Rinku Bhattacharya's Blog, page 17

Shalgam Ki Sabji – Curried Turnips (Instant Pot)

The winter has truly set in. In the spirit of seasonal and all, I recently picked up some lovely fresh turnips. My inspiration for this Shalgam ki Sabji or Curried Turnips comes from this site. An absolutely lovely resource for all things vegetarian.  I tweaked this relatively simple but very flavorful recipe ever so slightly and then adapted it for the instant pot. Well, to be fair the original recipe recommends using a pressure cooker anyway.

A simple and quick recipe for a chilly day. I am proud to have you know that I am still going strong with the steps. Although this week with the snow and frigid temperatures is indeed testing my resolve. My so far so good. Now, down to today’s dish on hand. I will confess, I do have a lot of recipes with turnips. I have a couple in the Spices and Seasons Cookbook. But, probably that is it. If you can find turnips with greens, chop them finely and stir them in towards the end. They offer a nice balance.

Turnips bring you some of the comforting notes of potatoes, but with a lot more healthy benefits. They are  rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Amongst vitamins, they contain vitamin C, folate, and niacin. These vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories and are typically inexpensive, making them a logical choice for inclusion in any healthy diet. And if you persuade yourself in a dish like this they could almost work like potatoes.

In fact, all things considered this relatively light dish tastes full and satisfying. It works like a charm with a flatbread of your choice. So, go ahead give some turnips a shot.

So here are a few suggestions,

If you do not want to wait for the natural release, then increase the cooking time by 3 minutes.This dish has a pleasant amount of heat, but if you want you can tone it down.Try to pick smaller, fresh turnips as they are more flavorful.To keep the recipe vegan, you can use coconut oil instead of ghee

And without much ado, let us give this recipe a go.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian is ready for order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.

And to get social with me, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

PrintShalgam Ki Sabji – Curried Turnips (Instant Pot)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

An easy to make very flavorful take on turnips.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
2 green chilies minced
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 and 1/2 pounds fresh turnips (such as purple top or hakurai) peeled and halved
2 teaspoons freshly ground coriander powder
1 cup chopped diced tomatoes
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon fresh garam masala powder (optional but a good idea)

Instructions

Turn the instant pot onto saute mode. Add in the oil and heat for a couple of minutes. Add in the fenugreek, asafoetida and the green chilies and allow them to splutter.
Add in the whole cumin seeds, minced ginger and stir well. Add in the turmips and coriander powder and give the mixture a good stir.
Add in the chopped tomatoes. Turn off the heat and stir and scrape to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the instant pot.
Add in salt and sugar. Cover and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes and allow a natural release. Remove the cover and coarsely mash the turnips.
Turn on the saute mode and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the ghee, lime juice and coriander leaves.
Sprinkle with the garam masala powder and enjoy hot.
3.1https://spicechronicles.com/shalgam-ki-sabji-curried-turnips-instant-pot/

 

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Easy Instant Pot Tomato Sambhar

I cannot believe that I do not have a recipe for Sambhar on this site. Sambhar is a tangy, spicy, South Indian Lentil stew. It has many variations. Often as a stop gap, I make this easy, almost push and dump version. I do have a more serious version in the Instant Indian cookbook. This one however is pretty good, and wins me with its simplicity. I make this when in a hurry, which is more often than not.  This version is very flexible. Simple every day ingredients and done in two easy steps. It is perfect for the cold weather we are currently having. So let us get started. Of course, this can be done in any pressure cooker. And, well if you have the patience on the stove top as well.

So, what is need for Sambhar is,

Toor Dal or Pigeon Peas. It is a good idea to soak the lentils, I find it yields a smoother texture.Sambhar Masala/Powder: This is a complex blend and while homemade is best, you will find some pretty good commercial varieties as well.Tamarind Paste – Again in this flexible version, if you absolute want you can use lime juice. It does not quite have the same depth of flavor but it works.And the other essentials are curry leaves. I finish this using frozen sambhar vegetables. For this quick fix version having some around. Of course, adding in a cup of anything you have on hand works too!

And that my friends gets you to a really great and nuanced pot of goodness that works well with rice, dosas, idlies, and paniyarams. And if you make a double batch it freezes really well. This is naturally glutenfree and can be made vegan if you sub the ghee with some other tempering oil.

And this is the last Monday of the first month of the year.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian is ready for order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.

And to get social with me, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

PrintEasy Instant Pot Tomato Sambhar

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

A simple easy to make recipe for sambhar done in the instant pot.

Ingredients

3/4 cup toor dal (pigeon peas) soaked for a few hours
4 cups water
3/4 cup chopped diced tomatoes (can be canned)
2 tablespoons sambhar powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
2 tablespoons tamarind paste or lime juice

To temper and finish
1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 to 3 dried red chilies
10 to 12 curry leaves
1 cup of assorted vegetables (you can use frozen vegetables)
Chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

Place the dal, water, chopped diced tomatoes, sambhar powder and salt in the instant pot.
Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes and allow a natural release.
Remove the lid and stir in the tamarind. The lentils should have a nice smooth consistency.
Heat the ghee or coconut oil in a small pan. Add in the mustard seeds and wait until they crackle.
Add in the minced ginger, dried red chilies and the curry leaves. Pour this over the lentils and add in the mixed vegetables.
Turn on the sauté mode for 5 minutes until the vegetables are all cooked through.
Stir well and serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.
3.1https://spicechronicles.com/easy-instant-pot-tomato-sambhar/

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Best Ever Banana Bread Muffins

 

This recipe has lingered so long. I look at the original picture of my son and wonder if he really ever was so small. Still has a winning smile. And yes, the love banana bread in any form. These muffins are really banana bread in a portable form. They are quite perfect for cold weather baking and snacking. Made with brown sugar and whole wheat flour, they have a nice dark brown appearance. If you have some bananas bake a batch. The original post is from November 11, 2011 almost 10 years ago.

 

Original Post November 13, 2011

Today wraps up Aadi’s first soccer season. It is interesting to watch him run to the field, join his friends and chase the ball without tentatively looking back.  He had done the first few sessions when we had started playing with him. I watched the game, with a little bit of pensive reflection.

I am not sure if I am unique in this but I am always a little sad as I watch the kids finish another milestone, the sadness is lesser in proportion to the happiness but the sadness nonetheless is always an acknowledgement that they are growing up, just a little faster than I would like. And me, it just takes an old album to get me misty eyed.

Aadi of course, is so full of love and loads and loads of affection. it is really a haunting thought when I know he will grow up and lose this childish bundle of affection.

Milestones with children are often big or small.  Today’s soccer milestone is really less about the game. It is about the confidence he has gained over a few weeks. Starting out not wanting me to leave during the practice sessions to through without looking back.

The other summer activity both the kids have learned is learning to through items into our compost basket. This has had the unexpected consequence of me never having bananas left to make banana bread, something we all love, since the moment the banana turns brown my little helpers are quick to dispose them, they happily inform me that they are, “saving the earth”.

Now I have a safe spot for my browning bananas. These Best Ever Banana Bread muffins are for the little team adapted from this recipe for Best Ever Banana Bread. My son’s advice to add chocolate chips made them a hit with the youngsters. They do taste good (in my opinion, better) without the chips. So it is up to you whether you want to use them.

I have now learned to move the browning bananas away to a safe spot if I plan to save them. I adapted the recipe for the Best Ever Banana Bread, a recipe from Suvir’s blog that I had bookmarked a while back to make the Best Ever Banana Bread muffins for the little team, following my son’s advice to add chocolate chips made them quite a hit with the youngsters. They do taste good (in my opinion, better) without the chips, so it is up to you whether you want to use them. They make either 12 regular sized muffins or a standard sized loaf.

PrintBest Ever Banana Bread Muffins (Eggless)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

An eggless lightly spiced recipe for banana bread muffins.

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
1/4 teaspoon powdered allspice
1 cup brown sugar
1 and a ½ stick salted butter (softened at room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek Yogurt
1 large egg or 1/4 cup milk
3 very ripe bananas
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour (or all whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree and grease the loaf pan or muffin cups.
Mix the powdered spices together and set aside.
Place the sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
Add in the sour cream and the bananas and beat the mixture until well mixed, at this point the mixture might be a little curdled. Add in the egg or milk and mix again.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl and add in the ground spices.
Add the flour in 3 batches and mix well.
Stir in the chocolate chips if using.
Pour the mixture into the muffin cups till about the cups are three quarters full, place in the oven and bake until they are puffed and well browned. This will take about 20 to 25 minutes.
Enjoy warm for breakfast or with a cup of tea.
3.1https://spicechronicles.com/best_ever_banana_bread_muffins/

 

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Sabudana Khichdi – Tapioca Pearls Pilaf

Sabudana Khichdi is a simple comforting medley. Often found in Maharastra, it is a common meal during Indian fasts. However, also, a humble and nutritious way to start the morning. I made this today. A quite feel good affair, that offered simple and peaceful nourishment for us all. I have been spending more time out and about. This has taken me away from the blog and food exploits, however, has certainly offered me a modicum of balance. Somewhere there is still a need to want to have it all. So far this year, my meals have been simple and comforting. With a heavy emphasis on plant based meals.

 

Now down to this Sabudana Khichdi. It is so named as the Indian word for Tapioca is Sabudana. This time tested mélange is a  light and comforting meal. The tapioca and potatoes provide the carbs, balanced with the protein from the peanuts. Black salt adds a lovely depth of flavor.  This deep flavor is perfectly finished off with lime and chilies.  Today I offer you the most basic version of this recipe. I have on occasion added more vegetables to this medley. Irrespective of how you embellish this dish, the key to making this well is to ensure that the tapioca pearls are cooked but not sticky.

To get perfect time tested results, follow these tests.

Choose the regular sized (not tiny or instant) tapioca pearls aka sabudana.Soak the tapioca pearls for several hours, I do this overnight. To ensure that the pearls have soaked enough, test one of them by squeezing between your thumb and finger. You should be able to squish it.Drain thoroughly before using. DO NOT add extra water while cooking.It is a good idea to finish cooking the potatoes completely before adding the tapioca pearls.

And then you all them to cook through stirring lightly, until the pearls turn translucent. This is a nice quite soulful meal. Perfect for a not too fussy weekend brunch.

PrintSabudana Khichdi – Tapioca Pearls Pilaf

Ingredients

1 cup tapioca peals (sabudana) soaked overnight
3/4 cup raw blanched peanuts (skin off)
4 tablespoons oil
2 medium to large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 and 1/2 teaspoons black salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 birds eye chilies, finely chopped

Instructions

Place the tapioca to drain in a colander. There should not be much water left, but you still want to drain out any excess water.
Dry toast the peanuts for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant and pale golden. Gently crush the peanuts.
In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat for a minute. Add in the diced potato, keep stirring on low heat for a good 5 to 7 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crisp. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan add the remaining oil and heat the remaining oil. Add in the cumin and black mustard seeds. Wait for the mustard seeds to crackle. Add in the ginger and sauté for about 1 minute or so.
Add in the tapioca pearls and cook for 5 minutes, stirring very occasionally. Gradually the peals turn translucent.
Stir in the potatoes and crushed peanuts. Stir in the black salt and chopped cilantro.
Sprinkle with lime juice and chilies and serve hot with a good cup of tea.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/sabudana-khichdi-tapioca-pearls-pilaf/

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Starting Out with Your Instant Pot – Meal Prep Assistance

You just got an instant pot, and are not sure where to get started? Or you want to expand your instant pot horizons? You are in luck.

This post and a few more is to get you started. With your instant pot.  A little beyond just recipes. Of course, if you are looking for a cookbook to get you started, there is always my Instant Indian cookbook.  On a more practical note, let us talk about how the instant pot can help with meal prep assistance.

A great way to have fun with the Instant Pot.

 

 

Meal Prep assistance differs from person to person. My definition of meal prep includes things that I make ahead to assist me with moving things along. Especially on a busy week evening. Particularly because, I am trying to stay off my rear and am trying to do a few more things. The most basic of the instant pot functions is the pressure cook function. These three things are about basic pressure cooking.

And the good thing about the instant pot, is that these things can happen while other things are being done. Or, I am out and about tending to things otherwise known as managing life. So, first on that list is boiling a batch of eggs. Boiled eggs can be used for a quick egg curry or even used to jazz up Biryani.

Make Ahead Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

I pop the eggs in the instant pot set to 1 minute pressure and do a natural release. Then store and use as needed

A large batch of this recipe will have you in business for a nice long time. It is handy for all kinds of curry in a hurry.

3.  Chickpeas or Beans

Well, you will see a lot of lentils featuring on my blog this month and the next as my MIL is visiting and she eats strictly vegetarian. And it is always good to have some pre-cooked and ready for anything in a hurry. Again, this method uses your basic pressure cook setting and allows for a natural release. Not a lot of drama needed. And this are great in anything like this super quick recipe.

I promise to do an instagram live, on basic sauces soon. So stay tuned.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian is ready for order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.

And to get social with me, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

 

The post Starting Out with Your Instant Pot – Meal Prep Assistance appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Eggless Chocolate Chip Molasses Cookies

I do my share of holiday baking. Nothing crazy or fancy. A few cookies here and then. Usually a few staples, like these gingersnaps and then something new. If it sticks, I pay attention and make it again to save for posterity. Much like these Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies. They have notes of spice, an assertive flavor from molasses and lots of chocolate chips. Wait there is more, these use salted butter, so there is that sweet and salty thing happening as well.  So a good way to start the new year sort of cookie.

A couple of years ago, I ditched making New Year’s resolutions. This said, this year in general, I need to promise to undo some of damage/bad habits acquired thanks to COVID. With a relatively looser schedule, I have been sleeping less and moving around less. The result is packing on COVID pounds. Well, I might as well add eating more to the list. So, in short I need to just go back to where I was with a routine. Well, since I have become much more organized about planning meals and cooking, I certainly want to maintain that. As for January, since my MIL will be here it will definitely be more plant based and as they say it’s all good.

There are decisions for the girl. It has been a busy few weeks with the applications. I am not sure where life will take her. I hope it is somewhere good, and close enough for this mother to drive to.  I hate the thought of her being too far away. So, much of life and what I do revolves around her. Food choices, routine, schedule. etc. I wonder what life will look like with her at a distance.

And for now, here is this chocolate chip cookie recipe that both the kids seem excited about. It is a little smoky, has spice notes and in short not a wimpy chocolate chip cookie. And, if you do not have molasses you can use all a mixture of dark brown and light brown sugar.

PrintEggless Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: Make 13 cookies

A gorgeous dark chocolate chip cookies with spice and molasses.

Ingredients

1/2 cup or 1 stick salted organic butter softened at room temperature
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup regular strength molasses
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more to finish

Instructions

Beat the butter and cream cheese until soft. Add in the molasses and brown sugar and mix until pale and creamy.
Mix together the flour, cloves, black pepper and the baking powder. Stir in small amounts along with the chocolate chips until well mixed.
Grease a small baking sheet. Shape the mixture into 12 to 13 1 inch pieces about 2 inches apart. Cover and chill for half an hour. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 18 minutes until fragrant. Turn off the oven.
Gently press the cookies if needed to flatten. Press 2 to 3 chocolate chips on each cookie and place back in the warm oven for 5 minutes.
Remove and enjoy warm or allow them to cool a little before enjoying.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/eggless-chocolate-chip-molasses-cookies/

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Easy Instant Pot Haleem

Our last meal of 2020 is Haleem. A hearty meal to tide us into the new year. And, what a strange New Year’s eve it is. And, yet, it is nice to sit and reflect on an unusual year that has been. Feeling cozy, toasty, and stark sober. At least there is something to be said about waking up to the new year without a headache. And I guess, in general being responsible. Or realizing not every rule needs to be broken. Well, however one slices it. This New Years Eve is a quiet one, with all of us at home.

So whatever is Haleem. I have a variation here, but the real deal is a porridge or grains, lentils, and meat. The preferred meat for this dish tends to be beef or even goat meat. I have tried this with goat meat, but, find pretty good results with chicken in a fraction of the time. So, what I made today is a chicken Haleem. Feel free to substitute this with any meat of your choice, the important things is that it needs to be on the bone.

Haleem is a grain porridge, made with meat, lentils and whole grains. It is a great community meal, and is cooked during the month of Ramadan to break the fast during Iftar. 

For inspiration, I turned to this recipe, and also checked out this variation. And then I cobbled up this variation. Which, I promise is really very good! And, with winter still far from gone, it will warm your cockles, toes, and fill your belly. After all, isn’t that what a good winter’s meal is about. And if you believe that lentils bring you luck in the new year. Well, this meal covers those bases as well. So, it is a check all the boxes and close out the year well kind of meal. I used some grains from Grow NYC (their rolled oats).

A few notes on the Haleem,

Do try to make this with an assortment of lentils, it gives it an interesting texture.
In terms of grains, I use barley and rolled oats. Sometimes, barley, rolled oats, and wheat.
Plan a good couple of hours, between the cooking and resting. A lot of it is down time, but do not try to rush it further.

Truly speaking, it is technically a one-pot meal. However, my home crew likes it with a side of naan.

And with this bowl of Haleem, I wish you dear reader, a wonderful new year.

If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group and Legume Love Group. Of course Instant Indian is ready for order, joining its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.

And to get social with me, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

PrintEasy Instant Pot Haleem

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

A great one pot hearty and healthy meal.

Ingredients

For the Spice Blend
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
A few blades mace
1 star anise
2 teaspoons garam masala powder

For the Haleem
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 pound chicken, skinless on the bone
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup mixed lentils (red lentils, white lentils (urad), channa dal)
1/2 cup cracked barley
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper



To finish
1/2 cup oil
1 onion thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger, thinly julienned
2 tablespoons chopped onion
Chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

Lightly toast the coriander seeds, nigella seeds, mace and star anise. Place in a spice grinder with the garam masala and grind until smooth. This should make about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the spice.
Turn the instant pot onto sauté mode. Add the onion garlic and chicken and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion and garlic is fragrant. Add in the spice blend and mix well.
Add in the salt and stir well.
Add in the lentils, barley and rolled oats and 6 cups of water. Stir well and cover the instant pot. Set to 20 minutes of high pressure and allow a natural release. This will take about 50 minutes.
Remove the lid. The mixture should be very soft and mixed together. Carefully remove the chicken bones.
Using an immersion blender, blend into a puree, a little texture is fine.
Heat the oil and fry the sliced onion in batches until golden. Stir into the haleem leaving a little to garnish.
Serve in bowls garnished with the ginger, chopped onion, cilantro and lime juice.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/easy-instant-pot-haleem/

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Sourdough Cinnamon Molasses Breakfast Rolls

These Sourdough Cinnamon Molasses Breakfast rolls feature in my house at least once a month. Mostly on weekends. Mostly on weekends when I am too lazy to make pancakes. Well, they elicit the same degree of excitement and enthusiasm. They are however so easy, that they should be illegal. Well, illegal to get so many oohs and aahs of appreciation anyway. So, I have made them several times over. I think, I finally have a recipe that I want to share with you.

Just as a note, I am huge fan of all things dense and sweet like molasses and maple syrup.  This can be done with regular sugar too.  I have tried it with lemon and sugar as well. So, once you get the concept of the overnight dough you can play around with the fillings. Also, the recipe that I offer here is small, it makes six self glazing rolls. What I mean here by self glazing is that, overnight the sugar, molasses and butter form a light pool around the dough. This bubbles into a light caramel like sauce. So no additional sugar is needed. At least not for our tastes.

I use about 1/2 cup of sourdough discard, that I bring outside for about 4 hours, to perk it up a little. I do not feed it before shaping and forming the rolls. Overnight, the wimpy batter rises and becomes something quite soft and magical. And, when popped into the oven for about 20 minutes, it delivers a rather impressive looking creation. Well, at least most people I have served it to seem suitably impressed. As the countdown to 2021 begins, there is not a lot happening around the house. I think we have also had our fill of together time, so we seem to be hunkering and spending time in our separate corners. We are getting together for meals and making occasional conversation.

In spite of myself, I am getting ready to call the doctor to see if I can resolve my earache. And for now, here is my sweet and easy recipe for you.

PrintSourdough Cinnamon Molasses Breakfast Rolls

Prep Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

A festive holiday spiced breakfast roll, that rises overnight and is done in 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 to 3/4 sourdough discard at room temperature for 4 hours
4 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Instructions

Grease a 7-inch cast iron skillet.
In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, butter and sourdough discard with enough water to form a uniform dough.
Roll out the dough to a rectangular sheet about 1/2 inch in thickness.
In a mixing bowl, mix the molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Spread the mixture uniformly over the rolled dough.
Roll into a coil, lengthwise, into a circle. Cut into 6 even pieces. Place them in the skillet. There will be plenty of room around the skillet.
Cover and leave in a warm place overnight. When you wake up, you will find that the dough has filled out the skillet.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm with a little extra butter if desired.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/sourdough-cinnamon-molasses-breakfast-rolls/

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Gingersnaps

These spiced molasses cookies are my version of Gingersnaps. They feature in my house on and off, but always around the winter holidays. Hint, they are my son Aadi’s favorite cookie. There are many variations to this cookie. My version is distinct in it’s use of fresh ginger.  I just made a fresh batch and the kitchen smells wonderful. I walked these over to our neighbor and I am happy as is my son.

My first Christmas in the US a little over two decades ago was an odd one. The small New England town, where my college campus was located was all snowed in. I was recovering from the pace of school coupled by with my first internship. I declined my aunt’s invitation to stay with her over the break.

As Christmas eve dawned, I was surprised to see the streets getting quieter and quieter and the roads were cold, white and lonely. Festivals in Kolkata, where I grew up are a noisy affair, even you you have nothing to do. I have since learnt that “holidays” in the US are family celebrations. They are time for catching up with friends and family. This is of course something I have learnt to enjoy and appreciate now that I have my own crazy family.

 

I looked at the scrap bag gifts, including the one from my roommate – a cookbook. A cookie cookbook to be precise. Ironically enough, this is one cookbook that has survived the test of time. The book is – Mrs Field’s Cookie Book. I leafed and marked some recipes. I have made some of these marked. My favorite from this cookbook is her Gingersnaps recipe. This recipe is my adaptation of the original. However, my variation is bold spice lovers version.

To get this bold, seriously spiced variation, use dark blackstrap molasses. Also, try to use fresh ginger. In case, you have to substitute, for the 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, use 2 teaspoons of powdered ginger.

PrintGingersnaps

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: About 11/2 dozen cookies

A rich and flavorful gingery cookie, full of all the holiday spices.

Ingredients

2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon powdered allspice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses (the really dark kind)

Instructions

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the powdered, ginger, allspice, black pepper and sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix in the butter, egg, fresh ginger, and molasses until well mixed.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients and gently mix in until well mixed.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
Shape into small balls and flatten and place on the sheet about 1 and 1/2 inches apart and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, until the kitchen is fragrant and the cookies are done.
Gently remove the cookies. This recipe yields a dark crisp cookie that is great for dunking with tea or coffee.
3.1https://spicechronicles.com/gingersnaps/

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Indo-Chinese Chili Chicken (Kolkata Style)

We all have iconic nostalgic dishes stashed somewhere in our operating universe, for me many of these are certainly the fish fry made by mother is still high on that list. And then is chili chicken. There are so are many dishes that mom never messed around with, and high on that list is chili chicken. The chili chicken I speak of is an Indo-chinese classic. The stuff dreams, and sniffling noses are made of. Sniffling noses, attributed to the high spice content in this dish. This is an old tested and tried recipe. I am reviving it in the spirit of Christmas. Mostly, because I am missing my Kolkata Christmas.

We qualify this genre of cuisine as Indo-Chinese, however growing up we knew no other kind of Chinese food. Dishes like the chili chicken, hakka noodles, cauliflower Manchurian that all form an amazing assortment of dishes.  These dishes with very Chinese sounding names are often really made in India. Yet, this amazing collection of dishes is still food nirvana and still some thing that I must indulge in when I get to India.

Recently, chatting with Marc over at Baketard, I was pleasantly surprised to hear his fascination with Indo-Chinese food.  It has been a very long time since I have spent Christmas in the USA. A far cry from the hustle and bustle of Kolkata. So, here is homesick me, cooking my favorite Chili Chicken.

Now, I have to confess, as with all fusion dishes there is really no set formula. The key is to balance the umami taste of the soy sauce with fiery hot chilies.

I will go on record for saying that I have seen many weird red versions of this dish featured on various restaurant menus all around here. Not sure what with that, certainly not anything like what you can find around the Kolkata restaurants which is supposedly the epicenter of Indo-Chinese cooking. Also, I cannot quite fathom the sweet tasting saucy variations. This is why I have qualified this dish as Kolkata Chili Chicken.

PrintIndo-Chinese Chili Chicken (Kolkata Style)

Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Chili chicken is a classic indo-chinese dish that is great as either an appetizer or main course with a side of rice.

Ingredients

For the Chicken
11/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten.
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup water(maybe a little more if needed)
1/4 cup oil for frying

For the sauce
1 tablespoon oil
4 pods of garlic, sliced
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoons chili sauce (such as sriracha)
25 chilies, sliced lengthwise
Extra chilies to garnish
cilantro to garnish

Instructions

Cut the chicken into smaller pieces (about 1 inch cubes) and wash and dry thoroughly.
Rub the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste and the red cayenne pepper and salt and coat with the beaten egg. Set aside for 2 hours.
Mix the corn starch and the flour. Add into the chicken, creating a uniform coating. Add in the water if needed. The objective here is to have an uniform coating.
Heat the oil, the best tool for this is a wide bottomed non-stick wok. Place all the chicken in a single layer, you may need two batches for this purpose. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels.
To prepare the sauce, heat the tablespoon of oil and add in the sliced garlic and cook for about a minute until pale golden. Add in the soy sauce, vinegar, water and the cornstarch and bring to simmer. It should be reasonably thick. Add in the chicken and the sliced chilies and toss for about 2 minutes.
Garnish with additional chilies and cilantro and serve hot.3.1https://spicechronicles.com/indo-chinese-chili-chicken-kolkata-style/

 

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