolate balls into the brownie at regular intervals.

STEP 4
Bake for 30 mins or until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Remove from the oven. If you are serving these as a dessert, leave to cool a little.

STEP 5
To make the sauce, heat the coffee and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Mix a little of the cream with the cornflour, then add to the pan with the remaining cream. Bring to a simmer and stir over a medium heat until thickened. Add the vodka and turn off the heat. Serve each square of brownie with the sauce poured over.

No-bake chocolate tart
Method
STEP 1
Crush the biscuits by putting them in a large, strong, plastic food bag and bashing with a rolling pin. Melt the butter with the syrup or honey in the microwave, then stir in the biscuits. Press onto the base and up the sides of a 12 x 36cm rectangular tin (or 23-25cm round flan tin) and chill while you make the filling.

STEP 2
Break up the two chocolate bars and put in a large bowl. Melt in the microwave for 2-3 mins on Medium, stirring halfway through. Stir in the vanilla extract, then sift in the icing sugar. Whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then fold into the melted chocolate. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Chill for at least 2 hrs or for up to 2 days.

STEP 3
Just before serving, remove the tart from the tin and slide it onto a flat plate (loosen edges first with the tip of a small pointed knife). You will find it easier to remove the tart if you leave it at room temperature for 30 mins. Put a few tsps of crème fraîche along the centre of the tart (or around the edges if the tart is circular) and top each with a raspberry, then dust lightly with icing sugar. Cut into thin slices and serve with extra raspberries on the side.

Artichoke, garlic & potato mash
Method
STEP 1
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 mins or until tender, then drain. Return to pan and add butter, milk and some seasoning. Mash until light and fluffy. Stir in the parsley.

STEP 2
While the potatoes are cooking, pat the artichoke slices dry with kitchen paper. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Cook the garlic for 1 min, then add the artichoke hearts and some seasoning. Cook for 5 mins until golden and crisp. Mash the cooked artichokes into the potatoes, reserving a few for the top, and warm through again on low heat until piping hot. Serve with the rest of the artichokes on top.

Za'atar & herb potato latkes
Method
STEP 1
Using a food processor with a grating insert or a box grater, grate the washed, unpeeled potatoes and transfer to a large bowl of very cold water. Grate the onion into a bowl.

STEP 2
Scoop the grated potatoes out of the water using your hands, shaking off the excess water, and put the potato and onion on a clean, dry tea towel or muslin cloth. Thoroughly wring out the excess liquid over the bowl of water, reserving the liquid. You want the mixture to be as dry as possible.

STEP 3
Transfer the potato and onion mixture to a large, dry bowl and add the egg, matzo meal, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, the za’atar and most of the herbs. Carefully pour out the potato water from the bowl, keeping the white potato starch that will have sunk to the bottom. Add the starch to the grated potato mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.

STEP 4
Pour about 1½cm depth of oil into a large frying pan, and set it over a medium heat. Allow it to get hot — a cube of bread should turn golden in a minute. Scoop heaped tablespoons of potato mixture from the bowl and press down firmly to release any more water. Flatten and carefully add to the pan, about 2cm apart. Do not overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop.

STEP 5
Flatten the latkes again with a fish slice and leave to cook until crisp and dark golden underneath – about 4-5 mins, then turn them over. Cook for a further 4-5 mins until both sides are golden brown, and the potato and onion are cooked through.

STEP 6
Transfer the latkes to plates or baking sheets lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt. If you are making a large batch, keep them warm in a low oven. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. You may need to top up the oil during the cooking process.

STEP 7
To make the lemon tahini sauce, mix the tahini, yogurt and lemon juice in a small bowl. As you stir, it will thicken up and become gluey. Gradually add cold water, a teaspoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until you have a pouring consistency. Season to taste and serve the latkes drizzled with the sauce.

Baked eggs with spinach & tomato
Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the spinach into a colander, then pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt the leaves. Squeeze out excess water and divide between 4 small ovenproof dishes.

STEP 2
Mix the tomatoes with the chilli flakes and some seasoning, then add to the dishes with the spinach. Make a small well in the centre of each and crack in an egg. Bake for 12-15 mins or more depending on how you like your eggs. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.