Kitchen3N

Recipes and food fun from Apt 3N

Rhubarb Mango Chutney

IMG_2464Is rhubarb out of season yet? I am way behind with this post, I know. I have been behind on life, in general, as of late. So even though I made my husband track down rhubarb when the season for it first came around (it is surprisingly difficult to find around these parts) and serendipitously also had some delicious, though overripe, Haitian mangoes on hand to make this weeks ago…I am only now sharing it with you. Sad face.

I know the combination of rhubarb, overripe mangoes, anise seeds and mustard oil aren’t ingredients most people have on hand most of the time. But as we near the end of rhubarb season, I hope you can still attempt to make this chutney. Or at least save it for next year.

I know most people tend to make some sort of rhubarb/strawberry pastry this time of year but something strange has happened to me recently. My sweet tooth has faded. Maybe I’ve made one too many cookies. But for some reason, butter rich, sugar filled treats just don’t give me the same satisfaction it used to. Not to say I’ve shunned them for good. I still taste test what I make and indulge when I go out with my girlfriends. Anyway, I was looking for something a bit more savory, and palatable for the rest of the clan. This was probably one of my most successful experimentations. It was annihilated at my in-laws’. Reduced to half in my own home overnight. It just hit every note. Admittedly, there is a lot of sugar in this, but only because the rhubarb was so darn tart. I don’t regularly have rhubarb, I don’t know if they range in tartness, but the tartness of this batch rivaled any lemon. If yours is less tart, feel free to start out with a smaller amount of sugar, and add more as needed.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp mustard oil
  • 1 pinch anise seeds or pach forom
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3 stalks of rhubarb, leaves and ends trimmed, diced into 1 in pieces
  • 4-5 dried red chilis (less for mild heat)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • pulp of 2 overripe mangoes, preferably the haitian variety

Directions

  1. Heat oil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the anise seeds or pach forom and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add rhubarb, chilis, sugar, vinegar, salt and mango pulp. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
  2. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is broken down. Taste for seasoning.

Spinach Purée with Quinoa (Saag ar Quinoa)

IMG_2426I did it! I conquered the quinoa! I thought about ways to desi-fy it since practically anything cooked in a curry sauce in this house gets consumed in minutes. Since I had this bag of frozen spinach in the fridge, I thought about doing a take on the classic palak paneer, replacing the protein in the form of paneer (cheese) with quinoa.

IMG_2421 Before you cringe at the thought of sullying your favorite buttery, cheesy spinach dish with healthy food, keep in mind  – it passed my taste test! In fact as I ate it throughout the week (the hubby helped – though the kids did not), and even went on to make French green lentils with the leftover vegetable stock, I really started acquiring a taste for these plant based proteins. When I had chicken after about two weeks, the poultry smell actually bothered me! Not to say I’m going vegan on you guys. No no no no. IMG_2422As I experiment with South Asian flavors and new ingredients, I’m excited to share some of the things I’ve been whipping up. On a side note: apparently the casual and sometimes excessive usage of the word “excited” or “exciting” is a uniquely American colloquialism. I found this out while reading the supremely entertaining and insightful novel Americanah about two Nigerians, following their lives in their home country and abroad. It reminds me a bit of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, about a chubby Dominican kid growing up in the states. Both these novels do such a great job of relating the immigrant experience, part universal, part relative to their specific ethnic group. They overshadow most novels in that genre (recall the overly saccharine images of the Mama Ganguli making her holiday cards or the tired “behind the veil” stereotypes offered by Hosseini).IMG_2432 I digress. I used tricolor quinoa for a nice balance of nutty and earthy flavors. The main difference between this preparation and past failed attempts at quinoa was SALT AND PEPPER. After cooking in the low sodium vegetable broth, it was OK. After seasoning to taste, I was like, “I could get used to this.” And the spinach puree, though not plated very well here, was amazing. Pair it with any of your favorite proteins (salmon, grilled chicken breast, etc.). I added a dollop of yogurt to balance the deep seated flavor, but you can add sour cream, creme fraiche or nothing at all!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp light olive or vegetable oil
  • a pinch of cumin seeds
  • a pinch pach forom (optional)
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 12oz bag frozen spinach
  • 2 green chilis
  • 1/8 tsp ginger powder (or raw ginger, minced)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp water

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, bring the quinoa and vegetable broth (or chicken stock) to a boil. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the ring pops out of the quinoa. When it’s done, season with kosher salt and pepper (about 3/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp respectively). Set aside
  2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the cumin seeds and pach forom, if using, and let it warm through until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add onions and saute until translucent (about 4 min). Add garlic and chilis. Stir to combine. Then add the frozen spinach, breaking up clumps with your wooden spoon. When it’s manageable, add the remaining ingredients. Let simmer, covered, for 5-7 min.
  3. Remove one of the green chilis and a bay leaf. You can always add the second chili to the puree if you like it hotter. Carefully add the spinach mixture to a blender and blend, covered, until smooth. Add water as necessary to thin it out. WARNING: (In case you are as inexperienced with the blender as I am)I made mine a bit too thin by attempting to blend it with the “Smoothie” function. “Ice Crush” did a much better job, but it was too late, I added the extra water already.
  4. Serve on top of the quinoa, adding yogurt as desired.

 

Banana Date Nut Bread

IMG_2408I bought quinoa a week ago. I still don’t have the guts to prepare it, out of fear of what happens to unfortunately too many of my experiments in healthy-food-ness. Make it. Eat some the first day. Then a day goes by: everyone opts for the other options in the fridge. Another day goes by: my mom brings over a vat of chicken curry. Another day goes by: take out time! By day 4, no one will be eating what they hadn’t eaten the past 4 days (my chia seed pudding is currently suffering that fate)! So while I procrastinate on the quinoa, I tried to make some healthier substitutions in my usual banana bread. After going through Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I was all like “yeah! butter! if french people can douse their food in it, why can’t we?”. Then I read an article that scared the pants off of me about saturated fats. So what to do?! There’s got to be a balance between the Paula Deen fried mac’n’cheese-wrapped-in-bacon death on a plate and quinoa/kale/green smoothie diet.IMG_2403So, here is my answer. Banana bread. I know bananas have a bad rap for the amount of sugar in them, but hey, they have potassium. That’s important, right? Personally, I’d rather eat natural foods with natural sugars (like coconut water) and vitamins/minerals than an artificially flavored protein shake to curb my appetite! So, on to this bread. Does it have sugar? Yes. But there’s fiber from the date and whole wheat flour. Does it have fat? Yes. But it’s coconut oil and supposedly the saturated fat in that is better for you. And nuts! Good fats that keep you full longer! I cut the amount of sugar from the original recipe by a 1/2 cup. If you’re rolling your eyes at me at this point, I’m ok with that. This isn’t a cake baked in a loaf pan that you can call a breakfast. It’s hearty. It tastes good. And you don’t have to feel guilty for having a slice. Have it with a glass of milk for a snack, or with coffee for breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 5 medium bananas, smashed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Bring the buttermilk and eggs to room temperature: set the half cup of buttermilk out and let it come to room temperature while assembling the rest of the ingredients. Place the eggs in a bowl with lukewarm water (cold ingredients will cause the coconut oil to congeal).
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x5in loaf pan with non-stick spray (or grease with butter).
  3. Combine coconut oil and sugar in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until combined (or use any electric mixer) for about 2 minutes. Add the bananas, eggs, and buttermilk, one at a time until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add to the wet ingredients with the mixer running, until combined.
  5. Turn off the mixer. Add the dates and pecans. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to combine (scraping off the sides and bottom).
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes (start checking with a toothpick at 1 hour 5 minutes. It should come out dry).

Caramel Cupcakes

IMG_2372 My sweet friend Rabia is expecting her second baby and one of the organizers of her baby shower, another long time friend, Nargis, tapped me to supply the cookies and cupcakes for the event! It was such a treat to experiment with new cupcake recipes, challenge myself with making sugar cookies shaped like books (theme was bring a book for baby), and contribute to such a lovely tablescape (made by Nargis!).IMG_2370Instead of doing the usual chocolate/vanilla selection, I decided to try a caramel cupcake recipe that’s been sitting on my shelf for years. It’s from a magazine from Fine Cooking entitled “Celebration Cakes” (that I think I got from a Lowe’s or Home Depot). If you’ve never worked with caramel, it might be a little tricky to get it right. But a little practice with caramel is so worth it for the world of concoctions you can make. The burnt sugar added some wonderful deep notes to the cupcake. And it came out moist and perfectly tender.IMG_2380 Along with the cupcakes, I made sugar cookies in the shape of books by slightly bending my square cookie cutter to a rhombus shape. And, because everything tastes better with chocolate, I applied a chocolate glaze made out of 10 tbsp butter and 10 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips (melted). I did the outline of the book with a ziploc bag with the tip cut. I filled in the “cover” by applying a dollop of the glaze and smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. I applied the “pages” with a simple powdered sugar/milk concoction. And the lettering – traditional buttercream. IMG_2375For the frosting, I used Ina Garten’s cream cheese frosting from her Flower Cupcakes, tinted in blue and pink. Recipe for the caramel cupcakes from Fine Cooking below. Their suggested pairing is a butterscotch frosting. If you’d like for me to share that recipe, just let me know. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup plus 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F and line a standard muffin pan with liners.
  2. Put 1/3 cup sugar in a shallow skillet and heat over medium high heat. This takes several minutes so while that goes, bring 1/3 cup of water to boil in a small saucepan. Keep warm. Once the sugar starts to melt, swirl it around every once in a while to help it along. Once it becomes a deep amber color, turn off the heat and carefully pour the water into it. It will sizzle so stand back. The caramel will harden so return to a medium high heat and stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve the caramel.
  3. Spray a glass measuring cup with non stick spray (I don’t know if this step is necessary, but I did so for good measure). Pour enough of the liquid caramel to a 1/2 cup measure. Let cool until warm.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. In your stand mixer, or in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds. With the mixer running, slowly add the 3/4 cup sugar. Beat for about 1 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 60 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the bowl, add vanilla and continue beating. Switch to low speed and add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Follow up with 1/2 of the liquid caramel. Add another third of the dry ingredients, second half of the caramel, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients.
  5. Divide the batter evenly. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Wait to completely cool before frosting.

Easy Fried Rice

IMG_6406 Ever since I started cooking for myself, my taste for takeout has rapidly declined (pizza and sushi exempt). Take chinese takeout for example: when I was a kid, it was the ultimate treat. My Friday lunch if I used my allowance wisely. I’m not sure what you know about Bengali moms, but they are pretty militant in their meal regiment. Rice, vegetable saute/bhorta, some kind of protein curried, and daal. That is what you have for dinner, every night. Without fail. Every bengali kid who grew up here knows the struggle to have something different on the table (first world problems, I know). And the retorts that follow: “Eh? Pizza? How is that any kind of food? What with all that cheese…and they wonder why American kids are so fat!”. This is usually said as one or more uncles are stuffing their faces with beef or goat curry and are working away at a Mt Everest sized mound of rice on their plate.

Anywho, takeout became less of a treat as I started making things like fried rice, fried chicken or tacos at home. The takeout versions just seemed laden with MSG, salt and grease. I used to be a little incredulous of Rachel Ray always insisting that the food you cook at home is so much better than takeout because you control what goes in there. But once you wean your taste buds of those noxiously high amounts of salt and fat, you can appreciate well made food. Food that someone didn’t just throw salt and fat at to make taste good. Rather, food that took time and thought to cook. Tasting along the way to make sure everything came together at the end.

IMG_6411Not to say that this recipe doesn’t include oil or sodium. I make mine with light olive oil (as opposed to extra virgin) and soy sauce, along with fresh garlic, ginger powder, and a generous serving of sriracha afterwards. It’s very versatile though: use any leftover meat you may have. And it’s quick and easy enough for a weeknight meal. You can use any combination of vegetables you like, as long as there are some root vegetables (onions, carrot, celery, etc.) along with corn, peas or even zucchini. For the protein, you can substitute eggs, small cubes of beef, shrimp or even tofu. And the cilantro is optional (I would put cilantro on everything if I could).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup short grain rice
  • 3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed root vegetables, chopped small, comparable to the size of peas (I used onions, carrots and green peppers)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp ginger powder
  • 2 tbsps soy sauce
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed (if using left over curried chicken, rinse under water to get rid of the spices)
  • 1/4 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup frozen corn
  • a handful of cilantro, chopped

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan or pot, rinse the rice with cold water. Then add water to cover (the water should cover the rice by at least an inch). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium while preparing the vegetables.
  2. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the vegetables and let them soften (about 5 minutes depending on how big you cut them). Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium.
  3. Working quickly, and keeping an eye on your vegetables so they don’t burn, drain the rice in a colander. Add to vegetables. Add chicken and frozen vegetables. Combine over medium heat. Be sure to break up any big chunks of rice (short grain rice is very starchy). Cook until frozen vegetables are heated through. Top with cilantro and taste for seasoning.
  4. Serve with Sriracha or any hot sauce of your liking.

Coconut Egg Curry (Deem Bhuna)

IMG_2326This weekend was a welcome respite from the bitter cold of the past few months. Temperatures soared to the 50s (watch out LA, we’re catching up). I refused to wear socks…despite that fact that all the snow hadn’t fully melted. We took it all in. Enjoyed our walks instead of rushing from building to car to store then back.

But now the week has begun and and with it, freezing temps. So you can imagine my efforts to avoid multiple trips to the store. I’m pulling out all the stops to use up pantry ingredients. And I know how my readers love a CHEAP, QUICK and DELICIOUS weeknight meal.IMG_2322This doesn’t look like your usual curry (for lack of liquid). This type of dish is called a bhuna: where the liquids are allowed to evaporate for the most part, leaving a concentrated flavor enhanced usually by a large amount of caramelized onions. Most Bengalis would leave a dish like this for special occasions, typically shunning the high amount of cholesterol by the egg and coconut milk combination. Except now, according to recent studies, the cholesterol/fat found in both is good for you (but perhaps not for South Asian populations??). Who knows what to believe anymore with studies constantly disproving what we thought to be true for so long. I’m going to go with my usual wisdom: enjoy in moderation!

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 12 oz can coconut milk
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 3/4 tsp coriander
  • a pinch of turmeric (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 green chilis (or more if you like)
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper (or white pepper for a more mild heat)

Directions

  1. Place the eggs gently into a small saucepan and add enough water to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil over hight heat, then put the lid on and turn off the heat. Let sit for 6 minutes. Then run under cold water to help cool down enough to peel. PEELING TIP: crack on the counter and roll around. That helps loosen the shell.
  2. In a small nonstick saute pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. While it heats, toss the eggs with a pinch of turmeric and salt. Once hot, add the peeled eggs and let it sear on one side, after 30 seconds or so, stir to brown the flip side (do the best you can with this). Remove from heat.
  3. In a large saute pan, heat the remaining oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until they are brown around the edges (8 to 10 minutes). Add the coconut milk, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric (if using), bay leaf, chilis, salt and pepper.  Let it simmer over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, toss to combine, and check for seasoning.

VARIATIONS

Simple bhuna: ditch the coconut milk for water. Increase turmeric to 1/2 tsp.

Tomato and cilantro: use 1 cup water instead of coconut milk and add 1 tomato, diced. Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Korma: Ditch the turmeric. Use milk or half and half in lieu of coconut milk. Garnish with raisins and slivered almonds.

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

IMG_2303 Were the first year or two out of college a big smack in the face for anyone else? I remember sitting around  my freshman year sociology class discussing Durkheim, or learning about the Coriolis effect in Intro Mechanics, or even listening to Bashir Abu Manneh’s impassioned lectures on Fanon, thinking, “I’m good enough to get this far, I can do pretty much whatever I want to do.” Well, I couldn’t. Not for a long time. For many of us who graduate from Liberal Arts schools without ultra competitive job offers, Teach For America gigs, or grad school acceptances, life after college is a bitch.  IMG_2271One of my peers in Physics had a nanny gig lined up after graduation. Mindy Kaling, even with her Dartmouth education, nannied for a while when she first moved to the city. I got a part time job pushing paper at a consulting firm (that led to better opportunities later on). I searched for jobs for over a year and a half, whereas I believed with my degree, landing one would be a cinch. It was a humbling experience. I realized that as while you’re dishing out the dough, you can be fooled into a false sense of entitlement. But when it comes to earning a few of those dollars back, intelligence is rarely enough. You need to be practical. Don’t fall into the same millenials boat.IMG_2282 Moral of the story is this: don’t go to a liberal arts school. Of, if you do, do incredibly well, so that you graduate at the top of your class. Become a pharmacist. Or learn to code. Make sure you have a decent internship lined up before your senior year. Harass people to get a decent job offer – persistence pays. I wish someone had told me any one of these.  IMG_2285 What does all this have to do with chocolate chip banana pancakes? Well, I have a lot of time to think while babysitting these guys on the stove. I make these like once a week and they are so incredibly good. I rarely have enough overripe bananas for banana bread, but often have one or two. The perfect amount for providing a hint of sweetness and banana flavor to regular pancakes. They are so light and fluffly…not like these ricotta pancakes I had at brunch a few weeks ago at a pretty popular Greenpoint spot (could NOT finish those dense giants).

I make them “reduced guilt” by incorporating whole wheat. You can even go the full 9 yards by subbing unsweetened applesauce for butter, and blueberries for chocolate chips. I sometimes have blueberries and hand and ALWAYS have chocolate chips. So, here you go.IMG_2305

Ingredients

  • 2 overripe bananas
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups whole or reduced fat milk
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Mash bananas in a medium bowl with fork. Add egg and whisk together. Add milk and stir to combine. I like to melt the butter in the frying pan that I’m using to cook the pancakes in. Add to the banana/egg/milk mixture.
  2. Add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar to the mix. Stir to combine without over beating (few lumps are ok). Add chocolate chips.
  3. Heat up your griddle or non stick pan over low heat.
  4. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles come through, about 1 min. Flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until  you achieve a golden brown color.

I prefer this method rather than adding pads of butter to the pan for each pancake, as the coloring is much more even.

Fruit Chaat

IMG_2249 I remember having fruit chaat for the first time at my cousin Lima Apa’s house. I was flabbergasted at how bright and flavorful a simple yogurt dressing made otherwise pretty boring fruit (green apples, red grapes). Since then, I use the dressing as a way to eat more fruits during the winter months. When the mangos are tart and the berries are lackluster. A quick toss, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the fruit disappears!

The key ingredient in this South Asian fruit salad is Chaat Masala. A tangy/savory/spicy combination of spices that includes salt, chili powder, black pepper, citric acid and green mango. On it’s own, it’s a bit too spicy for me. So a little bit of it, along with a little bit of salt and the yogurt is uh-mazing. It’s available in any South Asian grocery.

IMG_2255I’ve left this deconstructed since it’s not so pretty mixed up. This makes for a great appetizer if you’re hosting a party, or even as a hostess gift. Just leave some toothpicks on the side for people to pierce the fruit with.

It’s so versatile, you can alter it any which way to accommodate most dietary restrictions. Dairy allergy? Use soy yogurt. Counting calories? Substitute lowfat yogurt in the dressing (though I am a big proponent of eating full fat foods in moderation). Allergic to a specific fruit? Just leave everything in their own compartments. Cover well with plastic wrap if transporting or consuming later in the day.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup full fat yogurt
  • 3/4 tsp chaat masala (or you could use a mix of equal parts chili powder, black pepper, coriander, and cumin)
  • 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Directions

1. Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl. You only need a small amount for each cup of fruit – approximately 1 tbsp per cup.

Sambar

IMG_2157 Is anyone else desperately searching for flights out of this frozen tundra?? I know I am. And as much as I’d love a quick getaway, schedules and money are just slightly getting in the way. So if you can’t get away to the heat…bring it!

Let me start off by issuing an apology to any of my South Indian readers: I am sorry. This is not an authentic Sambar. For those who are less familiar, sambar is a traditional South Indian lentil and vegetable soup and is an accompaniment to pretty much any South Indian meal. You can dip your idli (rice cake) or dosa (rice flour crepe) in the spicy/tangy/savory broth. Or you can have it over rice, or the way I do: straight out of the bowl. This version came about after some extensive online searches for sambar recipes, as well as some deep soul searching into what ingredients I can make do with thus saving myself a trip to the store. I did not use Tur daal, as is traditionally used in sambars. No coconut or curry leaves. This is basically my usual daal, but with the addition of:

  1. mixed vegetables – so I can sneak some more veggies into my kids
  2. tamarind – to provide that distinctly tart taste
  3. cumin, coriander and chili powder – for a well rounded and spicy flavor profile
  4. and ketchup…because I was out of tomatoes.

I know, I know! Ketchup! But things changed when I got a bottle of REAL ketchup. Like organic ketchup, with no high fructose corn syrup. It’s not overpoweringly sweet. It tastes like…tomatoes. So it was really a wonderful substitute in this dish. I actually think I’m going to add it to more dishes (e.g. like my mother in law’s sweet chicken curry…the whole sauce is ketchup based!).

You can add as few or as many red chilis as you like. Just keep in mind, the longer you cook the chilis and sambar together, the spicier it will be. I prefer to just smush the chilis into the broth as I’m eating, little by little. But that’s only if you can handle the heat.

IMG_2197

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup masoor daal, rinsed with water and picked through for any impurities
  • 8 cups of water
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 4 dried red chilis
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables (I used an assortment of frozen peas, corn, edamame and peppers)
  • 2 tsps salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • pinch of chili powder (or a 1/4 tsp depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 pinch pach forom
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste
  • 2 heaping tbsps good ketchup
  • a handful of cilantro

Directions

  1. Rinse the lentils in a medium saucepan and add the 8 cups of water. Add garlic and 2 of the chilis and bring to a boil over high heat. Watch carefully as it might overflow.
  2. Reduce heat to medium high and skim off the foam on top. Add the vegetables, salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin and chili powder and cook until lentils are cooked through (about 10 to 12 minutes).
  3. While that is going, heat the olive oil in a small to medium fry pan over medium heat. Add the onions and stir occasionally. When starting to brown around the edges, lower the heat and add the pach forom, minced garlic and remaining two chilis. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. In a small bowl, dissolve the tamarind with some of the liquid from the sauce pan. Add back into the saucepan, along with ketchup and fried onion mixture. Add the cilantro and check for seasonings. It should have a slightly salty bite.

Rocket Cake

IMG_2127

Photo credit: my dear sister in law, Sabika Mustafa. Ethics Bowl Champ of NJ!!

My daughter wants to be an astronaut…for now. For the sole purpose of being able to board a rocket and go to the mysterious presence in the night sky. I remember wanting to as well. Then I learned you have to pass a swim test. And psych testing. And you  need a PhD in math/science/engineering (the bachelors did me in).

And the job market doesn’t seem to be too promising for astronauts, since they’re outsourcing it to the machines [insert techno slur]. But she doesn’t know all this just yet. So for now, [CLICHÉ ALERT] she will just have her rocket cake and eat it, too. IMG_2071Planet earth(ish) sugar cookies, pop rocks, and little green men all helped make the space party special!IMG_2066For the inside, I used the classic chocolate cake recipe from Ina Garten (Beatty’s Chocolate Cake), baked in an 11×15 pan for 27 min. Except I did the usual substitution for buttermilk (1 tbsp white vinegar + 1 tbsp less than 1 cup of milk). And since the kids were going to be hopped up on sugar, I used decaf coffee. I’ve been doing  A LOT of reading up on cakes. And there’s no wonder why this recipe has over 1700 rave reviews and counting. There’s:

  • vegetable oil, which is a liquid at room temp, which makes it moist
  • coffee, which compliments the cocoa flavor and also adds moisture
  • acidity from the buttermilk: which tenderizes the flour

And yet with all these liquids, the cake holds up well enough to decorate. I used the guide from Spoonful on how to create a rocket cake. Just remember when you are attaching the “thrusters”, you have to flip cut parts down, and then over, so that the curve faces away from the cake. I added a little extra “flair”  with the leftover scraps (I could have eaten all of them myself, but my pants would hate me for it).

IMG_2037I also made two other cakes: banana cake with dark chocolate ganache for my daughter for the day of her birthday and perfect yellow cake with chocolate buttercream for a friend from college on her 30th (can you tell I’m a big smitten kitchen fan?)!IMG_2010

For the frosting, I used a concoction of my own:

Ingredients

  • 12 oz white chocolate (Ghirardelli)
  • 3 sticks (12 oz) butter, room temp
  • 4 tbsp milk (or as needed)

Directions

  1. Break the chocolate up and add to a  bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted. Do not overheat! Remaining bits of chocolate will melt with the residual heat of the melted chocolate. Just keep stirring! Mine took 90 seconds. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Whip butter at medium speed for 1 minute. Add cooled chocolate and continue whipping for 2 minutes. Lower the speed and add milk until it reaches spreadable consistency. Tint TINY dabs of food gels to decorate.