Four Delectable Wheat Meat Dishes

Gluten has strongly polarized the current generation of food-loving folks. Depending on who we talk to, either gluten is the root cause of all evil and ailment, to be censured and possibly banned from diets; or, gluten is quite an essential part of a nutritionally-balanced meal that includes optimal whole grains which provide a rich array of vitamins and minerals.

Celiac disease is very real. Research connecting diabetes and gluten is well published. And, many seem to have high sensitivity to gluten in their diet, even if not diagnosed with Celiac disease.

Over the past few years, after staying gluten-free months at a time, switching to quinoa, millet, amaranth, brown rice for weeks a stretch, it seems to make no significant difference to the folks at home. So, I've made peace with gluten for now, promising to revisit the issue in a year or so. 

I am not a nutritionist, but, I do believe in consuming as much natural, primarily-vegetarian foods as possible with minimal processing -- leaning towards fresher,  homemade options than conveniently packaged heavily processed foods. As to going grain-free? I am still researching and experimenting.

Anyway, all that is to segue into these 4 vegetarian recipes for using homemade wheat meat. 

Every once in a while, I make a batch of  wheat meat with variations in flavor and cooking methods just to see if this is still tolerated by our digestive systems. Since it stores well in the fridge and freezer, I can use a little at a time incorporating it in a variety of dishes.


I. Wheat Meat Bulgogi with pickled ginger

Nothing much to it. Instead of beef, which we don't eat, simply slice the wheat meat and toss with other ingredients like, pickled ginger strips, pickled carrots and beets, julienned summer squash and cucumbers, thinly sliced onions soaked in vinegar,



II. Wheat Meat Crumble Burritos

Cut up the wheat meat chunks into smaller pieces and run it in a food processor to make a coarse crumble. Saute some onions, bell peppers, tomatoes along with the crumble, add some Taco seasoning and there you have it.

III. Wheat Meat Fajitas

Similar principle as above, but just thinly cut them to strips along with peppers and onions.

Homemade corn tortillas fresh off the griddle makes this interesting.

IV. Wheat Meat Meatballs

Since wheat meat is already cooked and ready to go, simply crumble it in a blender, then add egg and wet slice of bread for binding. Either bake or pan cook till it has a crusty outside and firm enough that it can hold its shape well in the sauce.

Other wheat meat dishes shared earlier:

Wheat Meat Pot Roast

Wheat Meat Philly Cheesesteak

Arisi Upma Kozhakattai

These steamed coarse ricemeal balls, Arisi Upma Kozhakattai, is my mom's specialty. She whips up a batch or two in no time at all and it is an all-day kind of meal - breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner, these taste good with suitable chutneys and dips.

Now, the recipe is my mom's, so, the measurements are not precise; which suits me fine as I rarely measure the ingredients before I cook.

Basically, coarse rice meal, "arisi ravai" or "rice idlee rava" as sold in Indian stores, is coarse ground raw rice about the texture of coarse cornmeal. It is versatile in south Indian tiffin/snack dishes.

This rice meal is cooked in water with some salt and oil to a fairly thick consistency - like the standard Upma - so as to be able to take a handful and shape into egg-shaped balls. Then, steamed gently and served hot with chutneys on the side. Alternately, I've tried this with leftover thick polenta shaped into ovoids and steamed as well.

During my fledgling days of pottering about in the kitchen, I often goofed up and made the upma too thick so that after steaming, they became hard as rocks, making my dad nickname them hand grenades. But, I think I've learnt a thing or two since then, so, am happy to make this dish whenever the mood calls for it.


Ingredients
2 cups rice idlee rava
½ cup dry grated coconut
4-5 cups hot water (more or less)
salt to taste

tempering: 1 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2-3 dry red chilies (broken)

optional: ¼ cup toor dal, soaked for 2-3 hours and ground to a fine paste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan and when shimmering add the mustard seeds, when they pop, add the dry red chilies, then add the hot water, some salt, and bring it to a boil
2. Slowly add the rice meal while stirring constantly so as to not form any lumps
3. Add the dry grated coconut and the toor dal paste, if using and stir till well incorporated
4. Adjust salt to taste, cover and cook on low heat till all the water is absorbed and the rice idlee rava is cooked through and comes together to a medium-thick scoopable consistency
5. Allow to cool a bit so it is easier to handle, and scoop a handful of it and form little oval balls
6. Steam them in idlee cooker or other simple steamer apparatus for about 8-10 minutes
7. Serve warm with chutneys like mint chutney or curry leaf chutney, or my favorite ridge gourd peel chutney

Migas: Crumbled and Mixed Veggies and Corn Tortillas

I stumbled upon migas a few years ago when I was making Chili Rellenos and didn't think much of it as it seemed like a quick scramble of leftover bread.

However, after reading Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones with delightful and quirky illustrations by Katie Kath, I was inspired to make a version of migas myself.

Stale-old almost-stiff-as-a-board corn tortillas got a new life with some colorful peppers and jalapeños, plus chard ribbons.

Sometimes, there's eggs and cheese, plus a side of avocados. And, sometimes, I leave out the eggs and have just the crisped tortillas and veggies.

Ingredients
1 cup chopped colorful bell peppers
1 japapeño, chopped
½ cup red onions, chopped
1 cup chard, chopped into ribbons
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp brown sugar
salt to taste
3 tablespoons of oil
4 to 6 corn tortillas, cut into bite-size squares
2 to 3 eggs, beaten (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a shallow pan and crisp up the corn tortilla squares and keep handy
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a separate pan and saute the veggies, adding the spices
3. Add the beaten eggs, if using, with the veggies and scramble
4. Toss in the crisped corn tortilla squares with the veggies and the eggs, serve warm

10 Grain Cereal Upma and Quinoa Upma

Upma ("Oop-maa") is a staple in south India, usually as a tiffin item for breakfast or sometimes a light dinner, made with coarse grits-like farina. There were two schools of thought about the ideal upma in our family when I was young: the grainy, non-lumpy, non-sticky kind with  lots of vegetables like carrots, peas, onions, ginger, tomatoes, chilies etc; and the gooey, ghee-dripping kind with just some tempering and possibly chilies and ginger and a touch of salt to taste.

Over the formative years, I've gone from liking one kind to the other and back again. These days, in my kitchen, it depends on my mood.

For the gooey porridge-like upma, I prefer the coarse meal 10 grain cereal sold in bulk food stores: wheat, corn, rye, triticale, oats, soy beans, millet, barley, brown rice, oat bran and flaxseed. Sometimes, I add an optional 11th item - viz., quinoa - to this mix.

For the grainy coarse upma, I like just the quinoa, or a mix of quinoa and bulgur. I cook it al dente first and then make the upma as below.

Veggies in either case depends on what's handy. Typically, onions, ginger, chilies, cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, peas are the staple. Sometimes I add cauliflower, edamame, kale or spinach.

Tempering: heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a pan, when oil is hot, add split urad dal, when the dal turns golden brown, add mustard seeds, and when mustard seeds pop, add curry leaves and the vegetables.

Saute the veggies, then, add the 10 grain cereal for the gooey upma. Add boiling hot water to the cereal in the ratio 1.5 : 1 - i.e., one measure of cereal gets 1.5 measure of boiling water. Cover and cook on medium low heat till the cereal is cooked through. Add in ghee or flax oil Omega butter™. Stir well and serve warm with Indian pickles.

Multigrain Puff Bread

We just coined that term at home for the biscuit-style soda bread I make for a quick soup accompaniment. Rather than just all purpose flour, I use a combination of flax meal and Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake Mix. Can substitute regular all purpose flour instead of the 10 grain pancake mix and increase the baking powder from 1 Tbsp to 2 Tbsp for this recipe - won't be "multigrain" puff bread anymore...

Each batch is flavored differently - garlic and herbs, just salt, cheese and olives... but the most favorite with the kids is the Cinnamon Raisin Multigrain Puff Bread I pack for school lunches and sometimes for morning breakfast.


Ingredients
½ cup flax meal
½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake Mix (or any generic multigrain pancake mix from bulk foods store)
1/8th teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
¼ cup Smart Balance Omega Butter Light
¼ cup raisins
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp 1% milk

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F
2. Combine the dry ingredients; then cut in the butter and mix till breadcrumb consistency
3. Add the milk a little at a time and knead gently till the dough comes together
4. Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead a little more and roll it out to ¼ inch thick
5. Cut out circles and place in a greased sheet pan and bake in 425°F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes till done on the inside (I usually test one to make sure)

Spread some more butter once it comes out of the oven, and serve warm.

For the garlic herb bread, same as above, except, no cinnamon powder or raisins or brown sugar; adjust salt to taste.

Simple Blueberry Muffins

Muffins are so commonplace these days that I don't think about them much. Some days, depending on my mood and ingredients, I whip up a quick batch for breakfast or for an afternoon snack. Each time, I vary the proportions and ingredients a bit, just to see how it turns out. Sometimes they turn out surprisingly yummy and at other times they get eaten anyway...

These simple blueberry muffins are a favorite with the kids. It is light, not too sugary, and quite tasty, especially when fresh from the oven. The quantity here makes about 12 standard size muffins.

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
½ to 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp each of cinnamon and vanilla (or more if preferred)
2 eggs
½ cup canola oil
½ cup thick plain non-fat yogurt (I like Nancy's™ for this)
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F
2. Combine the dry ingredients: sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ½ cup brown sugar together in a bowl and make a well (reserve the rest of the brown sugar for topping)
3. Stir in the wet ingredients: add in the eggs, oil, vanilla, and yogurt and stir with a wire whisk till just mixed, do not over-mix; fold in the blueberries
4. Grease a muffin pan or use paper baking cases, drop the batter in - to about 2/3rds full - in each baking case/mold; sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top for a crispy sweet skin
5. Bake in a 400°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
6. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and enjoy warm

Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler

Arrival of the fresh leaves on the reddish stalks signals Spring for me. Being the first of the backyard perennial that I harvest for cooking, rhubarb has a special place in the backyard and in my heart. Not that I relish it raw... too tart for my sensitive teeth, but, it is nice to know that I can make the usual scones and cobblers and chutneys with them, or freeze them for making Rhubarb-Strawberry jam when the strawberries arrive in a couple of months.

Enjoy it warm as-is, or with a scoop of home-made frozen yogurt or ice cream.




Ingredients
for the cobbler topping:
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup Smart Balance™ Omega Light Butter
¼ cup brown sugar
2- 4 Tbsp half-and-half or heavy cream, as needed
1 Tbsp baking powder

fruit mix:
2 cups chunky chopped rhubarb
2 cups quartered strawberries
¼ cup sugar or brown sugar or agave nectar
1 Tbsp flour

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
2. Fruit Bottom: Combine the fruit mix and keep handy
3. Cobbler Topping: Sift the flour and baking powder together, add the brown sugar and mix well; rub the butter into the flour mixture till crumbly; add some cream, a little at a time and work it in till it comes together to form a soft dough
4. Grease a bar cake or muffin mold pan; drop some fruit mix at the bottom; add a dollop of the cobbler topping dough; Alternately, use a round or rectangular cake pan instead, adjust cooking time according to the size of the pan
5. Bake in the 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes till the topping is done

Quick Vegetable Idlees

Before the kids arrived, I used to dutifully soak and grind and have batter fermenting for either Idlee, Dosai, or Adai, pretty much back-to-back. Just a habit I picked up from my mom. The batter keeps well in the fridge and is handy for quick breakfast or snack.

But, over the last couple of years, I have started relying on quick alternatives that are still healthy, but may not have the traditional process and taste. And, one such short-cut is quick idlees made with urad dal flour, rice idlee rava with suitable rising agents.

Years ago, I didn't think twice about the endothermic reactions my mom taught me (being my Chemistry teacher) but now that I use it a lot to create the rise in idlees, I just smile quietly and thank my mom. The endothermic reaction of Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) with Citric acid* in water creates the required rise in the form of Carbon Dioxide that is released.

Grated carrots, beets, ginger, even corn kernels, cilantro, onions can be mixed in with the idlee batter to add a boost. Sometimes, I throw in a handful of quick cooking rolled oats to the batter (adjusting water to get the right consistency).

In winters, for the yeast rise (rather than citric acid+baking soda reaction), I allow the batter to ferment for an hour or so in warm place (usually by the heating vent).

The batter consistency determines the quality of idlees - too thick a batter results in hard, dense idlees while soupy batter results in mushy goop. The quantity of water given here has worked well for me, but, feel free to experiment.

If idlee steamer is not handy, can use muffin mold pan. Steaming apparatus can be a pressure cooker minus the weight, or a large pot of boiling water with lid.

Ingredients
¼ cup urad dal flour
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ cup rice idlee rava
½ tsp citric acid
½ tsp baking soda
1¼ cup water†
½ tsp salt (or less, if preferred)

Grated vegetables (optional)
† Add one cup first and then add the rest as needed after the 10-minute wait, to get the right consistency

Preparation

1. Combine the ingredients, stir well and allow to sit for 10 minutes
2. If preferred divide the batter it into two parts, or make two batches separately as above. Stir in grated carrots, beets, ginger into one batch and corn kernels, ginger, onions, cilantro for the other. Or use any favorite vegetables, or none at all
3. Steam in the traditional idlee cooker for about 10 minutes or till done. The quantity given here makes about 8 standard size idlees(about2½ inch diameter)
4. Serve with favorite chutneys. My favorites for idlees are spice tomato-chili chutney and milder coconut-cilantro chutney, besides the staple Idlee Molaga Podi ( a home-made spice powder), of course [recipe to come] :)

An alternate recipe, using yeast:
½ tsp rapid rise yeast
1¼ cup warm water
¼ tsp sugar
¼ cup urad dal flour
3/4 cup rice idlee rava
½ tsp salt

Bloom the yeast in sugar+water till frothy (about 5 minutes). Then mix in the rest of the ingredients and allow to sit in a warm place for 1 or 2 hours before steaming.

*Some people are sensitive to citric acid as-is, but not to the end product of the citric acid+baking soda+water reaction.

Welsh Cakes

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus!

I didn't want St.David's Day, to go uncommemorated. So, I decided to make some Welsh cakes and some Leek-and-Potato soup to make D feel right at home. Sort of.

Not having visited Wales, I haven't really tasted the native specialty, but the Welsh Cakes recipe at BBC site is a fairly standard one as far as I gather.

However, having the chronic inability to follow a recipe to the letter, and an inherent resistance to using too much butter, I usually make a substitution or two so I can polish off a plateful fairly guilt-free:)

Now, on a medium-hot non-stick griddle it comes out nice and golden brown, but the hot cast iron griddle gives it that extra flavor plus the dark exterior. I like the cast iron griddle so, these cakes turn out moist and soft on the inside but a bit dark on the outside.

Without further ado, in honor of St.David's Day, here is a version of Welsh cakes. It tastes sort of like a cross between sweet fluffy pancake and buttery soft cookie.

Ingredients
1¼ cup flour (more or less)
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup Smart Balance Omega butter (light)
2/3 cup sugar (or less if using Castor sugar for dusting)
1 egg
¼ cup sultanas/raisins
round cookie-cutter or canning ring to cut shapes
optional: Castor sugar for dusting

Preparation

1. Sift the flour and baking powder together; work it into the butter to form coarse breadcrumbs
2. Add the sugar, eggs and raisins and knead to cookie-dough-like consistency
3. Dust a work surface and roll it flat to about ¼ inch thick and cut out small rounds
4. Cook in a hot cast iron griddle till golden brown on each side and cooked through
5. Dust with Castor sugar if preferred

Twisty Twirly Pretzel Bagel Buns

For want of an apt term, I let my 4 year-old sous chef suggest a name for these delicious baked goodies that started out as pretzels but took on its own identity :)

One Sunday morning, after the breakfast things were put away, we made the dough and let it rise, and then, after lunch, we set about preparing and baking these just in time for the afternoon snack. Of course, the shaping was the fun part for my 4 year-old, and me. The agave nectar and cinnamon sugar pretzels were almost as good as cinnamon buns. Almost :)

Ingredients
1½ tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp brown sugar
a pinch of salt
1½ cups 110°F water

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp oil

1½ cup hot water
1 Tbsp baking soda

2 Tbsp Smart Balance Omega butter, melted

Optional Toppings: Agave nectar or honey or maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, coarse salt crystals, stone-ground brown mustard

Preparation

1. Add the yeast and brown sugar to the 110°F water, allow to sit for about 5-8 minutes till frothy and active
2. Add the pinch of salt, then, the flour a little at a time and knead to a smooth elastic dough
3. Grease a bowl, coat the dough with oil, place in the bowl, cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in volume
4. Punch down a bit, take little portions and roll them into ropes for shaping
5. Heat some water in a pan, turn off heat and add the baking soda; keep handy
6. Shape the ropes of dough as desired, dunk them one by one in the water+baking soda solution till it rises to the top, remove with slotted spoon and place on a baking tray
7. Brush with agave nectar or salt crystals as desired and bake in a 500°F oven for about 8-12 minutes till brown on the outside and cooked through on the inside
8. Remove from heat, brush with butter, serve warm with mustard, or sprinkled cinnamon sugar

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for later use.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Very much like spiced banana breakfast shake, this could be a simple and wholesome meal in itself, especially if you like savoring a full 16oz in one go :)

Now, I used soy milk and whey protein powder in this just for a boost, but, can leave it out. Frozen bananas are the key, in my book at least, to get the thick rich texture.

A few fresh strawberries from our garden was handy, so I used them for garnish and presentation here.

Instead of strawberries, either blueberries or chunks of mango (my favorite), or even raspberries(D's favorite) can be used.

This has become such a favorite with Ana, especially when I whip it up in no time at her request that it almost seems like she is taking it for granted. Well, no matter - what are mom's for, right?! And, since I don't have to shell out 5$ to 7$ for a tall 16oz., I am glad to make it at home in its simplest and most-satisfying form :)

Ingredients
1 pint freshly picked sweet Hood strawberries*
2 medium bananas, peeled and left in the freezer for about 30 minutes
1 Tbsp whey protein powder
2-3 cups soy milk (or skim milk)
1-2 Tbsp Agave nectar

*Or any kind is fine, just that Hood that we picked are incredibly sweet and juicy

Preparation
Simply combine the ingredients and blend, adjusting milk/soy milk to get desired consistency.

Raised Jelly-filled Doughnuts

When we first got the bread machine as newlyweds, we used to love the delay-start feature where we can dump all the ingredients, set the time when we want it ready and forget about it. Usually, we program it on Friday nights to wake up to the delicious aroma of fresh-baked bread to start off the weekend.

Over the years, the bread machine has become sort of a second-class citizen in my kitchen. We still try to use it on and off and some of the breads turn out wonderful as always.

However, D and I have glanced at this recipe for raised doughnuts in the bread machine recipes book on and off but never felt motivated to try it until recently. It uses only ¼ cup sugar for about a dozen doughnuts, plus dusting with powdered sugar when hot makes it juicy and almost glazed, and it is very easy to make.

This here is a bread machine recipe, but, if preferred, can hand-knead it and allow to rise in a warm place before the second rising. We got about a dozen 4-inch doughnuts with this recipe.

Ingredients
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup water
¼ cup softened butter
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoon rapid rise yeast
Vegetable oil for frying
Confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)
strawberry preserves for filling (optional)

Preparation

1. Place all the ingredients in the bread machine, allow it to do its thing in the Dough cycle
2. Roll the dough to about 3/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface; cut out with a doughnut cutter or into rounds if filling with jelly
3. Cover and let it rise for about 45 mins in a reasonably warm place till slightly raised
4. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a pan to 375°F
5. Fry 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time, depending on how big you decided to make them, allowing them to rise to the top and turning them to ensure golden brown on both sides (I was distracted by the wee one and let a few of them get from delicate russet to pure bistre)
6. Drain on a wire rack and dust some powdered sugar while warm if desired
7. Also, with an injector or pastry pipe filled with your favorite fruit preserve, gently poke a hole and fill just a bit

Florentine Omelette

I savor Sunday mornings: I let the baby talk and play in the crib with a few crib toys I sneak in when he is just waking up, before he notices me and jump-starts my day; I push down the surging guilt at not rushing to greet but letting Ana (who is old enough at 3¾) to get up from bed and read her books or play a bit in her room or even get out of her room if she likes.

I just sit on the bed, propped up with comfy pillows, savoring my morning cuppa, deliberately attempting to tune out the baby's prattle and Ana's parley with her dollies streaming in through the baby monitors.

And, when those 4 or 5 minutes pass, I busy myself thinking up a good way to cook up eggs for the morning brunch as I change the wriggling baby's diaper under Ana's watchful eye :)

This is just another omelette recipe, but happens to be D's and my favorite that I haven't posted so far. Typically, it is fairly thin, cooked only on one side, with favorite veggies and cheese filling, folded up and served warm with the morning joe.

As I make it in a 10x10 pan, this is large enough to be a meal in itself - usually ends up being Sunday brunch for us...

Ingredients
1/3 cup Eggbeaters™ whites
1 whole egg
1 tsp Herbs de Provence mix (or Italian herbs mix, if handy)
salt and pepper to taste
chopped spring onions for garnish
1 Tbsp Olive oil, or canola oil or even butter if preferred

Filling:
Baby spinach leaves
marinated and sauté mushrooms, if handy,
fresh grated colby jack or part skim mozarella or both
some diced smoked gouda, if preferred
some diced mock chicken sausage, if handy
Other veggies if preferred**

**I prefer not to use bell peppers or tomatoes as the omelette gets a bit soggy.

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat
2. Beat the egg whites, eggs and herbs till fluffy - do this right before ready to pour in the pan and cook
3. Pour into a fairly wide and shallow pan - I use a 10x10 square non-stick pan with about ¼-inch rim that works out just perfectly for this dish
4. Pick up the pan and spread the egg mixture around to form a thin uniform layer, sprinkle salt and ground pepper lightly
5. Allow it to set part-way, add the sausage, spinach, mushrooms across the middle, then add the cheeses on top of this layer of veggies, allow the eggs to cook through and the cheese to start melting
6. Fold in the two edges to form a packet and slide it off the pan into the serving plate
7. Garnish with chopped spring onions or any other favorite garnish like chopped parsley or shredded basil or oregano leaves

Quiche Cups-To-Go

Since eggs seem like nutritious protein-rich breakfast food, especially if using only egg whites, these single-serving Quiche-To-Go savory cupcakes have been good to have handy for the morning rush for us.

Now, there is no pastry shell holding this, so, in that sense it is not really quiche per se... just baked eggs mixed in with savory spices, herbs and vegetables.

Simply beat some eggs with chopped veggies like mushrooms, onions, spring onions, baby spinach, some cheese if preferred, just like for making omelettes; pour into cupcake baking cases and bake in a muffin pan, in a 350°F oven, for about 20-25 minutes. Check after 15-20 minutes, inserting a toothpick to see if done.

Apple Walnut Bread

Apple Walnut bread is very much like my Blueberry Banana Bread, just add apples and walnut instead of blueberry and banana. Well, that, and a few more changes.

Ingredients

dry: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 3/4 cup dark brown sugar

wet: ½ cup canola oil 2 eggs beaten 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 heaping cup of chopped apples ½ cup chopped walnuts 1 Tbsp butter

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. grease a loaf pan with butter
3. combine the dry ingredients in a bowl; stir in the oil and the beaten eggs till well incorporated; fold in the applesauce, chopped apples and walnuts
4. pour into the greased loaf pan and bake in 350°F oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Garden Rhubarb Scones

Spring is almost over and Summer is around the corner, still it is pretty nippy here and our vegetable garden is just beginning to wake up... the first fresh stalks of spring rhubarb are the best and the juiciest; and, just like last year, I didn't want to miss using them fresh from the garden this year.

Rather than the usual triangular/pie-slice-like shaped scones, I went for a smallish roundish more like cookie shape. The texture turned out better than I expected and the hint of rhubarb seemed just right, not overpowering.

And since this is my garden's first bounty this year, I'd like to send this post out for WHB: Weekend Herb Blogging started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen fame, hosted this week by Cate from Sweetnicks.

Ingredients
2-3 cups self-rising flour*
¼ cup rolled oats (optional)
½ cup butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
buttermilk, as needed
2 eggs
1 cup raisins or dried currants or dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 cups peeled and coarsely chopped rhubarb

*self-rising flour is just all-purpose flour plus baking powder: can use 3 cups all-purpose flour + 3 tsp baking powder, if self-rising flour is not handy

Preparation

1. heat the oven to 400°F
2. microwave the rhubarb till a little mushy (no extra water needed)
3. mix the dry ingredients - start with 2½ cups of flour, baking powder and oats - then slowly cut in the butter; beat the eggs and add them in; add the cooked and mushy rhubarb; then add a little buttermilk at a time till the dough comes together to an almost cookie-dough-like (dropping) consistency
4. adjust the flour and buttermilk to get the right consistency - not quite as stiffly elastic as pizza dough, and not too loose like cupcake dough
5. either roll to about an inch thick round and cut into wedges, or roughly shape into triangles for a traditional look; I simply dropped lumps with a large spoon onto the cookie sheet, like I do for cookies; alternately, can be baked in mini-muffin pan
6. bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Aapam Ishtew

Aapam is one of the dishes I liked better when made by my mom, or even some street vendors in Kerala... and I didn't feel like making it at home until now as I felt it needed a special contraption to cook it.

Aapam has a thick spongy center and a thin dosai-like edge - the shape sort of resembles vintage flying saucers :)

My mom gifted me this little non-stick aapam pan-of-sorts recently and I decided to try it out. The batter is my version of it, I am still experimenting with proportions, but this batch was quite good.

Aapam turned out quite spongy and tasty, even though the center was not as thick as I wanted them to be. It is cooked only on one side usually, sort of like Injeras that I make. The batter needs to ferment a bit and get fluffy just like for injera, but rather than buckwheat or tef or all-purpose flour that I use for injeras, appam is made with a rice-based batter.

Fermentation is easy enough in hot places, but, since it is still pretty cold here, I warm up my oven to 200°F, turn it off, and leave the batter in there to ferment. Additionally, I add some yeast to the batter to help the fermentation.

Aapam is usually served with some sort of a stew ("ishtew", in local lingo), so I made a mixed vegetable stew with coconut milk.

Ingredients
batter:
2 cups par-boiled rice
2 cups plain white rice
¼ cup urad dal
1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp rapid rise yeast (optional)

stew:
vegetables like potatoes, peas, carrots, green beans
½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 medium onion diced
1 can light coconut milk
2 Tbsp canola oil or coconut oil

salt to taste

Preparation

1. batter: soak the batter ingredients overnight and grind to a fine batter; add some yeast and leave in a warm place to rise for a few hours
2. stew: heat oil in a pan and sauté the ginger and garlic, then add the onions, turmeric powder and some salt, allow it to sweat a bit; then add the veggies and a little bit of water and steam the veggies; then add the coconut milk, cover and simmer to desired thickness; adjust salt to taste
3. aapam: add some salt to the fermented batter, stir; heat the aapam pan over medium heat; pour a ladleful of batter in the center of the pan, pick up the pan and swirl it a bit to allow the batter to coat the sides of the pan, cover and cook till holes form on the top and the center lump of batter is cooked through

Tamago Omelette

D thinks it is not easy to give me presents for anniversaries and birthdays. There might be some truth to it. Not because I am difficult to please, just that I never feel I deserve anything special, so, it overwhelms me when I get something I didn't really need, and it shows...

But, to get around this, we had established a wish-list system at home when we got married, where we could list things that would be nice to have, but, life can go on fine without it... practical things, usually, but, sometimes some intangible stuff as well...

Anyway, for Christmas 2007, D gave me a rectangular Tamago Pan since I had written some kitchen things on my wish-list. I do like getting kitchen items or any household items as presents as they are practical and usable.

It came with instructions for making Tamagoyaki, Japanese rolled omelette. It seemed a bit intricate and would need some practice to get it right. I decided to try a simple version anyway a few weeks ago...

Basically, it involves making thin layers of omelette and rolling them back, and making more layers and rolling them back and so on, and then assembling them all together, cut into thick slices/slabs, and served with Donburi, or with some sushi rolls, or just enjoyed it as-is for breakfast.

Ingredients
4-6 eggs
1 Tbsp mirin OR 1 tsp castor sugar, or powdered sugar
2 Tbsp shoyu or soy sauce
1 Tbsp dashi stock, or a pinch of dashi-no-moto (optional)
vegetable oil for frying

optional: spring onions, bell peppers

Preparation

1. Beat the eggs, and combine the rest of the ingredients, mix well
2. Pour a quarter of the mixture on the tamago pan, or any regular pan, allow it to set but not cook through
3. Then roll or fold (I couldn't roll neatly using chopsticks as suggested, so, I used a spatula and sort of roughly folded it back) the partially set omelette farther away from you, and add another quarter of the mixture and repeat till all the egg mixture is used up and a big roll/slab is formed, and is cooked through
4. Cut into blocks as desired and serve with Donburi, or with some sushi rolls, or just enjoy it as-is for breakfast

Bran Mini Muffins

Once a month or so, when I am all fired up, I manage to whip up a batch of bran muffins to be consumed as a healthy morning breakfast.

I started making mini bran muffins, about two dozen at a time, as one mini muffin seems the right portion for my toddler Ana's breakfast, along with a glass of milk.

And, of course, D and I end up gobbling two each for breakfast so that the whopping two dozen mini muffins are gone by the end of the week :)

The recipe is fairly standard, nothing spectacular. It can be varied to incorporate fresh seasonal berries or even other dry fruits like prunes and cranberries (which are my favorites).

Optionally, I like to add a tablespoon of flaxseed meal to the batter, if handy - and it is usually handy in my kitchen as I try to sprinkle it on our meals about once or twice a week, especially for Ana :)

Ingredients

dry ingredients 1½ cup all purpose flour 1 cup bran 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 Tbsp baking powder ½ tsp salt

wet ingredients ½ cup milk 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 ripe banana, mashed 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg ½ cup raisins ½ cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

1. combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the center
2. mix the wet ingredients together and gradually pour into the well made in the dry ingredients, gently folding them all together with a spatula till well incorporated; do not overmix
3. pour into mini muffin pans - the ingredients here makes 24 mini muffins
4. bake in a 375°F oven for about 20 minutes or till done - a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Spiced Banana Breakfast Shake

Banana is versatile and nutritious, as we all know. And, when I was growing up in India, we always had bananas at home to be eaten as a snack, or even dessert. There were at least half a dozen varieties of bananas I remember, each with distinct flavor, look, and size - from the small "manjal pazham" (yellow banana) to my favorite "nendran pazham" (i have no idea what the translation or botanical name for nendran is - I guess I could look it up...).

While I relish bananas as-is, I also like this simple shake which is low fat with a hint of spice. This thick, cold, and hearty shake with bold banana flavor and a hint of allspice and cinnamon is a great way to start the day.

This Spiced Banana Breakfast Shake is for this month’s Jihva for Ingredients - Banana. JFI was started by Indira of Mahanandi, hosted this month by Mandira of Aahar.

Ingredients:
2 large medium ripe bananas
½ tsp allspice powder
1 cup 2% milk
6 oz Yoplait™ low fat banana creme yogurt
cinnamon powder for dusting

Preparation

1. slice 1½ bananas and leave in the freezer for about 30 minutes
2. slice the remaining ½ banana for garnish
3. when ready to assemble the drink, combine the milk, yogurt, frozen banana slices and all spice powder in a blender and blend to a smooth drink
4. garnish with sliced bananas stuck through a toothpick and dust with cinnamon, serve cold

The quantity listed above makes about roughly two 8 oz drinks as in the picture.