Korean-style Poached Eggs

These very simple and quick little eggs are elegant on the plate and taste just as wonderful. They would make a marvelous light lunch with a small green salad, but I must admit that I had them for breakfast the other day with toast and an orange.

This recipe is taken almost straight from my dependable copy of Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian but with the substitution of a little toasted sesame oil for added flavour (if you don't have toasted sesame oil, please do get some and give it a try). I can't ordinarily be bothered with poached eggs as it seems such a trial to make perfect ones, but this recipe pleasantly included an easy fail-safe method for poaching eggs that, even if they look rather a bit more like fried eggs than picture-perfect poached ones, hold together and are just as good in every way.

Korean-style poached eggs

1 green onion, thinly sliced, both white and green parts
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Place the sliced green onions in a bowl of ice water and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before making the poached eggs. Drain and place on a clean dish towel. Bring the ends of the cloth together and twist to wring out the extra moisture. This method gives the green onions a nice crunch.

Add 3/4-inch of water to a low simmer over medium heat in a 9- or 10-inch no-stick frying pan. Crack the eggs into small glasses or bowls. Slide the eggs into the pan when the water is at a simmer so that the eggs sit side by side. Simmer gently until the whites are just set. Turn off the heat and cover loosely with a lid. Allow the eggs to continue cooking until the yolks are set to your liking. Separate the eggs and remove from the pan onto a plate with a slotted spatula.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tamari sauce, sesame oil, toasted sesame oil and sugar. Remember to mix well again just before serving.

Arrange the poached eggs on plates and sprinkle with some of the sauce. Scatter green onions over top and serve.

Linguine with zucchini, capers, lemon, pine nuts and herbs and a tribute to Sher

As many of you in the food blog world I was shocked with the news that our dear Sher had suddenly passed away.A lovely woman who would brighten up everyone’s day with encouraging comments and kind words, Sher was a passionate foodie and shared many delicious recipes on her delightful blog. She was the queen of meatballs!I only knew her virtually, but she’ll be missed and my heart goes out to her

Nika’s chocolate coconut hedgie cookies

I had these on my del.icio.us for ages – ever since Nika posted them, more than a year ago. Her cookies looked so good! Every time I took a look at my bookmarks I felt like baking these just to, seconds later, realize that the type of coconut in my pantry was not the one the recipe called for.A quick trip to the grocery store solved that problem and I wish I hadn’t been so lazy: these cookies are

Yamuna Devi's Pine Nut and Orange Wild Rice

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while will undoubtedly have come across at one time or another one of my recommendations for Yamuna Devi's cookbooks, in particular her hefty compilation of authentic and extraordinary Indian vegetarian recipes in Lord Krishna's Cuisine — a timeless cooking classic if there ever was one. I'll always be devoted to that book more than any other for awakening a genuine love for delicious and quality food, but I'm fortunate to own a copy of a later book — Yamuna's Table — in which she departs from traditional Indian fare but uses that knowledge to come up with some astonishingly creative and tasty modern dishes that are in many cases the equal of the old classics.

One of these is this exquisite pine nut and wild rice pilaf tinged with just the right amount of orange for a light, refreshing and flavourful summer side dish. Serve on a patio, at a picnic, or just at home — everyone will love it. I reproduce the recipe almost exactly as found in the book, partly because it's too good to change in any way except possibly to add a few more pine nuts or jalapeños as your taste goes, but also because the book appears unfortunately to be out of print. But there are usually a few used copies lying around for the lucky ones.

Yamuna Devi's pine nut and orange wild rice

1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespooon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and slivered

Rinse the wild rice and basmati rice separately under cold running water and let the basmati rice air dry in a strainer for half an hour or longer. Bring 1 1/3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the grains are just tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Set aside.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts over medium-low heat in a small frying pan until golden brown. Set aside.

When the basmati rice is dry, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over just less than medium heat. Toss in the basmati rice, pine nuts, currants, parsley, and orange zest. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat the rice grains with oil. Add 1 2/3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Add the wild rice, orange juice, salt, pepper, and jalapeños and gently mix. Serve hot, warm or cold. Serves 6 to 8.

Spicy Chickpea and Potato Curry

I look forward to entertaining a special friend with my culinary creations next week, but in the meantime, I cook just for me. How selfish is that when I have willing neighbors and friends eager to taste my food? Alas, I'm just not as motivated to fuss around in the kitchen during the summer months, opting instead to escape into the backyard with a book if possible.

Tonight's solution to solo dining was a simple chickpea curry served along with some plain basmati rice sprinkled with some tamari sauce. This is a dry curry and served with some cold yogurt, could almost pass as a salad. It proved to be a very refreshing summertime menu choice, with the added bonus of not yielding a ridiculous amount of leftovers.

Spicy Chickpea and Potato Curry

1 1/4 cups of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight with enough water to cover
a few tablespoons of oil, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
3 - 4 chilies, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2/3 teaspoon of garam masala
2/3 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of cumin
dash of turmeric
2 medium potatoes, cut into cubes and boiled until just tender
juice from one lime
sea salt to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid from chickpeas
1 small tomato, finely chopped

For garnishing:
plain yogurt (I used goat milk yogurt)
1 small tomato, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

Drain the chickpeas, transfer to a large pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the chickpeas are buttery soft - about 1 - 2 hours, depending on how old the beans are. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions just begin to brown. Now add the chopped chilies and ground spices and stir and fry for a minute. Add the chickpeas to the pot, along with the potatoes, lime juice, reserved cooking liquid, salt and chopped tomato. Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes, stirring often.

To serve, ladle some of the chickpeas into a bowl, top with a tablespoon or two of yogurt, a slice of tomato and some parsley or cilantro.

Serves 4.

Garlic lime shrimp

It’s winter here now and you guys from the Northern Hemisphere keep tempting me with your ice creams and sorbets... Not to mention the cherry recipes, right, Susan? :)
To make things worse, the Mail Service is working again and yesterday I finally received the July issue of Bon Appétit – loads of ideas for barbecues and grilling outdoors. I’m not a fan of barbecues, but Joao loves them. And I

Chickpea Flour Pancakes (Pudla) with Crushed Peas, Ginger, Chilies and Cilantro

The beautifully haunting solo cello suites of Bach simultaneously soothe and disturb. The perfection of the compositions is utterly satisfying and yet, a yearning is nonetheless experienced. True, I am playing the role of hermit more intensely these past few days since my sweetie left for a two week work related trip, but for brooding types such as I, Bach is often an occasion for reflection.

Consider the act of nourishment that paradoxically can become more complicated when you suddenly find yourself alone. As much as I like to cook, there is less incentive involved when the diner is just me, the cook. Not that I don't enjoy the fruits of my labours, but I don't relish the idea of eating the same dish for more than 3 days, yet cutting corners with bread and cheese and simple egg dishes quickly loses its appeal. Still, there is a certain satisfaction in indulging in whatever you wish, without witnesses, no matter the time of day or method of execution.

Craving a more nourishing meal, and determined to cook something other than eggs, I was reminded of these gluten free, dairy-free chickpea flour pancakes (Pudla) that Lucy made after consulting her copy of Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian. I've owned a copy of this cookbook for years, and though I vaguely recalled seeing the recipe, somehow I hastily scanned over it. My loss, until now.

I enjoyed these as a light dinner, with some of Nupur's exquisite Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Spread, but they would be ideal for breakfast or lunch as well and they are so flavourful and satisfying, you don't need any chutney or sauce whatsoever.

I used some fresh cilantro and chilies from my garden, increased the amount of spice, of course, and halved the recipe, because I am alone after all. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for larger family units. I will be making these again, there is no doubt about that. In fact, I didn't even bring a book nor newspaper to the table with me, as I usually do when dining alone, wishing instead to focus all of my attention on this perfect combination of flavors.

Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Crushed Peas and Cilantro

1 cup of chickpea flour
2/3 teaspoon of ground cumin
generous dash of turmeric
generous dash of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of water
2/3 cup of frozen peas, boiled for a few minutes and lightly mashed
1 green chili, finely chopped
1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated or finely minced
1 - 2 teaspoons of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
sesame oil for frying

In a medium bowl, sift together the chickpea flour, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon, pour in the water, taking care to remove any lumps. Stir in the mashed peas, chopped chili, ginger and cilantro. Set aside for 20 - 30 minutes.

Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a small nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, ladle 1/4 - 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook for another minute or so, or until browned. Transfer to a plate and fry up the rest of the batter, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.

Serve immediately.

Serves 1 - 2

Passion fruit, almond and poppy seed cake

Besides the music I listen to, there’s something else on repeat mode around here - yes, another recipe with almonds. :)It would take 1 ½ hours for the coffee cake to double in volume and there was nothing good on TV - that happens quite often. I like things most people consider weird and they are not aired very frequently.“I’ll bake cookies. No, I’ll need the oven soon - I’ll bake a cake”The

Mor Kali

No, this is not a photo of a plate of mashed potatoes, though the texture of the dish is quite similar to fried mashed potatoes. What you are seeing is my attempt to make a popular South Indian breakfast dish called Mor Kali. I was inspired to try it after reading this post at Soups and Souffles.

Usually, a kadai is used to cook this dish, but I used a wok, which is similarly shaped. I didn't manage to produce the thick brown crust I was hoping for, but the result was a fragrant treat that I enjoyed for dinner with a bowl of Yellow-Split Pea Soup.

This is my contribution to Eat Healthy, a monthly event hosted by Sangeeth. The challenge this month is to come up with a dish that is protein rich.

Mor Kali

2 cups of rice flour
2 cups of yogurt or buttermilk (I used a combination of goat yogurt and buttermilk)
roughly 1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon of kalonji seeds
1 tablespoon of urad dal, rinsed
a generous pinch of asafoetida
2 - 3 finely chopped green chilies
a small handful of curry leaves
3 - 4 dried red chilies
a few teaspoons of oil for frying

Mix the rice flour, buttermilk and/or yogurt together. Pour in enough water to make a batter that is a bit thinner than a pancake batter. In a large wok, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, stir and fry the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, kalonji seeds and urad dal for a few minutes. Now add the asafoetia, green chilies and curry leaves and cook for another minute or so. Add the dried red chilies to the pan, stir and fry for another few minutes and then pour in the batter. Stir the mixture continuously until it thickens. Cover and cook for another few minutes, until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

No Croutons Required - The Roundup

July's edition of No Croutons Required is now complete. Check out all of the tempting herb creations and vote for your favorite.

I will be the host for August. Check back at the beginning of August for the theme and the winner for July.

Honey-almond coffee cake

Almonds are delicious – my favorite kind of nut. I also love honey – when I was little, my mom used to mix honey and lime juice and feed me by spoonfuls when I had colds and coughs.
Put almonds and honey together and you’ll have a super delicious combo.

It’s like De Niro and Scorsese. They are both wonderful, but when they are together... Magic is made.

Hey, Marty, enough with the DiCaprio

Meeta's Ricotta Pesto & Mushroom Lasagne

Those of us who enjoy the thought, imagination and fine work that go into cooking will always find the appreciative words and expressions of family and friends as ample rewards for our efforts as the flavours of a dish that turns out right. But I think I can speak for most food bloggers when I say that we gain an extra pleasure when we find out that others are making use of and enjoying our ideas — one that lingers long after the memory of the tastes have faded. People have complimented me for my generosity in sharing recipes, but I can honestly say that I receive far more back from my readers than I give…

…which seems to be the very idea that Zlamushka had in mind when she started hosting "Tried and Tasted," a monthly event for people to share their recreations of recipes found at some of the best food blogs around — a celebration of what she calls the divine feeling of "having your recipes lead somebody else’s kitchen."

So I'm not alone in thinking that. Nor, would it seem, am I alone in thinking that What's For Lunch, Honey is one of the finest food blogs going, now that Zlamushka has asked her readers to submit a recreation of one of Meeta's recipes for July's Tried and Tasted. Meeta's fabulous recipes and gorgeous photographs — and plenty of desserts! — always make her blog a visual feast by itself, but the wonderful stories she so beautifully tells in each of her entries set her apart from the crowd almost as much as the food. She is a lovely lady who is also an amazing cook.

As it happened, I had already been planning to make Meeta's ricotta pesto and mushroom lasagne when Zlamushka's invitation came out. In fact, I had even emailed Meeta to make sure that she really had meant "100 grams of dried porcini mushrooms" in the recipe instead of 10, to which she replied in polite and friendly fashion that, yes, that would in fact be 100 grams of dried mushrooms in addition to 950 grams of fresh mushrooms          …          !! Well, can kinder words ever be spoken to a mushroom lover?

I ended up calling this the sixty-dollar lasagne, since dried mushrooms are apparently far more dear here than they must be in Germany, where Meeta lives. Still, it was a lot of food that went a long way, and I instantly forgot all my regrets about spending so much money as the aroma of cooked mushrooms drifted out of the oven. Somehow, the lasagne was more perfectly mushroom-y than mushrooms themselves, if that makes any sense. (To be truthful, I had probably added even more fresh mushrooms than Meeta called for in my general confusion between ounces and grams.) At the same time, the creamy tang of a heavenly ricotta basil pesto perfectly accented the rich earthy tones of the mushrooms.

This was truly an astonishing lasagne that will live in mushroom lore for years, at least in my household. As an indication of the quality that Meeta brings to each and every one of her recipes, I can imagine no better tribute than the satisfied smiles and mmmm's it brought to the lips of my guests. Meeta has their appreciation and mine, as well as a promise to come back for more ideas … like maybe one of her gorgeous desserts … um … chocolate caramel tart anyone?

Find the recipe for Meeta's ricotta pesto and mushroom lasagne here.

Mixed Greens with Warm Goat Cheese and Pesto

A long standing comrade of mine is soon to embark on a journey a great geographic distance away from me. Always an enthusiastic and appreciative dinner guest, most importantly a highly creative and rational influence and loyal friend, I selfishly regret that Mike will be escaping the city walls surrounding foggy London Ontario.

Virtually, we will remain connected, and I'll mail him non-perishables.

Lest it sound like I am writing a eulogy, I am reminded of valuable friendships I have forged that would not have occurred without the internet. I immediately think of my Scottish friend Holler, who kindly surprised me with a cookbook this recipe was inspired by.

Moderately excessive considering the simplicity of the preparation, this is my contribution to No Croutons Required, hosted this month by Holler.

Salad with Warm Goat Cheese and Basil Sauce

a generous handful of fresh basil leaves
roughly 1/2 cup of olive oil
4 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted and rubbed with a split garlic clove
roughly 6 ounces of goat cheese
roughly 5 cups of mixed salad greens
juice from one small lemon
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Finely chop the basil leaves. In a mortar and pestle, mash the basil together with enough olive oil to make a watery paste (about 1/4 cup). Set aside for at least 1 hour.

Whisk together the lemon juice, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss the salad greens with the dressing.

Put the toast on a baking pan and top with 3/4 inch slices of goat cheese. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for roughly 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top each piece with the pesto.

To serve, transfer some of the salad greens to a plate and top with cheese toast.

Scatter some pitted olives on the plate if desired. I meant to, but forgot.

Serves 4.

Lemon tart

I love listening to music while I’m cooking/baking. And I sing along, too – oh, my poor neighbors... :)

Certain recipes remind me of certain songs, probably because I was listening to them on repeat mode – another bad habit of mine – while preparing the food. The Darkest Chocolate Crepe Cake, for example, instantly brings Steve Winwood’s “Valerie” to my mind, and vice versa. Crash Hot Potatoes

Mung Tamarind Dal

Contrary to some people's expectations, nothing beats the summer heat like a spicy hot dal from south India — where they ought to know about beating heat, after all. But if the idea of plenty of fresh and dried hot chillies makes you sweat a little, tamarind infuses this refreshingly light and fragrant dal with a sour and sweet tang that pushes the heat to almost a pleasant undertone. Wonderful for lunch or a small dinner with a plate of hot rice to spoon a little of the colourful dal liquid over top.

The instruction for a 1-inch piece of tamarind is based on the cake form of the dried pulp sold in every Indian and Asian grocery here in North America. Likewise the brown mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida called for in this recipe are always easily found at Indian stores.

Mung tamarind dal

1 cup dried whole mung beans
1-inch piece of tamarind pulp
1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
2 dried hot red chillies
6 curry leaves, fresh or dried
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
4 red cayenne peppers
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

Rinse the mung beans and soak overnight covered with 3 1/2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft and broken up. Set aside.

Meanwhile soak the tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid into a bowl, squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the tamarind pulp. Discard the pulp and set aside the liquid.

Heat the oil of ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to splutter, usually a few seconds, quickly add the tamarind liquid and stir in the red cayenne peppers and turmeric. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the raw smell of the tamarind fades, about 15 minutes.

Pour in the undrained mung beans and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes while the flavours mingle. Stir in the salt and taste for seasoning.

Serve hot garnished with the finely chopped coriander in warm bowls alongside plates of hot rice. Serves 4.

I'm sending this along to Mansi for her Healthy Cooking event because legumes are not only good for you, they are also a wise choice if you are looking to shed a few pounds.

Feta, Olive, and Sun-Dried Tomato Scones

It might seem strange that I would choose a recipe from Delia Smith's Winter Collection: Comfort Food when it's close to 30 degrees during the day, but once you try these savory scones, you will understand why I just couldn't resist. Containing as they do some of my very favorite ingredients, these cheesy little treats are a comfort food anytime of year as far as I am concerned. Besides, the air conditioning has finally been turned on, which is a reason to celebrate as a heat wave is in the forecast, they don't take too long to prepare and they are in the oven for a short time. Serve with a soup and salad for lunch or light dinner, or simply enjoy as a satisfying snack.

This is my contribution to Bread Baking Day, hosted this time by My Diverse Kitchen. The theme is small breads.

Feta, Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Scones

1 1/3 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard powder
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, chopped
3/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled or cut into small cubes
12 black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of milk

For the topping:
a few teaspoons of milk for brushing the tops
1/2 cup of feta cheese, crumbled

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the pan instead.

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for about 15 - 20 minutes. Reserve a tablespoon of the soaking liquid, drain and chop the tomatoes.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking powder, cayenne and mustard powder. Stir well. Now add the olive oil to the bowl, along with the reserved liquid from the soaked sun-dried tomatoes. Using a fork, work the oil into the flour until a lumpy dough forms. Now stir in the thyme, feta, sun-dried tomatoes and olives.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg and the milk. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork to combine.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times. At this point, you can roll out the mixture to roughly a 1-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch circles, or you can just shape the dough into flat little patties. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush each scone with some milk, sprinkle with feta cheese and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until the scones turn golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm or cool.

Makes 12 delightful scones.

Apricot honey soufflé

Going through my pile of Bon Appétit magazines – I haven’t received the new issue because of the strike on our Mail Service – I found an article on soufflés by Molly, a.k.a. Orangette. After the “How come I did not read this when the magazine arrived?” moment, I felt inspired - I was going to make a soufflé, too. It was sort of like when I wanted to learn how to roller skate because of Olivia

Spicy Azuki Bean Risotto

Just at those moments when cooking begins to feel like a recycling scheme for old ideas, new ideas crop up in the least likely of grounds. Looking for a dinner idea through my bulging folder of recipes printed off from other food blogs I was struck for no apparent reason by the copy I had made of Gattina's sweet risotto with azuki inspired by her mother's Asian red bean dessert. Despite telling myself that the last thing I needed was another dessert idea when I was really just looking for something to make for dinner, I found I couldn't keep it out of my head…

…which is when it came to me to substitute the sweetness for the savoury. I adore risottos, but until seeing a sweet risotto it had never occurred to me — me, who loves fiery flavours! — to make a spicy risotto. What I've been missing! Keeping with the oriental theme of Gattina's recipe it was a matter of just a little thought to scribble in my favourite Asian flavours — tamari, sesame, scallions and peppers — for an untraditional but warm, zesty and filling fusion of cuisines that didn't last long on anyone's plate. Gattina's lovely-looking dessert risotto is still on the radar for another day, but in the meantime I'm delighted with the off-the-wall inspiration the recipe provided.

Spicy Azuki Bean Risotto

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Asian Published on July 14, 2008 A warm and zesty risotto with Asian-style vegetables, seasonings and spicings — this recipe will impress your guests at an Asian-inspired meal Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/3 cup dried azuki beans 3 cups vegetable stock 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 small onion, diced 1 bunch scallions, sliced (white and half the green parts) 1 medium carrot, sliced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 4 red cayenne peppers, seeded and minced 1 cup arborio or other risotto rice 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup tamari sauce 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, or to taste 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted (optional) Instructions: Wash the azuki beans and soak for 6 to 8 hours or overnight in several inches of cold water. Drain and rinse, remove to a medium saucepan, and cover with several inches of fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the beans are just tender but not broken. Drain and set aside. Bring the vegetable stock to a good simmer in a small saucepan. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, toss in the onion and the white parts of the scallions and stir for a couple of minutes until the onions start to turn translucent. Toss in the carrots, green pepper and cayenne peppers, and sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and stir gently to coat the grains with oil. Pour in the white wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, stirring all the while. Now pour in the tamari sauce and add the cayenne powder and continue to stir until the liquid has been absorbed. Begin adding the hot vegetable stock to the rice one ladleful at a time, stirring and waiting each time until the stock has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue this process until most of the stock has been used up. At this point taste the rice and check to see if it is cooked to your preferred texture — the risotto should be soft, creamy and cooked throughout while holding its shape, but you may not want to use all the stock if you prefer your risottos more on the al dente side. With the last ladle of stock that you use, stir in the reserved azuki beans and most of the green parts of the scallions.2 Serve hot garnished with the remaining green slices of the scallions. Scatter toasted sesame seeds on top if desired. Makes 4 – 6 servings

Dulce de leche cake for my dad's birthday

My father has a weakness for dulce de leche; well, pretty much everyone I know does. :) So it was easy to choose his birthday cake.

His birthday is today, but we celebrated it last Saturday – a small group of great people, good food... I’m glad Dad liked it.

I laughed my heart out when he arrived and looked at the cake – there were two big candles with the numbers “6” and “0”.
“Not anyone

Sauteed Azuki and Mung Beans

We are in the grips of a heat wave here in Ontario, and as my appetite decreases, so too does my desire to cook. Besides, it was only just today that our landlords downstairs decided to turn on the air conditioning, and though I reside in an airy apartment, the humidity still results in an uncomfortably hot environment.

Eating well is important to me though, especially considering my propensity to smoke, not to mention my red wine habit. Even when I don't feel like cooking, I do it anyway, as I don't eat prepackaged food and I don't like to eat out very often. Tonight I made a simple Chinese dish from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian that I have been meaning to try for a good long while. I was inspired to finally give it a try as it sounded easy and I also didn't want to miss the deadline for *A.W.E.D*, a monthly food event celebrating ethnic culinary traditions from around the world. This month, Chinese cuisine is the focus.

The beans are cooked and flavored separately, providing a slight but enjoyable contrast. Ms. Jaffrey suggests serving this dish with rice, with vegetables, or with some bread. She also recommends scooping the beans into a pita pocket, along with some tomatoes, and lettuce for a satisfying lunch or light dinner. I was pleased with the end result, as the earthy flavour of the beans was nicely enhanced by the modest seasonings.

Sauteed Azuki and Mung Beans, Chinese Style

1 cup of azuki beans, rinsed
1 cup of whole mung beans, rinsed

For the Azuki Beans:

dash of cayenne pepper
3 - 4 green or red chillies, finely minced
1 clove of garlic

2 tablespoons of oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 scallions, sliced into thin rounds
2/3 teaspoon of sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1 - 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (I used 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil)

For the Mung Beans:

2 tablespoons of oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3/4 teaspoon of sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1 - 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (I used 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil)

1 tablespoon of sesame oil for garnishing
2 - 3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro or fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnishing

Soak the azuki beans and mung beans in two separate pots with enough water to cover overnight. Drain the beans, return to the pots and add three cups of water to the azuki beans and the mung beans respectively. Bring both the azuki beans and the mung beans to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer until the beans are tender - roughly one hour. Drain, and set aside.

For the azuki beans, make a paste of the chopped chillies and 1 clove of garlic in a mortar and pestle. Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. When hot, add the garlic and scallions, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the azuki beans to the pan, crushing some of them against the side of the pan for another 30 seconds or so. Reduce the heat to low, add the chili / garlic paste, salt and black pepper, and cook for another minute or so. Pour in the sesame oil, stir, remove from heat and cover.

For the mung beans, in another large frying pan or wok, heat the oil over high heat. When hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly until the garlic begins to brown. Now add the mung beans, stir for 30 seconds, reduce the heat to low and add the sea salt and black pepper. Stir, add the sesame oil, stir again and remove from the heat.

To serve, ladle the beans side by side onto a plate, drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and garnish with cilantro or parsley.

Serves 6.

Lemon curd

Reading food blogs and cookbooks is wonderful. But it can also be devastating for a curious person like me. I won’t rest until I make/try something new... And lemon curd was absolutely new to me.

Lemon curd is not part of our food habits here in Brazil and I had not known about it until I started blogging. Being the citrus freak that I am, it immediately caught my attention. No lemon curd in

Brown Lentils and Rice with Roasted Onions and Spicy Baked Tortilla Chips

If I ever appear to be making fun of vegans, let me reassure my vegan friends and readers that it is only in the same gentle and slightly perplexed spirit with which my carnivore friends tease me. I'm not all about the eggs and cheese, you see, and I'm never one to complain about a good vegan meal, as much as my meat-eating friends enjoy my own vegetarian cooking.

But I must say that after picking up a copy of Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero for its wide assortment of unique and appealing vegan recipes, the first recipe I tried out turned to be so full of glaring errors and omissions that my first thought was that the authors weren't getting enough nutrients to the brain. Ah well, there's no missing or duplicated steps or ingredients that a little imagination and innovation can't take care of, and this simple and satisfying lentil and rice dish with sweet roasted onions turned out to be a real delight for lunch, even if it required a substantial re-write.

The added bonus for me was the suggestion of serving it with spiced pita crisps, which I did not discover until after having already decided to make it. What a glorious coincidence that I still happened to have plenty of my spicy baked tortilla chips left over from the day before, turning an already tasty rice-and-lentil lunch into an incredible combination of flavours and textures. Do try making both.

Brown Lentils and Rice with Roasted Onions and Spicy Baked Tortilla Chips

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Published on July 10, 2008 A simple and earthy seasoned rice and lentil dish with roasted onions — a great side dish or light lunch Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup basmati rice 1 cup brown lentils 2 pounds yellow onions, sliced into thin rings 1/2 cup olive oil 1 3-inch piece cinnamon stick 2 dried whole red chilies 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon allspice 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste Instructions: Rinse the rice and lentils separately under cold running water. Soak the lentils under cold water in a bowl and let the rice air dry in a fine-meshed strainer. Preheat an oven to 400°. Separate the onion rings into a large baking pan and toss with the olive oil. Roast in the oven, stirring frequently, until the onions are a deep brown. It is quite alright to let some of the smaller rings blacken at the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Toss in the rice along with the cinnamon stick, red chilies, and ground cloves. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes without disturbing. Drain the lentils and add to the rice along with the allspice and cumin. Stir in gently. Cover again and continue to cook at low heat until the lentils are cooked and the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and chilies. Fluff the lentils and rice with a fork and fold in the onion rings with their roasting oil. Serve warm or at room temperature with spicy baked tortilla chips placed around the edge of the plates. Makes 4 – 6 servings

Paneer Butter Masala

After a few days of eating light due to a queasy stomach, I was craving something more substantial, despite the hot and humid weather we are currently experiencing in Ontario. Having a taste for something spicy and Indian, I could resist the block of paneer in the fridge no longer and transformed it into one of my favorite classic paneer dishes, Paneer Butter Masala, also known as Shahi paneer. Punjabi in origin, plump fried paneer cubes are smothered in a spicy tomato and cream gravy. A staple on the menu at most Indian restaurants, along with Mattar Paneer, this is very easy to prepare at home.

Serve with lightly buttered basmati rice or an Indian flat bread for a taste of India.

Paneer Butter Masala

400 grams of paneer cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes and fried in a few tablespoons of butter until golden brown
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of ginger, finely minced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
a mixture of 6 - 8 green and red chilies, finely minced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped and pureed
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of coriander powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
dash of cayenne
1 teaspoon of methi leaves (dried fenugreek leaves)
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 tablespoons of coconut
1 generous teaspoon of garam masala
2 tablespoons of butter
2 - 3 tablespoons of whipping cream
2 - 3 teaspoons of fresh coriander, chopped, for garnishing

Using a mortar and pestle, make a paste with the ginger, garlic and chilies.

In a large frying pan or wok, heat a few tablespoons of ghee or a mixture of butter and oil. When hot, add the onion and fry until it is softened and just begins to turn brown. Now add the ginger, garlic, chili paste and stir and fry for a few more minutes.

Now add the chili powder, methi leaves, coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, asafoetida, coconut and salt. Stir and pour in the tomato puree. Simmer over medium heat for roughly 5 minutes.

Add the fried paneer cubes to the pan, along with the garam masala. Simmer for 10 minutes, adding a bit of water depending on how thick you want the gravy to be. Add the butter, remove from heat and stir in the whipping cream. Cover and let sit for a few minutes or so to allow the flavours to blend.

Serves 4.

Cheese Stuffed Crusty Rolls

Choosing something doesn’t always have to be a difficult task – and that coming from the one who can take forever to decide which recipe to prepare is quite an improvement. Sometimes, we just know where to find it.If you have a twisted, weird, crazy-looking role, you get Gary Oldman. Very simple. And if you want beautiful, delicious, out of this world desserts, you just go to Helen’s blog. But

Creamy Sesame Miso Salad Dressing

Simultaneous cravings for a thick and creamy salad dressing and for the nutty and warming taste of toasted sesame led me to come up with this Asian-style miso and tahini sauce for a huge carton of mixed field greens I had on hand. It turned out to be better than I could have hoped for, and it's almost substantial enough to make a light meal out of by itself on a hot summer day. This would make a great dip for fresh cut vegetables like broccoli or peppers or for whole pea pods as well.

Creamy Sesame Miso Salad Dressing

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Asian Published on July 7, 2008 A creamy and slightly spicy Asian-style miso and tahini dressing with sesame seeds and sesame seed oil Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup spring water 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup miso 1/4 cup tahini 2 green onions, sliced, both green and white parts 2-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 4 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1/4 cup sesame seeds Instructions: Put together the water, rice vinegar, miso and tahini in a mixing bowl and let the miso and tahini soak in liquid for a while to soften up. Mix together well, then stir in the green onions, ginger, sugar, cayenne, and sesame oils. Toast the sesame seeds over low heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon the dressing over your favourite salad green mix and sprinkle over some of the toasted sesame seeds. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Makes 1 1/2 cups or enough for a pound of salad greens

Orange syrup cake

Remember Jim Profit?? He was a bad, bad guy. I think he and Patty Hewes could go hand in hand with their cruelty. Come to think of it... Who am I kidding? No one could ever match Patty Hewes. :)

I had been meaning to make this recipe for months – the magazine I got it from (DH #35) is from November/2007!

The original calls for blood oranges but since I have never seen them in Brazil, I used

Baked Strawberry Ricotta French Toast

If the reaction to the baked strawberry pancakes I posted last week is any indication, there's a blossoming passion for strawberries these days at least in those regions where the fresh local berries are just hitting the seasonal market. I know that I myself won't be without a pint or two around for the next month or so, so it seems like a good idea to share some other ideas for those extra strawberries that don't go straight into the bowl for snacking.

For that reason, I do hope that you try these baked French toast slices stuffed with creamy ricotta and loads of fresh strawberries for a remarkably easy but extraordinary breakfast, made even simpler by preparing them the night before for baking the next morning. If you're not sure you're hungry first thing, the heavenly fragrance of strawberries baking that wafts through the kitchen will definitely have you anxious for their arrival on the breakfast plate.

I'm sharing this with Sia of Monsoon Spice, the host of this month's Weekend Breakfast Blogging event. The challenge this month is to make a breakfast using fresh fruits and / or vegetables.

Baked strawberry ricotta French toast

bakery loaf cut into 1-inch slices, enough to layer a 9×13 baking dish
1/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 pint fresh strawberries cut into small slices
4 large eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut a 2-inch wide pocket in one side of each bread slice. Spoon a small soup spoon of ricotta into each pocket, then stuff with as many strawberry slices as will fit without bursting the bread. Arrange in a single layer on a 9×13 baking dish.

Lightly beat the eggs together with the whipping cream, milk, icing sugar and vanilla. Pour over the bread. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the aluminum foil from the baking dish and gently flip each slice of bread in the pan. Cover again with the aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 25-30 more minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup.

If you like this recipe, you may want to try my Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Orange Sauce or this Eye-Opening Blueberry French Toast.

Spiced Yogurt with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

One of the many delights of Madhur Jaffrey's ethnic cookbooks apart from the astonishing variety of foods and tastes is the simplicity of so many of her recipes. This cooling and refreshing dish adapted only slightly from her World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking is no exception to any of the rules, and is a perfect light patio lunch for warm weather on its own or a nice counterpoint to a spicy meal, such as when I served it with a very hot spiced urad dal rice (recipe coming soon). Even if not for the pleasing taste, the aroma of dry roasted ground cumin — which I substituted for whole seeds — is worth the very small effort of putting this together.

Spiced yogurt with chickpeas and tomatoes

1/2 cup dried chickpeas
1-inch piece cinnamon
8 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 cups plain whole-fat yogurt
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground black pepper

Soak the chickpeas overnight in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are tender but not falling apart. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over just less than medium heat. Toss in the ground cumin and dry roast, stirring, until the cumin darkens a couple of shades and acquires a toasted fragrance. Take out of the pan and set aside in a small bowl to cool slightly.

Return the cooking liquid from the chickpeas to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Tie the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, black peppercorns, fennel seeds and cumin seeds in a cheesecloth bundle. Put the bundle in the water, toss in half a teaspoon of the salt, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the chickpeas and bring the liquid back to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let the chickpeas cool in the liquid. Drain the chickpeas and discard the cheesecloth bundle.

Whisk the yogurt in a large bowl until smooth. Combine the chickpeas, tomatoes and parsley with the yogurt. Stir in the roasted ground cumin, cayenne, and fresh ground black pepper to taste.