Twists on classic iftar recipes

During the month of Ramadan, iftar serves as the perfect time to savour delightful dishes with friends and family.

In this collection of recipes — from the tender juiciness of baked wings to comforting alu chop and the satisfying crunch of spring rolls, each dish promises a symphony of tastes and textures that will tantalise your taste buds and leave you craving for more.

BAKED CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients

• 10 chicken wings
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Assemble the components. Set the oven's temperature to 375° F, or 190° C. In a big resealable bag, combine olive oil, garlic, chilli powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. To mix, seal and shake. To coat, add the chicken wings, reseal, and shake. On a baking sheet, arrange the chicken wings.  Bake chicken wings for 30 to 45 minutes, or until and cooked through.

Enjoy while hot!

DIM ALUR CHOP (POTATO AND EGG CROQUETTES)

Ingredients

For the potato base —

• 3 eggs
• 3 large potatoes
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp Bengali five spices (panch phoron)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper, crushed
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander

For the croquette coating —

• 8 tea biscuits or fresh breadcrumbs
• 1¾ oz plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Method

The first thing to do is to peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks and place them in a saucepan. In a separate pan, boil 3 eggs. Both of these should be done in 15 minutes, with eggs completely boiled within 8-10 minutes. Then transfer the cooked potatoes to a mixing bowl and mash thoroughly.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on low heat, in a frying pan. Add in panch phoron and stir for 5 seconds until the spices begin to pop.

Add in garlic and onions. Stir in salt, pepper and green chillies. Sauté around 3 minutes. Add in the ground spices and cook for a minute extra. Add in the mashed potato, mix everything until well combined and then add coriander. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool.

While the potato mixture is cooling, peel the hardboiled eggs. Quarter them lengthways so that you have four equal wedges for each egg. Set aside.

Prepare the coating mixture in a food processor until you have fine crumbs from the biscuits, then transfer to a deep dish. Mix in the breadcrumbs and set aside.

In a separate bowl, break the extra two large eggs and keep them separate.

To make the alu chop, divide your spice and potato mixture into 12 even portions. Roll each into an oval shape and make a hollow in the centre. Add a wedge of hard-boiled egg and close up with the mixture, making sure the egg is fully covered, then gently form into a barrel shape. Place on a baking sheet and continue preparing the rest of the croquettes.

Roll each alu chop in flour, shake off any excess and dip into the egg (kept aside earlier), ensuring you have coated it all over, then roll in the biscuit and breadcrumb mix

Heat the oil in a wok or karai over medium-high heat – it must be at least 7cm in depth. Fry the alu chop in batches, turning once or twice, for 2–3 minutes, until golden all over. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve hot, with lime wedges, chilli, or tomato sauce.

SPRING ROLLS

Ingredients

For the dough —

• 1 cup whole wheat flour   
• Whole wheat flour (for rolling)
• Salt to taste
• Water (as required)
• 1 tsp oil (for cooking)

For the stuffing —

• 1 tsp oil                   
• ¼ cup spring onion bulbs, finely chopped   
• ¼ cup spring onion leaves, finely chopped   
• 1 tsp green chillies, finely chopped       
• ¼ cup capsicum, finely chopped       
• Salt to taste 
• ¾ cup cottage cheese (crumbled)       

Method

Combine all the ingredients (for the dough) in a bowl and knead into soft dough. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. To prepare the stuffing, heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the chopped spring onion bulbs and leaves, green chillies and capsicum, and sauté over medium heat for about a minute.

Allow to cool, then transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the cottage cheese and salt, and mix well. Divide the stuffing in to 4 equal portions and keep aside.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll out each portion into 6-inch diameter circles, using a little whole wheat flour for rolling. Grease a non-stick griddle with a little oil and cook each wrap over medium heat, till light brown spots appear on both the sides. Place the wraps on a dry surface. Put a portion of the stuffing on one end of each wrap and roll them up tightly.

Your spring onion rolls are now ready to serve!