World-Bites (21) / Potato Croquetas
Patato Croquetas are the most popular part of tapas in Spain. Popular throughout Spain, tapas are appetizers and Spain's tastiest treats. They can also form an entire meal and range from simple items such as olives and cheese to more elaborate preparations like garlic shrimp and little meatballs. If so inclined, you can stuff some of the croquetas with cooked red pepper and onion. Serve these tasty potato croquetas with any combination of olives, nuts, cheese and fruits you desire.
Ingredients
* 1 lb large potato (about 2)
* 3 large eggs
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
* 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
* 3/4 cup flour
* 3/4 cup fine dry breadcrumb
* about 4 cups regular olive oil (for frying)
Directions
Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cover with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 2-quart saucepan, then boil until tender, about 8 minutes.
Drain in a colander. Mash or force potatoes through a ricer into a medium bowl and cool.
Lightly beat 1 egg in a small bowl with a fork.
Add to cooled potatoes along with herbs, butter, salt, and pepper and stir until just combined.
Spoon tablespoons of potato mixture onto a tray, then lightly roll each into a ball between palms of your hands and return to tray.
Lightly beat remaining 2 eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread flour in a shallow bowl, then spread bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.
Working in batches, roll balls in flour to coat, gently shaking off excess.
Dip balls in egg, turning to coat and letting excess drip off, then roll in bread crumbs and return to tray. Chill, covered, for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°F.
Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a pot.
Working in batches, fry croquetas, turning if necessary, until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per batch.
Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a baking pan and keep warm in the oven while frying remaining croquetas.
Croquetas can be fried up to 3 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat in a preheated 400°F oven for 8 minutes.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Kotlety Pojarskie (Russia)
World-Bites (20) / Kotlety Pojarskie
A specialty of Moscow, Kotlety Pojarskie (cutlets of ground chicken) is a dish that should seduce your guest, the most difficult. Cooking is a game but also a culture that is transmitted progressively. A landlord served it unexpectedly to the Tsar Nicolas I to move to St. Petersburg, and the dish remains a delighted glory in Russia since then.
Ingredients
3 thick slices bread, crusts removed
4 tablespoon milk
1 lb. ground chicken
1/3 cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 spoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ cup dry bread crumbs
Oil for cooking
Soak the bread slices in the milk, then squeeze as dry as possible. Blend together the chicken, butter and bread.
Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix well. With lightly floured hands divide the mixture into 6 portions and form into cutlet shapes.
Dust lightly with flour, dip into the egg and then coat well with the bread crumbs.
Place on a plate or tray, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat sufficient oil to generously cover the base of a large skillet and cook the cutlets for about 5 minutes each side, or until golden brown.
Serve piping hot.
A specialty of Moscow, Kotlety Pojarskie (cutlets of ground chicken) is a dish that should seduce your guest, the most difficult. Cooking is a game but also a culture that is transmitted progressively. A landlord served it unexpectedly to the Tsar Nicolas I to move to St. Petersburg, and the dish remains a delighted glory in Russia since then.
Ingredients
3 thick slices bread, crusts removed
4 tablespoon milk
1 lb. ground chicken
1/3 cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 spoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ cup dry bread crumbs
Oil for cooking
Soak the bread slices in the milk, then squeeze as dry as possible. Blend together the chicken, butter and bread.
Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix well. With lightly floured hands divide the mixture into 6 portions and form into cutlet shapes.
Dust lightly with flour, dip into the egg and then coat well with the bread crumbs.
Place on a plate or tray, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat sufficient oil to generously cover the base of a large skillet and cook the cutlets for about 5 minutes each side, or until golden brown.
Serve piping hot.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Arni Souvlaki (Greece)
World-Bites (19) / Arni Souvlaki
Arni Souvlaki (skewered lamb) is one of the most popular Greek snacks worldwide. Greek cooking offers an incredibly rich and diverse array of foods and beverages that are the culmination of literally thousands of years of living, cooking, and eating. While each Greek meal is fresh and inviting, it is also a trip back through Greece's history. Arni Souvlaki is simple and elegant, with flavors subtle to robust, textures smooth to crunchy, fresh and timeless, nutritious and healthy. Preparing and enjoying Greek food, anywhere in the world, is an adventurous journey into the cradle of civilization.
Ingredients
1 large leg of lamb
½ cup of olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves, broken into pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lemons cut into eighths
2 tablespoons parsley
Method
Cut all the meat from the bone and remove any fat. Cut the meat into 1-1/2 in cubes.
Combine all the remaining ingredients except the lemon and parsley in a large bowl.
Add the meat and stir well so that it is coated with the marinade.
Allow marinating in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
Thread the meat onto skewers.
Cook under a hot broiler (griller) or on a barbecue, turning frequently until cooked, about 15 minutes.
Serve with the lemon wedges and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Arni Souvlaki (skewered lamb) is one of the most popular Greek snacks worldwide. Greek cooking offers an incredibly rich and diverse array of foods and beverages that are the culmination of literally thousands of years of living, cooking, and eating. While each Greek meal is fresh and inviting, it is also a trip back through Greece's history. Arni Souvlaki is simple and elegant, with flavors subtle to robust, textures smooth to crunchy, fresh and timeless, nutritious and healthy. Preparing and enjoying Greek food, anywhere in the world, is an adventurous journey into the cradle of civilization.
Ingredients
1 large leg of lamb
½ cup of olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves, broken into pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lemons cut into eighths
2 tablespoons parsley
Method
Cut all the meat from the bone and remove any fat. Cut the meat into 1-1/2 in cubes.
Combine all the remaining ingredients except the lemon and parsley in a large bowl.
Add the meat and stir well so that it is coated with the marinade.
Allow marinating in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
Thread the meat onto skewers.
Cook under a hot broiler (griller) or on a barbecue, turning frequently until cooked, about 15 minutes.
Serve with the lemon wedges and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Burritos (Mexico)
World-Bites (18) / Burritos
Burritos are one of the most popular examples of Mexican cuisine outside of Mexico. It consists of a flour tortilla wrapped or folded around a filling. The flour tortilla is usually lightly grilled or steamed, to soften it and make it more pliable. In Mexico, refried beans, Mexican rice, or meat are usually the only fillings and the tortilla is smaller in size. In the United States, however, fillings generally include a combination of ingredients such as Mexican rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, meat, avocado, cheese, and sour cream, and the size varies, with some burritos considerably larger than their Mexican counterparts. For most Mexican food lovers burritos evoke pacifying comfort food qualities that soothe the soul. Touted for their health benefits, black bean burritos are also a good source of dietary fiber.
Ingredients:
6 large (8-or 9-inch) tortillas
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (10-ounce) can chicken breast chunks, drained
1/2 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked long-grain white rice
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes 8 ounces shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
Chopped cilantro or scallions for garnish, optional
Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven; heat to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring until softened. Stir in chicken, breaking up meat slightly. Stir in beans, rice and tomatoes.
Unwrap warmed tortillas. Spoon about ¾ cup of the filling in the center of the tortilla, leaving an inch at either end. Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded cheese on top, fold in 1-inch ends, then roll tortilla around filling. Place in a large shallow baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of burritos. Cover with foil and heat in oven for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and filling is hot.
For a garnish, sprinkle with cilantro and/or scallion.
Note: For extra flavor, cook rice with chicken broth instead of water; use canned tomatoes and chilies for a spicier taste. For a recipe somewhat lower in fat, use reduced-fat cheese.
Burritos are one of the most popular examples of Mexican cuisine outside of Mexico. It consists of a flour tortilla wrapped or folded around a filling. The flour tortilla is usually lightly grilled or steamed, to soften it and make it more pliable. In Mexico, refried beans, Mexican rice, or meat are usually the only fillings and the tortilla is smaller in size. In the United States, however, fillings generally include a combination of ingredients such as Mexican rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, meat, avocado, cheese, and sour cream, and the size varies, with some burritos considerably larger than their Mexican counterparts. For most Mexican food lovers burritos evoke pacifying comfort food qualities that soothe the soul. Touted for their health benefits, black bean burritos are also a good source of dietary fiber.
Ingredients:
6 large (8-or 9-inch) tortillas
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (10-ounce) can chicken breast chunks, drained
1/2 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked long-grain white rice
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes 8 ounces shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
Chopped cilantro or scallions for garnish, optional
Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven; heat to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring until softened. Stir in chicken, breaking up meat slightly. Stir in beans, rice and tomatoes.
Unwrap warmed tortillas. Spoon about ¾ cup of the filling in the center of the tortilla, leaving an inch at either end. Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded cheese on top, fold in 1-inch ends, then roll tortilla around filling. Place in a large shallow baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of burritos. Cover with foil and heat in oven for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and filling is hot.
For a garnish, sprinkle with cilantro and/or scallion.
Note: For extra flavor, cook rice with chicken broth instead of water; use canned tomatoes and chilies for a spicier taste. For a recipe somewhat lower in fat, use reduced-fat cheese.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Fish 'n' Chips
World-Bites (17) / Fish 'n' Chips
Fish 'n' Chips come from England, and you can’t imagine an English town without a Fish and Chip shop. Before the onslaught of Indian Chicken Tikka Masala, Fish 'n' Chips remained England's number one national snack. It is not as hard as you might think to create your own perfect Fish 'n' Chips at home. It just takes a little preparation time, that’s all. The actual cooking is done in just a few minutes and the preparation time can also be measured in minutes. You can use any kind of fish with this recipe, but for genuine English Fish ‘n’ Chips, it is best to use a white fish such as Cod or Haddock. The fish, although it is deep fried, actually cooks inside the batter, and is really steamed because it never touches the oil, just the batter does. You can’t really call it a low fat recipe, but if the oil is hot, the fish is very crispy, holds very little fat and tastes steamed. Most people eat fish 'n' chips with tomato ketchup, but the English sprinkle dark vinegar (malt vinegar) over the fish 'n' chips.
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, washed and peeled
2 pounds fillets of cod or haddock
Seasoned flour for dredging
Oil (for deep-frying)
1 egg (at room temperature)
1 cup water
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground pepper
Start preparing exactly 40 minutes before serving time. Slice potatoes into long sticks about 1/4-inch thick. Put sticks into a bowl and cover with ice cold water to soak. This will remove some of the starch and will result in a crispier and less fattening French fry.
Prepare the batter by breaking the egg into a large mixing bowl and lightly whisk with the water. Still whisking, add the flour, a little at a time. Make sure all lumps of flour are beaten out so that you finish up with a smooth consistency. Add salt and ground pepper and set aside.
Thoroughly wash the fish fillets under cold running water. Check to ensure that all bones have been removed. Divide the fish into 8 equal pieces ? 2 per serving. Carefully dry with paper towels and dredge each piece in seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Heat oil to 375 degrees F to 400 degrees F. At the same time heat up 1 inch of oil in a heavy-bottom frying pan to the same temperature.
While the fat is slowly getting up to temperature, drain the potatoes, getting as much moisture from them as possible with paper towels. Dip each piece of fish into the batter mixture. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl and gently immerse the fillet in the hot oil. Do not cook more than 2 or 3 pieces of fish at a time. The inside of the fish will be cooked when the outside batter is a mid to light brown. Turn the oven to low so that you can keep the cooked pieces of fish warm while the others are cooking.
Take 2 handsful of potatoes and carefully release them into the deep-fryer. When golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon so that you can shake off the excess oil, and turn onto paper towels.
Seaso lightly with salt and serve wrapped in a newspaper cone with malt vinegar and/or ketchup.
Fish 'n' Chips come from England, and you can’t imagine an English town without a Fish and Chip shop. Before the onslaught of Indian Chicken Tikka Masala, Fish 'n' Chips remained England's number one national snack. It is not as hard as you might think to create your own perfect Fish 'n' Chips at home. It just takes a little preparation time, that’s all. The actual cooking is done in just a few minutes and the preparation time can also be measured in minutes. You can use any kind of fish with this recipe, but for genuine English Fish ‘n’ Chips, it is best to use a white fish such as Cod or Haddock. The fish, although it is deep fried, actually cooks inside the batter, and is really steamed because it never touches the oil, just the batter does. You can’t really call it a low fat recipe, but if the oil is hot, the fish is very crispy, holds very little fat and tastes steamed. Most people eat fish 'n' chips with tomato ketchup, but the English sprinkle dark vinegar (malt vinegar) over the fish 'n' chips.
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, washed and peeled
2 pounds fillets of cod or haddock
Seasoned flour for dredging
Oil (for deep-frying)
1 egg (at room temperature)
1 cup water
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground pepper
Start preparing exactly 40 minutes before serving time. Slice potatoes into long sticks about 1/4-inch thick. Put sticks into a bowl and cover with ice cold water to soak. This will remove some of the starch and will result in a crispier and less fattening French fry.
Prepare the batter by breaking the egg into a large mixing bowl and lightly whisk with the water. Still whisking, add the flour, a little at a time. Make sure all lumps of flour are beaten out so that you finish up with a smooth consistency. Add salt and ground pepper and set aside.
Thoroughly wash the fish fillets under cold running water. Check to ensure that all bones have been removed. Divide the fish into 8 equal pieces ? 2 per serving. Carefully dry with paper towels and dredge each piece in seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Heat oil to 375 degrees F to 400 degrees F. At the same time heat up 1 inch of oil in a heavy-bottom frying pan to the same temperature.
While the fat is slowly getting up to temperature, drain the potatoes, getting as much moisture from them as possible with paper towels. Dip each piece of fish into the batter mixture. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl and gently immerse the fillet in the hot oil. Do not cook more than 2 or 3 pieces of fish at a time. The inside of the fish will be cooked when the outside batter is a mid to light brown. Turn the oven to low so that you can keep the cooked pieces of fish warm while the others are cooking.
Take 2 handsful of potatoes and carefully release them into the deep-fryer. When golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon so that you can shake off the excess oil, and turn onto paper towels.
Seaso lightly with salt and serve wrapped in a newspaper cone with malt vinegar and/or ketchup.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Currywurst (Germany)
World-Bites (15) / Currywurst
Germany's most popular snack, the ‘currywurst’—literally, "curried fried sausage"—now has a museum dedicated to itself in Berlin. 60 years since it was invented, this urban snack has a cult following—800 million are eaten in Germany every year. Herta Heuwer, who invented the quick snack, certainly never expected her culinary creation—bite-sized pieces of sausage covered in curry-flavoured ketchup—to prove a hit with so many people. When she made Germany's new favourite meal for the first time on 4th September 1949, it was just a way of passing time, though decades later it has become a classic, in Germany and around the world.
Ingredients:
3 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 pound sausages
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch paprika
Curry powder to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to Broil/Grill.
2. Pour tomato sauce into a large saucepan, then stir in the chili sauce, onion salt, sugar and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring; bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer another 5 minute.
3. Meanwhile, broil/grill sausages for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Slice into pieces 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Pour tomato sauce mixture over sausage, then sprinkle all with paprika and curry powder and serve.
Germany's most popular snack, the ‘currywurst’—literally, "curried fried sausage"—now has a museum dedicated to itself in Berlin. 60 years since it was invented, this urban snack has a cult following—800 million are eaten in Germany every year. Herta Heuwer, who invented the quick snack, certainly never expected her culinary creation—bite-sized pieces of sausage covered in curry-flavoured ketchup—to prove a hit with so many people. When she made Germany's new favourite meal for the first time on 4th September 1949, it was just a way of passing time, though decades later it has become a classic, in Germany and around the world.
Ingredients:
3 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 pound sausages
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch paprika
Curry powder to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to Broil/Grill.
2. Pour tomato sauce into a large saucepan, then stir in the chili sauce, onion salt, sugar and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring; bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer another 5 minute.
3. Meanwhile, broil/grill sausages for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Slice into pieces 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Pour tomato sauce mixture over sausage, then sprinkle all with paprika and curry powder and serve.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Butter Rolls (Denmark)
World-Bites (15) / Butter Rolls
If you like butter, you'll love these simple but delicious Danish butter rolls - Smørdejgssnitter. They're baked in a sweet milk sauce. Just the thing for a cold morning. Very easy to make, great flavor and fabulous melt in your mouth texture. A terrific recipe for slightly sweet, fluffy crescent rolls. They're a bit more dense than a croissant but much lighter than an average dinner roll. These rolls take a while to make (the dough rises in the refrigerator overnight), but can be done well ahead of time...and they're certainly worth the effort.
Ingredients (Makes 18 rolls)
* ¼ cup boiling water
* ½ cup butter
* ¼ cup cream
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 3 eggs -- beaten
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 packages dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon Sugar
* 3 cups flour
* 1 cup nuts -- ground
* ½ cup Sugar
Directions
Pour the water over the butter. Cool. Add cream, salt, eggs, vanilla and the yeast mixed with the tablespoon Sugar. Let it stay 10 minutes. Add the flour. The dough will be stiff but not sticky.
Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Cut off pieces of dough with a spoon and roll in the ground nuts mixed with the Sugar. Twist each piece into a figure 8. Place on greased baking sheets and let it rest 10 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 450º oven 10 to 15 minutes.
If you like butter, you'll love these simple but delicious Danish butter rolls - Smørdejgssnitter. They're baked in a sweet milk sauce. Just the thing for a cold morning. Very easy to make, great flavor and fabulous melt in your mouth texture. A terrific recipe for slightly sweet, fluffy crescent rolls. They're a bit more dense than a croissant but much lighter than an average dinner roll. These rolls take a while to make (the dough rises in the refrigerator overnight), but can be done well ahead of time...and they're certainly worth the effort.
Ingredients (Makes 18 rolls)
* ¼ cup boiling water
* ½ cup butter
* ¼ cup cream
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 3 eggs -- beaten
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 packages dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon Sugar
* 3 cups flour
* 1 cup nuts -- ground
* ½ cup Sugar
Directions
Pour the water over the butter. Cool. Add cream, salt, eggs, vanilla and the yeast mixed with the tablespoon Sugar. Let it stay 10 minutes. Add the flour. The dough will be stiff but not sticky.
Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Cut off pieces of dough with a spoon and roll in the ground nuts mixed with the Sugar. Twist each piece into a figure 8. Place on greased baking sheets and let it rest 10 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 450º oven 10 to 15 minutes.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Cheese Souffle (France)
World-Bites (14) / Cheese Souffle
This puffy dish of cheese and eggs is one of the most popular snacks originating in France and now favorite internationally. These individual souffles are elegant for brunch. A classic, pillowy cheese soufflé turns supper into an act of kindness worth bestowing on yourself. It is the perfect antidote for a mental low down. A couple of bites into this mind altering dish and the low down is a thing of the past. You’re rejuvenated, ready to take on the world. It’s easy to make, goes great with a baby romaine, avocado and sliced Ruby Red Grapefruit salad with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
Ingredients (Serves: 5 servings)
You need soufflé moulds, well buttered and floured
* Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
* 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 1/3 cups milk, hot
* 4 large egg yolks (2 1/2 ounces by weight)
* 6 ounces sharp Cheddar
* 5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water
* 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions
Use room temperature butter to grease souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently.
Pour the mixture into the souffle moulds. Fill the moulds to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, then serve immediately.
This puffy dish of cheese and eggs is one of the most popular snacks originating in France and now favorite internationally. These individual souffles are elegant for brunch. A classic, pillowy cheese soufflé turns supper into an act of kindness worth bestowing on yourself. It is the perfect antidote for a mental low down. A couple of bites into this mind altering dish and the low down is a thing of the past. You’re rejuvenated, ready to take on the world. It’s easy to make, goes great with a baby romaine, avocado and sliced Ruby Red Grapefruit salad with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
Ingredients (Serves: 5 servings)
You need soufflé moulds, well buttered and floured
* Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
* 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 1/3 cups milk, hot
* 4 large egg yolks (2 1/2 ounces by weight)
* 6 ounces sharp Cheddar
* 5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water
* 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions
Use room temperature butter to grease souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently.
Pour the mixture into the souffle moulds. Fill the moulds to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, then serve immediately.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pizza (Italy)
World-Bites(13) / Pizza
Pizza is a world-popular dish of Italian origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture, or personal preference. In the 20th century pizza has become an international food with widely varying toppings. These pizzas consist of the same basic design but include an exceptionally diverse choice of ingredients. Pizza is an emerging fast food in Indian urban areas. With the arrival of branded pizza, it has reached to many cities. Pizza outlets serve pizzas with several Indian based toppings like Tandoori Chicken and Paneer. Indian pizzas are generally made more spicy as compared to their western counterparts, to suit Indian taste. Along with Indian variations, more conventional pizzas are also eaten.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas
* 1 1/2 cups warm water
* 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast
* 3 1/2 cups bread flour
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
Pizza Ingredients
* Olive oil
* Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)
* Tomato sauce
* Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
* Feta cheese
* Mushrooms, thinly sliced
* Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
* Chopped fresh basil
* Onions, thinly sliced
Special equipment needed
* A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty
* A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet
* A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza
Method
Making the Pizza Dough
1 In the large bowl, add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.
2 Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preparing the Pizzas
1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.
4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker.
5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.
6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.
7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.
8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven. Slide the pizza on to the baking stone. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Pizza is a world-popular dish of Italian origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture, or personal preference. In the 20th century pizza has become an international food with widely varying toppings. These pizzas consist of the same basic design but include an exceptionally diverse choice of ingredients. Pizza is an emerging fast food in Indian urban areas. With the arrival of branded pizza, it has reached to many cities. Pizza outlets serve pizzas with several Indian based toppings like Tandoori Chicken and Paneer. Indian pizzas are generally made more spicy as compared to their western counterparts, to suit Indian taste. Along with Indian variations, more conventional pizzas are also eaten.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas
* 1 1/2 cups warm water
* 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast
* 3 1/2 cups bread flour
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
Pizza Ingredients
* Olive oil
* Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)
* Tomato sauce
* Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
* Feta cheese
* Mushrooms, thinly sliced
* Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
* Chopped fresh basil
* Onions, thinly sliced
Special equipment needed
* A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty
* A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet
* A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza
Method
Making the Pizza Dough
1 In the large bowl, add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.
2 Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preparing the Pizzas
1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.
4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker.
5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.
6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.
7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.
8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven. Slide the pizza on to the baking stone. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Hamburgur (America)
World-Bites (12) / Hamburgur
Hamburgers are America's favorite grilled food. The term 'Hamburgur' originally derives from the German town of Hamburg, Germany's second largest city, from where many emigrants came to America. Residents of Hamburg, New York, named after Hamburg Germany, attribute the invention of hamburgurs to the Menches brothers, vendors at the 1885 County Fair. Today, the hamburgurs are usually a feature of fast food restaurants in U.S.A. and many other countries. Traditionally, hamburgurs are made with ground meat, but Chicken burgers are also gaining popularity, especially in India and many Asian countries.
Ingredients (Chicken Burgur)
Serves 4
For The Patties:
1lb/500g chicken meat ground or finely chopped
1 half onion finely chopped
1 dash lemon juice
4 pinches paprika powder
2 pinches dried oregano
a little pepper, fresh ground is better
a little salt
1 hand fresh bread crumbs
1 egg lightly whisked
1 quarter chicken stock block dissolved in a quarter cup water
For the Rolls:
4 rolls
sliced tomato
thinly sliced onion
lettuce
mayonnaise
Mix all the patty ingredients thoroughly, leaving the salt for after the patties are cooked if you prefer.
Make sure the mixture is cool. Divide mixture into 4 equal balls and press into patties .
Cook on low heat under the grill, on the barbecue or in a pan until cooked through .
Split the rolls and toast the cut surfaces lightly (under grill, on barbecue or in pan) just before the patties are done. Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half, add a thin slice of onion, some lettuce and sliced tomato. Top it off with a little mayo, the patty and the other half of the roll.
Brush the hamburger and hot dog buns with melted butter and toast them briefly on the grill, if
desired.
Hamburgers are America's favorite grilled food. The term 'Hamburgur' originally derives from the German town of Hamburg, Germany's second largest city, from where many emigrants came to America. Residents of Hamburg, New York, named after Hamburg Germany, attribute the invention of hamburgurs to the Menches brothers, vendors at the 1885 County Fair. Today, the hamburgurs are usually a feature of fast food restaurants in U.S.A. and many other countries. Traditionally, hamburgurs are made with ground meat, but Chicken burgers are also gaining popularity, especially in India and many Asian countries.
Ingredients (Chicken Burgur)
Serves 4
For The Patties:
1lb/500g chicken meat ground or finely chopped
1 half onion finely chopped
1 dash lemon juice
4 pinches paprika powder
2 pinches dried oregano
a little pepper, fresh ground is better
a little salt
1 hand fresh bread crumbs
1 egg lightly whisked
1 quarter chicken stock block dissolved in a quarter cup water
For the Rolls:
4 rolls
sliced tomato
thinly sliced onion
lettuce
mayonnaise
Mix all the patty ingredients thoroughly, leaving the salt for after the patties are cooked if you prefer.
Make sure the mixture is cool. Divide mixture into 4 equal balls and press into patties .
Cook on low heat under the grill, on the barbecue or in a pan until cooked through .
Split the rolls and toast the cut surfaces lightly (under grill, on barbecue or in pan) just before the patties are done. Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half, add a thin slice of onion, some lettuce and sliced tomato. Top it off with a little mayo, the patty and the other half of the roll.
Brush the hamburger and hot dog buns with melted butter and toast them briefly on the grill, if
desired.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Borek (Turkey)
World-Bites (11) / Borek
Borek is one of the most popular pastries in Turkish cuisine. Börek (also burek, boereg, and other variants on the name) is a kind of pie popular throughout the former Ottoman Empire. It’s similar to pasty but made with phyllo pastry. You can put any ingredient you like. There are a lot of kinds of borek; with cheese, with potatoes, with minced meat, with spinach, with green lentil, with leek, etc. It’s so easy and delicious. You can have it with your breakfast or at 5 o’clock tea or at any time you like. The top of the börek is often sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Ingredients:
For dough :
* 2 eggs (one of the egg yolks is for topping)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1\3 cups olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for topping
* 2\3 cup whole milk
* 1 1\2 teaspoon baking powder
* flour (almost 4 cups)
For filling:
* 1 packet baby spinach (chopped small pieces)
* 1 big chopped onion
* 1 pinch salt and pepper
* 1 packet blue cheese (*my contribution)
* 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Method:
Lightly grease a round 27 cm (10 inch) cake pan with olive oil
Preheat oven 350F
In a large pan, cook the onion with olive oil until it turns yellow. Add the spinach, cook until spinach dries down and add the salt and pepper. You can also use meat and potatoes for filling.
Next, in a large bowl, add all the ingredients but with only 1 cup flour. Start kneading. It should be very sticky, add flour one cup at a time and continue kneading until dough becomes soft and not sticky. Stop adding flour.
Dust the work surface with some flour. Make small balls from dough and roll each ball very thin 8 inch diameter. ( or little longer and narrower)
Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons filling and 1 tablespoon blue cheese one side of dough and make a tight roll. Make a ring and put it in the middle of the pan. And than start wrapping the roll from middle to out. Brush the Borek with the egg yolk and olive oil, bake it until brown. Serve when it is almost hot.
Borek is one of the most popular pastries in Turkish cuisine. Börek (also burek, boereg, and other variants on the name) is a kind of pie popular throughout the former Ottoman Empire. It’s similar to pasty but made with phyllo pastry. You can put any ingredient you like. There are a lot of kinds of borek; with cheese, with potatoes, with minced meat, with spinach, with green lentil, with leek, etc. It’s so easy and delicious. You can have it with your breakfast or at 5 o’clock tea or at any time you like. The top of the börek is often sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Ingredients:
For dough :
* 2 eggs (one of the egg yolks is for topping)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1\3 cups olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for topping
* 2\3 cup whole milk
* 1 1\2 teaspoon baking powder
* flour (almost 4 cups)
For filling:
* 1 packet baby spinach (chopped small pieces)
* 1 big chopped onion
* 1 pinch salt and pepper
* 1 packet blue cheese (*my contribution)
* 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Method:
Lightly grease a round 27 cm (10 inch) cake pan with olive oil
Preheat oven 350F
In a large pan, cook the onion with olive oil until it turns yellow. Add the spinach, cook until spinach dries down and add the salt and pepper. You can also use meat and potatoes for filling.
Next, in a large bowl, add all the ingredients but with only 1 cup flour. Start kneading. It should be very sticky, add flour one cup at a time and continue kneading until dough becomes soft and not sticky. Stop adding flour.
Dust the work surface with some flour. Make small balls from dough and roll each ball very thin 8 inch diameter. ( or little longer and narrower)
Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons filling and 1 tablespoon blue cheese one side of dough and make a tight roll. Make a ring and put it in the middle of the pan. And than start wrapping the roll from middle to out. Brush the Borek with the egg yolk and olive oil, bake it until brown. Serve when it is almost hot.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Falafel (Middle East)
World-Bites (10) / Falafel
The popularity of this vegetarian fritter throughout Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa is not in doubt. Crisp to the point of crunch on the outside, tender and well- spiced within, the irresistible falafel are a rich source of protein. Falafel is very easy to make and with a little effort it would come out great. Falafel is served in a toasted bread, with some salads and spicy sauces. In Israel, as well as most of the Arab countries, they eat the falafel inside a pita bread, with vegetable salad and pickles.
The Ingredients:
2 cups of dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 12 hours
Crumbs from 2 slices of white bread
5 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 small onion
1 spoon of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin spice
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt, pepper.
Oil for deep frying
Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion and spices. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.
Move the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and put aside, covered, for 30-60 minutes. Add the baking soda to the mixture and knead a little. Wet your hands and shape little balls (smaller then apricots).
Warm the oil – it should be hot, not boiling. Fry until you get a deep brown shade. Serve hot!
World-Bites (10) / Falafel
The popularity of this vegetarian fritter throughout Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa is not in doubt. Crisp to the point of crunch on the outside, tender and well- spiced within, the irresistible falafel are a rich source of protein. Falafel is very easy to make and with a little effort it would come out great. Falafel is served in a toasted bread, with some salads and spicy sauces. In Israel, as well as most of the Arab countries, they eat the falafel inside a pita bread, with vegetable salad and pickles.
The Ingredients:
2 cups of dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 12 hours
Crumbs from 2 slices of white bread
5 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 small onion
1 spoon of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin spice
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt, pepper.
Oil for deep frying
Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion and spices. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.
Move the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and put aside, covered, for 30-60 minutes. Add the baking soda to the mixture and knead a little. Wet your hands and shape little balls (smaller then apricots).
Warm the oil – it should be hot, not boiling. Fry until you get a deep brown shade. Serve hot!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Gnocchi Di Patate (Italy)
World-Bites (9) / Gnocchi Di Patate
A classic Italian dumpling, Gnocchi Di Patate is featured in a lot of Northern Italian cuisine for a side dish or main dish, and is mostly known as gnocchi. It takes a little time to prepare them but they are easy to make and more than worth the effort. It's made by mixing mashed potatoes with flour and egg to form a thick, starchy pasta dough. This dough is rolled into ropes and then cut into individual nuggets before being boiled. Potato gnocchi should ideally have a light, springy texture, and they're great served in a simple sauce. In Verona every year they have a Gnocchi festival called “Venordi Gnocolar” during the carnival season, where it is a must to eat Gnocchi.
Ingredients
2 lb. floury potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 F
Peel and dice the potatoes, then boil in lightly salted water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Mash until very smooth and blend in the butter.
Gradually work in the flour, beaten eggs and seasoning. Mix thoroughly but lightly.
Using floured hands, roll on a pastry board into finger-sized rolls. Cut into 1-in pieces.
Almost fill a large saucepan with water, heat to boiling, then reduce to a fast simmer. Drop in the gnocchi one by one and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove with slotted spoon as they rise to the surface and place in a heated ovenproof dish. Dot the gnocchi with butter and place in the warm oven only until the butter melts.
Serve plain or topped with a sauce of your choice.
A classic Italian dumpling, Gnocchi Di Patate is featured in a lot of Northern Italian cuisine for a side dish or main dish, and is mostly known as gnocchi. It takes a little time to prepare them but they are easy to make and more than worth the effort. It's made by mixing mashed potatoes with flour and egg to form a thick, starchy pasta dough. This dough is rolled into ropes and then cut into individual nuggets before being boiled. Potato gnocchi should ideally have a light, springy texture, and they're great served in a simple sauce. In Verona every year they have a Gnocchi festival called “Venordi Gnocolar” during the carnival season, where it is a must to eat Gnocchi.
Ingredients
2 lb. floury potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 F
Peel and dice the potatoes, then boil in lightly salted water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Mash until very smooth and blend in the butter.
Gradually work in the flour, beaten eggs and seasoning. Mix thoroughly but lightly.
Using floured hands, roll on a pastry board into finger-sized rolls. Cut into 1-in pieces.
Almost fill a large saucepan with water, heat to boiling, then reduce to a fast simmer. Drop in the gnocchi one by one and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove with slotted spoon as they rise to the surface and place in a heated ovenproof dish. Dot the gnocchi with butter and place in the warm oven only until the butter melts.
Serve plain or topped with a sauce of your choice.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Samak Kebab (Morocco)
World-Bites (8) / Samak Kebab
The cuisine of Morocco is rated among the best in the world and rightly so. There are few places where food is more carefully and artistically prepared, more delightfully served, more enjoyed than this country. When most people think of kebabs, the image of meat and vegetables on a skewer come to mind. Fish, however, makes an excellent addition to any skewer, specially when the end result is samak kebab, the famous Moroccan and Mediterranean dish. Its recipe features the finest fish marinade that really brings out the flavor of the fish while still maintaining the grilled flavor. This Moroccan cuisine is much influenced by Greek and Turkish cooking.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. thick white fish fillets
1/3 teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons water
1 red onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
l tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
¾ teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for serving
1/3 cup virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
Italian parsley springs for garnish
Soak the saffron threads in the water.
Cut the fish into 1-in cubes and place in a bowl.
Mix together the strained saffron water and the remaining ingredients, except the parsley springs.
Spoon the mixture over the fish cubes, mix thoroughly but lightly, and cover the bowl. Chill for at least 4 hours.
Press the fish cubes onto skewers and broil (grill) over hot coals or under a preheated broiler (griller). Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through but not dry. Spread any remaining marinade over the fish cubes.
Garnish with the parsley springs and serve with small bowls of extra sea salt and hot paprika.
The cuisine of Morocco is rated among the best in the world and rightly so. There are few places where food is more carefully and artistically prepared, more delightfully served, more enjoyed than this country. When most people think of kebabs, the image of meat and vegetables on a skewer come to mind. Fish, however, makes an excellent addition to any skewer, specially when the end result is samak kebab, the famous Moroccan and Mediterranean dish. Its recipe features the finest fish marinade that really brings out the flavor of the fish while still maintaining the grilled flavor. This Moroccan cuisine is much influenced by Greek and Turkish cooking.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. thick white fish fillets
1/3 teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons water
1 red onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
l tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
¾ teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for serving
1/3 cup virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
Italian parsley springs for garnish
Soak the saffron threads in the water.
Cut the fish into 1-in cubes and place in a bowl.
Mix together the strained saffron water and the remaining ingredients, except the parsley springs.
Spoon the mixture over the fish cubes, mix thoroughly but lightly, and cover the bowl. Chill for at least 4 hours.
Press the fish cubes onto skewers and broil (grill) over hot coals or under a preheated broiler (griller). Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through but not dry. Spread any remaining marinade over the fish cubes.
Garnish with the parsley springs and serve with small bowls of extra sea salt and hot paprika.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Chicken Kiev (Russia / Ukraine
World-Bites (7) / Chicken Kiev
One of the most famous Russian dishes, Chicken Kiev , without any doubts belong to the row of culinary masterpieces. It deserves its name both - the way it looks and the way it tastes. Classical "Kotlety-po-Kievsky" was invented in the earlier 20th century in St. Petersburg. It is a dish of boneless chicken breast pounded and rolled around cold unsalted butter, then breaded and fried. It is also known as Chicken Supreme. As its popularity has spread internationally, various seasonings have been added to the butter, most commonly garlic. A real one has to be juicy.
Ingredients
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 small eggs beaten
1-1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
Blend together the butter, lemon juice and pepper. Roll the mixture and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for several hours or until quite hard.
Pound the chicken breasts gently between two sheets of wax(greaseproof) paper, to flatten without ripping the meat. Place a roll of butter in the center of each fillet, turn in the ends and roll up firmly, ensuring there are no tears in the meat through which butter could seep out.
Dip the rolls lightly in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the beaten egg, then roll in the bread crumbs until well coated. Cover and chill for several hours.
Add the oil to a deep fryer, to a depth of 2-3 inch. When the oil is hot, drop the rolls in batches, allowing plenty of room in the deep fryer. Fry until they are deep golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Place on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven until the rest of the chicken is fried.
Serve immediately – it is essential that this dish be served piping hot.
One of the most famous Russian dishes, Chicken Kiev , without any doubts belong to the row of culinary masterpieces. It deserves its name both - the way it looks and the way it tastes. Classical "Kotlety-po-Kievsky" was invented in the earlier 20th century in St. Petersburg. It is a dish of boneless chicken breast pounded and rolled around cold unsalted butter, then breaded and fried. It is also known as Chicken Supreme. As its popularity has spread internationally, various seasonings have been added to the butter, most commonly garlic. A real one has to be juicy.
Ingredients
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 small eggs beaten
1-1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
Blend together the butter, lemon juice and pepper. Roll the mixture and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for several hours or until quite hard.
Pound the chicken breasts gently between two sheets of wax(greaseproof) paper, to flatten without ripping the meat. Place a roll of butter in the center of each fillet, turn in the ends and roll up firmly, ensuring there are no tears in the meat through which butter could seep out.
Dip the rolls lightly in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the beaten egg, then roll in the bread crumbs until well coated. Cover and chill for several hours.
Add the oil to a deep fryer, to a depth of 2-3 inch. When the oil is hot, drop the rolls in batches, allowing plenty of room in the deep fryer. Fry until they are deep golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Place on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven until the rest of the chicken is fried.
Serve immediately – it is essential that this dish be served piping hot.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Tamales (Mexico)
World-Bites (6) / Tamales
A tamale is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of steam-cooked corn dough with a filling. Their essence is the corn meal dough, usually filled with sweet or savory filling, wrapped in plant leaves or corn husks, and cooked, usually by steaming, until firm. Considered by Mexicans one of their most beloved traditional foods, few countries have such an extensive variety of tamales as Mexico. Almost every region and state in the country has its own kind of tamale. The versatile nature of Tamales allows them to be prepared in more sophisticated ways among Mexican upscale chefs. Today, tamales are mainly consumed as comfort food in Mexico and is also eaten during festivities, such as the Day of the Dead, Posadas and Mexican Independence Day.
Ingredients
Dough
¼ cup water
4 cups freshly grated corn
½ cup ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
Filling
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1lb ground lamb or chicken
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion finely chopped
½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons seedless raisins
8 olives, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 tablespoons oil
To cook
30 cornhusks or 30 5-inch foil squares
1 bay leaf 1 spring cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
For dough: Blend water and grated corn to form a paste. Place in a saucepan with cornmeal, sugar, salt and butter. Cook, stirring until mixture thickens and almost forms dough, about 20 minutes. Set aside for at least one hour.
For filling: Mash garlic, salt and pepper together thoroughly to make a paste. Mix into ground lamb or chicken with olive oil and vinegar. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is transparent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add meat mixture and brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add eggs, raisins, olives, tomato puree and 1 teaspoon oil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes.
Grease each cornhusk or piece of foil with oil. Place a heaping spoonful of the corn dough in the middle and spread to within ½ inch of the edges using back of a spoon. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture in the middle of the dough, then fold the husk or foil so that the sides of the corn mixture seal in the meat. Fasten each parcel with piece of string.
Bring 20 cups water to boil with bay leaf, cilantro, cumin and salt. Add tamales and simmer 1 hour over medium heat. Lift out with a slotted spoon, then unwrap and serve hot.
A tamale is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of steam-cooked corn dough with a filling. Their essence is the corn meal dough, usually filled with sweet or savory filling, wrapped in plant leaves or corn husks, and cooked, usually by steaming, until firm. Considered by Mexicans one of their most beloved traditional foods, few countries have such an extensive variety of tamales as Mexico. Almost every region and state in the country has its own kind of tamale. The versatile nature of Tamales allows them to be prepared in more sophisticated ways among Mexican upscale chefs. Today, tamales are mainly consumed as comfort food in Mexico and is also eaten during festivities, such as the Day of the Dead, Posadas and Mexican Independence Day.
Ingredients
Dough
¼ cup water
4 cups freshly grated corn
½ cup ground yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
Filling
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1lb ground lamb or chicken
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion finely chopped
½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons seedless raisins
8 olives, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 tablespoons oil
To cook
30 cornhusks or 30 5-inch foil squares
1 bay leaf 1 spring cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
For dough: Blend water and grated corn to form a paste. Place in a saucepan with cornmeal, sugar, salt and butter. Cook, stirring until mixture thickens and almost forms dough, about 20 minutes. Set aside for at least one hour.
For filling: Mash garlic, salt and pepper together thoroughly to make a paste. Mix into ground lamb or chicken with olive oil and vinegar. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is transparent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add meat mixture and brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add eggs, raisins, olives, tomato puree and 1 teaspoon oil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes.
Grease each cornhusk or piece of foil with oil. Place a heaping spoonful of the corn dough in the middle and spread to within ½ inch of the edges using back of a spoon. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture in the middle of the dough, then fold the husk or foil so that the sides of the corn mixture seal in the meat. Fasten each parcel with piece of string.
Bring 20 cups water to boil with bay leaf, cilantro, cumin and salt. Add tamales and simmer 1 hour over medium heat. Lift out with a slotted spoon, then unwrap and serve hot.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Made In Heaven!
Do women really have an option to marry early or late? I have my doubts. My experience tells me they hardly have this option, at least not in traditional Indian families. Family compulsions and unexpected factors overshadow any illusions of options that women may be having in the matters of marriage. It may be the right age for marriage, the match may be most befitting and approval of families all in place, yet more efficient than all these is the force of circumstances that may delay the marriage indefinitely. And my story in this context can be the story of any woman in India or elsewhere.
After graduating from our different colleges, he and I were now studying together in the same university for our post graduate degrees. We met every day, had our coffee and snacks together at the coffeehouse during lunch break, spent our free periods together in the university parks, talking on all types of topics, he preferring to talk on politics and I liking to talk on literature. Even on weekends and holidays we would often be together, I spending the day at his place to be with his mother and sister, who both loved me a lot. After we had left the university on completing our post graduation courses and joined our respective professions, he as an executive in a fast growing company and I as a senior teacher in a girls' high school, we still managed to meet most of the evenings, spending beautiful time together. We had, indeed, fallen in love. In fact, we had been in love from early years in our life when our both families were friends as neighbors, but much more deeply since we were together in the university. All our intimate friends knew we were an inseparable pair. Our families too felt the same, but no one would openly speak or suggest on our marriage, until his brother, ten years older to him, cleared the way by his wedding. I did not face such a situation in my family. My elder brother was already married, but even if he were not, I would not have to wait. like his sister did not have to wait for his brother to get married first. Girls in the family have the first right to get married, if they are of marriageable age. This is the Indian tradition. With his sister gone to Simla where her husband was settled, and his brother, thank God, getting married after a long search for a suitable bride, it was now the time for his mother to approach my parents for their daughter's hand for their son. My parents were only too happy to accept the proposal and with this, our long courtship of many years culminated into our happy marriage. We were both in our late twenties then. Indeed, a late marriage, particularly in that period of time, when the girls were married in their teens.
Everyone talks about what's an ideal age. While there may be something to the "finding yourself" theory about later marriages, that is not necessarily true. Most people find themselves through marriage. Marriage can be an incredible journey of self-discovery and self-growth. Marriage, especially for women, is their best chance to grow up, why delay it. The bottom line is, once people are in their early 20s -- assuming they have reached a certain level of emotional maturity and are with the right partners -- marriages have a better chance of working than they do at 30 and beyond. Of course, it’s better for everything to be in time, even if it's not always in your hands to stick to norms. People who marry at a young age by today's standards -- from the late teens into the early 20s -- share many more precious years with their partners, grow with them, avoid some loneliness and miss the heartaches of some romantic breakups. As young people, you grow together, as you're growing up, you're learning. The years together breed so much loyalty and common ground. The point is to find someone you can grow and change with.
Views towards the “norms” for the marriageable age are changed. And the higher the level of life, the later young people decide to create a family. We are finding in contemporary society many young adults are living singly and not marrying or putting it off till later. Down through the century, and especially the last two decades we see the age has started to increase. An increase in higher education, and people getting established in careers, have been large parts of this societal shift. Late marriages are often from those who claim to not want to marry or those who have gone through unsuccessful relationship or disappointing rejection in most cases. Early success in career could also cause late marriage. You become more passionate for your profession than looking for true love. One of the disadvantages to waiting for marriage is that many of the good potential partners are taken, and you may indeed be set in your ways and accustomed to a single lifestyle. Most women would love to have married at a younger age, but the right love just hasn't happened yet. Or the right match is not found at the right time. Even in the West, where late marriage is the norm, women would love to marry young, if only some one they love to spend their life with makes that surprise proposal. But no, men would love to live-in but never ready to commit their life to the loved one. In India there is normally no such deliberate delay, it just happens. We believe in fate as the Scotch adage says – “A man may woo where he will, but he must wed where he is fated to wed”. Or as they say elsewhere, “In time he comes who God sends”. Or the age old saying, “Marriages are made in heaven.”
After graduating from our different colleges, he and I were now studying together in the same university for our post graduate degrees. We met every day, had our coffee and snacks together at the coffeehouse during lunch break, spent our free periods together in the university parks, talking on all types of topics, he preferring to talk on politics and I liking to talk on literature. Even on weekends and holidays we would often be together, I spending the day at his place to be with his mother and sister, who both loved me a lot. After we had left the university on completing our post graduation courses and joined our respective professions, he as an executive in a fast growing company and I as a senior teacher in a girls' high school, we still managed to meet most of the evenings, spending beautiful time together. We had, indeed, fallen in love. In fact, we had been in love from early years in our life when our both families were friends as neighbors, but much more deeply since we were together in the university. All our intimate friends knew we were an inseparable pair. Our families too felt the same, but no one would openly speak or suggest on our marriage, until his brother, ten years older to him, cleared the way by his wedding. I did not face such a situation in my family. My elder brother was already married, but even if he were not, I would not have to wait. like his sister did not have to wait for his brother to get married first. Girls in the family have the first right to get married, if they are of marriageable age. This is the Indian tradition. With his sister gone to Simla where her husband was settled, and his brother, thank God, getting married after a long search for a suitable bride, it was now the time for his mother to approach my parents for their daughter's hand for their son. My parents were only too happy to accept the proposal and with this, our long courtship of many years culminated into our happy marriage. We were both in our late twenties then. Indeed, a late marriage, particularly in that period of time, when the girls were married in their teens.
Everyone talks about what's an ideal age. While there may be something to the "finding yourself" theory about later marriages, that is not necessarily true. Most people find themselves through marriage. Marriage can be an incredible journey of self-discovery and self-growth. Marriage, especially for women, is their best chance to grow up, why delay it. The bottom line is, once people are in their early 20s -- assuming they have reached a certain level of emotional maturity and are with the right partners -- marriages have a better chance of working than they do at 30 and beyond. Of course, it’s better for everything to be in time, even if it's not always in your hands to stick to norms. People who marry at a young age by today's standards -- from the late teens into the early 20s -- share many more precious years with their partners, grow with them, avoid some loneliness and miss the heartaches of some romantic breakups. As young people, you grow together, as you're growing up, you're learning. The years together breed so much loyalty and common ground. The point is to find someone you can grow and change with.
Views towards the “norms” for the marriageable age are changed. And the higher the level of life, the later young people decide to create a family. We are finding in contemporary society many young adults are living singly and not marrying or putting it off till later. Down through the century, and especially the last two decades we see the age has started to increase. An increase in higher education, and people getting established in careers, have been large parts of this societal shift. Late marriages are often from those who claim to not want to marry or those who have gone through unsuccessful relationship or disappointing rejection in most cases. Early success in career could also cause late marriage. You become more passionate for your profession than looking for true love. One of the disadvantages to waiting for marriage is that many of the good potential partners are taken, and you may indeed be set in your ways and accustomed to a single lifestyle. Most women would love to have married at a younger age, but the right love just hasn't happened yet. Or the right match is not found at the right time. Even in the West, where late marriage is the norm, women would love to marry young, if only some one they love to spend their life with makes that surprise proposal. But no, men would love to live-in but never ready to commit their life to the loved one. In India there is normally no such deliberate delay, it just happens. We believe in fate as the Scotch adage says – “A man may woo where he will, but he must wed where he is fated to wed”. Or as they say elsewhere, “In time he comes who God sends”. Or the age old saying, “Marriages are made in heaven.”
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Thai Golden Cups (Thailand)
World-Bites 5/ Thai Golden Cups
The uniqueness of Thai taste has charmed and impressed all lovers of gourmet cuisine across the world. Krathong Thong, which means golden cups in Thai, is one of the foremost menus that come to mind when think of Thai food. A popular Thai appetizer. it is a light dish, yet one that teases you to want more. The golden pastry cups filled with minced chicken and chopped vegetables are cute little cups that are very attractive and impressive. These light crispy golden cups can be filled with various savory fillings, including shredded pork and prawns mixed with sliced young corn, coriander root, garlic, pepper and fish sauce. The cups are filled just before serving and garnished with red chillies flakes and cilantro leaves, to retain crispiness of the pastry.
Ingredients
Patty Cups
½ cup rice flour
6 tablespoons white flour
4 tablespoons thin coconut milk
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon soda
oil for deep-frying
Filling
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons finely diced onion
2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
¼ cup corn kernels
2 tablespoons finely diced carrot
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon black soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Cilantro leaves for garnish
1 red chili, finely sliced
To prepare the cups, a special brass mold with a long handle is used. To make the patty cups, mix all ingredients except oil together in a bowl. Heat oil. Dip the mold in the oil to heat. Dip the hot mold in the batter and plunge back into oil. The thin shell that forms around the mold is fried for about 5 minutes until light brown, to create pleated golden cup. Then shake to remove the cup from the mold. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until batter is all used up.
To make the filling, put the oil in a hot wok and stir-fry onion and chicken for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry for 3 minutes until the vegetables are fairly soft. Let it cool.
Divide the filling between the cups. Garnish with cilantro and red chili flakes.
Try the recipe and enjoy.
The uniqueness of Thai taste has charmed and impressed all lovers of gourmet cuisine across the world. Krathong Thong, which means golden cups in Thai, is one of the foremost menus that come to mind when think of Thai food. A popular Thai appetizer. it is a light dish, yet one that teases you to want more. The golden pastry cups filled with minced chicken and chopped vegetables are cute little cups that are very attractive and impressive. These light crispy golden cups can be filled with various savory fillings, including shredded pork and prawns mixed with sliced young corn, coriander root, garlic, pepper and fish sauce. The cups are filled just before serving and garnished with red chillies flakes and cilantro leaves, to retain crispiness of the pastry.
Ingredients
Patty Cups
½ cup rice flour
6 tablespoons white flour
4 tablespoons thin coconut milk
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon soda
oil for deep-frying
Filling
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons finely diced onion
2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
¼ cup corn kernels
2 tablespoons finely diced carrot
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon black soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Cilantro leaves for garnish
1 red chili, finely sliced
To prepare the cups, a special brass mold with a long handle is used. To make the patty cups, mix all ingredients except oil together in a bowl. Heat oil. Dip the mold in the oil to heat. Dip the hot mold in the batter and plunge back into oil. The thin shell that forms around the mold is fried for about 5 minutes until light brown, to create pleated golden cup. Then shake to remove the cup from the mold. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until batter is all used up.
To make the filling, put the oil in a hot wok and stir-fry onion and chicken for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry for 3 minutes until the vegetables are fairly soft. Let it cool.
Divide the filling between the cups. Garnish with cilantro and red chili flakes.
Try the recipe and enjoy.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Curry Puffs (Singapore/Malaysia)
World-Bites (4) / Curry Puffs (Singapore/Malaysia)
Curry puff is a Malaysian, Singaporean and Thai snack which is of Malay origin. Curry puffs look like crispy dumplings or large samosas. Because Singapore is so diverse culturally, no one knows exactly where the dish came from originally, and some even say it came from the U.K. No matter where it came from, curry puffs are the most popular afternoon snack in Singapore. It is a small pie consisting of specialized curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell. The curry is quite thick to prevent it from oozing out of the snack. A common snack in the region, the curry puff is one of several "puff"-type pastries with different fillings, though now it is by far the most common. Other common varieties include sardines and onions or sweet fillings such as yam. In Indian food stalls in Malaysia, it is quite common to find vegetarian curry puffs with potatoes, carrots and onions as fillings. The Malay curry puffs tend to be sweet while the Indian curry puffs are usually spicy.
Ingredients
Filling
5 tablespoons oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cayenne or red chili powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
2 large potatoes, boiled and finely diced
1-1/2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
Pastry
4 cups white flour
10 tablespoons butter or margarine
14 tablespoons water
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
To make the filling, heat oil and fry onion gently until golden brown. Add the curry powder, cayenne and turmeric and fry gently. Add the chicken, potatoes, sugar, pepper and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Mix well and leave aside to cool.
To make the pastry, mix flour with butter or margarine, water and salt and knead well. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into small balls and roll into 3 inches diameter rounds. Take a tablespoon of filling and place in center. Fold pastry over to make a half circle and crimp the edges. Heat oil in wok and deep fry until golden brown. Serve hot with cilantro chutney.
World-Bites (4) / Curry Puffs (Singapore/Malaysia)
Curry puff is a Malaysian, Singaporean and Thai snack which is of Malay origin. Curry puffs look like crispy dumplings or large samosas. Because Singapore is so diverse culturally, no one knows exactly where the dish came from originally, and some even say it came from the U.K. No matter where it came from, curry puffs are the most popular afternoon snack in Singapore. It is a small pie consisting of specialized curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell. The curry is quite thick to prevent it from oozing out of the snack. A common snack in the region, the curry puff is one of several "puff"-type pastries with different fillings, though now it is by far the most common. Other common varieties include sardines and onions or sweet fillings such as yam. In Indian food stalls in Malaysia, it is quite common to find vegetarian curry puffs with potatoes, carrots and onions as fillings. The Malay curry puffs tend to be sweet while the Indian curry puffs are usually spicy.
Ingredients
Filling
5 tablespoons oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cayenne or red chili powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
2 large potatoes, boiled and finely diced
1-1/2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
Pastry
4 cups white flour
10 tablespoons butter or margarine
14 tablespoons water
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
To make the filling, heat oil and fry onion gently until golden brown. Add the curry powder, cayenne and turmeric and fry gently. Add the chicken, potatoes, sugar, pepper and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Mix well and leave aside to cool.
To make the pastry, mix flour with butter or margarine, water and salt and knead well. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into small balls and roll into 3 inches diameter rounds. Take a tablespoon of filling and place in center. Fold pastry over to make a half circle and crimp the edges. Heat oil in wok and deep fry until golden brown. Serve hot with cilantro chutney.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tempura (Japan)
World-Bites (3) / Tempura (Japan)
One of the triumphs of Japanese cooking -- a fried food that is light and fresh-tasting
rather than heavy and greasy, Tempura is a popular Japanese dish of deep-fried battered meats, seafood or vegetables. It's a cooking style in which the essence of the ingredient itself completely defines the taste. In Japan, restaurants specializing in tempura are called tempura-ya and range from inexpensive fast food chains to very expensive five-star restaurants. Many restaurants offer tempura as part of a set meal or an obento (lunch box), and it is also a popular ingredient in take-out or convenience store obento boxes. Outside Japan (as well as recently in Japan), restaurants sometimes use broccoli, zucchini and asparagus. American restaurants are known to serve tempura in the form of various meats, particularly chicken, and cheeses, usually mozzarella.
Ingredients (vegetable/shrimp tempura)
1 onion
8 cauliflower florets
16 green beans
8 mushroom heads
1 potato
8 shrimp (medium)
Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs (yolk)
1 cup tap water
Dip
6-inch white radish
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
First make the dip. Heat soy sauce with sugar and stock. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Let it cool in a bowl. Add lemon juice and pour on grated radish. Dip is ready.
Peal and cut onion in 1/4inch slices. Secure the onion slices with toothpicks. Cut sweet potatoes into 1/8-inch slices and dip them in cold water. Wash mushroom heads, dry them with paper towel. Cut the ends of green beans. Peel the shrimp but keep the tails. Pat dry them and take out any liquid left in them.
Prepare the batter. Beat the egg yolk in a large bowl. Add cold water and beat to mix. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Batter is ready.
Dip vegetables/shrimp in batter and deep fry in small batches on medium heat. Serve hot with the dip.
One of the triumphs of Japanese cooking -- a fried food that is light and fresh-tasting
rather than heavy and greasy, Tempura is a popular Japanese dish of deep-fried battered meats, seafood or vegetables. It's a cooking style in which the essence of the ingredient itself completely defines the taste. In Japan, restaurants specializing in tempura are called tempura-ya and range from inexpensive fast food chains to very expensive five-star restaurants. Many restaurants offer tempura as part of a set meal or an obento (lunch box), and it is also a popular ingredient in take-out or convenience store obento boxes. Outside Japan (as well as recently in Japan), restaurants sometimes use broccoli, zucchini and asparagus. American restaurants are known to serve tempura in the form of various meats, particularly chicken, and cheeses, usually mozzarella.
Ingredients (vegetable/shrimp tempura)
1 onion
8 cauliflower florets
16 green beans
8 mushroom heads
1 potato
8 shrimp (medium)
Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs (yolk)
1 cup tap water
Dip
6-inch white radish
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
First make the dip. Heat soy sauce with sugar and stock. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Let it cool in a bowl. Add lemon juice and pour on grated radish. Dip is ready.
Peal and cut onion in 1/4inch slices. Secure the onion slices with toothpicks. Cut sweet potatoes into 1/8-inch slices and dip them in cold water. Wash mushroom heads, dry them with paper towel. Cut the ends of green beans. Peel the shrimp but keep the tails. Pat dry them and take out any liquid left in them.
Prepare the batter. Beat the egg yolk in a large bowl. Add cold water and beat to mix. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Batter is ready.
Dip vegetables/shrimp in batter and deep fry in small batches on medium heat. Serve hot with the dip.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
My Mother-in-Law's Masterpieces
My mother-in-law loved me much before my marriage as a friend of the family and became my best friend after I got married to her youngest and the most favorite son. Her greatest happiness was making meals for family and friends. On Sundays specially, it was always a lavish lunch. Her menu would consist of multiple courses, including one special dish which needed elaborate preparation, matching spices, time consuming cooking, a lot of concentration and, of course, the love and passion that only she could put in. The end result was always an awesome meal that is remembered by all long after my mother-in-law passed away. If I have to name top three of my most favorite dishes that have not been matched by anyone so far in my knowledge, they are the following:
Sarson Ka Saag with Makki Ki Roti: Mention Punjabi food and the first thing that comes to mind is makki ki roti and sarson ka saag. The pride of Punjabi cuisine in winter, it is simple, sizeable and hearty - with no unnecessary frills or exotic accompaniments A signature dish of Punjab, it is prepared with mustard greens. The dish is something of a delicacy simply because besides the long preparation time, the vitamin rich dish also requires a lot of time to cook. My mother-in-law cooked it on a slow fire for hours to coax out that perfectly robust taste. In fact, the longer it takes to cook the saag, the better it tastes. She cooked it with a minimum of spices so that the fresh taste can be retained. The luscious green sarson ka saag, tastes fabulous with makki ki roti and a dollop of butter, both of which my mother-in-law made with perfection.
Dal Makhani with Tandoori Roti: One of the hallmarks of Punjabi Cuisine, this Punjabi delicacy is another feather to my mother-in-law's cuisine. Rich, creamy lentils, whole urad, cooked with assorted spices makes it one of the best warm and soul foods ever! Dal (lentil) Makhani (cream/butter) as the name suggests, is filled with calories and is a special treat. My mother-in-law cooked it on a slow fire, simmered for hours till it turned creamy and then flavored it with spices and rounded off with cream for that rich finish. For the final touch to make it the tastiest dal on the planet, she put plenty of ginger in the tadka and served it with tandoori roti, which she was expert in making.In fact, Maa ki Daal ('ma' means mother in hindi), this 'mother of all dals' is a firm favorite of our family. Traditionally this dal was cooked slowly, for hours, on charcoal. This gave it a creamier texture, made even better with fresh cream or fresh butter added to it. It is highly nutritious, essentially filled with rich proteins and fiber. It is a sumptuous meal and a staple diet in Punjab and most of Northern India. It is a very good source of energy and extremely healthy. This dal also tastes very good the following day and even the day after, when reheated properly.
Kadhi Pakora with Basmati Rice: Punjab Kadhi is a very famous Indian dish. One of the most popular cuisines liked by people in India and abroad, it is made from chickpea flour (besan) and sour yogurt. Till my marriage I was amongst those people who didn't care for kadhi much, but after I had the Punjabi Kadhi my mother-in-law made, I became a lover of this dish. I don't know what made this Kadhi so different and special but its taste was amazing. She made it traditionally with yogurt, but added a lot of water in the kadhi and let it simmer at very low heat for around 1/2 hour to get the final consistency. She used to say that the kadhi is not kadhi if its not simmered for a very long time. It gets the name from the term 'KADHNA' which is a process of simmering something on very low heat! Spicy pakoras in kadhi made it all the more delicious with basmati rice.
We had the old family servant, who was also a great cook. But my mother-in-law would not trust him to make any of the above main dishes, which she would insist on cooking herself. He was, of course, a great help with seasonal side dishes and chapaties. I also remained a sue chef to help her, except when the menu needed making of non-veg dishes. I have been pretty good at preparing non-veg meal, especially lamb curry and chicken tikka masala, which I learnt from my mother who was a great cook of mughalai dishes. Watching my mother-in-law closely, making her specialties, I was confident that I too had mastered those dishes. Today whenever I cook any of these dishes, I receive enormous appreciation. In my heart I know that my mother-in-law put her whole heart and soul, tender love and care while cooking meals for the family and friends, which I inherit. I learnt from her to take cooking as a passion and not a ritual. She remains my great mentor, though I can never match my mother-in-law's masterpieces.
Sarson Ka Saag with Makki Ki Roti: Mention Punjabi food and the first thing that comes to mind is makki ki roti and sarson ka saag. The pride of Punjabi cuisine in winter, it is simple, sizeable and hearty - with no unnecessary frills or exotic accompaniments A signature dish of Punjab, it is prepared with mustard greens. The dish is something of a delicacy simply because besides the long preparation time, the vitamin rich dish also requires a lot of time to cook. My mother-in-law cooked it on a slow fire for hours to coax out that perfectly robust taste. In fact, the longer it takes to cook the saag, the better it tastes. She cooked it with a minimum of spices so that the fresh taste can be retained. The luscious green sarson ka saag, tastes fabulous with makki ki roti and a dollop of butter, both of which my mother-in-law made with perfection.
Dal Makhani with Tandoori Roti: One of the hallmarks of Punjabi Cuisine, this Punjabi delicacy is another feather to my mother-in-law's cuisine. Rich, creamy lentils, whole urad, cooked with assorted spices makes it one of the best warm and soul foods ever! Dal (lentil) Makhani (cream/butter) as the name suggests, is filled with calories and is a special treat. My mother-in-law cooked it on a slow fire, simmered for hours till it turned creamy and then flavored it with spices and rounded off with cream for that rich finish. For the final touch to make it the tastiest dal on the planet, she put plenty of ginger in the tadka and served it with tandoori roti, which she was expert in making.In fact, Maa ki Daal ('ma' means mother in hindi), this 'mother of all dals' is a firm favorite of our family. Traditionally this dal was cooked slowly, for hours, on charcoal. This gave it a creamier texture, made even better with fresh cream or fresh butter added to it. It is highly nutritious, essentially filled with rich proteins and fiber. It is a sumptuous meal and a staple diet in Punjab and most of Northern India. It is a very good source of energy and extremely healthy. This dal also tastes very good the following day and even the day after, when reheated properly.
Kadhi Pakora with Basmati Rice: Punjab Kadhi is a very famous Indian dish. One of the most popular cuisines liked by people in India and abroad, it is made from chickpea flour (besan) and sour yogurt. Till my marriage I was amongst those people who didn't care for kadhi much, but after I had the Punjabi Kadhi my mother-in-law made, I became a lover of this dish. I don't know what made this Kadhi so different and special but its taste was amazing. She made it traditionally with yogurt, but added a lot of water in the kadhi and let it simmer at very low heat for around 1/2 hour to get the final consistency. She used to say that the kadhi is not kadhi if its not simmered for a very long time. It gets the name from the term 'KADHNA' which is a process of simmering something on very low heat! Spicy pakoras in kadhi made it all the more delicious with basmati rice.
We had the old family servant, who was also a great cook. But my mother-in-law would not trust him to make any of the above main dishes, which she would insist on cooking herself. He was, of course, a great help with seasonal side dishes and chapaties. I also remained a sue chef to help her, except when the menu needed making of non-veg dishes. I have been pretty good at preparing non-veg meal, especially lamb curry and chicken tikka masala, which I learnt from my mother who was a great cook of mughalai dishes. Watching my mother-in-law closely, making her specialties, I was confident that I too had mastered those dishes. Today whenever I cook any of these dishes, I receive enormous appreciation. In my heart I know that my mother-in-law put her whole heart and soul, tender love and care while cooking meals for the family and friends, which I inherit. I learnt from her to take cooking as a passion and not a ritual. She remains my great mentor, though I can never match my mother-in-law's masterpieces.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Spring Rolls (China)
World-Bites (2) / Spring Rolls (China)
Shuen Guen, popularly known world over as Spring Rolls, is a traditional Chinese snack, made with a round, thin dough sheet with fillings rolled inside and deep fried in oil. Spring rolls are usually eaten during the Spring Festival in China, hence the name. It is a very popular snack in several Asian countries, most notably China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. The snacks are crisp outside and fresh inside, really delicious. Spring rolls vary slightly from place to place, with well-known types being Shanghai Spring Rolls and Fuzhou Spring Rolls.
Ingredients
20 medium frozen spring roll wrappers, 9in square, defrosted
1 egg white lightly beaten
2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
For the filling:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1lb carrots cut into thin strips
1/4lb cabbage, finely shredded
7oz canned sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and cut into thin strips
3/4lb snow peas or thin green beans, thinly sliced on the diagonal
8 shitake mushrooms, stems removed and cups thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
3 teaspoons light soy sauce
6oz noodles, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and cut into short lengths
8 scallions cut into rounds
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the filling, heat the oil in a wok. Add the carrots, cabbage and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the snow peas or green beans, mushrooms, the ginger and soy sauce and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the noodles and scallions and stir-fry rapidly for 2 minutes, until the liquid evaporates but the vegetables are still moist. Season to taste, remove from the wok and let cool.
Place one spring roll wrapper on a flat surface. Put about 2 tablespoons of the cold filling on the corner nearest to you. Flatten the filling a little, then roll the corner of the wrapper over it, toward the center. Fold in the two side flaps. Brush the far corner of the wrapper with a little of the egg white and continue rolling to make a well-sealed bundle. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
Heat the oil in a deep-fat frier or wok. Add 4 spring rolls, lower the heat a little, and deep fry for 6-8 minutes, turning the rolls several times until golden brown. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep the spring rolls hot in a warm oven until the remaining batches are fried, then serve immediately. Alternately, leave the cooked rolls until cold, then briefly refry just before serving.
The cooked spring rolls can be frozen for up to 4 weeks. To serve, heat the oil and deep fry the frozen rolls for 6-8 minutes.
Shuen Guen, popularly known world over as Spring Rolls, is a traditional Chinese snack, made with a round, thin dough sheet with fillings rolled inside and deep fried in oil. Spring rolls are usually eaten during the Spring Festival in China, hence the name. It is a very popular snack in several Asian countries, most notably China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. The snacks are crisp outside and fresh inside, really delicious. Spring rolls vary slightly from place to place, with well-known types being Shanghai Spring Rolls and Fuzhou Spring Rolls.
Ingredients
20 medium frozen spring roll wrappers, 9in square, defrosted
1 egg white lightly beaten
2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
For the filling:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1lb carrots cut into thin strips
1/4lb cabbage, finely shredded
7oz canned sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and cut into thin strips
3/4lb snow peas or thin green beans, thinly sliced on the diagonal
8 shitake mushrooms, stems removed and cups thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
3 teaspoons light soy sauce
6oz noodles, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and cut into short lengths
8 scallions cut into rounds
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the filling, heat the oil in a wok. Add the carrots, cabbage and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the snow peas or green beans, mushrooms, the ginger and soy sauce and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the noodles and scallions and stir-fry rapidly for 2 minutes, until the liquid evaporates but the vegetables are still moist. Season to taste, remove from the wok and let cool.
Place one spring roll wrapper on a flat surface. Put about 2 tablespoons of the cold filling on the corner nearest to you. Flatten the filling a little, then roll the corner of the wrapper over it, toward the center. Fold in the two side flaps. Brush the far corner of the wrapper with a little of the egg white and continue rolling to make a well-sealed bundle. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
Heat the oil in a deep-fat frier or wok. Add 4 spring rolls, lower the heat a little, and deep fry for 6-8 minutes, turning the rolls several times until golden brown. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep the spring rolls hot in a warm oven until the remaining batches are fried, then serve immediately. Alternately, leave the cooked rolls until cold, then briefly refry just before serving.
The cooked spring rolls can be frozen for up to 4 weeks. To serve, heat the oil and deep fry the frozen rolls for 6-8 minutes.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
World-Bites/Samosas(India)
This is my maiden blog post of the series of posts I propose to publish under the title World-Bites, a collection of bite-size dishes and appetizers from around the world. Those pressed for time will find World-Bites simple yet impressive preparations which would come handy any time of the day as in- between -the meals snacks or some even as substitutes for the main meals. Even better, a number of nearly 100 recipes require little prep time and assume basic know-how on the part of the home chef. Some recipes may involve many ingredients which are not always the easiest to find and are time consuming , the result however, is so much worth it. World-Bites is for whoever loves cooking and understands the dedication that good food that amuses and impresses takes, even when it is not a full meal. There is a recipe for every taste or international food preference for which I profusely thank my friends from far and near who helped me with their valued input to make World-Bites truly representative of different regions in the world. Still, to make it more inclusive of food from different cultures and countries, I request readers to make this post their own page by contributing recipes from their region through comments to make World-Bites more meaningful and enjoyable for all. Indeed, I will be ever thankful for their heartfelt help.
To start the World-Bites series, what better snack could there be than the world famous Samosas from India – the deep-fried stuffed patties (meat/vegetable)
Samosas (India)
Meat Stuffing
2lbs ground lamb or chicken
2 medium sized yellow onions (finely minced)
6 pods of garlic (minced)
2 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
1 green chili (minced)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 green cardamoms
6 tablespoons oil
Heat the oil in heavy-based saucepan on medium heat. Add minced onions, cumin seeds, black pepper and cardamoms. Stir-fry for 10 minutes or till onions are golden brown. Add meat and stir-fry for 10 minutes. Add garlic, green chili and tomatoes. Stir-fry for 10 minutes. Cover the pan and let meat simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for a few more minutes till all liquid is dried up. Set aside for cooling.
Vegetable Stuffing
2lbs boiled potatoes (mashed)
1 cup green peas
2 green chilies (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons oil
Stir-fry all the ingredients for 5 minutes.
Ingredients for Dough
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup water
Make firm dough (kneading for about 5 minutes). Divide the dough into 30 small balls. Roll each ball into 4-inch round. Cut each roll to half. Make a coned shaped triangle of each half roll and fill it with the cooked meat/vegetable stuffing. Seal the triangle's open side pressing with moistened fingers. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan to 300 degrees. Deep-fry Samosas till golden brown.
Serve with mint and cilantro chutney/tomato ketchup.
To start the World-Bites series, what better snack could there be than the world famous Samosas from India – the deep-fried stuffed patties (meat/vegetable)
Samosas (India)
Meat Stuffing
2lbs ground lamb or chicken
2 medium sized yellow onions (finely minced)
6 pods of garlic (minced)
2 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
1 green chili (minced)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 green cardamoms
6 tablespoons oil
Heat the oil in heavy-based saucepan on medium heat. Add minced onions, cumin seeds, black pepper and cardamoms. Stir-fry for 10 minutes or till onions are golden brown. Add meat and stir-fry for 10 minutes. Add garlic, green chili and tomatoes. Stir-fry for 10 minutes. Cover the pan and let meat simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for a few more minutes till all liquid is dried up. Set aside for cooling.
Vegetable Stuffing
2lbs boiled potatoes (mashed)
1 cup green peas
2 green chilies (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons oil
Stir-fry all the ingredients for 5 minutes.
Ingredients for Dough
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup water
Make firm dough (kneading for about 5 minutes). Divide the dough into 30 small balls. Roll each ball into 4-inch round. Cut each roll to half. Make a coned shaped triangle of each half roll and fill it with the cooked meat/vegetable stuffing. Seal the triangle's open side pressing with moistened fingers. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan to 300 degrees. Deep-fry Samosas till golden brown.
Serve with mint and cilantro chutney/tomato ketchup.
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