Cabbage Poriyal

Anyone wishing to explore the wide and creative arrays of colours, flavours and textures that make up south Indian cuisine could not do much better than to pick up a copy of Chandra Padmanabhan's lavish and informative Dakshincookbook. A large assortment of exotic and beautifully illustrated dal, rice and vegetable dishes are clearly explained and … most importantly … delicious every time.

This is my contribution to March's Eating with the Seasons, a monthly event hosted by Maninas.

Cabbage Poriyal

1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon chana dal or yellow split peas
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 whole dried red chili
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
small handful fresh or dried curry leaves
2 hot green chilies, slit lengthwise
1 pound green cabbage, finely chopped
1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Thoroughly rinse the urad dal and chana dal under running water in a fine-meshed strainer and set aside to drain.

Heat a large saucepan or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl around to coat the pan. Toss in the dals, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chili, asafoetida and curry leaves.

As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, less than a minute and as little as a few seconds, add the green chilis and stir for a few seconds. Now stir in the cabbage, green peas and water. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and cook until the cabbage is warmed and just slightly tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, add the coconut and salt, and mix thoroughly. Serve hot or warm.

Pistachio ice cream

Two things this week have convinced me I should trust my instincts more often.I saw a teaser for “The Wrestler” many months ago and thought “this is my kind of film”. A director a deeply admire – Julia Roberts got all the awards that year, but they should have gone to Ellen Burstyn – working with an actor from one of Alan Parker’s finest moments (one of my all time favorites. Can’t tell you how

Baked Coconut Mango Pancakes

Simple and quick but delicious, these soft and slightly custard-y baked pancakes make as wonderful a treat on a weekend morning with a mug of hot coffee as they would for dessert, and are best eaten hot out of the oven. Made with coconut milk, fresh mango pieces and just a hint of cardamom, this is another and slightly more exotic variation on the baked strawberry pancakes that proved to be so popular last summer.

Baked Coconut Mango Pancakes

2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs, separated
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 large ripe mango, peeled and sliced into small wedges
icing sugar

Heat an oven to 425°. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in each of two deep 9-inch pie plates. Put in oven to melt.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the coconut milk, flour, sugar and cardamom.

Fold the egg whites into the batter. Remove the pie plates from the oven and pour half of the batter into each. Arrange the mango pieces on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden on top.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with icing sugar.

If you liked this recipe you may also enjoy:

Baked Strawberry Pancakes
Baked Blueberry & Peach Pancakes
Mango Barley Porridge with Blackberries

Cream of Potato and Turnip Soup

The warmth and comfort found in a hot bowl of cream of potato soup has staved off winter chills for generations of Canadians, and few kitchens are without a basic recipe at hand. But the use of creamed white beans in place of the standard milk and flour base found in most recipes makes this cream of potato soup a filling and nourishing meal all on its own, while adding a depth of flavour that is all the more satisfying for the addition of turnips as well.

This is my contribution to this month's No Croutons Required roundup hosted this month by my good friend Holler and featuring potato recipes.

Cream of Potato and Turnip Soup

1 cup dried cannellini (white kidney) beans
4 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound potatoes, cubed
1 pound turnips, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Rinse the beans and soak overnight covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and add to a medium saucepan, pour in 4 cups of fresh water, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft. Remove from heat, add the vegetable stock, and purée in a countertop blender or with a hand blender until smooth. Return to heat and keep at a low simmer.

Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Toss in the onions and sauté until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and turnip, stir for a couple of minutes, then add the puréed bean broth. Raise the heat slightly and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes depending on the size of your cubes. Remove from heat and season with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.

Serve hot. Makes enough for 6 to 8 people.

Bill’s coconut bread

It’s 32ºC (90ºF) now here in Sao Paulo and many people wish they were at the beach. But not me – I don’t like going to the beach.....Now that you have finished throwing rotten tomatoes at me, I’ll go on. :DI don’t like the salt, the sand, the heat... I do go to the beach, though – Joao loves it. And people do the craziest things for love, don’t they?Luckily, I have found 2 or 3 beach haters like

Sweet corn ice cream

Food bloggers love sharing recipes and I am no exception – I have made tons of recipes from other blogs and it’s a huge pleasure for me when people try the recipes I post here. It’s a great exchange and I feel lucky to be part of it.What makes me even happier is being able to show my foreign readers a bit about the food we eat here in Brazil, or at least in the region I live. I once got an email

Chickpea Flour Fritters with a Creamy Ricotta, Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Filling

When I saw this recipe for Chickpea Flour Fritters with a Creamy Filling of Ricotta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives at Lucullian's lovely blog, I immediately decided to try them as I never can resist olive, sun-dried tomato pairings, especially when there is cheese thrown into the mix. In fact, I made them twice, as the photos didn't turn out the first time and it took little to persuade me to make them again. The crispy little fritters make for a delightful meal and my sweetie said it was almost like eating a savory dessert for dinner. The possibilities for toppings and fillings are endless, and I'm thinking of trying them with goat cheese next time, or a creamy mushroom filling. I should also note this recipe is gluten free, so consider this as an alternative to traditional flour based fried savories.

This one goes to Bookmarked Recipes, a weekly food event started by Ruth focusing on recipes inspired from other sources.

Chickpea Fritters with a Creamy Ricotta, Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Filling

For the Fritters:

1 cup of chickpea flour, sifted
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
freshly cracked black pepper
a pinch of sea salt

olive oil for frying

For the Filling:

2/3 cup of ricotta cheese
6 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained, and finely chopped
1/3 cup of black olives, finely chopped
dash of sea salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, black pepper, salt and paprika. Let the mixture sit for a few hours.

In another bowl, combine the ingredients for the filling.

Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, pour in roughly 1/4 cup of the batter. Cook until the fritter is browned and crispy, flip and cook for a few minutes more. Repeat until the batter is gone, adding more oil as necessary. Drain the cooked fritters on paper towels.

To serve, spoon some of the filling onto a fritter. Top with another fritter, and spoon more filling on. Top with another fritter. Repeat the process with the remaining fritters.

Yields 2 - 3 servings (roughly 10 fritters).

More fried savory recipes you might enjoy:
Rice Flour Pancakes
Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Crushed Peas and Cilantro
Savory Rice and Urad Dal Pancakes

Savory Olive Muffins with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Ricotta Cheese

Savory biscuits and muffins are an ideal solution for filling out a meal to share with friends. These flavourful olive muffins with sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta and cheddar cheese are roughly based on a savory muffin recipe I found at Sunita's place. I served them with Spicy Green Lentils and Yellow Split Peas for a most satisfying meal.

Savory Olive Muffins with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Ricotta Cheese

3 cups of whole wheat flour
3 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3 tablespoons of Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of crushed red chili flakes
6 sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup of grated extra old cheddar cheese
1/3 - 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
1/3 - 1/2 cup of black olives, pitted and chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 1/2 cups of yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup of water (or reserved liquid from the soaked sun-dried tomatoes)

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 minutes. Chop into small pieces, and reserve the soaking liquid.

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt, red chili flakes, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, grated cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, olives and olive oil.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and 1/2 cup of water (or 1/2 cup of the reserved sun-dried tomato soaking liquid instead of the water).

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yogurt mixture. Stir until just combined.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the muffins are nicely browned. Cool for a few minutes in the tin and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.

More savory muffin recipes:
Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Muffins
Savory Dill Ricotta Muffins
Cornmeal Muffins

Chocolate ice cream with macadamia brittle

I’ve already told you how much I love blogging and the several reasons for that – being you, the people who read me, an amazing one.Another favorite reason is that I’ll write what I want, about what I want... About people I find beautiful and talented, or ugly and shallow – it is MY blog, after all. You have the right to disagree with me and we can have a nice “conversation” this way - because

I'm in a marshmallow state of mind...

Quoting – I mean, sort of – Billy Joel reminds me of the day I saw him and his teeny-tiny wife on Oprah. Katie Lee Joel was showing their apartment and telling how she had gotten Nate Berkus to decorate it, after watching him on Oprah one day. When the cameras got to her room, I was in complete shock – the doors of her (huge) closet were all covered in gold. Yes, people, GOLD. Seriously – I found

White Cabbage and Bean Minestrone

Packed with vitamins, proteins and fibre, this simple Italian winter minestrone adapted from Martha Rose Shulman's delightful Mediterranean Harvest is as nourishing a lunch or light dinner on a cold day as it is warming, comforting and delicious.

White Cabbage and Bean Minestrone

1 1/4 cups dried cannellini (white kidney) beans
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
small handful fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 large head of green cabbage, cored and chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup shell or tube pasta
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

To serve:

thick toasted slices of fresh crusty bread
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse the beans under cold running water and soak overnight covered in several inches of cold water. Drain and rinse, and place in a medium saucepan. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are just tender. Drain and set aside along with the cooking liquid.

Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl around to coat the pan. Toss in the onion, carrot, celery and parsley, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute or so, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until they have reduced a bit. Stir in the cabbage, then add the beans, the reserved cooking liquid, vegetable stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1/2 an hour.

Add the remaining garlic and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the beans are soft. Now add the pasta and cook until done, 10 minutes or to desired teeth. Remove the soup from heat, discard the bay leaf, and season with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, toast bread and add slices to the bottoms of wide shallow flat-bottomed soup or pasta bowls. Ladle soup over the toast, scatter fresh grated Parmesan cheese over top, and serve immediately. Serves 8.

Other winter bean and vegetable soups you might enjoy:

Chickpea and cabbage soup
Romano bean and vegetable soup

Lollipops

What should one do when feeling a desperate urge to make something sweet but has no time to wait for the butter to come to room temperature, not to mention there is something else in the oven? Candy. In my case, bright red and very, very sweet lollipops.

These might look tricky, but believe me, they are not. The lollipops were fun to make and I think they would be a great treat for birthday

Spicy Green Lentils and Yellow Split Peas

My trusted copy of 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer has once again come to the rescue when I needed a quick but satisfying meal solution to end a particularly dreary and trying week. In times of woe, it's easy to resort to restaurant meals, but I never forget that home cooked meals are not only more nourishing, but cheaper and generally superior in taste. The spicy kick of this dish is pleasantly balanced by the muted sweetness of the brown sugar.

I served this delightful lentil curry over a bed of hot buttered basmati rice alongside some Savory Olive Muffins with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Ricotta Cheese.

This is my contribution to the 8th helping of My Legume Love Affair, a popular food event started by and hosted this month by the ever-talented Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Spicy Green Lentils and Yellow Split Peas


2/3 cup of green lentils
1/4 cup of yellow split peas
2 tablespoons of ghee or a mixture of butter and oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 - 2 hot red or green chilies
2 medium-large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup of jaggery or brown sugar (I used rapadura)
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
generous handful of curry leaves (I used dried as I didn't have any fresh ones on hand)

Rinse the lentils and the yellow split peas in a strainer. Transfer to a medium-sized saucepan and cover with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are very soft and the split peas are tender - roughly 40-50 minutes.

In a frying pan, heat the ghee (or butter and oil) over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to sputter and pop. Add the cumin seeds, salt, cayenne, asafetida and turmeric, stir and immediately add the tomatoes, hot pepper, sugar, parsley and curry leaves. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has a sauce-like consistency - roughly 10 minutes.

When the lentils and peas are done, mash a portion of the legumes with the back of a spoon. Add the sauce to the pan, cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Yields 4 servings.

More lentil recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Rice and Green Lentils in Coconut Milk
Saffron-Brandied Lentils
Lentil Soup with Prunes and Apricots

Buttered Lime Rice

There's almost no end to the variations in flavours that can be added to white basmati rice, but there really couldn't be anything much simpler than cooking up a pot on its own to enjoy its unique lightly sweet and popcorn-y taste, as I frequently like to do. If you're of the same mind, this slight variation on the ordinary cooking method should be guaranteed to appeal — not least for the rich warm aroma of hot buttered popcorn as the rice is first sautéed for a couple of minutes in butter, but also for the fresh but mellow piquancy which the lime juice adds. Taken from Yamuna Devi's indispensable Lord Krishna's Cuisine, this is an astonishingly good way to enjoy basmati rice for the extra minute it takes in preparation.

Variations: try adding 1/2 teaspoon of black mustard seeds, a dash of cayenne pepper, or a 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger sliced into thin rounds with the rice as it is fried in the butter.

Buttered Lime Rice

1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Rinse the rice under cold running water and let sit to air dry for an hour or more in a fine mesh strainer.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the butter turns frothy, and before it begins to burn, add the rice and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the water and lime juice, and stir in the salt. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to its lowest setting, cover, and let the rice cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and turn off the heat. If there is any unabsorbed water in the pan, let it sit for a couple of minutes on the burner as it cools.

Fluff with a fork and serve hot. Serves 4.

Other rice dishes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Mushroom Pulao Rice
Green Tea and Curry Rice
Cashew Rice with Diced Potatoes

Banana-oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

I started listening to Smiths at the age of 9 and even though I understood nothing Morrissey said those songs made a strange kind of sense to me – I ended up learning why later on in life. Music became a huge part of my days and brought me comfort in several bad moments.Besides listening to the songs, I loved checking out the LP covers – some were absolutely fantastic. I became obsessed about one

Vegetarian Mushroom Bourguignon

It is often said that mushrooms are meat to vegetarians, and after eating this mushroom bourguignon that I adapted from Smitten Kitchen, I think you just might be convinced that vegetarians do just fine. Tender chunks of plump portobellos and chewy dried lobster mushrooms are simmered into a thick sauce highlighted by some robust red wine and served over a bed of steaming egg noddles. This filling dinner is sure to satisfy even the most ravenous mushroom fiends and your carnivorous friends won't miss a thing either.

This was actually my first experience with lobster mushrooms, and it certainly won't be my last. I found myself nibbling on the soaked mushrooms before they even made it into the dish. Not properly a mushroom, these pretty reddish orange fungi are actually a parasitic mushroom that take over certain varieties of mushrooms. If you don't have or can't find dried lobster mushrooms, feel free to substitute your favorite dried mushroom.


I am submitting this recipe to the November Blog Hop, featuring favorite vegetable recipes.

Vegetarian Mushroom Bourguignon

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Published on February 5, 2009 A rich, sumptuous and robust mushroom dish for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike — great for serving on special occasions Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 ounce dried lobster mushrooms (or other varieties) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 pounds portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4 slices 1 small carrot, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh cracked black pepper 1 cup full-bodied red wine 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste 1 2/3 cups vegetable stock or reserved mushroom soaking liquid 2 tablespoons unbleached white flour large handful fresh parsley for garnish Instructions: Cover the dried mushrooms with hot water and leave to sit for roughly 20 minutes. Drain, reserve the soaking liquid, squeeze any excess liquid from the mushrooms and roughly chop. Set aside. Heat one tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter in a large pot over high heat. When hot, throw in the portobello mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown, and just before they begin to release their juices - roughly 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Throw in the onions, carrots, shallots, thyme and salt and pepper and cook for roughly 10 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Stir occasionally. Now add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the wine to the pot, scrap the bottom of the pan, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in the tomato paste, add the portobello mushrooms, vegetable stock (or 1 2/3 cup of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid), bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. While the mushrooms are cooking, combine the flour with the remaining tablespoon of butter with a fork. When the mushrooms are tender, add the flour / butter mixture to the pot, along with the soaked dried mushrooms and cook for another few minutes, or until the desired thickness is achieved. Scoop over pasta or egg noodles and garnish with parsley or chives. Serve with a generous glass of red wine. Makes 4 servings

Other delightful mushroom dishes you will want to try:
Ricotta Dumplings Smothered in Mushroom Sauce
Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce
Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Quinoa
Penne with Indian-Style Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms

Cherry ice cream with white chocolate

I know some of you will roll your eyes in despair because I replaced the dark chocolate in this recipe with white chocolate, but let me at least say that it worked really well! The ice cream itself is not overly sweet, so don’t worry about going into a sugar coma.Think of this as a nice change – unlike replacing one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll singers of all time with this guy.Cherry ice cream

Feta Cheese and Cumin Crackers

While I have overloaded shelves full of cookbooks, more often than not I find myself turning to my favorite blogs for inspiration. One of my latest successes were these earthly feta cheese and cumin crackers that Sunita made to go along with a bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash soup. I never can resist savory cracker and biscuit recipes, so I immediately resolved to make them. Rather like a savory spicy cookie, these aromatic crackers puff up a bit in the oven, yet hold together perfectly, while maintaining a delightful chewiness. They did indeed prove to be an ideal accompaniment to soup. I served them with my Spicy Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup with Black Beans.

I'm sending this off to Rachana who is hosting her first food event called A Healthy Bite. The idea is to submit healthy appetizers that don't add bulge to the waistline.

Feta Cheese and Cumin Crackers

1 cup of spelt flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
5 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, roasted and ground
1 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup of milk

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt, cumin, olive oil and feta. Rub together with your fingers to combine.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the milk. Stir until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for roughly 45 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. On a well floured board, roll the dough out until it is roughly 1/4 inch thick. Cut into roughly 2 1/2 inch rounds and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roll out the extra dough and repeat.

Roll out the second portion of dough and repeat the process until all of the dough is gone. Prick the discs with a fork.

Bake the crackers in a preheated 350 degree oven until they are brown on the top - roughly 25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Yields roughly 20 crackers, depending on how large you cut them.

Other cracker recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Spicy Parmesan Crackers
Rice Crackers
Lime Biscuit Thins

Lime yogurt cake and the power of positive thinking

I usually think of myself as a realistic person, but also believe that good things come to those who think positively. Seating on the couch without actually doing anything will get you nowhere, but keeping a positive attitude towards life and being grateful for what you already have may help you succeed.The Pollyanna side of me worked hard last Saturday – at least for the entire time this cake