Gato Bortukal- orange cake

Gato Bortukal- orange cake

6 eggs
2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla (w/o alcohol of course)
1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp grated orange peel (I never use it)
2 cups flour, sifted with:
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch salt

Glaze=
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a TUBE or BUNDT pan
2. Cream eggs with the sugar. Beat in vanilla and orange juice
3. Add remianing cake ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake about 35 minutes (do the toothpick test of course). Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before unmolding.
5. Combine glaze ingredients and pour them over the warm cake immediately after unmolding.

variations:
Saudi and Khaleej -- add cardamom
Iraq -- add 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Hilwat Tamr

Hilwat Tamr
(Date Nut Pie)

1/2 cup coarsley chopped blanched almonds
1/2 cup coarsley chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup half anf half
1 lb dates, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp orange blossom water
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Mix the almonds, walnuts and sugar; then set aside
In a heavy frying pan, melt the butter; then stir in the cream, cinnamon and orange blossom water. Saute over a low heat until the dates become soft, stirring once in a while to make sure the dates don't stick. Add a little more cream if necessary. Stir in the nut mixture; then saute for a further 3 minutes.
Spread evenly in a pie pan; then bake in a 300 degree farenheit oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and allow to cool. Cut into small pie shaped wedges.

M'halabiya bil Manga/M'halabiya bil Bortugal

M'halabiya bil Manga/M'halabiya bil Bortugal

2 cups low fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp rosewater (or more to taste)
6 tbsp cornstarch (divided use)
2/3 cup water (divided use)
2 cups mangos or oranges, peeled and coarsley chopped
Garnish- whipped cream (optional)
ground pistachios
1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat, adding the sugar and the
rosewater. Dissolve 3 tbsp of the cornstarch in 1/3 cup of the water
and whisk into the milk. Stir constantly until the milk thickens.
Remove from the heat and let stand.
2. In another saucepan, bring the mango juice or orange juice to a
boil. Dissolve the remaining 3 tbs carnstarch in the remaining 1/3
cup water, and whisk into the juice. Stir constantly until the liquid
thickens. Remove from the heat and let stand.
3. Pour half of the thickened milk into attractive stemmed glasses or
serving dishes. Carefully cover with a layer of thickened juice and
drop in a few pieces of fresh fruit. Pour the reminaing milk pudding
in a third layer and garnish with the rest of the chopped fruit. For
a special occasion, each glass may be garnished with a rosette of
whipped cream, surrounded by chunks of fresh mango or orange.
Sprinkle with ground pistachio and refrigerate.

Banana Split Salad

Banana Split Salad
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 package (10 oz) frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed
2 medium firm bananas, chopped
1 carton (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup chopped walnuts
Red food coloring, optional

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar. Stir in
pineapple, strawberries, and bananas. Fold in the whipped topping,
walnuts, and food coloring, if desired. Pour into an oiled 13 x 9
inch dish. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. Remove
from the freezer 30 minutes before serving.

Halawa

Halawa

1 tin sugar
1/2 tin water
Rosewater
1 tin butter
1 1/2 tins flour

Make a Syrup of the sugar and water and flavor with rosewater. Allow to
cool. Melt the fat in a saucepan, add the flour, stirring constantly until
it is well cooked. Remove form the fire and add the syrup, pouring it in
slowly and stirring all the time. The mixture should resemble a thick cake
batter. If it is too thin, return to the fire and cook until thicker.
Occasionally this sweet is decorated with almonds.
personal note-- The Iranian ladies I know who make this usually pour it onto
a nice serving platter before it is cold, and sort of sculpt little swirls
or spoon patterns onto it. This is also made in Iraq.

Shir Berenj (rice pudding)

1/2 c short grain rice
1 1/2 cups cold water
4 cups milk
pinch of salt
1/4 c sugar
2-3 teaspoons rosewater
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
honey for serving (optional)
1. Rinse rice if necessary. Place in a heavy pan with water and bring to
a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes
until water is well absorbed.
2. Stir in milk, add salt and bring to a slow simmer. Simmer gently,
uncovered, for 40 minutes until pudding is thick. Take care that pudding
does NOT scorch. Srit occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3. Add sugar, rose water, to taste, and cardamom. Stir to blend and turn
into small bowls. Serve warm or chilled with a little honey drizzled on top
if desired.

Shirini

Shirini (Kurdish)

1-1 1/2 tins sugar
1/2 tin water
1/2 k pumpkin
1/2 tin chopped walnuts

Boil the sugar and water till it forms a thick syrup. Wash the pumpkin, peel it, remove the seeds, cut into neat pieces and cook in the syrup until it is very thick and almost all absorbed. Arrange the pumpkin on a plate and decorate with walnuts, and if wanted, a little cinnamon.The Syrup may be made of date syrup or honey, but sugar is better. The Turkish method of making this dish is to put layers of sugar between the pumpkin, enough water being obtained from the juice. Sometimes this is served with clotted cream.