CURRIED EGGPLANT STRUDEL

CURRIED EGGPLANT STRUDEL

1 large eggplant -- peeled/diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove -- minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup roasted peanuts -- chopped
1 pound frozen phyllo dough (24 sheets) -- defrosted
3/4 pound unsalted butter -- clarified
1 cup plain yogurt

Toss the eggplant with the salt and set aside for 30
minutes. Wrap in a towel and squeeze out any excess
moisture. Set aside.

In a skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium
heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, curry
powder, cumin and chili powder, and cook 2 more minutes.
Add the reserved eggplant, tomatoes and sugar. Mix the
saffron into the vinegar and add to mixture. Simmer for 15
minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Add a bit of water if
the mixture should become too dry.

Add the peanuts and cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place a sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface and drizzle
lightly with clarified butter. Layer five more sheets,
drizzling a bit more butter atop each layer. Brush the top
layer with butter.

Place a quarter of the filling over the sheets, mounding
more of it along one of the longer sides. Roll the sheets
up jelly roll-style, starting at the edge with the mounded
filling. Place seam-side down on a greased sheet pan and
brush with more cla rified butter. Make three more strudels
using the rest of the phyllo and the remaining filling and
butter.

On sheet pans, bake in the preheated oven until golden
brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, moving the pans front to
back and top to bottom halfway through. Let rest for 10
minutes before serving.

Cut the strudel in 1-inch-thick slices and top with yogurt.

DIM SUM (STEAMED CHINESE APPETIZERS)

DIM SUM (STEAMED CHINESE APPETIZERS)

1 3/4 Ground meat (beef -- pork or
of two)
-----BASIC MIX-----
2 Eggs
3 tablespoons Soy sauce (light -- preferred)
3 tablespoons Sherry
1 teaspoon Grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon White pepper
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
3 Chopped little green -- onions
2 tablespoons Corn starch
4 tablespoons Chopped water chestnut
3 Clove garlic -- minced
-----EXTRA CONDIMENTS-----
1 1/2 teaspoons Red chili sauce with -- garlic
2 teaspoons Spicy brown bean sauce
3 teaspoons Hosin sauce
1 teaspoon Grated orange peel
-----WRAPPER-----
1 package Wonton skins

in a large bowl, mix meat well with remaining BASIC ingredients. mix
until smooth.

Separate mix into four equal parts. For each part, add one of the
EXTRA condiments -- mix well.

To stuff the dumplings, put about one overflowing teaspoon or pecan
sized ball into a wonton skin. Fold into shape. Possible shapes are
purse , fish , chocolate kiss, nurses cap, or whatever. Parts of the
wonton skin that are sticking out may get tough, so keep this to a
minimum. Use a different shape for each condiment so that you will know
what is what.

To cook, place on top of lettuce leaf on steam rack ( the leaf helps
prevent sticking). Be very careful not to let them touch each other or
else they will stick. Steam for 20 minutes. Eat hot. Can be frozen and
reheated in microwave.

Dolmas

Dolmas

1 pound Ground Lamb
2 cups Onion, Minced in Processor --
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Long Grain Rice -- Uncooked
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley -- Finely chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Dill -- Chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Mint -- Finely chopped
1/4 cup Pine nuts -- Roasted
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
8 ounces Grape Leaves
1 each Lemon

In food processor fitted with metal blade, chop onion then herbs.

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Put in large bowl with
remaining ingredients (except grape leaves and chicken broth) and mix
thoroughly. Drain grape leaves and drop into boiling water for 2 - 4
minutes. Remove from water, separate and dry. Put 1 T. meat mixture on
each leaf and roll. Put any leftover leaves on bottom of skillet.

Place dolmas in 2 layers in pan. Squeeze lemon over. Cover with layer
of leaves (if you have enough). Cover with chicken stock. Weigh down
with heatproof plate and cover. Simmer about 1-1/2 hours. Best served
at room temp.

East Indian Snack

East Indian Snack

5 ounces can crisp Chinese noodles
6 1/4 ounces package salted cashew nuts
2 cups Rice Chex®
1/8 cup toasted coconut
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce

In mixing bowl or slow-cooking pot, mix together noodles, cashews, Rice
Chex, and coconut. Sprinkle with curry and ginger. Add butter and soy
sauce. Toss until well mixed. Cover and cook in slow-cooking pot on
low 3 to 4 hours. Uncover the last 30 to 40 minutes. Serve as
appetizer or snack.