Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala

Food is good. Food wrapped up in a little parcel is even better.
Ever since the Daring Cooks made a form of dosa last month, I have been looking forward to making even more authentic ones. You know, the kind where you grind and ferment the batter.. no? Let me 'splain it - medium grain rice and urad dal are soaked separately, with some fenugreek seeds for flavour, then ground in a special machine, fermented overnight and then cooked up like crepes and stuffed with savoury filling.
This particular filling is from Gourmet magazine's last issue. Sniff. I will miss you Ruth Reichl.
It is spicy and warm and totally delicious. But then again I love spicy foods. I have included the Rava Dosa (crepe) recipe that the magazine used, because I assume that the bulk of my readers don't have a wet grinder. The recipe for the crepe that I used, and a video tutorial, are here.

You are probably asking yourself - how does a pink lady way up in the Great White North have an Indian wet grinder? Well, funny you should ask..
A friend of mine deals in gently used goods, vintage and antiques. She had someone come to her store to sell her this piece of equipment, which she assumed was a grain mill. She generously gave it to me as she knew I was a bread baker. I could tell right away that it wasn't for making flour... but it was hubby researching on the internet that figured out what it was. The machine has large stone wheels for grinding and is made for grinding wet batters out of rice and dals to make dosa and idli. Dosa and idli are South Indian foods, often eaten for breakfast. I don't have a rack for making idli, which are like little steamed buns, but Christmas is coming. :)

I had my groovy little machine for a while before I attempted using it. It sat in the kitchen, patiently waiting for me to be courageous and get cooking. Meanwhile, I had good friends help me with understanding the different dals, rices, and how to make dosa. Thanks so much to Muneeba, Lubna, and especially Aparna.

Dosas with Potato Chickpea Masala
Gourmet Magazine, November 2009
by Melissa Roberts

For masala filling:
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 cup dried grated unsweetened coconut
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 (3-inch) fresh jalapeño, coarsely chopped, including seeds
1 (2 1/2-inch) piece peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 large onion, chopped (about 3 cups)
1 (15-to 19-ounces) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

For rava dosas: *I didn't use this dosa recipe*
1/2 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
Vegetable oil for brushing

Make Masala filling:
Peel potatoes and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cold water.

Toast coconut in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and wipe out skillet. Toast cumin seeds in skillet over medium heat, shaking skillet frequently, until fragrant and just a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Transfer to another small bowl. Reserve skillet.

Purée jalapeño, ginger, and garlic in a blender with curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, oil, 1/4 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Transfer purée to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 8 minutes.

Drain potatoes, then add to onion mixture with cumin seeds and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes.

Add chickpeas and remaining 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up any brown bits, then briskly simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 16 to 20 minutes more. Add peas and cook, covered, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted coconut and cilantro.

Make dosas while potatoes cook:
Whisk flours, cumin seeds, salt, and water in a bowl.

Generously brush a 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pour 1/2 cup batter into skillet, swirling until bottom is coated. Cook, undisturbed, until dosa is set and edges are golden, about 2 minutes. Flip using a rubber spatula and cook dosa until underside is golden in spots, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. Make more dosas with remaining batter, stacking and covering loosely with foil to keep warm. To serve, spoon masala filling into dosas.

Cooks' note:
Masala filling, without coconut and cilantro, can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled. Reheat before stirring in coconut and cilantro.

I served the dosa with some homemade yogurt and Patak's mango pickle. Yum!

Salad of Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken, Bulgar Wheat, and Pomegranates

I love to cook with recipes that are from, or have been influenced by, other cultures. This is a delicious and healthy salad from Middle Eastern influence, that serves four generously and makes for great lunch box fare if you have leftovers.
The pomegranate seeds sparkle like jewels and are full of anti-oxidants. It is warm and spicy as well as beautiful. Not just another chicken salad!

Salad of Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken, Bulgar Wheat, and Pomegranates

adapted from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons

Enchanting dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa

Diana Henry

Ingredients

4 chicken breast fillets, skinned

salt and pepper

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 head winter greens, chopped - I used curly endive

7 oz bulgar wheat (I topped mine up with quinoa)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 oz shelled walnuts or pecans

2 pomegranates

3/4 oz flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

3/4 oz cilantro, chopped

Greek yogurt, to serve

For the marinade:

4 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate syrup

1 1/2 tbsp runny honey

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

For the dressing:

Juice of 2 limes

1 tsp runny honey

1 tsp harissa

7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, seasoning with salt and pepper, and toss in a freezer bag with the chicken. Marinate overnight or at least several hours.

2. For salad - saute onion in the olive oil until soft. Add garlic and chopped winter greens, stir until wilted down. Add the grains, stirring until coated, and then add stock, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Taste for seasoning, fluff with a fork, cover and set aside.

3. Toast the walnuts or pecans.

Halve the pomegranates and remove the seeds into a bowl of water. Remove any clinging bits of membranes. Drain.

4. Take the chicken out of the marinade and grill it. Start on a very high heat, so that the outside gets nicely browned, basting with the marinade (minus onions) as it cooks. Turn half way through, then lower the heat to finish cooking. Cut each breast into broad slices.

5. Make the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients together and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Combine bulgar, chicken, most of the pomegranate seeds (reserve a handful for top), and herbs. Pour the dressing on top.

Garnish with reserved pomegranate seeds and nuts.

Serve warm or room temperature with Greek yogurt on the side.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

By far my favourite cookies are oatmeal, especially oatmeal with spices.
King Arthur Flour is a company that has never let me down and I was very happy with this recipe for chewy oatmeal cookies, adapted from their Whole Grain Baking book.

The dried fruits and nuts make them a little granola-y, and perfect for that mid morning slump. These will give you the delicious pick-me-up that you need to keep going, with whole grains, nuts and fruits that will stay with you and not let you crash after like a chocolate bar would.
Cookies that make you feel virtuous? Take two and call me in the morning.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking *a must-have for the baking library*
makes 40-50 cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 sup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp dark corn syrup
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups traditional whole wheat flour
2 cups dried fruit, chopped (I used dark and light raisins, craisins, apricots and figs)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I used pecans)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment or silpat.

Cream the butter, sugar, corn syrup, baking soda, salt, spices, vinegar, and vanilla. Bread in the egg. Add the oats, flour, dried fruit and nuts, and stir to combine. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies, reversing the pans in the oven half-way through if using two at a time, until starting to brown around the edges - 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit on pan a moment to set up, and then transfer to a rack to cool.

This gives you a soft and chewy cookie. Bake a minute or two longer for a crisp cookie.

Pork Loin in Ginger Sauce

This is a warm and fragrant dish for any ginger lover in your family. The recipe is adapted from a popular local Toronto restaurant called The Real Jerk. They have many a spicy dish, but this one is actually fairly mild. Feel free to spice it up with some hot peppers if you like, but the heat of the ginger and the sweetness of the pineapple makes for a delicious combination on their own.
I served the pork loin with basmati rice and a mango avocado salsa. Then I closed my eyes and pretended that I was in a land that was sunny and warm all year round. Well, a gal can dream.

Pork Loin in Ginger Sauce

adapted from The Real Jerk, New Caribbean Cuisine

Lily and Ed Pottinger

The Spaniards introduced ginger to the Caribbean in the 16th century.

Ingredients

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 2-lb pork loin roast, cubed into 1" pieces

1/2 cup flour (for dredging)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

2 inches ginger root, grated

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tbsp honey

1 cup pineapple chunks

Directions

In a large bowl, combine salt, pepper and soy sauce.

Add pork cubes and marinate for 15 minutes or up to an hour.

Lightly dredge cubes in flour.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, sear pork in oil, in small batches, until meat is lightly browned. You may need to add more oil as you work through the batch.

Strain meat, transfer to an oven-proof dish, and keep in a warm oven.

Pour off excess oil from the saucepan, then add water and ginger root.

Return pan to stove and stir in flour, thyme, and honey.

Let simmer for 3 minutes or until sauce is thick, but smooth.

Add pork and pineapple chunks and let simmer another 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and garnish with herbs.

I used basmati rice and Chinese chives. (One of the only herbs to have survived the frost here)

Harvest Dinner - Mustard Pork Chops, Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese, and an Autumn Slaw

This week's cooking club theme is Autumn Harvest. My mind goes directly to squash when I think of Canadian fall flavours, and I chose to do a dish based on butternut squash that I found in Nigella Express. I soon found some nice pork chops in the same book that went well with the squash, and I rounded the dishes out with an easy autumn slaw.
Simple, colourful, and healthy - this is an autumn meal that is nice to come home to on a dark and windy night.

Dark because it is so late? No, thanks to the time change, it was dark when I walked the dogs at 5pm! I'm not ready for this.

Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese
Nigella Lawson, Nigella Express, FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients
4-pounds 8-ounces butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 stalks fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup pecans
1 cup crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Halve the squash, leaving the skin on, and scoop out the seeds, then cut into 1-inch cubes; you don't need to be precise just keep the pieces uniformly small.

Put into a roasting tin with the oil and strip about 4 stalks thyme of their leaves, sprinkling over the butternut squash. If you can't get any fresh thyme, sprinkle over dried.

Roast in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes or until tender.

Once out of the oven, remove the squash to a bowl and scatter over the pecans and crumble over the cheese tossing everything together gently. Check the seasoning and add the last couple of stalks of thyme torn into small sprigs to decorate.

Mustard Pork Chops

Nigella Lawson, Nigella Express, FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients
2 pork chops, about 1-pound total weight
2 teaspoons garlic infused oil
1/2 cup hard cider
1 tablespoon grain mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream

Cut the fat or rind off the chops, and then bash them briefly but brutally with a rolling pin between 2 pieces of cling film/plastic wrap to make them thinner.

Heat the oil in a pan, and then cook the chops over a moderately-high heat for about 5 minutes a side. Remove them to a warmed plate.

Pour the cider into the pan, still over the heat, to deglaze the pan. Let it bubble away for a minute or so then add the mustard and stir in the cream.

Let the sauce continue cooking for a few minutes before pouring over each plated pork chop.

For the Autumn Slaw, I just combined shredded cabbage, carrot and thinly sliced apples and seasoned to taste with apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper, grainy mustard, mayonnaise and sliced green onions.

Bobby's Beef and Black Bean Chili with Avocado Relish

I have to admit, this is the first time I have made chili with stewing beef. My eyes have been opened, no more ground beef chili for me. Ok, I will probably still make ground beef chili from time to time, but my point is - how come nobody told me how good it was to have tender chunks of fall-apart beef in the pot?
This is a rich and spicy chili, Bobby Flay never fails to deliver in the flavour department. His is served with a toasted cumin crema, and I have included the recipe for that, but I used my lovely and creamy cottage cheese from yesterday's post.
I halved the chili recipe and got at least four generous servings, but I made the entire avocado relish recipe - which we ate in one sitting! I love the contrast of the spicy chili, the creamy coolness of the cheese, and the bright flavours of the relish. A wonderful combination indeed.


Beef and Black Bean Chili with Avocado Relish
Bobby Flay, FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon pasilla chili powder (I didn't have this - so I used chipotle chili powder)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 bottle dark beer (I had regular Canadian lager.. but I thought dark thoughts)
5 cups homemade chicken stock, or canned low-sodium or water
1 (16-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained and pureed
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained (I just went ahead and used the whole can for my half batch)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Toasted Cumin Crema, recipe follows (I used my cottage cheese from yesterday)
Avocado Relish, recipe follows

Directions
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and saute until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ancho powder, pasilla powder, and cumin and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the beer and cook until completely reduced. Return the beef to the pot, add the chicken stock, tomatoes, chipotle puree, and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the beans and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, and adjust seasonings.

Serve with a dollop of Toasted Cumin Crema and Avocado Relish.

Toasted Cumin Crema:
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the cumin in a small saute pan over medium heat. Toast until lightly golden brown. Place in a small bowl. Stir in the crema and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in a squeeze bottle.

Avocado Relish:
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno or serrano chile, finely diced
Lime juice
Chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Homemade Cottage Cheese

Further adventures in homemade cheesemaking have us creating large-curd cottage cheese this month. I am getting mine in just under the wire, and good thing too - I chose this cheese.
I do like cottage cheese, creamy and a little salty. I think of brunches; bagels, fresh fruit, lox and gloriously creamy cottage cheese.
What started as a lark with Heather and I has gained momentum and interest from others and now Heather has opened up a site dedicated to home cheese-making. Please visit Forging Fromage if you would like to join us in our cheesy adventures.
Now, back to cottage cheese... this recipe came together fairly easily for me, I added the calcium chloride with the rennet to help form the curds - a step suggested to me to help offset the dulling effects of the homogenization and pasteurization of store-bought milk.
The end cheese is creamy and light and delicious. Try this at home!

Large Curd Cottage Cheese
adapted from The Home Creamery, Kathy Farrell-Kingsley
go to Girlichef's site for step-by-step photos

Ingredients
1 gallon milk, whole, low-fat, or nonfat
1/4 tsp liquid rennet
1/4 tsp calcium chloride (optional)
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup cultured buttermilk
1 to 2 tsp sea salt

1. Pour the milk into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over low heat to 95F. Check temperature with a thermometer. (I use my slow cooker and a probe thermometer)

2. Dissolve the rennet in the water in a small cup (and calcuim chloride, if using). Stir the dissolved rennet into the milk for 30 seconds. Stir in the buttermilk. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour or until solid curds form.

3. Cut curds into 1-inch pieces. Heat the curds with the whey over low heat to 110F, stirring gently to bring curds from the bottom to the top (stir for the first 5 minutes, then every 5 minutes) it should take about 30 minutes for the curds to reach 110F.

4. Pour or ladle the curds into a colander lined with a double layer of butter muslin. Let the whey drain about 5 minutes, then gather together the edges of the muslin and rinse the cheese under cold water, squeezing while rinsing.

5. Squeeze the cheese dry, then transfer to a medium bowl and add 1 to 2 tsp of salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use or up to 2 days. (Add cream, if desired)

Cheesemaking supplies and links available on the Forging Fromage blogsite.

Tyler's Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cheese Tortellini

Wow. I can't believe it has been a whole year of Tyler Florence Fridays. We have had so much fun exploring this versatile chef's recipes. This is the last official day of the cooking group, but I will definitely be revisiting Tyler's recipes again and again.
For my last submission to the group, I decided to make a dish many of my friends have tried and raved about - his Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cheese Tortellini.
This was such a fun, simple and delicious dish. The serving style gives it wow factor, and doesn't betray how easy it actually is to put together. I roasted the squash ahead of time, and just re-heated it as I prepared the tortellinis and alfredo-like sauce. Boil, toss, stuff, bake. Nothin' to it. This is also pretty family friendly, I am sure many kids would like it.
I loved how the sage crisped up in the oven, give this one a try soon.


Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cheese Tortellini Tyler Florence, Stirring the Pot

Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound store-bought fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves only
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for topping
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Fresh sage leaves, for garnish


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half through the equator and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut a small piece off the rounded edge of both halves to give them a base to sit on. Place the squash halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tender. (mine took about 45 minutes - just keep checking, every squash will be different)

2. Cook the tortellini in salted boiling water according to package directions; drain well, reserving some of the pasta water. Set tortellini and pasta water aside.

3. In a separate saucepan heat the cream over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme; cook 5 to 7 minutes, until liquid is reduced and mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Add the 1 cup the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the nutmeg, stir over low heat to melt the cheese. Toss tortellini into cream mixture. (Use some of the pasta water to thin sauce, if necessary.) Season with salt and pepper, then divide among cooked squash bowls.

4. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle the tops with Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh sage leaves; bake for 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and golden.

The last day of: