Iraqi Vanilla Cake With Pomegranate Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract. Fold in the flours with a metal spoon until well mixed. Transfer to the cake tin, smooth the top, then bake for 50 mins until risen and golden.
• To make the syrup, mix the lemon juice with the pomegranate juice, caster sugar and vanilla, then heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and reduce slightly until syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool slightly, then tip in the pomegranate seeds.
• Remove the cake from the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before poking holes all over it with a skewer and pouring over the pomegranate syrup. Enjoy warm or cool completely in the tin.

Steps:

• Fry the chicken pieces in some oil, or deep fry, and set aside.
• Fry the onion and garlic; add the liquid of the chickpeas; and put in all the spices.
• Add the chicken stock, chopped tomatoes and 2 liters water. Wait until it boils and than add the tomato puree.
• Add the potatoes, chickpeas, and chicken; let it boil until the potatoes are done.
• Serve over cut up bread or basmati rice. When you serve it over rice, make sure you use less water or more tomato puree, to make the sauce thicker.
• P.S. You can replace the chicken for lamb or chicken breasts, and you can add some veggies such as carrot, sweet pepper, green beans, etc., or you can even add some sweet potato or pumpkin.
• The Iraqi people put in whatever they have leftover; be creative and add what you like.