Sesame Garlic Beans

My Mom grew up in Singapore and whenever she talks about her childhood; food was always the highlight of her stories. (Yes, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree) 30 years later and here I am talking through my days about what I eat, cook and dream about cooking! :-)

Now that I think about it, a lot of what my Mom cooked reflected her love of the South East Asian cooking flavors and techniques. She loved to stir fry instead of saute, sear instead of brown and julienne instead of dice! Her favorite spice was red chill and garlic, and her cant_do_without_condiment was soy sauce. She also introduced me to the magnificent flavor of toasted Sesame oil early. A drizzle of this stuff will get you to the orient quicker than any pan asian flight!

Here is the simplest of all her dishes- a stir fry of green beans and garlic. The dish is flavored with garlic and sesame oil- that's it!

Serves 3 or 4 as a side dish
Preparation time 30 minutes

8 oz french green beans
4-6 large cloves of garlic, slivered (the more the better!)
3 tsp ginger, minced
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
4 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
3 tbsp water
1 tsp red chili flakes or 2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
Salt to taste

In a large hot saute pan or wok, heat the oil.
Add the onions and garlic, saute for about 2 minutes
Add the green beans, water and the soy sauce. Turn down the heat and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the beans are almost done (they should have some bite to them)
Turn the heat back up, season with salt, pepper/chili flakes and the sesame seeds. Stir well.

Serve as a side or along with hot rice.

Omelette Station

(Pictured here is the Pesto-Red Onion-Arugla Omelette)

There is no other food more versatile than the humble egg. With recent press releases on how "good for you" this little protein package is, there was never a better time to start cracking! :-)

Last weekend we tried a couple different omelettes based on our favorite flavors from Portage Bay Cafe. (Which btw, you HAVE to try if you're ever in the Seattle area!)

So back to the beaters. We tried a goat cheese-fenugreek-red onion combo as well as a basil pesto-red onion-arugula combo. Both were scrumptious to say the least. We didnt even miss buttered toast with all the flavorful ingredients in this substantial breakFEAST!

Serves 2, Preparation Time 30 minutes

4 large eggs
A couple pinches of flour
1 tbsp milk
2 tsp, olive oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 cup fenugreek leaves or *1 cup arugula (See foot notes)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup olives, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup goat cheese or *1/2 cup pesto (See foot notes)
1 tsp, Crushed red pepper (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saute pan, add the red pepper, onions and garlic. Saute until soft. (about 3 minutes)
Add the fenugreek leaves, season with a little salt and pepper (Remember, the goat cheese/pesto is pretty salty too)
Remove this mixture and set aside
In a large bowl beat 2 of the eggs with the flour and milk until light and frothy.
Pour immediately into the hot saute pan
Cover and cook for a few minutes on medium-low heat
Flip and cook for a few minutes until both sides are almost done.
Layer half the onion mixture on half the omelette in the pan, crumbled half the goat cheese and add the olives and black pepper. Fold and transfer to a serving plate.
Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs to make the 2nd omelette.

*If making the Arugula-Basil Pesto combo-
Dont add the arugula to the onions in the saute pan. While assembling the omelette in the pan, spread the pesto on the omelette, layer the onions and then add the fresh arugula before you fold the omelette and serve. The heat from the omelette will cause the arugula to wilt.

Are you starving?

I knew it was time to post an update when a friend asked me if we were starving ourselves; and hence the lack of blog posts!

Rest assured we're alive. And kicking ourselves for selling our old kitchen range before fulfilling my whim of buying a better one. When we finally narrowed down on which range to buy- a decision powered by indecision, a budget and whether I wanted my cookies browned or soft- we ordered it. Hallelujah! I used the time spent away from the range to organize our kitchen.

2 weeks later and the new addition to our kitchen is still not here! It was on a freight truck coming to us from New York and I can only assume that it got buried in a snow storm along the way! The tracking website says it should be at our door this weekend, so look out for an update soon. I've got quite a few culinary tricks up my sleeve for my shiny virgin range. Stay poised to pick up your fork!

In the meantime, try out the latest recipe I posted on Quinoa. I wont go into how good it is for you and the like but since I do like healthy yet tasty treats, I can say this treat is simple and satisfying. My Mom used to say, "If it (tastes) too good, it cant be good for you!". She's prooved herself wrong time and again by coming up with dinner ideas with the simplest ingredients- I'd like to think that I've inherited some of that talent.

Happy Hunger pangs! :)

Curried Quinoa

Being vegetarian, H has been trying to find new sources of protein. There's only so much tofu and lentils he can eat in a week! Since we love trying new foods; we ventured into the outer corners of the internet and dug up quinoa! It is rich in protein while also providing carbs of the good kind. Quinoa is more of a seed than a cereal but when cooked, it has a nutty flavor and a texture similar to couscous or brown rice.

Enough of the encyclopedic dribble. Onto the good stuff! H doesnt mind me stealing his thunder by posting his recipe here! :)

Serves 2
Preparation time ~ 30 minutes
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch stick ginger, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup red pepper, diced
Garnish:
Cilantro/Basil
Lime

Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa and cook uncovered for a few minutes on medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the onion and saute until transluscent.
Add the ginger, garlic, spices and stir for about 2 minutes.
Add the vegetables and quinoa, mix well.
Season with salt.
Garnish with cilantro or basil and a squeeze of lime.

Delicious Discoveries

I like cruising the aisles of food stores looking for flavorful ingredients. Sometimes that means having a stocked fridge with too many choices, but oh well, it pays off most of the time when I need to whip something different for dinner.

Here are some recent finds that I love.

Wildwood Garlic Aioli
(I bought this at the local Whole Foods Market)
Aioli is a vegan mayo substitute. It packs as much (if not more flavor) than mayo but it's also filled with good-for-you unsaturated fats unlike it's eggy counterpart. This version of aioli is very mediterranean- it's filled with flavors like zesty lemon and garlic. So far I've used it as a substitute for mayo in sandwiches and also mixed in paprika and chives to make a yummy dip for oven baked yam fries. Yumm!

Pain is Good- Garlic Sauce
(I bought this at the local Whole Foods market)
What drew me to this sauce was the packaging and ofcourse the fact that it had garlic in it! But I'm esctatic to say that my tastebuds are in love with this substantial condiment. It's slightly chunky and very hot. A little drizzle goes a long way on a hotdog, mixed into soup, an omelet etc.

Metropolitan Market's Flatbread
(I bought this at the location in Queen Anne)
I know this is very local but I had to list it here. After years of searching for flatbread that comes close to what I grew up on; my taste buds were sent into dizzying depths of nostalgia when I tore off a bite of these toasted flats. Look out for them if you're in the area- they're sold in bags of 12 and smell like they've been yanked fresh out of a stone oven!

Fran's Caramel Sauce
Another local favorite. I think you do get them in other cities though. If you like caramel sauce and are looking for something from your childhood days at the ice cream parlor- you got to try Fran's. It's rich, buttery and simply delicious drizzled over ... well ... anything! :-)


Earth N Vine's- Red Pepper and Ancho Chili Jam
This savory jam goes well with so many things. It is as versatile as it is unique. The sweet roasted red peppers are kicked up a notch when combined with ancho chilies. Use this as a spread on a simple cracker or mix into some aioli or cream cheese for a tasty dip. Also stir into tomato soup or as a spread for a sandwich.Feeling adventurous? Try it on simple vanilla or chocolate icecream as a topping!

Spicy Macaroni with Arugula and Egg

Macaroni and cheese with butter and tomato sauce- I loved this as a kid. Recreating some of those flavors and making it a healthy dish paid off in a tasty way! :)

Serves 4, Preparation time 30 minutes

2 cups dry macaroni

1/2 large red onion, diced

1 large tomato, diced

2 tsp jalapeno, minced

2 tsp garlic, finely minced

1/2 pepper (green or red), diced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt

Pepper

2 cups arugula

1 cup basil, chopped

4 tbsp fresh mozarella, diced

Heat some water in a large pot until boiling. Salt and add the macaroni and cook until al dente ~ 7 minutes

Heat a tbsp of oil in a saute pan, add the onions, garlic and jalapeno. Saute for a few minutes until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes are tender.

Add the peppers and stir. Turn off the heat. Season with salt.

Stir in the hot, drained macaroni.

In a seperate pan, add some oil and scramble the eggs in the pan. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.

To assemble. Put a ladle or 2 of the hot macaroni on a plate. Add a tbsp of the diced mozarella on top. Mix in some fresh basil and layer with the egg and arugula. Crack some pepper on top and serve.

Maple Date Sticky Toffee Pudding

(Sorry for the poor quality of this photo- I couldn't wait to dig in!) :)

Just in time for Valentine's day- voila a dessert perfect for sharing! Well, I don't really succumb to the V-Day traditions but there's always room for a sweet-excuse. :)

H loved the Sticky Toffee pudding we had in London. He couldnt get enough of it and went from one M&S to another in search for this traditional English dessert. Back home, we found it hard to find and like so many things that fade with time- the memories of this dish were replaced by other concoctions ...

Until today! Some research and a great many variations later, I stumbled upon what I think is a pretty good match to the flavors of it's British counterpart. I tried reducing the fat and sugar in the recipe and I think this version holds it own.

Serves 8, Preparation time 90 minutes

Maple Toffee sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup reduced fat milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
Toasted walnuts or pecans

Bring all the ingredients except nuts to a boil and reduce to a simmmer. Stiring constantly, simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture is thick. Pour half of the sauce into a baking tin and put the tin into the freezer to set the sauce.

Date Pudding
1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
8 oz dates, chopped
1 cup water

Bring the water and dates to a boil. Turn off the heat. Add 1 tsp of baking powder, mix and keep covered.
Cream the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one and beat for a couple minutes
Add half the flour, baking powder and salt- mix well. Stir in the vanilla
Add half the date mixture, mix, add the remaining flour and mix until just incoorporated.

Pour mixture into baking tin and bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out with moist crumbs only.

Once cool, overturn onto a plate, cut into 8 pieces and serve with toffee sauce, toasted pecans/walnuts and whipped cream (optional). Serve warm or cold.

Chips Ahoy- Banana and Chocolate Chip cookies

I needed to indulge today without bursting at the seams. So I compromised and baked these cookies. With ingredients like wheat germ, whole wheat flour, flax seed oil and pine nuts- it felt like I was eating healthy. No harm done- they were delicious! (I was supposed to send half of them to H's work. Needless to say they never made it in!) :-D

The recipe was a variation on this one.

Preheat over to 375F and arrange racks in the middle of the oven

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp flax seed oil

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups whole wheat white flour
1/2 cup wheat germ, toasted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup banana chips, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Cream the butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy
Beat the eggs in one by one and mix well
Stir in the vanilla
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powders
Mix the wheat germ into the flour mixture
Add half the flours to the egg mixture, stir well
Add the rest of the flour to the mix and stir until just incoorporated
Mix in the nuts, banana and chocolate chips

Using a small cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough onto parchment or silicone baking sheets onto a cookie tray.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden. They will come out soft but cool to a nice moist cookie.

Spiced Omelet

My Dad used to make this Omelet for us when we were kids. It is simple and right off the streets of Bombay. Serve with buttered slices of toast and tomato slices

Serves 1, Preparation time 20 minutes

2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt
Pepper
2 tbps onion diced
1/2 tsp hot green chili, finely chopped
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp tomato, diced (optional)

Add all the ingredients to the beaten egg. Mix well. Season with salt.

Heat a fry pan over medium heat and add a little oil ~ 1/2 tbsp
Pour the egg mixture and swirl to coat the pan
Cook on medium low until the bottom is a golden brown
Flip carefully and cook on other side until done
Serve with toast and freshly cracked black pepper

Caramel Chocolate Bites of Heaven/ Torte

I had to up the name on this version of Decadent Bars. They are yummy with a scoop of vanilla icecream or all on their own, cut into bite sized squares warm from the oven. It was a huge hit at a recent soiree we hosted over appetizers and good conversation. I did realise that with recipes like this, cutting corners isnt so easy. However, margarine, half-and-half and reducing the sugar in this recipe didnt seem to eat into the decadence.

Makes about 20 servings. Preparation time about 60 minutes.

Crust
100 g all purpose flour
50 g brown sugar
50 g pecans or hazelnuts
100 g cold butter, cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until crumbly. Press into a springform pan and bake in a 355F oven for 20 minutes or until golden at the edges.

Filling
250g heavy cream (100 g cream + 150 g half-half is okay)
25g butter (10g butter + 15g margarine is okay)
100g brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp hazelnut liqueur or grand marnier
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp orange peel, grated fine
100 g pecans/hazelnuts
100g walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat all the ingredients except the orange peel and nuts in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Add the orange peel and lower the heat. Cook for 10 minutes.
Arrange the nuts over the cooled crust and gently pour the filling over the crust.

Bake in a 355F oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden.

Topping
125g dark chocolate, chopped

When the torte is out of the oven, sprinkle the chocolate and wait a couple minutes until the chocolate melts. Spread it evenly around and let it cool before cutting into it.

Serve as bite size pieces or small slices with whipped cream or ice cream.