Spicy Potato Wedges

Although I like potatoes, I don't tend to eat them very often, as I prefer to limit my consumption of carbohydrates. I recently had a craving for potatoes though and decided to make these baked potato wedges which also gave me an excuse to warm up the kitchen with the oven. This recipe turned out better than I imagined and I even went back for seconds. The addition of egg adds a bit of extra crunch to the wedges. 1/2 cup of so of Parmesan cheese would also be a nice addition to this recipe. Dip the baked wedges in sour cream or salsa if desired.

Spicy Potato Wedges

4 large potatoes
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
dash of turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 - 3 tablespoons of oil

Coat a large baking sheet with oil and set aside. Slice the potatoes into 1/2 inch wedges. Beat the egg in a small bowl, and stir in the spices, salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes to a bag, along with the egg and spices, and oil, and shake to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes evenly unto the prepared baking sheet. In a preheated 450 degree oven, bake for about 40 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through the cooking time.

Serves 4 - 6.

Cracked Black Pepper Cheddar Muffins

The combination of black pepper and sharp cheddar cheese make these savory muffin-type dinner rolls a particularly flavourful addition to any winter meal. I made a batch to go along with Christmas dinner. The vegetarians at the table enjoyed these alongside Sour Chickpeas and Brown Rice and Millet and some vegetables. Though not a traditional Christmas meal, it was a very satisfying and warming vegetarian alternative.

Cracked Pepper Cheddar Muffins

2 cups of unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
1 egg
1 1/4 cups of milk
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and oil. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the cheese.

Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove from the pan and serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

Dark chocolate madeleines

These madeleines were especially made for a person I hold very dear. A woman who has been a friend for a while now. We talk about a million things, laugh together and sometimes cry together too.C., I adore you and wish you all the best not only in 2008 but always!I made the madeleines using one of the hundreds of wonderful recipes at Bake or Break and the lovely Jennifer was kind enough to let me

Simple Chana Dal, Dill and Tomato Khichri

Indian khichris, rice and split bean pots flavoured with herbs, spices or vegetables, are a favourite of mine for very quick, easy and nourishing lunches or suppers. Not surprisingly, the full texture of cooked chana dal makes it a popular variety of split bean to use in khichris alongside the delicate texture of rice, and while I've already posted one chana dal and dill khichri, that particular combination of split beans and herbs is worth another recipe.

While the first was a dry, fragrant medley of rice, split beans and herbs — or a sookha khichri — this second version is a moist and savoury stew, known as a geeli khichri. Adapted from Yamuna Devi this takes longer to cook but is almost just as simple to prepare, and makes a hearty and delicious supper served with bread and a green salad.

Simple chana dal, dill and tomato khichri

3/4 cup chana dal
3/4 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons ghee, or a mixture of butter and olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 dried red chillies
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 medium tomatoes, cut into narrow wedges
1 teaspoon sea salt

Rinse the chana dal under cold running water and soak in water for at least 4 hours. Drain before cooking. Rinse and drain the rice.

Put the dal, rice, dill, turmeric and garam masala in a large saucepan with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.

Heat the ghee, or butter and oil, over medium heat in a large frying pan or medium saucepan. When hot, add the cumin seeds and red chillies and stir until the cumin seeds turn brown. Toss in the asafoetida, then immediately add the tomatoes. Fry, stirring gently, for 2 minutes, making sure that the tomato pieces are coated and glistening with the ghee or oil.

Pour into the dal and rice and stir in the salt. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.

Ginger chewies

The lovely Susan is hosting a beautiful event called “Christmas Cookies from Around the World” – if you want to bake cookies and need inspiration that is the place to go!



I have been meaning to bake something for the event ever since she announced it but had a hard time choosing the recipe. I have posted lots of cookies lately, but I wanted something more Christmassy for the event. And I

Best-Ever Rum Balls

I made these rum balls a few years back for a Christmas treat and have made them every Christmas since. They are somewhat like truffles, only stronger in taste because of the rum. Yum! I suggest you use a nice dark Jamaican rum for this recipe. If you want to include crushed nuts, substitute 1 cup of the wafers for 1 cup of nuts, such as hazelnuts. And use 4 1/2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to equal 1/2 cup of chocolate.

I have submitted this recipe to Food Blogga who is currently showcasing Christmas cookies from around the world.

Best-ever Rum Balls

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on December 21, 2007 Dark, rich and sweet with a truffle-like consistency and the wonderful aroma of a good dark rum — these are the best-ever rum balls for a holiday treat Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dark chocolate 1/2 cup milk chocolate 1/2 cup icing sugar 3 tablespoons corn syrup 3 cups vanilla wafers, crushed 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/3 - 1/2 cup dark rum powdered sugar, rice flour or cocoa for coating Instructions: In a heavy pot, melt the chocolate on low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar and corn syrup. Beat in the vanilla wafers (and nuts if you are using them). Next stir in the salt, vanilla and rum until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture until firm. Roll the mixture into small 1-inch balls. Roll in the coatings of your choice. I like cocoa and rice flour. Makes about 3 dozen rum balls

Chocolate chip (sort of) whoppers

I made chocottones again this year (gifts to my coworkers) and after baking them for an entire afternoon I had no eggs left in my pantry. Zero. Nada.
I wanted to bake cookies but was too lazy to go to the grocery store… Luckily I found a recipe for a crisp chocolate chip cookie that did not call for eggs.

The dough is super easy to put together and I baked the cookies in a heartbeat. I didn’t

Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup

If you are looking for a spicy and warming soup to ease the winter chills, I would highly recommend this hot and sour soup that I came across at Food and Fun. As usual, I've made a few modifications, but believe I captured the unique flavour of this vegetable soup that Mansi describes as Chinese, Indian style. Unlike most soups, this one is best enjoyed shortly after its prepared.

Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup

4 cups of water
1 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of tamari sauce
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons of ginger, finely chopped

1/2 cup of water
1 tablespoon of corn starch
2 jalapenos finely diced (or 2 - 3 red or green chilies or a combination of both)
3 spring onions, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup of cabbage, finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh or frozen corn
1/4 cup of fresh or frozen peas

1/2 cup of paneer cheese, cut into small cubes

In a large pot, bring the water, chili powder, cayenne, tamari sauce, vinegar, ginger, sugar, salt and pepper to a boil. Next add the chopped vegetables. If you are using frozen corn and peas, do not add them yet. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.

Dissolve the corn starch in the 1/2 cup of water and stir into the soup. If you are using frozen corn and peas, add them now and cook for another few minutes. Add the paneer cubes at the end of the cooking time.

Serve hot and garnish with bits of green onion. Serves 4 - 6.

On the menu with:

Yunnan Stir-Fried Azuki Beans and Green Pepper
Simple Lemon Rice

Tropical Christmas Steamed Pudding

There's a popular school of thought out there that romanticizes a White Christmas as something very much to be wished for every year. Well, speaking as someone who lives in a part of the world where there is rarely any other alternative, I can say that all those people who spend their time listening to Irving Berlin songs can have my White Christmas … I'd much rather be spending my Christmas on a tropical island. So this tropical twist on the traditional steamed Christmas pudding can at least let me imagine a little bit sitting on a sandy island beach at Christmas-time surrounded by warm tropical breezes as I watch the snow drift outside my window.

The steaming of these kinds of puddings really brings out the plumpness and freshness of dried tropical fruits… any kind that you can find or that strikes your fancy. For my own pudding I used an equal mixture of mangoes, papayas, pineapples and bananas, but any combination of any sort of tropical fruit that you can like — guava or jackfruit for example — can be used here. Make sure to look for dried tropical fruits without sugar and preservatives at a specialty store like an Asian grocery or a natural food store. This is my entry to Sugar High Friday - the theme this month is pudding.

Tropical Christmas Steamed Pudding

2 1/3 cups dried tropical fruit, diced
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped
1/3 cup sultanas
1/3 cup gold raisins
2/3 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/3 cup pistachios
1/3 cup roasted cashews, chopped
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup coconut cream
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

To serve:

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon dark rum

Stir together the chopped tropical fruits, ginger, sultanas and raisins along with 1/3 cup of the rum and let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight, stirring once in a while.

Thoroughly grease a 2 quart (2 liter) pudding mould or heatproof bowl. Pour the syrup into the mould and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the fruit mixture on top. Stir the pistachios and cashews along with 1/3 cup of the flour into the remaining fruit mixture, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and then beat the coconut cream into the butter until smooth. Beat in the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, followed by the whipping cream and the other 1/3 cup of rum.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining cup of flour together with the bread crumbs, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves. Pour the coconut mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly blended. Fold in the reserved fruit and nut mixture.

Scrape the batter into the mould, smoothing and tapping with a spatula as you pour to remove air pockets. Place a circle of parchment paper directly on the surface of the batter and cover the mould with a tight-fitting lid or with aluminum foil securely tied with kitchen string.

To steam the pudding, you will need a pot wide and deep enough to accommodate the mould or bowl comfortably with some room at both the sides and the top. Place the mould in the pot and fill the pot halfway up the sides of the mould with boiling water. Bring the pot to a boil on the stovetop, then cover and reduce the heat to a strong simmer. Simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, adding water occasionally to keep it level halfway up the side of the mould. The pudding is finished when a cake tester comes out the pudding completely clean. Let the pudding cool slightly before removing the parchment paper and lid or foil.

To serve, run a knife gently down the sides of the mould and invert on to a warmed plate. Just before serving, beat the whipping cream until whipped and drizzle in the rum.

Serve in a bowl with a spoonful of the whipped cream and rum on top or on the side.

*If you are making this ahead of time, remove the pudding from the mould, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to a week. To reheat, unwrap the pudding and return to the mould. Cover with parchment paper and a lid or securely tied foil and repeat the steaming process in a pot as before for 1 hour. To reheat in a microwave, turn out the pudding onto a serving plate and cover with large microwaveable bowl. Heat on High until hot, 7 to 10 minutes.

Oooops, I made these again... Jessica's super chocolate cookies

I must be going crazy. Or senile.Valentina posted a cookie recipe on her blog in Portuguese especially for my sister. They looked super tasty and Jessica and I baked them in one of the days she spent at my house.I was completely surprised to realize, more than a month later, when I was about to post the cookies, that I had already baked them…I didn’t notice it. Not even for a moment. They looked

Tarka Dal

If you've ever been to an Indian restaurant in North America, you've probably seen tarka dal on the menu. Almost always a bowl of yellow lentils cooked and mashed to a thick soup-like consistency, the name tarka dal is actually a generic term for any cooked dal tempered with a a final addition of seeds and spices fried in hot oil — the tarka — to give it a simple but elegant finish.

This version of tarka dal uses toor dal, otherwise known as toovar dal or split pigeon peas, which I find are a slightly sweeter and more full-textured dal than most. With very little preparation or cooking time, this tarka dal is an excellent addition to a full-course Indian meal, or makes a quick and simple but lovely Indian supper by itself with rice and a green salad. If you'd like to serve it in bowls almost as a soup, as I find most Indian restuarants do, add another 3/4 cup of water to the dal while cooking to thin the consistency.

Tarka Dal

Dal:

1 cup toor dal
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ghee or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
3 hot red or green chillies, slit down one side
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Tarka:

1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon split and skinless urad dal
4 dried red chillies, crumbled
1 small onion, cut lengthwise into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
6 curry leaves
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida

Rinse the toor dal thoroughly and combine with all the other dal ingredients except for the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour or until the dal is very soft and the water is mostly reduced. Remove from heat, stir in the salt, and purée to a thick soupy paste with a hand-blender or potato masher. Set aside.

Heat the ghee or oil for the tarka in a small frying pan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the black mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds start to sputter, usually a few seconds depending on the intensity of the heat, add the urad dal, chillies, onion, garlic and curry leaves. Stir fry for a few minutes until the urad dal turns reddish-brown. Toss in the asafoetida, stir once, then pour the tarka into the dal and mix.

Serve hot or warm over a bed of white rice, or in bowls if adding extra water. Serves 4.

Baked Mushroom Risotto

For all their lovely creamy textures and rich flavours, I suspect that risottos would be a far more popular part of everyday dinners if it weren't for all the fuss and stirring of their traditional reduction-based cooking methods. But as it turns out, slow baking controls the release of the starches on the outside of the risotto rice grains that give risottos their creaminess almost just as well as the typical slow and repetitive stop-pour-and-stir methods, and of course it makes cooking them so much easier that there should be almost nothing to deter you from trying it.

This idea comes Delia Smith's Vegetarian Collection, whose baked mushroom risotto I've adapted to make it even richer and more mushroom-y. Serve with Chickpea and Cabbage Soup for a warming and satisfying winter meal.

Baked Mushroom Risotto

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, any dark variety
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
8 ounces portabello mushrooms, stemmed and chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vermouth
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 ounces fresh parmesan cheese, grated
2 ounces fresh parmesan cheese, shaved
fresh ground black pepper

Soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water for half an hour to soften.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 150° and chop the other ingredients. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan or wok over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes. Now stir in the portabello mushrooms and celery. Leave aside while simmering to prepare the now softened dried mushrooms.

Drain the dried mushrooms in a fine strainer over a bowl to reserve the soaking liquid. Squeeze excess liquid from the mushrooms by hand, then chop finely. Add to the other mushrooms and vegetables, and continue to cook gently while the mushroom sweat their juices out — about 20 minutes. While they are cooking, put a large oven-proof casserole dish in the pre-heated oven to warm.

Add the rice to the mushrooms and vegetables and stir well to give each grain a coating of butter. Pour in the water, vermouth and the soaking liquid from the dried mushrooms and stir in the salt. Raise the heat to moderately high and bring everything up to the simmering point.

Transfer the mixture to the warmed casserole dish and stir only enough to spread evenly over the dish's surface. Place uncovered in the centre of the oven and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and gently stir in the grated parmesan, being careful not to break the rice grains. Raise the heat to 175° and return the risotto to the oven. Cook until the liquid has evaporated — depending on the size of the casserole dish and the surface area of the risotto, this may take between 15 and 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir in fresh ground black pepper to taste. Cover with a dish towel until serving.

Serve as soon as possible garnished with shavings of parmesan cheese. Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Savory herb, black pepper and parmesan shortbread

I think you all may have already noticed that I really like baking. I do. I used to be a Daring Baker, for crying out loud. But I had never baked savory cookies before.I tagged this recipe after seeing it on L.’s blog, Bake or Shake. Her cookies looked delicious and one just can’t go wrong with cheese and herbs. Oh, and butter. That’s just impossible. :)I made these to give as a gift and to be

Eggnog & Rum French Toast

Or, Booze for Breakfast!

Stopping at the Lusitania Bakery in London the other day to pick up a loaf of their wonderful Portuguese bread, I found that I had arrived too late and had to settle for their day-olds. That was no real loss, because the bread is still soft and delicious after a couple of days, but when the lady at the counter suggested that the day-olds are perfect for French Toast it got me thinking…

Earlier in the day I'd picked up some eggnog, and as I was driving home with my groceries thinking about the bakery lady's idea to use my loaf of Portuguese bread for French Toast, it occurred to me — why not use eggnog instead of milk to make French Toast? And as everyone knows that eggnog just isn't quite the real thing without a little tot of rum added, the idea of an eggnog & rum French Toast kept sounding better and better until I had to make it the next morning. I'm glad I did — the gentle hints of rum and winter spices made it about the best French Toast I'd ever tasted.

This would be a perfect dish for a Christmas morning breakfast, and if you don't like the idea of using rum so early in the day, you can substitute it with a couple of dashes of rum or vanilla extract. If you're more ambitious than I am, you can make your own traditional eggnog to use in this recipe and, of course, to serve later on but, for Canadian readers at least, President's Choice has a new and especially creamy eggnog without artificial flavours or colours that I very much recommend. I used Portuguese bread for my eggnog & rum French Toast, but of course thick slices of any kind of bread — French, Italian, or any other simple baker bread — will do just as well.

Eggnog & Rum French Toast

1 cup eggnog
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons dark rum
dash of ground cinnamon
dash of ground nutmeg
6 thick slices of bread
butter for greasing the pan

Heat a large cast-iron frying pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, beat the eggnog together with the eggs, rum and spices. When the frying pan is hot, lightly grease the surface with butter.

Trawl each slice of bread slowly through the eggnog mixture to let it soak in slightly, then place on the frying pan. Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.

Serve hot from the pan with fresh maple syrup and berries.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla-Cream Filling (Homemade Oreos)

There are certain things that we know are great way before we even see/hear them.Take Kanye West, for instance; I knew who he was (after Katrina and his TV statement) even though I did not know any of his songs. The minute I read that he had recorded a song featuring Daft Punk I knew it would be amazing – and I wasn’t wrong. To make things even better, the guys are on the video, too! How cool is

Chickpea and Cabbage Soup

This chickpea and cabbage soup has been a winter favourite of mine for years. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, the stewed flavours of chickpeas and vegetables combined with just a little spice makes for a very simple, nutritious and delicious cold weather beater.

Chickpea and cabbage soup

3/4 cup dried chickpeas
4 cups water
2 tablespoons water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 small cabbage, shredded
1 tomato, diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 large potato, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon

Soak the chickpeas overnight in 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft and tender. Drain the chickpeas and set aside the cooking liquid. Using a potato masher, crush some of the chickpeas.

In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of water over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft. Stir in the cabbage and tomato, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked but not falling apart. Remove the vegetables from the pan into a bowl and set aside.

Return the saucepan to the stove and add the potato, vegetable stock, and reserved cooking liquid from the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the chickpeas, vegetables and remaining ingredients, and simmer for at least 10 minutes to let the flavours mingle, or let the soup simmer for up to an hour before serving.

Serve hot in a big, warming bowl with a grain dish or fresh bread. Serves 8.

Spaghetti with basil, smoked ricotta and roast bell pepper

I’m always interested in new ways of cooking pasta.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love fresh tomato sauce (I only use homemade) but pasta gives you so many possibilities that it’s almost a sin not to try other sauces and ingredient combinations.

If you are in a hurry and have to put dinner together quickly, this is a really good recipe: you can take a shower while the peppers are roasting

Black Bean Chili With Toasted Spices

Winter has officially come to Canada and this warming black bean chili with brown rice is an ideal dish to help with the December blues. Dry-toasted spices, along with the surprising addition of fennel, give this pot a unique and delicious smoky pungency. Best of all, one large bowl is a meal unto itself.

This is my entry to Running with Tweezers' Chili Cook-off.

Black bean chili with toasted spices

1 cup dried black beans
1/2 cup brown rice
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
2 large jalapeños, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
4 sun-dried tomatoes
1 large tomato, chopped finely
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
fresh ground black pepper

Soak the beans in water overnight in 2 2/3 cups water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added, and soak the brown rice in a separate pan or bowl in 1 cup of water.

Bring the beans to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, add the ginger, jalapeños, half of the fresh cilantro and the bay leaf, and cover. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft but not falling apart.

Meanwhile, bring the rice to a boil in a small saucepan, reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for half an hour. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

While the rice and beans are cooking, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20-30 minutes. Drain and chop. About one hour into the cooking time for the beans, place the cumin seeds in another small saucepan over medium heat and toast for a couple of minutes until the seeds darken. Stir in the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, chili powder and oregano. Turn the heat up slightly to bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the beans are cooked, remove from the heat and use a masher or hand-blender to coarsely purée one-quarter to one-third of the cooked beans. Stir in the tomato sauce, rice and salt, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Put the mustard seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat, cover with a lid, and toast, shaking the pan, until the seeds begin to pop. Quickly toss in the fennel seeds, cover again, and continue to toast until the mustard seeds stop popping. Pour into the beans and season the chili with black pepper.

Garnish each serving with the remaining cilantro. Serves 4 to 6.

Chickpea, Quinoa and Mushroom Croquettes

I'm always on the lookout for nutty flavour and crunchy texture and this recipe for Chickpea, Quinoa and Mushroom Croquettes from Pig in the Kitchen turned out to be as satisfying as it sounded and looked. Composed of a grain, legume and vegetables, theses croquettes are a meal onto themselves. Consider serving them with a chutney or tomato based sauce or as a vegetarian burger. I served them alongside Butter Paneer Masala.

I happened across Pig's blog shortly after starting Lisa's Kitchen via a google search for I can't remember what, but I've become a regular reader ever since. Her writing is inspired and witty, and her pictures are sure to stimulate your appetite even if you aren't hungry. Featured are tasty and healthy recipes that are dairy, egg and soya-free, including many gluten-free choices, so if you suffer from food allergies, be sure to stop by Pig in the Kitchen. Thankfully, I don't suffer from food allergies and among the modifications I have made are using eggs instead of egg substitute.

Chickpea, quinoa and mushroom croquettes

Croquettes:

2/3 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 cup quinoa
pinch of saffron threads, crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 white mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 large jalapeño, chopped
3 medium carrots, grated
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 tablespoons rice flour

Coating:

2/3 cup quinoa
6 dried red chillies
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 eggs, well beaten

Scrub and rinse the quinoa for the croquettes under cold running water in a strainer. Cover with water in a bowl and soak overnight. At the same time, soak the chickpeas in water overnight in a saucepan with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice.

Bring the chickpeas to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft. Drain and put into a large bowl. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher until they become a dry paste. Set aside.

Meanwhile, drain the quinoa. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. When hot, add the crushed saffron threads and quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the quinoa well, pressing with a spoon to remove as much water as possible, and add to the chickpeas.

While the quinoa is cooking, put the olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, parsley and jalapeño into a blender or food processor and process until blended.

Add the mushroom paste to the chickpeas and quinoa in the large mixing bowl and stir in the carrots, sesame seeds, cumin, coriander and salt. Stir in the rice flour one tablespoon at a time. Form into burger-sized patties with your hands.

Prepare the coating by briefly grinding the dry quinoa with the red chillies, salt and pepper in a food processor or mortar and pestle to make a coarse powder with many of the quinoa grains left unpulverized. Pour into a bowl for turning the croquettes. Dip each croquette into a bowl containing the beaten eggs, shake off the excess, and transfer to the quinoa coating bowl. Pick up gently, shake off the excess coating, and transfer to a plate.

Heat a quarter-inch of olive oil in a frying pan over slightly less than medium heat and pre-heat the oven to 175°. When hot, add as many croquettes as will fit in the pan, cover, and fry for 5 minutes or until the bottom side is browned. Flip over and cover again, frying for a few more minutes until the other side is browned. Remove and drain on paper towel. Keep warm on an oven-safe plate in the preheated oven until all the croquettes are cooked.

Repeat the frying process, adding more olive oil if necessary, until all the croquettes are fried. Serve hot, or re-heat on a grill or covered with foil wrap in a warm oven. Makes about 12 burger-sized croquettes.

Double Chocolate Cookies

Holiday baking is quite new to me – it’s not something we do here in Brazil, but from the moment I started reading foodblogs – and then blogging – I thought that it would be a lovely tradition for me to adopt.Last year I made a couple of cookies and some truffles to give as gifts and it was such a great experience that I intend to do that again this year. And the next. And the next.I saved these

Mung Beans with Carrots and Cashews

Lucy from Nourish Me's re-working of a "revolting" cookbook recipe for mung beans to create what she calls an "inauthentic dal" looked to me so wholesome, attractive and tasty that I figured nothing could be wrong with adding my own little tweaks to make it even more inauthentic!

Apart from making Lucy's wonderful recipe just a little spicier — my trademark, I suppose — I fried up the garlic, ginger, dried red chilli and curry leave spicing to draw out their flavours in a bit of oil before cooking with the mung beans, and fried the carrots and cashews a little as well to preserve some of the crispness of the carrots while they're being cooked and, well, because I love the fragrance and character of fried cashews. The result, much like Lucy's, is a light, warming and nourishing dal that's so easy to digest it's a pleasure going back for seconds and thirds. Thank you, Lucy!

Mung beans with carrots and cashews

1 1/2 cups dried mung beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1-inch piece of ginger, minced
4 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 cup raw cashews, chopped
4 dried hot red chillies
8-10 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 14 oz. can of coconut milk
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, packed
1 teaspoon sea salt
juice of 1 lime
1 hot green chilli, thinly sliced for garnish

Rinse the mung beans under cold running water in a strainer. Soak overnight in a large bowl with 5 cups of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added to break down the enzyme inhibitors and phytates that block the absorption of the beans' essential minerals and proteins.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Toss in the carrots and continue to fry, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the cashews and fry for another 5 minutes, or until they just start to change colour.

Toss in the dried chillies and curry leaves and stir for 30 more seconds before pouring in the beans along with their soaking liquid, as well as the turmeric, cayenne and brown sugar. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, reduce the heat to low, stir in the coconut milk, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and tender.

Add the spinach and simmer for another 10 minutes to wilt the leaves. Just before serving, stir in the salt and lime juice. Garnish each serving with green chillies.

Serves 6 to 8.

Lime honey madeleines

These delicate madeleines are a simple homage to a friend of mine who lives on the other side of the planet. She’s a tremendously talented cook/baker and I have used many of her recipes here.A generous and sensitive friend, who sent, all the way from Japan, a box addressed to Brazil – a box full of beautiful and adorable things. And these were among the gifts:It took me forever to first use the

Vegetarian Stove-Top Calabacitas

Calabacitas is a traditional Pueblo Indian squash and chili pepper casserole that's become very popular in its many spicy American Southwest variations. Often baked and usually made with chicken or beef, this colourful vegetarian version uses pinto beans to add heartiness and protein, and cooks on top of the stove in just 20 minutes. While it makes a wonderful vegetable side dish for any Southwest or Mexican style dinner, I like to serve it up as a quick and filling breakfast wake-me-upper, although the beans should be cooked the night before if you're going to do this to speed up the morning preparation.

This calabacitas can be found by many to be quite hot, so if you're serving guests with a gentle palette, you can omit the chile powder. Serve with warm corn tortillas and sour cream.

Vegetarian Stove-Top Calabacitas

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: American Southwest Published on December 3, 2007 A vegetarian stove-top version of a traditional Pueblo Indian baked squash and chili pepper casserole — colorful, hearty and spicy, this can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried pinto beans 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup chopped jalapeños 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 2 medium zucchinis, diced 2 cups corn, fresh or frozen and defrosted 2 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 cup fresh grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak the beans overnight covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, then add to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat for a couple of minutes. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl around the pan. Add the onion, jalapeños, tomato paste, chili powder, oregano and salt. Fry, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft. Add the beans, zucchini, corn, and garlic and continue to cook, stirring gently to avoid breaking the beans, for about 5 more minutes until the zucchini is just tender (avoid overcooking). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts. Add black pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges or jalapeño slices as garnish. Makes 4 - 6 servings

Spicy Fried Rice

This is a very easy and tasty rice dish that would compliment any Indian meal or any other meal that you would serve with rice. I suggest you serve it with Chana Masala or Moong Dal and a vegetable dish.

Spicy Fried Rice

1 cup of basmati rice
2 cups of water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 2 tablespoons of oil, or a combination of butter and oil
1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
3 whole green cardamoms
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
4 - 5 peppercorns

Rinse the rice well under warm water. Soak in the water for at least 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid and let air dry for abut 20 minutes.

In a medium pot, heat the oil. When hot, add the onion and stir and fry until it begins to brown. Add the ginger, garlic and salt to the pot, and stir and fry for another few minutes. Remove a few tablespoons of the onion mixture for garnishing and set aside.

Next, add the rice, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon stick and peppercorns to the pot. Stir and fry for a few minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 - 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat, let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve with bits of fried onion sprinkled on top along with a few threads of saffron.