Cerstan's Recipes

Ingredients

• •6-7 medium apples, peeled and sliced
• •3/4 cup granulated sugar
• •2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• •1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• •1/4 teaspoon salt
• •2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• •2 pie crusts (homemade or store-bought)
• •1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. 1.Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. 2.In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
3. 3.Roll out one pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan.
4. 4.Pour the apple mixture into the pie crust and dot with butter pieces.
5. 5.Roll out the second pie crust and place it over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges to seal. Cut several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
6. 6.Brush the top crust with beaten egg for a golden finish.
7. 7.Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
8. 8.Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Cook's Notes

For best results, use a mix of tart and sweet apples like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Ingredients

• •1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs) or 2 lbs chicken pieces
• •10 cups water
• •3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• •3 celery stalks, sliced
• •1 large onion, diced
• •3 cloves garlic, minced
• •2 bay leaves
• •1 teaspoon dried thyme
• •1 teaspoon dried parsley
• •Salt and pepper to taste
• •2 cups egg noodles
• •Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. 1.Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. 2.Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. 3.Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth to remove any impurities.
4. 4.Return the broth to the pot and add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes.
5. 5.While vegetables cook, remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
6. 6.Add the shredded chicken back to the pot along with the egg noodles. Cook for 8-10 minutes until noodles are tender.
7. 7.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves before serving.
8. 8.Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Cook's Notes

This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

• •2 cups all-purpose flour
• •1 tablespoon baking powder
• •1 teaspoon salt
• •1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• •6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
• •3/4 cup cold buttermilk
• •2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing)

Instructions

1. 1.Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. 3.Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. 4.Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. 5.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle.
6. 6.Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, pressing straight down without twisting. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet.
7. 7.Gather scraps, pat out again, and cut more biscuits until all dough is used.
8. 8.Brush the tops with melted butter and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
9. 9.Serve warm with butter, jam, or honey.

Cook's Notes

The key to flaky biscuits is keeping the butter cold and not overworking the dough. Handle it as little as possible for the best texture.

Ingredients

• •400 g flour
• •200 g sugar
• •60 g roasted unsalted pistachios
• •1 tsp cardamom
• •1 tbsp vanilla extract
• •184.4 g neutral oil
• •412 g milk
• •16 g baking powder
• •1 tsp salt
• •232 g milk (for milk mixture)
• •225 g sweetened condensed milk
• •Pinch saffron
• •225 g whipping cream
• •40 g confectioners' sugar
• •1 tsp vanilla (for whipped cream)
• •20 g pistachios (for topping)

Instructions

1. 1.Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
2. 2.Grease a 9x13 pan and line with parchment.
3. 3.Mix pistachios, sugar, cardamom, oil, and vanilla. Then add milk.
4. 4.Mix flour, salt, and baking powder, then combine with pistachio mixture.
5. 5.Pour batter into 9x13 pan.
6. 6.Bake 50 minutes.
7. 7.Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
8. 8.Heat sweetened condensed milk and milk until bubbles form at edges. Turn off heat and add saffron. Allow to cool.
9. 9.Transfer cake back to pan. Poke holes all over and pour over milk mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 mins, then cover and chill for 2 hours to overnight (best overnight).
10. 10.Make whipped cream: Whip whipping cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla.
11. 11.Top with whipped cream and pistachios before serving.

Cook's Notes

This cake is best when chilled overnight, allowing the milk mixture to fully soak into the cake. The result is an incredibly moist and flavorful dessert that captures the essence of traditional kulfi.

Ingredients

• •3 cups basmati rice
• •4 cups water or stock
• •1 kg lamb or chicken (bone-in pieces)
• •1 large onion, thinly sliced
• •4 cloves garlic, minced
• •1-inch ginger, minced
• •3 tablespoons oil or ghee
• •1 cup yogurt
• •4-5 green cardamom pods
• •3-4 cloves
• •1 cinnamon stick
• •1 bay leaf
• •1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• •1 teaspoon coriander powder
• •½ teaspoon turmeric
• •1 teaspoon garam masala
• •½ teaspoon black pepper
• •1 cup julienned carrots
• •½ cup raisins
• •½ cup slivered almonds
• •2 tablespoons sugar
• •Pinch of saffron soaked in ¼ cup warm milk
• •2 tablespoons ghee (for topping)
• •Salt to taste

Instructions

1. 1.Prepare the rice: Wash basmati rice until water runs clear. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. 2.Brown the meat: In your enamel pot on the stovetop, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Remove half and set aside for garnish. Add meat, garlic, ginger, and cook until browned.
3. 3.Add spices: Stir in all the whole and ground spices. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add yogurt and mix well. Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes until meat is tender. Add a splash of water if needed.
4. 4.Prepare the topping: In a separate pan, heat ghee and sauté carrots until slightly soft. Add raisins, almonds, and sugar. Cook 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
5. 5.Layer the pulao: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Layer drained rice over the meat in the enamel pot. Pour 4 cups of water evenly over rice. Drizzle saffron milk on top. Dot with ghee. Sprinkle the carrot-raisin-almond mixture over the rice.
6. 6.Bake: Cover the pot tightly with foil, then the lid. Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes until rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
7. 7.Rest and serve: Remove from oven and let rest covered for 10 minutes. Gently fluff with a fork, garnish with reserved fried onions, and serve hot.

Cook's Notes

The key is a tight seal to trap steam. Check once at 40 minutes; if rice seems dry, sprinkle a bit more water. You can add fried boiled eggs as a traditional garnish.