Chocolate Sesame Whole Wheat Wreath Bread

I simply love giving the Daring baker challenges a purely chocolate make over.


The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.


The concluding challenge of the year couldn't have been more delicious.Stollen is a rich Holiday bread,or should I say cake,with all its deliciously packed sweet, nutty, fruity and zesty flavors.I choose to call mine bread since I lessened the sweetness and the texture is dense with use of whole wheat flour.More than the richly dark chocolate what stands out the most of the flavors,is the orange zest,so please do not skip this important ingredient for the added zing to this sensational bread.




Recipe :Chocolate Sesame Whole Wheat Wreath Bread
Makes one medium wreath Serves 5-6 people

Ingredients
For Bread Dough
1/4 cup lukewarm water (110º F / 43º C)
1 packages (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup Skimmed Organic milk
4 tablespoons unsalted Organic butter or virgin pressed coconut oil or Pure Ghee
2 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup Pure cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large Organic eggs, lightly beaten
Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon extract or orange extract
2/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries or dried mixed fruit
3 tablespoons Orange juice
6 red glacé cherries or fresh cranberries(roughly chopped) for the color and the taste. (optional)
1/2 cup flaked almonds
For topping
2 tablespoon Pure Organic honey
2 tablespoon brown sesame seeds
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips(good quality - 60% cocoa)


Directions:
Soak the raisins
In a small bowl, soak the raisins in cold water (or in the orange juice from the zested orange) and set aside.

To make the dough

Pour warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let stand 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast completely.

In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter over medium - low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes.

Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl and add lemon and vanilla extracts.

In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment), stir together the flour, cocoa powder,sugar, salt, cinnamon, orange and lemon zests.

Then stir in (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) the yeast/water mixture, eggs and the lukewarm milk/butter mixture. This should take about 2 minutes. It should be a soft, but not sticky ball. When the dough comes together, cover the bowl with either plastic or a tea cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

Add in the mixed peel, soaked fruit and almonds and mix with your hands or on low speed to incorporate. Here is where you can add the cherries if you would like. Be delicate with the cherries or all your dough will turn red!

Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing with the dough hook) to distribute the fruit evenly, adding additional flour if needed. The dough should be soft and satiny, tacky but not sticky. Knead for approximately 8 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The full six minutes of kneading is needed to distribute the dried fruit and other ingredients and to make the dough have a reasonable bread-dough consistency. You can tell when the dough is kneaded enough – a few raisins will start to fall off the dough onto the counter because at the beginning of the kneading process the dough is very sticky and the raisins will be held into the dough but when the dough is done it is tacky which isn't enough to bind the outside raisins onto the dough ball.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling around to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Put it in the fridge overnight. The dough becomes very firm in the fridge (since the butter goes firm) but it does rise slowly… the raw dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to a week and then baked on the day you want.

Shaping the Dough and Baking the Wreath

1. Let the dough rest for 2 hours after taking out of the fridge in order to warm slightly.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
4. Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 8 x 12 inches and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.


Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder.
Transfer the cylinder roll to the sheet pan. Join the ends together, trying to overlap the layers to make the seam stronger and pinch with your fingers to make it stick, forming a large circle.
Using Sharp knife, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch (5 cm) intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough.
Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape.Proof for approximately 2 hours at room temperature, or until about 1½ times its original size.
Drizzle with honey all over and sprinkle the sesame seeds,evenly covering the top of the wreath.

Bake
Bake the wreath for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The bread will bake to a dark mahogany color, should register 190°F/88°C in the center of the loaf, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Chocolate Finishing
Melt the Chocolate chips over double broiler or in the microwave until completely melted and glossy.Drizzle all over the baked wreath.Cut and serve warm. When completely cool, store in a air tight container.The flavor intensifies the next day,makes a delicious treat with morning cuppa.



Peek in other Daring Bakers' take on the exquisite challenge.

Enjoy the rest of the Holidays.Will be back next year with an exciting giveaway.

Herbs Barley Lentil Dosa with Almond Sesame Chutney

There are infinite variations to a Dosa.Too bad only one was posted.A poor performing blender kept me from making dosas for long.That changed after buying the Vitamix.Now I can make Dosa at ease in unlimited varieties.

This combination Dosa with Barley,lentils and Herbs like Methi and Spinach, no fermentation required ,is the one I'm making more often for weekend brunches.

Recipe : Herbs Barley Lentil Dosa
Makes a dozen large dosas
Ingredients
1 cup Barley ,hulled
1/2 cup Yellow Mung dal(lentil)
1/2 cup white Urad dal(lentil)
1 inch ginger root ,peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh Methi(fenugreek) leaves
1 cup Spinach
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoon Canola Oil

Method
Soak barley and the lentils in water over night.
Drain all the water.Transfer in a wet grinder ,add the greens,salt and ginger.Add 1/2 cup of water and grind it smooth.Add another cup of water through the grinding process until the batter is little runny,as the pancake batter.
Heat the non stick pan on medium high. Pour one ladle of batter right in the middle. Spread by making circles. let cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and let cook for another minute.Sprinkle some finely chopped onions and serve warm with chutney.

Brown Sesame Almond Parsley Chutney\Spread

Same with the chutneys,since Vitamix has made the job simpler,I'm on chutney spree.
Brown sesame seeds need to rinsed and toasted before grinding for best results of smoother spread\chutney .

Recipe : Almond Sesame Chutney
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
3/4 cup Brown sesame seeds
1/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup fresh Parsley(or used cilantro or mint)
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 a lemon
2-4 dried red chillies(or use any kind of hot chili peppers dry or fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water
Method
Using a fine mesh strainer,rinse the sesame seeds under cold running water.Drain all water.Let sit for about 30 minutes.
Heat a pan on medium.Toast the seeds until all dry and toasted,add the almonds and chillies in to the pan during last 2 minutes.
Transfer in a grinder,cover and run the machine until coarsely ground.Then add the water,greens,lemon juice and salt,and grind until smooth.Store in clean air tight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.Perfect on sandwiches,burgers , dosa or with Brown rice.
The chutney is my entry for Priya's Cooking with Seeds: Sesame

Sensational Sesame Treats

I'm habituated to nibbling on sweet something after a meal.Slice of orange is best in terms of nutrition.Or may be a dried fruit like date ,figs or piece of dark chocolate.If not I might even grab a cookie,even though its a less healthier choice.That's how desperately I crave for a sweet after a meal.

Having a nutty ,gooey,finger licking good treats like these in stock relieves of any guilt pangs later. Brown sesame seeds are unhulled sesame seeds,its richer source of B vitamins than the hulled white sesame seeds.Sesame seeds are excellent source of minerals like copper and manganese.They are also a good source of magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1 and zinc.Read more at WHFoods. And fresh ginger used ,soothes and aids in digestion.I've tried sweetening these with honey and date syrup,either work fine.

Recipe : Brown Sesame Treats

Ingredients
3/4 cup Brown sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger(don't used canned),minced
1/4 cup Date syrup or Pure Organic Honey

Method
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.

Warm the honey or syrup in a small skillet.Add the sesame seeds and ginger.Combine well and turn the heat off.
Carefully spread the warm mixture on tray lined with parchment paper.Let cool for 10 minutes.Score in squares.Then cool completely another 20-30 minutes before serving.
Store in air tight containers for up to a month.

Sesame treats are my entry for Priya's Cooking with seeds : Sesame .

What's your favorite after meal treat ?

Radish Greens Brown rice Soup With Sesame Twists. And Introducing Fruit2day ,a new way to eat fruit.

Remember this post in which I talked about ,how the switch from white to brown rice can be a little challenging for the taste buds after getting used to the fluffiness of the white rice.Thanks to my sis-in-law who suggested me to cook both white and brown rice together,to get the best of both ,fluffy and nutty at same time plus the benefit of a whole grain.Now I can eat brown rice more often than ever before.The cooking time is slightly longer than white rice,and soaking the rice for 15-20 minutes before cooking can lessen the cooking time.
Or a soup like this combined with greens and vegetables is great for including brown rice in your diet.The sesame twists makes a nice crunchy accompaniment to the soup.


Radish greens is again one of those completely edible greens which should never ever be thrown away.The nutritious soup with radish greens is off to this week's Blogger Secret Ingredient(BSI) Assignment :Greens.

Recipe :Radish Greens Brown rice Soup
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 bunch(about 3 cups) Radish greens ,washed and chopped
4-5 small red radishes or 1 medium white radish,chopped
2 medium green chillies
3/4 cup brown rice,uncooked
pinch of turmeric
1 big clove garlic,chopped
1/4 teaspoon each of coriander and cumin powder.
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice,freshly squeezed
3/4 teaspoon salt

Method
Wash and soak brown rice for 30 minutes.Drain.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil ,add salt and soaked brown rice.Cook until soft.

Meanwhile heat oil on medium heat,saute garlic until lightly brown and aromatic.Add the radish,radish greens,green chillies and rest of the spices.Cover and cook until radish is soft and cooked through.Mix in the cooked brown rice,blend the mixture to a smooth sauce with a cup of water.Simmer the soup for another minute or two.Serve warm with sesame twists.


Recipe: Sesame Twists
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Organic egg,divide(reserve 1 teaspoon for brushing over the dough)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
[or use 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature + 1 tablespoon of oil]
2 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Method
Preheat Oven to 350F.
Sift flours,salt in a bowl.Add the oil ,egg and milk to make a firm dough.Knead briefly on a lightly floured work surface until smooth.
Sprinkle paprika over floured surface;roll out the dough on it to form a square slightly larger than 20cms.Trim edges neatly.
Brush dough with reserved egg mixture;Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.Cut the dough in half,then cut into 10-cm sticks about 1 cm wide.
Twist sticks;place on baking sheets.Lightly press the ends of the sticks down so that they do not untwist during baking.
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.Cool briefly on baking sheets,then serve warm.Or,cool completely and store in air tight containers for up to 5 days.

While this soup fulfills 2 of 5 daily recommended servings of fruit&Vegetables,a nourishing fruit drink like Fruit2day provides a whopping 2 serving of fruit in each bottle(6.75 ounce)!
Fruit2Day ,a new way to eat fruit.

Mine is a fruit loving family,we love fruit any time of the day after any meal.I'm picky about fruit drinks,anything artificial or sweetened with corn syrup or fructose is not for me.Fruit2day promises a whole new way to eat or should I say "drink" the fruit.Made with real fruit bits,rich puree and splash of natural juice,the drink has made it into my family's diet.
The little chunks of fruit give you the feel of eating a fruit while drinking it too.Mr.Healthnut thought it was rich like a smoothie ,totally suitable after his workouts and my little fruit monsters slurped it to the last drop .

Find these sleek bottles in your grocery stores or natural food stores.Available in 4 delicious blend of fruits.With no sugar added the drink is packed with Vitamin C(antioxidant).Each bottle of Fruit2day packs has two servings of fruit and only 110 - 120 calories, depending on the flavor.Its as portable as a fruit snack can be ,carry it at work ,school or long drives,also makes a perfect thirst quencher after summer's adventures.

Lavash n Baba ganoush :another healthy chip-n-dip

Crispy Lavash crackers with creamy Baba ganoush in another exquisite all vegetarian chip-n-dip of Mediterranean flavors ,besides the popularPita chips with Hummus.Its perfect as appetizer or for snacking.

Lavash
The crispy flat breadLavash is originally from Armenia ,also popular among its neighbors Turkey,Iran and Azerbaijan.The lavash crackers are simple to make and crisp in texture.I added a tablespoon of the super healthy flax seed meal for added nutrition.Traditionally rolled very thin,I kept them thicker,although you could roll them as thin as you can.

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (or use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all purpose flour)
1 pack active dry yeast,about 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon Extra virgin Olive oil
1 tablespoon flax seed meal(For added nutrition)
For topping
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Onion seeds or caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds or mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander or cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika or chilli powder.

Method
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, allow the yeast to get frothy, about 10 minutes.In a large bowl combine the flour, Flax seed meal and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and knead until well combined.Apply some more oil on the sides of the bowl cover and allow to rise until double it size about 3-4 hours.
Preheat Oven to 400F.
Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets or baking trays,or bake in 2 batches in one cookie sheet.Roll out the dough as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface.Brush with some oil ,evenly sprinkle the toppings all over the dough.Using a pizza cutter or a knife cut the dough in to square or rectangle or diamond shape,do not separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking.cuts.Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.Remove from tray and cool briefly and separate the pieces along the cut lines.


Baba Ganoush
An exotic name for a Hummus like spread made with egg plants(aubergines\brinjals),call it the middle eastern Baingan bartha.In Palestine its also known as mutabbal(Eggplant salad).Usually made with no added hotness from chillies,I added 2 dry red chillies to add to a spicy kick to the dip.Its traditionally charred on a charcoal grill for the distinctive smoky flavor and the skin is completely peeled.Since i roasted it in an oven ,the skin was not quite charred and I blended in some of the skin too, ,couldn't let go of the nutrients in the skin.

Ingredients
1 large American eggplant,about 1 pound
1/2 cup tahini paste(check the link for how to make tahini paste)
1/2 a fresh lemon,about 3 table spoon.
2 cloves garlic
2 dry red chillies(for heat,optional though)
1 teaspoon salt
few sprigs of fresh herbs,cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoon extra virgin Olive oil

Method
Wash the eggplant,leave its stem on.Pierce each side of the eggplants with a fork or knife.Halve or place it whole e on a baking sheet.Roast in the oven or grill or char on a stove top until cooked through.About 45 minutes in the oven until skin is blackened and is soft to touch.
Let sit for few minutes until its cool enough to handle.Scoop out the pulp with a spoon in to bowl.Blend the pulp to a smooth paste along with the tahini paste,fresh squeezed lemon juice,garlic ,chillies,herbs and salt. Transfer in the serving dish and drizzle with Olive oil.Serve with chips ,Steamed veggies, pita or in sandwiches or wraps .Store in refrigerator for up to a week or two.

This chip-n-dip is my entry for Srilekha's EFM:Savories along with the following savouries Methi Onion Pakodas,Bhendi Pakodas,Cauliflower Lollipops,Methi Khakhras With Achaari dip and Pita chips with hummus


Other Chip-n-dip Recipes Posted:

The Day of Feasting:Eid

The Holiday of Eid(meaning festivity in Arabic) holds the best memories of fun n frolic for me. Eid is the time of reconciliation,joy and thanksgiving.Its a celebration of unity ,twice every year,one at the end of month long fasting in Ramadan and the other at the end of the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj.Growing up in the bustling city of Hyderabad South India,also known as the land of Nawabs(governors of mughalai empire),I adored the ecstatic ambiance of Eid every year.As a child it was the most awaited jubilant time of the year, we got our best clothes stitched for the occasion ,after the morning Eid prayers ,visited friends and family,slurping the warm sweet nutty sheerkhorma,embracing each other with warmest eid hugs and the most exciting moment of the day was the Eidi(gift as money) from elders.
The lavish feast on Eid is got to be the food lovers best part of the day.As the day progresses ,the inviting aroma of spicy foods fills the air making us voracious for the most appetizing meal of the year and the indulgence in sweet delicacies would leave us pretty much satisfied with sugar until next Eid.
The hyderabadi cuisine is haven of spicy dishes strongly influenced by Persian and Mughalai cuisine. The meaty Haleem and Biryani , prepared with many variations and known with different names from South Asia to Middle east,are the most crowding please recipes of the Eid feast.Here is the Eid feast menu with the array of enticing majestic flavorsome dishes sure to leave the guests stuffed up with contentment.


Appetizer
Hummus with Whole wheat pita chips

Starters
Salad Olviye .
Sesame Dinner rolls with Chicken Shorba

Main course
Haleem
Lamb Biryani

Side Dish
Mirchi Ka Salan

Dessert
Double ka meeta
Sheerkhorma

Drink
Pomegranate Juice

The key to making a satisfying stress free meal for a feast without spending major part of the festive day in the kitchen is to prepare a game plan.
Game Plan
4 days ahead
Make sure you shopped for all the spices and other ingredients needed .
3 days Ahead
Make the hummus and pita chips
2 days ahead
Make the dessert Double Ka Meeta ,Mirchi Ka Salan,Marinate meat for Haleem and chicken shorba
1 day ahead
Make the Chicken Shorba and Haleem ,marinate the meat for the biryani
Night before the feast
Make the SheerKhorma,Cook the meat gravy needed for the biryani
On the day of feast
Make the dinner rolls,Salad and the biryani

To make the feast as healthy as possible,I cooked with the healthiest olive oil ,enhanced flavors with fresh herbs and home made ground spices, bought Organic ingredients were ever possible,used meat low in fat,cut down the saturated fats in the desserts.


Appetizer
Hummus with Whole wheat pita chips
Hummus is creamy yummy is apt as a nutritious appetizer for any party.
The recipe .



Soup and Salad
Salad Olviye

When my buddy Zee gave me her favorite salad recipe,it was my instant choice for eid dinner.Salad Olviye/Olvieh is a hearty persian salad that's protein rich and usually served cold . Its original recipe was created by a French cook living in Russia and it is referred to as Olivier Salad in Russia.Even though it is referred to as a salad it can be consumed as a wholesome meal.
Ingredients

1 big russet potato boiled,peeled and finely chopped
2 hard boiled eggs ,finely chopped
1 medium sized chicken breast
1 dill pickle ,chopped
1/4 cup par-boiled fresh green peas/canned peas
2 medium sized boiled and chopped carrots
1 medium sized onion diced
1 cup fat free mayonnaise
2 tbsp vinegar/fresh lime juice
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoon Olive oil

Preparation:
- Boil the chicken along with onion, a little bit of salt, pepper, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice and a glass of water.
- Simmer till done, cool and shred.
- In a big mixing bowl toss in all the ingredients; chicken, potatoes, eggs, pickle, peas, carrots, mayo, vinegar/lime juice, salt and pepper.
- Mix well, taste and adjust seasoning.
- garnish with fresh tomatoes, herbs, peas or pomegranates.

Sesame Dinner rolls
Sesame dinner rolls are ideal for dunking in the spicy chicken shorba .

Ingredients
2 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1 envelope rapid rise yeast
1/2 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 tablespoon Sesame seeds for topping
2 tablespoon milk for brushing.

Method
Combine flour with yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl.Heat milk until its warm and pour in the bowl of dry ingredient along with the Olive oil.Knead the dough until smooth and silky.Grease the bowl with some oil on the sides and cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place until double its size.punch the air out and transfer on the flour work surface.
Make walnut size balls off the dough and form them in to small rounds,place on a greased or lined baking sheet.The balls of dough should be 1/4 inch apart .Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425F,while they rise.When the buns have puffed up,brush them with some milk and sprinkle them with sesame seeds.Bake them for about 15 minutes until lightly brown on top.

Chicken Shorba

The spicy chicken shorba is the perfect warming start of the meal.
Ingredients you'll need are
1 lb Free-range skinless chicken,fat trimmed
1/2 cup fresh herbs cilantro and mint, chopped
2 medium onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chilly powder
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger root or 3/4 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala powder(ground cumin,coriander,cloves and cinnamon mix)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To make the Shorba
Trim any excess white fat from chicken pieces. Freeze the chicken for an hour before trimming that way fat cuts off easily. Clean meat by running it through cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and keep aside for few minutes.This helps kill any bacteria on meat.
Heat a skillet on medium high flame. Add Olive oil ,chopped onions and cumin seeds. Saute until lightly brown ,for about 8-10 minutes and add the minced garlic and ginger . Now add the chicken ,turmeric ,garam masala ,salt and chilly powder.Saute for a minute on high flame,then add 2 cups of water. Cover and simmer for an hour on medium-low flame or in a slow cooker for 5-6 hours,until chicken is tender and falls off the bones,serve warm with rice or Flat breads.

Main Course
Haleem

Delectable Haleem is originally a Persian recipe and is commonly prepared during Ramadan.The recipe.

Lamb Biryani

Hyderabadi Biryani is my ultimate recipe for a flavorful rice. The bite of protein,the aroma of spices,the tang from lime,sweetness of onions and touch of herbs make this biryani a top favorite of my family and guests in any daawat(party).
The recipe.

Side Dish
Mirchi Ka Salan

This spicy Chillies curry is never missed in any local party in Hyderabad,one can always make it milder with mildest chillies.The recipe.


Dessert
Double ka meeta (Rich bread dessert)

The richness of this dessert has made it a prominent dessert of the authentic Hyderabadi cuisine.The recipe.


SheerKhorma

Sheerkhorma is a luscious dessert prepared on Eid,made with roasted thin vermicelli in milk garnished with loads of dry fruits,traditionally slurped after the morning Eid prayers.The recipe.

Sesame Chicken with Sauteed Cabbage Salad and Red Potato Oven Fries: A 30 minute Meal

It took me lesser time to cook this meal than to write down all the 3 recipes and put together the images along with the water marks.In other words this is a quick meal prepared under 30 minutes ;provided one can move and cook like Rachael ray in the kitchen,by quickly gathering all the ingredients and chopping ,mixing , baking and cooking all the dishes simultaneously .I was a regular viewer of Rachael show when I was a kitchen newbie,she is an inspiration for my quick cooking skills and home made meals to fit in our busy lifestyles.She took quick cooking to whole new level and charmed everyone with her bubbly personality and her favorite expressions "EVOO" ,Yum-O!,Delish! have become popular among foodies catch phrases.

Here is the recipe for a quick meal.For making this meal under 30 minutes,bake the chicken and fries together.When chicken is done,slightly increase the oven temperature for the fries.While it bakes ,cook the cabbage salad.
Sesame Chicken

Ingredients
1 chicken breast or 2 chicken tenders,sliced across(about 1/2lb)
1/2 teaspoon chilly powder
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon Extra virgin Olive oil(EVOO)
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 spring onions ,chopped
Dash of hot sauce
Salt as per taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 375 F.Marinate chicken in all the ingredients except the sesame seeds and spring onions for about 5 minutes while the oven is preheating.
Spread the chicken in a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until chicken is tender.
Transfer in to the serving plate,garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.

Sauteed Cabbage Salad

Ingredients
2 cups shred cabbage
1/2 cup sliced Red peppers
1/2 a small onion sliced
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic
pinch of chilly powder
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt as per taste
Method
Heat EVOO in a pan on medium heat and saute garlic for few seconds until aromatic.Add rest of the ingredients and saute on medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes .Serve immediately.

Red Potato Oven fries

Ingredients
2 medium red potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Paprika and\or 1/4 teaspoon chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut potatoes into wedges and drop in to a mixing bowl. Drizzle the oil and mix in the seasoning,toss to coat all over . Lay on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes until lightly crisp on top and cooked through.

I'm sending my Rachael inspired quick meal to Aartee's Sapadu ready event.Guess we all have our own way of saying "Dinner is ready!";I say "Khana Taeyaar hai"(in urdu)..how do you say it?

Sesame Pistachio Cookies(Barazek),my favorite cookie

Declaring that I have one favorite cookie seems like a daring and potentially deceitful assertion; after all, there are so many tempting varieties to devour.Being a chocoholic, I do like the hallmark cookies,chocolate chip and Oreo. But I've to admit Turkish Sesame Cookies with nutty sesame seeds , pistachios and honey are my personal favorite.I make them regularly and end up eating more than my boys(They favor chocolate).Who ever I shared these with always loved it and asked for the recipe.Hence these cookies were apt for Noor's of YaSalaam Cooking , My favorite cookie recipe celebration.

If you love the flavor of honey and nuts ,try these and see if it becomes one of your favorites as well.

Ingredients
3/4 cup All purpose Flour, unbleached
3/4 cup Whole Wheat flour
3 tablespoon Toasted Sesame seeds
3 tablespoon Pistachios ,chopped
2 tablespoon Pure Honey
1 Organic Egg
1/4 cup brown Sugar or natural sweetener Agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Organic milk
2 tablespoon softened Butter or Clarified Butter(ghee)
2 tablespoon Olive oil

Yields: About 12 medium cookies
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In bowl mix toasted sesame seeds with honey.
In another bowl whisk eggs, butter,milk and sugar together, until light and fluffy.

Sift the flours,baking powder ,soda and salt. Stir this in to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly until the dough comes together,add more milk if needed. Knead for a minute and wrap and allow to rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Spread some all-purpose flour on work surface and roll the dough using a rolling pin. Using a round cookie-cutter , cut and lay on a cookie sheet. Now spread honey sesame mixture on top of each of the cookies.Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.Cool on rack and store in air tight container.

You may also like from my cookie collection:

Sesame Buns

Fresh home made buns without any additives and preservatives are a pleasure to make and scrumptious to eat.I selected these groovy Seasame buns from huge collection of awesome recipes from Indira's blog Mahanandi ,in spotlight for Zu's Tried and Tasted event.
The Sesame buns are my entry for this week's Yeast Spotting,a weekly event focusing on yeast recipes.

Recipe Sesame Buns
Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds or use flax seed meal
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of Warm water
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoon active dry yeast or 1 packet(1/4 ounce) of quick rise yeast

Method
Make the Dough
In warm water mix in the dry yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes,until it gets frothy.
In a bowl combine the flours,oil,seeds(reserve few sesame seeds for topping the buns) ,salt along with the yeast mixture. Knead until the dough is tacky but not sticky and place in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise for an hour until double its size.
Shape and proof the buns
Get the dough out of the bowl,sprinkle some all purpose flour on the work surface and knead the dough for few seconds and divide in to about 6 portions. Set on a cookie sheet and finish shaping the remaining buns,place them about 1/2 inch apart from each other,sprinkle some sesame seeds on each of the buns. Cover with wrap and allow to rise for another hour.
Bake the Buns
Preheat Oven to 450F. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until crust turns lightly brown. Let cool on rack,Slice using a serrated knife. Assemble the buns with choicest veggies and greens .
Can you guess the 6 ingredients I sandwiched in the bun??

Multi Seed(Pumpkin,Flax and Sesame) Bread

If I survive, I will spend my whole life at the oven door seeing that no one is denied bread and, so as to give a lesson of charity, especially those who did not bring flour.-Jose Marti


Bread is part of every household around the world, each region its prepared with a distinct variation. Parathas\Chapati in Indian Sub-continent, Pita in middle east, Ciabatta from Italy, Baguette from France ,Bing from China and Rye bread from Russia are some of the breads around the world.
Today is the World Bread day, an event started by baking queen Zorra ,inviting all baking enthusiasts around the world to bake bread or simply post about a store bought bread.

How did I become a baking enthusiast?, since I migrated to US and discovered an Oven in the Kitchen. There was no stopping to my experiments. Mistakes were made, but lesson are learned eventually.For the event, I baked a simple bread with all the seeds I could gather from my pantry. I hallowed a pumpkin recently for a pie and saved its seeds,roasted it for snacking and used some in this bread recipe. Also used Sesame seeds and Flax seeds to add more crunch and loads of nutrition to the bread.Recipe is that of an Italian bread with standard ingredients Yeast, flour and Olive oil.

Ingredients
3 cups Whole wheat flour(Fine ground) or Whole wheat pastry flour
1 active dry yeast pack,about 1 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon Flax seeds
3 tablespoon Olive oil
1 cup warm water
3/4 teaspoon Salt


Method
Prepare the dough
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, stir in the sugar and allow the yeast to get frothy, about 10 minutes.In a large bowl combine the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame(reserve rest for topping), Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds(reserve 2 teaspoon for topping). Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and knead until well combined.Apply some more oil on the sides of the bowl cover and allow to rise until double it size about 3-4 hours or leave it overnight in a dark corner.
Bake
Preheat oven to 450F.
Shape the dough in to a circle and place on a greased baking sheet and brush some egg white and sprinkle the reserved sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Proof for another hour by covering allowing to rise one last time before baking.
Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.Cool for at least 10 minutes on a rack and slice with a serrated knife.
Slather some spread or fruit preserves.

Or Make a sandwich for lunch


Nutrition facts
Pumpkin seeds >>Excellent source of minerals Magnesium, Manganese and Phosphorus. Good source of Iron, vitamin K,zinc,protein and copper.
Flax seeds >> Its a super food with excellent health benefits of lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Good source of Omega 3s ,calcium ,Iron and antioxidants.
Sesame seeds >>Its an alternate calcium source for milk allergic. Also a good source of Iron and minerals like magnesium ,copper and zinc.

Similar tempting bakes :

Sweet Focaccia


Spicy Veggie Buns