Mailänderli (Milano cookies)

Mailänderli (Milano cookies)

Ingredients:

250 grams (9 ounces) butter or margarine
225 grams (8 ounces) sugar
1 pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 lemon
500 grams (18 ounces) flour
1 yellow of an egg

Procedure:

Stir butter in a bowl until it is smooth. Add sugar, salt and 3 eggs, stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Grind the skin of the lemon and add to the mixture of the previous step. Add flour, knead to a soft dough. Cover the dough and let rest for about 2 hours in a cool place. Cut dough in parts and roll out on a flat, with flour covered surface, approximately 5 mm (0.2 inches) thick. Put out different shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Before baking, sweep with the yellow of an egg. Bake for about 10 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 200 °C (400 °F). Let cool completely before serving.

Kimbab

Kimbab

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten, fried and cut into thin strips
1/2 pound lean beef, pork or chicken, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 carrot, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup spinach, cooked
10 full-sized sheets of laver
2 cups rice, cooked

Procedure:

Beat eggs and lightly fry in pan, just enough so both sides are a bright yellow. Cut the fried egg in strips and set aside. Stir-fry meat and vegetables with sesame oil, then set aside. Place a sheet of laver on the bamboo roll mat, and have your vegetables and meat ready in separate dishes. Make sure rice is cool, and spread a thin layer on laver. Layer with strips of beef, carrot, egg, and pieces of spinach. Carefully roll it up, and seal the roll by moistening the outer edge of the laver sheet with a dab of water. Dip a knife into some water, and gently cut the roll into one-inch slices. Stack the Kimbab slices on a dish and serve with some soy sauce on the side.

Zimtsterne (Cinnamon cookies)

Zimtsterne (Cinnamon cookies)

Ingredients:

3 fresh white of egg (about 100 grams)
1 pinch of salt
250 grams (9 ounces) confectioner’s sugar
1½ tablespoons of cinnamon
½ tablespoon of kirsch or lemon juice
350 grams (12 ounces) grind almonds

Procedure:

Stir white of egg and salt in a bowl until it is real stiff. Add confectioner’s sugar, stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Put 1 dl (0.4 cups) aside for the frosting. Add cinnamon, kirsch (or lemon juice) and almonds, knead to a soft dough. Roll out dough on a flat surface (it may be slightly covered with sugar), approximately 7 mm (0.3 inches) thick. Put out stars or other shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Let them rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place. Carefully sweep the cookies with the frosting set aside in step 2. Bake for about 3 to 5 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 250 °C (480 °F). Let cool completely before serving.

Samosas

Samosas

Ingredients:

Pie Dough:

1 cup self-rising flour
½ tsp. salt
1½ oz/40grams butter
4 tbsp. water

Filling:

3 potatoes
½ cup green peas (optional)
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
½ tsp. white cumin seeds
½ tsp. mixed onion and mustard seeds
1 tsp. salt
2 dried red chilies (optional)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 small fresh green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
vegetable oil for deep-frying
lemon wedges, to serve

Procedure:

Sift the flour and salt into large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Pour in the water and mix with a fork to form a dough. Pat the dough into a ball and knead for 5 min or until smooth. Add a little flour if the dough is sticky. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes (20-25 min) and separately peas (5-10 min) in lightly salted water. Drain and gently mash the potatoes, then add the ginger, garlic, white cumin seeds, onion and mustard seeds, salt, crushed red chilies, green chilies, green peas, lemon juice and stir well to mix. Break small balls of the dough and roll each out very thinly to form a circle. Cut in half, dampen the edges and form into cones. Fill the cones with a little of the filling, dampen the open edges and pinch together to seal. Set aside. Fill a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-bottom pan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 350-375 °F/180-190 °C. Carefully lower the samosas into the hot oil, in batches, and deep-fry for 2-3 min, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towel. Serve hot or cold with lemon wedges.