Never trust a small chili!

I should have known better. I should have known there was something suspicious about that chili! It stood there, innocently green, and I thought, ‘Green chili? Oh this can’t be too bad! Let’s have two of them in the Chana Masala!’ For one person, and for a rather small can of chick peas. HOOOOOOT! I’m not the one to shy away from heat. In fact, I have to conciously stop myself from putting chili into everything. Everything savoury for now, though I’m getting ready to experiment with chocolate & chili muffins! However, this was _hot_! I really should go easy on the unfamiliar chilies, no matter how innocent and green they look, and unless you’re prepared to deal with the consequences! That’s the moral of the story for today!

The Chana Masala recipe should come soon! I enjoyed it with some cumin seed rice, yoghurt, and my first attempt at making chapati! This cooled it down, and it was delicous! The chapati though were not too impressive, as I think I idn’t add enough salt to the dough. Salt of the Earth. Also, this was the first time I cooked with ghee, clarified butter used in Indian cooking. I think it might be a taste I will have to get used to. Or maybe I just put too much of it on my chapati… I’ll give it another go. A sample of one is not much of a sample, is it?

Have a good weekend!

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What we need to know when we bag a baguette

I adore baugette, and I’ve never had better baugette than in France – crusty, flavoursome… simply divine! But did you know that baugette is not even French? I certainly didn’t! Have a look at this:

Stick to the facts

— The word baguette literally means “little rod”, and is derived from Latin baculum — stick or staff.

— A popular but inaccurate belief holds that baguettes were invented during Napoleon’s Russian campaign when he ordered a new shape of bread to fit down his soldiers’ trouser legs.

— They were invented by Viennese bakers in the 19th century, using a new steam-injected oven.

— The baguette became dominant when a French law in the 1920s banned bakers from working before 4am. The traditional “boule” took a long time to prepare but the baguette would be ready by breakfast.

 SOURCE: The Times

A new twist on a favourite dish!

My adaptation of Melissa’s Catalan chickpeas with its seductive flavours of almonds, fresh coriander, garlic and saffron, quickly became one of my favourite dishes! Today, I added a new dimension to it, with a few dollops of mascarpone! It is simply divine, flavoursome, slightly cheesy and very comforting! At the end of the meal, I had the same sensation as the first time: I felt so sorry that the meal is finished! This is what happens when you make a favourite dish even better! I thought I had to share this exciting news with you. Do try it!

Date and Nut Loaf

This post is dedicated to Chris, who introduced me to many delicious British dishes and puddings, including this lovely date and nut loaf 

Thinking about the dishes I cook, and looking through my recipe file, it becomes clear that both represent a kind of diary, a map of my life. I discovered or invented each one of them at different stages in my life, and they are linked to different people who introduced me to them. This is true even if you just look through this blog. To mention just a few, at the very beginning of my blog, there are two Croatian dishes that my mother taught me, Cuttlefish Risotto and Venison Stew Hunter’s Style. Then, my memories from university: Chinese food and guacamole, that I learnt of my housemates and friends. The smell of garlic frying with ginger and chili remains one of my favourite aromas when cooking. Then there’s the lemon tart, that my boyfriend adores, and which reminds me of him. This makes me think that maybe when I crave for a certain type of food, I crave for a place, a time, a person, for how I felt in that moment, and not just for a taste, for a dish.  

My cravings can be pretty whimsical, but I guess that’s the nature of cravings. Today, on this miserable, gloomy day, I feel like curling up in front of TV with a mug of tea, and slice of warm, buttered date and nut loaf. This may not be the desert that I would choose to eat were the world to end tomorrow, and I were granted one last wish to choose my final meal; however, this is just perfect right now.  

I am sending this entry to Jennifer at The Domestic Goddess, who is hosting the Sugar High Friday (SHF) blogging event this time. The topic of this SHF is cravings. Jennifer will publish the round-up of all entries on 29th June. Do check it out!

 

 

DATE AND NUT LOAF  

 

 

SOURCE: Chris, & Good Houskeeping Book

PREPARATION TIME: 15 – 20 min

COOKING TIME: 60 – 75 min

 

 

 8 oz plain flour

1 level tsp. baking powder

4 oz margarine or butter

4 oz. of sugar

8 oz dates, chopped

2 oz. Walnuts, chopped

1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 – 3 tbsps. Milk

1 egg, beaten    

 

 

1. Grease and flour a loaf tin measuring 8 ½ x 4 ½ inches.

 

 

 

 

2. Sift the flour and baking powder. Rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

 

3. Stir in the sugar, dates and nuts and make a well in the centre.

 

 

 

 

4. Melt bicarbonate soda in 2 tbsps of egg and milk. Add it to the well, and stir. Add more milk if necessary to achieve dropping consistency.

5. Put into the tin and level the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 60 – 75 min, until firm to touch at 180 C/gas mark 4. 

 

 

 

 

6. Serve with butter and tea!

 

 

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HINT: To check whether the cake is done, insert a squewer or a toothpick into the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done! If it is not, you’ll have to return the cake back to the oven!

 

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NOTE: This time, I substituted some of the dates with Tesco’s Island Mix of dried fruits. The mix is pretty sweet, so it was necessary to reduce the amount of sugar.    

 

Coming Soon… Date and Nut Loaf

A family favourite!

Coconut Chicken Masala

Here is another green curry, and another delicious dish made according to Sailu’s recipe! This interesting dish combines old favourites, mint and coriander, with coconut, ginger and green chili, to produce a wonderfully aromatic curry that is sure to impress!

I am submitting this post to Weekend Herb Blogging, a blogging event started by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen. This week’s event is hosted by Astrid of Paulchen’s Food Blog.

 

Coconut Chicken Masala

RECIPE SOURCE: Sailu

PREPARATION TIME: 15 min

COOKING TIME: 30 – 35 min

SERVES: 5 – 6

CUISINE: South Indian

 

Ingredients:  

1 kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces

1 large onion finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp coriander powder

2-3 green chillies slit lengthwise

1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder (2″ cinnamon, 2 green cardamom, 6 cloves finely ground)

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsp-2 tbsp oil

Make a paste:

1 large onion

3-4 green chillies

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut

1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves

10-12 mint leaves

10-12 cashew nuts, soaked in 2-3 tbsps milk for 15 min

Method:

 1.  Marinate the chicken in coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, 2 slit green chillies and few mint leaves for 10-15 min. Soak the cashew nuts in 2-3 tbsps milk for 10-15 min.

2. Make a paste of onion, green chillies, grated coconut, coriander leaves, mint leaves and cashew nuts. Keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add the green chillies and chopped onions and sauté till transparent.

4. Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 4 – 5 min, combining the ingredients once in a while. 

5. Reduce to medium heat, add the ground paste and salt and combine well. Let the chicken cook in this paste for 8-10 min, uncovered. Cook till oil separates. If necessary, add water, to achieve desired gravy consistency.

6. Finally, add the garam masala powder, stir and cook for another 4 – 5 min. When cooked, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with white steamed rice, biryani or chapatis.

NotesI added a little lemon juice, a dash of cumin, and a little almond powder to thicken up the gravy.

Verdict

This lovely and aromatic dish is simply delicious! I will be making this again, and I recommend you to try it! The combination of coconut, mint and coriander leaves works wonderfully well. The mint is not overpowering, but it lifts up the dish, adding a little freshness to it.

It is rather similar to Hariyalli Chicken I made earlier, but the method is slightly different, and there are some extra ingredients. Also, there are no poppy seeds in this curry.

We thought that this dish is a little tastier than Hariyalli Chicken. One difference is that it is slightly richer. Hariyalli Chicken tastes a little lighter, fresher, and the flavour of herbs is more pronounced. Here, we felt that the flavours are better combined. However, both dishes are excellent! Try both, and let me know which one you prefer!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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For more information on coriander, look here:

Wikipedia – Coriander

Encyclopedia of Spices – Coriander

Botanical.com – Coriander

Aidan Brookes’ Spices Archive  - Coriander

 

For more information on mint, look here:

Encyclopedia of Spices – Mint

Wikipedia – Mint

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Rhubarb Crumble

Sorry, I have to moan about the weather. I must. It’s rainy and it’s awful, it’s driving me nuts! And what’s a girl to do on a miserable day like this? Why bake, of course! Here is a short introduction on a typical British pudding – crumble!

I adore warm hearty British puddings, and Rhubarb Crumble served with custard tops my list! I was first introduced to warm British puddings when I came to study at a secondary school in Britain for a year. The combination of warmth and sweetness immediately struck a note with me, and has been a favourite of mine ever since. Now I can make apple pie, and a lovely rhubarb crumble, and I’m not stopping at that!

Crumble is a typically British pudding, containing stewed fruit, topped with a crumbly mixture of butter, flour and sugar, and served with custard, cream, cream fraiche or ice-cream. Fruits commonly used in crumbles include apple, blackberry, pear, peach, plum and my favourite, rhubarb! The topping can include rolled oats,  ground ginger, ground almonds and other nuts chopped or ground. The nuts and oats make it crunchier and more flavoursome. I suggest you experiment with combinations of fruit and nuts, but if you’d like a few tips on how to combine them, clik here.

According to Wikipedia, crumbles originated in Britain during World War II, due to strict rationing of food in the country. Making bases of pies required using too much flour, fat and sugar, so crumbles were devised as an alternative, using a small amount of flour, fat (butter/margarine) and sugar to make a simple topping, that becomes crumbly and crunchy when baked – and hence the name crumble. The crumbles became popular because of their simplicity, too.

I have photos of the topping, and photos of the stewed rhubarb, but not of the complete pudding! I’m afraid we were too quick to eat it!

Stewed rhubarb

Rhubarb Crumble

SOURCE: Adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson

PREPARATION TIME: 10 min (rhubarb) + 15 – 20 min (crumble)  

COOKING TIME: 35 – 45 min

CUISINE: British

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

 

2 lb/ 1 kg rhubarb

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

50 g caster sugar

 

For the Crumble:

100 g all purpose flour

50 g butter

3 tbs caster sugar

3 tbsp Demerara sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

50 g rolled oats (or a bit more, if you like it crunchier)

 

 

Method:  

1. Cut the rhubarb into equal-sized pieces, so it cooks evenly. Place in a saucepan with 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract and sugar. Cover and cook the rhubarb until slightly soft, stirring occasionally. This should take about 5 – 10 min.  

2. Meanwhile, to make the topping, place the flour and butter into a mixing bowl, and rub with your fingertips until resembles bread crumbs. Then, mix in the rest of the ingredients.  At this point, the crumble topping can be left to stand until you want to cook it.

 

 

Crumble topping

 

3. When you want to cook the pudding, put the rhubarb an oven-proof dish, and pour the crumble mixture on top. Make sure you press the edges a little bit, otherwise the juices will ooze out! Bake for 35 – 45 min at 190 C (Gas mark 5), or until the topping is browned and crunchy. Serve with custard, ice-cream, cream or cream fraiche! Enjoy!

 

 

 

NOTES

 

Nigella normally puts 1 tbsp cornflour in the rhubarb mixture, to get more gravy-like juices. I did this a few time, and then gradually started reducing the amount of cornflour. Nowadays, ideally I use either 1 tsp of cornflour, or none at all.

Also, I tend to use caster sugar only in the crumble topping, but if you prefer a caramelised taste, use Demerara! Also, she uses a different ratio of butter and flour in the topping: 150 g flour to 110 g butter. I’ve tried that, too, but I prefer it more biscuity, and crunchier. The measures given above are from a friend.

 

Verdict

Moderately easy to make and absolutely delicious, this is one of my favourite puddings! The filling and the topping can be made in advance and assembled just before you want to cook it. Lovely!

 

 

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Rhubarb recipes elsewhere in the blogosphere:  

 

Rhubarb Crumble

 

Rhubarb Berry Pie

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Sponge Pudding

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble

 

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Lemon Tart Revisited & Retasted

Last week I made Lemon Tart again, to bf’s request! This time, I made candied lemon peel, too, and again, it did not fail to impress! I am mentioning it again to say that it was a perfect accompaniment to some fish fried in olive oil, garlic and thyme, and basted with butter, Gordon Ramsay-style!

Haryalli Chicken

After a short break, I’m back to exploring the world of food, through the medium of blogging! This week’s discovery is an Indian dish Haryalli Chicken, from Tanuja. According to Tanuja, this dish is well known in Rayalaseema part of Andhra (South India), where they call this dish Pacha chicken kurra (green chicken curry). Indeed, green chilies, fresh coriander and mint give this dish a unique aroma and colour. I have to admit that it was this the combination that attracted my attention and my tastebuds! Try it and judge for yourselves!

 

Haryalli Chicken  

SOURCE: Tanuja from Kodali’s Kitchen

PREPARATION TIME: 10 min + 1 hour marinating (min)

COOKING TIME: 45 min – 1 hour

CUISINE: South Indian (Andhra)

Ingredients:

2 LB Chicken

2 onions, chopped

 

1 bunch of fresh coriander
10-15 mint leaves
1 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp fresh grated coconut (I used a few tablespoons of coconut milk)
10 to 15 green chillies (or reduce according to your taste)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (I used fresh ginger and garlic, grated)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

 

oil

few curry leaves
1 bay leaf

1 tsp garam masala powder
 

Method:  

1. First, we need to make a paste for marinating the chicken. Blend coriander leaves, mint leaves, coconut, poppy seeds, green chillies, ginger and garlic into a paste. Add turmeric and salt to the paste, and combine the chicken with the paste. Set aside for at least an hour.

2. After that, heat up some oil in a pan, and add bay leaf and curry leaves to it. Fry for a second, and add chopped onions. Fry the onions till golden brown.

 

3. When the onions have browned, add marinated chicken, reserving the marinade. Fry the chicken until it starts leaving its oil, and the onions start melting into a paste.

 

4. Then, add the rest of the marinade, and water to make the gravy.

 

5. Boil the gravy until you achieve the desired consistency.

 

6. Finally, add garam masala powder and cook for few minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander, and serve with hot parathas, or rice.

 

Verdict

Easy to make and refreshingly delicious!

I made it twice last week!