Rosemary and Olive Oil Focaccia

In keeping with the bread baking madness, I have conquered another kind: focaccia.

The loaf.. hot out of the oven

I followed this recipe for making the bread: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/rosemary-focaccia-bread/. I used 1/4 cup more flour than asked for and substituted bread flour for all purpose. Keep in mind that breads made with bread flour absorb moisture slower and you will need to knead the dough for longer. Need to knead.. I like the sound of that, reflects the need to make bread perfectly.

I prefer a thin focaccia and so I rolled my dough out thinner. You can roll it as thick as you prefer!

This bread needs a very short second rise. Make sure that the dough is not over proofed. That will mess up the bread structure and the dough will collapse. I proofed it for 45 mins the first time around and 20 mins the second time. I would also recommend chopping up the rosemary leaves to make the spreading more uniform. I don’t like whole rosemary leaves in my mouth, but it’s a personal preference.

I used rosemary sparingly. Don’t do what I did, use plenty

Another tip is about poking holes in the dough. You want to be forceful enough to make sure the holes stay, but gentle enough that the surrounding dough does not deflate.

Using the right olive oil is also essential for focaccia. Since the bread has a lot of oil, it acquires that taste. If you use olive oil which doesn’t suit your taste, the bread will taste bad as well. I have also read about infusing the olive oil with garlic and herbs before adding it to the dough. I haven’t tried it personally, but I don’t see why it won’t work. Let me know if you try it and if it makes better bread!

The recipe calls for baking the bread for 20 mins. Mine was done in about 18. If you have a thicker dough, bake it for longer and cover the pan with foil about 20 mins in. This will ensure that the bread gets cooked, but doesn’t brown too much. Cover the bread with a damp towel while cooling for a softer crust!

I sliced mine into rectangles!!

One last tip is about the pan used for baking the bread. I used a sheet cake pan. This allowed my bread to have some support on the sides while rising and gave it a nice rectangular shape ( once I trimmed the sides)… However, any kind of pan with enough of an edge can be used.

So I hope you try baking a focaccia next time and let me know how it went!

Healthy Seedy Bread

I was just super busy last week and did not post anything. My partner moved to Austin for work and I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. So this is bonus post!!!

Seedy Bread Loaf!!!

I baked over the weekend. I baked because I figured it was time to improve my bread skills. I was the worse bread maker till two years ago. Then I realized that I screwed up bread because I was scared of it. I realized that it’s just dough and I make doughs all the time! It’s all about the feel of the dough and the moisture content. So, I found a recipe for a healthy and seedy bread and made it! It turned out so well that I’ve decided to bake a bread a week till I’ve gotten over my fear of bread.

Here’s the recipe I used to make my loaf: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/best-homemade-healthy-sandwich-bread-recipe/

Now I want to make it clear that it’s not my recipe and I adapted it to my methods. I also added 1 tbsp flaxseed meal instead of the 2 tbsp mentioned in the recipe. It still turned out fine.

Slice using a serrated knife!

The trick to making good bread is the kneading and never using the amount of flour required at once. I started with 1 cup of bread flour and 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour. Then I turned the dough into a clean surface and used the remaining 1 cup bread flour for kneading. I also kneaded the dough for a good 10-15 mins. This helps to develop the gluten and in moisture absorption. If your dough does not feel sticky and comes together in a stretchy ball before you have used up the required flour, stop there. DO NOT add in the rest of the flour, it will make the bread dry.

Another trick is the find a warm corner to put the dough to rise. I heat my oven to the lowest setting, let it cool for 15 mins or so and then put my dough in. The rising time can vary depending on the location, temperature etc. So don’t be disheartened of the dough hasn’t doubled in 90 mins. Let it rest for longer if required.

I also substituted the egg wash with a milk wash since I hate wasting the leftover egg wash. Once the load is out of the baking tray, brush the top with butter or olive oil to make the crust soft. You can also cover the top with a damp towel to retain moisture and soften the crust.

Perfect airy and even structure. It’s all in the kneading!!

Make sure the bread is stored in an airtight container or zip lock bag. If it sits outside without cover for too long, the crust will become tough and the bread goes stale faster. So go on make bread! It’s one of the better things in life… As always, don’t forget to let me know how your loaf turned out!!

Paneer Curry and Butter Naan

This week, I’m adding a recipe for paneer curry that my partner really likes. He asked me to make a curry that was tangy and spicy, but did not want the usual ones. He also wanted the paneer to be stuffed. So, I came up with this recipe.

Paneer Curry

First things first. I understand that paneer isn’t an ingredient that’s readily available everywhere. Paneer is an Indian soft cheese made by splitting milk. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

  • Milk 2 liters or half a gallon (preferably whole milk)
  • Vinegar 3 tbsp (start with 1 tsp and use as needed)

Equipment

  • Large sieve
  • Muslim cloth or cheese cloth (large enough to drape over the sieve). You can use coffee filters or any thin cloth here

Method

  • Pour milk into a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Switch of heat and 1 tsp vinegar. Stir
  • Repeat process till whet separates from curds
  • Line the sieve with muslin cloth or the other chosen form of filter
  • Pour the curdled milk on the sieve. Drain well and let set for at least 6 hours.
  • Cut into cubes and use in any curry!

So now that we have our paneer, I can walk you through the curry recipe. I will not be including the naan recipe here since they’re my partner’s expertise and I need to get the recipe from him (when he wants to sit down and give it to me)….

Garlic butter naan.. Recipe unknown.

Paneer Curry Recipe!!!

Ingredients

  • Bay leaf 2 small
  • Large black cardamom pod 1
  • Kashmiri dry red chilies 10-12
  • Whole cloves 3
  • Black peppercorns 5
  • Cinnamon stick 1 inch
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Coriander seeds 3 tbsp
  • Onion 1 large
  • Tomatoes 3 large
  • Ginger 1.5 inch piece
  • Garlic 4-5 cloves
  • Turmeric powder 1 tsp
  • Yogurt 3 tbsp
  • Water 2 cups
  • Paneer cubes 250 grams or 8 ounces
  • Green chutney 3 tsp
  • Salt and oil as needed

Method

  • Split and de-seed the Kashmiri chilies and soak in warm water for 15-20 mins
  • Dry roast peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and coriander seeds till fragrant
  • Cool and transfer to a food processor or coffee grinder. Blend into a fine paste
  • Roughly chop the onion, garlic and tomatoes
  • Add 1 tbsp oil into a large saucepan and add in the chopped vegetables
  • Sauté on medium heat till onions turn translucent and cool completely
  • In the meantime, blend the soaked Kashmiri red chilies into a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl
  • Blend the onion, garlic and ginger into a fine paste
  • Add 2 tbsp oil to a large saucepan and add the bay leaves and cardamom.
  • Add the blended chilies and sauté for 3-5 mins on medium heat
  • Add the blended onion mixture and sauté till oil releases from the sides
  • Blend the tomatoes into a fine paste and add to the saucepan. Sauté till all the water evaporates and oil releases from the sides
  • Add in the turmeric and salt. Mix well
  • Turn the heat on low and add the yogurt. Mix vigorously to avoid splitting
  • Add the water and cover with a lid. Let the curry boil, then turn off the heat.
  • Slit the paneer cubes in the middle and spread green chutney inside the cut
  • Add 1 tbsp oil in a shallow saucepan and add the paneer pieces. Roast on both sides till paneer turns a light golden brown
  • Add the roasted paneer to the prepared curry

That is the recipe for my paneer curry. I know it has a lot of steps and does require time and effort. However, the end result is totally worth it. This curry can be frozen and used as desired as well. Just add in the paneer after defrosting!

So I hope you try it out and let me know how it went!

Smoked Paprika Potato Burgers

As promised, here’s my recipe for the burger patties I used at our beach bbq. They are the most delicious blend of potatoes and smoked paprika.

The burgers once more!!

Ingredients

  • 3 large potatoes
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 tbsp roasted garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika powder
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 8 oz cheese block
  • salt as required

Method

  • Cut the potatoes in quarters and boil in a large pot with water.
  • Pull out when fork tender and immediately dunk in cold water to stop the cooking
  • While potatoes cook, finely chop the onion
  • Mash potatoes and add all ingredients
  • Mix well and divide into 8 equal parts. I like thinner patties, so I made 8. You can divide the mixture according to your choosing!
  • Cut the cheese block into 8 equal pieces
  • Oil your hands and press one part of the mix into a flat disc
  • Put a piece of cheese in the middle and enclose completely with the potato mix
  • Shape into round patties and freeze till needed or use immediately!

This recipe originated completely by accident. Usually we’d buy frozen patties when grilling, but some of our friends are vegetarian. The frozen vegetarian patties taste like cardboard and thus, I tried these patties. After much trial and error, I finally made some that did not break on the grill.

Make sure you oil the grill before putting these on. It is also necessary to watch the potatoes and make sure they don’t over cook. Over cooked potatoes will make the mixture wet and the patties will fall apart on the grill.

Since the patties are extremely dry, I like to brush mine with sauces like sriracha or a spicy Bbq sauce. Just brush some on while grilling and the patty will turn moist! I also add a single slice of low fat cheese on the patty while it’s grilling so it melts before adding it all on a bun…

That’s it for this recipe. Do try it out and let me know how it turned out!!

End of Summer Bbq

Summer is almost gone, so we decided to take advantage of the warmth while it lasts. We drive out to China beach in San Francisco and had ourselves some beach bbq!

One of my friends was the non-official photographer and all picture credits belong to her!

Chicken skewers and burgers

Let’s talk about the grill first. We bought this small portable grill on Black Friday from Amazon. It’s super easy to use and cleans well. You can set it up anywhere. Just make sure that the area allows a charcoal grill first! This Black Friday, we’re going to invest in a propane grill so we can Bbq anywhere…

The food was amazing and plentiful. The stars of the picnic were definitely the Reshmi kebabs my friend got and some grilled peaches.

Reshmi kebabs are nothing but marinated chicken breasts that you can skewer and grill. Since the kebabs marinated overnight, they turned out super tender and cooked faster. I personally use this recipe for making the yogurt marinade: http://www.tasty-indian-recipes.com/kebab-recipes/reshmi-kabab-recipe

Chicken Reshmi kebabs with cilantro and mint chutney

I made a spicy green chutney to go along with the kebabs. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  1. cilantro 2 bunches
  2. Mint 1 bunch
  3. Green chili 1 (depending on how spicy you want it)
  4. Juice of 1 lime
  5. Salt
  6. Ginger 1/2 inch piece
  7. Water 3 tbsp

Method

  1. Roughly chop cilantro, mint, green chili and ginger
  2. Add the chopped veggies to the smallest blender container you have.
  3. Add the water and blend smooth. You can add more water to help in blending, just make sure to add a little at a time so the chutney doesn’t become cilantro juice
  4. Add salt and lime juice and blend to combine

Grilled portobello mushrooms and some vegetarian burgers followed the kebabs. I’ll post a recipe for the mushrooms and the patties next week!

Portobello mushrooms on the grill

To finish, we grilled some peaches! I just followed the recipe by Chef John from Food Wishes with minor modifications. I did not use barbecue sauce since none of us really like it and I also grilled the cut side of the peach. The peaches turned out amazing!! Here’s a link to the recipe I used: https://youtu.be/QM5No_4YKRo

Grilled peaches

After eating that much, all we did was laze around on the beach and got sun burnt in the process.. I hope you’ll give these things a try and let me know how it goes!

P.S. Don’t forget the sun screen, and make sure it’s not expired!!! :p

Rice Cake Soup

I recently went to the Asian supermarket to buy some rice noodles, and happened to see some frozen rice cakes. For days afterwards, they sat in my freezer because I had no idea what to do with them!

After intense discussions with a colleague, I decided to make a soup. It went well…mostly.

The first thing I did was look for Tteokguk recipes. Tteokguk is a traditional Korean rice cake soup served on New Years.. I think I got this right, but please let me know if I didn’t!

I liked this recipe by Seonkyoung Longest: https://seonkyounglongest.com/tteokguk/. I actually also love watching everything else she makes on Facebook, especially the love videos!

I had to modify it quite a bit since I didn’t have half the ingredients on hand and since we’ve been eating mostly vegetarian. For context, my partner has recently started thinking about humane treatment of animals. However, being almost broke means you can’t always buy meat that’s ethically sourced. Hence the vegetarianism.

Anyway, I started a broth first and kept it going for about 50 mins or so. It was simple, but packed a punch. Once the broth was done, I moved on to cooking the rice cakes. I boiled them in the broth itself. The starch in them thickened my soup a bit and added flavor.

I tasted one rice cake and it seemed cooked. I plated up the soup with julienned cooked eggs, some radish and green onions. It turns out that the rice cakes weren’t cooked completely. Sigh…

I cooked all the ones we did not eat in boiling water for another 10 mins and they were perfect! So, I would recommend soaking frozen rice cakes for at least 15 mins for thawing and then boiling for another 20. Mins were thick cylinders, which is why it took so long. If you use the sliced ones, they’ll be done faster. If nothing else, they should be cooked for more time than the package says.

Here’s the recipe for the soup!

Ingredients

For the soup

    2 stalks green onion
    2 inch piece of ginger
    1 star anise
    1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
    1 small bunch cilantro
    1 tbsp soy sauce
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Rice cakes 10-12 pieces
    Water 1/2 gallon

For the garnish

  1. 2 eggs separated
  2. 2 red radishes
  3. 1 green onion
  4. Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Cut the green onions into two parts and bruise them slightly
  2. Add the peppercorns to a mortar and pestle and grind into a coarse powder
  3. Separate coriander stalks from leaves.
  4. Bruises stalks lightly with the back of your knife. Save the leaves for some other recipe
  5. Cut the ginger into large pieces and bruise lightly
  6. Add enough water to a heavy bottomed pot and turn heat on to medium.
  7. Add the green onions, peppercorn powder, cilantro stalks, ginger and star anise.
  8. Cover and boil for 45-50 mins. Check periodically and add water if required
  9. In the meantime, soak the rice cakes in room temperature water for at least 15 mins
  10. Remove cover and add soy sauce, salt and pepper.
  11. Drain the broth and bring back to a boil on medium heat
  12. Add the rice cakes and cook for 15-20 mins or until quite soft
    Heat a non stick pan on medium heat.
    Beat the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls with salt and pepper
    Add the beaten egg yolks to the pan and cook on low heat. Make sure the bottom doesn’t get burnt.
    Repeat the same with egg whites
    Roll the cooked omelettes and slice thinly
    Slice the radishes thinly and finely chop the green part of the green onion
    Add the cooked rice cakes to the bottom of a bowl.
    Top with the broth as needed
    Arrange the garnishes on top and enjoy!

This recipe seems like a lot of work, but it really isn’t. You just need time to infuse the broth with all the flavors. It’s a wonderfully light recipe for a weekday.

I do hope you’ll try it out and let me know how it goes!!!

Baked Vegetables and Toasted Sourdough

We try to eat as healthy as possible, but weekends are cheat days. This weekend I made baked vegetables in white sauce. It’s a ‘continental’ cuisine recipe from India. I’ve never actually heard of a cuisine named ‘continental’ outside India though.

Anyway, this is an extremely popular dish and I’d been craving it for a while. I used this recipe with a few adjustments: https://m.recipes.timesofindia.com/recipes/baked-vegetables-in-white-sauce/rs52568191.cms

I used a cast iron skillet to make the sauté the vegetable and make the sauce so that I’d only need to clean one pan. A cast iron skillet is perfect since it works on the stove and in the oven! I also used low fat cheese and olive oil instead of butter…

The recipe I’ve given the link for does not say how to make the white sauce. It’s nothing more than a béchamel. I’ve included the recipe below:

Ingredients

  1. 3 tbsp olive oil
  2. 5 finely minced garlic cloves
  3. 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  4. 2 cups milk
  5. 1/4 cup shredded cheese
  6. 1 tsp mixes herbs
  7. Salt and pepper according to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet
  2. Add the garlic and sauté till fragrant
  3. Add the all purpose flour and mix
  4. Add the milk a little at a time, whisking continuously. Make sure there are no lumps.
  5. Heat the mixture on medium heat till it is thick.
  6. Add salt, pepper, mixed herbs and cheese and mix till combined.

We ate toasted sourdough bread on the side. I love the citrusy and earthy taste of sourdough, but you can use any bread you want! Of course, this recipe can be eaten without any accompaniments as well… If there is one drawback this recipe has, it’s that it cannot be frozen. Since it is dairy based, it will most likely split. I like eating it, so I haven’t tried freezing it. If you do and it works, let me know!!!

Fog on the Pacific

This Fourth of July, we drove up to Oregon. Oregon is exceptionally beautiful. There are miles and miles of beaches, and acres of splendid forests.

We stayed at Brookings, a small town on the border of California and Oregon. Our Airbnb was perfect for a weekend getaway and extremely cozy. Additionally, we were just minutes from the beach and the downtown! A downtown which had a Lord of the Rings based brewery! It’s called Misty Mountain Brewing and any LOTR fan would love being here…

We weren’t in Oregon to drink though. So we did go out and hike, swim and just lie on the beach. We also saw a couple of seals in the river at Gold beach and a whale too! A ranger told us that sometimes whales get stuck in the river when the waves are high. They eventually make their way out, but the rangers keep an eye out anyway. He also happened to be chasing after a guy fishing in a rickety old boat. Here’s a (bad) picture of the seal!!

The coast of Oregon is absolutely breathtaking. Miles and miles of rugged coastline make for some of the most picturesque places in the US. Not to mention the amazing features the ocean has carved over hundreds of years!

Natural Bridges Viewpoint

Brookings also happens to have one of the best breakfast places I’ve been to. Definitely get breakfast at Mattie’s Pancake House. Don’t be deceived by the name, their shrimp Benedict omelette is to die for!

Having seen these amazing places, one would think I won’t find anything better for the weekend. However, I did see something equally interesting on our drive back. It was early morning and we were driving along the coast. The interesting part was the view outside my window. The ocean was replaced by one unbroken blanket of fog.

Who would think there’s the Pacific ocean beneath this fog? I had forgotten this part of living on the coast when I moved to the Central Valley. The fog reminded me of what made me fall in love with the west coast in the first place. When the fog rolls in the evening during summer, the coast turns into a completely different place. It’s such a change from the humid and hot afternoons!

It’s a pity we might lose this coast soon, a result of our greed and extensive power of consumption. Soon sea level rise will wipe out most of our beloved coastlines and we still refuse to see the truth. It’s a pity that we won’t be able to save everything now, whether we change or not. It’s a pity that writing about this in a blog won’t change anything. It’s the least I can do though…..

Beetroot and Bean Burgers

These are our favorite burgers ever. I was a bit skeptical about trying beetroot burgers with prunes added, but these were amazing! The earthy and sweet taste from the beetroot gave the burgers a great depth of flavor. The other additions added texture and flavor as well.

I followed the recipe by Emma Christensen on thekitchn.com. Here’s a link to the complete recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-best-ever-veggie-burger-96967

The toppings added can be customized according to everyone’s taste. I added lettuce and grilled onions to mine! Coleslaw also works in these burgers…

The best part about the burgers is that they can be frozen. Just make patties in the required sizes and freeze them individually. Grill them on a hot pan for a few minutes or till the edges almost burn. I also added cheese on the top and melted it!

I know, I know… There’s a LOT of cheese here! I happen to like cheese a lot and hence, I use low fat cheese! Grocery outlet usually has a version of low fat pepper jack cheese slices. Kraft also makes a decent 2% cheddar!

So make these burgers and freeze them for those weeknights when you really don’t want to cook! 🙂

Tacossss….

As promised, I’m following up with some of our favorite recipes which will help in meal prep. So, let’s talk about tacos in this post. Taco meat or vegetarian taco mix are perfect for making ahead. Just heat the frozen mix in the microwave and add it to a tortilla with lettuce, cheese and salsa. A quick and delicious meal that will also wow your colleagues. Trust me, they’ll all be in awe of the fact that you can whip up tacos in a weekday.

I realize this isn’t the traditional way of making tacos and they do not taste like actual tacos either. However, the taste suits us, so here’s the recipe!

Ingredients

  1. Ground Turkey: 16 oz pack (1)
  2. Yellow Onion: 1/2 finely chopped
  3. Spicy tomato salsa: 1/2 cup
  4. Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
  5. Red chili powder: 1 tsp
    Canola oil: 1 tbsp
    Nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
    Flour or corn tortillas
    Shredded lettuce
    Salsa verde
    Shredded cheese
    Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Heat oil to a non stick pan or a cast iron skillet
  2. Add finely chopped onion and sauté till translucent
  3. Add the ground turkey and sauté until cooked
  4. Add the spices, salt and pepper
  5. Add the salsa and sauté
  6. Let the mix cook till all water has evaporated and the turkey starts crisping up.
    Cool the mixture and freeze in airtight boxes in single serve portions
    To serve, thaw overnight and heat through in a pan. Alternatively, defrost in the microwave.
    Add lettuce, taco mix, cheese and salsa verde on a tortilla and enjoy!

Tips

  1. Add chopped tomatoes and sour cream on the taco to tone down the spice
  2. Use tostadas instead of tortillas to add some crunch. Of course, they won’t be tacos anymore.
  3. Use tofu instead of turkey to make the tacos vegetarian!
  4. Any other meat instead of turkey is an option as well

So that was my take on tacos that can be frozen! Let me know if these turned out ok…. 🙂