SWEET PUFFS
MAKES: ABOUT 40

2 teaspoons active dried yeast
80 g (3 oz/¾ cup) chickpea flour
75 g (2½ oz/½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
3 teaspoons ground rice
5 large eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, pounded
60 g (2 oz/¼ cup) ghee, melted and cooled
oil, for deep-frying
Syrup
440 g (15½ oz/2 cups) sugar
2 tablespoons strained lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, pounded

Add the yeast to 2 tablespoons warm water. Leave to soak, then stir to dissolve.
Sift the chickpea flour, plain flour and ground rice into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
Beat the eggs well and stir in the cardamom, saffron and yeast mixture. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients, pour in the cooled ghee and gradually mix into a thick batter, beating until smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm draught-free place for at least 4 hours.

To make the syrup, dissolve the sugar in 500 ml (17 fl oz/ 2 cups) water in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to the boil, add the lemon juice, cardamom and saffron and boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave until cool.
Heat 10 cm (4 inches) of ghee or oil in a deep saucepan to 180°C (356°F) or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Stir the dough, then drop teaspoonfuls into the hot oil, pushing it off the end of the spoon with a round-bladed knife. Drop 10–12 balls in at a time and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning to brown evenly.
When golden brown and cooked through, lift the puffs out with a slotted spoon and place in the cooled syrup.
When all the puffs are cooked, stir them in the syrup to coat evenly, then lift out with a slotted spoon and pile onto a plate. Serve warm.

Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg

ARABIC COFFEE

SERVES: 8
6 cardamom pods
20 g (¼ oz/¼ cup) coarsely pulverised dark roast coffee

Bruise the cardamom pods by hitting them with a mallet, or pounding them briefly using a mortar and pestle.
Pour 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) cold water into a long-handled coffee pot and add the cardamom pods and coffee. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Leave to simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, so that the coffee grounds settle.
Pour the coffee into Arabic coffee cups, only half-filling the cups. It is traditionally served without sugar.

Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg

SWEET ARABIC COFFEE

SERVES: 6
Although called a coffee, there is no coffee in this exotic brew. It is actually a spice infusion!
3 whole cardamoms
3 teaspoons saffron threads
sugar, to taste

Pound the saffron using a mortar and pestle. Add the cardamom pods and briefly pound them to bruise them.
Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan or large longhandled coffee pot. Add 375 ml (12½ fl oz/1½ cups) water, and sugar to taste. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then leave over low heat for 30 minutes, or until reduced and thickened.
Serve in Arabic coffee cups, filling them to the top

Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg