Eating Your Mistakes...

Olive Oil Bread

2012-01-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

I made this bread after having it bookmarked for SO long. It was so good and surprisingly easy (with the help of the Kitchen Aid)! The only change I made from the original was to use some wheat flour to make it healthier.
One word of caution, watch the bread. The baking time will vary based on your oven. Mine didn't take quite as long as the original recipe stated. As you can see, my bread cracked a bit. However, it still tasted good!

Olive Oil Bread
Adapted from Post Punk Kitchen

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for the bowl and drizzling)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Put water and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook. Sprinkle yeast and let it sit for five minutes. Mix in olive oil.
Add 1 cup of flour with the salt. Mix on low until everything is incorporated. Then turn the speed up to medium and mix for three minutes.
Add another 1/2 cup of flour and mix well. Start on low and then switch to medium speed. Then add 1/2 cup of flour again (start on low then switch to medium). The dough should be smooth and elastic. If it is sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it seems dry. (For me, I only needed an additional 2 tablespoons, but you may need between 1/4 - 1/2 cup). Knead on medium until the dough is smooth.
Coat a large bowl with olive oil. Form the dough into a ball and toss it in the olive oil coated bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm place. Allow it to rise for an hour or until it is doubled in size (may take longer in the winter).
Gently remove the dough and place on clean, dry surface. If the dough is sticky, you may need to add flour to the surface. Form the dough into a big oval and roll out to form a loaf that is about 14 inches long. I shaped my loaf with my hands.
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Score it on top with a knife (PPK recommends three diagonal slices). Drizzle with olive oil and let rise for 15 minutes.
Once the dough has risen for another 15 minutes, place in oven and bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack. Lower the heat to 350F and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Check the bread using tongs. Mine began to brown after 5 minutes at the lower temperature. Per PPK, if it is browning too much, transfer the bread directly to the oven rack for the remaining baking time (I had to do this).
Once the bread is baked (total time for me was about ~35 minutes), take out of oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before you slice into it.

Garlic Kulcha

2011-12-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

For a long time, I wanted to experiment making different "breads" from India. I love onion kulchas from Punjabi restaurants and thought I would try this one when I saw it. Although not as greasy as the restaurants, still very yummy.

Garlic Kulchas

adapted from Chef in You

Ingredients:

3 cups multi grain flour (I used Sujata)
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup grapeseed (or other) oil
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste
water

Directions:

Put all dry ingredients in bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Add the wet ingredients (except the water) to the dry ingredients and turn on mixer on low. Add a little water at a time until dough forms. Knead until it is smooth. Cover and let rest for 1-2 hours. (I let mine sit for 3 hours).
Heat a cast iron or other skillet over medium heat. Roll out dough on a floured surface as it may stick. Put on hot skillet to cook and it will puff up. Cook both sides and enjoy with your favorite dal, shaak/sabji or just plain.

Chipotle Hummus & Tahini

2011-12-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

This year's Thanksgiving feast for the veggie lovers was a Mediterranean delight with falafels served with cilantro hummus, chipotle hummus and homemade tahini sauce. Here are the recipes for the chipotle hummus and tahini sauce. I used my vitamix for the tahini sauce and it turned out excellent.

Chipotle Hummus
adapted from lizmari

Ingredients:

2 cans of garbanzo beans
2 teaspoons of cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/3 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 - 1/2 cup oil (grapeseed or olive)
1 teaspoon fresh garlic
4 whole chipotle chilies in adobe sauce (take seeds out) (use more if you want it spicier)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies

shopping list

Directions:

Drain garbanzo beans and wash. Add garbanzo beans and all other ingredients to a food processor. Puree until smooth. You may need to add more oil or lime/lemon juice to your taste.
The four chilies will make this mild. Add more chilies plus some of the seeds to make it spicier.
Enjoy with pita chips.

Tahini

adapted from epicurious

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive or grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

Soak sesame seeds in 1/4 cup water for 30 minutes. Add this to blender and blend until paste formed. Add remaining ingredients and adjust according to taste.
Note: the addition of cilantro and parsley will turn your tahini green!

Starfish Crackers

2011-08-12T23:02:00.000-07:00

I love, love cheese crackers. Especially goldfish crackers! It is no wonder that the kid loves them too. However, looking at the long ingredient list from these goodies turns me off. Thanks to the Smitten Kitchen, I found a way to make them at home. The result, addicting! Now I had to buy car cookie cutters because the star shaped was rejected by the kid.

Starfish Crackers
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups mixed cheese (cheddar, Monterey jack)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup multi grain flour (I used Sujata)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add all the ingredients in a food processor until the dough forms (takes approximately 2 minutes).
Roll out dough or chill to roll out later. If you chill longer than 30-45 minutes, let it come somewhat to room temperature. (I let mine chill too long and it began to crack as I rolled it out.) Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thick and cut shapes using a cookie cutter. I used a star shape as that was what I had on hand.
Transfer the crackers to a cookie sheet leaving about 1/2 inch between them. Bake on middle rack for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to turn brown. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Gavar shaak (Saucy cluster beans)

2011-08-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

I happen to love gavar (aka cluster beans). I realize not everyone does, but thankfully my kid does! This gives me an excuse to make it when it's available at the farmers market. And its available now until November!

Gavar shaak
Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1/2 lb gavar (when cut up, approx 2 cups)
2 1/2 Tablespoons besan (chickpea flour)
2 Tablespoons of yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ajwain
1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1/8 teaspoon turmeric (haldi, harder)
1-1 1/2 cup water
chili powder to taste
salt to taste

Directions

Cut and wash gavar. Set aside.
Mix the besan, yogurt, turmeric,chili powder (if using) and salt together. Make sure there are no lumps. I typically use a wire whisk. Add the water and mix thoroughly.
Heat pressure cooker with oil and add ajwain seeds over medium heat. When seeds sizzle and turn brown, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the besan mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes. If water evaporates too quickly, add a little more.
Add gavar and mix together. Put lid on and cook for 7-8 minutes (without whistles) or for 3-4 whistles. The gavar should be softer but not mushy. Enjoy with rice, khichadi or roti.

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

2011-05-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

I am constantly in search of a healthy baked goodies to try out on my colleagues at work. These fit the bill nicely as the other recipe I wanted to try required ripe bananas. They were a hit and my friend said they were the best yet! Next time, I would modify this somewhat to add cinnamon and dry ginger powder. They are good that you forget that they're healthy! I highly encourage you to check out Heidi's blog, she has some GREAT recipes!!

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
Modified From Heidi Swanson
Makes 2.5 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup multi grain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Coach's cut oats (from Costco)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup grape seed oil (didn't have coconut oil)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. I used a baking sheet and a stone to bake my cookies (don't line the stone).
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and oats in a bowl. (I used my stand mixer bowl.) Add the nuts and carrots.
In another bowl, whisk the oil, maple syrup and ginger. Add this to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
Drop onto the baking sheet and/or stone. I used a tablespoon and flattened some (if you want them crispy) and left some as mounds (to have them softer). Bake on the top part of your oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are slightly browned on the top and bottom.

Cilanto-Lime Vinaigrette

2011-05-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a tasty and healthy dressing I came across and love! It works great on many different salads.

Cilantro-lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

Mix above and adjust according to taste. Pour over salad and enjoy!

Veggie Paella

2011-02-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would like paella...mainly because it is almost always made with seafood. Then I went to Cascal and had an amazing paella! That set me on a mission to recreate the paella. After a few missteps and tries, here is the recipe that comes the closest to their paella. The next modification will be to make the romesco sauce that is added at the end. That will make this closer to the Cascal version.
Just a note about the recipe, I've used the vegetables I like. You can vary this recipe and use many different vegetables. I've varied it many times using kale, spinach, and broccoli.

Veggie Paella
Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

2 cups rice (I used basmati)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves (or more depending on your taste)
4 cups veggie broth
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans
4 medium tomatoes or 1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups artichoke hearts (used frozen)
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup peas
1 large bunch cilantro + 1/2 cup parsley, blended with 1/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste

Directions:

Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute. Add garlic and rice and saute for 3 minutes.
Add zucchini and artichokes and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and stir for a few minutes. Add veggie broth, and cilantro/parsley mixture and bring to a boil. Add the garbanzo beans, peas, bell pepper and salt.
Cook until the rice is done. This may take 15-20 minutes.

Chai Cupcakes...Eggless!

2011-02-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

I made these Chai Cupcakes for a chaat and cupcake get together. I wanted to make a cupcake that would complement all the yummy chaat (aka Indian snacks). I came across this recipe from Love & Olive Oil site and modified it after finding another recipe. (I didn't want to use soymilk...)

Ingredients

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons loose black tea or tea bags
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of chai masala
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 cup confectioner sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F
Heat milk and add chai. Boil and take off the stove. Let sit for 10 min to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and tea mixture until smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and masala.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until lumps gone. Fill in cupcake pans and bake until toothpick comes clean. (~20-22 minutes).
Once the cupcakes are cooled, sift sugar over cooled cupcakes. (Make sure the cupcakes are thoroughly cooled or the sugar will just melt!)

Simple Sorbet

2011-02-14T10:26:00.000-08:00

This is by far the EASIEST recipe I've ever tried and one of the tastiest. This is a great way to make a tasty summer time treat! I got this receipe from Prevention magazine and modified it very slightly by replacing the sugar with honey.

Simple Sorbet
Adapted from Prevention Magazine

Ingredients:

1 lb frozen strawberries, mango or your favorite fruit*
1/2 cup plain yogurt (the full fat version works well)
honey (to taste)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor (or a Vita Mix if you have it) and puree until creamy. If the fruit doesn't blend, add a little bit of water. You can eat immediately or freeze it. I've put this into Popsicle molds and it has been a hit!

*Note: You can take fresh fruit, clean and freeze to use for this recipe. I did that and it worked just as well.

Batata Harra (Lebanese Potatoes with Cilantro)

2011-02-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with these potatoes at Open Sesame in Long Beach. They were so tasty that I set out to find the recipe. I didn't have to look too hard as the NY Times had it posted! I modified the recipe as I do not like frying. The original recipe calls for russet potatoes, but have made these with different varieties of potatoes and they turn out great.

Batata Harra
Adapted from NY Times

Ingredients

4 potatoes
3-4 tablespoons of oil (use any kind you like)
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1 3/4 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional, I left it out)
salt to taste
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley (optional, but tasty)

Directions

Cut potatoes into cubes. (You can peel them or leave the peel on). Place them in a microwave safe bowl/dish with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 5-7 minutes to par cook.
Heat a pan on medium-low with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add garlic and cover. Cook for ~3 minutes, but be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the cilantro and wilt it for ~1-2 minutes. Remove sauce from pan and set aside.
Heat a pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. (This works really well in non-stick pans to avoid messy clean-up). Add the potatoes from the microwave. Do not stir! Let them cook for a few minutes until brown and then flip using a spatula. Continue cooking on all sides until browned.
Once the potatoes are cooked, take out into dish. Add the cilantro-garlic sauce, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne (if using), and salt and toss. Enjoy warm.

Carrot Zucchini Bread

2010-11-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from a great cookbook I received from my sis. I absolutely LOVE this bread and could eat loads of it...thankfully it is full of veggies too! Try it out and try to resist eating more than one slice. I modified the recipe to decrease the sugar and omit the candied ginger (didn't have any at the time).

Carrot Zucchini Bread
Adapted from "Eating Local: The Cookbook Inspired by America's Farmers)

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cups oil (canola is recommended, I've used olive oil)
1 cup sugar (add more if you want it sweeter)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup carrots, peeled and grated (large grater holes)
1 cup zucchini, peeled and grated (large grater holes)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F. Coat two 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inch loaf pans with nonstick spray.
Sift together with flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Stir in salt.
In large bowl, whisk eggs until light and foamy. Add oil, sugar and vanilla, whisk until sugar dissolves. Whisk in carrots and zucchini.
Add ingredients from step two into wet mixture all at once. Stir with wooden spoon until just blended. Divide the batter equally between the two pans.
Bake until the breads are rise and are firm to touch and toothpick comes out clean. (About 1 hour) Let bread cool in pans on a rack for 10 min and then invert and finish cooling right side up on a rack.

Double Chocolate Brownies

2010-11-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

I am definitely NOT a chocolate fan, but alas, the hubby and kid are. I tried this recipe from Martha Stewart's "Best Chocoloate Recipes" section in Martha Stewart Living. The results? Delicious (by those that partake in the eating of chcoloate!). I've made the recipe a few times and experimented with the type of chocolate (from milk to dark) and the amount of sugar. I have a link below to the original recipe and you can see my variation below.

Double Chocolate Brownies
Makes 9 large squares
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces chopped chocolate (take your pick: bittersweet, milk or dark; the better the chocolate, the better the brownies)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (add more if you like super sweet brownies)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside.
Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate are melted. Let cool slightly.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until well incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out brownies; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Lemon Rice

2010-11-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with lemon rice after having at at a party. Its a nice way to use leftover rice and super tasty! I forget where I got the original recipe...but here is my take on it.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

1.5 cups leftover rice
1 large onion chopped
2 green chilies
½ cup roasted cashews
¼ tsp haldi (turmeric)
1 lemon juiced
½ tsp lemon zest
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
1 tablespoon channa dal
½ tablespoon urad dal
Pinch hing
15-18 curry leaves (limdi)

Directions:

Heat oil in pan on medium high heat. Add rai. When it pops, add channa dal and urad dal and saute until they turn brown. Add hing and curry leaves.
Then add onion and saute until translucent. Then add turmeric and green chilies.
Next add the cooked rice, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Mix well.
Turn off the heat and add roasted cashews.
Serve with raita or yogurt.

Indian Mexican Rice

2010-06-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

When I saw this recipe on Saffron Trail, I had to try it! I got Monica Bhide's book "Modern Spice" from the library to get a better look at it as well. This recipe (with some modifications made) was great! A nice one pot meal that even the kid ate up! I will modify this recipe even more next time to make it with black beans.

Indian Mexican Rice
Adapted from the recipe by Monica Bhide
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced (add less if you don't like garlic)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp red chili powder (add more/less to suit your taste)
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 cup cooked kidney beans
3/4 cup fresh sweet corn kernels
1 cup diced red tomatoes
1 cup mixed red/yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 tsp salt (add more/less to your taste)
2.5 cups water

Directions

Heat oil in a large pan. Add whole cumin. When it turns brown, add the garlic and onions and stir for ~5 minutes until soft. Add rice and cook for a few minutes until rice is coated with oil. This helps the rice absorb more flavor.
Add the remaining spices and stir. Cook for ~30 seconds.
Add remaining ingredients, salt and water. Once the water comes to a boil, lower heat and cover and cook until rice is done (~10-12 minutes).
Optional: If you made your rice mild (to serve multiple palates), add a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce to bring out all the flavors.

Tawa Pulao

2010-05-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

I found this yummy yummy pulao recipe from another site. It was a great find and goes well with some cool raita or dahi (yogurt). It was the perfect recipe because I already had all the veggies cut up from making mexican pizzas! This is my slight variation from the one on Chef in You.

Tawa Pulao
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 inch ginger, grated
4-6 minced garlic garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3-4 large tomatoes, chopped finely
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala (or more to taste)
1/2 cup green peas, frozen (if using fresh, boil it before hand)
1 cup baby spinach chopped
2-3 green chillies (optionals)
~2-1/2 cups cooked rice (leftovers work great)
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, as needed

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat. Add cumin and fennel. When aromatic, add onions, ginger, garlic, chillies along with salt. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, garbanzo beans and bell peppers with a few tablespoons of water. Add spices and cook for a few minutes until water comes out of tomatoes. Simmer until tomatoes are cooked.
Add the spinach and peas and cook for ~2 minutes until spinach wilts. Once done, add rice and cilantro. Mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Muthiya!

2010-05-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE muthiya. It is a favorite dish of childhood made with leftover rice. I could never get mine to taste like my mom's...until she gave me her recipe in detail. Now the kid and I enjoy these...we're still working on the hubby to enjoy them. They are steamed dumplings? Not sure how to describe them other than they are yummy and healthy!

Muthiya

Ingredients

1.5 cups of wheat flour
3 tablespoons of besan (chickpea flour)
1 tablespoon of semolina or rava
1/2 cup (or more) leftover rice mashed
1 cup chopped spinach
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon haldi
1 tablespoon minced/grated ginger
1 jalepeno (optional)
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon yogurt
Tadka/Vagar: 1 tablespoon oil; 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds)

Directions:

Mix all of the above except tadka/vagar and yogurt. Add yogurt to mix. Do not make the dough/batter too soft or sticky. Add additional yogurt and water as needed.
Set aside for 20 minutes.
Make into small logs (will have to post pictures later). Place in steamer. Steam for 10-15 minutes until soft.
Once done, set aside for 5 minutes. Once cooled somewhat, cut into small circles.
Heat oil and mustard seeds in pan. When crackle, add sesame seeds and steamed muthiyas. Brown for a few minutes and enjoy with some chai or on its own!

Bengali Dal

2010-05-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in my quest to make different dals and it is a keeper. I found it in a recipe book from the library and adapted it to meet my taste!

Bengali Dal
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup channa dal
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon of panch pharon mixture (equal parts cumin, fennel, fenugreek, black mustard and nigella seeds)
2 teaspoons amchoor
1/2 teaspoon haldi/turmeric
chopped/sliced red onions for garnish

Directions:

Wash channa dal and soak for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in small pan and add panch pharon. Add mango powder and dal. Add salt, haldi and 2 cups of water.
Cook in pressure cooker for 7 minutes or 4 whistles or on stove top until dal is cooked.
Enjoy with rice with red onions on top.

Veggie Pho - Veggie Noodle Soup

2010-05-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I've posted a new recipe. This one is worth the wait (at least I think it is!)). This has become our new favorite soup. Does it taste like the traditional Vietnamese pho? No, but it is REALLY good. It is now in our rotation of soups and a "go to" soup when we want something warm.

My recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman's Faux Pho to meet my tastes.

Veggie Pho

Adapted from Mark Bittman

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 oz noodles (take your pick, I choose Organic Udon)
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger (i grate it)
1/2 teaspoon ground anise (or coriander seeds)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (or cinnamon or nutmeg)
1/4-1/2 cup soy sauce (i use the light kind)
cilantro (garnish)
1 fresh chilli
scallions for garnish
2 limes, for garnish
1 lb stir fry mix (or pick your favorite veggies)
1 cup diced firm tofu or edamame
salt and black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Heat oil in pot. Add garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Add spices until warm (~1 minute). Stirm in 8 cups of water and soy sauce. Bring to boil.
Add noodles and cook (mine take about 5-6 minutes). Ad veggies and tofu.
Put in bowls and top with cilantro, scallions, chillis and squeeze of lime.

Flour Tortillas

2010-04-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

In my craze to try and make things fresh and at home, I decided to experiment with flour tortillas. The inspiration was my new tortilla maker given to me by my parents. The results were so yummy that I will be making more!

Here is recipe that I adapted from one found on All Recipes. I changed to my tastes. You can do the same. I think I'll experiment more next time by adding spinach and other fun ingredients.

Home made Flour Tortillas
Makes one dozen

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon low fat butter
~3/4-1 cup hot water

Directions:

Mix the flours, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
Mix in butter with your fingers until it appears to be a crumbly mixture.
Add in the water and mix until the dough comes together. You can either knead it by hand or using the stand mixer until it is smooth.
Divide the dough into 24 small balls and roll out into circle. Roll out one at a time using a little bit of flour. Keep the other balls under a towel to prevent drying.
Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Put rolled out tortilla and cook until golden. Flip and cook on both sides. Place on plate under a towel to keep them soft.

Yummy Whole Wheat Muffins (Really!)

2010-02-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

When you think of whole wheat muffins, they are usually super dense and not very tasty. So when I came across this recipe from Mark Bittman, I had to try it out (esp since the kiddo loves muffins/cucpakes). The result, yummy! Moist and not dense. Give it a try with your favorite fruit or veggie.

Blueberry Whole Wheat Muffins
From Mark Bittman
Yields ~14

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pureed blueberries
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease one 12-cup muffin tin.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, banana, egg and buttermilk.
Fold wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined.
Fill muffin tins or liners; bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible.

Falafels

2010-02-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

I love falafels! They're not only super tasty, but good for you (ok, if they're not deep fried). I've been hunting for a recipe to mimic ones I made so many years ago. I think I may finally have found the recipe! I made them this week and they are super easy to make. The only change I would make next time is to use parsley and cilantro rather than cilantro alone. The key to making these is to not add too much water (almost none at all) when you grind the garbanzo beans. The one variation I did was not to deep fry them, but make them into patties and grill them.

Falafel
From Mark Bittman
Yield 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup dried chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 small onion, quartered
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Scant teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 cup chopped parsley or cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Neutral oil, for pan frying

Directions:

Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 or 4 inches; they will triple in volume. Soak for 24 hours, adding water if needed to keep beans submerged.
Drain beans well (reserve soaking water) and transfer to a food processor. Add remaining ingredients except oil; pulse until minced but not pureed, scraping sides of bowl down; add soaking water if necessary to allow machine to do its work, but no more than 1 or 2 tablespoons. Keep pulsing until mixture comes together. Taste, adding salt, pepper, cayenne or lemon juice to taste.
Put small amount of oil in frying pan and heat until fairly hot.
Shape into small patties. Fry in batches, without crowding, until nicely browned, turning as necessary; total cooking time will be less than 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Green Beans

2010-01-07T15:57:00.000-08:00

This has become a new favorite. What a GREAT way to eat a veggie and a no fuss way to make it! I found this on Recipezaar so I will take no credit for it. Since each green bean variety has a slightly different taste, the final outcome will taste different depending on the variety you use. Use what you like, it is a no fuss recipe.

Roasted Green Beans Recipe
Yield: 4-6 (or just 2 hungry monsters)

Ingredients:

2 lbs blue lake green beans (or your favorite variety)
1-2 tablespoon olive oil (just enough to lightly coat the beans..not fry them)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or leave out if you're watching salt intake)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or leave out)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. (Can be made in toaster oven as well)
Wash, dry well, and trim green beans.
Put the beans in a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper if using. Toss with your hands to evenly coat the beans.
Spread them out into 1 layer on the cookie sheet or toaster oven safe pan.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until beans are fairly brown in spots and somewhat shriveled. Timing will vary if you use a toaster oven. Just keep an eye on them.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pomegranate Tea Cakes with Lime Glaze

2010-01-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

I was looking to experiment with a different flavor of cupcakes for a potluck. As this was for Indians, I knew I would need a recipe that wasn't too sweet. I really wanted to make a pomegranate cupcake and after a web search, stumbled on this one. It was a BIG hit! I've made these so many times and am thinking of making them for my two year old's birthday. The only modification I made was to reduce the sugar in the glaze (1.5 cups seemed a little too sweet for me). The original recipe and post can be found on Kitchen Chick's blog.

Pomegranate Tea Cakes with Lime Glaze
Yield: 12 regular cakes with 12 mini cakes (depending on how you fill it)

Ingredients:

1.5 C all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
2 lg eggs
3/4 C pomegranate juice (divided into 1/2 and 1/4 cup portions)
4 tsp grated lime peel (divided into two 2 tsp portions)
1/2 C thick yogurt
1/4 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Beat sugar and butter with mixer until well blended. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and 2 tsp lime peel. Mixture may appear curdled. Beat flour mixture in until it is just blended. Stir in yogurt.
Drop batter into muffin pans. I used an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin pans about 1/2 way. Bake until tester comes out clean. ~25 minutes, possibly longer.
Let cool for 15 minutes or so. After cooling, use a toothpick to poke small holes into the top of the teacakes to allow the glaze to seep in.
Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, vanilla, and 2 tsp lime peel.
You can either remove the cooled teacakes from the pan or leave them in the pan. Pour glaze over each tea cake until top is covered and glaze drips down the sides. (The glaze does it make it sticky so I chose to leave them in the pan to add the glaze.)

Corn and Black Bean Salad

2010-01-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! Another wonderful year full of good eating begins. It has been made even more wonderful by the addition of a new gadget to my kitchen...a garlic press! Oh how it delights. But the adventures of the garlic press are for another post.

This post is about a simple salad you can make a day ahead and enjoy the entire week. I've made it for gatherings and it is always a hit. I cheated the last time and used a Bird's Eye Frozen black bean, corn, and pepper mix. Hey, I had a lot going on and it was an easy way to go. It worked so well, that I'll use it again! I found the recipe courtesy of chowhoud.com.

Corn & Black Bean Salad
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn, cooked for 2 minutes
3 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 bunch of green onions, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2–1 jalapeno pepper, minced (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chili powder (optional)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Toss everything together. Serve cold or at room temperature. It actually is better the next day.

Easy Minestrone

2009-11-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

Although I love cooking, I don't like to spend half the day in the kitchen making a meal (contrary to popular belief). This is a receipe that comes from Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen. Its so easy even I couldn't mess it up! I did use fresh veggies in place of the frozen ones as my only change. I love a bowl of this with a baguette.

Easy Minestrone
Yield: serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
2 onions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup pasta, dry (a small pasta is best)
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen vegetables (zucchini, carrots, broccoli and beans) OR one zucchini, carrot, broccoli and some green beans cut up
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves or use 2 T of dried basil
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring broth, beans, and tomatoes to boil in large saucepan.
Meanwhile, heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth mixture and pasta and simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in vegetables and basil and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spinach Pesto

2009-11-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

I love pesto sauce and always looked for vary the way its made. I found a spinach pesto reciepe online and it intrigued me. Since I didn't have pine nuts on hand, I made it with walnuts and it turned out just as yummy! This is a versatile sauce that can be used for sandwiches to pasta. In

Spinach Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

4 cups washed, baby spinach (stems removed), well packed, 16 to 24 ounces
3 garlic cloves, halved (or more depending on your taste)
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt (to taste)

Directions:

Place a few spinach leaves, garlic, walnuts and a little oil in blender or food processor container. Cover and puree until leaves begin to look crushed. Continue adding spinach leaves a few at a time with small amounts of oil to blender, using a rubber spatula to help to combine pureed mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and salt (if using). Cover and process until spinach pesto mixture is smooth.

Pancakes!

2009-10-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

I've been making pancakes since I was a kid...not sure how we got to eating them so much. I started out as a loyal fan of Bisquick. But as I grew older, I wanted to try my hand at making them from scracth (hearing the rave about how they taste so much better that way!). I found this recipe on the side of my unbleached all-purpose flour and have never looked back. I modified it by cutting the salt out (didn't find it necessary, but if you like, add a small amount (<1/2 teaspoon) in. I substitute the sugar for agave if my bananas are not sweet enough. Read the notes for making all sorts of yummy pancakes. This is yet another kid friendly recipe that we have on a weekly basis. Light n' Fluffy Pancakes
(adapted from TJ's Unbleached All Purpose Flour/King Arthur's Unbleached All Purpose Flour)
Yield: 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Unbleached all purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar (or less or a substitute)
1 1/4 cup warm milk
3 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
2 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon (if using), flaxseed (if using). Make a well in the center and pour the milk and melted butter and mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle/pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter using ~1/4 cup (or estimate) for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot!

Notes:

Banana walnut pancakes: add one ripe sliced banana and 1/4 cup (or more to taste) chopped walnuts at the end of step 1.
Applesauce/blueberry pancakes: add one small carton of applesauce and crushed blueberries to the end of step 1.

Tortellini and Vegetable Soup

2009-10-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

I tried yet another wonderful soup recipe from the delish.com site. I varied this (as always) based on what I found and had on hand. The recipe below will serve four people and goes good with some fresh bread.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
2 cup(s) frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced
4 clove(s) garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 can(s) (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
1 can(s) (15-ounce) vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup(s) hot water
1 teaspoon(s) dried basil
1 (9-ounce) fresh pesto tortellini (choose any flavor you like)
2 cup(s) (about 2 medium) diced zucchini
1 cup fresh baby spinach
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pepper-onion mix, garlic, and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, water, and basil; bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add tortellini and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add zucchini and spinach; return to a boil. Cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper.

Veg Hot Pot (Noodle Soup)

2009-10-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

I love noodle soup. Whats not to love? Warm broth, noodles with tofu and veggies. Yum! This is one soup that is hearty and good for you. My son loves this soup and eats it up whenever we make it. The original recipe can be found on the delish.com site. Below is my modified version to fit our palate. The veggies can be varied to your own taste. This is a fast and easy recipe that makes about 5 servings (depending on your appetite).
If you're non-veg, you can throw in chicken potstickers, use chicken broth and omit the tofu for an equally hearty dish.
Ingredients:

5 1/4 cup(s) vegetable broth
4 slice(s) (1/4-inch thick) fresh ginger, peeled
2 clove(s) garlic, crushed and peeled
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoon(s) olive oil
1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 cup each of your favorite veggies (brocolli, onions, spinach, frozen edamame)
3 1/2 ounce(s) Japanese Udon noodles
1 package(s) (14-ounce) firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 teaspoon(s) rice vinegar
2 teaspoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup(s) chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Combine broth, ginger and garlic in a Dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Discard the ginger.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and crushed garlic and red pepper (if using). Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add other veggies; cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the veggie mixture to the broth. Add noodles, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until noodles are cooked. Add tofu; simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar to taste, soy sauce and sesame oil.
Serve garnished with scallions.

Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes

2009-09-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

As much as I'm not a fan of desserts/sweets, I've gotten into a baking kick lately. A co-worker had brought these cheesecake cupcakes into work and they were a big hit. I attempted to recreate them for a cupcake exchange that I hosted. Below is the recipe I mismashed. These remind me of Eli's cheesecake from Chicago which is light and tasty, not dense like NY cheesecake. As a variation, you can put berries ontop when baking rather than the glaze.

Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes
Makes 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Crust

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 7 graham crackers)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp packed brown sugar

Filling

16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line muffin/cupcake pan with liners.
Crust: In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and brown sugar. Press crumb mixture into bottoms of prepared baking cups. Bake for 6-7 minutes.
Filling: Beat the cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, lemon zest and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. beating well after each addition.
Scoop filling over crust in baking cups and bake in preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until the centers of cupcakes are firm. *Note: These bake even better if the cupcake pan is in a water bath. To create a water bath, put the cupcake pan on a baking sheet. Add warm water to the baking sheet and bake per directions. The cupcakes won't "fall" after baking if done in a water bath.
Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Before serving, place a dollop of reduced pomegranate jelly over the top or fresh berries.

Puda/Uttapum/Chile/Savory Pancakes

2009-09-11T22:47:00.001-07:00

Here is a quick and easy recipe for my take on a traditional Indian savory pancake (called many different things depending on what part of India you are from). In Gujarat, these are made with besan (chickpea flour), in Northern India with sooji (semolina) and in South India with a rice/lentil flour. My take is to use Cream of Wheat or Malt O'Meal. Either works and makes a nutritious pancake that is filling and has many veggies. This was done in part to increase the amount of veggies my son ate. The batter below can be made thick or thin, depending on what thickness you want the pancakes to be. Thick batter, makes thicker pancakes and will make less of them. You can vary the flour used from besan, rice flour, bajra or do a combination. Either way, it comes out delicious.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Cream of Wheat/Malt O'Meal
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 small handful baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup (or less) finely chopped onion
1/2 small tomatoe finely chopped
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
chili powder (to taste, optional)
water as needed

Directions:

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl throughly.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add a dollop of oil or spray with nonstick spray. Add a small amount of the batter and cook. When the top begins to dry out, flip and cook on the other side. Serve warm.

Key Lime Cupcakes

2009-09-11T22:36:00.001-07:00

I fell in love with the idea of key lime cupcakes after having some great ones in Chicago at Sugar Bliss. Alas, there is no Sugar Bliss near me and cupcake aunty doesn't have a storefront...so P and I decided to bake our own! I can take very little credit for the creativity as baking is not my forte. All the credit for the yummy cupcakes goes to P. We varied a recipe that was inspired by Paula Deen (the queen of butter!) and found the recipe to be fairly moist. We added a graham cracker crust (YUM!) and changed the frosting to a whipped cream frosting (so-so..changed the recipe below to have a cream cheese frosting). The recipe makes a dozen cupcakes.

Ingredients:

Crust

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 7 graham crackers)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp packed brown sugar

Filling

3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 heaping teaspoon grated key lime zest
1 1/2 tablespoons key lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin/cupcake pan with liners.
Crust: In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and brown sugar. Press crumb mixture into bottoms of prepared baking cups. Bake for 6-7 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.
Add the batter to the cucpake linters. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.
While cupcakes are baking, beat all the ingredients for the frosting and frost cupcakes once they are completely cool.

Lentil Dal

2009-09-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I was not fond of dal. It was something I had to eat....now I can't get enough of it! Here is a simple recipe that I learned from my hubby. Its so yummy that even our son loves it...although he doesn't like to eat it the leftovers the next day. This recipe serves about 4 people.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry lentils
5 cups water
1 tablesppon or less olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or 1/4 teaspoon sambal olek
1 tablespoon lemon juice
handful of chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Directions:

Thoroughly wash lentils.
Place oil in pressure cooker over medium-high heat. When oil heats up, add cumin. Once cumin begins to sizzle, add ground coriander and turmeric. Heat for 30 seconds. Add lentils, water, and paprika. Close pressure cooker and cook for about 10 minutes (if you have non-whistle pressure cooker; for whistle pressure cooker, cook for 3-4 whistles).
Once pressure goes down, open cooker and add lemon juice and cilantro. Serve with roti, naan, rice or eat it by itself.

Cutting onions...

2009-07-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

While I am still buried on this new project, here is another fun food fact from Cook's Illustrated.

Published July 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

Can the way you cut an onion affect its flavor?

We took eight onions and cut each two different ways: pole to pole (with the grain) and parallel to the equator (against the grain). We then smelled and tasted pieces from each onion cut each way. The onions sliced pole to pole were clearly less pungent in taste and odor than those cut along the equator. Here’s why: The intense flavor and acrid odor of onions are caused by substances called thiosulfinates, created when enzymes known as alliinases contained in the onion’s cells interact with proteins that are also present in the vegetable. These reactions take place only when the onion’s cells are ruptured and release the strong-smelling enzymes. Cutting with the grain ruptures fewer cells than cutting against the grain, leading to the release of fewer alliinases and the creation of fewer thiosulfinates.

Bottom Line:
CUT WITH GRAIN = LESS PUNGENT

CUT AGAINST THE GRAIN = MORE PUNGENT

Bhinda/Bhindi...aka Okra

2009-07-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

I love okra! It is sad that so many people (maybe its just the cousins in the family) do not like this yummy veggie. There are so many ways this veggie can be made, stuffed, fried or in soup! Here is one of my favorite ways.

Bhinda/Bhindi/Spicy Okra

Ingredients:

1 lb okra
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3-4 medium garlic cloves
1 jalepeno, finely minced (or more for added spice)
1 teaspoon (or more) of coriander powder
1 teaspoon whole cumin
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon amchur
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)
salt to taste

Directions

Clean okra. The method I learned from my mother, take a damp towel/paper towel and individually clean the okra.
Cut okra. For this recipe, I like to cut them into 1/4 rounds. That is start cutting at the top or bottom and work your way to the other end. Leave out the tops of the okra.
Heat oil in nonstick pan (one with a large flat surface). Add cumin and jalepeno. When cumin brown, add the onion and garlic. Sautee until the onion gets translucent (clear) and starts to brown.
Add okra, salt and spices. Stir gently.
Cover for 10 minutes and open up. Make sure the steam from the lid doesn't fall into the pot. Stir gently and cook for another 10 minutes covered. When you open, the okra should be bright green and ready to eat. You can cook further uncovered if you like your okra crispier (the way I do). The key is not not over sitr or the okra will be mushy.
Enjoy with rice or roti or just plain.

Random Tip...tomatoes!

2009-07-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

Although I experiment, I don't get a chance to put up the recipes. So until I get more free time, here is a tip that I thoguht was useful. Now that tomato season is upon us and all the amazing varieties are at the Farmer's Market....The tip is from Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen:

"How can I prolong the shelf life of a tomato?"
"We’ve heard that storing a tomato with its stem end facing down can prolong shelf life. To test this theory, we placed one batch of tomatoes stem-end up and another stem-end down and stored them at room temperature. A week later, nearly all the stem-down tomatoes remained in perfect condition, while the stem-up tomatoes had shriveled and started to mold. Why the difference? We surmised that the scar left on the tomato skin where the stem once grew provides both an escape for moisture and an entry point for mold and bacteria. Placing a tomato stem-end down blocks air from entering and moisture from exiting the scar. To confirm this theory, we ran another test, this time comparing tomatoes stored stem-end down with another batch stored stem-end up, but with a piece of tape sealing off their scars. The taped, stem-end-up tomatoes survived just as well as the stem-end-down batch. "

Happy eating!

Cardamom Rosewater Cupcakes with Mango Frosting

2009-06-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've had a craving for cupcakes for weeks. Since Cupcake Aunty's goodies cannot be bought in any shops, sis and I decided to try on our own. Although baking intimidates me, with the help of P, these were fairly easy to make. We started with a recipe we found online and modified to make it our own (added rosewater). Two modifications for next time: 1) decrease the amount of sugar in the batter; the amount recommended (3/4 cup) makes the cupcakes a bit sweet, like Indian pedha; 2) change the frosting recommended in the original recipe (meringue butter cream concoction). One variation for next time is to place the mango puree inside the cupcake and frost with fresh whipped cream. This truly was one delicious mistake!

Ingredients (makes 1 doz cupcakes):

¾ stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg (at room temperature)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ cups flour
½ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon of rose water (optional)

Directions (cupcakes):

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream the butter and sugar in Kitchen Aid mixer.
Beat in egg, vanilla, cardamom, salt, rose water and baking powder
Add half the flour and mix to just combine with the wet ingredients.
Add half the milk and mix to combine.
Repeat steps 4 and 5. Beat on low speed until the batter is smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds.
Place cupcake papers/foils in cupcake pan. Place the batter in papers. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. After 10 minutes, rotate the cupcake pan. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack until the cupcakes come to room temperature, then remove the cupcakes from the pan.

Ingredients (Mango Whipped Cream frosting):

5-6 tablespoons reduced mango puree
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons granulated white sugar

Directions:

To make mango puree: Place 2 cup of the fresh mango puree in small saucepan and simmer over low-medium heat until it is reduced to 1/3 of original amount. The reduction should be thick and dark orange. Let cool.
In mixer bowl, put the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover the bowl and chill with wire whisk for at least 30 minutes.
When chilled, beat the mixture until soft peaks form. Then add the mango puree a little at a time and beat until stiff peaks form. Taste and fold in additional sugar or puree if desired.

Galic Edamame

2009-06-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

I first had these at Citrus Club in San Francisco and loved them. I tried to replicate them at home as we don’t make it out into the City as often. I’ve come close to replicating it…and that will have to do for now.

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen edamame (no salt, in pods)
2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup water
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (use less or more depending on your preference)
1-2 teaspoons of oil (olive or canola)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions:

Prepare Edamame per directors on package. Drain and set aside.
While edamame is cooking, heat oil in sauce pan or nonstick pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Let cook for ~1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Mix soy sauce, corn starch and water. Stir to dissolve. Add to garlic and redpepper. Keep stirring over medium until sauce thickens (~3-4 minutes). Turn off stove.
Pour sauce over edamame and toss to cover evenly. Enjoy!

Mexican Rice

2009-06-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've tried various ways to make Mexican/Spanish rice. This method is one of my favorties and is fairly easy to make. A quick/dirty way to make it is by adding your favorite salsa to the rice.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1 onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes or 1 large tomato or 1/2 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 bell pepper, diced (optional)
1 jalapeno, seeded, diced (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (better if its roasted ground cumin)
2 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cups of water (or veggie broth)
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Directions:

Warm oil over medium heat in pan. Add onion, garlic and rice. Saute until onions are tender and rice is slightly browned (~10 minutes).
Add bell pepper, tomatoes, and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes.
Add water or veggie broth, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and cook for 15-120 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Ginger Ale

2009-05-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

(Yet another recipe from hubby. This one reminds me of a good ginger drink sold in India.)

I was inspired to make home-made Ginger Ale after I saw a recipe on the New York Times website that fit my culinary capabilities - in other words, it was easy. The original recipe called for fresh ginger juice and sugar. Let me first start with their recipe (below).

Ingredients (makes 1 serving):

4 teaspoons fresh ginger juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus lime wedge, for garnish
1 1/4 cups cold club soda.

Directions:

Stir ginger juice, sugar and lime juice in 16-ounce glass until sugar isdissolved. Add ice and the club soda. Garnish with lime wedge.

Now let tell you my short-cut version. (Yes, I can even shortcut the easy stuff.):

Personally, I've found that trying to dissolve sugar in cold water is a royal pain. My wife actually suggested that instead of messing around with making ginger juice and stirring the concoction endlessly till the sugar dissolved, I use the honey ginger crystals I already had at home. They're called Honey Ginger Crystals (http://popus.com/health.html - scroll down to the bottom of the page) and they're available at the local Asian grocery store. Even if they do not stock this exact brand, you should be able to find a very similar product.
Dissolve the ginger honey crystals in a bit of warm water, and then add the club soda and lime juice. I also used much less lime juice than the recipe. The end result was refreshingly delicious!

Honey Green Tea

2009-05-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

(The recipe and post below is from my hubby. He loves making different drinks. This is one that is usually finished when we have guests over.)

I love honey green tea. But what I don't love is paying $1 for a bottle of it or $4 for a gallon. Moreover, much of the store-bought green tea has more corn syrup in it than honey. Ugh. So, I decided to try making it at home. You only need three ingredients (water, green tea, honey). There are a lot of different types of green tea out there, and you will have to find one that you like. Personally, I use the Trader Joe's Green Tea. I like the flavor and it's damn cheap (48 bags of tea for $1.99).

Ingredients (makes 7 servings):

7 bags of green tea
7 cups of water
Honey (to taste)

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil and then let it cool down for 5-7 minutes. Add the green tea and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. (Be careful - green tea can become bitter if it sits in the water too long.)
Add honey and stir to dissolve. For an extra twist, use flavored honey. When the green tea has cooled, move it to a pitcher and place it in the fridge. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Mexican Food

2009-05-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Growing up in New Mexico it is hard not to love New Mexican/Mexican food. The Mexican food in NM has a blend of Mexican, Spanish and Native American influences. The most famous items are the green/red chili sauces. We love the Hatch enchilada sauce so much that my parents have to bring some from New Mexico at every visit. Below are some recipes that go well with making enchiladas, wet burritos, tostadas, quesadillas…you get the picture.

Guacamole
Ingredients

2 Haas med-large avocadoes
¼ red onion finely diced
1 small tomato finely chopped, seeds removed
1 small jalepeno, finely diced, seeds removed (optional)
1-2 teaspoons cilantro finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (can add more)
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt to taste

Directions:

Place onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Drain and place in bowl.
Add tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic and cilantro.
Add avocadoes then lime juice and salt. Mash and enjoy!

Red Chili Sauce
With this recipe, the milder the dry red chile used, the milder the sauce. If you leave the seeds in, it will make for a spicier sauce. The sauce can be used for enchiladas, eggs, wet burritos, and just about anything else.
Ingredients:

4 dry New Mexico Red Chiles
3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon Mexican oregno
Salt to taste (at least ½ teaspoon)

Directions:

Remove seeds and stem from chilies. Pour boiling water over chillies and let soften for 30 minutes or more. Remove chillies but do not discard the water.
Place chillies in blender, add garlic, oregno and 2 cups of soaking water to the blender. Blend until smooth. Add more water if needed. Salt before using.

Beans
Ingredients:

2 cups dry pinto beans
1 medium sized onion, cut in quarters
1 jalepeno (optional)
4 cloves of garlic (can use less, but the taste of the garlic is muted as it cooks)
¾ teaspoon salt
4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of ground cumin

Directions:

Wash and soak beans for 4-6 hours.
After soaking, rinse off and place in pressure cooker with 4 cups of water, onion, jalepeno, garlic, salt and cumin. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Cook for 20 minutes until beans soften.
If you want whole beans, do nothing more. If you want “refried” beans, drain some of the water out and mash with spoon or potato masher.

Classic Béchamel…Healthier

2009-05-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

The classic béchamel is a versatile sauce that is rich and creamy. It is known as one of the 'mother' sauces in French cooking (not sure why its called a 'mother' sauce). Although I love this sauce, it is too heavy to eat on a regular basis. The recipe below is a healthier version but still has all of the yummy taste. I substituted light butter (butter with canola oil) for the whole fat butter and fat-free milk for whole milk. You can use low-fat milk and full fat butter to increase the creaminess. The addition of parmesan cheese adds salt and makes the sauce creamier. The basic recipe below makes enough for 8 oz of pasta or one pizza pie.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup fat free milk
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced (add more for more garlic flavor)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
¼ cup Parmesan cheese (from the refrigerator asile, not the canned dry stuff)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions:

Melt butter in heavy bottom pan (use stainless steel if possible) over medium heat. When butter starts foaming (don’t brown!), whisk flour in slowly. Continue whisking until flour is incorporated. Cook for about two minutes while stirring. Make sure not to brown the flour/butter.
While the butter/flour is cooking, warm milk in microwave for ~one minute (it should be warm, not hot).
Slowly add in warm milk in; add small amounts and whisk into to prevent clumps. Once all the milk has been added in, continue to warm on medium for about five minutes until the sauce thickens.
Once sauce has thickened, add garlic, parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper and black pepper to taste. Taste the sauce before adding salt. Cook for a minute/two more.
Toss with pasta and enjoy!

Notes/Variations:

Spinach Sauce: add either a cup of thawed frozen spinach (water removed) or 1 cup of fresh chopped spinach to step 4.
Macaroni and cheese: Add 1 cup cheddar cheese at the end instead of parmesan cheese. Add some salsa for an extra kick.
Pink pasta sauce, add marinara to the finished sauce and toss with a pound of pasta.

Cookies

2009-05-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

I am not a baker. This is probably due to my love of salty foods over sweet ones. However, there are a few sweet things I love. Mexican wedding cookies are a favorite that melt in the mouth. They bring back fond memories of growing up in a small town…going to the bakery near the library and treating myself to these cookies. When I started work, I found the cookies at the Culinary School , however, I had to find a recipe to make them myself once I moved. The recipe below is adapted from Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen. The original recipe called for walnuts and pecans. Since I only have walnuts on most days, I use them and it is delicious. I’ve learned from others that you can use almonds as well. If you love chocolate, you can put a piece of chocolate in the middle of the snowball to make a yummy treat.

Mexican Wedding Cookies (aka Russian Tea Cookies)

Ingredients:

2 sticks room temp butter
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups super fine chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cream together 2 sticks of butter and sugar for 1 ½ min; get divet on bottom; add 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla. Mix together.
Slowly add 2 cups of flour, chopped nuts and salt. Do not overmix but thoroughly mix. Soon as it starts to clump, its done.
Shape into small balls and cook at 325* until the bottom is browned.
Cool in baking sheet for 2 min. Put cookies in a bowl of powdered sugar to coat and remove. Enjoy!

Pizza Pizza…

2009-05-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

I love pizza! I began making them as a kid and am working to perfect the crust. I started out with the help of Ragu pizza crust mix; it was so easy, just add oil and water and poof, you had a decent pizza crust. Those were the good old days when my family was easily pleased. Once Ragu stopped making the mix, I moved onto buying ready-made crust from an Italian bakery. That came to a halt when I moved and did not have access to an Italian bakery. Then I began a quest to find a recipe that would make a tasty crust. After much experimentation, the recipe below is the one that tasted the best thus far.
What I changed from the original recipe: decreased the amount of salt (the original had 1 teaspoon of salt); decreased the amount of sugar (the original had 1 tablespoon). The more oil you add to the dough, the flakier the crust.

Ingredients:
(Makes one 14-16" pizza crust or 3-4 individual pizza crusts for grilled pizza)

3 cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt (I go with 3/4 b/c 1 teaspoon is too much)
1-2 teaspoons of sugar (I've stopped measuring. it was 1 tablespoon in the original recipe, but I've found you can use less)
1 cup warm water
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 packet of rapid rise yeast

Directions:

Mix all of the dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar). Add oil and mix. Add water (a little at time) to form soft dough.
Place dough in oiled bowl and put a small amount of oil on the dough to prevent it from drying out. Cover bowl and place in warm place (usually I put in the oven) and leave alone for at least one hour or more. ( If you're pressed for time, you can bake in as little as one hour or wait longer if you have time.)
For grilled pizzas: Divide into four equal parts. On a baking sheet, add some cornmeal and pat out dough into thin round discs. Grill one side for ~2 minutes (watch the dough to ensure it does not burn) and take off grill. Add sauce and toppings to grilled side and return to grill the other side until done. If you want the cheese browned, place under broiler. Cool for a minute or two and enjoy!
For oven made pizza: Pat out into a circle onto lightly oiled pizza stone (or lightly oiled pan) and bake without any toppings at 400F for a pizza stone and at 375F for about 10 minutes. Pull out of the oven and then top with your favorite sauce (recipes included) and toppings and cheese. Put back into the oven to finish baking. Pizza is done when bottom is golden. Optional, turn on broiler for a few minutes to brown cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes before enjoying the results.

Notes/Variations:

Prep for the yeast varies on the type you buy. The rapid rise does not require you to “soak” the yeast; you can add it directly to the flour. Check the yeast.
Almost any type of oil can be used. The taste changes slightly based on the oil.
You can use wheat flour, however, this makes the crust more dense. Check out this recipe for a wheat crust: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/health/nutrition/25recipehealth.html
Extra ingredients can be added for additional flavor. Add any of the following to the mix in the first step: ground flax seed, rosemary, garlic, black pepper.
Sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza stone or pizza pan to give the crust an extra crunch.
You can use 1 packet of yeast for doubling the recipe; it works just as well.

Sangria Blanca

2009-05-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Although I’m not a huge fan of wine, I came across a recipe that almost made me change my mind. A friend brought this sangria to an event at the Hollywood Bowl and wowed everyone. After tasting her yummy sangria, I attempted to make it non-alcoholic. A few tries later, I came up with a recipe that resulted in a sangria that is a summer favorite.

Non-alcoholic wine can be found at your local grocery store or Trader Joes. The proportions are slightly eyeballed and you can substitute real white wine/sweet wine and add rum, brandy or gin for an extra kick. You can change this recipe up by using different fruits and proportions of some of the ingredients, creating your own personal sangria.

Ingredients:

2 bottles non-alcoholic white/rose wine (can use Riesling or any sweet wine)
1 can pineapple chunks packed in pineapple juice (make sure no sugar added)
2-3 cans ginger ale (add more if you want it sweeter)
2-3 tablespoons lime juice (adjust to your taste)
1 peach (washed, cut in bite size pieces)
1 nectarine (washed, cut in bite size pieces)
Handful strawberries (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in pitcher or container the night before the event. Refrigerate.
Taste the next day, if it does not taste right, adjust flavors (add sugar, more ginger ale, lime juice, etc).

Jalepeno Cilantro Hummus

2009-04-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

I became a fan of hummus after a friend brought some from Trader Joe's. I had a few critieria for the perfect recipe, the hummus had to be garlicky, have a lot of flavor and spicy. In my search, I came across this one and tweaked it for my taste buds. This has become a family favorite that is made often. It is a fairly easy one to make and has many uses. I love using the hummus in veggie wraps as it adds a lot of flavor and makes the wraps even healthier. We take these on long trips all the time. Even my 14 month old loves the hummus (minus the jalepenos)!
Ingredients:

2 cans gabanzo beans, drained and well-rinsed
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons lime juice (decrease if you don't like it tart)
salt to taste
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded/minced (optional)
4 medium cloves garlic (decrease if you don't like a lot of garlic)

Directions:

Place garlic in a food processor and process until minced, about 10 seconds. Add beans, lime juice and salt. Process until it is pureed. With the processor running, slowly add olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube. Process until mixture thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Add cilantro and jalapeno and process until thoroughly mixed.
Enjoy with pita bread, chips or in a wrap. To make the veggie wrap, spread a generous amount of hummus on a tortilla. Add your favorite veggies (I prefer spinach, onion, bell pepper, green chile, cucumber) and cheese; fold and enjoy! If you want to kick up the heat, add hot sauce on the veggies.

What should my next meal be?

2009-04-14T22:21:00.001-07:00

That question is always on my mind (even if I am eating). I started this blog as a way to catalog my cooking experiments. I loved to experiment with cooking as a kid...so much so that my mom would tell me that no one else would eat some of my creations (their loss!). Now that I'm all grown up, I try to expand my horizons beyond the three cuisines (Indian, Mexican and Italian) that I tried as a kid. So join me on my journey of making some delicious mistakes.