Roasted Pumpkin Barley Risotto for Halloween

Last weekend we went on a fall hike in upstate New York. It was a gorgeous, sunny Fall day and the leaves were almost glowing and the state park was overflowing with people wanting to perhaps become a part of that beauty, just like the two of us. I promise I'll post on that very very soon.. but for now we have a pumpkin story.

So, on the way, we stopped at a farm and picked up some yummy apples and a gorgeously bright orange pumpkin; a nice, cute sweet one. I have been waiting and waiting the whole month to make things pumpkin-y! I have all these ideas in my head for recipes. Anyway, I was really thrilled to find this fab looking pumpkin and decided to start off with risotto for Halloween.


I think of risotto as a luxury not only because it is tricky to make and can go wrong so easily but also 'coz it takes a lot of patience and constant attention. As comforting as it can be, I consider it a special occasion dish and for this haunted day, I thought I would take a wee bit more time to ward off the ghosts.



By the way, here is a bit of trivia. Pumpkins are used to ward off bad omens and spirits in India too! Any new endeavor; house, car, business, is kicked off by breaking a pumpkin (white ones there) for good luck. We also hang a pumpkin, with a big moustached face painted on it, over the building to ward off bad things...

Ok! back to my pumpkin dish. Risotto, as you know, is usually made with arborio rice, a short grain and very starchy strain of rice. But, I didn't use it. I made risotto with barley. Yep! I discovered barley in a soup sometime back and fallen in love with it ever since. It has the same creaminess when cooked slowly but it adds a wonderful earthy flavor to the dish.



So that's my short story. Had a wonderful lunch of it and now am off to a scary party and some more pumpkins (carving this time) ... :)) Wish you all a cheerfully scary Halloween and fun times trick or treating! :)

By the way, Renee over at Flamingo Musings has been hosting an awesome Halloween food event through this week. A bunch of foodies and food bloggies got together to make fun Halloween themed items. Check out what everyone made for the GreatHallowTweet at her site.


Roasted Pumpkin Barley Risotto

1 cup barley
4 cups of chicken stock (sub: vegetable stock)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 small onion, diced finely
2 cloves to garlic, minced
big chunk of ginger. minced
1/2 tsp pink peppercorns
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 T fresh mint
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 T butter
2 tsp cumin powder
2 T sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the pumpkin, clean out the innards and place cut face down in a baking dish with a 1/4 inch of water. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes until the insides are soft and cooked. Scoop out the cooked flesh and puree with the tiniest bit of milk to make a smooth puree.

Saute the onions and garlic in butter until translucent. Add in the barley and toast for a couple of minutes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, thyme and oregano. Add two cups of stock and cook until the liquid is almost absorbed. Stir in the pumpkin puree.

Add the rest of the stock in half cup measures and stirring until it is fully absorbed. Slowly the barley will become creamy as the starch releases. When you are done with all the stock, remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.

Serve immediately garnished with mint leaves and a drop of pumkiny-sour cream.

Food for the soul - Hearty Minestrone with warm Herb Breadsticks

It is getting unreasonably cool out here. There was that lovely summer, then we ever so slightly flirted with beautiful fall and now it has all frosted over, almost. It is even snowing in some parts! Can you believe that?! Hey you, up there: "It's only October!! Lighten up, won't ya!". Oh well... siggh, like that' going to work.

But, what does help, is hot hot food, especially the slurpy variety. I am not really a soup person. In India, they are usually served as an appetizer and I felt that all that volume took away from my enjoyment of the main course. So, soup was the thing that kept me from the real food and inevitably was sent back by me untouched. Until I came to the US and discovered the joys of a hearty soup that was as warming as it was satiating!


And, what better than eating it with warm, fresh and well-buttered bread??! None, I say! The bread alone will win me over (you know my love affair with fresh bread :)). Ok, all that rambling start was to say that I made soup and breadsticks for dinner.

Minestrone is one of flexible Italian soups that are so easy on the cook. The list of ingredients is whatever firm vegetable you have on hand and canneloni beans to give the soup that heartiness; herbs to flavor and you are done! I made mine with carrots, potatoes, celery and beans flavored by a mix of Italian herbs. It doesn't get any simpler, does it?!



To go with that I made herb and parmesan breadsticks. I'll tell you a little secret. Made in larger sizes, they are fantastic for sandwiches; crusty on top and soft and spongy on the inside. I had one for lunch with peppercorn turkey, shaved onion and a streak of mayo. Perfect!

This post is also in support of BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine. It is a community of international food bloggers determined to make a difference in aid of world famine. This month, as part of raising awareness about child nutrition and the School Meals Program, I am serving my soup in a cup to represent feeding one child a healthy and nutritious meal at school.


Also, this wonderful group of food bloggers have put together a cookbook, which is going to the printers very soon! So, here is wishing that the book is a huge success. Which means, all you readers out there, please do buy the book when it hits the stores and help us in our cause to feed every child.


On a related note, I would like to introduce the The Cookbook People who are donating cookbook software to BloggerAid (Imagine! you can inundate your friends and family with your many many recipes!!). They are also generously donating $20 to the School Meals Program for every BloggerAid member who includes them in their post.


Herb and Parmesan Breadsticks with Sea Salt crust
(10 bread sticks or 4 individual sandwich rounds)

1-1/2 cup bread flour
1 heaping tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 T dried herb mix (I used oregano, thyme and rosemary)
1/4 cup grated parmeggiano reggiano
1/2 cup water at 110 F
1 T + 1 tsp melted butter
sea salt for garnish

In a mixing bowl, add the yeast and sugar to the warm water and let sit for 5-6 minutes till the mixture is cloudy. Add in everything else reserving 1 tsp of butter for later. Mix and knead the dough until you get a pliable, smooth dough.

Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 10 pieces. Roll into 4 inch logs. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rest in a warm place for atleast 30 minutes until it has double in volume.

Note: If you are making individual sandwich rounds, divide dough into four and shape as desired before allowing to double.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bursh the tops with melted butter and sprinkle sea salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden in color. Cool on rack. Serve warm.


Minestrone Soup

1 medium onion, finely diced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 large chunk of ginger, grated
2 sticks celery, finely diced
1 cup carrots, in chunks
1/2 cup potatoes, in chunks
1 can cannelolini beans, drained and washed
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable/chicken broth
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 T Italian seasoning
2 dry bay leaves
1 heaping tsp cumin powder
parmeggiano rind (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
Sour cream and fresh parsley for garnish

Saute onions, celery and garlic until transluscent. Add the carrots and potatoes and saute for a couple of minutes. Add fennel seeds, herb mix, salt, pepper, bay leaves and the cheese rind (if using). Stir in crush tomatoes and broth. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add in the beans, reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Just before serving garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a dollop of sour cream with a side of warm bread.

Off to YeastSpotting ...

Yes! I Dare to French Kiss - Cardamom Macarons with Chocolate Ganache for Daring Bakers

When I saw the Daring Baker's challenge for this month, I couldn't help marvelling at the irony of life. You see, in September, I developed an obsession to make the perfect French macaron. It wasn't an over night fixation. It developed slowly after drooling over many many perfect creations from accomplished food-bloggers like Helen of Tartelette, Aran of Cannelle et Vanille and Julia of Melanger. And, ofcourse my own repetitive failed attempts (my woe-filled post on that here) at recreating that magical bite of French pastry elitism, only fuelled that craze.

The more I failed, the more I was determined to get it right (much to Mr. FSK's dismay. Well, can't really blame him. He did bear the brunt of my experiments; broken macarons and a crabby wife!:-)). So, indeed, the challenge was an irony but also, just the push that needed to kick my competitiveness into overdrive. I had to get it right by the end of the month. And, happily I did! :) And, here is my happily-ever-after story...

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.



You know the other irony, for all my compulsion with this petit-four, I tasted it for the first time in the US. Not Paris, where, we visited a couple of years ago and stayed just a stone's throw away from the infamous Laduree where the current french sandwich macaron originated. In fact, I did not know of their existence then. It was all about foie gras, genuine baguettes and custard creams that trip.

Anyway, since that first taste, I have been hooked (line and sinker). And, the fact that it is not just about the recipe made them even more alluring for the home cook in me. Four is my lucky number! That's the number of tries, it took me to get it right. In the process, I tested three recipes before I bowed at the brilliance of Monsieur Lebovitz (with whom I am now in love with... just telling! :-D)



I started my fourth attempt with great trepidation. I had not prayed for something as much since my B-school admission! I only had a week to go before the post was due. I had read a looot of material on all the blogs I adore about everything that could go (and had gone) wrong and I tried to prepare for it as much as I could.

I scaled down the recipe to just one egg white because, as I was telling Deeba of Passionate about Baking (who, btw, fuelled my desire with her pistachio cream filled chocolate macaron), the disappointment is just exponential with a larger batch. Yes, I was trying to brace myself as much as I could.

As I piped out the little rounds, I dared not to hope, because they all looked good at this point. The test was the first minute in the oven. After an hour of drying, I popped them in and stood there looking through the oven glass, not daring to breathe. Honest to God, I am sure I set the record for the longest time one can hold your breath!



They seemed to be fine; with healthy looking 'feet' and shapely heads. I breathed. I still stood there for five more minutes, just to make sure that it was actually happening (and I was not just dreaming my eternal hopes). Couple of minutes more and they were ready to be taken out. YES!! There wasn't a single crack. The next test for me was to remove them in one piece. This part had been giving me a lot of trouble. But, it was my day and my turn to be happy with a lovely batch of Cardamom Macarons.

After that, it really was smooth sailing! :)) I filled my cardamom macarons with ganache, kissed two together, took a bite and happily sailed into the horizon with the setting sun, lapping water, slow music and all that jazz ... :)

Based on my experiments, here are some notes (gleaned from various sagely blogs) on what helped click this time (and hopefully every time going forward.. I have soo many ideas for more macarons..!!) -

1. Humidity is the biggest enemy. I dried everything out. The egg whites need to be aged and should be dried out at room temperature covered with plastic wrap for the 24 hours before making macarons.
2. I made my almond flour by grinding the almonds with the powdered sugar. Then, I dried it out by placing it in a bowl inside an off oven for atleast an hour, to remove any moisture that may have been there.
3. The meringue is ready when it holds stiff, glossy peaks and does not fall out when you hold it upside down.
4. Do not overmix the tant pour tant (almond-sugar mixture) into the meringue. It's done, when the dry is incorporated into the wet. If you over mix, the batter will be too runny and the macarons will want to socialise with each other when you pipe them.
5. Rap the baking sheet hard on the counter (use your strength, great stress reliever!) after piping out the macarons. This will remove any air bubbles and help keep the heads intact while baking.
6. I left the piped macarons out for an hour or two to create a crust. This again is part of the removing moisture process and ensures that the heads don't crack while baking.
7. Oven temperatures for baking macarons vary by recipe from 285 degrees to 375 degrees. This, honestly, can be figured out only by trial. Start at the lower end and keep going higher. 375 worked best for me.
8. Keep an eye on the buggers. The timing in the recipe is indicative. They brown easily once done.
9. Use a Silpat. It will be one of the best purchases you make. It makes sliding off the macarons (or anything else for that matter) so easy because nothing sticks to it. And, that was my secret to a clean break from sheet to rack!

Yes! I dared! And, here is wishing you magic in your kitchen too! I am in wonderland currently. I'll touch base when I am back.... Ta-Da! :)))

For more information on macaron-ing from the experts -

David Lebovitz breaks it down:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2008/09/making_french_macarons.htm...
More macaroon 411:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/10/introduction-to-french-macarons.html

Get inspired by our own Tartlette!:

http://www.mytartelette.com/search/label/macarons

Go behind the scenes of Paulette:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXIvX0-CEu0

Watch a pro pipe macaroons:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_RfiFoWZKQ&feature=related
Macaron tips from Audax:

http://audaxartifex.blogspot.com/2009/08/macarons-2.html


Cardamom Macarons with Chocolate Ganache
(makes 15, depending on size)

For the macaron:
1 egg white aged 24 hrs
3 T almonds
5-1/2 T powdered sugar
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

For the ganache:
2 T semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp cream
1 tsp honey

Do ahead: Process the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour until nuts are very fine and powdery. This is the tant pour tant. (Refer pointer #2)

Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff glossy peaks. You are basically making meringue (refer pointer #3 above).

Add the cardamom to the almond mixture and fold in to the meringue in three parts. Mix just enough each time to incorporate. If you are planning on adding zest or other flavorings to the batter, now is the time.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806). You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.

Pipe inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper). Rap the sheet hard on the counter to release any air bubbles. Rest at room temperature for an hour or more until a crust develops over the rounds.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the macaroon for 5 minutes. Then turn around the pan and bake for another 2-3 minutes until lightly colored. Slide off the macarons to a rack. Let them cool completely before filling.

Meanwhile, microwave, the ganache ingredients together in 30 second intervals till the chocolate has melted into the cream. Bring to room temperature.

To assemble, fill one macaron with a bit of ganache and then top with the other. Press to seal and spread the filling evenly. Pop into mouth and achieve bliss! :))

Please visit Daring Kitchen to see more spectacular creations from inspired and truly daring bakers!

Pesto Rolls for the obsessed me ...

This recipe was voted on to Foodbuzz Top 9. Thanks very much for the love!!

There are always symptoms to an obsession - the uncontrollable compulsive urge, changing life patterns and ofcourse the painful withdrawal when weaned away forcibly. The object of the obsession can be anything really, not necessarily a vice.

Mine is this blog. Here is how I know -

• I spend hours getting my blog to look just they way I want; staying awake till the wee hours to tinker with the HTML, which, I was learning along the way...
• I have stopped making anything interesting for dinner because my camera can't take good photographs in artificial light ...
• I am constantly on the lookout, online or in physical shops, for plates, cups, bakeware and other props. To the extent that when Mr. FSK asked me what I would like for my birthday, I said "MORE PROPS!!!!!!" .. I know!
• I make stuff, not because I happen to and then post about it, but because I need something to post about! This post is case in point....

I woke up today and after my usual morning rituals of checking mails, other people's blog, twitter and other social networking agents, it hit me that my last post on this blog was on Sunday, FOUR whole days back!!! And, worse, I realise I had no inventory for blogging! What do I do now?!!



I decided I needed to make something asap to post about. Wait! But there was a constraint. You see, I LOVE baking, and, I have a HUGE sweet tooth. So, inevitably, there is always a sugar-rich item at home. Now, since the lovely festival of Diwali was last weekend, there is even more of it lying around. So, Mr. FSK lay down the law and I can't make anything sweet for the rest of the month... Party pooper, I know!!!

Anyway, not to worry, I love making breads et all. I decided to bake, even if I had to think of a savory substitution for a sweet recipe. And, that's how these Pesto Rolls came to be. The inspiration was cinnamon rolls, those rich, sticky, oozy, yummy things. I just savorised (is there a word like that?) the recipe with pesto filling of arugula, basil, roasted garlic, parmesan and pine nuts.



They came out nice and are really very tasty little bites. I made teeny rolls, but they can be easily super sized. Now, the only problem is saving it till Mr. gets back home, since I have been popping them in my mouth every time I walk past. I am down to the last five and it is going to be tea time shortly.. haha

So, there, all's well.... I know I have an obsession but it isn't a problem.... yet. So it's ok right?!


Pesto Rolls

For the dough:
1 cup + 1/8 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

For the pesto:
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup arugula leaves
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, roasted
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste

pepper and parmesan for assembly as needed

In a bowl, soak the yeast in warm water and set aside for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the oil, salt and sugar. Mix in a cup of flour. The dough will be very sticky, don't worry.

Set the dough in warm place to rise and double for an hour. Sift together the rest of the flour, baking soda and powder and mix into the dough to form a pliable and soft dough which is very elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Dump onto a lightly floured surface, cover with bowl and let it sit for a minute or two.

Meanwhile make the pesto by grinding together all the ingedrients. I usually eyeball measures, so use more or less of the ingredients as per your taste.

Roll out the dough into a rough rectangle. Go as thin as you can without tearing. Generously spread the pesto paste leaving a small 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle pepper and more parmesan all over. Roll in the dough along the length as tightly as you can to form a log. Finish off by sealing the seam with a brush of oil.

Cut inch thick pieces of the log and place in a oil pan. Leave about half inch between the pieces. Place in a warm spot and let it rise for 30 minutes. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until the crust is light golden.

Cool on rack for a few minutes till its cool enough to handle and eat ofcourse! You can sprinkle additional parmesan on top of the warm rolls, if you want.

And these rolls are off to YeastSpotting...

Something sweet, something savory for Diwali - Cashew Burfi and Murukku

Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is my favorite festival of all, and perhaps the grandest of all for most Indians as well :-). As a kid, the festival meant new clothes, uncensored gluttony and crackers day & night. As an adolescent, it was about catching up and hanging out with family and friends, exchanging wishes and sweets and ofcourse, unadulterated gluttony (that doesn't change with age!).

When I moved out of India for work, initially, I would get sorely homesick around this time. I missed the festive air, the happy laughter, the meeting and greetings and someone else who would make all the goodies ('palagarams' in Tamil) that I could devour. Slowly, as we made more and more friends, and many Indian ones, and I started taking an active interest in cooking, I could recreate some of that magic in our little abode here far away from home in India.

Wishes were exchanged with family over the phone and with friends in real time. We host little parties for each other to share our homemade or store bought sweet as well as savory creations. For me, this is the time when I show my love through my hand made palagarams and I look forward to it very very much!

Diwali is also the one festival when sweets are made ahead of time and it isn't taboo to dip in prior to the day. That made it extra special! Imagine, weeks (before and after) of indulgence rather than just a day or two. For every other festival, all goodies are usually made on the day and first presented to the god/goddess whose day it was before us mortals could sample it. But, Diwali transcends any one deity and even religion. Technically it is a Hindu festival but is celebrated by one and all because it is a festival of Lights and not of God ....



Every year, for Diwali and only for it, I make Cashew Burfi. Kaju Katli (cashew fudge) is my absolute favorite Indian sweet. I love it for the pure cashew flavor and not-too-sweet bite. So, for that little sweet thing, I make my version of it with milk. I reduce down full fat (yes, had to be full!) milk slowly, oh very slowly, to a thick sticky consistency. All the love is in that slow reduction because you have stir constantly for hours to get it right! :)

And, for something savory, because you need that balance, I make Murukku, crispy fried dough spirals. Traditionally, it is fried in ghee (clarified butter) (Well, technically everything is cooked in ghee for the occasion to signify the indulgence). Murukku is an irresistable snack, much like the potato chip. You just cannot eat just one! :)



So that's how we spent the day ... snacking on murukkus and indulging on cashew burfi while catching up with friends and wishing everyone a wonderful and prosperous year ahead!! And, I send you the same love and wishes to you all!

From my family to yours - Have a joyous year ahead filled with many many delights and happy memories!! :))


Cashew Burfi

8 cups whole milk
1 cup cashews + another 1/4 cup for garnish
1/2 cup sugar
pinch cardamom powder

Roast cashews for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees until golden brown. Cool to room temperature. Process the cashews with the sugar to as fine a powder as you can.

In a wide heavy bottomed pan, slowly reduce the milk over low heat to one-fourth its volume. Do not use a non-stick pan for this. It always burns at the bottom and burnt milk does not make any good sweet! When the milk is reduced, stir in the cashew mixture and cook for 30 minutes more until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and very thick.

Pour into a greased cake pan. Once the mixture has cooled enough to handle, spoon out about a tablespoon of the burfi onto to lightly greased hands and roll into a ball. Top each with a roasted cashew as garnish.


Murukku

2 cups rice flour
1/2 cup urad dal (split gram) flour
1/4 cup semolina
3 T garbanzo flour
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 T butter, melter
1 T salt
1/2 tsp asofetida powder
3/4 cup water or more as needed

Sift together the flours, semolina and salt. Stir in the cumin, caraway and sesame seeds. Add the melted butter to make a crumbly mixture. Slowly add water to make a dough that just comes together; much like a shortbread dough. Grease your palms and knead the dough until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

When ready to fry the murukkus, heat oil in a small wok to 350 degrees. Maintain the flame at low. If you have a murukku maker, choose the shape you want and fill with the dough. You can get one of these handy little things at an Indian store. If you can't find one, fret not, you can use a cookie press as well.

On a clean plastic shape, press out shapes and then transfer into the oil. Fry until golden brown and there are no bubbles in the oil. Remove onto a kitchen towel to soak any excess oil. You can store in an airtight container for a week.

Aloo Paratha for World Bread Day 2009!

"Bread is the warmest, kindest of all words. Write it always with a capital letter, like your own name." from a café sign ...

It couldn't be said better. Bread is perhaps the longest running love affair through the ages for chefs and gourmands alike. Nothing inspires more than the smell of bread baking. And, the feel of biting into a piece of generously buttered, freshly baked bread.. Oh! no pleasure greater for the taste buds!

I am happy that this wonderful piece of culinary pleasure has a day dedicated to it. Despite the craziness of the last couple of days leading into tomorrow (long story, another post), I couldn't let today pass by without my two cents! :)


I was initially thinking of making a basic white bread that is elegant in its simplicity and drives home my point above. But, in the spirit of the upcoming Indian festival of Diwali, I decided to go back to my roots and highlight one of the favorite breads of my country - Aloo Paratha, unleavened bread stuffed with cooked potatoes and spices!

That's the other good thing about bread. It is so versatile. Across the world, every culture has had some form of it, leavened or unleavened as the staple in their diet. In India, especially in the North and the middle, wheat is a staple grain made into various unleavened breads; rotis, paratha (plain and stuffed), naans and all the stuff that you get in a bread basket at an Indian restaurant.



I have been making rotis since I was so high. In fact, rotis and dosas were about the only thing I made in the kitchen for the longest time. Yet, stuffed parathas did not come easy to me. The trick is in making sure that the stuffing does not come out and take over the roti in entirely. It took me some practice and now I think I can grill a pretty looking one. The paratha is made with spiced mashed potato mixture stuffed inside a roti and grilled on a buttered pan and topped with a bucket of butter....

So, here it is.. The aloo paratha in its simple magnificence. I am sending this as my entry for World Bread Day 2009 event, hosted by Zorra of Kochtopf. The idea was to bake a, bread with or without yeast, use sourdough, experiment with different flours, add some seeds.


P.S: I am thrilled, I got through this post in! Yay!


Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Bread)
(makes about 9, 6" parathas)

For the roti jacket:
2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour
2 T ghee
1 tsp salt
about 1 cup of water

For the filling:
2 large red potatoes, cooked
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
3 green asian chillies, fine chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp five spice powder

Mash the potatoes and incorporate all the filling ingredients. Set aside until cooking time to let flavors blend. You can refrigerate the mixture.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour and salt. Add the ghee to get a meal like mixture. Add 3/4 cup of water and mix. If the mixture is too dry, add more water one tablespoon at a time to get an elastic, tacky dough that is not sticky. Knead for a couple of minutes.

Tip: If at any point, you can't get past sticky, oil your hands lightly and continue kneading. The dough will come together in short order.

Cover dough with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for atleast 20 minutes.

Peel off about a tablespoon and half of dough and roll out on a lightly oiled and floured surface into a round about 1/8 inch thickness. You may have to flour the dough lightly as you roll to prevent sticking and tearing.

Place a generous amount of the potato filling in the center of the round and fold the sides over the center. Place the stuffed dough fold-side up, dust both sides with a bit of flour and roll out carefully into a 6 inch round.

Tip: With every roll out, keep turning the dough clockwise by 15 degrees to make sure that it doesn't stick. If at any point, the dough sticks or the filling starts coming out, pat with flour and continue carefully. It is ok to have some filling peeking out in spots, don't worry about it.

Heat a non-stick flat griddle and spread about half teaspoon of butter. Grill each side of the paratha until cooked (little brown spots will appear across the surface). Remove onto plate and top with a pat of butter.

Serve immediately. My favorite way of eating aloo parathas is with hot mango pickle and cool yogurt! YUMMM!! :))

Daring Cooks - Vietnamese Chicken Pho and Wanton Napoleon

Yes, I sign up for everything at the same time :) Last month when I signed up for the Daring Bakers blogroll, I decided to throw taking-it-a-step-at-a-time to the wind and go with the cooking challenges as well. So far (I know it's been only a month... still...), I am having loadsa fun. Two new things to try out every month; I couldn't be happier! So far it's been some French and a bit of Asian now!

The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. The book hits bookshelves sometime this month.

Some background on the Pho from our hostess -

"So what is Vietnamese Pho? Well, it’s like the most insanely delicious noodle soup popular in Vietnam. The broth is simmered for hours and hours with either beef knuckle/leg bone or with a whole chicken. Other accompaniments include ribbons of rice noodles, fresh herbs like cilantro or basil, a wedge of lime or lemon, fresh bean sprouts and fresh sliced chilies if desired.

What makes Pho so different than any other type of noodle soup is the spices that go into the simmering broth. Warm spices like coriander, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fresh ginger transform an ordinary broth into a very authentic Vietnamese Pho. "



So off I went, thrilled to be trying out one of my favorite comfort cuisines - East Asian. There have been soo many times when I have craved Thai or Malaysian or Vietnamese. But, I have never really tried to make them at home except for perhaps Thai red curry. Honestly, I think I found them to be a bit daunting. So, I was happy for the excuse to step out of my comfort zone!

And, guess what! I have actually never had Pho before. Well... I don't usually order soups at restaurants and I am not really a huge fan of Udon (I ate a lot of them when I was in Tokyo). So, as it was, it was a complete new experience for me that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Jaden's recipe is so simple that it is really hard to mess up. I, honestly, was blown away by its flavor given its unpretentious ingredients. It takes less than an hour to make and I imagine it as the perfect family style dinner on a cold muggy day, slurping loudly on the flavorful broth. The soup is just subliminal.

Oh! My favorite part of the pho was the optional accompaniments. It's so fun when every one at the table can customize their dinner to their taste, isn't it?! I chose to go with red onions, red pepper, spicy green chilis, fresh coriander, shaved button mushrooms with plum sauce and sriracha sauce for extra kick!!

There was also a sweet side to this challenge. We had to make something dessert with wantons. I made a very simple fried wanton napoleon with a banana and chocolate filling between the layers. The flavors come through clean and I love bananas with chocolate sauce. So, it was a perfect bite to end a lovely Vietnamese meal!


Vietnamese Chicken Pho
(courtesy Jaden Hair)

For the Chicken Pho Broth:
2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
4 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 quarts (2 liters/8 cups/64 fluid ounces) store-bought or homemade chicken stock
1 whole chicken breast (bone in or boneless)
½ onion
1 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife
1 to 2 T sugar
1 to 2 T fish sauce
1 lb. (500 grams/16 ounces) dried rice noodles (about ¼ inch/6 mm wide)

Accompaniments: (that I used)
Fresh cilantro tops (leaves and tender stems)
1/2 cup shaved red onions
1/4 cup red bell pepper julienned
1/2 cup shaved button mushrooms
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
3-4 green chilies, sliced
Sriracha chili sauce
Plum sauce

To make the chicken Pho broth, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves and star anise and toast until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices to avoid burning.

In a large pot, add all the ingredients (including the toasted spices) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface frequently.

Use tongs to remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bone if you have used bone-in breasts. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or sugar, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids.

Prepare the noodles as per directions on the package. Ladle the broth into bowls. Then divide the shredded chicken breast and the soft noodles evenly into each bowl. Have the accompaniments spread out on the table. Each person can customize their own bowl with these ingredients.

Banana and Chocolate Wanton Napoleon
(for each)

3 wanton wrappers
sliced banana
4 oz semi sweet chocolate
2 T heavy cream
powdered sugar
2 inch cookie cutter

Cut wanton wrapper with cookie shaper and fry until golden. Cook the chocolate with the cream in the microwave in 30 second bursts until the chocolate has melted into the cream to make a nice sauce. Stir in sugar if you like your sauce sweeter.

To assemble, place a wanton on plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Spread a bit of chocolate sauce and then layer banana slices. Spoon some more sauce on the bananas. Top with another fried wanton and repeat. Finish with a final layer of wanton. Sprinkle more sugar and serve.

Pretty in Pink for October - Pomegranate Yogurt Ice Cream

October is breast cancer awareness month. Yesterday, as I walked along the streets of the Village in NYC, I saw supporters of Avon Breast Cancer Walk doing their bit to raise awareness about breast cancer and funds for research. Avon walk was my first ever charity walk in the US, four years back. This year, I am going Pink for the month to show my support.

It is also in support of the Pink for October campaign run by Matthew Oliphant. The campaign is about blog and website owners showing their support for breast cancer awareness by turning their sites pink for the month of October.

And ofcourse, me being a foodie, I had to make something pink for the cause. Following on the pomegranate theme from last month, I decided to make pomegranate ice cream with yogurt rather than a custard. As it turns out, I do think it is a fitting pink dish for the month. And, it is my entry for Virtual Girl's Night In event being hosted by Dragon Musings.

Pomagranates are one of the richest natural sources of antioxidants that slow down aging process and consequently function as inhibitors of cancerous growth. Research shows that pomegranates contain a compound that eats breast cancer cells. The most powerful form of it is the oil from seed, but you get the effects from eating the fruit or drinking the juice, too.

Anyway, putting aside the heavy duty stuff, they make you feel younger and btw, taste fantastic. My in-laws, in their 60s, have taken to eating pomegranates everyday now because of it anti-aging qualities. I find that highly cute... :)

Soo.. back to the ice cream. I chose to do yogurt instead of custard to keep with the low-fat, healthy theme. I used reduced and thickened pomegranate juice to add flavor in the ice cream and as a sauce on top to accentuate the fruit flavor even more. You could also fold in some fruit for extra texture. I was happy with sprinkling a bit on top and just snacking on the rest... :)

If you are interested in participating in the Pink for October campaign, please read about it here. You can read about participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and check out the schedule for your city here.


Pomegranate Yogurt Ice Cream

1 cup strained yogurt
1 cup light cream
2 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 tsp corn starch
1/4 cup sugar

You can make the strained yogurt at home by straining two cups of plain yogurt through thick paper towels (placed over a seive) overnight or atleast 4 hours.

Bring the pomegrante juice to a boil. Lower to medium-low and reduce to half the volume. In a small cup mix 2 tsps of the hot pomegranate juice with the corn starch. When fully mixed pour starch mixture back onto the rest of the reduced juice. Keep stirring and cook for a 5 more minutes. Strain mixture to remove any lumps and let the sauce cool to room temperature.

Reserve half of the pomegranate sauce for serving. In a medium bowl, whip the yogurt and sugar to a smooth cream. Add the light cream and fruit sauce and beat for a couple of minutes to make a smooth mixture. Regrigerate and then pour into an ice cream maker and follow product instructions.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, place the cooled mixture in the freezer in a wide bowl. Every 35-45 minutes, whenever the mixture starts freezing, give it a good whip to break the ice crystals and make it creamy. Repeat 4-5 times. Then let is freeze and set for atleast 4 hours.

To serve, pour sauce over ice cream scoops and garnish with pomegranates..

Fresh Peas and Pasta

It's snowing peas out here. Ok! ok! I know that was a very bad attempt at pun humor (no stones please... or eggs ... or tomatoes .. well if they are heirloom, pass them on carefully :D). Anyway, my point is that the grocery store shelves are bulging with fresh snow peas. They are just becoming in their green-ness that you just cannot go past without picking up a box... or perhaps two ...

I love peas.. Hubby, not so much... But, even he had a change of heart with the fresh peas. I remember my mom peeling fresh peas while watching the evening soaps (they were all tear jerkers for some odd reason!) for peas pulav. She would, much to my dislike, also use the peeled pods in the dish. Her reason being that they had way too much nutrition to waste. But, honestly, they didn't do much for taste...

Anyway if only she had given them raw to me. They taste so much better. Honestly! I lightly sauted them with salt, pepper and nutmeg and then the tiniest sprinkle of parmesan and they were divine!!!

To go with that, (let's be clear.. however awesome they may be, they don't make a meal), I made a nice bowl of spagetti with tomato-ricotta sauce and tossed with some cured meat for punch and flavor. And ofcourse, the omnipresent parmesan...

Pardon me.. i just licked the bowl.. :D


Ham and Ricotta Spagetti with a side of Snow Peas
(Serves 1)

3 oz cured ham (whichever flavor catches your fancy), chopped
3 oz ricotta
1/2 cup homemade marinara sauce
1/4 lb spagetti
3/4 cup fresh snow peas
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
2 T fresh grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Cook spagetti according to instructions to just under al dente. Meanwhile, warm up the marinara sauce. Stir in the ricotta. When the pasta is ready, add to cheese and tomato mixture. Toss and cook for a couple more minutes until pasta is cooked. Fold in the ham pieces, reserving a few for garnish. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Lightly saute snow peas in the smallest amount of butter. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Some more parmesan here and you are all set!!

Grape Focaccia

This recipe was voted on to Foodbuzz Top 9. Thanks very much for the love!! :))

Somethings are just meant to be, don't you think? It happens with me and food many times. You see, I go a bit crazy when I see fruits that are new in the season and just hoard them. Inevitably, I get tired of eating them plain, push them to the back of the fridge (and my mind) and hope I come across an idea to use them. Usually, I am in luck! :) I know, the law of averages is likely to catch up. But, until then let me be pleasantly surprised each time! :)

And, it happened again.. This time, it was concord grapes. Incidentally, I don't even like them all that much. But, it was new on shelf and despite everything (I must confess, I didn't try very hard), it ended up in my shopping basket. Anyway, after a few stems of the grapes, I got tired of their tartness and the seeds! So, in the fridge they went. As it would happen, I was browsing the pages of the blogs I follow and came across a recipe for a focaccia with concord grapes on Baking Obsession. I mean, is that a sign or what?! :))

So, I set about making the made-for-me focaccia with grapes, semolina and goat cheese. The bread was nice and fluffy but the goat cheese did not turn out to be the best choice because it does not melt as well, just softens a bit. As to the grapes, I really liked the flavor they added to the focaccia but did not really like the crunch from the seeds. So, I would definitely make it again but next time, will use seedless grapes. Nevertheless, thanks to Vera for the inspiration :)

Grape Focaccia
(adapted from Baking Obsession)

**
The bread is best eaten the day it is made. It becomes a bit hard the next day.
The sponge has to be made the previous day and slowly fermented in the refrigerator overnight.
**

For the sponge (make a day ahead):
4 cup warm water
1/8 tsp + a pinch active dry yeast
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

For the dough:
sponge from above
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 T + 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup semolina
1 cups grapes (recommend seedless, can use seeded if you don't mind the crunch)
salt as per taste

For the sponge:
Stir the yeast in warm water and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the flour to make a lump-free smooth mixture. Place in a warm place and let rise for about 2 hours. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.
Can be refrigerated for upto two days.

On the day of baking:
Stir the yeast in warm water and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Add the starter and olive oil and mix to combine. Switch to a wooden spoon and gradually stir in the flour, semolina, and salt until combined. Gently knead the dough with oiled hands until the dough clears the sides of the bowl, is tacky but not sticky. Add a bit more of the flour if the dough appears too wet. If your hands stick too much to the dough, rub a couple of drops of oil on your palms and continue kneading.

Remove the dough and lightly oil the bowl (it should be reasonably greased from the kneading process itself). Place the dough back into the bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for an hour or so until it has doubled in volume.

Lightly oil a baking sheet to prevent dough from sticking. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Stretch the dough to 1 inch thickness. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. At least 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Dimple the dough gently with the fingertips, drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Scatter the grapes over the dough.

Bake the focaccia until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. As soon as you remove the focaccia from the oven, brush the edges with a bit of olive oil. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to complete cooling.

Btw, it tastes great when had warm!

And, this one is going to YeastSpotting!

This post was featured on October 8 Foodbuzz Top 9!! :)))

Tea with Mom - Dates & Nuts Spice Cake

I was thinking about what to make for High Tea, the October Monthly Mingle event hosted by Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey and Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen. Then I read this post by one of my favorite bloggers Deeba, who aside from being a fabulous baker is a full time mom with two adolescent kids.


The post made me laugh and also brought back memories of my own teenage years. Honestly, and I am sure my mom will concur, they were anything but turbulent but I did have my rebellious moments! My chosen mode of attack was the hunger strike. Frankly, my stomach was the only instrument in my control, but, inadvertently (scout's honor!), I think I chose THE most effective weapon I could have. I don't think my mother would have succumbed as much to tirades and tantrums as my stubborn refusal of nutrition.

Perhaps, if I had made a rational argument for my cause, I could have avoided much heart burn (mine from a growling stomach and hers from my strike), but, that somehow never seemed an option at all. On the flip side how rational an argument can you make when you are stuck between being a child and wanting to be a grown-up?! :).

Anyway, despite all those teething pains, I think my mom is proud of who I am now and what I became and all that would not have been possible without her support and her discipline :). So,I thought it would be fitting to dedicate this post to my mother and every other mom out there with a teenage child going through the transition into maturity.

My mom is not very fond of sweets but I am. And, in the fashion of true compromise, I decided to make something sweet but not too sweet. For as long as I remember, mom would buy Lion dates packet for me (because I was low on hemoglobin). So, I made a date cake with lots of nuts and raisins and a hint of spice. It's best eaten warm with a cup of flavorful tea and a lot of gossip and catching up! :)

Here is to my mom and every other in the world. Because, no one will ever love us like our mothers!! :))

Dates & Nuts Spice Cake

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3-1/2 T butter
3/4 cup date paste or chopped pitted dates
3 T roasted chopped cashew nuts
handful of raisins
1 tsp five spice
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 T brown sugar (if you like it sweeter, you can add a couple more)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup + 1 T water

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, spice, baking soda together. Toss in the chopped nuts and set aside. In a small pan, combine water, butter, sugar and date paste. Over low heat, cook the mixture until the butter has melted, sugar dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Fold in the raisins. Remove from and cool for 10 minutes.

Add the date mixture and the yolk to the flour mixture and combine well. Pour into a greased 4 inch spring form pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until cake is springy to touch.

Let the cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and serve warm with butter.

Vote for my bread ...

Hi!

I sent in my rosemary and potato bread to the bread contest hosted by PhamFatale. Please do click on the link below to vote for me. One lucky voter can win a Petty Phoenix knife from New West Knifeworks.

Thanks again!