Asalaamu Alaikum Everyone

Alhamdulilah already a week has past, can you believe its Day 8 of Ramadhaan! May Allah SWT make us use our time wisely & make us gain utmost benefit from HIS blessing’s in the next coming weeks Insha Allah Ameen.

So I know, I said I was going to post the more spiritual posts during this month, but really we gotta eat to live…Especially in Ramadhaan, I simply can not let you guys miss out on my Suhoor speciality & really its a bowl of happiness that even the hubster’s will love! One of my man’s Favs!

With breakfast out of the way, Sehri counts as the first & most important meal of the day. People sometimes misunderstand the importance of Sehri & often think its a time to fill the tummy, forgetting the most important aspect of Suhoor is the time to spiritually feed the soul.

The recipe that I share today is not only enjoyed as a morning meal but also one to indulge in during Iftaar #thesavouryrevolution (for those who really mean healthy business at iftaar). The #Dayca doesn’t only count as a Ramadhaan type of food, it also serves as a fantastic appetizer before a meal during anytime of the day.

A person waking up for Sehri gains reward for it:  Ibn Umar RA relates: The Messenger of Allah SAW said: “Verily Allah and His Malaa’ikah send Mercy upon those who eat ‘Sehri’”

Rasulullah SAW said: ‘The difference between our fasting and that of the Ahlul-Kitaab (Jews and Christians) lies in our partaking of food at “Sehri” which they do not.”

Prophet Mohammed SAW also said, “In three things, are the great blessings: in “Jama’ah” (company), in eating “Thareed” and in “Sehri”. In his commentary on “Sahih Bukhari”, Ibne Hajar has mentioned various reasons for the blessedness of “Sehri”:

• Make intention its for the pleasure of Allah SWT as well as the ‘Sunnah’ is followed.
• Through “Sehri”, we differentiate ourselves from the ways of Ahlul-Kitaab.
• It provides strength for “Ibaadah”.
• It promotes greater sincerity in “Ibaadah”.
• It aids in elimination of bad temper, which normally comes about as result of hunger.
• ‘Sehri’ is the time when prayers are accepted.
• At the time of ‘Sehri’, one gets the opportunity to remember Allah, makes Dhikr and lifts up the hand to Him in prayer.
• Sehri is also at the same time of Tahajud making it easy for us to take benefit during this time when Almighty Allah comes down to the closest sky for us. The Prophet SAW said: “The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him? SubhanAllah look at the beauty of Allah SWT.

Tips for eating the right stuff during suhoor:

• Sehri should be a wholesome, a moderate meal that is not over-filling and provides enough energy for many hours. Try to eat high-fibre foods and complex carbohydrates such as grains and pulses. Your body takes longer to break down and absorb these foods, so they will fuel you better during your hours of fasting.
• Sehri should comprise foods such as eggs, grains, dairy products and meat along with fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, fruit juice and nuts.
• Do not skip Sehri as it is an important meal that would help you sustain your energy levels throughout the day. Many individuals don’t feel hungry early morning and tend to skip Sehri. Setting the table for Sehri is believed to be effective in improving the appetite.
• Eating a very heavy meal to fight hunger experienced later in the day is an absolute no-no. Heavy meals at Sehri impose a heavy burden on the stomach, leading to indigestion, heartburn and bloating.
• The most important meal of the day which supplies your body with the energy & nutrients it needs to worship Allah with ease.

One of my favourite things to make for Suhoor is, “DAYCA” I call it that.  I named it with the letters I used for the ingredients. I used dates, 1 apple, yoghurt, coconut & almonds. Hence the name and with the addition of a dollop of yoghurt at the end. A bowl you will be sure to tick all the boxes of nutritional value. Packed with wholesomeness of Calcium, Fibre, Vitamins, Protein, Antioxidants, Fruits & what really works for me is that it tastes so good too! OMG!

Its sweet, its crunchy & nope it’s not 1 of those diet kind foods, even thou its super healthy. It’s fantastic for the entire family. In short its straight forward Day-Care & just the right amount of tender, love & care your body needs all in one. Really it doesn’t get an easier than this! Ultra easy & don’t stop there! Use your discretion, experiment & play around with any fruit of your liking and nuts that you enjoy. Change the letters around & name it according to whatever name you’d like 😉

The DAYCA Recipe

Prep time: literally 3 mins

Serves: 2 persons

Ingredients:

1 red apple cored

40gr of almonds

40gr of flaked /fresh coconut

40gr dates

3 Tablespoons yoghurt for topping

Method:

1. Place the dates, almonds, apple and coconut in a food processor and process by quick pulses. You just want to break it up into small chunks, but don’t over process.
2. Scoop the mixture in a bowl & add dollops of yoghurt & it’s as simple as that.

The perfect Sehri even if you not a morning person, you will surely get it all this way!

Bon Appetit!

Suhoor

Chef Tasneem Saith

Assalaamu Alaikum Dearest Peeps in Islam

Date: 5th Ramadhaan 1438 & Oh my goodness…Ramadhaan is flying by soooo FAST! Alhamdulilah things are going great & I pray for the same for every Muslim Insha Allah!

During this beautiful month I decided to do a series of spiritual posts rather than food post, you know a little treat to feed the spiritual self…soul food!

Muslim’s feel incredibly inspired during Ramadhaan & much more connected to Allah Ta’ala. Just a thought to ponder on, remember its not Allah SWT who has become distant, but it is us who has moved away from HIM.

Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem

Almighty Allah was always there & will always be, now that our old pal “Shaytaan”is out of the way, life has so much of clarity-being solely submissive to the worship of Our Master Allah. In actual fact not only in Ramadhaan but for every second that the clock ticks, its our duty to live as a true believers, worship Allah The Greatest with true Ihsaan (worshipping Allah SWT as thou you can see HIM).

With the first 10 days of Ramadhaan half way through, if you haven’t had a chance to change its not too late to still seek the Mercy of Ar-Rahmaan. Allah SWT is flooding the earth with HIS Mercy right now & all we need to do is take maximum benefit of this time or else we will be amongst the losers.

Did you know the first thing to be created by Our Creator was the “Pen”.  The Pen of all things? Yes! And with the command of Allah SWT the pen was ordered to write on a paper “My Mercy Over Powers My Anger”. What a deep meaning to the first thing to ever been written down. Allah SWT than placed that paper on HIS Thrown. After which HE ordered the pen to begin to write down Taqdeer/Destiny. Allah Akbar!

Imagine the Greatness of Allah SWT that HE could have chosen to write anything as the first thing to ever be written down like “I am the King of the Worlds…” or what ever…But HE chose that line! That is more mighty, profound & faithful. A promise forever & Allah SWT does not ever go back on HIS promise.

Allah talks of Himself in the Holy Quraan as the Most Merciful not just Merciful but the supreme kind. Already we see this on the first page in Surah Al-Fatiha-2nd verse, when Allah SWT says : الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ (Ar Rahman, Ar Raheem) meaning The Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The word الرَّحْمـنِ (Ar Rahmaan) comes from the arabic root word of رحم (Ra-Haa-Meem-meaning womb of a mother). Allah says in this verse, “I have derived a name for me taken from you” . Allah SWT here compares HIS love to a mother saying, “Allah SWT loves you more than a mother loves her new born baby”. Verily, Allah loves us 70 times more than our mother love for us.

Think about it, a mother’s love is so unconditional, so limitless & so weighty that no matter how much a child can do to hurt their own mother, disobey her or disappoint her, she will always posses that merciful heart. Soft by nature, ever ready to fall weak in the knees for her children, forgives & forgets about all the wrongs ever done & loves without even wanting to punish…That is the love only a mother has for her child. So imagine a love 70 times more than that.

Allah is Ar-Rahmaan & says to His slaves (us) who are so sinful all day & night, years after years: “No matter what you’ve done, how much wrong you have committed, how far you have disobeyed me, how much severe harm you have caused on yourself that you are drowning so deeply in sin…” Allah SWT further continues with something so beautiful addressing us with, “OH MY SLAVES, NEVER EVER LOOSE HOPE IN THE MERCY OF ALLAH!”. Basically saying you have done that, I know it all, but now the only thing I order you is,”Its forbidden for you to loose hope in My Mercy”. Allah Akbar.

Some times you might feel so unworthy of HIS Mercy, like the biggest looser or the biggest scum on the face of the earth because you are so deep in all this sin, there is no hope for you, beware! If Allah SWT wanted to punish us you & I, HE would have finished us off a long time ago, but HE didn’t & HE doesn’t want too. That is the trick of the Devils work, he makes us feel like we are unworthy to even repent or ask for Mercy from Allah SWT. Do not despair! Allah is waiting for us to return to HIM in order to shower us with HIS Infinite Mercy.

If we think of some one dear to us & they have wronged us in some way over & over again, its hard on us to keep saying: “its ok! I’ll forget what you did…”.  Not for Allah! Allah says, “I have 100 Mercies, 1 of those Mercies I have sent to earth & the rest 99 mercies I have kept for me on the Day of Judgement”. As you witness life today, the entire creation of Allah SWT is having mercy on each other, like a mother to her child, spouse to a spouse, a bird to a bird, an animal to an animal, a human to an animal & plants etc. The world’s mercy in totality adds up to that 1 mercy of Allah’s SWT that HE sent to earth, surely HE is The Most Merciful.

I recently heard a talk that made me just burst into tears for love for HIM. The story is a narration of Prophet Mohammed PBUH about the unseen that will happen on the Day of Judgement. On that day there will be a person that will be dragged to Hell Fire, the Angels will be carrying him away to throw him in the fire & Hell itself will pull back from this person. Allah SWT will say, “What is wrong with you that you pull back?” & Hell will reply, “My Lord he is seeking refuge in YOU from me!” than Allah SWT will say, “Than release my slave & let him go free!”~ Allah Akbar!

In another narration there will be another person also being dragged into Hell & this person will say, “My Lord I never expected this from YOU!” . Indeed, what a bold statement to say from this person! Allah will than reply, “Abdi (oh my slave) what did you expect from me? You did all of this, you committed the sin, you had the choice, you made the mistakes, what did you expect from me?” , that person will say, “I expected that your mercy will even reach some one like me!” Imagine! Allah The Most Merciful will than say, “Let my slave go free!Let him go free!”.~Takbeer!

We have to understand brothers & sisters, myself first! Allah didn’t create us for this world, HE created us for Jannah, but that choice is now put in our own hands, if we choose to go to hell its our own doing with our eyes wide open & if we go to Jannah its because we have a LORD that is Most Merciful & that’s the only way we will enter into Paradise by the Mercy of Ar-Rahmaan.

Still 5 Days left of Allah SWT Infinite Mercy showering on us! Lets embrace it!

Reference: Ummah Heart Madressah

Asalaamu alaikum Dear Friends

That time of year is back again as Muslim’s all around the world are enthusiastic for this blessed month. Welcome our Guest Oh Ramadhaan! The excitement had settled in last night when My-Man Mohammed came home from Magrib Salaah grabbed my hand as he escorted me out of our home in search of the Ramadhaan new moon. A Sunnah Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) did every year & I actually got to see it this year, the crescent of the new moon was so visible in the radiant pinkish sky. It was so charming SubhanAllah! Finally Day 1 Ramadhaan 1438 A.H. So thankful for another year, another chance, lets do this 😉

I have learned that how one spends Ramadhaan is the way the coming year will be spent in that persons life. Making A’mal on those little things we might regard as small deeds is really the most beloved in the sight of Allah SWT & during Ramadhaan your rewards are multiplied, its a bargain actually. If one practices a deed sincerely & consistently in this month than that will be how the rest of the year will follow, of course with the help of Almighty Allah SWT.

Set goals, set times & focus towards achieving those goals! Make minutes count! Make this Ramadhaan be the best in your life, we will never know if we will be around to see the next. I heard this fantastic example the other day & I just have to share it. So picture this: its raining outside but not raindrops, its raining $$$ signs-Money Galore everywhere! Do you think you & every one else will be just sitting back & doing nothing  while watching the rain of money fall from the sky without making any effort to grab or benefit from it? That is exactly how the Infinite Mercy of Allah SWT descends in this beloved month. Alhamdulilah!

The one time in the year we sacrifice those inner desires that we chase after continuously time after time when there are people out there less fortunate than we are. We start by freeing ourselves from the sins we commit daily & beg for the mercy Allah Ta’alah the Most Forgiving wants to shower upon us. We need to strive for the next 30 days in obedience to HIM as honest, pure & true slaves of Our Master Allah.

Make intentions only for the pleasure of Allah SWT:

• Smile.
• Be Thankful always.
• Greet fellow Muslims first it frees one from pride.
• Read your obligatory prayers on time as soon as the time sets in (for men to go to the Masjid to perform with Jamaat).
• Practice the Sunnah use Miswaak…
• Seek knowledge by listening to islamic lectures & reading islamic books (sublime conduct of Nabi SAW, Seerah of Nabi SAW, Yasmin Mogahed series, Sister Rehana Sha Bulbulia series…)
• Feed the fasting.
• Give Charity.
• Family gathering in the home.
• Limit unnecessary socializing.
• Lower ones gaze to the opposite gender.
• Talk politely! Do not become angry!
• Time Manage your actions & increase your ibaadah more than usual example: Nafl Salaahs, reading Tahajud prayer, making Dhikr, Tasbeehat, time for Dua-talk to Allah SWT alone, Tilaawah of the Quraan etc.
• Do not over eat at iftaar (eat less oily & fattening foods).
• Rest in the afternoon for siesta to be energetic for Taraweeh Salaah at nights.

“The month of the Quraan” (I can just hear that Zain Bikha nasheed play in my head every time I say that line), in actual fact why everything revolves around the Quraan in this awesome month is because the Quraan was revealed in Ramadhaan. Sent down from Jannah in total book form & then placed on the first heaven in a “Protective Tablet”. It  was only than Almighty Allah would command Angel Jibraeel AS to take certain verses from the Quraan & reveal it to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) according to the relevant situation at a certain time to guide him the Last Messenger of Allah SAW & His people to the right path. A period of 23 years of revelation & till today it is the most authentic guidance in all stages of an Ummati’s life.

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) how we wish He was here today and He is! Nabi SAW is alive in his Qabr & in the heart of every believer. His sunnah is the rope that leads us to Allah & will live on forever. A nobleman, trustworthy was his nature & he was known for it, called by many as “Al-Amin” (truthful). A a pure, kind hearted & innocent man with not a speck of evil in his heart, sinless He was! Even before Nabuwat. A beautiful being in character & most perfect of man on the outside as well.

The youngest wife of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) Hazrat Ayesha RA said, “In the time Prophet Yusuf AS the woman would cut their fingers while working when they saw Yusuf AS pass by (He was absolutely drop dead gorgeous) but if they had seen MY MOHAMMED they would have cut out their hearts!”.~ Just imagine!

It is related from Hazrat Jabir RA that he said: “I once saw the messenger of Allah (Mohammed peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the night of a full moon. At times I looked at the full moon and at times at the messenger of Allah. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that the messenger of Allah was more handsome, beautiful and more radiant than the full moon”.~

Hazrat Abu Hurairah RA says: “The Prophet of Allah (Mohammed peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was so clean, clear, beautiful and handsome, as though his body was covered and moulded in silver. His hair was slightly curled.”~

Just a little recap about the life of the Last Prophet of Allah SAW, He lost his Father Abdullah before his birth & His Mother Amina passed away when He was only 6 years old. Taken in by his Grandfather Abdul Muttalib, He grew up very different to anyone who lived in Makkah during that era. With all the hardship Makkah was facing at that time, He would find peace & solidarity in a cave called “Hira” at the peak of  Mount “Jabal-e-Noor”. His escape, a place to contemplate about life, the Makan people, all the evils of corruption happening around him, people who were living without any direction or consequences to their evil actions…

Until one night a bright light appeared in the cave, like an unusual being with a voice ordering to him, “READ!” . He was trembling with fear & since he was orphaned at such a young age He was unlettered, yet Prophet Mohammed SAW is the wisest man to ever be born. Blessed with an extraordinary wisdom by Allah SWT. Things that Prophet Mohammed SAW taught us 1400 years ago scientist are only discovering now. He was afraid! Wouldn’t you too be if you were sitting all alone & you saw an Angel appear???

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was 40 years at that time when the first verse revealed was “Iqra Bismi Rabikal lathi Ghalaq” meaning, “Read! In the name of your Lord”. The Miracle of the Quraan was revealed & Islam was born. Notice the Great Wisdom of Allah SWT as the first word said to Prophet Mohammed was “READ!”. Allah could have made the first words a command but HE didn’t & that already teaches us seeking knowledge in life is to read!

All the answers we need in life are right in front of us. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said, ” Two things I leave you with you is: The Quraan & my Sunnah.” Follow these two and you will be rightly guided in life. Remember we all want success in this world & the next…start today! Now lets do it! Positivity is a trait of a Mu’min. The Gates of Paradise Jannah are open for us & the gates of Hell Fire are closed. Shaytaan is locked away & we have only our own desires to control. May Allah SWT grant the Ummah around the world a blessed Ramadhaan & accept all our efforts Ameen.

Today’s recipe that I share is not a suhoor booster, nor an iftaar savory  & definitely not an after Taraweeh sweet treat but rather a spiritual one:

Recipe for the 30 days of Ramadhaan:

Day 1-10:  Ask for the Mercy of Allah SWT

Day 10- 20: Ask for the Forgiveness of Allah SWT

Day 20-30: Ask for Freedom from the Fire of Jahannum

Reference: Ummah Heart Madressah

Hey everyone

I hate to be the one to say it, but Winter is here! Like you didn’t already notice…Brrrr! However I was born in Winter so like Princess Elsa said, “The cold never bothered me anyway!”.

It’s that time of year I totally appreciate, besides getting to dress up & pile on those fancy Jackets with high heeled Boots I must say its more about the food! All those seasonal foods that harvest this time of year & most importantly the morning aroma’s of a bakery throughout my home-fresh bread baking oooff! So good!

Warm, soft & comforting bread…Did you know that we South African’s are the only people in the world that eats fresh bread warm straight out of the oven with butter. While the rest of the world awaits for the bread to cool down before serving it #proudlysouthafrican. It my FAV thing to do spread butter on hot baked bread & when it melts it makes my heart go all lovey dovey inside.

Sometimes when I mention the word “Yeast” to people I can literally see the horror on their faces, like oh no she didn’t! Well after this post, I promise that’s all going to change & you will now be a confident Bread Baker in no time #likeaboss 😉

So how does yeast work, unlike the other chemical rising agents such as bicarb, baking powder &
self-raising flour, yeast is alive & is an edible fungus (I hate that word fungus eww, but its a fact). The only thing yeast has in common with the other rising agents is that they both release Carbon Dioxide bubbles that get trapped in the gluten network making the dough or batter further expand in the oven.

There are 160 different species of yeast known. One species is baker’s yeast used to leaven bread throughout the world and is called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. Just try saying it, lol. The scientific name Saccharomyces, refers to “saccharo” meaning sugar and “myces” meaning fungus for brewers & bakers (brewers sugar fungus).

So how does yeast work?

• Yeast is alive & to feed it needs sugar.
• Yeast needs oxygen to live (bake).
• Yeast needs the correct temperature to thrive between 22C-32C & is dies at 60 degrees C.
• Yeast needs salt to activate, but to much salt can kill the yeast cells.
• Yeast needs moisture to help the distribution of ingredients.

The different types of yeast are :

• Instant yeast 10gr packet.
• Fresh yeast in a cube 25gr (needs to be dissolved in water & takes longer to rise).
• Yeast plants
• Active dry yeast (for brewers).

Baking Bread (Basic Lean Dough)

Ingredients:

• 360gr cake flour
• 5ml salt
• 5ml sugar
• 60gr margerine
• +/- 150gr lukewarm water
• 10gr instant yeast (to substitute use 25gr cube fresh yeast for every 10gr instant yeast, just remember to add the cubed yeast to the lukewarm water to soak,before mixing)

Method: 

NB: the highlighted words are the important production steps, if done incorrectly or forgotten it will show in the end result.

1. Preheat the oven 180C.
2. Scale & measure all ingredients.
3. Mix the dry ingredients & rub in the margarine forming bread crumbs.
4. Add the yeast & then the liquid a little at a time so not too sticky.
5. Knead until smooth soft dough forms.
6. Leave the dough aside to Rise double in size.
7. Knock down the CO2 bubbles & Divide the dough equally.
8. Shape & leave to second rise on the baking tray.
9. Glaze (with an eggwash 15ml milk + 1 egg for seeds) & Score (with a knife lightly on the surface to form baguette lines).
10. Bake until brown for about 20-30 minutes & to check tap the bread with your finger nail it sound make a hollow sound its done inside.
11. Cool down & enjoy.

Baked like a Boss! Bon Appetit!

Chef Tasneem Saith

Hey everyone

Don’t you love those mornings when the entire home has aromas of a bakery!!! I am a sucker for warm, yeasty, doughy stuff & anything that needs baking in the oven. Today’s recipe is the simplest ever. Pretty sure the kids can add it to the Menu for “Mums Breakfast in Bed this Mother’s Day”.

People hear the word flavorsome muffin & they start panicking, searching for a muffin mix in stores but trust me, this is it…All your dreams come true & did I say, easy peasy!

Appertizing Muffins

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 small tin sweetcorn
1 ½ cups flour
10ml baking powder
5ml salt
10ml ground cumin
¾ cup milk
¾ cup oil
10ml green chillies (optional)
1 cup of chopped cilantro leaves

NB: Add in a handful of grated cheese so yummy too.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven 180C.
2. Grease a dozen muffin pans, set aside.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until a thick batter consistency.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes & than poke a skewer in to check the inside is cooked, if not continue baking until the skewer comes out clean.
5. Serve with a sweet chilli dip on the side & Voila!

Bon Appetit!

Chef Tasneem Saith

Hi everyone

Okay I confess I have been terrible at blogging lately…It’s been a crazy two weeks, with my parents gone away to India for medical treatment, my exams, my day job, wedding in the family, new born baby…(not mines lol) but you get my point. Juggling everything else in my life & especially with those connected to me #support. Well, finally I have time to sit, breath & blog!!!

My cousin is a huge lover of sushi-like the obsessive lover kind I swear it! And I am not even exaggerating…So she asked me to teach her how to make sushi for beginners, hence its that time of the month where most of us are broke! So she is going to make them herself & bring her very own sushi bar home.

I am not a sushi fan but I really find amusement in making sushi. If you haven’t tasted sushi before than you will have to taste it to know if it is your thing, it either is or is not.

Sushi isn’t more complicated than vinegar rice rolled in seafood & wrapped in seaweed. However, there are many types of sushi out there that might sound complicated. For now here are the two most common:

Makizushi – meaning “rolled sushi”. Generally wrapped in Nori (seaweed), soy paper, vegetables cucumber/carrots) or shsiso (perilla) leaves. There are several variations of Maki Sushi or Sushi Rolls 5 different types to be exact.

As for the second most popular:

• Nigirizushi – meaning “hand-pressed sushi”. Typically made of a hand formed rectangle of sushi rice with a swipe of wasabi on top, finished with some type of topping or Neta (normally Salmon, Tuna, or other seafood). Basically an oblong formed piece of rice with some kind of a topping.

Easy and Delicious Sushi

Hey everyone

So I know I have been a little scarce lately, however I have a really good excuse for not blogging… Well as you know, this past Sunday the 2nd of April, it was Jozi’s first ever Halaal Food Expo!!! Whoop, Whoop! Just saying it was no April fool’s joke it happened & it happened with a BANG!

All of the hype & excitement over social media got people of Jozi-land counting down the days. Say the words “Halaal Food” together & its a definite that everyone in town was going to be there. A place for us Muslim’s to finally go to indulge in & not care what ingredient has the big H sign (Halaal).

As Chef Thyme’s Food Blogger, I was planning to go to the event & just pile on those calories from all that new talent Jozi has to offer. Until, a comrade Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia approached me to do a cooking demonstration show at the event. I must admit, I was in my element! With the help from the Almighty, the love & support from my man Mohammed Patel, my Parents, Family & friends Alhamdulilah it was time for Chef Thyme to do our thing! Inspire people to learn our life’s motto “Anyone can cook!”

The man behind the brains of this project was Abdul Haq AKA the husband of Aunty Shagufta, along with his team & all the food exhibitors present, it was no surprise the Halaal Food Expo attracted a crowd of over 15 500 visitors at the expo! A new “ERA” was born!!!

The first of many halaal food expo’s to come! Thanks to all young effort put together for this great initiative & with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Networking was phenomenal this weekend. I got to meet such extraordinary young, skilful & passionate cooks that I had no idea were out there! It was inspirational watching these enthusiast working with such effort towards their life goals, to start a business & do what they love.

At 9 am the doors were open to the public & all the food exhibitors were ready for action. The time slot was called “Breakfast for bloggers” of course I was there! I was not going to miss tasting new inventiveness. Moulana Ebrahim Bham was also present and read the opening Dua. People from the food stalls owners, to the visitors all just stood still & lifted their hands in prayer for a moment that was given to remember our Creator Allah SWT.

There were many artistic cooks serving their specialties at their stalls just to mention a few:

My first stop was to @ZaatarandZeal” a pop up store with a fancy name. I had the opportunity to meet Nabeela the founder of her company who specializes in artisan dips & deli items. A wife & mother, Nabeela juggles it all, an inspiring young woman, dedicated & motivated to keep her business on a roll! With the creativity & passion she possess alongside a sense of humour that just made me draw to her liking. But that was not all…Her delightful
eats she prepares are made with only the freshest ingredients from breads, to meat slices, to pesto’s & dips of flavorful varieties. All made by herself & than packaged in these cute little glass jars with her company logo sticker on the lid.

@zaatarandzeal rustic deco of fresh pestos and dips

Nabeela offered me a breakfast sandwich & I was wowed! A loaf slice with hummus spread, pressed beef, mazavar issa, pesto, babaghanoush…So many elements that compliment each other by taste the minute I took my first bite. A breakfast so healthy & clean that afterwards, I just felt so good on the inside. Thanks Nabeela, awesome stuff & all the best to Zaatar & Zeal!

My weakness…Cheesecakes! No need to say more because it’s Sin free @Synnfree Cheesecakes by Sajeda Rasool. I had my eyes on her cheesecakes! Some really good-looking stuff she had constructed there & they could talk too…Every time I walked pass, they were calling my name “Eat me! Eat me!” Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to taste it 😦 During the afternoon Sajida managed to find me in the crowd & asked me, “If I had tasted her cheesecakes?”. Because at that time she was all sold out. She than offered to send for me a delivery of cheesecakes soon! Super sweet Sajeda & absolutely thoughtful, I can’t imagine her cheesecakes.

Have you ever seen guys pull it off without a woman’s hand in it…@Treestumpsofficial a team of young dudes! I was amazed of how incredible & on the ball they had things going. Firstly they built their own pizza clay oven by hand & placed it on a wooden trailer, which was really stylish & pimped up. Impressive as I am a fan of DIY projects. What was fantastic to see is how these guys make a perfect wood fire pizza, in a handmade clay oven & ooofff you already know you are in for a treat just by the smell itself. A few varieties of Pizza to choose from & really decently priced too.

Pure butter pastry @Farm_style_pastry

Pastry made from scratch. A company based in Lenasia but the thing that I am glad to have tasted was their Chaat. The picture does not do justice to it because what goes on in your mouth is a burst of flavours that just blew me away! In the foil container is how they served it, with the bottom layer being fried pirr, topped with chickpeas, a drizzle of tamarind sauce, with a dash of spice for that kick & garnished with sweet pomegranates to cool the palate. Simply innovative!

Piece-a-cake @pieceacakeconfectionary by Haseena Motala, currently a student pastry chef & already an established baking company. She hosted the first demo for the day at 10:30am to teach an audience how to ice a cake along with the correct techniques of tempering chocolate in the microwave. Very few people can that right! However she showcased her skills, tips & tricks of how to do it all & it is as easy as a piece-a-cake! Well done Haseena.

The name of this company says it all & it’s exactly the truth when you taste their ice-cream…it’s a definite I love you at the end
@Icecream.iloveyou. People were piling up at this store no matter what time of day it was. I felt like a little kid in a candy store watching those guys do their thing pouring the custard on large frozen plates, slicing up the flavours inside, mixing it together & than scrapping it of the plate forming these ice-cream rolls. A fresh, soft, soothing taste of perfection is what I describe it as. My next order will be a bucket load! Totally cool! Absolutely inventive & creative.

The Ahsan store in Fordsburg @ahsanapparel famously known for their fancy mens & boys thobes along with accessories that go with it. Currently the owner Mohammed & his wife Zaahira Patel are set to bring in the home ware section with products from the smeg line. They have started a mocktail bar serving a variety of unusual, enlivening & refreshing drinks. Or you could purchase their syrups in a set of 12 different variety of flavours. I had some shots & asked to top it up as I won’t be driving,lol. Great Job to Mr & Mrs Zaa 😉

The second show for the day was by…Chef Thyme’s very own Chef Tasneem Saith, that’s me!

 At 13:15pm the crowd was filling up, I must say I had a fantastic audience, so game & interested to see “What the chef is cooking!”. In a nutshell, I made pasta from scratch with a dough made from only flour & eggs. Calling up my enthusiastic audience I had two volunteers to help me hold the dough as I pressed it through the pasta machine to roll out super thin. Using the attachment cutter I cut tagliatelle pasta & then left to it to dry on a pole. With a batch I had already made earlier that morning there was no need to wait & I was already onto the next step-boiling the pasta. The great thing about fresh pasta is, it literally boils for 3 minutes until “Al dente” an Italian term meaning ‘Firm by the Bite’ & that’s when we know your pasta is cooked. After which I tossed them in a pan of a spicy garlic & tomato sauce, placed in a mould to plate, topped with sauté mushrooms, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese & served with a fresh basil pesto.

The audience applauded me, in less than a hour pasta was made from scratch. Most of the crowd came forward, grabbed forks to savour my dish & gave huge compliments. Alhamdulilah! I will however post a separate page on how to make your own pasta from scratch, so watch this space!

Last but not least the final show for the day was by a health doctor from Durban Dr Bakers. Dr gave medical advice on weight loss & how to redesign your body from face to feet. Also demonstrating how to make a healthy butter chicken dish.

Over all for the first halaal food expo in Johannesburg, I have to give my hat off to the team & to all the food exhibitors they managed to pull it off even with that unexpected crowd! Our youth has great aptitude & charisma in the faculty of food. We will be seeing all these food industries a lot more often nowdays & all the best for the future!

Okay so guess what? I have to share this thrilling news right now!  I just got informed that the word is out…The Halaal Food Expo Team is now jet setting of to conquer Cape Town & Durban by storm.

Coming soon near you! Looking forward to it!

Chef Tasneem Saith

Hey guys

Tomorrow is #nationalchipanddipday celebrated every 23rd March & a few days back on the 14th March was #nationalchipday. With the romantic meeting of chip to dip, I think it’s safe to say, it’s the celebration of the couple’s wedding anniversary, they just meant to be together. Partners in crime (the fat crime).

The celebration is a perfect combination that is loved by many across USA. Chips and dip are a popular party dish as it is not only favoured by most but also quick and easy to prepare. However we South Africans are huge “dipper fans” from savouries to sweet etc.

The national chip & day usually includes the packet chips (lays, Doritos, etc.) but not necessarily these days there is such a wide variety of dippers such as:

From Breads, bruschetta’s, oven baked vegetable chips (parsnips & potatoes) , polenta, parmesan crisp baked cheese, tortilla chips, corn chips, pretzel chips and even popcorn…

There are meaty dippers as well, lamb cutlets (Moroccan style) tandoori drumsticks, wings, spring rolls phyllo pastry, prawns, vegetables in rice paper wraps…& the list goes on. (Besides the normal ramadhaan stuff)

As for the dips there are endless of ideas:

Hummus (famous), pates (thick spreads) tzatziki ,salsas (chunky dips), baba ghanoush dip (yoghurt & eggplant), sauces, creamy dips with sour cream, cheese dips , pesto’s , mashes etc. Don’t hesitate to mix up your favourite or try something new! Today I am going to pimp up chip & dip with a hint if chef.

Basil Prawns with Avocado Mash

Ingredients:

1kg large prawns (shell & deveined)

1/2 cup basil leaves

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

15ml finely grated lime rind

1 red chilli (optional)

5ml lemon juice

salt

For avocado mash:

2 medium avocados (1 coarsely chopped & 1 mashed)

30ml lime juice

2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped)

1 small red onion (finely chopped)

30ml basil leaves (finely chopped)

30ml coriander leaves (finely chopped)

2 small red Thai chillies (finely chopped)

10ml ground cumin

Salt

Paprika (for sprinkling)

Method:

1. Combine prawns, basil, garlic, lemon juice & rind in a large bowl, marinate for 3 hours or overnight.
2. Cook prawns on an oiled griddle pan/barbeque grill until change in colour or cooked through.
3. For the avocado mash, only mash 1 avocado & leave 1 chopped than mix all the ingredients well

Viola!

Bon appetit!

Chef Tasneem Saith

Hey guys

Today on Radio MW1548 I challenge Ejaz Khan on the power half hour to make Mini Pavlovas, shaped in a meringue nest, filled with whipped cream & topped with fruit.

I thought about giving him a more difficult dish to construct for all the trouble he gives me, bwahaha (evil laugh) , but then I felt bad about it & decided give the guy a break, baby steps first.

Meringues seem simple, ahem do not be fooled! They can be very tricky especially if you making them for the first time.  Each step might seem small, but is important in the method. What can help is a video tutorial, check my instagram @tazsaith. Today I am going to share the recipe how to make the perfect mini pavlovas.

Pastel Mini Pavlovas

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites

100gr castor sugar

5ml vanilla essence

3 different food colourings (a drop each)

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 100ºC/80ºC fan.
2. Put your 2 egg whites into a large, clean, dry metal or glass bowl and whisk on a low speed until foamy. Once foamy, increase the speed until stiff peaks. Add vanilla.
3. Add the caster sugar a teaspoon so you can whisk quickly, until well combined. The meringue will appear stiff, shiny & glossy.
4. Divide the meringue into 3 bowls & drop colouring in (green, blue & red), use a metal spoon to fold in the colouring.
5. On a baking tray place grease proof baking paper.
6. Use a piping bag with a star nozzle & put the meringue inside.
7. Start by piping a dot in the centre of your meringue nest, then in one continue moving all the way around the dot twice to make a bigger circle, and then go around again on top of the outer circle to make the sides.
8. Repeat until you’ve piped all nests.
9. Place the meringue nests into the oven and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes. Until crispy.
10. Once cooked turn off the oven and DON’T open the door. Leave the meringues in the oven until it has cooled completely and then take them out (the slow cooling helps to prevent the nests from cracking). I usually make my meringues in the evening and then leave them to cool overnight.
11. Remove them from the oven and serve with whipped cream & fruit

Crispy meringues after baked

NB: Remember the thing about meringues they do not have to be perfect, they suppose to look homemade & if you are not serving them right away set them aside in an air tight container for later use, filling them with cream makes the meringue soggy.

Bon Appetit!

Chef Tasneem Saith