Our Domestic Diva Silvena Rowe solves your kitchen dilemmas and shares some recipes.

She might look scary, but don’t be daunted by that diva demeanour – Friday’s very own chef Silvena Rowe is happy to answer all your kitchen queries

I firmly believe that only highly skilled chefs can make dim sums from scratch. But I would love to create something similar for my family and friends. Can you suggest an easy way?

The best way to start is by making fried dim sums. And instead of making wonton skins at home, use the ready-made ones.

If you want to make your life even easier, just deep-fry wonton skins until crispy, drain over a kitchen towel and top with something simple and delicious like tuna tartare and a hint of wasabi. A simple yet impressive appetizer.

My family and I love cold cuts from the deli at the local supermarket as they’re delicious for supper and even better the next day. I’ll often use them in my packed lunch but are they healthy and can you suggest some interesting ways to eat them?

It is important to read the fine print before you buy cold cuts. Opt for chicken and turkey cold cuts that are non-processed as they do not have as many preservatives as the regular variety and so are healthier. Also, if you consume a lot of cold cuts, I’d suggest that you reduce the quantity by eating them with a lot of fresh ingredients such as greens, healthy sandwich spreads and even low-fat cheese. Trust me, you won’t miss those cold meats after a while.

I believe making hung yogurt is quite tricky and friends have suggested that I use labneh instead. Do you think it’s a good idea?

There is nothing like homemade strained or hung yogurt. It just requires a bit of planning. Simply line a bowl with a piece of muslin cloth or a double cheese cloth, and spoon all the yogurt into the cloth. Bring the edges of the cloth together and tie it up well so that the knot doesn’t open easily.

Hang the yogurt from a height, place a bowl underneath to collect all the whey and leave it for at least two hours, or preferably overnight. What is left in the muslin cloth is strained yogurt or hung yogurt. Isn’t that easy?

If you’re not able to hang the yogurt from a height, place the pouch in a sieve and put a weight over the pouch. Then place the sieve over a bowl and refrigerate the whole thing overnight for best results.

Don’t discard the whey as it has a lot of nutritional value. Use it instead of water to make the dough for chapattis or parathas. They’ll turn out soft and delicious.

That’s twice as nice a reward for your efforts!

● Do you have a question for Silvena? Email her at Friday@gulfnews.com. Please write ‘Domestic Diva’ in the subject line of your email.