Culinary Bazaar

Back again with a new kitchen - Real and Virtual

2009-05-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

It really feels good to be back! My regular readers would know that I have been MIA for last few days. We were moving to a new place and there was simply too much work to be done.Phew! Am I glad that its all over now. We have not completely settled down - there's still so much to be taken care of still to make me feel totally comfy like a home, but we are getting there slowly. The new place has a small lawn with a prebuilt private lemon tree in the backyard

and a common orange tree in the front yard...So you can rest assured that all those juicy 'organic' lemons and oranges are not going waste and the local squirrels and birds are going to have competition now ;)

I was thinking....Now that I have a new kitchen, it just dint sound fair that I enjoy my new kitchen all by myself and not share with my loyal and wonderful readers. How can that be? I want to share my upgraded kitchen with you all too so that you can benefit the ease of use just like I do - Sounds logical isnt it? Hence I take this moment to reveal that I am moving to my own domain and present to you your own virtual Kitchen - http://www.chefinyou.com/ - a site where I hope to inspire you and bring out the chef in you.

I had been working on it for a long time but due to time constraints was unable to do it sooner..tried the outsource route with miserable results, waste of money and unwarranted stress. Thats when the husband and I decided to take it on our own hands and create this site from nothing. The design, concept and code work has been done by us and we hope you find it useful and pleasing. There are still some loose hands which I am working on and things will slowly settle down soon.

I will start transferring to the new domain soon and will redirect my readers to my new content. Hope you like your new kitchen and as always your constructive feedback would be welcome.

Moving Big time!

2009-04-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

yes..we are. Shifting to a new place, new area and to meet some new neighbors. My husband and I have this supposedly inane habit of moving E V E R Y T H I N G on our own and by our own. We did the first, the second and we are doing it yet again. That's some back bending work ppl! I better lose some pounds at the end of it all :)

Picture courtesy Inkshedstock

So until then, for the next few days, the burners at Culinary Bazaar's kitchen is going to be switched off! Oh come to think of it - the computers are going to be too. Hence I wouldnt be able to answer to your emails/comments pronto although I would like to see my inbox and comment section filled when I next open my mail ( Guess you get the message don't you ;). Have tried to be subtle enough! :)) Will be back with a brand new kitchen and yummy goodies. Stay around!

Dont forget to send in your entries to A.W.E.D Japan hosted by Lavi. Deadline is May 5th. Before signing off here is a Bill Gates joke I got in my mail :)

Bill Gates’ New House..

Bill Gates is moving into his new house. But all is not well and we found out...

Bill Gates: There are a few issues we need to discuss.
Contractor: Ah, you have our basic support option. Calls are free for the first 90 days and $75 a call thereafter. Okay?

Bill Gates: Uh, yeah... the first issue is the living room. We think it’s a little smaller than we anticipated.
Contractor: Yeah. Some compromises were made to have it out by the release date.

Bill Gates: We won't be able to fit all our furniture in there.
Contractor: Well, you have two options. You can purchase a new, larger living room; or you can use a Stacker.

Bill Gates: Stacker?
Contractor: Yeah, it allows you to fit as much furniture into the room by stacking it. Of course, you put the entertainment center on the couch and the chairs on the table etc. You leave an empty spot, so when you want to use some furniture you can un-stack what you need and then put it back when you're done.

Bill Gates: Uh... I dunno... issue two. The second issue is the light fixtures. The bulbs we brought with us from our old home won't fit. The threads run the wrong way.
Contractor: Oh! That's easy. Those bulbs aren't plug and play. You'll have to upgrade to new bulbs.

Bill Gates: And the electrical outlets? The holes are round not rectangular. How do I fix that?
Contractor: Just uninstall and reinstall the electrical system.

Bill Gates: You're kidding!
Contractor: "Nope. It’s the only way.

Bill Gates: (sigh) Well! I have one last problem. Sometimes when I have guests over, someone will flush the toilet and it won't stop. The water pressure drops so low that the showers don't work.
Contractor: That's a resource leakage problem. One fixture is failing to terminate and is hogging the resources preventing access from other fixtures.

Bill Gates: And how do I fix that?
Contractor: Well, after each flush you all need to exit the house. Turn off the water at the street, turn it back on, re-enter the house and then you can get back to work.

Bill Gates: That's the last straw. What kind of product are you selling me?
Contractor: Hey, if you don't like it nobody made you buy it.

Bill Gates: And when will this be fixed?
Contractor: Oh, in your next house that will be ready to release sometime near the end of next year. Actually it was due out this year, but we've had some delays.

Udon noodle stir fry - Quick healthy fix

2009-04-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=720

Wheat Germ and Molasses Bread (Eggless)

2009-04-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=719

Pink Diamonds - Jelly made Agar-Agar

2009-04-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=718

aaah! Special moment at LA times

2009-04-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

It feels great to be mentioned, in a good way of course.All the more if it is by someone like LA times.

Elina Shatkin mentioned and put my carrot cupcakes with mascarpone frosting up in a pedestal with her article for daily dish. My cupcakes are blushing "Orange" :)

Aloo Jeera (Potatoes with cumin) - with a twist

2009-04-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=716

Quinoa Dinner Rolls - Nutrition in a small package

2009-04-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=715

Baechu (chinese cabbage) Kimchi - A korean specialty

2009-03-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER : If you are not *hot* for spicy food, then this post will make your eyes water!!! Enter as per discretion and let it be known that you are one courageous gourmet!! :)

Anyone who is not new to making pickles at home, will not be intimidated from making Kimchi. But then, if you have not made them before, this post will show you how easy and simple it actually is, to make this Korean speciality by your own, without having to grab the kimchi jar at your local supermarket. Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee is a traditional korean side dish(banchan) and is made by fermenting vegetables. This was originally done with the purpose of preserving vegetables as a means of storage for the winters. Because of its unique flavours and the preserving tendancies, it has come to be enjoyed by the rest of the world too.

There are quite a few variations of making Kimchee, spicy Baechu(cabbage) Kimchi being the most popular which is what I have made for this post.I have this recipe from an "Authentic Korean cooking" cookbook which I have adapted a bit to my taste and availibility of ingredients. I have blanked out on the name of the author and will update the post with the same once I recall/find the author's name.
You can adjust the ingredients according to your taste buds. :)

1 large chinese (Napa) cabbage
1 medium daikon radish
3 scallions (spring onions), chopped
1 bunch mustard leaves (optional)
1 tsp minced garlic
2" ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 cup red chilli powder
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups sea salt (kosher salt)
10 cups water

Method

Remove the outer leaves of the Napa cabbane. Cut of the edges. Seperate the leaves. Keep aside 3-4 leaves and then chop the rest into quarters.

In a large skillet, add the 10 cups of water along with salt. Give it a swirl and then soak the cabbage leaves for 6-8 hours.

After soaking, remove the leaves, wash/rinse in cold water and squeeze out any excess water. Set the salted water aside. Dont throw it away. Slice the daikons into matchsticks. Chop the mustard greens if using. In a bowl, add the ginger garlic paste and the chilli powder -

make it into a paste by adding about 1/2 cup of water.

To this paste, add the daikon,scallions,mustard greens and mix until blended. Gloved hands are your best bet.

now add the squeezed out cabbage and blend it along with the rest of the chilli mixture.

Take one of the leaves ( which has not been chopped), set it on the board. Put few spoonfuls of this spiced mixture on it.

Now place another cabbage leave as a layer above it and then repeat the process until all the leaves have been used.

Take a Jar and lift this napa-spice layers and push it down the jar. Pack it tightly.

Add any additional mixture to the jar on top.

Use the salt water (used for soaking the cabbage) and pour it down the jar to the brim.

Set aside this jar for 2-3 days ( for the process of fermentation) and then enjoy it with rice or any other korean main dish. There you just made yourself an authentic spicy korean vegetable preserve.

This post finds its way to A.W.E.D Korean hosted by dear PJ

Sanchae Bee Bim Bap - Healthy Korean main course coming your way

2009-03-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

I personally hold the opinion that Asian cuisine is one of the healthiest of all - of course provided that you cook them at home and not at restaurants. You could say the same for any cooking, but my choice, again among those, would be Asian cooking one of them being Korean. My personal exposure to Korean food is not very vast except for the famous and popular dishes and few not so well known from my research of the cuisine. Among the popular ones, Bee Bim Bap (or Beebimbop,bibimbap) holds a prominent place. It is one dish meal with layers stacked one on top of the other and is predominantly made with beef.

Sanchae Bibimbap which means Fresh Vegetable Bibimbap uses lots of vegetables along with the meat. I have this recipe from an Authentic Korean Cooking cookbook ( I misplaced the author’s name) from which I adapted this recipe to make it meatless and added a wee bit more ingredients to suit my palate. It’s pretty simple to make and instead of the Portobello mushroom which I used to replace the meat, non-vegetarians can use Beef to do the same process (simply marinate for more time than what is specified in this recipe)

1 cup small red radish, cut into thin slices
1 medium daikon radish, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1 carrot, sliced into strips
1 cucumber, sliced
approx 4-5 cups spinach, washed with stems discarded (baby spinach works v well)
About 4-5 large portobello mushrooms,cleaned and chopped
1 small yellow onion,sliced
2-3 cups cooked Jasmine rice

2 tbsp Soy Sauce
3 tsp sugar
4 tsp spring onions/scallions, finely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic/garlic paste
2 tsp coarsely ground toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp Rice vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper
salt taste ( make sure to add less salt that your usual amount since Soy sauce also contains sodium)
Korean hot chilli sauce to serve (optional)

Method

In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the marinade.

Add the chopped mushrooms, give it a toss and close it with a plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 30 min.

Steam all the vegetables except the spinach and onions. Just 2-3 minutes before removing the vegetables add the spinach and let it wilt. Alternatively if you dont like your cucumbers steamed, then prepare a marinade with little Vinegar,sugar and salt and marinare your cucumbers in it until before serving. In a pan, cook the onions until soft.

Now add the mushroom along with the marinade until cooked. They look just like beef dont they ? ;) Alternatively prepare fried eggs, if you like eggs. They are optional.

Next set the plate. The first layer is the cooked jasmine rice

Top it off with steamed vegetables

layer that with the cooked mushrooms

Finally place the fried eggs on top of them.

Tada, you just made the popular Korean dish at home, made healthier, wealthier and with no major effort. And yes you save quite some money by not selecting to eat at the restaurant. The ingredients cost quite less too :)

This main dish finds its way to the event close to my heart A.W.E.D hosted by dear PJ this month with Korean as its theme. Thanks PJ for the beautiful theme.

Guacamole with Baked Corn Chips - A dip to make you energised!

2009-03-24T21:47:00.001-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=289

Tofu Bhurji - Stir fried or scrambled - its the delicious protein that counts..

2009-03-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=287

Wheat Recipe Godown - all in the name of JFI: Wheat

2009-03-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Wheat forms such an important role in my kitchen. I use wheat every single day in one form or the other, either on its own or as an addition. When dear Curry Leaf informed me of the event, I was excited to know that Wheat was the highlight of the next JFI theme. Roma kindly informed me that I can send multiple entries and here's some of them.

I have only listed where Wheat is at its full glory without the addition of all purpose flour. Thanks Roma.

Nothing like having a wholesome meal of Dill Roti's which is healthy as well as light. The wonder of this roti is that, although not heavy, it satisfies your hunger and does not make you hungry in 2 hours! A chinese meal it sure is not! ( I always feel hungry in exactly 2 hours after a chinese meal!!!)

Wholegrains are always a boon! I call them Nature's blessing/gifts to us. They are versatile and one need not do elaborate preparations to add them in our day to day food. This Barley Roti is an example of the same

The beauty of this Sweet Potato Roti is such that you wouldnt feel like eating them! Well that beats the whole purpose you ask! I know! But well, it is hard but the taste matches its looks if not better. Delightfully moist with the addition of sweet potatoes enriching it with nutrition of the vegetable as well as the wheat grain.

Just like wheat, Oats is a staple in my pantry and this combination of the two ingredients to make Oats Roti is not only wholesome but immensely healthy as well. Wholegrain benefits at its full force.

This wholemeal cranberry and almond bread is a winner in more ways than one. Wholegrain - Check, Fruits - Check, Nuts - Check, Fat - Uncheck! :) Honey adds the sweetness to it. The wheat flour and the wheat germ give the bread its wholegrain nutrition, Cranberry, Orange and Raisins team together to represent the fruit and Almond makes up for the nuts. Thats almost one whole day's nutrition - isnt it?

While I love yeasted breads, busy schedules often prevents from making them as often as I would like to. That way, quick breads like this Persimmon Walnut Bread help me to fight the snack monster which attacks me with full vengeance during the evenings. It is filled with the goodness of persimmon and whole wheat flour filling me up without making me lose track of my calories for the day! ( believe me! A foodie that I am, I have to keep track!!!!)

Its good to indulge sometimes...at least u have to eat this wholegrain Milk and Cheese Bread. It tastes absolutely heavenly with nice bowl of warm vegetable soup and oh well! Its not a complete loss either. You get the calcium and protein from the dairy ingredients in there and also nutrition from wheat! Thats some indulgence - dont you think?

Another favourite snack recipe of mine is this Wholemeal Banana and Nut muffins. I love the combination of Banana and Walnuts. They compliment each other so well and along with the wheat flour become a nutritious trio

Wheat berries are a boon and so versatile. For those not so familier about what they are, my Wheat Berries 101 should be of some help.

Special thanks to Roma for the event. :)

Moroccon spaghetti - Bursting with flavour and delicious nuttiness

2009-03-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=285

Dill Roti - Indian flatbread with aroma of Dill

2009-03-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

I love herbs and rare has been the case when I have made a visit to the market and not gotten myself minimum of two herbs. Something about them - the scent, the freshness or the taste - attracts me to them and I find myself looking for various permutations and combination to add them to my daily diet. I got myself some fresh looking Dill last week and for my usual dinner of Roti (which is Indian flat bread), I added the herb along with often forgotton spice - Dill seed.

Depending on your taste buds and preferences, add the herbs since many ppl find the herb little overpowering. I found 1 tbsp of the herb added only the slightest hint of its presence but enough to make a wonderful change and the dill seeds only help to compliment it. Its very simple and not at all time consuming.

approx 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus some for dusting
approx 1 tbsp dill leaves, chopped ( as per taste, some ppl find it strong.)
2 tsp dill seeds
salt to taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients together

Add enough water to make it into pliable dough, soft yet not sticky.

Divide the dough into small balls and using a rolling pin roll it out.

Make it into a circle, not too thin nor too thick

Cook it in a griddle, add little vegetable oil around the roti, to cook.

Turn it after 2-3 minutes when golden/brown spots appear on the surface.

Serve it warm with any greens or any curry of your choice.

This is my entry to Roma's JFI event:Wheat

New York Style Bagels - They are quite simple to make - Really!

2009-03-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=283

Baked Quinoa and Mixed Bean Croquettes - Your day's worth of nutrition taken care of

2009-03-13T14:27:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=282

Coriander-Cilantro Naan - Your one stop shop for making this Indian flatbread at home

2009-03-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=281

Corn Muffins - Savoury, colorful and delicious

2009-03-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=280

Red Lentil and Coconut Soup - Protein and Taste hand in hand

2009-03-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Lunch for me is a very subdued affair.As I have mentioned umptieth times before here in this blog, I hate cooking for myself. I am not a fan of leafy salads either. They really dont fill me up and I end up feeling doubly hungry, deprived and I end up overeating later on. To avoid that, I opt for healthy and filling soups accompanied by sizable piece of breads. Warm and nutritious, Soups are one of nature's best foods.

I have this recipe from a gal pal of mine who got it from her sister (and so on...goes the chain). I have made Red Lentil soup before but the addition of coconut milk along with lemongrass makes all the difference. Bursting with flavour and protein, this will soon become your go-to meal often enough, mark my words :) Serve it with a crusty bread.

1 Onions,finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of lemon grass, chopped into thin slices
1 cup red lentils, washed until water runs clear
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
2 cups coconut milk (freshly made, or canned)
1 tsp paparika (or as per taste)
1 lemon
3 scallions
salt and pepper to taste
few sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Method

In a saucepan, in 1/2 tsp oil saute onions, garlic and lemon grass until soft.

Add the lentils along with the spices.

Add the coconut milk, 2 cups water (add more to suit your consistancy) bring to a boil and then simmer covered until soft and mushy

Add the juice of lemon, scallions, salt, pepper.

Serve warm garnished with scallions, paprika and cilantro.

This my entry to Lisa's No croutons required with the theme : Indian styled Soups/Salads.

Bhindi Do Pyaza /Ladies Finger & Onion stir fry - Goodbye Mushy, Welcome Soft Crunchiness(!!)

2009-03-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

For all those mushy ladies finger haters and also for 'Oh no! Same old lady finger curry!!!" naysayers - this Bhindi Do Pyaza is for you :) Bhindi (Ladies finger) Do (two) Pyaza (Onions) is a North Indian dry curry where it denotes onions used twice the normal amount with Ladiesfinger to make this dish. One just needs more onions and do a stir fry along with ladiesfinger and ta-da, the dish is ready. I am going to dissapoint the 'Hail Frozen Foods' folks here since I am really sorry, Frozen ladiesfinger will not work at all. If you really want to, then its mushy heaven for you :)

I have seen few variations, esp one with tomatoes added to it. Somehow I prefer when the fusion of onions and ladiesfinger is not distracted by the addition of tomatoes.Although this dish will not find its way under "Done within 10min" category, it sure is worth that wee bit of extra patience. The trick to avoid the mushiness is not to cover when cooking these ladiesfingers and also to use fresh ones. Not frozen. Prep time is approx 5-10min and cooking time another 15-20min. But the 30minute wait makes it worth it at the end of it all :)

About 500 gms Ladiesfinger/Okra/bhindi (approx 1-1/2 pounds)
2 onions, sliced
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder (or as per taste)
1/2 tsp Dry Mango Powder /Amchur (optional - instead you can add lemon juice)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste

Method

Wash, clean and dry the fresh ladiesfinger thoroughly. Should not be wet. Chop of the ends and slice them.

In a pan, in 1/2 tsp oil, add the cumin seeds. When lightly brown, add the onions, ginger garlic paste, salt and the spices (except Garam Masala and Mango powder) and stir until soft

Add the Ladiesfinger, give a quick stir on high flame until it is coated with the onion-spice mixture. Then reduce the flame to low-medium and give it a stir every 5 minutes.

The dish is done when the ladiesfinger turn soft - takes about 15-20min..

It will not be mushy nor will it be crunchy. Just the right bite to it. Just 2 min before taking off the flame, add the remaining two spices, stir and serve warm with Phulkas, Chapathi or White Rice

There - Simple wasnt it?

Buttermilk Pancakes - One of the yummiest pancakes there is

2009-03-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like starting a morning with the aroma of pancakes wafting around the house. Among quite a few other breakfast dishes, pancakes also form a substantial part in my house. Check out my other Pancakes, one with multigrain including Teff flour and wholemeal Ricotta pancakes . I forgot to post this basic pancake which is one of the most popular of all pancakes and recently only when my friend wanted me to post this, that I even realised that I dint have it here in my blog! Really...How could I have forgotten!

Since this includes all purpose flour, I make this version say once a month. I dont want to leave out the good things in life :) I have tweaked the basic buttermilk pancake recipe to suit my pantry and nutrition. Instead of whole egg, I add two egg whites - leaving out the cholesterol. Instead of refined white sugar, I usually add Demerera sugar which is unrefined and is better for health. I reduced 3 tbsp butter to one - the egg white takes care of the absent butter.

Making it this way, my taste buds dont decipher the "lack" of anything and yet the favourite recipe remains almost the same except for little enhance in nutrition. Here goes.

1 cup All purpose flour
3 tbsp Demerera sugar (or white sugar)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt (or as per taste)
1-1/2 cups thick buttermilk
2 egg whites (or 1 egg)
1 tbsp butter (optional)
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Method

Add all the dry ingredients together and stir until blended.

Mix the wet ingredients together seperately and stir well.

Add the two (dry and wet) ingredients together v v gently and slowly blend it together. Let them rest for 5-10minutes. Though it is not neccessary, I find that the pancakes turn out to be airer than without.

In a non stick pan, lightly drizzle some vegetable oil (like PAM spray) or use a paper towel to wipe the surface with oil. Make sure the pan is not too hot or too low. Medium heat is perfect for pancakes. Take a 1/4 cup of the batter and drop it in the pan.

You know you are doing it right, when you see the holes/bubbles appearing on the surface and also that it is time to turn. It takes approx 50 second to a minute.

Turn the pancakes when golden brown and let it cook for another few seconds or until done.

Keep them in kitchen towel to make sure that they are warm until you serve them. They are perfect as soon as they are prepared. Hence serve them pronto :) Drizzle maple syrup (a must! Dont even think of skipping it) and feel heaven coming down :)

I am sure that like me, you will enjoy these pancakes...But I am also sure that unlike me, you will not have to stop and take photos instead of relishing them :)

I was out of town for last few days, hence I have not been able to reply to your A.W.E.D entries and I will surely come and check out your entries soon. Will do the round up of A.W.E.D France soon.

A.W.E.D now travels into hands of other creative bloggers and the first such is taken over by fellow blogger PJ of Seduce your tastebuds who has come up with a fabulous theme : Korean. She has given excellent intro to the cuisine along with links for your perusal. Deadline is April 4th.

Lets start thinking and cooking Korean, shall we :)?

Orange Loaf Cake - Love at first Bite

2009-02-28T23:31:00.000-08:00

Like any apprehensive girl, when the time for finding a suitable partner came, I approched my parents with a "million dollar" question.

Me: How will I know if *He* is suitable for me?

Dad: You will just know!

Me: (scratching my head) what do you mean by that? Comeon dad - dont make this cinematic!!

Mum: It would be cinematic, if we said "Bells will starts ringing", "Butterflies will start fluttering in your stomach", "World will suddenly transform into a rose based aromatic field with you singing duets", "thunderboldts zigzagging",...

Me: Ok Ok stop! Forget that I ever said that...but but, How do I know that he is Mr.Right!

Dad: You will of course not know that *He* is Mr.Right - But the minute you speak to him, you will know! Know that there wont be any major compromises in life - But even if there are, you wouldn't mind doing them. That you would be seeing the world through two eyes instead of 4 - but if you do, you won't mind to see the world through *his* too. That you would struggle, be happy, be sad,in short, live as one instead of two.

Me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What! Really!!! How!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad: You will know! (sly smile and a mysterious silence!)

Well, I do know now. I know what it is "to know". It happens for many things in life for me now. I don't need the reason..I just know, exactly like what happened with this recipe for Orange Loaf Cake. The minute I saw it, I knew I would love it. I knew that I wouldnt have to tear apart the recipe to enhance it, knew that it would be almost perfect as it and I would love the sensation that it would impart with my first bite.

I first saw this recipe in a Eye doctor's place!(Really!). Went for my regular annual checkup and they had these plethora of mags lying around among which was this Taste of Home edition. I was flipping through it when I saw this recipe. It clicked immedietely and since I had no paper or pen to note it down, I used my phone camera to copy the same. The only changes I made to it(and thats only cos I wanted to use all my oranges and nothing else!) was to increase the Orange juice and decrease the no. of eggs whites from 4 to 2 to accomodate more Orange juice. I also added Orange zest for that extra zing.The rest was just right for me.

1-3/4 cup Cake flour
1 cup Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Orange juice
Zest of one orange
2 egg whites
2 tbsp confectioner's sugar for dusting

Method

In a mixing bowl, conbine the dry ingredients

Add oil and orange juice, beat until smooth.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold it into the Orange mixture.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.

Bake for about 1 hour in a pre-heated 350F oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out neat.

Cool for 10 minutes, dust the loaf with confestionaer's sugar and enjoy! :)

I loved every slice of it..Make it and tell me..Did you fall in love at first bite just like me?:)

This Loaf is packed for a picnic held by Trupti at recipe center

Barley Roti - Simple, appetizing and nutritious Indian flatbread

2009-02-27T13:21:00.000-08:00

To know about the different varieties of Barley that are available and ways to cook them, please refer to my article at Daily Tiffin

I feel that incorporating the goodness of whole grains is a must in every household, be it in Baking or in normal day to day food. Since roti is a staple in my home, having it for dinner almost every other day, I try to bring about variation. Roti's are one of the best ways of adding in different grains. I have already blogged about making roti with Oats. This time its going to be with Barley. Barley are another nutrition powerhouse. Indians especially must be aware thanks to Barley Water.

I try to drink Barley water at least once in 10 days or so. But there are times, thanks to hectic lifestyle, such things tend to slip my mind. One thing which is more dangerous than anything is blaming time for not eating properly. That being said, these Barley Roti's come to rescue. I use Barley flour, along with whole wheat flour, which are available in everywhere, even in Indian stores. Instead of using plain water to knead the dough I use barley water. You can use the cooked barley as an alternative to plain white rice - for the same meal or refrigerate it and use the next day for salad prep, patties etc.

1 cup Barley flour
1-1/2 cup whole wheat flour, plus extra for dusting,rolling etc
Barley water to knead the dough
salt to taste

Method

Prepare barley water as shown in this post (skip the lemon).

Add the flours and salt together and stir well.

Add enough barley water to knead the dough. It should be soft and pliable.

Divide into small balls and using a rolling pin, roll it out into a circle to approximately 1/8 inches

Cook it into a medium-hot pan. Add little oil to help it stay soft.

Turn once golden brown with little spots appear in the bottom.

Serve warm with any dal or greens of your choice.

This is my entry to Roma's JFI event:Wheat

Pain Au Son - Bread with richness of Oat Bran

2009-02-26T13:18:00.000-08:00

This recipe has gone places. Please update the location to the new link :

http://chefinyou.com/?p=274

Searched for interesting recipes when I saw Pain Au Son, which I had written down from a Home Baking Book at Barnes n Nobles, and thought I would finally make it this time. "Pain au son" is a french bread which means "Bran Bread". To be called as one, one would need to use at least 25 percent of bran in the bread. This bread really stores well and it lasted for 10 days for me. As fresh and yummy as day one. Simple to make and hearty indeed.

2 cups lukewarm water
3 tbsp honey
1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups Oat Bran and few more for dusting ( alternatively you can use 1-3/4 cups of wheat bran too)
3-1/2 to 4-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt

Method

Stir the water,honey in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast to dissolve it.

Add the bran and set it aside for about 10 minutes

Slowly add 1 cup of flour to the bran mixture and stir in, 1 cup at a time

until the dough is too difficult to stir. Flour a work surface and turn the dough out.

Knead until smooth, incorporating as little additional flour as possible. It should be smooth and soft.

Place it in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap

and let it rise for about 2 to2-1/2hrs, until doubled in volume

Grease a loaf pan. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Let it rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered, then flatten gently into an oval. Place it in the loaf pan and let it rise a second time.

Brush the top of the loaf with water and then sprinkle with Oat bran. Bake for about 50 minutes in a preheated 375F oven until golden brown.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes and then slice. :)

This is the entry to my own event A.W.E.D French Have you sent an entry yet? What still thinking??? Take that apron and ladle and start cooking. The deadline is March 4th :)

Also sending this to Yeast Spotting hosted by Susan