Tag: savoury

Cooking | Butter Chicken & Punjabi Chole … The Chakle India Cookbook {a book review}

“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.”
John Ruskin

Butter Chicken {Pan fried version}It’s a delicious book on Indian cooking. An almost impish face smiles back at you from the cover, the earnest cook, with a twinkle in his eyes. It’s Aditya Bal the Indian model turned chef stirring up some magic. ‘The Chakhle India‘ Cookbook is based on the most popular food show Indian TV. From the book I offer a quintessential Indian curry – Butter Chicken {Pan fried version}, and a chickpea dish – Punjabi Chole.I looked at the book with initial skepticism as I don’t follow too many TV cookery shows. Took it along when I went to pick up the older teen from detention! {Yes that happens too as she didn’t submit a project in time. She had completed it but forgot to submit it!}! I love the lessons school can teach that we can’t! Got there 30 minutes early armed with the book; it was the most fruitful 30 minutes I’ve spent of late. It was an instant connect! He seemed warm, real, ‘talked’ to with you, a peoples person, had a wonderful rapport and was entertaining. Explains why he runs the most popular food show!Food is good when it is real, when stories are woven around it, when you know where they are coming from and what influences the style … a face behind the name makes it even better! Not so long ago we met Shamita, Ms India Universe, at the Four Seasons Wine Tasting event and marveled at how grounded she was. More recently we got ‘up close and personal‘ with one of India’s top chefs Saby at the Olive Bar & Kitchen … another fabulous person! Haven’t met Aditya but already feel like I know him a li’l bit. He talks fondly of growing up in Kashmir {I love Kashmir and it is on my list of places to revisit but with the hub}. I have beautiful memories of Srinagar which we visited as kids; Aditya stirred those up beautifully.The author lived an idyllic life in Srinagar, the culinary side reflected by Wazwan, potlucks, Sunday roasts reminiscent of his maternal grandmothers cooking; then had an unfortunate displacement from the state he loved due to civil unrest. He modeled for a few years and eventually found his calling in food. The book is packed with recipes from different corners of India, reflected in the title Chakle India {literally translates into Taste India}…I love the simple explanations, the ‘deglazing’ of the pan now and then, asking you to check the balance of flavours, taking in the magic of Indian spices. Other “foodies” like Chantal Royer do a great job at analyzing some of the traditional Indian spices from her travels.  For all you meat lovers there, there is plenty of ‘meaty goodness’ that he tempts you to try. I made butter chicken from his book when I got home.
Why Butter Chicken? Because it is one of India’s most popular dishes, the kids love it, I haven’t made a ‘butter’ laden butter chicken in ages, it was the weekend, there was no electricity and the recipe was a pan fried version, it uses fresh tomatoes which are in abundance … more simply, because I wanted to!It’s a good, homey, comforting recipe … a nice balance of flavours, not like the original butter chicken as that uses oven baked tandoori chicken, but finger licking good nevertheless. The son asked for it 2 days in a row! I make a low fat version often, yet to be blogged, but for now this version is for you!There are plenty of vegetarian recipes too. I reached for the book a second time as I had chickpeas soaking for a salad for the dieting diva. Made the Punjabi Cholas and they were fabulous! Loved the astoefitida {hing} in them, and also loved that it didn’t use commercial chana masala. I served them with boiled rice but they would taste great with flatbread too, or just as a snack.Nice to see a book with seemingly more emphasis on the meaty dishes, yet one that offers a liberal dose of vegetarian main course and snacks. The dessert section is SWEET! I have my eye on a mango kheer which I find rather intriguing and haven’t heard of before! Pick up the book and you’ll find it easy to cook from it. The ingredients are simple pantry staples and the methods aren’t cumbersome. Some recipes do appear long with many ingredients and instructions … a little complicated but really aren’t. The only downside, if ever so slightly there is one, is the pictures. I like my food photographs to show the dish from a short distance to get a better idea of the dish. Most frames are shot really close up, though there are plenty of them. The book is a delicious take on homey, comforting and make-able Indian cuisine, food from the heart, flavours that speak for themselves and the energy to make you want to cook! It’s a good addition to my ever growing collection of cookbooks.

Thank you for Anushree for sending me a copy to review. I really enjoyed the book!

[print_this]Recipe: Butter Chicken {pan fried version}

Summary: A flavoursome home style butter chicken bursting with the goodness of fresh tomatoes. A recipe in which the marinated chicken pan fried as against traditionally grilled. Recipe from The Chakle India Cookbook by Aditya Bal

Ingredients:

  • 500gm boneless chicken {cut into tikka sized pieces}
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Few drops refined oil
  • 50g butter
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • The Marinade
  • 3 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1/2 onion, pureed
  • 4tbsp whisked curd
  • 1tsp coriander powder
  • 1tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1tsp hot red chili powder
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Rich Tomato Gravy
  • 7-8 ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeled, puréed
  • Few drops of refined oil
  • 50g butter
  • 1/2″ piece ginger chopped fine
  • 2 green chilies, chopped fine
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1tsp hot red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1sp coriander powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2tsp sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes
  • 4-5 tsp full cream {I used low fat 2 tsp}
  • Garnish
  • 2-3tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • Knob of butter

Method:

  1. The Marinade
  2. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Put the chicken into a large glass or plastic bowl. Add the marinade and mix it well into the chicken with your hands. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours
  3. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the rich tomato gravy.
  4. Rich Tomato Gravy
  5. Heat a medium size sauté pan and add the oil and butter. Keep the pan on medium heat till the butter is foaming. The oil prevents the butter from burning as it as a much higher smoking point.
  6. Once the foam subsides somewhat, add the chopped ginger and green chilies and sauté for a couple of minutes on medium heat.
  7. Add the spice powders and sauté, till they are aromatic and richly coloured.
  8. Now add the fresh tomato purée and stir to mix with the spices.
  9. Simmer on low heat, till the tomato gravy is thick and has a rich and deep red colour and the oil rises to the top.
  10. Season well with salt and add the sugar. Stir through and simmer for a few minutes longer. Turn of the heat and set the gravy aside to mature.
  11. To cook the chicken
  12. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. season with salt and mix well.
  13. Heat a heavy non stick frying pan and add a few drops of refined oil and the butter
  14. Once the butter is hot, add a few chicken pieces at a time and sear them on high heat, till the develop a rich caramelized crust and are slightly charred around the edges. remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.
  15. Now, return all the seared pieces to pan and fry them all together. ass the sugar, lime juice and any remaining marinate. continue to fry the chicken, till it is almost fully cooked and turns a lovely, charred, golden brown.
  16. Add the thick spicy tomato gravy to the chicken and de-glaze the pan to lift up those intense pan deposits.
  17. Cook on medium heat, stirring well to make sure the chicken is fully submerged and coated in the delicious gravy
  18. Simmer uncovered to reduce the gravy
  19. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the thick cream. stir through to combine and cook for about five minutes to blend well
  20. Check for a balance of flavours: the gravy should be rich and buttery, bursting with the spices and concentrated tomatoes; the chicken, perfectly tender and packed with the rich flavours of the creamy tomato gravy.
  21.  Add a knob of butter and enjoy this home-style butter chicken with naan or tandoori roti.

Recipe: Chola Masala {Spicy Chickpeas}

Summary: A real Punjabi classic which is eaten all over North India and is cooked with endless variation. This is a snack which can double up as a meal too. {I used just chickpeas but the recipe has gram too} Recipe from The Chakle India Cookbook by Aditya Bal

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
  • 1 cup whole Bengal gram or kala chana, soaked overnight {I didn’t use these so I increased the chickpeas}
  • Curry Base
  • 2 tsp refined oil {I used Leonardo olive oil from here}
  • 1″ cassia stick
  • 1tsp cumin seeds
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 2 brown cardamoms
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 onions chopped fine
  • 1/2″ ginger, chopped fine
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1tsp coriander powder
  • A pinch of asafoetida powder / hing {I used a big pinch}
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped fine
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp butter {I used olive oil again}
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 2-4 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method:

  1. Drain the soaked chickpeas and gram for any toxins, wash well and parboil in a pressure cooker with 3 cups water for 25-30 minutes {I use a pinch of baking soda too}. The chickpeas should hold shape but be soft enough to be mashed with a fork or between fingers.
  2. Transfer them to a bowl and mash them lightly with a fork, keeping half of them whole. {I tend to do this when I add the chickpeas to the curry. I also reserve any remaining liquid and use it to this the curry later}
  3. The Curry
  4. Heat the oil in a wok/kadhai and add the whole spices and bay leaf. Saute on medium heat till they crackle and release their aroma.
  5. When the whole spices are nutty and richly coloured, add the onions and  sauté for a few minutes, till they turn light golden brown.
  6. Stir in the ginger and garlic and  sauté till they are softened and lightly coloured.
  7. Sprinkle in the spice powders, salt and  sauté for a couple of minutes till they are aromatic and toasted. Add a few drops of water to deglaze the pan and lift up the spices stuck to the pan. Bhuno {roast} the masala 3-4 times with water, till the base is homogeneous and oil rises to the surface.
  8. Mix in the cooked chickpeas {and gram if using} and fry them in the masala base till they are well coated.
  9. Add the tomatoes and continue to fry on high heat till they begin to disintegrate. Sprinkle in the sugar and mix well to combine.
  10. Pour in enough water {I used the reserved liquid here} to come 1″ above the contents of the pan. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer gently for about an hour or more. {I have to confess I just popped everything back into the cooker and gave it a whistle within!}
  11. Cook until the starch glutenizes with the liquid, so they are soft and creamy in texture and the gravy thickens. Taste and adjust salt if required.
  12. Now add the butter and lime juice to lift the flavours, then sprinkle the coriander leaves and stir well.
  13. Check for balance of flavours: The cholas should be extremely soft and creamy but with a little bite to them ad should have the robust taste of whole spices. The dish should be thick and concentrated in flavour.
  14. Serve with hot roi, puri or bhatura and a salad.

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Savoury Seedy Crackers … Delicious, light, addictive, versatile and simple to make

“You see things and you say ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and I say ‘Why not?’”
George Bernard Shaw

It’s been a cracker of a July! I crept silently into Daring Bakers on the 2nd of July dreading what I would see. We’ve had the worse summer ever, the hottest, coupled with extended power cuts and monsoons that threaten to fail. Imagine my delight at seeing crackers … just perfect for the season. I had a go at two of the four recipes – Seedy Crisps {ah-mazing} and Health Crackers which were good too, maybe too healthy, but nice with cheese and onion jam!

Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love.

Delicious, light, addictive, versatile and simple to make, crackers can’t get better than this. I love baking savoury crackers; to date my favourite were Ottolenghis Olive Oil Crackers. These Seedy Crisps are now vying for top place!

It was time to get a little creative as the dough was very simple to roll out. It rolls out really thin so I stamped out some fluted circles from the well behaved dough and baked a batch in my shallow tart tray. I was thrilled to see how well they came out, bite sized and perfect.

The good thing is that these seedy crisps for canapes are make ahead, healthy and a great discovery! This was the part of the challenge I loved most, the gentle nudge that Dana gave us towards getting creative! The little canapes filled with a creamy cheesy chicken topping stole my heart!

Beautiful little bites! Dress them up as you like … fill ’em up with a light chicken filling, or caramelised onion jam with blue cheese, maybe a mushroom – red onion olive oil filling, a salsa {peach, tomato, mango} … or get more adventurous and use seasonal fresh fruit and cheese. The pooch was uber delighted to get the little baked leftovers and came out of her bowl covered with sesame and poppy seeds. She is still as naughty as she is charming! I didn’t get a seedy picture coz by the time I grabbed my camera, Coco had made a meal of every last crumb! Crackers!!

I used the red harissa which I made recently in the chicken topping and tomato salsa. I served some crackers with the Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam I make often … good choices for both these crackers. I have included the remaining two recipes below and will attempt try them soon. Our talented host Dana hasn’t entered the world of blogging but has been a Daring Baker for a couple of years.

Cheeses can be swapped, flours altered and spices changed; I encourage creativity! As long as you a making small crispy platforms on which to add a myriad of toppings, you are on the right track, she says.

Pepper Jack and Oregano Crackers (Roll with pasta rollers or by hand):
Servings: Approximately 80 crackers
Ingredients
1⅔ cups (400 ml) (235 gm) (8¼ oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
2¼ cups (540 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) grated pepper jack cheese, firmly packed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (1 gm) dried oregano
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) salt
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (½ gm) black pepper
½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) vegetable oil
½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) water
Spice topping
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1/8 gm) cayenne
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) sugar
Directions:
1. Combine the spice topping and set aside.
2. Grate the cheese and put in the bowl of a food processor with flour, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. This can also be done by hand.
3. Add the oil and pulse until the consistency of wet sand is reached.
4. Add enough water for the dough to come together.
5. Form the dough into two disks, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
6. Heat the oven to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3.
7. Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, either use a rolling pin or roll out in your pasta rollers to 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) thick. If you use pasta rollers, ensure the dough is well floured so as not to stick.
8. Cut the strips into cracker shapes or cut out using a cookie cutter.
Transfer to a parchment lined cookies sheet and sprinkle with the spice mixture.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until medium golden brown.
11. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days

Cheddar, Rosemary and Walnut Icebox Crackers (form into a log and slice):
Servings: Approximately 48 crackers
Ingredients
½ cup (120 ml) (1 stick) (115 gm/4 oz) butter, well softened
2¼ cups (540 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) grated aged cheddar cheese (the better the cheese, the better the cracker), firmly packed
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (285 ml) (190 gm/6oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) (60 gm/2 oz) finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (1¾ gm) finely chopped rosemary
Directions:
1. Combine butter, rosemary and cheese in a stand mixer and beat well (can also be done by hand)
2. Add the flour, salt and nuts and stir to combine
3. Form the dough into two tight logs and wrap with cling film
4. Chill for at least an hour and up to several days. The log can be frozen at this point for several months.
5. Heat the oven to moderate 160°C.
6. Slice a log into 5mm (1/5 inch) coins and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
7. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown
8. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days
9. Try this recipe with different cheeses, nuts (or no nuts), and spices. Get creative!

It’s been a fun daring July with quite the perfect challenge which has opened up a whole new window to creative baking. Crisp, versatile and popular, savoury snacks are always welcome, and I’m looking forward to trying the recipes above. I ♥ Daring Bakers!

Thank you Dana, and thank you as always Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for hosting this fab kitchen!! Do stop by here to see our  daring bakers go creatively crazy over crackers!!!

[print_this]Recipe: Seedy Crisps

Summary: Delicious, light, addictive, versatile and simple to make, crackers don’t get better than this. I made some seedy crisps for canapes with the same dough too.

Servings: Varies depending on thickness; approximately 30 crackers and 15-18 canapes  {I made 1/2 recipe which I’ve shared below, minimally adapted}

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes plus resting time
Ingredients:

  • Crackers
  • 1 cup/ 160 gm whole wheat four
  • 1 cup/ 120gm all-purpose (plain) flour
  • 1/3 cup / 40 gm poppy seeds
  • 1/3 cup / 40 gm sesame seeds
  • 1½ tsp table salt
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder/granules
  • 3 tbsp /45 ml olive oil
  • ¾ cup / 175 ml water {approx}
  • Chicken Topping for approx 20 canapes
  • 2 boneless chicken breast, cut into 2 fillets each
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • {Marinade}
  • 1 cup /250ml cultured buttermilk
  • 1tsp red harissa {recipe here}
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt to taste
  • Tomato salsa
  • 3-4 tomatoes, deseeded, chopped fine
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • Fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 1/4tsp red harissa {recipe here} or finely chopped deseeded green chili
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Crackers
  2. Mix the flours, seeds, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
  3. Add the oil and stir until combined.
  4. Add  1/2 cup of water to begin with, and then more as required  until the dough comes together.
  5. Knead the dough 5 or 6 times and allow to rest, covered, on the counter for 15 minutes. You can also chill the dough at this point and come back later.
  6. Thermomix: Place all ingredients in TM bowl. Mix at speed 6 for 30 seconds, and knead in closed position for 2 minutes.
  7. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll out really thin on parchment paper, transfer to a baking tray and score with a pastry cutter.
  8. Bake at 230C for 25-30 mins {I used the lower element only. If you use both elements, then it will take lesser time}
  9. I used 1/4 dough to make about 2 dozen crisp canapes.
  10. Crackers/canapes will keep for a week in an airtight container.
  11. Chicken topping for canapes
  12. Make the marinade by whisking together buttermilk, red harissa, lime juice and salt. Mix in the chicken and marinate overnight {or 3-4 hours}
  13. Drain the marinade, then pan fry the chicken in 1-2 tsp of olive oil.  Add the Worcestershire sauce once all the liquid has evaporated.
  14. Chop up the chicken and add all remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. You can fill and refrigerate shells until ready to serve, else fill just before serving.
  15. Tomato salsa
  16. Mix together all the ingredients and allow flavours to mature for an hour or so.

Recipe: Health Crackers 

Summary: Healthy in every way, these would go well with a thick dip or with a variety of toppings. {I made 1/2 quantity, about 40 crackers. The recipe below is for the full quantity}

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes plus resting time
Ingredients:

  • 3 cups /240 gm rolled oats
  • 2 cups /280 gm plain all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup / 80 gm wheat germ
  • 3 tablespoons / 40 gm sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup / 180 ml vegetable oil
  • 1 cup  /240 ml water
  • 1 large egg white
  • Cracker topping
  • Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, nigella (onion) seeds, salt
  • Salt for sprinkling

Method:

  1. Mix the oats, flour, wheat germ sugar and salt together in a large bowl or bowl for the standup mixer.
  2. Combine the water and oil and stir into the oat mixture until it comes together and a dough forms.
  3. Thermomix: Place all ingredients in TM bowl. Mix at speed 6 for 30 seconds, and knead in closed position for 2 minutes.
  4. Form dough into a disk and allow to rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes but up to a day if you are making the ahead.
  5. Preheat the oven to moderate 160°C.
  6. Divide the dough into quarters and work with one piece at a time, allowing the remaining pieces to stay in the fridge as you proceed with rolling out the crackers.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/16 inch (1½ mm) thick and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet by carefully wrapping the dough around the rolling pin.
  8. Brush the dough with the egg white mixed briefly with a tablespoon of water and sprinkle with seeds and salt of your choice.
  9. Cut the dough with a pizza wheel and bake for 25-30 minutes until browned. Crackers that are not crispy once cooled may be returned to the oven.
  10. Store in an airtight container and eat within two weeks.
  11. Serve with cheese and Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam, or Salsa, or a roasted red bell pepper dip, or topped with the chicken above.
  12. Note: You can omit the egg white for a vegetarian version. Roll the topping in gently on top.

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Baking | Red Harissa – versatile, HOT, beautiful … MOORISH!

“My tongue is smiling.”
Abigail Trillin

It’s been an extended hot summer, really hot in every sense, now humid too. Add a HOT harissa to it and the combination gets teasingly explosive, bearable maybe? The Red Harissa turned out to be quite explosive, flavours that danced on the tongue. It’s become an integral part of my pantry, a sauce that I find myself reaching for more often than I really should be, but well!Once in a while you trip across a condiment, a sauce, an additive that is HOT in every sense! I’m not the only one who thinks so. I often find the dieting diva sneaking some into her ketchup, salsa, sandwich. She claims chili helps you lose weight, burn calories, but I suspect she is quite addicted to it too.The recipe is from a beautiful cookbook called Moorish, which lives up entirely to its name, and covers flavours from Mecca to Marrakesh! Greg & Lucy Malouf seduce your taste-buds with well laid out recipes, beautiful photographs and interesting trivia. They tempt you to churn our a chermoula as easily as you would a pesto, or to get as comfortable with tangines as you are with casseroles. NICE!With more and more pantries stocking up on spices and ingredients no longer considered ‘exotic‘, you would find most of the stuff either at home or at the corner store. The book reflects the cuisine that sprang as a result of the Arabic occupation of North Africa in the 18th century … the very idea of this culinary expedition is moorish!This sauce is more complex than most Moroccan versions, and one of many basic recipes Moorish offers – Dukkah, Za’atar, Preserved Lemons & Limes, Pickled Green Chilies, Tahini, Green Harissa, Toum, Taklia, Chermoula. The Chicken Paillard Fried in Cumin Butter is a recipe I use really often. Simple, quick to make, no do ahead stuff, and the flavours are amazing. A salad, a rustic bread, maybe roasted potatoes with it … We love a good chili sauce, the hotter the better; must be the Indian taste-buds, though a little goes a long way. The Sriracha Style Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce above is amazing and my to go recipe whenever red chilies are in season. This year however, I was a little busy and missed making a batch. With the tiny chilies in my garden in bloom, it was time to try the Red Harissa.

Initially taken aback by the number of chilies it used, dry and fresh, I was intrigued by the fact that it used a roasted bell pepper. Harissa is usually made with tomato paste. I made my first jar with slight hesitation; now on my fourth! Used the first batch on these Lamb & Purslane Pides combined with a homemade sweet Plum sauce. Was floored by the explosion of flavour!There’s been no looking back. A tiny 1/4 tsp in tomato ketchup makes it sing, and some in a salsa sets the floor ablaze. Even if you don’t like it hot, just a teeny dot perks up the flavours. Are you game?

[print_this]Recipe: Red Harissa

Summary: A flavoursome Moroccan red chili sauce which can be found in restaurants across Morocco.  Hot and explosive, it’s worth making. Adapted minimally from Moorish. Makes approx 200ml

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes plus cooling me
Ingredients:

  • 1 red bell pepper, whole
  • 10-15 dried long red chilies
  • 4-5 small red chilies {recipe says 10}
  • 3-4 cloves garlic {recipe says 2}
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted, crushed
  • 1tsp caraway seeds, roasted, crushed
  • 60ml olive oil

Method:

  1. Soak the dried red chilies in just enough water to rehydrate them while you roast the pepper. Crush the garlic with sea salt.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200C. {I usually roast my bell pepper when I am baking something else, or do a large batch together}.
  3. Place thee bell pepper on a tray and roast till blackened and blistered, turning often. Remove and place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and leave for 10 minutes. Peel off skin carefully, discard seeds and stalk.
  4. Drain the red chillies and place with remaining ingredients. Puree with the olive oil. Taste carefully for seasoning – it is extremely hot. Adjust sea salt if required.
  5. Tip into a jar and cover with a thin film of oil.
  6. This will keep refrigerated for 3-4 weeks.

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Lamb & Purslane Pide

” You should eat delicious things while you can still eat them,
go to wonderful places while you still can…”
Nora Ephron

Chomp, chomp, chomp. “Ooooh, this is good“, declared Mr PAB between bites. Then gesturing wildly he said, “This MUST go on the blog. It’s GOOD!” So with recommendation, hot off the press oven, here are Lamb and Purslane Pides, or simply put Turkish Flatbread Pizza!What is purslane? It is an annual succulent, found in North India in the hot summer months, is funnily considered a weed in America {LOL}, and cooked extensively through much of Europe, Middle East, Asia and Mexico! It is known as kulfa saag here, and was the only green other than spinach that I could find to replace the chard! It worked a charm …  and went undetected by the ‘green hating‘ terrible teens!It’s been ages since I cooked lamb mince. By healthy choice I’ve switched over th chicken mince but the lamb murmur has been growing stronger of late. My SIL is a great lamb lover and mentioned that she prefers lamb to chicken any day. I was listening. Then the other day, a meeting with someone from BBC GF and she mentioned her undying love for lamb too. Now I was all ears!“Next kebabs will be have to be lamb“, I thought as I got mince from the butcher. However, this morning I lost my inclination to make kebabs. I wanted something on dough, something baked, something quick! I recollected the Turkish pides with sumac I had made long ago and googling got me to a Lamb & Chard Pide recipe on BBC GF!

Pides, local pita bread, are delicious flatbread pizzas topped with different ingredients from Turkeys rich cuisine. You have specialty Turkish pide restaurants across Turkey which sell different avatars of this flatbread. It is popular street food there as well. Regional variations in the shape, baking technique, and topped materials create distinctive styles for each region which include chicken, beef, cheese, potatoes, garlic and many other ingredients.

It came together fairly quickly. I did a quick rise dough, and by the time the dough was rising, the lamb was ready. Baked quick, crisp and nice, the lamb pides were wolfed down faster than the time I took to make them… not a crumb remained!The recipe suggestion was to drizzle pom molasses over it. I didn’t have any but I did have a fresh plum prune sauce I developed for Del Monte. To that, I added some red harissa that I had made last week. It was H O T! 10 red chilies, more fresh red chilies = fiery HOT! That said, it’s almost gone and I am ready to make my next jar! The lamb offered subtle, gentle flavours, lilted further by the cottage cheese and bell pepper. The pickled peppers added some zest, and a drizzle of plum chili sauce brought out a delicious complexity of flavours … all pairing beautifully together!I loved how quickly and beautifully the meal came together. Of course we had the much dreaded power cut halfway through, so I baked a couple on a heavy griddle pan covered with a lid over low heat …. and there was no reason to complain {pictured above}. So there you, if it’s too hot to turn on the oven OR you suffer power cuts like we have all summer, these cook up crisp beautiful on the stove top too!

I had some dough left over, so made some chicken, red harissa and plum sauce pides the next afternoon for the kids. Gone in minutes! They are filling yet light enough for a summer meal. Pair with a green salad, maybechilled summer cooler … and you have a meal!Bon appetit! Afiyet olsun!

And as I leave I wish to thank Lifezing for interviewing me. It was an honour and I loved doing it.
Catch it, with a whole lot of colour here …

… In conversation with Deeba Rajpal From Passionate About Baking

[print_this]Recipe:  Lamb & Purslane Pides

Summary: Turkish flatbread pizza with lamb and  seasonal greens.The lamb offered subtle, gentle flavours, lilted further by the cottage cheese and bell pepper. the pickled peppers added some zest, and a drizzle of plum chili sauce brought out a delicious complexity of flavours. {Makes 10 pides}.  Adapted minimally from BBC Good Food.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:

  • Quick pizza dough
  • 410g plain flour
  • 110gm whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp yeast
  • 30ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 380ml warm water
  • Lamb Purslane Mince
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 500gm lean lamb, minced
  • 2-3 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
  • 1  large bunch purslane {Indian kulfa saag, or chard}
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • Toppings
  • 150gm cottage cheese, cubed, tossed in olive oil
  • Plum Sauce
  • Red Harissa or chili sauce
  • Pickled peppers
  • 150gm mozzarella

Method:

  1. Quick dough
  2. Place both flours, salt and garlic in bowl of food processor and process for a minute in short burst.
  3. Add remaining ingredients and mix.
  4. Knead for 2-3 minutes to get a smooth pliable dough.
  5. Transfer to an oiled bowl, and leave covered in a warm place for about 15 minutes. Store in fridge after its been doubled if you intend to use it later.
  6. Mince
  7. Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Sweat onions and garlic in this for 4-5 minutes until light pink, add bay leaves and mince and roast well on high heat. Season with cumin, cinnamon and salt. Cook open on medium high for about 10-15 minutes until the mince is cooked, becomes brownish and no liquid remains.
  8. Add 1 tbsp of the plum sauce and 1-2 tsp of hot chili sauce {as per taste/optional}, followed by greens. Sauté for a minute or two until the greens begin to wilt. Take off heat, add bell pepper and mix well. Cool.
  9. Assemble
  10. Preheat the oven to 225C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or sprinkle a pizza stone with cornmeal.
  11. Divide into 2, and then into 5-6 parts each. Make balls, toss lightly in flour and roll out to an oblong shape, stretching one corner to get a tear drop like base.
  12. Top with cooked mince, pickled peppers, cottage cheese and sprinkle with mozzarella.
  13. Bake at 250C for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and puffy. Drizzle with EVOO and serve with a plum chili sauce, or pom molasses…or as is!

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Baking| No Knead Buttermilk Chicken Pizza… Where Jim Lahey finds What Katie Ate!

This was a pizza waiting to be made and I’m not sure what took me so long to get here. It’s a summer pizza, or maybe spring if that’s the season you are in. Light, crisp airy crust, minimum sauce and happy toppings! I’ve had Jim Laheys No Knead pizza dough bookmarked for ages, and then one day I read a post on What Katie Ate and there she had the most inspirational food flooding her beautiful blog. It was time for No Knead Pizza with Buttermilk Chicken.I’ve read only good stuff about Jim Laheys No Knead Pizza Dough and the temptation was too much a few days ago. How luxurious can a foodie feel if she has a slow rising dough sitting out on the counter, made kneaded stirred together the previous evening. I hopped out of bed and raced to see if had risen… and of course it had!Inspiration came from Katies delicious blog. That buttermilk chicken pizza stayed in my head for a few days. After stirring the pizza dough, I dunked the chicken in the buttermilk mustard mix to enjoy a slow overnight marinade. Love make ahead bits of recipes!! The rest happened the next morning. I stirred up a a quick pizza sauce, trying to keep it minimalistic, enough to perk the base and chicken but not too overpowering. Just chicken on top is good if you use a pizza sauce like in Katies recipe, but since I had no sour cream, watercress, walnuts etc, I added some bell peppers and onions  … cheese of course!Nom Nom Nom! Mr PAB declared this was the best one yet, almost like a wood fire pizza we had a while ago, one which has always been the benchmark for comparison. Great thin crisp crust, beautiful blend of flavours, delicious subtle chicken. Did I forget to tell you I pickled some red & green chilies the other day? They went on top as well! Even the ‘now threatening to be quite terrible‘ preteen munched them up as they weren’t too hot!The vegetable vendor had packed me a bag of red and green chilies the other day, knowing how much I love vibrant colours. Got home and looked at my now almost empty bottle of quick pickled cucumbers that I made for the DB Dutch Crunch Bread or Tijgerbrood … the chilies could would go in there.Snipped with my kitchen scissors in a matter of minutes, they were soon submerged in the mix of white vinegar, a dash of sugar and salt. They sat in the fridge and two days later we enjoyed nice tangy peppers. Makes a nice addition to sandwiches and wraps, and a great topping for pizza. Nice and zingy, mildly hot too! I sometimes smash a clove or two of garlic and throw it in!

[print_this]Recipe: No Knead Buttermilk Chicken Pizza

Summary: Great thin crisp crust, beautiful blend of flavours, delicious subtle chicken... a wonderful light picnic pizza for spring/summer!

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour plus resting time
Ingredients:

  • Dough Adapted from Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Pizza Dough {yields 4  X 10-inch crusts}
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting
  • 1/4 cup gluten
  • 3/4 tsp. instant yeast
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 11/4 cups + 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Topping
  • Buttermilk Chicken {Buttermilk Chicken from What Katie Ate}
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of small half a lemon
  • 2 x 200g (average sized) chicken breasts
  • Bell peppers, onions, preserved chili peppers, fresh basil
  • Pizza Sauce
  • 3-4 medium tomatoes
  • 100ml tomato puree
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp dried herbs
  • Red chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Handful of fresh basil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Olive Oil

Method:

  • Dough
  • In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky). Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot, about 70 F /21C.
  • Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Shape the dough into 3 or 4 balls, depending on how thick you want the crust. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough with it. Let the dough rise for 2 hours then use as required.
  • Buttermilk Chicken:
  • To make the marinade, add buttermilk, Dijon mustard and lemon juice into a medium-sized bowl, season with salt and pepper whisk together to combine. Remove excess fat from the chicken breasts and cut the chicken crossway into ½ cm thick strips.  Add the chicken to the marinade, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight
  • After chilling, cook chicken pieces on a hot griddle pan until almost cooked through. Keep warm.
  • Pizza Sauce
  • Saute onions, garlic, fried herbs and red chili flakes in olive oil till fragrant.
  • Blend the tomatoes and tomato puree together to a smooth sauce and add to above
  • Add the balsamic vinegar and pinch of sugar, season with salt and pepper and simmer covered for about 15-20 minutes till most of the liquid has evaporated and it yields a thick sauce.
  •  Cool and blend to a smooth puree. Adjust seasoning if required, add fresh basil and reserve until required . {Can be made a day or two ahead}
  • Pre heat oven to 250C
  • To assemble the pizzas
  • Roll out dough to your desired thickness and place on pizza stone or baking tray
  • Brush the bases with extra virgin olive oil and divide sauce evenly over both pizza bases and spread out leaving a 2cm border around the pizza edge {I like keeping the sauce to a bare minimum in summer}
  • Top pizzas with pre-cooked chicken strips, bell peppers, onions, preserved chillies, fresh basil. Top with grated mozzarella.
  • Bake until base is cooked through {20-25 minutes in my oven}.
  • Note: You can skip the chicken for a vegetarian version of the pizza. Mushrooms, sweet corn, cottage cheese cubes would work well.

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Armenian Nazook 2 ways … sweet and savoury

“Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture.”
Mark Kurlansky

These are literally hot off the press oven! Delightful little bites, crisp, flavourful, completely unexpected and a window to yet another culture. Trust Daring Bakers to throw up another fabulous challenge, this time an Armenian pastry full of infinite promise. Nazook, something I had never heard of. I went sweet and savoury, two ways – Nutella, Almond, Vanilla Bean Nazook and Cheddar Chimichurri Nazook, both delicious!

The Daring Bakers’ April 2012 challenge, hosted by Jason at Daily Candor, were two Armenian standards: nazook and nutmeg cake. Nazook is a layered yeasted dough pastry with a sweet filling, and nutmeg cake is a fragrant, nutty coffee-style cake.

I read up the challenge pretty early in the month but this has been a tiresome month with plenty of kid issues. Have kids, will fret. Just as the ‘not so terrible anymore teen‘ has begun settle down, the preteen is offering us ‘challenges‘ galore. Not a moment of rest for the wicked I chide myself, and life goes on!Last night as I read the DB forum about all the wonderful Nazook experiences, I reached the kitchen in a trance and made the dough. ‘Rest the dough for 3-5 hours‘ said Aunt Aida.

Seemed like the challenge was tailor made for me, giving me time to relax too! I love make ahead bits of recipes as they make the work look so easy. The recipe called for sour cream and it was time for substitution as it isn’t locally available here!  With help from Google, I settled for hung yogurt and butter. I have yet to experience such a smooth fine pastry dough, pliable, flexible and so unassuming. It made me sit up and take notice. The texture seemed to hold a lot of promise especially in hot weather like ours in North India.

Yet another Daring surprise from another beautiful culture, this time Armenian cuisine. Last month we walked the wild side with an exciting Dutch Crunch Bread or tijgerbol from the Netherlands. Some time before that we made the stunning Povitica, a Croatian sweet bread that was unforgettable! I absolutely love the way Daring Bakers is embracing food cultures in the most amazing way!Our talented host this month, Jason, is half Croatian and grew up eating Povitica! Jason decided to share his Armenian heritage with us and introduced us to his Aunt Aida’s nazook recipe of which he wrote … “I’ve tried a LOT of nazook, and have to say hers is the best I’ve tried.” I halved the recipe even though all the reviews were great but it’s beginning to warm up a lot here, and I didn’t know how the butter would behave! The result was so good.  The crust is almost like a flaky shortcrust or shortbread, maybe somewhere in between, but quite amazing!

It’s always a sweet vs savoury tug of war for me in the kitchen. Even though I had chocolate something in mind for half, and pistachio for the other half, I reached for cheddar and went savoury on the first lot. So good! The flour in the filling intrigued me, so unusual, but like it needed to be there. The end result was crisp, buttery, flaky and full of good pizza flavour!For the second bit of the dough, Nutella called my name, and with a last minute almond distraction I ended up with Nutella, Almond, Vanilla Bean Nazook. I have stayed eggless with the challenge as I get loads of requests from my local readers to offer more eggless/vegetarian recipes. If you like, give the pastry an egg wash to get the characteristic shiny finish that nazook has.

Thank you Jason of Daily Candor {and your sweet Aunt} for a wonderful window to your rich heritage. Thank you as always Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for hosting this fab kitchen!! Do stop by here to see the beautiful nazook and nutmeg cake our other daring bakers have done!

[print_this]Recipe: Nutella, Almond, Vanilla Bean Nazook and Cheddar Chimichurri Nazook

Summary: An Armenian yeasted dough sweet traditional pastry. The result was so good, the crust is almost like a flaky shortcrust or shortbread, maybe somewhere in between, but quite amazing! {Adapted from Aunt Aida’s recipe from Jason}. Makes 20-22 nazook.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes { plus resting time}
Ingredients:

  • Pastry dough
  • 210 gm all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 100gm hung yogurt {thick}
  • 125gm softened butter (room temperature)
  • Savoury filling
  • 55gm all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
  • 50gm cheddar, grated
  • 1 tsp chimichurri seasoning or dried Italian herbs
  • 40gm butter,room temperature
  • Sweet filling
  • 100gm Nutella
  • 55gm all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
  • 55gm vanilla sugar
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
  • 40gm butter, room temperature
  • 25gm almond meal
  • Wash
  • 1-2 tsp low fat cream or yogurt {or an egg yolk, or 1 whole egg}
  • Dried herbs, sea salt, vanilla sugar, icing sugar etc for topping

Method:

  1. Make the Pastry Dough
  2. Place the sifted flour into a large bowl.  Add the dry yeast, and mix it in.
  3. Add the sour cream, and the softened butter.
  4. Use your hands, or a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, to work it into a dough.
  5. If using a standing mixer, switch to a dough hook. If making manually, continue to knead for about 10 minutes, or until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl or your hands. If it remains very sticky, add some flour, a little at a time.
  6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 3-5 hours, or overnight if you like.
  7. Make the savoury filling
  8. Mix the flour, dried herbs, grated cheese and the softened butter in a medium bowl.
  9. Mix the filling with a fork until it looks like clumpy, damp sand. It should not take long. Reserve.
  10. Make the sweet filling
  11. Mix the flour, almond meal, vanilla bean and sugar, then add the softened butter in a medium bowl.
  12. Mix the filling until it looks like clumpy, damp sand. It should not take long. Set aside.
  13. Make the nazook
  14. Preheat the oven to moderate 175°C.
  15. Cut the refrigerated dough into two.
  16. Form one half into a ball. Dust your working surface with a little flour.
  17. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle or oval. The dough should be thin, but not transparent.
  18. Savoury  version:
  19. Spread the filling mixture across the rolled-out dough in an even layer. Try to spread the filling as close as possible to the edges on the short sides, but keep some of pastry dough uncovered (1 inch/2.5 cm) along the long edges.
  20. Sweet version:
  21. Spread the filling mixture across the rolled-out dough in an even layer. Try to spread the filling as close as possible to the edges on the short sides, but keep some of pastry dough uncovered (1 inch/2.5 cm) along the long edges.
  22. Continue for both versions…
  23. From one of the long sides, start slowly rolling the dough across. Be careful to make sure the filling stays evenly distributed. Roll all the way across until you have a long, thin loaf.
  24. Pat down the loaf with your palm and fingers so that it flattens out a bit (just a bit).
  25. Apply the wash with a pastry brush.{Sprinkle with dried herbs or vanilla sugar etc if desired}
  26. Use your crinkle cutter (or knife) to cut the loaf into 10 equally-sized pieces. Put onto an ungreased cookie sheet,
  27. Place in a preheated moderate oven for about 30 minutes, until the tops are a rich, golden brown.
  28. Allow to cool and enjoy!

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