My Feasts

Spinach Triangles

2012-01-30T13:24:00.002-05:00

Making these triangles involved the local EMS team.... I had gathered the ingredients on the counter and got busy chopping and mincing . I should also mention that I had just sharpened all the knives a few days earlier and they WERE SHARP. I was chopping up spinach a bit to fast and sliced off a bit more than the tip of my thumb. To make a long story short, the EMS guys showed up and it took two weeks to have a fully functioning thumb that still a bit numb on the sides.

After the EMS guys left , I continued to proceed with the recipe with a bandaged and throbbing thumb. I must say, these were the best spinach triangles that I have had - maybe it was the addition of herbs or the grated Parmesan cheese or maybe I was just delirious from the pain.....

One needs to work gently and fast with phyllo dough. Thaw it in the fridge overnight. I unrolled and placed it on a cookie sheet with a wet towel (that has been squeezed dry) on top. The top few sheets usually turn out a bit too wet to use.

These triangles are also handy to be made in advance and frozen in a single layer in a ziploc bag. Bake in a preheated oven - 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or till golden brown. Don't forget to brush the triangles with melted butter prior to baking. Serve immediately as it tends to lose its crunch. Also great for a light lunch with a side of salad or soup.

Spinach Triangles - New York Times Cookbook
1 pound spinach
1 1/2 tb olive oil
2 tb butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 chopped dill
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup nuts
12 phyllo pastry
6 tb melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and chop spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out excess water.

Heat oil in a large skillet and saute spinach until wilted. Drain cooked spinach in a colander and press out excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Melt butter in the same skillet on medium heat and saute onions, garlic, scallions until it starts to turn golden. Transfer mixture to a bowl to cool. Add spinach, feta cheese, dill, parsley to the cooled onion mixture. Beat egg, yolk and add to spinach mixture . Add in salt, pepper and pine nuts.

I used two sheets of phyllo for three spinach triangles. Smooth out a phyllo sheet, brush with melted butter, cover it with a second phyllo sheet , brush again with melted butter, cut to three length wise ( or two if you want bigger triangles) . Add a heaped teaspoon ( or tablespoon for bigger ones) of spinach filling and fold it to a triangle. Place of a tray and cover triangles with a wet towel or cling wrap. Brush triangles with melted butter and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until brown. Serve immediately.

Blondies with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

2012-01-21T19:34:00.001-05:00

I have missed blogging...

I missed picking out things to make, cooking , photographing and posting it. I have been overwhelmed by certain events for the past six months and this site was one of the casualties.

I have already made two batches of this blondie recipe to ease myself into baking mode again. I made this other recipe awhile back but this one is just as good. It is a straightforward recipe that is especially handy when one needs to make something sweet that comes together in the time it takes to heat the oven , with the help of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer of course- can't beat that :))

Blondies with Chocolate Chips & Walnuts - adapted from Martha Stewart

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. I have used Ghiradelli semisweet chocolate chips.

2 sticks ( half pound) of unsalted butter

1cup brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder

Line 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Cream butter , both sugars and salt until pale and smooth. Add in eggs ,vanilla extract and mix until combined. Fold in flour, a cup each of semisweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

Pour into prepared baking pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle half a cup each of chopped walnuts and semisweet chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30 minutes until top is golden ( insert centre with tooth pick ,it is done if toothpick comes out clean). Cool on a rack and cut into pieces.

Broccoli Stir Fry

2011-06-19T15:05:00.006-05:00

Here is a spicy broccoli stir fry recipe that is typical of Sri Lankan cooking. Maldive fish is usally used to enhance the flavour of side dishes. I have listed 1 teaspoon of chilli powder which could be spicy for some , so feel free to reduce it according to your preference. This side dish goes well with rice, naan and curries.

Broccoli Stir Fry
1 large head broccoli - cut small, blanched and drained well.
1 medium onion - finely chopped
3 tb small dried shrimp ( soaked and dried) ( optional)
salt to taste
1 red chili - chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 tb peanut oil

Heat oil in saute pan and lightly caramelize garlic and chopped onions on medium heat. Add chopped chilli, chilli powder, salt and dried shrimp and stir well. Add in blanched broccoli pieces and adjust seasonings. Saute for 1 minute and take off heat. Serve as a side dish.

Banana bread with apricots.

2011-03-28T13:00:00.002-05:00

No worries if you have a bunch of bananas past its prime sitting on the kitchen counter. I usually freeze mine - skin and all in a bag until I am ready to bake a loaf of banana bread. So I am ready whenever the I feel the need to bake :)

I have been going through the cookbooks I have accumulated ( instead of being tempted to buy more - but then again I am sure that will happen one of these days) and I must say that Nigella Lawson's recipes always delivers. The apricots helps the loaf stay moist for a few days.

Banana bread with apricots
1/2 cup chopped apricots
1/3 cup orange juice
1 1/3 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
120 mg unsalted butter - melted
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup walnuts - chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring orange juice to a boil, turn off heat and add chopped apricots to it, set aside.
Line a 26cm by 11 cm loaf pan ( medium sized loaf pan) with parchment paper and set aside.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt - set aside.

Cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes. Add in orange zest and eggs, beat well. Add in sifted flour, apricots with juice, chopped walnuts and mix until combined. Pour dough into prepared load pan and bake in a preheated oven ( 350 degrees) for one hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Zanzibar Chicken Curry

2011-01-27T07:16:00.006-05:00

I have not been to the exotic island of Zanzibar but this unpredictable weather in the Northeast has me dreaming of exotic and warmer locales. I have been enjoying the winter wonderland but being cooped up at home once again ( seems like a weekly occurrence) due to treacherous driving conditions can put a damper on the sinful pleasure of staying home from work midweek. Good thing that I had stopped at the store a few days ago in anticipation of yet another snow storm.

Whiz up some onions, garlic, green chillies and ginger, then brown chicken pieces, make a sauce and gently simmer for 20 - 30 minutes minutes. Serve drizzled with chopped basil, green chilies and steamed rice. There is nothing better than warming up with something wonderful and spicy on a snowy day. And I froze the leftovers for when I am not so prepared and find myself stuck at home because of another wintry mix ;)

Zanzibar Chicken Curry - Delicious Magazine
2 tb olive oil
2 tb butter
1 medium sized chicken - cut into 8 pieces
3 garlic cloves
2 medium sized onions
1 tb chopped ginger
2 green chillies - deseeded if you don't want this to be a spicy dish
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
5 cardamom pods - crushed
1 tin of coconut milk
1 1/2 cup water
salt to taste
1 1/2 stewed tomatoes
2 cinnamon sticks

Topping:
1 green chilli (deseeded)- minced
1 bunch basil - chopped

Heat butter and olive oil on medium heat and brown chicken pieces. Place on a platter.
Using a food processor, finely minced onion, ginger, garlic and 2 green chillies.

Use the leftover oil-butter mixture in the pot/saute pan used to brown chicken pieces, saute the onion mixture, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Add in chicken pieces, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt to taste, tomatoes, water and coconut milk. Mix well, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Serve curry sprinkled with chopped chilli - basil mixture with steamed rice.

Baked crab cakes with creamy chilli sauce

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

It seems that I always order crab cakes at restaurants only to be disappointed by doughy pucks of breadcrumbs. It happens every time I see it on the menu......can't help myself. I am always hopeful that one day I will come across at least half decent crab cake.

It was gently suggested by my significant other that maybe I should just make my own. Sure, I have done it before but this time I decided to make it a bit easier on myself and decided to bake the crabcakes instead. The mixture can be made in advance, placed in the fridge and baked when dinner time comes around . Even the spicy sauce ( mayo based) can be made a day ahead, just bring it to room temperature before serving. I tossed a simple spinach salad with some pine nuts with the crab cakes and it was a satisfying meal. This recipe makes 6 good sized patties.

Baked crab cakes with creamy chili sauce
1 lb crab meat
1/2 cup mayo
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sambal oelek
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tb Dijon mustard

extra breadcrumbs for coating the crabcakes before baking.

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate up to 3 hrs.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form chilled mixture into medium sized patties and dredge in breadcrumbs. You could make them smaller if you wish.
Place crabcakes on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until tops are golden. Serve with spicy sauce. Makes 6 good sized patties

Creamy chilli sauce:
5 tb mayo
1 tb heavy cream
salt to taste
1 tb sambal oelek ( I used 2 tb)
1 tsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Mix all ingredients. Serve with crab cakes.

Corn fritters

2011-01-06T06:00:00.002-05:00

Let me start off by wishing you a Happy New Year. I am kicking off the new year by making delicious little corn fritters that goes well with some sweet chilli sauce. These little morsels need a bit of rest time before being fried. Have some frozen corn on standby and you could frying up some fritters in half an hour!

Corn Fritters
1 cup corn
2 tb coconut milk
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 jalapeno - minced
1 scallion - finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg - lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp cornflour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
vegetable oil for frying

Add all ingredients ( except vegetable flour) in a food processor and pulse until mixture look finely minced. Let mixture rest for 30 minutes. The batter should be able to hold its shape ( but not a stiff dough), if it is too thin, add a tablespoon or more of all purpose flour.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Drop tablespoons of batter into oil and fry both sides until golden brown. Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce. Makes a dozen and a half fritters.

Candy cane brownies

2010-12-13T15:29:00.004-05:00

These mini brownies will be a nice addition to your dessert platter. The brownie is rich and cakey - a bit on the dense side and does not contain any mint in the batter. I used crushed candy canes and sprinkled on top to make it festive and the little bite of mint does add something extra to the brownies.

Don't be afraid to try the ganache - it is basically melted dark chocolate and cream. Pour it over cupcakes and cakes and you will absolutely adore it. Or you could dip a pretzel or two if you have some around the house ;)

I made this three days ahead for a get together recently and it kept well ( except the candy canes did not stay crunchy but my crowd did not mind it). In fact the brownies tasted better the next day.

Try other treats for Christmas:
Shortbread
Pistachio tea cakes
Chocolate cashew brittle
Gingerbread

Candy cane brownies - Donna Hay
125gm unsalted butter - room temperature
pinch of salt
100 gm dark chocolate - chopped
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup all purpose flour - sifted
1/8 tsp baking powder
2 tb cocoa powder - sifted
crushed candy cane for decoration

Chocolate ganache:
200 gm dark chocolate chopped
1/3 cup cream

Preheat oven to 355 degrees.
Melt butter and chopped chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted. Take off the heat.
In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until well combined. Pour in melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir well. Add in sifted flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder and stir well.

Spoon into lightly greased mini muffin tin and bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack .

Heat cream and chopped dark chocolate on low heat and stir well. Take off heat once chocolate melts.

Drizzle ganache over cooled little cakes and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Spicy stir fried leeks with prawns

2010-12-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

This is a beloved family recipe. My dad used to make this quick spicy stir fry and would serve it with steamed rice and creamy lentils. Leeks are a tender, edible member of the lily family. They have a mild onion taste with a slightly sweet edge and look like over-grown green onions (scallions). Look for slender, straight leeks. Leeks more than about 1 1/2 inches wide tend to have tough inner cores. The top green leaves should look fresh - avoid leeks with wilted or yellowing tops.

Spicy stir fried leeks with prawns
4 medium leeks
1/2 lb peeled prawns
2 tb oil
salt to taste
4 whole green chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp minced ginger
1/4 cup water

Peel prawns, clean the intestinal tract and set aside. Clean and cut leeks and rinse well.
Cut leeks thinly. Heat oil in a saucepan on high and saute minced ginger and leeks. Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder and stir well. Pour water and cook until leeks are wilted, once the water is evaporated, add in peeled prawns. Stir for three minutes and serve with rice.

White chocolate and coconut cookies.

2010-11-30T05:00:00.001-05:00

It is no secret around here that I adore coconut - sweet or savoury. It comes with my tropical background I think. I love the creaminess of the just squeezed coconut milk, tender young coconut meat in a refreshing drink and sweet shredded coconut.

I came across this cookie recipe from Paula Deen. It called for sweetened coconut and white chocolate - I just had to make it. Here is the thing with cookies - some like it crispy, some like it thin and some like it moist and cakey. This falls in the cakey and not too sweet category. White chocolate could be swapped with milk chocolate for the topping.

Other coconut desserts:
Chocolate and coconut bars
Coconut scones with raspberry jam
Cranberry coconut cookies
Coconut poppy seed cake
Pulut Inti - sweet rice with coconut topping

White chocolate and coconut cookies - Paula Deen
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks butter / 1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup quick cook oats
3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Garnish
8 oz white chocolate melted
3/4 cup lightly toasted sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift baking powder, baking soda, salt, all purpose flour and set aside.
Using a mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add in 1 egg, vanilla extract and cream for another two minutes.

Pour in dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Form into walnut sized ball and flatten dough a little and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Cool completely.

Melt white chocolate and dip cooled cookies and sprinkle tops with lightly toasted coconut. Store when cookies are completely dry. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

2010-10-21T07:00:00.002-05:00

This is THE biscotti recipe that I have been using for years. It is from the Gourmet cookbook ( I love that book!!!!). I make dozens of these twice baked cookies to give away for Christmas, all packed in beautiful tins. These sturdy cookies also travel well - I have been mailing it to friends afar.

It has some serious chocolate flavour and I recommend Ghiradelli cocoa powder. The chocolate chips can be substituted with dark chocolate chunks if you are so inclined. It keeps well for a long time, the flavours are better after a few days.

Other cookie recipes :
Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Korova Cookies
Cranberry Coconut Cookies
Linzer Cookies
Carrot Cookies

BTW the lucky recipients of the kaffir lime leaves and Malaysian curry powder to make Malay style chicken curry are Vrinda, Bawani and Bee. Bee and Bawani - please email me with your info :)

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti - Gourmet
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tap salt
6 tb unsalted butter - room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup walnuts - chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk flour, sugar. baking soda, cocoa powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until well combined. If using a stand mixer, this usually takes 1 minute. Add eggs and beat well.

Add in all dry ingredients into with creamed butter, the dough will be stiff. Halve dough and form into 12 by 2 inch logs, slightly flattened. Place on a baking sheet 4 inches apart or using separate baking sheets to bake the logs. Bake logs for 35 minutes, cool on a rack for 15 minutes, slice logs diagonally ( 3/4 inches) place biscotti back on baking sheets , cut side down and bake for another 15 minutes or until crisp. Cool and store.

Almond Saffron Cake

2010-10-12T17:20:00.001-05:00

If you are looking to make a cake that is both elegant and delicious you have come to the right place. This cake is both amazingly light and moist - the secret ingredient is confectioner's sugar instead of granulated sugar. This rich and decadent cake keeps well and I personally thinks it tastes better the next day.

It is key to heat the milk and saffron and cool it before baking the cake. Warm milk will ruin the batter. Steeping the milk with saffron gives it a lovely ocher tinge. Pour in the cooled milk with the saffron bits into the batter.

Other cake recipes: Whipped cream cake, chocolate guinness cake , chocolate date cake, ginger pound cake,

Almond Saffron Cake - Kim Sunee author of Trail of Crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp saffron
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup butter - room temperature
7 oz tube almond paste ( not marzipan)/8 oz can almond paste
1 cup confectioners sugar
5 large eggs
8 oz sour cream
Zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 (8 inch) round cake pans and set aside.
Heat milk on medium heat, add orange zest and saffron, bring to a gentle simmer and take off heat. Let cool.

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

Using a stand mixer cream butter and almond paste for 5 minutes. I cut up the almond paste to smaller pieces and added to mixer.Add confectioners sugar and beat till fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time. Add in flour and sour cream alternately.
Gently pour in saffron mixture and mix well.

Divide batter between both prepared pans and bake for 30/40 minutes, test for doneness with a cake tester. I baked mined for 40 minutes. Serve with berries or dusted with confectioners sugar.

Pumpkin Muffins

2010-10-07T09:47:00.004-05:00

It has been much cooler and there is no doubt that Fall is here. I have not baked much in the summer due to not only the weather but also the kitchen renovations. It feels good to have the kitchen filled with aroma of warm spices often associated with this time of the year.

These muffins are wonderfully moist and keeps really well. I have used canned pumpkin puree. I would not recommend using freshly cooked pumpkin as it is watery and would throw off this recipe. Canned pumpkins have thicker consistency than the fresh ones.

Pumpkin Muffins - Dorie Greenspan
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of ground nutmeg and allspice
8 tb unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk flour, ground spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla. Beat for another 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and pour in buttermilk and pumpkin puree. Mix well, mixed add in nuts, raisins and flour. Stir until well incorporated.

Pour into paper lined (medium) muffin tin , sprinkle pumpkin seeds/ sunflower seeds (optional) and bake until tops are brown, around 25 to 30 minutes.

Malay chicken curry with turmeric and kaffir lime and a giveaway!

2010-09-23T05:54:00.002-05:00

Now that cooler weather is upon us, there is nothing more warming and comforting than having something wonderful simmering slowly on the stove. This Malay style chicken curry is popular at warungs ( family owned coffee shops) of my youth. It goes well with steamed rice but I prefer it with roti jala/ net bread ( recipe link provided).

The turmeric leaves and root are optional but provides huge flavour and really make this dish shine. I brought mine from home ( keeps well frozen for months). I have come across it at some asian stores here in New York. It is usually located in the freezer section.

Subscribe and leave a comment and you will be in the running for some Malaysian curry powder, turmeric powder and kaffir lime leaves! Three random winners will receive all the above mentioned ingredients to help make this dish :) US only - sorry guys, I don't think I will be able to mail kaffir lime leaves and an assortment of loose powders overseas without much hassle. Good Luck!!!!

Try other Malaysian recipes - whole red snapper in sweet sour sauce, ayam masak merah, lodeh, roti jala

Ayam Masak Lemak
half a medium chicken - cut into bite pieces
5 small shallots - peeled
2 cloves garlic - peeled
1 tb minced fresh minced ginger
1 turmeric leaf -optional/ daun kunyit - minced
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
2/3 tsp sambal oelek/ chilli paste
1 cup water
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar

Puree shallots, garlic and ginger with enough water to make it a thick paste. Rub this paste all over the cut chicken pieces and set aside for 20 minutes.

Mix rest of the ingredients in a large pot and add marinated chicken pieces to it. Cover pot and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on medium heat. Stir periodically and adjust seasonings. Cook until chicken is tender, serve with steamed rice. Makes 3/4 servings.

Grilled swordfish with arugula & walnut pesto

2010-09-09T06:00:00.004-05:00

We decided to stay close to home this summer as we are still unpacking and go on day trips around Hudson Valley instead. A few weeks ago, we drove out to the Birkshires. It was a lovely drive there and a great place to browse for antiques.

It was late evening when we reached home. I had some wild swordfish that I had bought the day before at Whole Foods. Brad grilled the fish (seasoned with salt and pepper) for 4 minutes on each side while I made the arugula pesto with walnuts and tossed a baby lettuce salad with simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and a touch of dijon mustard.

We dined al fresco, watching the squirrels chase each other up and down the oak trees surrounding the patio.

Arugula & Walnut Pesto
2 medium sized bunches of baby arugula
3 cloves garlic - peeled
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
2 tb grated parmesan cheese
olive oil salt to taste

Wash baby arugula and drain well. Place arugula, garlic cloves, walnuts and grated parmesan cheese in a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are chopped. Pour in olive oil while machine is running until mixture becomes a thick paste.

Peaches poached in lillet and lemon verbena

2010-08-29T13:15:00.004-05:00

I've just finished reading Trail of Crumbs by Kim Sunee. It is a memoir filled with seasonal and delicious recipes. I looked at the recipe for poached peaches and realized that I had all the ingredients in my kitchen, right down to the lillet blanc (lillet blanc is a french aperitif wine that consists of a blend of Bordeaux wines and citrus liquor) and lemon verbena growing rampantly in a large clay pot by the glass patio door ( and a sorry looking orange in the fridge).

Gently poach the fruit with the rest of the ingredients and there could not be a more delicious dessert on a warm summer night. We enjoyed ours with home made vanilla ice cream.

Other peach recipes - peach and feta salad, grilled pork chops with peach and bourbon sauce.

Peaches poached in lillet blanc and lemon verbena
6 medium ripe peaches
1 bottle Lillet
1/3 cup sugar
2 tb honey
1 piece of orange rind
juice from 1/2 orange
4 fresh lemon verbena sprigs

Peel and half peaches. In a large saucepan, place halved peaches and add rest of the ingredients to the saucepan. Gently poach, take out peaches after 20 minutes while a bit tender but still able to hold its shape. Boil down syrup for a few more minutes and pour over the poached fruit.

Rava Ladoo

2010-08-16T16:32:00.002-05:00

Indian sweets usually have bad rap. The ones found in most Indian restaurants are sickly sweet and greasy ( sans the most important ingredient : ghee/clarified butter). Traditional sweet making is an art. It is a well known fact in our neighborhood that most ladies keep the recipes closely guarded. They get busy in the kitchen in their best competitive spirit during festivals, special occasions and weddings for an all out battle.

I kept asking my tour guide for sweet shops when I was in Chennai, South India a few years ago. He did not have an address - we were led to Alauddin Sweets in T-Nagar just by following the wonderful and mouth watering aroma of cardamom, ghee and cream. The whole block had the lingering aroma of the sweet shop and was filled with customers ( standing room only) - that is when you know you have hit the jack pot!

Jackson Heights in Queens does have some decent sweet shops but I could not wait for the weekend to have my sweet coconut treat fix!

Rava Ladoo

2 cups Fine Rava/semolina/cream of wheat
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Shredded Dry Coconut - 1 ½ cups
Sugar - 2 cups or 1 ½ cups if you want it less sweet
Evaporated Milk - 1 5oz can
Cardamom Powder - ½ tsp
Saffron - 1 pinch, powdered (optional)
Raisins – ¼ cup, roasted in a little butter
Cashew/Almond/Pistachio - ¼ cup, coarsely chopped and roasted in a little butter

Method:

Melt butter/ghee in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add Rava/Sooji and toast until lightly browned. Add shredded coconut, sugar and mix well on low heat for few seconds.
Add in raisins, nuts, saffron, cardamom powder and mix well. Pour in evaporated milk and turn off the stove. Keep mixing for few minutes until the evaporated milk is well incorporated. Mixture will thicken.

Remove pan from stove. Dip your hands in cold water, take small amount of the mixture ( a bit smaller than golf ball size) and roll it into balls. Makes approx. 35 to 40 ladoos depending on the size you make.

Other desserts like this:
Firni
Date and Rice Pudding

Turmeric Grilled Catfish Lettuce Wraps.

2010-08-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

It has been hectic few months in our household. We packed, moved, cleaned, did a total gut out of our kitchen, spent months designing and sourcing handmade Italian tiles, carerra marble, apron sink, knobs and pulls. The blog took a backseat for all these months. It was not easy to live without a kitchen for 7 weeks!! By the way we are still unpacking.

The kitchen is all done now and it is a refuge for me. It is beautiful and I am glad that we took all that time and effort to put it together.

This wrap delivers a wonderful punch of flavours all at once. A great way to use all the wonderful herbs that you have growing all over your garden. Grill, assemble and enjoy!

Marinade
1 1/2 lbs catfish / firm fleshed fish
2 tb sour cream
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tb galangal powder
1 1 /2 tb fish sauce

Wraps
1/4 lb rice noodles - soaked on hot water
1 head boston lettuce
3 scallions- thinly sliced
handful mint
small bunch of fresh dill
small bunch of lemon basil

Mix sour cream, turmeric powder, galangal powder an d fish sauce well. Pour over catfish and set aside for half an hour.

Lightly oil and preheat grill. Grill pieces of fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side ( depending on the size of the fish).

To serve
Place grilled fish in the lettuce and pile up the rest of the ingredients. Don"t forget the dip!

Roasted black pepper shrimp with curry leaves

2010-05-05T13:00:00.001-05:00

It is quite a feat to make dinner with most of the kitchen still packed away. It will be another two months ( I fervently hope!) before the renovations are completed. Until then, we will have to make do. Grilling season is here and that makes life less complicated , and less take out ;)

This dish is quite simple and yet delicious. I used Tellicherry black peppercorns. Once gently roasted (stove top) it releases a wonderful aroma and flavour. Prepare all the ingredients ( and have the rice cooked) before heating up the wok as this comes together quickly.

I am a fan of spice and therefore 1 whole tablespoon of crushed black pepper was not an issue. Feel free to reduce the amount of pepper if you wish.

Curry leaves are sold fresh in most Oriental grocery stores. I usually clean the leaves and dry it on a cookie sheet in the oven with the light on overnight. Store dried curry leaves in a jar -it will keeps indefinately.

Roasted Black Pepper Shrimp With Curry Leaves
Use small shallots if you are unable to find small onions.
1 lb medium sized shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 tb whole black pepper - roasted and crushed
1/2 tsp salt
25 curry leaves
2 1/2 tb olive oil
10 small red onions/ small shallots - quartered

Heat oil on medium high heat in saute pan or a wok. Saute quartered onions for 2 minutes. Add peeled shrimp, salt and curry leaves. Cover pan for two minutes. Lift lid of saute pan and add crushed black pepper. Keep stirring until shrimps are opaque. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Chocolate and ginger cookies

2010-04-18T11:08:00.001-05:00

It has been challenging few weeks around here with all the packing and moving. We moved to our new home and are living amidst boxes. It is amazing how two people can amass boxes and boxes of stuff... We have been living quite comfortably in the new house with just the essential needs.

The kitchen has stripped down to a bare minimum. Just a couple of pots, three plates and mugs. Most of the kitchen is still packed away and will not be unpacked until the renovations are done ...which could take months. The fridge and stove are working and that in itself is bliss to me :-)

I made these cookies right before moving. It keeps well and improves with age. A much welcomed treat to a couple of exhausted movers.

Chocolate & ginger cookies - Donna Hay issue 47
150 gm butter - room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
1/2 cup golden syrup
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup candied ginger - diced small
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
200 gm dark chocolate - chopped1/2 cup white sugar

Using a stand mixer, cream butter, golden syrup and brown sugar for 7 minutes until creamy.
Sift all purpose flour, ground ginger, cocoa powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to creamed butter. Place dough in a bowl and set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll tablespoonfuls of cookie dough into balls. Roll in white sugar and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cookies will be soft right after baked.

Date and rice pudding

2010-03-24T06:00:00.002-05:00

I had some leftover basmati rice from the other night and decided to make spicy date and rice pudding. Cooked rice, warm spices, milk and cream all goes in a large pot. Simmer gently. Swirl in some sweet cream and chopped sweet dates. Cashews browned in ghee ( pour in the hot ghee into the pudding as well) adorn this vegetarian rice pudding. Wonderful by the bowlful on a drizzly spring day.

Date and rice pudding
Milk based puddings tend to burn easily. Cook on low heat and stir lots! The dates add extra sweetness to this pudding and this could be too sweet for some. Go easy on the brown sugar.

2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cream
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
salt
1/4 cup brown sugar5 medjool dates - diced
1/3 cup cashews sauteed in ghee until golden

In a large pot combine cooked rice, salt, milk. cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, sugar, ginger powder and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook on low heat until mixture thickens ( 5 to 7 minutes). Pour in cream. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add diced dates. Serve topped with golden cashews. I prefer to serve this dessert warm.

Masoor dal with chopped spinach

2010-03-17T18:26:00.011-05:00

I grew up having lentil dishes at least twice a week, especially on Fridays. My mother had clear jars filled with various varieties of colourful dal . She would soak whatever dal she will be using for a meal that day right after breakfast and a pot of dal would be simmering gently on the stove by late morning. The kitchen will be filled with the pleasant aroma of onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies.

Masoor dhal is salmon coloured, lens shaped dal that cooks quickly with minimum soaking time. Dal cooks faster if it has not been sitting on the shelves too long. I have used asafoetida ( also known as hing/perungayam) here ( optional). It is a resin of a tree that aids digestion and is often used in cooking beans and legumes. It is pungent and often sold in powder form in oriental grocery stores. Once cooked it becomes milder and has the aroma of sauteed onion and garlic. It can be purchased online.

Masoor dal with chopped spinach
Lentils:
1 cup dry masoor dal 1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp asafoetida
2 small green chillies
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp minced ginger1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped spinach ( tightly packed)

Talippu/Tarka/Saute:
6 curry leaves
1/2 cup chopped onions4 dried chillies
2 tb ghee(clarified butter) / vegetable oil

Lentils
Soak lentils for at least half an hour, wash and drain. Using medium heat, boil drained lentils with 2 1/2 cups water, asafoetida, garlic, minced ginger and chopped green chillies until lentils are fully cooked but still holding its shape ( around 7 to 10 minutes). Masoor dal will easily turn to mush if left cooking too long.

Once the dal is cooked, add salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, chopped tomatoes. and chopped spinach. Adjust seasonings. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

Using a saute pan - heat ghee/clarified butter on medium heat. Saute chopped onions until it begins to caramelize. Add curry leaves and dried chillies. Saute until fragrant for a few minutes and pour over dal. Serve with rice. Makes 6 servings. Complete this vegetarian meal with these side dishes:
Sauteed mushrooms
Spicy eggplant
Gobi Mattar
Cucumber and shallot raita

Chocolate and coconut bars

2010-03-10T16:00:00.001-05:00

Sweetened condensed milk is made by removing the water from milk and adding sugar to it. I used to sneak it from the fridge and drizzle the cold thick sweet milk on warm toast for a quick snack when my mom was occupied by her orchids in the garden. Many years later (after I moved from home) I confessed my secret indulgence to my mother one day while we were enjoying curry puffs and Malaysian style teh tarik ( pulled tea). She smiled brightly and said she figured that out long time ago. I always have at least a can of it in my pantry as it is an important ingredient for my morning coffee - just the way my parents enjoyed theirs.

The cookie crust for this bar is moist and chewy. The nut studded chocolate filling is rich and reminds one of a candy bar. You won't be able to stop at one :)

Chocolate and coconut bars
1 cup butter ( reserve 2 tb for the chocolate layer)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour -sifted
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
3 cups all purpose oats
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract ( for filling)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cookie layer - Cream butter, salt, vanilla extract and brown sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in eggs until well combined. Stop mixer and scrape down the bowl and turn on the mixer again.
Stir in sifted all purpose flour, sweetened coconut and oats.

Make filling - melt 2 tablespoon butter, condensed milk, and chocolate pieces on low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped walnuts and vanilla extract.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press 2/3 of the cookie layer in a 15 by 10 inch pan lined with parchment paper. If you use a smaller pan the bar will be thicker. Pour over chocolate filling evenly and sprinkle 1/3 of cookie dough over it. Bake for 25 to 3 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Golden Beet Chips

2010-03-04T06:11:00.000-05:00

I decided to make my own beet chips after coming across various blog sites that showcased a variety of home made chips. Golden beets do not bleed like ruby red beets and tastes much milder. I found a bunch of it at the local Whole Food's.

I dusted off my mandoline and sliced the beets thinly. Heat some canola oil to 375 degrees - use a thermometer as it takes out the guess work of the right temperature. If the oil is not hot enough, you will end up with soggy chips, low on the crunch factor. Too hot and the chips will burn.

Fry thinly sliced beets in small batches and drain on a cookie sheet lined with some paper towel to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle some salt if you are so inclined . We could not wait - we devoured the whole lot standing in the kitchen while dinner got cold . Who needs dinner when you have a whole tray full of sweet and crunchy chips?

Pomegranate Glazed Salmon

2010-02-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Recently I have been using the oven quite a bit on weekdays ( my slow cooker is unable to keep up with the demands of this household - time to shop for another one). It is convenient and I am able to marinate fish, chicken or toss seasonal vegetables together and bake for the required time. Dinner is done and on the table by an hour - unless one has to take pictures to post on a food blog ;)

I have used wild salmon for this recipe. Pomegranate molasses is available in Middle Eastern grocery stores. Or you can make you own by reducing on low heat 4 cups pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice to 1 cup. Cool and store in fridge. Make the glaze and marinade for the salmon ahead of time - it keeps well for at least a week.

This recipe requires fish fillets to be marinated for half an hour prior to cooking. Do not marinate fillets for than one hour as the acid in the lemon juice will break down proteins of the fish and you will end up with mushy fish instead of buttery and flaky salmon. The same goes for prawns.

Pomegranate Glazed Salmon - adapted from Food & Wine
Salmon
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tb olive oil
2 tb fresh lemon juice
2 tb honey
3 garlic cloves - minced
1 tb finely minced ginger
1 tsp ground pepper
eight - 6 oz wild salmon fillets

Glaze :
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
2 tb honey
2 tb soy sauce
2 garlic cloves -minced
1 tb finely grated ginger
1 tb grated lemon zest
salt to taste

To prepare salmon:
Combine all of the ingredients except salmon fillets in a bowl. Marinate salmon in it for at least half an hour or up to one hour.

To prepare glaze:
Mix all of the ingredients, taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lift fillets out of the marinade and place on a baking sheets ( skin side down). Discard marinade. Brush fillets with some glaze and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through .Brush glaze on fillets at least twice and once more right before serving.

Whipped Cream Cake

2010-02-10T19:00:00.001-05:00

This is a light and tender cake. Upon observing the recipe you will notice that butter is not on the list on ingredients. This is not an error in the recipe - butter has been replaced by heavy cream. Heavy cream contains equal or more butterfat than butter. I found this to be a convenient cake to make, since I had half a carton of heavy cream stashed away behind a jar of preserved Meyer lemons that I had made last year ( and had totally slipped my mind!). Maybe it is time to make a tagine again...

Back to the heavy cream - I somehow end up with a litre of heavy cream in my shopping cart every time I need it for a recipe. More often than not I am left with half a carton of heavy cream. What can one make with left over heavy cream? Any interesting ideas?

Whipped Cream Cake - Rose's Heavenly Cakes
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream - cold
3 large eggs - room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tb sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Beat eggs and vanilla until combined. Using a stand mixer, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Add egg and vanilla mixture to whip cream (use medium speed). Gradually add in sugar. The mixture will be of mayonnaise consistency.

Fold half of the sifted flour into whipped cream mixture using a spatula. Fold until flour mixture is incorporated into the cream mixture.

Butter and flour a 10 cup bundt pan. Pour in cake batter and bake in a preheated oven for 25 - 35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and invert cake onto a rack that has been coated with a little butter to prevent cake from sticking.
Serve cake dusted with some confectionery sugar. This cake stays moist for at least three days - it does not last longer than that around here ;)

Bouillabaise

2010-02-08T18:00:00.002-05:00

Here is a Provencal seafood soup recipe that is a cinch to make. The original recipe calls for homemade fish stock made from fish bones. I have cut corners here and and used a premade fish stock. This effortless recipe is composed of clams, mussels and fish fillet. You could easily make this with different kinds of shellfish.

There are variations of this recipe that call for Pernod in place of wine. I have used white wine here because that is what I had on hand. Have lots of crusty baguettes on hand when feasting on this simple but incredibly satisfying seafood soup.

Bouillabaisse
2 small leeks - white part, chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 medium sized onion - chopped
5 tb olive oil
9 oz peeled and chopped tomatoes
4 tb chopped parsley
pinch of saffron
4 lbs firm fish fillets cut into chunks
2 lb clams - cleaned
2 lbs mussels -cleaned
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup seafood stock

In a large pan, heat olive oil ( medium heat)and saute minced garlic, leeks and onion. Pour in tomatoes, wine and saffron. Add cleaned clams and mussels. Cook covered until shellfish is opened -this will take around 5 to 7 minutes. Add seafood pieces and cook covered. Adjust seasonings, scatter chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread and rouille.

Rouille
3 garlic cloves - minced
2 small hot peppers - minced
2 egg yolks
1 cup olive oil
salt to taste

Mix minced garlic and pepper well. Whisk in egg yolks and slowly drizzle olive oil while whisking until thick and smooth. Serve rouille in a separate dish with the soup.

Yogurt Zucchini Bread With Walnuts

2010-02-05T06:00:00.005-05:00

We are bracing for a yet another storm this weekend ( starting today). We will most probably stay close to home and maybe get a head start on spring cleaning ;) I have been exploring different bread recipes recently and have had success making a basic whole wheat and honey bread from here.

This is a wonderful moist quick bread that can be made ahead and enjoyed for a snack or breakfast through the week. Quick bread uses baking powder for leavening instead of yeast and proofing is not required. Dry ingredients are mixed together with liquid ingredients briefly, then poured into a prepared loaf pan and baked. Quick bread can be savoury or sweet and is often tight crumbed. This loaf is light in both texture and flavour and is generously studded with chopped walnuts that forms a nutty crust. Most quick bread recipes tend to be reliable and dependable more often than not.

Yogurt Zucchini Bread with Walnuts- Gourmet
Use grated carrots instead of zucchini for a carrot loaf.
1 cup walnut halves - toasted and chopped
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tb sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup fat free yogurt
1 medium zucchini - coarsely grated

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a nine inch loaf pan and set aside.
Grate medium zucchini and squeeze out excess liquid and set aside.

In a large bowl mix sugar and eggs until well combined. Pour in vegetable oil and yogurt and stir well. Add dry ingredients to the yogurt egg mixture and stir until well combined. Add grated zucchini and 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts to batter. Pour into prepared pan and and bake for one hour or until cake tester comes out clean. It took an hour and ten minutes in my oven . Cool on a rack before serving.

Maple Roasted Carrots

2010-02-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is a great standby recipe that I often make. It seems that I always have a bag of organic carrots and an herb on some kind in the crisper. Like most working folks I gravitate towards recipes that are quick and delicious for weeknight dinners. Once the prep is done, turn on the oven, mix all ingredients and bake.

I usually add some water to carrots and cover it with foil while baking. This allows the carrots to be cooked through, then remove the foil to allow the vegetable to caramelize. Rosemary or thyme can also be used instead of sage. Don't be alarmed by the amount of garlic. Roasted whole garlic cloves are mellow and sweet. And you will not really have killer garlic breath...maybe just a little ;)

Maple Roasted Carrots
6 carrots
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tb olive oil
10 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
20 sage leaves

Wash, peel and cut carrots.

Preheat oven to 370 degrees . In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together EXCEPT for sage leaves. Toss to combine and spread on a baking sheet. Roast covered with a foil for 25 minutes, then remove foil. Scatter sage leaves over the carrots and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until carrots and tender and sage leaves are crispy.

Black Pepper Chicken With Honey

2010-01-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

I discovered this dish when I was out lunching with friends on a recent trip home. It seemed to be a permanent fixture on menus at Indian Muslim restaurants in particular and was served at lunchtime. I would find myself craving the intensively spicy and sweet dish and would wonder off to my favourite mamak stall to enjoy it with some steamed rice and stir fried vegetables.

One foggy evening found me in my kitchen in New York, chopping shallots and pounding aromatic Tellicherry peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Please go easy with the black pepper as this dish is on the spicy side. Dried chillis and ginger also heat a gentle heat to this dish.

Black Pepper Chicken With Honey

Marinade:
1/2 chicken - cut into bite pieces
2 tb cornflour
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tb peanut oil

Combine all ingredients. Heat oil on medium high heat in a large saute pan and shallow fry to sear in the juices of the chicken . Chicken should be half cooked at this point. Remove chicken from hot oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Sauce:
2 tb honey
1 tb dark soy sauce
2 scallions - chopped
1 cup chicken stock
3 shallots - minced
1 tb tomato sauce
1 tb freshly ground black pepper

Saute:
5 dried chillis
3 medium sized shallots - minced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tb minced ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 tb peanut oil

Heat oil leftover from the pan and saute all ingredients. Add in browned chicken pieces. Pour in sauce ingredients, cover and bring to a boil. Cook until chicken pieces are cooked and the sauce is reduced . Serve with steamed rice.

Claypot Chicken Rice

2010-01-11T18:00:00.002-05:00

There was this famous place in Klang that I would frequent on a monthly basis with friends to indulge in claypot specialties. It was a non descritp food stall located at the food court of Parkson Grand Mall off Jalan Meru and they had the best claypot chicken rice and claypot noodles around. It's been years since I have been back to the food stall at Parkson Grand but did manage to enjoy some claypot chicken rice for brunch at another restaurant located opposite PJ Old Town Market off Jln Othman when I was home more than a month ago.

I have been looking for a claypot and finally found it (a fairly inexpensive one) at Pearl River in Soho . Chinese sausage is also known as lapchong or la chang and is made from fatty pork . These sausages are dried and will last for weeks in the fridge or for months in the freezer. Chinese wine used in this recipe is Shaoxing cooking wine which is made of rice and the aroma is similar to sake which is an acceptable substitute ( or skip it all together, I have made this dish without wine and it was still delicious). This dish can also be made by layering cooked rice and marinated chicken in a casserole and bake covered in the oven at 350 degrees for 3/4 hour, or until chicken pieces are cooked.

Claypot ChickenRice

Marinade for chicken:

3 tb oyster sauce

1 tb light soy sauce

1 tb cooking wine

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tb corn starch

Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken. Mix well. Spread mixture on rice when rice is half cooked.

Rice:

11/2 cup long grained white rice

chicken stock

half of a chicken, cut into bite sizes

1 chinese sausage, sliced

6 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and sliced

2 inches of ginger, cut into 4 pieces

2 spring onion,sliced

Cook rice with the chicken stock and ginger pieces in a rice cooker or a claypot. If using unglazed claypot, soak it in water for 20 - 30 minutes. Wipe dry and proceed with recipe using low heat. When rice is half cooked, add marinated chicken pieces, Chinese sausage and sliced mushrooms. Cover and cook till chicken is done. Sprinkle with spring onions and serve. I like to serve mine with some hot sauce.

Chocolate Strawberry Turnover

2010-01-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year to you all. We had a relaxing New Year and Christmas. I am happy to announce that I received my own domain name for Christmas - it is now myfeasts.com. That has inspired me to revamp this site. It is in the works and from what I gather it will take a a few months to get it up and running.

I am starting off the new year with something quick and sweet. It is made with some puff pastry and dark chocolate that we always seem to have in abundance around here :) Seriously - we have a collection of dark chocolate in this house thanks to my better half. The all butter puff pastry is from Trader Joe's. It bakes quite nicely with a super buttery and flaky crust. I made this on several occasions and finally have resisted the temptation of overfilling the chocolate and jam. A heaped teaspoon of filling is all you need for each triangle.

Chocolate Strawberry Turnovers - adapted from Gourmet
1 ( 17 oz ) puff pastry
1 large egg - beaten
1/3 cup strawberry jam
3 1/2 oz finely chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Thaw the puff pastry and cut each sheet into 4 squares, brush the edges with s0me beaten egg. Place dark chocolate and strawberry jam in the middle and fold each square diagonally in half. Seal and crimp pastry. Place pastry triangles on baking sheet, brush pastry with beaten egg and bake in preheated oven till tops turn golden, around 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack and serve warm as the chocolate will be gooey :).

Eggplant With Yogurt

2009-12-28T05:16:00.002-05:00

Here is a clever side dish that can also do double duty as a dip. Add creamy whipped yogurt to cooled roasted eggplant. Sprinkle sweet minced shallots and some chopped red chillies for some heat. Mix rest of the ingredients, let sit in the fridge overnight for all the flavours to mingle. This can be served as a side dish with a spicy curry and rice or as a dip with pita chips. Happy Holidays Everyone!

Eggplant With Yogurt
6 small eggplants
1/2 tb oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tb fresh lime juice
2 red chillies - finely chopped
2 small shallots - finely chopped
4 tb plain thick yogurt
1 tb finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Cut eggplants in half. Sprinkle turmeric powder and oil on cut halves and place on a baking sheet cut side down. Roast for 30 minutes ( at 400 degrees) and set aside to cool .
When the roasted eggplants are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh on place in a large bowl. Mash it well.

Add the rest of the ingredients with mashed eggplant and stir well. This side dish is best served at room temperature. Serves 4/5.

Coconut scones with homemade raspberry jam

2009-12-14T05:00:00.011-05:00

These hearty scones flecked with sweetened coconut are wonderful treats in the morning, warm straight out of the oven and accompanied by a steaming mug of sweetened coffee ( that is how I like my coffee). It is the perfect antidote to a rainy winter morning. I made large dimples on the scones so that each wedge will have its own generous dallop of thick raspberry jam that I made using local raspberries that were abundant in the farmers' market this past summer.

I've used unbleached flour here instead of bleached flour. Unbleached flour basically means ground wheat flour that is not oxidized and treated with chemicals during processing. Oxidation can alter the gluten proteins in wheat flour and there is much debate about the safety of some of the chemicals used in this process . Unbleached flour has a nutty flavour and the golden hue is especially appealing in scones, muffins and breads.

Coconut Scones with Homemade Raspberry Jam
1 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3 tb sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cold butter cut into cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
raspberry jam /jam of your choice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift flour and place in a large bowl. Add coconut, salt, sugar, oats and baking powder and stir until well combined. Add cubed cold butter to flour and cut into the flour with a pastry blender or a fork until it looks like little pebbles. Alternately this process can be done in a food processor.

Using a little bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Reserve 1 tablespoon. Make a well in the middle of the bowl of the flour mixture and pour in milk-egg mixture. Mix until just combined with a fork.

Pat dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet into an 8 inch round. Cut into 8 wedges and brush the top with milk-egg mixture. Make a a depression on each wedge and fill with jam of your choice.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Recut scones and serve.

Saffron & Lemongrass Rice

2009-12-10T15:07:00.002-05:00

I am always reminded of the importance of rice on my trips home to Asia. Rice is an important food source in most Asian countries and is enjoyed as much as three times a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner (and not to mention snacks in between).

The sheer variations of different rice cultivars is immense. My favourite is the aromatic Basmati rice. Basmati rice is a variety of delicate and aromatic long grain rice mainly grown in India and Punjab. Cooked grains of Basmati rice are characteristically not glutinous due to its low starch content ( and low glycemic index makes it suitable for diabetics). Cooked Basmati rice can be uniquely identified by its fluffy appearance, fragrance, well separated grains and nutty flavour. It is aged from 6 months to one year and is available in white and brown varieties.

It was always reserved for special occasions such as dinner parties, birthdays and Deepavali in my parents' home. The price for basmati rice in Malaysia is up four times more than regular long grain varieties (hence the special occasions). Basmati rice is to be washed until water runs clear ( usually 4 times), soaked and then drained for at least 10 minutes before cooking to ensure fluffy rice.

Saffron & Lemongrass Rice
Rice:
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
1 3/4 cup water / stock
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 tb ghee / clarified butter or butter
a pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp salt

Puree:
4 small shallots/red onions
2 cloves garlic
1 lemongrass - cleaned and 2 outer layers removed
1 tsp minced ginger

Puree ingredients in a food processor and set aside. I used a mortar and pestle instead.

Saute :
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods - lightly crushed
3 cloves
1 star anise

Garnish:
Fried onions
almonds or cashews - dry roasted

Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain rice ( Drain for at least 10 minutes by placing rice in a sieve).

Heat ghee in a medium sized pot and saute cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, cloves and start anise until fragrant. Pour in pureed ingredients and saute well for at least 5 minutes - stirring constantly.

Add in drained rice and saffron - stir well. Pour in water/stock, milk and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to lowest setting and cover pot. Rice should be cooked in once the water has evaporated. If rice is uncooked ( as sometimes could be the case with old rice) add a few tablespoons and cover pot. Garnish with fried onions and roasted nuts. This dish goes well with chicken kohlapuri,
Gobi Mattar / Cauliflower & Peas
Cucumber & Shallot Raita
Mattar Panner/Indian Cheese & Peas ( for vegetarian option)

Raspberry Breakfast Muffins

2009-12-08T05:00:00.003-05:00

I often bake these muffins and have them for a quick snack or enjoy it for breakfast spread with natural peanut butter. Once cooled, these fruit muffins keep well in the fridge for a week, making it great addition to the lunch box.

I came up with this recipe after much trial and error (often ending up with cardboard tasting muffins). This recipe is NOT on the sweet side and is a wonderful companion to peanut butter or your favourite jam. Feel free to substitute raspberry with blueberries, strawberries,frozen mangoes or sliced bananas. Chopped dates, plump raisins or roasted walnuts would be wonderful as well.

Wheat bran is the byproduct of the hard outer layer of wheat when processed. In processing wheat to make wheat flour, one gets miller’s or wheat bran. Wheat bran is packed with nutrition, and offers many dietary benefits. I buy mine in small packages and store it in the fridge as it tends to go rancid quickly. It has a mild nutty flavour to it when used in baked goods or in granola.

Breakfast muffins
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat bran
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon powder
pinch of salt
1 large egg
2 tb olive oil
3/4 fresh/ frozen raspberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Fill lined muffin pan with batter and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until tops are light brown and a tester comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins. Can be frozen and keeps well in the fridge up to 5 days.

Korova Cookies

2009-12-02T05:51:00.001-05:00

I am back from 6 weeks vacay and am still working on adjusting to NY time. So far so good, I have not messed up too much at the office. I am slowly getting back to the grove of being back in my own kitchen. Brad reminded me this morning that Christmas is in a few weeks! It is time to dust of my adorable Kitchen Aid and get baking.

These cookies are a hit every time I make them. They are intensely chocolaty with the right amount of crispiness. Kick off the baking season with a tried and true ( and addictive!) recipe :). The dough can be made ahead, shaped and frozen.

Korova Cookies - Dorie Greenspan
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
11 tb unsalted butter - room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar - packed
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 oz bittersweet chocolate - chopped(3/4 cup choc.chips)

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.
Using a stand mixer,cream butter, both sugars, vanilla extract for 3 minutes.
Using low speed, pour in dry ingredients mix until just combined. Add in chopped chocolate to cookie dough - it will be crumbly.

Shape dough into 2 logs ( 1 1/2 in diameter each), wrap in plastic or wax paper and chill in fridge for for at least 3/4 hours. Dough can also be frozen.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut chocolate logs into 1/2 inch thick and place on baking sheet, bake for 12 minutes. The dough will crumble as you cut , just gather and shape it on the baking sheet. Cool on a rack before storing.

Ginger Pound Cake

2009-11-12T19:27:00.001-05:00

I have been indulging in sweet treats these past few days. We are in the midst of the monsoon season here and it has been raining steadily every evening without fail. I baked chocolate stout cake a while back and today my sil is elbow deep in flour, baking a cake for my nephew's fifth birthday. AND it will be my brother's birthday this Sunday. It has been wonderful to be able to celebrate his birthday in Malaysia for the past few years - I have been trying to make up for lost time :)

Give this cake a try. The various types of ginger in this cake gives it a lovely flavour and a gentle warmth...And everything tastes better with chocolate according to my seven year old niece!

Ginger Pound Cake - Nick Malgieri
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 tb unsalted butter - softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 tb grated fresh ginger
4 large eggs
2/3 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 cup candied ginger - cut into small dice
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the middle of the oven.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

If using a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add in fresh grated ginger. Add in eggs, one egg at a time, beating well after each egg.

Fold in sifted dry ingredients, salt, sour cream and diced candied ginger until well combined.
Pour cake into a buttered and floured cake pan - I used a bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until a cake taster comes out clean.
Cool for a few minutes on a rack and then unmold cake. I poured over some melted dark chocolate over completely cooled cake and sprinkled some diced candied ginger .

Red Snapper In Sweet & Sour Sauce

2009-11-04T01:00:00.001-05:00

Fish with sweet & sour sauce is wildly popular in most Malaysian restaurants. It is almost always made with seafood ( there are variations made with boneless chicken). I had this dish made with crabs a few days ago at Green View Restaurant in Petaling Jaya. Steaming the fish would be another option is you are not inclined to heat a wok full of oil.

I have used red snapper for this recipe but any firm fleshed fish would work here. Black pomfret is popular fish of choice for this dish in Malaysia. Don't be alarmed by the use of ketchup/tomato sauce in this recipe. It is an essential ingredient for sweet sour sauce.

Red Snapper In Sweet & Sour Sauce
Fish:
1 whole red snapper
1/4 cup corn flour
salt
oil - for shallow frying

Sauce:
2 tb ketchup/tomato sauce
3 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
2 cloves garlic - sliced
2 tb julienned ginger
1 tb hoisin sauce
1/2 cup water
2 scallion - julienned
1 1/2 tb vegetable oil
1/2 red bell pepper - julienned

Clean fish and pat dry. Sprinkle salt and lightly dust whole fish with corn flour.
Heat oil in a large saute pan and shallow fry fish on both sides until golden brown.
Remove fish from pan/wok and set on a platter.

Heat oil for sauce and saute sliced garlic and ginger until golden brown. Pour in water, hoisin sauce, tomato sauce/ketchup, sugar and vinegar. Adjust seasonings and add salt as needed. Add in julienned red pepper and cook on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Pour sauce over fish and scatter scallions. Serve immediately. This dish goes well with steamed rice, tofu with garlic chives and bok choy with shiitake mushrooms.

Scallops With Hot & Sour Sauce

2009-10-28T17:05:00.002-05:00

It has been wonderful being home in Malaysia. I am trying not to let the daily evening downpour dampen my spirits or stop me from heading to my favourite haunts. I have not stepped into the kitchen yet but that will change soon. I have been getting requests for some specialty dishes of mine - maybe one of these days. I have been enjoying some of my favourite treats here that I have missed terribly in New York. Although there are some decent Malaysian and Indian restaurants in New York, nothing really beats the taste of home :)

I made this recipe a few months back in an attempt not to leave this blog flailing while on vacay :) You have probably seen similar recipes featuring steak instead of scallops. This recipe comes together quickly once you have the ingredients prepped.

Scallops With Hot & Sour Sauce
1 lb scallops
2 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb fish sauce
4 Tb lime juice
1 tsp sugar
4 small shallots - finely minced
2 small chillies - chopped
1/4 cup Tb chopped cilantro
1/4 chopped fresh mint

Pat scallops dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle some salt over it. Heat saute pan on medium heat and brown scallops a minute on each side, place on a platter.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and adjust seasonings. Pour over sauteed scallops and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Roasted Cashews With Kolanji (wild black onion seeds)

2009-10-11T12:34:00.005-05:00

Kolanji seeds look similar to black sesame seeds at first glance. It is wild black onion seeds (Nigella Indica) and is used as a spice in Indian cuisine. It is well known as a digestive aid and has numerous health benefits. The oil block the growth of pancreatic cancer and the seeds are also beneficial to treat ailments such as ashtma, bronchitis and rheumatism. Kolanji seeds are widely available at Indian grocery stores and online.

Any nuts of your choice works for this recipe. If using mixed nuts, keep in mind that different nuts have various levels of fat content and therefore will roast at different rates. Once roasted, let cool completely and store in an airtight container. The roasted nuts will keep for at least two weeks and are great served with drinks.

Roasted Cashews With Kolanji Seeds
1/2 lb raw cashews
2 tb olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 kolanji seeds - lightly crushed
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1 tsp hot chili powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix oil, paprika, salt, crushed kolanji seeds and hot chili powder in a bowl. Add in raw cashews and mix well. Place nuts on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until nuts turn golden brown. Cool completely before storing in a airtight container.

Plaintain & Spinach Kofta in Yogurt Sauce

2009-09-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

Koftas are Indian meatballs, often simmered in an aromatic sauce. There are also different varieties of vegetable koftas that can be served in a similar manner. To make the latter version, vegetables are often steamed or boiled and then mashed with a variety of spices. The balls are deep fried, simmered in sauce and served with as a side dish with rice or naan/chapati..

I found deep frying koftas a bit daunting and decided to shallow fry it instead. Green plaintains can be substituted with potatoes. Green plaintains are not as sweet as ripe plaintains and works well in savoury dishes. The curry leaves are optional and this dish will still taste wonderful without it.

Plaintain & Spinach Kofta in Yogurt Sauce
Kofta
3 medium green plaintain - peeled and steamed
100 gm chopped spinach - steamed
2 red chillies - minced
2 medium shallots - minced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tb finely minced ginger
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp salt
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tb minced cilantro
1 tap garam masala
6 tb besan/chickpea flour
2/3 tb water
vegetable oil for shallow frying kofta

Yogurt Sauce
1 cup yogurt
2 tb besan/chickpea flour
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
salt to taste
1 tb oil
4 curry leaves
3 dried chillies
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 cup water- add slowly to sauce as it thickens
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 medium shallot - minced

Kofta
Mash peeled and steamed plantain in a large bowl. Add salt, garam masala, turmeric, minced ginger, minced garlic, chopped chillies, minced cilantro, nutmeg, and besan/chickpea flour. Sprinkle water over mixture, adding enough to form little balls (1 tablespoon at a time). Lightly oiling your hands will make this procedure a little easier as the the mixture will be a bit sticky.

Heat oil in a pan deep enough to shallow fry kofta until golden brown. Place fried koftas on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Yogurt Sauce
Lightly toast besan flour in a saute pan on low heat until the flour starts to brown ever so lightly. Set flour aside and proceed with recipe.

Mix yogurt, salt, chilli powder and besan flour into a paste and set aside. Use leftover oil to a to saute minced shallots, garlic, curry leaves, dried chilies and black mustard seeds on medium heat. Stir constantly. Once black mustard seeds starts to pop, add yogurt paste and stir well. Once the mixture starts to thicken, pour in water . Add fried kofta to sauce and adjust seasonings. Serve with steamed rice or naan/chapati.

Spicy Bitter Gourd

2009-09-08T17:00:00.002-05:00

Bitter melon or bitter gourd has been traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurveda medicine for detoxing and to help treat type 2 diabetes among other things. The seeds and pith are discarded and the flesh is cooked in a variety of ways. The melon you see above is of the Chinese variety. Karela is a smaller Indian variety that matches the bitterness of the above melon.

The Indian variety of bitter gourd often showed up in my mother's weekly rotation of dishes. She would thinly slice the melons and soak it in turmeric and a handful of salt to draw out some of the bitterness. After soaking it for at least an hour, the sliced melons will be rinsed and drained before using in a variety of recipes. My personal childhood favourite was deep fried sliced masala bitter melon with a side of ketchup for dipping ( known as tomato sauce in Malaysia). My three older brothers did not partake in this little feast of mine which made me happier - more for me!!! I know, I was a peculiar child :)

The recipe below is made using this chilli paste that I have stashed in the freezer for an emergency like this one ;) Feel free to substitute with any chilli paste that you can get your hands on.

Spicy Bitter Gourd
1 bitter gourd
2 tb vegetable oil
1 1/2 tb sambal paste
1/2 cup water
salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tb fresh lemon juice/tamarind juice

Cut bitter gourd in half and scoop out seeds and pith. Cut into half moon around 1/4 inch thick. Place in a bowl , sprinkle 1/2 tb salt , mix well and leave in the bowl for one hour.

Rinse gourd well after one hour and drain well. Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan or a wok and saute sambal paste for 5 minutes on medium heat or until the oil separates. Add drained gourd pieces and stir well for at least 3 minutes. Pour in water, sugar and lime juice. Cover and cook until water evaporates. Taste and add salt as needed. Take off heat and serve as a side dish along with steamed rice. Makes 4/5 servings.

Peaches , cuke & feta salad

2009-09-01T18:00:00.003-05:00

Jersey peaches are in season. I have been having peaches almost everyday. They are great enjoyed just on their own, baked into pies , jams, and my personal fave - peach chutney that I make every year without fail.

When buying peaches make sure that they are not rock hard and personally, I like to take a whiff of a peach -if it smells like a ripe peach - it makes it in the basket. Try not to squeeze the fruit - it will bruise easily.

I really enjoy fruits in my salads and since I had some extra peaches in the fridge I decided that I would toss it in the salad. The dressing is simple, straightforward and not too strong and really lets the peaches shine.

Feta cheese is aged cheese that is salted and cured in a brine solution. It can be made from cow's milk or goat's milk. It is crumbly and great cut into blocks for salads. Feta can be soft, medium soft or hard. The taste of feta ranges from salty, mild to sharp. Store it in its brine until ready to use.

Peaches, cuke & feta salad
1 English cucumber
1 cup feta cheese - cubed
2 peaches - peeled and cubed
2 tb chopped chives
salt and black pepper
1 cup pitted olives

Dressing:
3 tb red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Matar Paneer - Indian Cheese & Peas in Tomato Sauce

2009-08-25T18:21:00.028-05:00

Matar paneer must be one of the well known vegetarian dishes found in Indian restaurants in the US. Browned cubes of creamy cheese are stewed in an aromatic mix of herbs , spices and simmered gently to perfection. This dish is wonderful made ahead as it holds up remarkably well.

Paneer is fresh cheese made by curdling whole milk with an acid and pressed into blocks. It is often used in curries since it absorbs flavors very readily. When sliced into cubes and deep fried, the cheese holds its shape very well. It can also be crumbled into a curry, taking advantage of the cheese's naturally crumbly nature. The non-melting cheese also appears in desserts and as a filling for stuffing.

Tofu is an acceptable substitute here. Some variations of this recipe includes cream, yogurt or whey to add richness. I have added two tablespoons of chopped cashews in the masala instead to add some richness.

Matar Paneer
Most paneer comes in 400 gm blocks.

1 block paneer ( 400 gm)
4 tb olive oil
2 cups green peas ( I used frozen peas)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tb chopped mint
1 tb chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cup pureed tomatoes

Masala:
1 medium onion - chopped
2 green chillies
1/2 cup water
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tb coriander powder
5 cloves garlic - peeled
1 tb chopped ginger
2 tb chopped cashew nuts (optional)
1 tsp hot chili powder

Puree all ingredients in a blender and set aside.

Saute ingredients:
1/2 medium onion - chopped fine
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
3 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
salt to taste

Cube paneer to bite sized pieces. Heat 4 tb olive oil to medium heat (or ghee /clarified butter) if you want to make this decadent) in a sauce pan and brown paneer cubes. Set on a plate lined with some kitchen paper to drain some of the oil.

Using oil left in the pan, saute chopped onion until it starts to turn colour. Add black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and whole cardamom pods. Once the seeds start to pop, pour in the masala mixture into the pan. Stir well for 5 minutes then pour in pureed tomatoes, add salt and stir well. Cook covered for 10-15 minutes on medium low heat, stir occasionally. Add frozen peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add a few tablespoons of water if mixture looks dry. The gravy should be thick ( if not simmer with lid off for another 5 minutes ). Add fried paneer cubes, chopped fresh herbs and garam masala, stir well. Take off heat and serve with rice or naan. Makes 4/5 servings.

Pancakes with Homemade Blueberry Sauce

2009-08-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

I was craving pancakes for breakfast yesterday and a quick peek in the pantry showed that I had all the ingredients to make pancakes from scratch. Powdered buttermilk is a lifesaver - I don't have run to the store every time I need half a cup of it for some recipe and then leave the rest of the carton to languish at the back on the fridge only to pour it into the sink weeks later. I have heard that buttermilk keeps well in the freezer - have any of you tried it? Does it work?

I carefully measured all ingredients and made the batter. As I waited for the cast iron skillet to heat up I realized that I did not have any maple syrup for the pancakes. What I did have was a few pints of Jersey blueberries that were destined to be blueberry and ginger jam. I placed some blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and some of its zest in a pot, bring it all to a gentle simmer until the mixture started to thicken a bit. The leftovers will keep well in the fridge for at least a week. Try swirling some in your daily oatmeal breakfast or pour it over some cool and creamy vanilla ice cream - you'd love it :)

Quick Blueberry Sauce
2 1/2 cups fresh/ frozen blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
lemon zest
1/2 tb fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer until thick for around 10 minutes.
Cool and refrigerate leftovers. Try swirling some leftovers in oatmeal porridge or pour over ice cream .

Cherry tomato salad with basil vinaigrette

2009-08-20T09:02:00.006-05:00

I was cautiously happy when my tomato plants were laden with flowers and kept my fingers crossed. Then there were horror stories of fungus and blight outbreak that have cost tomato farmers thousands of dollars upstate New York. I waited patiently and am happy (and a bit guiltily) to report that they all made it - my Sweet 100 and Roma variety. The Sweet 100 just will not quit and we have been lucky enough to feast on them on daily basis. I even had enough to offer a little bag of these beauties to a colleague - he promptly made a fresh tomato salad with balsamic vinegar dressing for dinner last night to the delight of his significant other!

I have another large bowl of tomatoes waiting for me on the counter right now and hope to make a jam/chutney of some kind.... Here are some delectable recipes from other bloggers.

Tomato Jam from Todd & Diane
Smoked Tomato Salsa from Shauna
Portuguese Tomato Jam from David
Cuke & Tomato Salad from Kalyn

Basil Vinaigrette - adapted from Food & Wine
The original recipe recommends this as a dressing for panzanella, pasta, grilled fish or chicken.

1/4 olive oil
1 cup packed basil leaves - washed and dried
1 garlic clove
2 tb white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a food processor. Process until smooth. Adjust seasonings. This is a thickish vinaigrette and keeps well in the fridge minus the oxidation. Bonus!!

Kosambri - Carrot and lentil salad

2009-08-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

I was inspired to make this salad when I came home from our local farmer's market. Boil the lentils while grating the tender and sweet carrots and it will all come together in no time at all.
Moong dhal is a variety of quick cooking legume. It is also known as split peas and is sold whole, split, with green husk or without husk (bean will be pale yellow). It is used in both sweet and savoury dishes. The regular, smaller bean sprouts are made from moong bean. This is a great side dish that goes well with curries.

Kosambri
Frozen grated coconut can be found in oriental grocery store. Sweetened coconut will not work here.
1/2 dried moong dal
5 medium sized carrots
3 tb freshly grated coconut
3/4 cup cilantro leaves - washed, dried and chopped
1 tb vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 curry leaves
4 dried chillies
3 tb fresh lemon juice
2 medium sized shallots - thinly sliced
salt to taste

Wash and boil moong dal in a large pot with 5 cups of water. Cook until dal is done but still firm enough to hold its shape. Drain and set aside. Grate peeled carrots and set aside.

Heat oil on medium heat and saute dried chillies, mustard seeds, whole cumin seeds, sliced shallots. Turn off the heat when the spices start to pop. Pour the sauteed ingredients to grated carrots. Mix in lemon juice, cilantro, chopped shallots, grated coconut and salt to taste. Serves 4/5. This salad is best served at room temperature.

Grilled Tofu & Asparagus with Nori Dressing

2009-06-15T10:02:00.007-05:00

I often make grilled tofu especially in the warmer months. The key to grilling tofu is using extra firm tofu and lightly oiling the grill or a grill pan prior to cooking as tofu blocks tend to stick . I usually marinate tofu with an array of dressing for a few hours prior to grilling to ensure a flavourful dish as tofu in itself is rather bland.

Miso paste is fermented soy bean paste that is rich in nutrients and is widely used in Japanese cooking ( there are also rice and barley varieties of miso). Miso can be used for soups, stocks and grilling. Common varieties are Shiromiso ( white) and Akamiso ( red miso).

I have used blue agave syrup for this recipe. I have been experimenting with different sweeteners and have been using this in different recipes ( you could use honey instead).

Grilled Tofu & Asparagus with Nori Dressing - adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tb miso paste
2 tb soy sauce
1 tb tahini paste
1 tb agave syrup
2 tsp mirin
1/8 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1 lb extra from tofu, cut into 4 blocks
vegetable oil
3 sheets of nori
1/2 cup water
2 tb agave syrup
1 tb fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp chilli paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish:
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 scallion - thinly sliced

Asparagus:
1 lb asparagus
1 tsp sesame oil
a pinch of salt

Cut tofu block in 4 blocks . Mix 2 tb rice vinegar, 2 tb miso paste, 1 1/2 tb soy sauce, tahini paste, agave 1 tb agave syrup, mirin and Chinese 5 spice powder until well combined. Pour over tofu and marinate for at least one hour before grilling.

Using a blender, puree nori sheets ( crumbled), 1/4 cup vegetable oil, water, 1 tb agave syrup, lemon juice, chilli paste, 2 tb rice vinegar, 1 tb miso paste and 1 tb soy sauce. Adjust seasonings with salt and ground black pepper. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Toss asparagus with sesame oil, salt and pepper and set aside.

Brush grill with vegetable oil and preheat. When grill is hot enough ( after heating it for around 10 minutes) -remove tofu from marinade and place on grill. Do the same with the asparagus. Turn tofu once while grilling. Grill asparagus and tofu for 7 minutes.

Serve tofu with grilled asparagus with drizzled nori dressing. Scatter toasted sesame seeds and cilantro over salad. Serves 4.

Fudge Chocolate Sandwiches With Strawberry Ice Cream

2009-06-09T06:00:00.003-05:00

I took my little ice cream maker out of storage and it is now sitting on my counter. It will remain in its current spot for the next couple of months while I sort out some of the recipes that I am eager to try out. If you are interested in getting the ins and outs of making ice cream , go here.
Trust me on this one, his recipes are marvelous!

This ice cream recipe in a no custard ice cream. Non-custard style ice cream is made without eggs and does not call for the careful cooking that the custard style ice cream requires. Even though the non-custard style ice cream is not as smooth, it can still have a wonderfully rich flavor. It contains less fat than the custard style and there are lighter versions that can be made using ingredients, such as half & half, whole milk, low fat milk, and yogurt, rather than heavy cream. These recipes will not produce ice cream as rich and smooth as the custard style but is will still taste wonderful.

The rich chocolate cookies are delicious on its own or assembled as ice cream sandwiches. The cookies will be soft - it is vital to cool it on the baking sheet prior to removing it. I used a small ice cream scoop for the cookies, a teaspoon will work well. You may be tempted to make the cookies bigger...don't as it will spread quite a bit while baking.

Once the cookies are cooled, I assembled little ice cream sandwiches and individually wrapped them in wax paper . I had to work quickly and froze the sandwiches as I went along.

Strawberry Ice Cream - Emily Luchetti
This recipe requires an ice cream maker.

3/4 cup pureed strawberries
1/4 cup chopped strawberries
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/3 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Heat milk, cream, salt and sugar in a large pot. Turn off the heat when milk comes to a simmer. Cool milk for at least 4 hours or overnight. Process the cooled milk and pureed strawberries in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Fold in chopped strawberries in the end and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Fudge Cookies - Emily Luchetti

4 tb unsalted butter
12 oz bittersweet chocolate - chopped
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Cool to room temperature.
Sift dry ingredients together. Using a mixer, whip eggs, sugar and vanilla until mixture is thick and pale. Pour in cooled melted chocolate to egg mixture and mix well using a spatula. Stir in sifted dry ingredients and let batter rest for 30 minutes in the fridge before baking.

Place cookie batter on a baking sheet using a teaspoon or a small ice cream scoop, this way all the cookies will be the same size and will make neat little sandwiches. Place cookies 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. The tops will looked cracked. Cool cookies on sheet and remove cookies from the baking sheet using a spatula.

To assemble ice cream sandwiches
Place a scoop of ice cream on a cookie , top with another cookie and press down gently on sandwiches. Serve immediately or freeze. Cookies can also be assembled a day ahead, wrapped individually in waxed paper and frozen.

Strawberry & Blue Cheese Salad With Whole Grain Mustard Dressing

2009-06-02T05:46:00.000-05:00

Strawberries are everywhere this time of the year and we have been enjoying them almost daily in sweet and savoury dishes.

Since they are quite perishable, strawberries should not be washed until right before eating or using in a recipe. Do not remove their caps and stems until after you have gently washed the berries under cold running water and patted them dry. This will prevent them from absorbing excess water, which can degrade strawberries' texture and flavor.

Despite their perishable nature, strawberries do appear to hold up well in fruit salad if properly stored and chilled. This is good news for those of us who are pressed for time but love fresh fruit salad. And who doesn't since its a perfect addition to any meal and makes a great snack or dessert?

Strawberry & Blue Cheese Salad with Whole Grain Mustard Dressing
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup strawberries - washed and halved
4 prosciutto slices
1/2 cup blue cheese - crumbled
tender lettuce leaves

Place vinegar, whole grain mustard , olive oil and honey in a bowl. Whisk well and season with some salt and pepper.
Wash and halve strawberries and toss with lettuce and dressing. Place prosciutto and chunks of creamy blue cheese on salad. Serves 4.

Katirikkai Pirattal - Spicy Eggplant

2009-05-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

There are variety of pirattal recipes out there. Pirattal dishes are dry curried dishes cooked with very little (if any) liquid and tends to keep longer. It could be either vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. I was taking stock of my pantry and chanced on a few jars of tomatoes that I had canned last summer. I have been enjoying them in various dishes all winter and have yet to buy canned tomatoes from the store :) Can't wait to do it again this year!

I have used small purple eggplants (of the Chu Chu hybrid which is also known as Indian eggplant) for this recipe. Japanese eggplant would make a fine substitute. Both of the varieties are delicate and sweet, in this case the Japanese variety would be sweeter. Frying the cut eggplants helps hold its shape.

If using fresh tomatoes, score the bottom of tomatoes and plunge into hot water for a minute. The skin will easily slip off then proceed with the recipe.

Spicy Eggplant
6 small eggplants - washed and quartered
1 cup tomato - pureed
2 tb minced ginger
4 garlic cloves - minced
4 tb vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 small shallots - minced
salt to taste
1 tsp chilli powder/cayenne powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tb coriander powder
3 curry leaves - optional
3 green chillies

Wash and quarter eggplants.
Heat 2/4 tablespoons of vegetable oil and saute eggplant quarters in a single layer until brown on all sides and set aside

While eggplant is browning, puree tomatoes with minced ginger and garlic.

Using the same saute pan that you used to brown eggplant, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat and saute minced shallots, curry leaves, whole green chillies, cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. Once the spices start to pop, add in coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and a pinch of salt and saute for a few seconds. Pour in pureed tomatoes and stir well. Adjust seasonings and add in cooked eggplants. Stir gently and cook covered on medium heat until the mixture looks dry - this could take around 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with hot steamed rice or roti. This side dish serves 4/5.

Mango & Passion Fruit Mess

2009-05-13T19:00:00.000-05:00

I was at our local grocery store and saw that passion fruits were in season. This subtropical fruit is native to South America. The passion fruit is round to oval, yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with numerous seeds. The fruit can be eaten raw, made into juice, cocktails and desserts.

I recently came across this recipe in one of my favourite magazine and it is a nice twist to the more traditional rendition of the Eton Mess. Strawberries are usually the fruit of choice for this dessert . This version is a quick way to enjoy dessert especially with the help of Trader Joe's Vanilla Meringues. Whip, crush , chop, puree and you have dessert :)

Are you inclined to make this but not in the mood to whip up a batch of meringues? What is your favourite quick dessert? Leave a comment and I will pick one lucky person to send a batch of vanilla meringues ( Trader Joe's finest) .

Mango & Passion Fruit Mess - Delicious magazine
2 ripe mangoes
300 ml cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbs confectioner's sugar- sifted
6 medium meringues - crushed
4 passion fruits - pulp

Peel and chop one mango and set aside. Peel and puree the other mango in a blender till smooth and set aside.

Whip cream with pure vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar until thick and then add the crushed meringues.

To assemble:
Layer mango puree, crushed meringue and cream mixture and top with chopped mango and passion fruit pulp in a glass. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

2009-05-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

It seems to be the tail end of blood orange season around here. The season usually kicks off with a blood orange costing around $1.99 ( at Whole Foods). Now it is 50 cents each at my local A & P. I could not resist the crimson fleshed beauties and knew exactly what I will be making with it once I returned home. I had came across this olive oil cake in the dining section of the New York Times and have been wanting to give it a try.

I adore stir and pour recipes for cakes. Don't get me wrong, I lurve my Kitchen Aid mixer but sometimes I just want a bowl and a sturdy whisk for my cake. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this cake. The flavours seem to really come together the next day. The leftovers made my dear friend RR very happy! You could also give this Semolina Cake topped with Candied Blood Orange Slices a try!

Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake - NT Times
I used a light tasting olive oil for this recipe.

3 blood oranges
1 cup granulated sugar
plain yogurt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup olive oil

Grease 9 by5 loaf pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and set aside.

Preparing blood oranges : Grate zest from 2 blood oranges and place in a bowl with granulated sugar. Mix well with a whisk.

Cut 2 oranges into segments ( remove the skin first) and chop into 1/4 inch pieces.

Juice the remaining orange and combine with yogurt to make it 2/3 cup of orange-yogurt liquid.

To make cake :
Mix orange-yogurt liquid and orange zest scented granulated sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in 3 large eggs until well combined. Whisk in dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Fold in olive oil a little at a time using a spatula. Lastly fold in chopped orange pieces.

Pour in prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Sauteed Asparagus & Chickpeas With Bowtie Pasta

2009-04-23T06:00:00.003-05:00

This is recipe was inspired by bunches of tender spring asparagus that are in grocery stores right now. Asparagus will be available from now till early summer. Look for firm spears with tight crowns and uniform in diameter to ensure uniform cooking time. You could substitute bowtie pasta with any other pasta shapes. Penne or orechiette would work well here. The asparagus can be blanched if you wish before proceeding with the recipe. In order to save time ( and dirtying yet another pot) I used a saute pan. Just pour in stock and cook the asparagus for 5 minutes ( or longer if you prefer ) before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Sauteed Asparagus & Chickpeas With Bowtie Pasta
1 bunch asparagus ( medium)
1/4 cup cubed pancetta ( optional)
1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas ( 15 oz can)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chicken stock ( or vegetable stock)
2 cloves garlic - minced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil
8 0z dried bowtie pasta -( 2 oz per serving)
1 tb olive oil

Wash and trim asparagus. Cut asparagus 2 inches in an angle and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook bowtie pasta ( or pasta of your choice) according to instructions on the box. Drain ( save some of the pasta water) cooked pasta and set aside.

Using a large pan saute cubed pancetta on medium heat until lightly browned. Remove pancetta with slotted spoon and set aside. Pour olive oil to the pan and saute minced garlic until golden. Add in cut asparagus, stock, salt, black pepper and cooked chickpeas. Cook until asparagus is cooked but still firm. The vegetable will cook quickly - I cooked mine for around 5 minutes.

Add cooked pasta, browned pancetta and chopped basil to the pan and stir. Serve pasta sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Moo Ping - Skewered Marinated Pork with lemon Sauce

2009-04-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

The grilling season has officially begun in our neighbourhood. The air has been filled with the tantalizing aroma of bbq for the past few days. Fear not if you do not own a bbq or live in apartment as this dish can be easily prepared using a stove top grill pan. The key here is to cube the meat approximately the same size and to allow enough time for it to marinate. This will ensure flavourful and succulent grilled meat everytime. I have suggested at least 2 hours in this recipe but usually I leave it overnight in the fridge. I have used pork for this recipe but I am sure that cubes of tofu or chicken will work here too.

The accompanying flavourful and spicy sauce can be made ahead. The flavour only gets better as it sits in the fridge. I have used cili padi/bird's eye chillies here as I was craving for some kick in my sauce. Cili padi/bird's eye chili is small and often resembles little padi rice hence the Malay name - cili padi. Use it sparingly as it is extremely spicy!

Grilled Meat
1lb lean meat cut into cubes- 3/4 inch cubes
1 tb finley chopped cilantro
2 tb fish sauce
1 1/2 tb brown sugar
1 tb light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tb chili flakes- optional
12 satay skewers

Mix the marinade until all ingredients are dissolved and add in the cubed pork. Let the meat marinate for at least 2 hrs in the fridge. Heat the grill on medium high heat and cook skewers until meat is cooked through - 2 to3 minutes.

Sauce
1 tb fish sauce
2 tb fresh lemon juice
1 tb light soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes/ birds eye chillis
1 tb brown sugar
1 tb chopped cilantro

Make sauce while meat is marinating. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl . Refrigerate until ready to use. This sauce can be made ahead.

Jam Crumb Cake

2009-04-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

It is wonderful to have all the ingredients on hand when one has the urge to bake a cake. This is where a well stocked pantry is truly a wonderful thing. Flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, a dash cinnamon, couple sticks of butter, a cup of whole milk and some sweet jam is all you need to make this aromatic crumb cake. No creaming is required, it is a cake of rather low commitment with gratifying results. Just a large bowl and a wooden spoon or a sturdy whisk will do the trick. Blend sifted dry ingredients with the liquid, swirl in some of your favourite delectable jam that you have tucked away in the fridge and sprinkle the cinnamon scented crumbs generously over the batter and bake. Nothing could be simpler :)

Jam Crumb Cake - Gourmet

Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter - melted and cooled
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1/2 cup of jam of your choice ( I used lingonberry jam)

Crumb Topping
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tb all purpose flour

To make cake:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (place rack in the middle of the oven). Butter and flour 9 inch round cake pan or a spring form pan( I prefer the latter).

Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder, set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together butter, milk and egg . Pour in sifted dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour batter into a pan and swirl jam with a spoon over the batter.

For crumb topping and final assembly:
Mix all ingredients together ( should resemble large crumbs) and sprinkle over the cake batter. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Makes 6 servings.

Beet & Sweet Potato Cakes

2009-04-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

I found a bunch of beets hiding behind blocks of butter ( we have been taking advantage of a recent butter sale at our grocery store). I debated my recipe options and decided to make some beet and sweet potato cakes. You could make it with just one kind of potato. The potatoes and beets were grated raw and lightly mixed with an egg white, salt, pepper and a handful of rice flour. The whole grating business has the potential to be rather labour intensive but a food processor could change all that :) The trick to making these little cakes crispy is squeezing out as much liquid as you can prior to adding rice flour to the mixture. I saw a similar recipe in Donna Hay magazine and have been wanting to put my own twist to it ( as always!). These little cakes were shallow fried and it turned out crispy and sweet.

Some call these little cakes latkes or rosti....I call it delicious!

Beet & Sweet Potato Cakes
100 g beet - peeled
100 sweet potato peeled
1 large potato - peeled
1/4 cup rice flour
1 egg white - lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil - to shallow fry
sour cream
chopped chives

Grate sweet potatoes, beets and potatoes and place in a bowl. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the mixture. Add in salt, freshly ground pepper, lightly beaten egg and rice flour to the grated mixture and mix with a light hand .

Heat oil in a non stick pan or well seasoned cast iron pan on medium heat. Place tablespoons of beet mixture in pan and flatten a bit. Cook each side for one minute each. Serve hot. I served it a dollop of sour cream and some chopped chives.

Long Beans With Tofu In Red Curry Sauce

2009-03-30T15:00:00.002-05:00

I always seem to have a batch of this spice paste on hand. I usually make a large batch of it on weekends and store it the freezer. This is to ensure that whenever the craving for something spicy hits, all I have to do is reach in the freezer for a fix! I have been using this paste for stir fries and the following recipe is one that I have already made a few times in the past few weeks .

This versatile Thai red curry paste is easier to make than you think. Galangal ( also known as blue ginger), kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass makes it an aromatic spice mix. You could also use fresh red chillies if you are able to find them. I have always used dried chillies in making my spice paste. A large packet of dried chillies always seem to find its way into my suitcase every time I return from Malaysia :)

Thai Red Curry Paste
You could omit the shrimp paste to make this vegetarian.

3 medium sized shallots
9 dried chillies - soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic
1 lemongrass stalks
1 kaffir lime leaf or zest of one lime
1 inch galangal ( optional)/1 inch ginger
2 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp salt
1 Tb oil
1 tsp sugar - optional

Blend all ingredients into a paste in a mortar and pestle. If using a blender, added 1/3 cup of water to keep the blades running. Use as needed and freeze the rest. The following recipe only needs 1 tablespoon of the spicy paste.

Long Beans With Tofu In Red Curry Sauce
The tofu that I have used here comes in a block. Shallow fry it, cool before thickly slicing the block.

2 Tb vegetable oil plus oil for frying tofu
10 oz firm tofu ( fried and sliced thickly)
1 Tb red curry paste
8 oz long beans - cut into 2 inches ( around 2 cups)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp sugar
1 Tb roasted nuts - roughly chopped
1 kaffir lime leaf - thinly sliced or grated zest of 1 lime.
salt to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium high heat and saute minced garlic . The garlic will immediately turn golden brown, add in curry paste and stir well. Add the rest of the ingredients to the spice paste mix. Saute until vegetables are cooked to your preference. I like my vegetables to be half cooked and this usually takes around 2 minutes. Stir briefly, adjust seasonings and serve with steamed rice. Makes 4 generous servings.

Traditional Madeleine

2009-03-27T11:55:00.004-05:00

Madelelines are plump little tea cakes made famous by Proust in Remembrance Of Things Past where he enjoys his treats dipped in tea. Is it a cake or a cookie? Traditional madeleines are a bit on the dry side. The batter has little fat, in this case just 6 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 large eggs. Flour and melted butter are gently folded into blended sugar and eggs mixture to avoid gluten from developing. Let batter rest in the fridge for 1 1/2 half and then bake using scallop shaped madeleine tin.

The lemon scented buttery tea cakes are wonderful warm from the oven, with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar. They are great to have on hand so that you are not caught off guard when the craving hits for a little sweet something.

Traditional Madeleines - Dorie Greenspan
2/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs - room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 stick of butter / 6 tb of unsalted butter , melted and cooled

Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, blend sugar and grated orange zest ( this is done to release the oils in the zest). Add in two eggs and mix on medium high speed until mixture is pale and thick. Beat in vanilla extract, salt and gentle fold in dry ingredients and melted butter.

Press cling wrap directly on the surface batter and set it in the fridge for up to 2 days. I let mine sit for an hour and a half .

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and flour the madeleine tin and place batter in equally. The batter will not be pourable and will be thick, so you will have to spoon it in. I used a large madeleine tin and it made 12 little cakes. Traditionally the baked madeleines should have a little hump on the plump side unlike mine. Not really sure what happened but it was delicious all the same!

Arborio rice chocolate pudding

2009-03-25T07:00:00.002-05:00

It is hard to continue with hibernation when it is a clear and bright day (albeit a bit chilly). We got all bundled up and headed out for a little hike. We went up Guard Hill which is located in our old neighbourhood of Bedford Hills.

I was in the mood for some rice pudding as we headed home. I usually make this but this time decided to make a bit more decadent with some dark chocolate chocolate and a splash of Bailey's. I have used Arborio rice for this recipe. It is Italian short grain rice that is commonly used to make risoto. When cooked the pearly grains become creamy and firm, a perfect candidate for chocolate rice pudding.

Chocolate Rice Pudding
2 tb unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste
4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup arborio rice
2 Tb Baileys - optional
1 tb vanilla extract
1 oz bittersweet chocolate - finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, rice, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. I used a whisk to incorporate the cocoa powder and milk. Bring milk to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer. At this juncture it will look as if you have too much milk and not much rice. The pudding will thicken up as if cooks further.

Stir rice and milk mixture frequently for 35 to 45 minutes to prevent scorching. Once the rice is cooked and mixture thickened, remove saucepan from heat. Pour Bailey's ( if using),chopped chocolate and stir well.

Serve warm if you wish. If you intend to cool the rice pudding, place cling wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. This is to prevent a "skin' from forming on the surface of pudding. Makes 4 to 6 servings. I have entered this recipe in an event called "For the Love of Chocolate".

Vegetarian French Onion Soup With Cheesy Toasts

2009-03-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is what I made a few days ago when winter simply refuses to pack up and head out. Spring Equinox was last week and vibrant crocuses are slowly peeking out here and there. But the weather is still on the chilly side. All I wanted for a meal was a big bowl of comforting soup with a cheese toast ( or two!) that slowly soaks up the savoury soup. Nothing could be simpler and satisfying on a cold day than having a big saute pan of onions slowly caramelizing to perfection.

French onion soup is traditionally made with beef stock and since I do not consume beef I have used vegetable stock instead. You could also give these other soup recipes a try - carrot soup with Pernod, roasted parsnip soup with lemongrass, beet and ginger soup and roasted cauliflower and charred poblano soup.

French Onion Soup - Julia Child
3 Tb unsalted butter
1 Tb olive oil
6 cups yellow onions - sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 Tb all purpose flour
7 cups vegetable broth
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sage
pepper to taste

I used a large heavy bottomed saute pan to melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter combined with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add in sliced onion and stir until the onions are coated with the butter and oil. Put the lid on the saute pan and cook onions on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Onions will be translucent.

Remove the lid and and raise heat to medium high heat. Sprinkle sugar and salt over the onions. The sugar will help onions caramelize. Cook for half and hour or until onions turn deep golden brown.

Lower pan from heat and stir in flour. Cook slowly for 3 minutes. Mixture will be pasty. Whisk in 1 cup of vegetable stock. Pour in rest of the stock, bay leaf, sage and wine. Bring soup to a gentle boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with Swiss cheese toasts.

Banana bread with dark chocolate chunks

2009-03-13T13:00:00.001-05:00

I have been baking this banana bread for years. It is a no fail recipe from Joy of Cooking. This banana bread is wonderfully moist with a tight crumb and not too sweet. And almost always tastes better the next day. I like to enjoy thick slices of day old banana bread slathered with smooth and sweet peanut butter.

I had purposely over ripened 4 bananas on the counter and then froze them whole as I initially had intended to make banana fritters. It was drizzling gently outside when I pulled the bananas out of the freezer and I longed to have something simple, familiar and delicious baking in the oven. The fritters will have to wait for another time. As for the loaf- it did not make the next day - it had places to go and people to please ;)

Banana bread with dark chocolate chunks - adapted from Joy of Cooking
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup ripe mashed banana
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour and butter in a loaf pan ( I used a 9 by 3 inch loaf pan)
Sift all dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat melted butter and sugar until creamy. Add in two eggs and beat until batter is light and pale. Pour in sifted ingredients and banana pulp in three stages. Lastly stir in chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool before serving.

Spiced minced Lamb with toasted vermicelli

2009-03-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

Vermicelli is a type of pasta, thinner than spaghettini. Vermicelli used in Indian cuisine is made from semolina ( the Italian version is made from durum wheat) and is called seviyan or semiya. It is usually dry roasted in ghee prior to cooking as untoasted vermicelli will turn to mush otherwise.

It is no secret that I love quick noodle recipes - Mee Nyonya, spelt noodles with sugar snap peas, masak lodeh (glass noodles with vegetables in coconut broth), and my favourite lunch standby - the soba noodles salad. The following quick recipe can also be made with minced meat of your choice. Olive oil or vegetable oil works well here if you are unable to buy clarified butter or find it too much of a hassle to make it at home. Butter or clarified butter adds richness to this dish which I really like.

Sevian Kheema
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 cup vermicelli
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 star anise
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods - bruised
1 stick cinnamon
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 tb freshly ground black pepper
1 tb olive oil
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tb ghee / clarified butter
1 tb minced ginger
3/4 cup water
salt to taste

Heat clarified butter in a saute pan on medium heat and lightly toast vermicelli till golden brown. Place vermicelli in a plate and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan that was used to toast vermicelli, saute cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods for 2 minutes. Add minced shallots, garlic and ginger to the pan and saute until shallots start to caramelize. Add minced lamb,1 tsp of salt, fresh ground black pepper, cumin, fennel powder to the pan and stir well for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up lumps of meat. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add toasted vermicelli to the spiced meat mixture and pour in 3/4 cup of water , cover and cook until all the water is evaporated. Adjust seasonings, remove from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro. Makes 5 to 6 servings . Sevian kheema can be served with chapati, naan or steamed rice. Makes great leftovers!

Cranberry Coconut Cookies

2009-02-19T08:48:00.007-05:00

It is no secret that I adore baking with shredded sweetened coconut. Some of the sweet treats made of shredded coconut that remains popular here are coconut poppy seeds cake, coconut cake with buttercream frosting and carrot cookies .

Sweetened shredded coconut ( also known as flaked coconut) is not the same as dessicated coconut. The latter is unsweetened, finely ground and cannot be used interchageably with flaked coconut. Dessicated coconut can be used for savoury applications - especially in Indian cooking.

Back to the cookies - this cookie will spread and will be thin if the dough is not refrigerated. Here are some my tips to cookie baking: I always line my baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper. The baking sheets should be cool before placing dough onto it. Hot baking sheets will cause the dough to melt, and drastically change the texture and shape of the baked cookie. Rotate baking sheets halfway during baking as this ensures even cooking and colour. The dough should be of the same size and thickness when placed on sheet, or the cookies will not bake in the same amount of time. I use various sizes of ice cream scoops that I have just for this purpose. Always leave some space between each cookie - an inch and a half to 2 inches. Let baked cookies cool for a few minutes before transferring onto a rack (unless specified otherwise in the recipe). Cool cookies on a rack completely before storing - the bottoms of baked cookies could turn soggy and in some cases moldy otherwise.

Coconut Cranberry Cookies -adapted from Martha Stewart
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 (3 sticks) cups unsalted butter - room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 orange
1n1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and set aside.
Using a stand mixer ( on high speed), cream butter and sugar until pale and light. Add vanilla extract and grated orange zest to the creamed butter mixture. Reduce speed to low and pour in sifteded flour mixture to creamed butter. Add in dried cranberries and shredded coconut as well.

Chill dough in the fridge for at least 1 hr .

Unchilled dough will result in a flat and thin cookie. Shape dough into little balls, flattening them a little on top and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or Silpat. Bake trays of cookie for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges begin to brown, rotating trays halfway.

Rajma Masala - Spicy Kidney Beans Curry

2009-02-15T06:01:00.001-05:00

I enjoy cooking legumes and there is always a myriad of dried and canned legumes in my pantry.What makes legumes even better is that they come in a wonderful variety. Black beans, pinto beans, white kidney beans, brown lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, soybeans. Each has a distinct flavor and texture that lends itself to different dishes and uses. Mashed chickpeas make wonderful hummus, lentils make lovely soups and stews, and black or pinto beans make up a delicious burrito.

While cooking dry beans can be all day affair, canned beans are a quick substitute. Just be sure to drain and rinse them, which helps lower the sodium content.

Rajma Masala
1 large can kidney beans (1lb)- drained and rinsed
1 large onion - minced
1 Tb ginger - minced
4 cloves of garlic - minced
1 Tb tomato paste
3 tomatoes - finely chopped
1 large green chili- chopped

4 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tsp coriander powder
2 sticks cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
1 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 cup water
2 Tb vegetable oil

Heat oil on medium heat, saute cinnamon sticks and star anise for 2 minutes. Add minced onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves ( if using) and green chillies. Stir constantly to avoid the onions from burning. Saute until onion starts to turn golden. Add chopped tomatoes ( you could use fresh or canned tomatoes here) , turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, tomato paste and stir well for 5 minutes. Pour in water, drained kidney beans and give it a good stir. Place lid on the pot and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Sprinkle garam masala and mix well. Adjust seasonings take off heat. Adjust seasonings take off heat. This dish does will be of thick consistency and would be wonderful with rice or naan.

Grilled lobster tails with lemon curry butter

2009-02-09T18:00:00.003-05:00

Here is a wonderful recipe for grilled lobster tails that is pretty straightforward. What makes this recipe special is my luscious lemon curry butter sauce ( and that the lobster tails were on sale). I made the butter sauce a day ahead and it took only 6 minutes to get the lobster cooked and served. I served the grilled lobster tails with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli ( lightly tossed in more butter). Great for this weekend!

Grilled Lobster
Cut lobster tails in half. Season with salt and pepper. Grill halved lobster tails for 6 minutes. Serve immediately with curry butter.

Lemon Curry Butter
Lemon curry butter can be made a day ahead. Make it a few hours before grilling the lobster tails.

1/2 cup finely minced shallots
1 Tb fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp hot chili powder
1 Tb curry powder
1 stick / 1/2 cup unsalted butter -softened
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp toasted and crushed fennel seeds
chopped chives for garnish

Saute minced shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add in chill powder, curry powder and salt, saute for 2 minutes. Cool mixture and add to softened butter. Add in lemon juice and crushed fennel seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use. This butter can also be used for other grilled meats and vegetables.

Coconut Poppy Seed Cake

2009-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

I recently bought Nick Malgieri's Perfect Light Desserts book. Recipes included in this book are for cakes, cookies and pies, all made with without synthetic or artificial sweeteners or substitutes. This cake is fine crumbed, moist and the poppy seeds add a nice crunch to it. I have used Greek yogurt in this recipe ( Fage brand) which is widely available in most grocery stores. I prefer Greek yogurt because it is creamy and has a wonderful flavour. Traditional Greek yogurt is made from ewe's milk, but the ones mostly available in the USA are made from cow's milk.

You could also try other cake recipes - Tiger cake, Semolina Cake with candied blood oranges, apple spice cake, coconut cake with buttercream frosting.

Coconut Poppy Seed Cake - Nick Malgieri
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut - packed lightly
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fat free yogurt -Greek style preferred

Butter and flour a 9 inch spring form pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour and stir together poppy seeds, coconut, salt and baking powder and set aside.
I used a stand mixer to whisk eggs and sugar until light and pale. Pour in vegetable oil and whisk well for 2 minutes .

Using a spatula, fold in flour mixture in three stages and gently mix in the yogurt.

Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. As you can see, they also make adorable little cakes.

Savoury Bread Pudding

2009-01-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

I have made many versions of bread puddings for dessert in the past. Bread pudding was the dish to make for breakfast when I had a house full of room mates ( nothing wrong in having dessert for breakfast ;). All I needed was stale bread, eggs, milk, sugar, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and chocolate chips or nuts to make the custard that is poured over the bread cubes. Let the mixture sit for at least half an hour so that the custard is absorbed by the bread cubes. Some recipes will require the pudding be baked in a water bath but this recipe doesn't require that step, the addition of cream and half and half adds richness and creaminess to this dish. I am not sure how this recipe would turn out if you were to use whole milk or soy milk.

This is my first attempt at making savoury bread pudding.....I will be definitely making this again. There are some recipes out there that call for different kinds of cheeses for the custard. I have used just half a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese as I did want to be weighed down by a heavy brunch (I will then have to spend rest of the day snoozing on the couch!) You could use any leftover bread, but I prefer to use challah . It is best to use stale bread or at least day old bread for this recipe.

Savoury Bread Pudding

4 cups bread cubes - day old
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves - finely minced
2 cups half and half
4 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a pinch of grated nutmeg
2 cups spinach, washed and loosely packed
3 Tb sweet butter
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 9 baking pan and set aside.
Heat butter in a saute pan. Saute shallots, garlic, flat leaf parsley and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, add in washed spinach and stir together. Take off heat.

In a separate bowl mix together eggs, half and half, grated Parmesan cheese, cooled sauteed vegetables, a pinch of nutmeg. Pour over cubed bread in the prepared pan. Let mixture stand for at least 20 minutes before baking. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until custard is set. Serves 4 to 5 servings.

Ayam Masak Merah

2009-01-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

I was craving for some spicy comfort food. The first thing I did was walk into my pantry and pull out the large bag dried chillies that my sister in law had included in a care package for me. I went through a mental check list my favourite sambal dishes as I soaked the spicy dried chillies in a bowl of hot water.

Ayam Masak Merah (red cooked chicken) is a popular Malaysian dish. What makes this dish different from other sambals is the use of aromatic spices such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and cardamom pods. The spice paste also includes coriander , turmeric, cumin and fennel, all in powder form.

This is a three part recipe. Soak the dried chilies first in hot water until softened and gather all the ingredients to make the spice paste. Give it a whirl in a blender and set aside. Then marinate chicken pieces in salt and turmeric powder for at least one hour before deep frying the chicken briefly. This ensures the juices of the chicken are sealed in and also to prevent the chicken pieces from falling apart while cooking in the spicy paste.

Ayam Masak Merak
You could de-seed the dried chillies if you wish to temper the heat. This dish will be quite spicy otherwise.

Spice Paste (A)
7 small shallots - peeled
5 cloves of garlic - peeled
1 Tb minced fresh ginger
10 - 12 dried chillies - soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
1 Tb coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 Tb vegetable oil
3/4 cup water

Drain the chillies, place all ingredients in a blender and puree ingredients till smooth.

Chicken (B)
1 medium sized organic chicken (around 3 pounds) - I cut mine into 14 pieces
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
oil for deep frying

Wash and pat dry chicken. Cut into pieces and mix with salt and turmeric powder. Set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Bring chicken to room temperature. Heat oil on medium high heat. Fry chicken pieces 1 minute on each side. Drain fried pieces on 2 sheets of kitchen paper.

Saute ingredients
1 small can of tomato paste
4 whole cloves
1 star anise
4 Tb vegetable oil
2 pieces of cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods - bruised
400 ml coconut milk
salt to taste
2/3 Tb sugar

Heat oil in a large pan or wok. Saute cloves, cardamom pods, star anise and cinnamon sticks for 3 minutes on medium heat. Pour in the pureed spice paste (A) and saute for 15 minutes stirring constantly. Watch that the spice paste does not burn. Add in one small can of tomato paste, salt, sugar, mix well and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add fried pieces of chicken and coconut milk and cook covered until chicken is cooked through. Life the cover and stir occasionally. Lift the cover and cook until sauce thickens. Adjust seasonings and serve with steamed white rice.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I made these stuffed mushrooms on New Years' Eve celebrations that we had at home. I bought medium sized baby Bella mushrooms because I wanted one bite appetizers. The filling consisted of some breadcrumbs, fresh flat leaf parsley, scallions, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a bit of heavy cream to bind it all together.

You could prep the mushrooms, wipe them clean and brush the caps with some olive oil or melted sweet butter and set it aside. Then go ahead and make the filling and let it cool. This can be made hours ahead. Just bake the stuffed caps right before serving, these little gems are wonderful while still hot!

Stuffed Mushrooms
10 fresh mushrooms caps - medium sized
2 Tb sweet butter -
2 scallions - finely minced - green parts only
4 Tb unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup + 1 Tb grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tb minced flat leaf parsley
2 Tb heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil/melted butter - to brush on mushroom caps

Clean mushrooms caps with a wet cloth and remove stems. Mince stems finely and set aside.

Filling
Melt butter in a pan on medium heat and saute the chopped scallions for 1 minute and chopped mushroom stems for 2 minutes. Add bread crumbs and minced fresh flat leaf parsley and season with salt and pepper. Take mixture off the heat and pour in cream to bind the ingredients. Add in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and set mixture aside to cool.

To assemble
Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Brush cleaned caps with some olive oil and stuff the mushrooms with filling. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top and dot with a little butter before baking in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the stuffing has browned lightly on top.

Pear & Radicchio Salad with Toasted Walnut Dressing

2009-01-05T11:00:00.003-05:00

All that feasting over the holidays has left me craving for lighter meals. This salad is has some of my favourite ingredients. I usually snack on raw or toasted nuts , pear or apples and always have these ingredients on hand. Radicchio can be tad bitter but the sweetness of the ripe pear seems to balance out the bitterness. A shower of Parmesan cheese in the end brings it all together quite nicely.

Pear and radicchio salad with toasted walnut dressing
3/4 cup roasted walnuts
3 tb vegetable stock
3 tb red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tb walnut oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ripe pears ( I used organic forelle pears)
3 tb freshly grated parmigiano Reggiano
1 small head of raddicchio and 4 cups mixed greens ( washed and spun)

In a blender combine 1/2 cup roasted walnuts, vegetable stock, vinegar both oils, vinegar, salt, freshly ground black pepper and pulse a few times. I like this dressing a bit chunky. If you like a smoooth dressing, then blend it till smooth.

In a large bowl, toss together winter greens, torn raddichio, and sliced pears. Dress the salad right before serving. I like to dress it with a light hand and then drizzle a bit more when serving. Scatter roasted walnuts sliced pears and grated cheese on top of salad right before serving. Makes five to six servings.

Other salad recipes :
Soba Noodle Salad
Endive, pear and roquefort salad
Roasted beet and walnut salad

Chocolate Guinness Cake

2008-12-31T05:00:00.001-05:00

It all began here. I was mesmerized by the beautiful dark and luscious chocolate cake ( I wonder how many people are like me out there...you know - be mesmerized by seductive pictures of food!). My "house cake" for years when we lived in Canada was lemon poppy seed cake with a tangy lemon glaze. It was my go to recipe whenever we had guests from out of town.

But now I am in the mood for something new. I am on the look out for at least 3 cake recipes that require minimum fuss and maximum delight. The list of ingredients should not a mile long, and it would be especially helpful if I could purchase most of the ingredients for the cake at the local grocery store...on my way home from work. And finally I should be able to make it ahead ( at least a day or two ahead).

This chocolate Guinness cake fits the bill for me. The recipe is from Nigella Lawson's Feast cookbook. This dark and rich chocolate cake has one special ingredient - 1 cup of Guinness Stout. All you taste is just a hint of tang in the cake, so no worries - it would not have the aroma of a mug of just poured stout! This cake can be baked a day or two ahead as it allows the flavours to mellow and meld. I have already made this tight crumbed and moist cake on various occasions and it has not let me down....yet.

This cake comes together very quickly once you have all the ingredients measured and sifted. All you need is a large pot, melt sweet butter with a cup of stout on low heat, remove pot from stove and whisk in sour cream -egg mixture followed by dry ingredients, pour into a prepared cake pan and bake.

One down, two more to go! What is you favourite cake to bake?

Chocolate Guinness Cake - Nigella Lawson

The cake pan should be lined with buttered parchment paper ( I have used spring form pan here). The cake batter will be runny and once the cake is baked the middle of the cake will sink ever so slightly. Cut butter into small pieces if it is cold.

1 cup Guinness stout
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 Tb unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 Tb pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9 inch pan cake pan ( I used a spring form pan). Line pan should be buttered.

Whisk sour cream, eggs, salt and vanilla in a bowl and set aside.

Gently heat Guinness Stout and butter in a medium pan until butter is melted. Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar. Add the sour cream mixture into the Guinness mixture and mix until well combined.
Add in flour and baking soda to this mixture.

Pour batter into the lined cake pan and bake for 50 minutes for an hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool cake on rack. Serve with cream cheese icing, whipped cream or just a light dusting of confectioners' sugar right before serving. This cake keeps well. If you are planning to refrigerate the cake, bring it cake to room temperature before serving.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Tandoori Shrimp With Cucumber & Shallot Raita

2008-12-21T21:04:00.013-05:00

Here is a dish that you can make without slaving in the kitchen for hours ( but impress the guests in the end). It is quite lovely with drinks or even as part of a main meal. All it takes it some colossal prawns (it is the holidays after all), some tandoori paste, yogurt, a shallot ( or a small amount of onion) lemon wedges and a hot oven. It will be ready in no time!

Tandoori Prawns
I have used Greek yogurt in this recipe, I find it creamier and it has a lower water content than regular yogurt. If you are using regular yogurt, line a sieve with cheesecloth ( 2 layers) or a sheet of kitchen paper, pour in the amount of yogurt that you need in and let sit for a few hours. Proceed with the recipe using the drained yogurt. This yogurt can be used to the raita as well.

1lb prawns ( 15 count)
1 tb tandoori paste - I used Patak's (wet paste)
3 tb yogurt
1 tb olive oil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of salt
lemon wedges and cucumber raita ( recipe follows)

Wash ( in very cold water) and peel prawns, leaving tail intact. It serves as a handle while you feast on it ;) Pat dry.
In a bowl, mix tandoori paste, yogurt and olive oil. Marinate prawns in this paste for half an hour. Do not marinate any longer as the yogurt could soften the prawns and make it mealy.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread prawns on a baking sheet in one layer, lined with parchment paper. Discard marinade that would be leftover. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. This dish can be served with drinks at room temperature or hot as part of a main meal. Serve with raita and wedges of lemon. I prefer to squeeze some lemon over the prawns right before indulging!

Cucumber & Shallot Raita
This cooling raita can be served with most curries and can be made ahead of time but salt it right before serving.

1 tsp cumin seeds
150 gm plain yogurt/Greek yogurt
1 small shallot- chopped fine
1/2 English cucumber- seeded and chopped fine
salt to taste

Dry roast cumin seeds lightly until the cumin seeds release a nutty aroma. Medium heat does the job, high heat will end up burning the seeds. If you do not end up with burnt seeds, start all over again because burnt seeds will taste bitter. Cool seeds and then crush lightly in a mortar and pestle.

Whip the yogurt with a fork and add all ingredients. Store in fridge.

Bombay Style Salmon Curry and Gourmet Winner

2008-12-16T22:58:00.012-05:00

Before I go any further, the winner for the Gourmet giveaway is Jude form Apple Pie, Patis and Pate. Congratulations Jude and I hope you enjoy the free annual subscription to one of fave magazine!

Here is a break from all the sweet treats . The salmon is simmered gently on low heat in coconut milk and aromatics. Do not boil the coconut milk as the heat would cause it to separate and the fish could overcook and break. This elegant and aromatic dish is perfect for entertaining this festive season.

The rule with all fish is to get it as fresh as possible. It is far preferable to buy fish that has been frozen and recently thawed at the market than to buy fresh fish that has been sitting for a few days. If you are able to see the whole fish, look for clear eyes and clean red or pink gills. If you are able to smell the fish, it should smell like the sea, not fishy.

The colour of the salmon will partly vary by species. Farmed salmon is usually artificially colored: it would be very pale otherwise (the safety of the most common coloring agent has been questioned: it is allowed in the US, but not in some other countries). Wild salmon is a healthier choice than farmed salmon due to to PCBs and other contaminants that are found in farmed salmon.

Being one of the fattier fish, salmon is sturdy, and holds up to a great variety of cooking styles, including grilling, baking, poaching, broiling, or pan-frying. The important thing is not to let it dry out. Salmon works with a wide variety of flavors. Whereas more delicate fish becomes overwhelmed with strong flavors, salmon takes to lots of different sauces, rubs, and marinades.

Bombay Style Salmon Curry
2 garlic cloves
2 small green chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp hot chili powder
4 whole cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tb tamarind paste mixed with 1 tb water
2 tb vegetable oil
2 medium sized salmon steaks, cut in half
1 cup coconut milk
chopped cilantro for garnish
salt to taste
2 medium sized shallots, thinly sliced

I used a mortar and pestle to pound together garlic and green chillies. You could also mince both ingredients very finely. Wash and pat dry fish steaks. Make a paste with chili powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp salt, tamarind paste and cloves. Spread this paste over fish and marinate for at least 1 hr in the fridge.

Heat 2 tb oil on medium heat in a pan large enough to hold fish in a single layer. I used a heavy bottomed saute pan for this. Saute the sliced shallots till golden and add the marinated fish on top of the sauteed shallots. Pour coconut milk over the fish and lower heat to low. The idea here is to simmer the coconut milk very gently and not to bring to a boil. Boiling the coconut milk could cause the milk to separate and the fish to break. Cover and let it simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. The sauce will be thick. This dish elegant dish is best served with rice. Scatter chopped cilantro before serving.

Serving tip - Making this curry 4 to 5 hours ahead will allow the flavours to develop as with most curries. Heat it on low and slow ( bring it back to a gentle simmer) before serving.

Chocolate Gingerbread

2008-12-16T16:55:00.005-05:00

Before I go any further, don't forget to leave a comment in order to win a year's subscripton for Gourmet magazine. Deadline it tomorrow Wednesday 17 at midnight!

It seems like most bloggers are arm deep in flour, sugar, butter and creating the most wonderful little delights to have and to share with loved ones. I am playing catch up with my baking. I had intended to start baking much earlier. I had bought all the supplies early December and had the pantry well stocked. I finally got cracking this past weekend and have had a fun time planning and baking. The best part of it all was packing up the treats in beautiful tins adorned with ribbons to be distributed to friends, the wonderful guys and gals at the bank and post office ( we have a special relationship with the people at the post office).

I was in the mood for some new recipes this year and tried out this chocolate gingerbread recipe from Martha Stewart's latest cookie book. I had purchased the book for a friend and peeked at a few recipes before wrapping it... I wonder how many people do that.. peek at a book before gifting it?

These cookies were fudgy with a hint of spiciness that seems appropriate this time of the year. It was especially wonderful while still warm, waiting to cool, on a rack.

Chocolate Gingerbread
7 oz semisweet chocolate - chopped ( I used semisweet chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cup plus 1 Tb flour
2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tb unsweetened cocoa powder
8 Tb unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 brown sugar - packed
1/2 molasses
1 tsp baking soda - dissolved in 1 1/2 tsp boiling water
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Sift together all dry ingredients ( except for baking soda) and set aside.
Cream butter until pale, add brown sugar until well combined. Pour in molasses and beat well.
Pour in dissolved ( and cooled) baking soda into butter mixture. Add in sifted flour, mix until just combined and add in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and shape dough into little balls ( 1 1/2 inch) and roll in white sugar. I used coloured sugar to make it pretty and festive. You could also use granulated sugar or coarse sugar. Coarse sugar will make it look all sparkly :)
Place balls 2 inches apart and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a rack before storing. Try them while still warm - it will be gooey and soft!

Cranberry Coffee Cake and Gourmet Subscription Giveaway

2008-12-07T14:22:00.010-05:00

For TWD this week, fellow blogger Ulrike of Kuchenlatein chose Grandma's All Occasion Sugar Cookies. I was not sure at first whether to attempt this recipe as I have yet to make sugar cookies that I liked. The cookies somehow always fell short in the taste and crumb department. But since it was TWD, I decided to give it a shot. I also added a little twist to the cookie dough, I used 1 teaspoon of pure rose water instead of vanilla extract. I was not disappointed. The cookies baked up beautifully and the lovely aroma ( just a hint, nothing overpowering) of roses filled my kitchen. These cookies are wonderfully crispy ( that is the way I like my cookies) and I think I will be making another batch very soon!

Moving right along, in the spirit of the season, I am giving away an annual subscription for Gourmet magazine! I have enjoyed this lovely magazine for years and look forward to it every month. And now I would like to share it with one lucky reader of my blog. Just leave a comment here and I will pick out one lucky blogger! Dateline is Wednesday, December 17th and is open to US readers only ( just this one time :)

I have made this cranberry coffee cake from this month's issue of Gourmet. You could make this cake in a round cake pan or in little loaf pans and give them away as gifts. I have used fresh cranberries for this cake. I am sure that you will be able to use frozen cranberries as well. But I am not sure if you are able to substitute it canned or dried cranberries. Canned cranberries would be too wet and too sweet for this recipe. The original recipe in the magazine called for half a vanilla bean. I do not usually stock vanilla beans in my pantry, but what I did have was pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract and used one teaspoon of it for the cake.

Cranberry Coffee Cake adapted from Gourmet
Please read the instructions carefully before making the cake. The amount of sugar that needs to be reserved and added in various stages could be a little confusing - well it was to me anyways! The cake turned out beautifully in the end!

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups plus 2 Tb all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 stick plus 2 Tb unsalted butter - at room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line and butter a 9 by 2 inch cake pan ( line bottom and sides on pan) and set aside.
Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder , salt and set aside. Mix sugar with 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and set aside( you will be using the vanilla sugar for the cake as well as the topping of the cake)
Pulse cranberries with 1/2 cup of vanilla sugar in a food processor till finely chopped and set aside.
Cream 1 stick butter and 1 cup of vanilla sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time and beat well. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with milk until mixture is well combined.

Spread half the batter in the lined pan and spoon the cranberry and sugar mixture over the batter, leaving half an inch border around the edge. Spread the rest of the batter over the fruit mixture and smooth the top.

Using a fork, blend the remaining 1/4 of the vanilla sugar with remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter and 2 tablespoons of flour. Crumble this mixture over the cake. Place cake in a preheated oven in the middle of the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tester ( in this case a wooden pick) comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake. Cool cake on a rack. Serves 8 and can be made one day ahead.

Linzer Cookies

2008-12-04T06:44:00.004-05:00

TWD challenge for this week was the famous Austrian treat, the linzer cookie. The addition of grounds nuts (can be either roasted nut or unroasted) and aromatic spices such as ground cinnamon and cloves makes this cookie stand out . I have used ground almonds here but any ground nut would work. The beautiful cookies are then sandwiched together with a layer of jam and lightly dusted with some confectionary sugar.

This is a great way to begin the baking season. Unsandwiched cookies will keep longer than sandwiched cookies. I prefer the crumbly texture of the unsandwiched cookie :)

This week's cookie was chosen by Noskos and the recipe can be found at Living The Life. Happy Baking everyone!

Truman Capote's Chicken Hash.

2008-11-30T07:00:00.004-05:00

I made this dish a couple of months ago before I went away on vacation. I have been wanting to make this ever since I saw Ina Garten make this and I was not disappointed!

Brunch on a Sunday afternoon is a great way to entertain in my books. You get to spend a casual meal with your friends then relax the rest of the evening :) Our friends Ken and Fay are in town for the next few weeks and brunch seemed like a great idea. I later found out that I was involved in a training session for interns at work the day before the brunch - I did not get home till late Saturday and still had a brunch that I had to plan for.

I went through a mental list of recipes that I have stashed away in my recipe box and settled for Ina Garten's Chicken Hash - the one Truman Capote made for his black and white ball. Chicken hash, a loaf of challah, some fresh pineapple, a couple bottles of Prosecco for mimosas and I was ready for brunch. The original recipe calls for home roasted basil stuffed chicken breast. I bought a roast chicken instead and and picked the meat of the bones of the chicken. I did not shred the chicken as I wanted medium sized pieces in the hash. I really enjoyed the flavours of this hash - especially the smoked paprika and the fresh thyme that I picked from the patio garden ( the herbs are still green).

Spanish smoked paprika comes either sweet (dolce), semisweet (agridulce) or spicy (picante). Spanish sweet smoked paprika has deep smoky flavour and a slight smokiness and this is the one that I often use. The semisweet smoked paprika has an oaky smoky flavour and tends to be a little bitter.

This is a great way to use up whats left of the thanksgiving turkey that you have stashed in the freezer.

Chicken Hash - adapted from Ina Garten

1 roast chicken - deboned

7 medium sized potato - peeled and diced
2 red onions - chopped
3 red bell pepper - large dice
5 garlic cloves - minced
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tb tomato paste
4 minced scallions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 Tb olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large saute pan on medium heat. Saute diced potato with onions. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper until the potatoes are cooked. This will take around 15 minutes. I cooked the potatoes covered and stirred very 5 minutes. Boiled diced potatoes would work here as well.

Once potatoes are cooked, remove from pan. In the same pan, saute minced garlic and diced sweet peppers. Add fresh thyme, paprika and tomato paste. Mix well. Once the pepper starts to caramelize, add potatoes and cut chicken. Adjust seasonings and take off heat. Sprinkle scallions and chopped parsley before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Arista - Roasted Pork Loin

2008-11-27T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am back after a nice long vacation ......It was great to be in Malaysia, all that quality time with loved ones. I am now back to the daily grind and looking forward to blogging again.

Most of you are in the midst of Thanksgiving preparation. This roast pork is a nice change from a thanksgiving turkey if you are so inclined. I have a bird sitting in my fridge and will be ready to go in the oven this afternoon. It is way too much for the two of us but it is Thanksgiving after all and I am looking forward to the leftovers!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tuscan Style Roasted Pork Loin

You could use stock of your choice here. I always have vegetable stock on hand and that is what I have used here.

1 tb each fresh chopped thyme and rosemary
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 tb salt
freshly cracked black pepper ( I used 1 tb)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pork loin roast - 2.5 lbs
12 oz dried figs
1 cup sweet vermouth
3/4 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 tb softened unsalted butter

In a bowl, combine chopped thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and oil . Rub all over the pork loin and let it sit covered, in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight would be better.
Macerate figs in vermouth and soak for one hour. Drain and reserve liquid.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees . Put pork in a roasting pan and roast pork loin for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and roast for another 40 minutes. Let roast rest for at at least 15 minutes before serving.

Set the roasting pan on medium heat and add drained vermouth to pan and bring to a boil. Stir. Add figs, stock and vinegar and simmer for another 10 minutes. Whisk in butter 1 tb at atime and adjust seasonings. Serves sliced roast drizzled with sauce.

Mee Nyonya

2008-11-02T06:29:00.000-05:00

What makes this noodles dish different from others is the addition of salted soy bean paste. Soybean paste/ taucho is made from fermented soybeans and is available in cans and jars. This bean paste can be stored indefinitely in the fridge ( but I would not use it after 4 months ). Some cooks prefer to lightly rinse the beans before adding to various dishes because of the saltiness - it is totally up to you. Bean paste can also be used in stir fries.

Nyonya Mee
1 litre chicken stock
500 gm prawns - shelled and deveined
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 Tb soybean paste/ taucho- roughly chopped
300 gm fresh yellow noodles
150 gm bean sprouts - cleaned
light soy sauce to taste
a handful mustard greens or spinach
2 Tb peanut oil

Garnish - fried shallots & sliced red chilies

Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot. Saute minced garlic and soybean paste till fragrant. Add cleaned prawns, bean sprouts, and spinach ( I used spinach instead of mustard greens). Pour in stock to the mixture and bring to a boil, covered. Once the soup comes to a boil, take the lid off and add in the fresh yellow noodles. Taste and adjust seasonings with light soy sauce. Ladle portions into bowls and garnish with sliced red chilies and fried shallots. Serve immediately.

Pulut Inti - Steamed glutinous rice with coconut

2008-10-29T08:34:00.000-05:00

Pulut Inti one of my favourite kuih that I enjoy at tea time when I am home. I have been stopping by at my favourite kuih stall almost daily to enjoy my daily tea time treats.The term kuih ( plural - kuih- muih) means bite sized sweet and savoury treats much like Spanish tapas. Kuih- muih in could be fried, baked or steamed.

I am still in Malaysia and have been celebrating Deepavali ( festival of lights) with family and friends.

Pulut Inti
If you are unable to use fresh or frozen coconut, you could use unsweetened dessicated coconut. Frozen banana leaves are often found in frozen section of ethnic grocery stores.

1 cup glutinous rice
2 screwpine/pandan leaf - washed & knotted
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut ( or use frozen coconut)
a pinch of salt
5tb grated gula melaka / palm sugar
3 tb water

To prepare the rice :
Soak glutinous rice for 1 hour and drain. Steam rice in a steamer lined with a wet cheese cloth or a sheet of banana leaf if you are able to get some . Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the rice and tuck in the knotted pandan leaf and steam until rice is cooked well. This usually takes around half an hour.

Cook palm sugar with 3 tb water and grated palm sugar until the sugar melts. Strain the sugar and cook the strained sugar with freshly grated coconut and a pinch of salt for 3 minutes. Serve steamed rice with coconut topping. Pulut Inti is traditionally served wrapped in a banana leaf as shown in the picture above.

Gobi Mattar - Cauliflower and peas

2008-10-08T01:01:00.000-05:00

I am visiting my family in Malaysia and have been faithfully coming to Starbucks almost daily.What the....... My mother has been in the hospital for 2 weeks now and there is a Starbucks right in the lobby, charging an arm and a leg for a cup of cappuccino ( my mom almost choked on her chicken rice porridge when she saw Starbucks coffee and extolled the virtue of thriftiness). I have been here daily since Oct 4th for at least 8 hours a day, at the hospital not Starbucks ;) AND they have FREE wifi- got to love that.

There have been numerous dinner requests from family members - especially for fish and vegetarian briyani. I made this dish for my sister in law, a recent vegetarian.

You have probably heard of aloo mattar - an old standby in the repertoire of most north Indian kitchens. I have used cauliflower instead of potatoes here. This is not a spicy dish but is huge in flavour. Florets of cauliflower and peas are gently simmered in a mixture of aromatic spices and tomatoes. This is kinda short post because my laptop is running out of juice.

Gobi Mattar
Go easy on the chili powder if you are not a fan of spicy foods. I would start off with 1/4 tsp and work from there.

3 tb vegetable oil
1 medium onion - thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tb minced ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tb chili powder
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 medium head of cauliflower - cut into florets
1/2 cup water
1 cup peas - I used frozen peas
salt to taste
2 medium tomatoes - chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tb chopped cilantro
5 curry leaves - dried or fresh - optional
1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat and saute finely sliced onions till it starts to turn golden, add cumin seeds, curry leaves if using, ginger, garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Add turmeric and chilli powder to mixture and stir well (mixture will be dry), pour in chopped tomatoes, salt and cauliflower. Stir well. Pour in water and bring to a gentle simmer covered. This will take around 6 to 10 minutes. Check the vegetables periodically to make sure that the bottom does not burn! Add more water if necessary ( if the cauliflower is not cooked). Remove lid from the pan and stir. Add chopped mint, garam masala and and frozen peas. Stir and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the vegetable just before serving.

Coconut Cake & Cupcake Cookbook Winner

2008-09-29T16:10:00.011-05:00

It is time to announce the winner of the first ever cookbook giveaway at My Feasts. Thank you all for the gracious comments! I had asked folks for their favourite cupcake flavour and most of you liked chocolate. I had an inkling that chocolate would be the the popular choice.

Some of you e-mailed to inquire the beautiful rose icing on top of the cupcake. You see...I had just bought a cake decorating kit ( in a blue tool box) and have been busy playing around with the tips. As you can see here, I have been attempting to make roses - not bad for a first timer I think ;)

Back to the winner - it is Zoe from Zoe Bakes. Check out Zoe's lovely creations at her blog. I made this coconut cake to celebrate this event (!) . This lovely cake is moist and rich (it is Ina Garten's recipe after all!) and also an early birthday cake for yours truly ;)

Coconut Cake - Ina Garten
3 sticks unsalted butter - room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
5 extra large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 12/ tsp almond extract
3 cups all purpose flour - sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 oz sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 , 9 inch pans and set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder and set a side.

Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and light. Add eggs one by one and beat till light and creamy. Pour in vanilla extract and almond extract. Alternate flour and milk in three stages with the mixer on slow. Add in salt and sweetened coconut. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Soy Chorizo & Almonds

2008-09-29T05:00:00.003-05:00

I had left the meticulously written grocery list at home again and was trying hard to remember some of the menus I had in mind for the coming week. I came across soy chorizo while browsing the aisles of Trader Joe's ( lots of browsing when one does not have a list). I have been looking for the real thing but nevertheless was excited when I came across the vegetarian version. After a lengthy debate with Brad as to whether the vegetarian version would taste any good , the soy chorizo made it to the check out.

Chorizo is coarsely ground fresh pork sausage flavoured with garlic, chili powder, smoked pepper and other spices. Spanish chorizo is often made from smoked pork and it spiciness can range from very spicy to mild. Chorizo is also popular in Basque cuisine. You could make this dish with the real thing or omit it altogether.

I made this dish with the stash of organic whole wheat pasta that we found when we cleaned our pantry last week ( that , some cocoa nibs, goji berries and matcha. I will have to use it up when I return from vacation ). The recipe below serves 5, and the leftovers were enjoyed for lunch the next day :)

Spaghetti with Soy Chorizo With Almonds
1/4 cup vegetable broth
salt to taste
6 oz soy chorizo from T.Joes
4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
1 med red onion - peeled and sliced
2 tb olive oil
10 oz whole wheat organic pasta
1 can organic chickpeas- drained and rinsed
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley- chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds - pan toasted

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

While waiting for the pasta to come to a cook, heat 3 tb olive oil in a saute pan on medium heat and fry the sliced garlic until golden. Remove garlic chips from oil and set aside. Saute onions in the same pan till it starts to caramelize. Add crumbled soy chorizo ( it will crumble on its own as you have to remove the casing prior to cooking) and saute for 2 minutes. Pour in vegetable stock, drained chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasonings.

Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it and toss with the chorizo mixture. Sprinkle chopped parsley, garlic chips and toasted almonds over pasta. Makes 5/ 6 servings.

And a remainder - don't forget to enter the cupcake contest!!! The deadline is Wednesday night.

Carrot & Cardamom cupcake and cookbook giveaway

2008-09-23T06:11:00.012-05:00

I have caught the cupcake bug. It seems like I have been baking a variety of cupcakes recently and I blame it on the weather. It is the time of the year to put away the shorts and pull out the sweaters. Except some of my summer clothes are going into my check in luggage...I will be visiting my family in less than a week!

Back to the cupcakes - You do not need mixer of any kind to make this- just a whisk, a large bowl , a grater and 15 minutes tops for it to come together. The cupcakes stay moist for a few days. The freshly ground cardamom and ginger gives it a gentle hint of spice . Think of it as a quicker and lighter version of a carrot cake. This recipe comes from Susannah Blake's books aptly titled Cupcakes. This book is filled with recipes that are straightforward and perfect for hesitant bakers :) AND this is your lucky day - I am giving a copy away! What is your favourite cupcake? Leave a comment and I will randomly pick a winner. Deadline is Wednesday, Oct 1st.

Carrot and Cardamom Cupcake - by Susannah Blake
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 tsp ground ginger
5 cardamom pods - seeds only - finely crushed
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts - roughly chopped
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

Pour oil, sugar, eggs in a large bowl and mix well with a whisk. Add in orange zest, crushed cardamom seeds, ginger and grated carrots and mix well. Fold in flour, carrots and nuts to the oil mixture.

Spoon mixture into the lined muffin pan and bake for 20 - 30 minutes to until cupcakes are done. Cool completely on a rack. Makes one dozen cupcakes.

How to clean a fish and recipe for steamed fish

2008-09-20T03:00:00.001-05:00

It is no secret that I enjoy seafood. I would tag along my dad to the pasar/ wet market early Saturday mornings ( my mother could never stand the stench of a wet market). I loved market days because it was always just the two of us. I was taught at a very early age to always look out for freshness and quality of whatever produce we were purchasing that day.. By the age of 9, I was an old hand at choosing fish and picking out the live chicken at the pasar that would be freshly slaughtered and cleaned on the spot. When choosing fresh whole fish look out for:

- firm flesh
- clear and bright eyes ( no sunken eyes)
- all scales attached
- bright red gills
- no funky smell, fresh fish should smell like the sea
- slippery skin
- bright and natural colour

Steamed Red Snapper With Ginger Sauce
Minced ginger brightens the flavour of the sweet fish. Served with steamed rice, it is quick, delicious for a weekday meal and elegant enough for company.

Fish:
1 whole snapper (medium) - gutted
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tb minced ginger

Wash and pat dry fish. Rub the salt all over the fish and sprinkle minced ginger on the fish and set in a steamer. Steam for 10-15 minutes (this depends on the thickness of the fish).

Sauce:
1 tb light soy sauce
2 tb dark soy sauce
2 tb stock
1/4 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic - thinly sliced
1 tb peanut oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2 scallions - sliced thinly for garnish

Heat peanut oil in a small pan and fry the thinly sliced garlic till crisp. Set garlic chips aside for garnish and remove the pan from heat.

Once the fish comes out of the steamer , pour out any juices that may have accumulated from the steaming. Heat the pot of oil again on medium heat and pour in both soy sauces, stock and sugar. Bring to a boil. This does not take long, maybe only 3 minutes.Take off heat, swirl in sesame oil and pour over the steamed fish. Sprinkle garlic chips and sliced scallions and serve immediately.

TWD - Chocolate Chunkers

2008-09-16T05:38:00.005-05:00

This week's TWD recipe was chosen by Claudia. Some of TWD members were hesitant to make these because of the way the baked cookies looked. Between you and me the one I made last week ( and did not post) looked worse. But one bite of these cookies will make you clamour for more.

The recipe had more chocolate in form of chocolate chips and cocoa powder than flour. I used dried organic blueberries, some raisins and threw in a handful of chopped cranberries that I had sitting in the pantry. It is not a good idea to chill the dough for long as it would be rock hard. I chilled it for a 20 minutes so that it firms up just a bit before proceeding to bake the cookies.

I brought the baked cookies to our annual rock garden picnic this past weekend. I was secretly wishing for leftovers of the fudgy and addictive treat but no such luck.

Cassava Chips

2008-09-14T06:24:00.002-05:00

Cassava root ( ubi kayu in the Malay language) is a common root vegetable in Malaysia and most tropical countries. Cassava ( also known as manioc or yucca) is also known as tapioca in Malaysia.

Ubi kayu ( direct translation - stick potatoes, maybe because it looks like a thick old stick before it is peeled) is a starchy tuber that is able to grow in poor soil conditions. It is used in sweet and savoury dishes . Some of my all time favourites are fried ubi kayu drenched in hot sambal, steamed ubi kayu topped with freshly grated sweet coconut and shredded palm sugar.

You could buy these chips is most stores at home but my mom always made it. All you need is some elbow grease to slice the chips, a pot of hot oil, salt and a dash of hot chili powder. I used a mandolin to slice the ubi and the slicing was done in a no time at all. I heated up some vegetable oil ( you could use peanut oil if you are so inclined) to 350 degrees. Fry the chips in small batches, lay them out to cool on a rack lined with some absorbent paper. Sprinkle some salt and hot chili powder while the chips are still warm. While waiting patiently for the chips to cool, make yourself a hot cup of sweet milky tea to further enhance the experience of feasting on the golden and crunchy chips. Take a serving or two of cooled chips and your cup of tea, find a quiet corner to savour not only the chips but also the memories they evoke - and that's what I did on a late rainy Saturday afternoon.

Fresh Figs with Brie

2008-09-08T05:00:00.003-05:00

I was inspired by the latest edition of Donna Hay magazine to make this austere but delicious dish. I have been on a fig kick lately and I am unable to pass the little baskets of fresh figs displayed in the grocery store every time I walk past it. I have been coming home with these little jewels every time. Yesterday I broke down and whole case of figs and and got busy with making some jam. More on that later...

I gently washed, halved the figs and tossed them in a little white balsamic vinegar, a handful of tender mint leaves from my patio garden and let the fruits macerate for an hour. When I was ready to serve, I arranged the figs mixture on the cheese and drizzled some blueberry honey that my friend Carol so thoughtfully brought back from Maine. Our friend Jason flew in from Toronto that evening. The three of us gathered around the table, sipping our wine, nibbling on cheese and halves of succulent figs with some organic crackers, talking all at once, catching up with news of friends and foe ;) It was the start of a wonderful week.

Peanutty Goodness

2008-09-02T05:14:00.006-05:00

I made Chunky Peanut butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters chosen by Proceed With Caution for TWD. This quick, drop cookie is made of oatmeal, chocolate chips, and lots of peanut butter. I used smooth peanut butter (which I bought by mistake) instead of the chunky peanut butter that was recommended by Dorie. I did not feel like running back to the store and I had to bake these cookies last week as I had company coming and may not have time to bake. The smooth peanut butter did not prove to be a disaster - I had a little panic as I carefully measured the peanut butter. I also added 1/2 cup of roasted, unsalted and chopped peanuts to the cookie dough.

A note about the oats - I used quick cooking oats ( quick cooking oats are steamed, cut finely and then rolled) for this recipe. The recipe calls for the cookie dough to be chilled prior to baking. Quite a few TWD members had problems with rock hard cookies which were baked with dough that chilled for a lengthy period in the fridge. I chilled my dough for about half an hour prior to baking. The cookies spread a bit,was chewy and moist. Brad adores oatmeal cookies - it is a family favourite, there was always a stash of it in the freezer of his parents' basement...just in case of emergencies ;-) My company left this morning ( time flies when you are having fun)- he was happy to take some to snack on the flight back home to Toronto.

The recipe is here. And if that is enough, here are more cookie recipes!
Carrot Cookies
Earl Grey & Currant Cookies
Chocolate Morsels

Dimply Plum Cake

2008-08-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

The plums are in season now. I have been busy canning tomatoes and peaches for the past few days. The cool weather has been a bonus around here - all that boiling, stewing and canning can easily heat up the kitchen. I am used to it as I have been doing it for a few years now but it is a nice change not to steam up the kitchen!

You have probably seen this recipe floating around other blogs - this is a popular recipe of Dorie's. Here is another recipe for upside down plum cake that turns out perfectly. Both these cakes can be made a day or two ahead and keeps beautifully. Happy baking!

Dimply Plum Cake by Dorie Greenspan
You could make this cake by any stone fruit of your choice. This cake can be served warm or at room temperature.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
5 tb unsalted butter - room temperature
3/4 light brown sugar - packed
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 plums
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and dust with flour an 8 inch baking pan and set aside. Sift all dry ingredients and set aside

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

I used a stand mixer for this, a hand held mixer would work as well. Add eggs, one at a time into the butter mixture and beat one minute each time. With the mixer running, pour in vegetable oil, orange zest and vanilla.

Reduce the speed of mixer to low and add in dry ingredients in 3 stages, mix batter lightly and only until batter is incorporated.

Wash, dry and halve plums and set aside. Pour cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Place plums on top, cut side up. Arrange plums into the batter gently, not totally submerged into the flour.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool before serving.