Our secret recipe to bake a yummy Arabic bread

Arabic Bread
Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon milk powder
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons soft butter
1¾ cup water

Preparation

- Preheat the oven to 450 °C.
- Mix flour, sugar, salt, yeast and milk powder.
- Add butter and stir well and then knead with water.
- Cut the dough into rounded pieces and spread.
- Bake in the preheated oven on a hot stone for 8 minutes until it rises.

The dough can be filled in many ways:
1
- Spread the dough and shape like a circle.
- Garnish the dough with yellow cheese, tomato, olive oil and thyme on a shape of a rose.
- Place in a preheated oven to 450 °C until it is baked then serve hot.
2
- Cut the bread straight across into two pieces, top and bottom.
- Put Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, or layers of Mozzarella and chicken pieces and fold with the crust.
- Place on a hot greased pan and turn when browned.
- Wrap in aluminum foil and place in a medium oven until warm.
3
- Garnish the bread with tomato rings, cheese, thyme and olive oil.
- Bake in a medium oven until done.

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Semolina Cake in Chocolate Cups with whipped cream

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter, for greasing pan
¾ cup milk
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 ⅓ cups sugar
2 ½ cups semolina flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup melted, clarified butter
1 ½ cups candied fruits (optional)
⅓ cup shredded coconut
Hot Sugar Syrup
1¼ cup melted dark chocolate, for the cups
Whipped cream or golden Meringue for garnish

Method
● Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Grease a rectangular cake pan (20 x 30cm /
8x12in) with butter. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
● In a large bowl, combine milk, yogurt and sugar; stir to completely dissolve sugar. In another bowl, mix semolina flour, baking powder, and vanilla; add to the milk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in clarified butter until smooth. Add candied fruits and coconut and mix well. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and smooth surface.
● Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden.
● Remove cake pan from oven. Turn off oven, pour warm syrup over cake and return to oven. Close oven door halfway, and let cake and oven cool.
● Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate cups: Fill a cupcake liner with about 1 tablespoon melted chocolate. Use a small spoon to cover bottom and sides of liner with chocolate, pouring off any excess. Repeat with remaining liners, returning all to pans. Refrigerate pans and liners until firm.
● Gently peel off liners and arrange cups on a serving plate. Scoop basbousa into chocolate cups and garnish with whipped cream or golden meringue.

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Lokaymat (Saffron Bites)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ½ cups warm water
½ teaspoon saffron
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
3½ cups all-purpose flour
Oil for deep frying
Cane or date molasses, to serve
Sesame , to garnish

Method
● In a small bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ cup water, and leave for 5 minutes until foamy.
● Infuse saffron in ½ cup water and put aside.
● Beat egg and oil with the remaining water, in an electric mixer, on medium speed.
● Add yeast mixture and saffron, continue beating until well combined.
● Add flour gradually, and knead after each addition, to have well combined batter.
● Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
● Heat oil over medium heat. Alongside the bowl of batter, have a small bowl of oil.
● Take some batter (the size of pistachio) with the tip of a small spoon. Using another oiled small spoon, carefully slip batter from spoon into hot oil. (It will puff into a larger ball).
● Deep fry until golden brown, turning to brown evenly.
● Drain on a paper towel, serve with cane or date molasses or sprinkle some sesame to garnish

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Helen Flanagan joins celebrities paying tribute to Nelson Mandela after he dies aged 95

Helen Flanagan has paid tribute to Nelson Mandela after 

he passed away aged 95 yesterday.

The ex-Coronation Street actress, 23, uploaded a picture of

 the former South African President to 

her Instagram page last night, overlaid with a moving quote.

The inspirational message read: 'There is no passion to be 

found playing small - in settling for a life that is less 

than the one you are capable of living.'

'RIP Nelson Mandela ❤,' Helen captioned the photo.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson spent 27 years in prison 

before being elected South Africa's first black 

president in 1994.

 

His administration replaced the racist apartheid regime, 

which had enforced segregation of black and white 

people.

Many other celebrities have paid their respects online 

since Nelson's death was announced.

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Jamelia: My violent ex could have killed me but I've forgiven him for beating me to the ground

Jamelia has revealed that she's forgiven the boyfriend who used to beat her.
The singer, 32, was regularly hit and emotionally abused during her 3-year relationship with a violent ex but refuses to let the painful memories affect her anymore.
'I'll never regret leaving my ex, but the strange thing is he and I are now friends. I've 100% forgiven him,' says Jamelia.
'I think he was stupid and cowardly for making me suffer, but if I was to hold a grudge against him for the rest of my life then I wouldn't be able to move on with my life and I'm so happy right now.'
Jamelia admits that she cut herself off from her family while with her abusive partner and would often have to act upbeat during interviews despite being 'beaten to the ground only hours earlier'.
The mum-of-two went on to marry footballer Darren Byfield but they split in 2007 and she's now happily focusing on her new position as a Loose Women panellist.
'I was only 18 when the abuse started. It was also a very successful time for me. If I had a split lip or a bruise I could conceal it with make-up or an excuse,' Jamelia tells the Daily Mirror.
'He could've killed me, of course. The scariest thing was leaving. The psychological fear is much worse than being hit.
'When I left I thought: "Oh no, he's definitely going to get me back for this," and that didn't happen. He realised that impact he'd had.'

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Malban (Turkish Delight )

Ingredients
2 cups water
½ cup cornstarch
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons rose water
Red food coloring
Large amount of powdered sugar and cornstarch

Method
● Bring ¾ cup of the water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and set aside.
● In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1¼ cups water. Place pan over medium heat and gradually add the boiled water, whisking constantly, until well combined. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar all at once, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved. Gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add rose water and few drops of red food coloring. Stir until combined.
● Mix powdered sugar and cornstarch and place half the mixture in a baking dish. Spread cooked sugar mixture in an even layer over the top. Let cool for a while, then cover with another large amount of sugar-cornstarch mixture. Let cool completely.
● Using an oiled knife, cut Malban into squares. Arrange on a plate, shaking off excess sugar and cornstarch.

Variations
● Substitute rose water with mint essence or orange blossom water, and red food coloring with green or orange
● Fold in ½ cup chopped, toasted nuts (hazelnuts or almonds) and substitute rose water with 2 teaspoons vanilla or ground mystique. Do not add food coloring.

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Pasta with Chermoula Sauce

Ingredients:
For Chermoula sauce
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
Oil for brushing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 tomatoes, diced
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder

For the pasta
2 cups pasta, cooked and drained
Chopped parsley leaves and roasted almond slices for garnish

Method:

- Brush colored bell peppers with oil and grill on direct flame or oven till skin color turns brown.
- Place pepper in plastic bag and seal for few minutes till soften, peel, remove seeds and chop.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, stir in onion and garlic till translucent.
- , Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper cumin & chili powder.
- Leave mixture for about 20 minutes or until sauce thickened.
- Add chopped grilled pepper and stir for about 5 minutes.
- Mix pasta with sauce and place in a serving plate.
- Garnish pasta with chopped parsley and almond slices.

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