Egg Rolls Alieh Nozari

Ingredients

  1 lb 93% lean ground turkey*

  1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

  Salt

  3/4 cup chopped bell pepper

  2 tsp minced garlic

  1 1/2 tsp peeled and minced ginger

  2/3 cup diced green onions

  2 cups shredded green cabbage (8 oz)

  1 cup matchstick carrots (2 oz)

  1 Tbsp soy sauce

  1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

  1/2 tsp Chinese five spice

  20 egg roll wrappers (1 lb pkg. such as Nasoya)

  1 egg, beaten

  Vegetable oil for frying (about 6 - 8 cups)

  Sweet and sour sauce or other asian dipping sauce, (such as La Choy brand) for serving (optional)

Instructions

Cook ground turkey: Heat 1/2 Tbsp oil in a 12-inch saute pan or deep skillet. Add turkey and cook and crumble until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. 

Saute vegetables: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in now empty pan over medium high heat, add bell pepper and saute 1 minute. Add green onions, garlic and ginger and saute 30 seconds. Add cabbage and carrots and saute until just wilted, about 1 - 2 minutes.

Season egg roll filling: Return turkey to pan with vegetables, pour in soy sauce, sesame oil and sprinkle in Chinese five spice. Toss mixture then transfer to a long sheet of foil to cool about 10 minutes.

Add oil to a pot (it should come up about 1 1/2 - 2 inches) and heat to 370 degrees, or if baking egg rolls preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease an 18 by 13 - inch baking sheet**.

Wrap egg rolls while oil is heating: lay one egg roll wrap out on a clean work surface. Spread a horizontal row of a scant 1/4 cup of the egg roll filling in center of wrap. Using your fingertip dab a little bit of the beaten egg on the upper corner and right and left corners of the egg roll (this will act as the glue).

Fold bottom corner up then fold right and left side corners in to enclose filling (making an envelop style shape). Press filling snuggly down in using your fingertips then snugly roll and wrap egg roll***. Repeat with remaining wraps and filling.

To fry egg rolls: fry egg rolls in batches, 5 at a time, until golden brown, turning once halfway through. It should take about 2 - 3 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

To bake egg rolls: place egg rolls on prepared baking sheet, brush both sides of egg rolls with 1 1/2 Tbsp oil total. Bake in preheated oven 11 minutes or until golden brown, turn and continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, about 7 - 9 minutes longer.

Let egg rolls cool slightly (they'll be very hot for the first few minutes) then serve warm with sweet and sour sauce.

Recipe Notes

 • *Ground chicken or ground pork can be substituted.

 • **Don't use a dark baking sheet or egg rolls will burn.

 • ***Be sure to fold wraps in nice and tight and roll snuggly so oil doesn't seep in while cooking.

 • Nutrition estimate is per egg roll, based on frying method and using lean ground turkey.

Basundi Effat Irannezhad

INGREDIENTS

 • 

2 litre milk, full cream

 • 

2 tbsp cashew /, chopped

 • 

½ cup sugar

 • 

2 tbsp almonds /, chopped

 • 

2 tbsp pistachios, chopped

 • 

¼ tsp saffron

 • 

¼ tsp cardamom powder 

INSTRUCTIONS

 • firstly, in a large thick bottomed kadai boil 2-litre milk stirring occasionally.

 • once the milk comes to a boil, add 2 tbsp chopped cashew, almonds and pistachios.

 • stir well making sure milk doesn't stick to the bottom.

 • boil the milk on low flame for 30 minutes or till milk reduces.

 • keep stirring in between to avoid sticking till the milk reduces to quarter.

 • now add ½ cup sugar and ¼ tsp saffron and mix well.

 • boil for another 5 minutes or till the milk thickens completely.

 • now add ¼ tsp cardamom powder and mix well.

 • finally, serve basundi chilled or hot garnished with few dry fruits.

notes:

 • firstly, make sure to boil the milk on low to medium flame to prevent from burning.

 • also, basundi thickens once cooled completely, so adjust the consistency as required by adding milk before serving.

 • additionally, use ½ cup condensed milk instead of sugar to reduce the cooking time of basundi.

 • finally, basundi taste great when served chilled and prepared more creamy.

Black forest parfait artistoneh

INGREDIENTS

Components:

 • ladyfingers, as needed

 • kirsch chocolate soaking syrup

 • chocolate pastry cream

 • 24.7 oz jar Dark Morello Cherries* in light syrup (12 oz drained)

 • whipped cream*

 • grated or shaved dark chocolate, to garnish

Chocolate Pastry Cream:

 • 2 cups whole milk

 • 3/4 cup granualted sugar

 • 1/4 cup corn starch

 • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

 • 4 large egg yolks

 • 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter

 • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

 • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Kirsch Chocolate Soaking Syrup:

 • 1 cup hot water

 • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

 • 5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

 • 3 Tablespoon kirsch (Kirschwasser)

Whipped Cream:

 • 2 cups heavy cream, very cold

 • 2 Tablespoons - 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, according to taste

 • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Chocolate Pastry Cream:

 1 Line a quarter-sheet baking pan with plastic wrap, making sure the sides of the pans are also covered. Set aside. 

 2 Pour 1 1/2 cups milk into a large heavy bottomed sauce pot. Add 1/2 cup of sugar. Whisk together. Place over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to make sure the milk does not burn along the sides or bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil. 

 3 Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cocoa powder, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Add in remaining 1/2 cup milk and egg yolks. Whisk until smooth. 

 4 Once milk has boiled, reduce heat. Slowly add a little bit of the milk into the cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly to distribute the heat. Continue to add milk and whisk until only a couple of tablespoons of milk are left in the saucepan. Pour all the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan. 

 5 Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the custard has thickened. Keep whisking and let the custard come to boil to cook out the cornstarch flavor. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until smooth. Add salt and vanilla and whisk until combined. 

 6 Pour the hot pastry cream into the prepared plastic wrapped sheet pan. Spread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 10-15 minutes until the pastry cream has cooled to room temperature. Remove from freezer and transfer to an airtight container. Place plastic wrap directly on pastry cream to avoid condensation. Let chill in the refrigerator until ready to use

Kirsch Soaking Syrup:

 1 Dissolve sugar in hot water. Whisk in sifted cocoa powder. Mix in kirsch. Set aside. (Reheat in microwave as needed during assembly.) 

Whipped Cream:

 1 Use a hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment) to mix together heavy cream and confectioners' sugar. Mix on medium speed until cream reaches stiff peaks. Use immediately, or cover and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to assemble.  

Assembly:

 1 Gather desired serving vessels. Working with one ladyfinger at a time, dip in warm kirsch soaking syrup for 2-3 seconds on each side. (Do not soak for too long because ladyfinger will soften too much.) Place ladyfinger in serving vessel. If necessary, break ladyfinger into smaller pieces depending on size and shape of serving vessel. 

 2 Spread layer of chocolate pastry cream on top to fully cover ladyfingers. Spoon about 5 pieces of drained cherries on top of pastry cream. Top with whipped cream.  

 3 Repeat with second layer of soaked ladyfinger, pastry cream, cherries, and whipped cream. If desired, repeat with a third layer. 

 4 If serving immediately, garnish top layer with shaved chocolate. Otherwise, cover and keep chilled in the fridge for up to two days. Before serving, garnish with shaved chocolate.   

RECIPE NOTES

Ingredient Notes:

 • I use these ladyfingers. They are available in large packages at Smart and Final and Restaurant Depot. 

 • Use homemade whipped cream or an 8oz tub of store-bought whipped topping, such as Cool Whip.

 • Use Morello cherries or tart/sour cherries in LIGHT syrup. Those jarred or canned on heavy syrup will be too sweet for this recipe. Drain cherries before use.

 • Kirsch/Kirschwasser is not the same as cherry liqueur. Kirsch is a clear colored cherry brandy.

MAKE AHEAD OPTION: These Black Forest parfaits can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge covered for up to two days before servings. After two days, the chocolate pastry cream will start to weep and separate. 

Ideally, these parfaits are best enjoyed within 24 hours of assembly