Cape Malay Tomato Bredie

We are talking Soccer and South African Cape Malay cuisine in this post.

If you are a soccer fan,you might already know South Africa is the honored host of World cup Soccer 2010.Soccer runs in my family,I was no Mia Hamm,but was deeply influenced by the game from my daddy dearests soccer passion.He had immense skill at the game, played for his school team,that gave him an athletic persona.He continues his passion ,follows the world cup series closely.I remember the nights he stayed awake ,when the world cup games were aired at odd mid-night hours.The passion is passed on to my son Nabeel,who is beginning to show interest in the game.I get the title of soccer mom,for being there for all his games,rain or shine.I also love practicing the game with him,not to mention,gives me a good work out.

Now, to be good at the game,a well-balanced meal is essential.That brings us to the recipe of the day.Bredie,a luscious slow cooked tomato and lamb stew,one of the most favored dishes of the South African Cape Malay Cuisine,that is rich in protein and has good serving of vegetables.Bredie is best devoured with Yellow rice(brown rice preferably) and stir fried vegetables on side and some fresh sliced mangoes for a sweet finish.A meal that my daddy dearest would wholly appreciate.I know he is watching his cholesterol and is low on red meat,which is why I use lean meat for the recipe with vegetarian alternative.


Cape Malay Cuisine
With their soft, caramel skins and wide smiles, the Cape Malay people are a prized and proud element of the South African culture.
The first group of Malaysian state prisoners landed on the shores of South Africa from Java and the neighboring Indonesian islands in the late 1600's. Many more followed in the years 1727 until 1749. Not only did this proud and attractive people bring with them the Muslim faith and fine architecture, they also brought with them a unique cookery style, introducing exciting mixtures of pungent spices that has had a heady influence on traditional South African cuisine. Indeed, the Malay-Portuguese words such as bobotie (a curried ground beef and egg custard dish), sosatie (kebabs marinated in a curry mixture) and bredie (slowly cooked stews rich in meat, tomatoes and spices) are integral in our cookery vocabulary.
-Meryl Grebe(a South African Food publisher at inmamaskitchen.com.)


Recipe : Cape Malay Tomato Bredie adapted from Meryl Grebe's recipe
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
2 cups tomato sauce
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1 pound lean lamb or goat*,medium cut
2 medium sweet potatoes or yams,peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic,minced
1/2 inch ginger root,peeled and minced
1 teaspoon spice mix(ground cumin,pepper corns,coriander,cinnamon,cardamom and cloves)
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne.
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
3/4 teaspoon salt

*Vegetarians could use 2 cups of Soy nuggets(available in Asian stores),lessen the cooking time.

Method
Trim any excess white fat from the meat.
In a heavy bottom skillet or pressure cooker,heat the oil,saute the onions until lightly colored,5-6 minutes.Add the fresh minced garlic,ginger and rest of the dry spices and salt,after a minute,add the meat and 2 cups of water.Cover and let cook for about an hour in the skillet or 25 minutes in the pressure cooker ,on medium low heat until meat is tender.
While the meat cooks,roast the sweet potatoes or yams,in an oven until tender.Keep aside.
When meat is tender, stir in the tomato sauce,roasted sweet potatoes and simmer for 4-5 minutes.Garnish with fresh herbs.Serve warm with brown rice or whole grain flat bread.


The recipe is my contribution for Meeta's Monthly Mingle : South African Cuisine.

Kumquat Ice Cream - I Scream For Ice Cream Challenge.And Ice Dream Cook Book Give Away

Been yearning to taste this delight ever since bookmarked last summer.With right ingredients in hand and the ambiance warm enough,finally got the chance to contain the desire.



Eralda's original recipe of the ice cream follows David lebovitz's approach ,while my recreation here is influenced by the by Rachel Albert-Matesz's dairy free recipes from her latest book, The Ice Dream Cookbook ,replacing heavy cream with coconut milk.Smitten by the superb benefits of coconut,all of my home made ice creams now incorporate coconut milk for dairy cream.


Besides the coconut milk,the other supreme element in the ice cream are Kumquats.I always keep an eye out for unusually healthy foods,glad I noticed kumquats in a market here.Kumquats are like the concentrated mini oranges or clementines with edible peel.But if these tangy little morsels are not in your reach,you could still make the ice cream,simply substitute them with some fresh orange zest and orange juice instead.

Recipe : Dairy free Kumquat Ice cream ,inspired by Eralda's recipe at 5 star foodie and Rachel Albert-Matesz as in Ice Dream Cookbook.

Yields 1 3/4 cup
Ingredients
one 14 ounce can Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
5-6 kumquats,seeded and chopped(or use 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest and 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice)
1/4 cup honey,agave nectar or 1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not the flakes)
pinch of salt
Kumquat syrup and Caramelized kumquats for garnish(recipe follows)

Method
1.Warm the water in small sauce pan.Sprinkle the gelatin or agar-agar,do no stir,let dissolved completely 4-5 minutes.Turn off the heat.
2.Process the kumquat in a food processor or vitamix until finely chopped,the add the coconut milk,sweetener(honey or agave),salt,the gelatin or agar-agar mixture and blend again until well combined and smooth.
3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5-Serve immediately or spoon into several 8-to 16-ounce freezer safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Without the Ice cream machine method
After the step 2,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Do as in step 6 to serve.

Kumquat Syrup with caramelized Kumquats
Ingredients
8-10 kumquats,seeded,sliced or chopped(2 tablespoon fresh orange zest)
1/4 cup agave or honey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon virgin pressed coconut oil
Method
In a small pan,heat the oil and add the kumquats(or zest),let soften and caramelized,about 3-4 minutes.Now add the honey or agave and warm,let heat up on low heat,when bubbles start to emerge,3-4 minutes.Turn off the heat.Cool for few minutes and serve over the ice cream.



Health Nut Challenge 6 - I Scream For Ice Cream!

Nothing can beat the summer's scorching heat like the frosty treat.Gearing up for the heat,I invite my creative foodies to scream for the summer's best refreshment,take the next Health Nut challenge of creating one fresh ,healthy and home made frozen treat.

Homemade Ice creams are far superior than store bought,for one can customize it for sweetness , flavors ,calories without any need for preservatives or artificial colors.Also the home made quality ice cream costs less.Even if you don't treasure an ice cream machine,just following the method in my recipes to closely match the texture of machine made.

Please read the following rule carefully before submitting your recipe for the "I Scream For Ice Cream!" Challenge:

1.Delight your family with a home made frozen treat on a sizzling hot day - Ice cream,Frozen yogurt,Sorbet,Juice pop,Ice cream sandwich or cone,gelato,kulfi or any other chilled dessert or snack.Refer to Health nut recipes to get the idea.

2.Make it a healthier ice cream,use a healthier substitute for heavy cream like the coconut milk,also using nut butters like cashew cream or peanut butter or almond butter are simply wonderful for making creamy healthy ice creams.Or use light cream along with whole milk ,almond milk or soy milk.

3.Keep the sweetness in moderation.Again using substitutes like honey ,agave nectar or maple syrup are much better than plain white sugar.


4.Flavor up them with fresh fruits ,berries,nuts ,cocoa or dark chocolate.For sorbets one can also use fresh herbs like basil.

5.Limit to one entry per participant.Send me your creative frozen treat using the convenient form below, by June 31st.And please do not forget to link your post to this announcement page.


Health Nut Challenge Form

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Your Email Address
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Recipe Name
Recipe URL
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Ice Dream Cook Book Give Away!

Rachel Albert-Matesz,author of Ice Dream Cookbook, has been kind enough to give a copy of her Ice Dream Cookbook,as reward for one unique recipe submitted to the Health Nut Ice Cream Challenge ,that closely abides by the rules of the challenge.

I totally love the book for introducing the healthier alternatives in home made ice creams,clear and descriptive recipes with fabulous variety of flavors.I've been using her recipes to make most of my Ice creams ever since I did the review.The cookbook is a best buy for any diet-conscious ,Ice-cream aficionados and those on restricted diets(low-sugar,gluten-free,dairy-free).You can read my complete review here.
ORDER YOUR COPY of The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces by Rachel Albert-Matesz at Rachel's blog or at Amazon.com .

Archives : April 2010

April 3 Grilled Flatbread with Chili Garlic Asparagus and Ricotta

April 6 Chicken Kale Saag

April 9 Blintzes with Ricotta cream and Strawberry sauce

April 12 Broccoli Quiche with Brown Rice Crust

April 14 Cardamom Panna Cotta With Honey Peach Sauce

April 17 Pita Wedges With Green Almond Hash and Hummus

April 20 Kale Dosa and Asparagus Chutney\Spread

April 22 Homemade Whole Grain Bagels and Citrus Cole Slaw

April 27 Traditional British Pudding - Carrot-Ginger Sponge and Savory Mushroom


April 29 Grilled Kibbeh


April 31 Silk Pure Almond Iced Cocoa Mocha and a giveaway

Grilled Kibbeh

Kibbeh is a torpedo shaped crunchy appetizer ,adored not just in Middle East but also in the Middle Eastern eateries around here.The authentic Syrian spring kibbeh stuffed with fresh home made cheese was embraced by the 2 hostesses(Nisrin and Mona) for the Walima cooking club this month.Yearning in vain for fresh cheese,my recreation of kibbeh is void of any stuffing but I did add a touch of vegetables to make up for the flavor.Usually deep fried,I chose to grill,although one can also BBQ or bake them.And for my vegetarian viewers who wish to make these,there is good news,the soy granules work just as well as the minced meat.

Bulgur
The other main ingredient is the bulgur wheat,that is not the same as cracked wheat.Bulgur wheat is quicker to cook,for its is par boiled and toasted before breaking them unlike the cracked wheat which is broken directly from the wheat berries.

Recipe : Grilled Kibbeh with vegetables
Makes a dozen kibbeh

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Bulgur wheat or Cracked wheat*
1/2 pound lean beef or lamb or turkey,minced [Vegan substitute : 1 1/2 cup soy granules,soaked and drained]
1/2 medium onion,chopped
1 medium carrot,shred
3-4 kale leaves(or use other greens like spinach )
1/4 cup pine nuts or almonds,coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon of Middle Eastern 7 spice mix (black pepper, all spice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, white pepper, dried rose petals this is optional )
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon canola oil

*Cracked wheat will require longer soaking and cooking time.

Method
Wash and soak the bulgur in little cold water for 10 to 15 good minutes and then drain all of the water.
Mince the drained bulgur with all of the vegetables,nuts,salt and spices,in a food processor twice, the third time we add the meat and mince all together to combine, you might need to do this in several steps if the machine is not big enough.
Empty the mix in a big bowl, dip your hands in some water and start mixing and kneading the bulgur mixture well to combine nice dough. Adjust the seasoning if need it.

Take about 2 tablespoon of kibbeh each time and shape in flat diamonds.Wash hands thoroughly after handling the kibbeh mixture.

To Bake
Grease a baking tray with the oil,arrange the kibbeh on the tray.Bake the kibbeh in preheat 400F oven, check every 10 minutes and brush again, dipping the brush in the pan drippings.

To Grill
A tastier way of cooking these kibbeh,brush oil on boyh sides,then BBQ or grill on medium heat,6-8 minutes on each side,until golden brown.

Serve the kibbeh with Green Salad or Yogurt Iran (a diluted yogurt in some cold water and salt, some add dried mint and garlic)

Traditional British Puddings(Carrot-Ginger Sponge and Savory Mushroom)

Looks sensational isn't,but does it taste as good?proof is in the pudding,you have to try and taste to believe it.Unlike any other pudding , I had a different approach with these,with new ingredients and slow steaming instead of baking.

The April 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of The Lilac Kitchen. She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet.


A universally favored dessert with deliciously puzzling varieties,puddings are hard to miss on a dessert menu.The food timeline study reveals, pudding as a British invention, and a certain characteristic dish of British cuisine.The traditional British pudding is commonly steamed not baked,type 1 has any kind of red meat filling or fruit with pastry crust and type 2 is sponge type includes eggs and other flavoring like the dried fruit.Both the types have one essential ingredient,the suet(the white fat of sheep or cattle),that known to make the pudding really soft and moist,not to mention high in fat calories.A vegan alternative that can closely imitate the animal fat ,is the one of the best fats from the tropics,virgin pressed coconut oil(learn about it in my post here ).I'm not sure if a British food critic would even consider these traditional, for not using the real suet,but since our nice hostess(Esther) of the challenge gave us the option,I went for it with no further thoughts.

Carrot-Ginger Sponge Pudding(using suet substitute)

Flavoring right was essential for the pudding.Carrots are the most common ingredient in my kitchen,always in stock.The fine shred carrots make the pudding moist nutritious.There is good balance of sweetness and spice in this pudding.Too much ginger can overpower the flavor of pudding ,be careful not to exceed the quantity in the recipe.For a bedazzling finish to other wise simple pudding,garnish with more carrots,simply shave a big carrot and caramelize in little bit of sugar.

Equipment required:
• 2 pint (1 liter) pudding bowl or steam-able containers to contain a similar amount they should be higher rather than wide and low.
• Steamer or large pan, ideally with a steaming stand, upturned plate or crumpled up piece of kitchen foil
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Measuring cups or scales
• Foil or grease proof paper to cover the bowl
• String
Recipe: Carrot-Ginger Sponge Pudding(using suet substitute)
serves 3-4
Ingredients
100 grams/4 ounces) All-purpose flour
1 cup carrots,finely shred
2 tablespoon of Vegan suet substitute : Virgin pressed coconut oil[available in any well-stocked super store]
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger,minced
(1/4 teaspoon) salt
(1.5 teaspoons) Baking powder
(40 grams/2 ounces) sugar or 2 tablespoon of other natural sweeteners(like Agave nectar or honey)
(2) large Organic eggs
(2 tablespoons) low fat or skimmed milk
Method
1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl.
2. Add sugar and suet substitute.
3. Mix to a soft batter with beaten eggs,carrots and milk
4. Turn into a buttered 1 liter/ 2pint pudding basin and cover securely with buttered greaseproof paper or aluminum foil.
5. Steam steadily for 2.5 to 3 hours
6. Turn out onto warm plate, Serve with sweet sauce to taste such as custard, caramel or a sweetened fruit sauce.


Savory Mushroom pudding(using suet substitute)

This savory side of pudding was a totally new experience,I've only made sweet kinds before.The pastry is packed in chunky mushrooms and onions sauce and steamed to perfection in a ceramic bowl.The result is moist and flaky pastry,cutting down the middle,the oozing warm luscious sauce with hearty mushrooms is a real pleasing meal.

Recipe:Savory Mushroom pudding(using suet substitute)
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
For Pudding Crust
(100 grams/4 ounces) All-purpose flour
(150 grams/6 ounces) Whole wheat flour
(50 grams/2 ounces)suet substitute : Virgin pressed coconut oil
(a pinch) Salt and pepper
(210 milliliters/a little less than a cup) Water (or use skimmed milk)

For Mushroom Filling
6-8 medium button mushrooms,cleaned and quartered
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1 clove garlic,finely chopped
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon spice mix of choice
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil



Method

Prepare the filling
Saute onions in oil until lightly browned,add the garlic and spices,saute another 2-3 minutes.Stir in the flour and roast for a minute.Add 1 cup of water and stir well until the sauce is smooth,cook for 1-2 minutes.Turn off the heat and mix in the mushrooms.Set the filling aside.

Prepare Pudding Crust
1. Mix the flour and suet substitute together.
2. Season the flour mixture with salt and pepper.
3. Add the water, a tablespoonful at a time, as you mix the ingredients together. Make up the pastry to firm an elastic dough that leaves the bowl clean. The liquid amounts are only an estimate and most recipes just say water to mix.
4. Don’t over handle the pastry or it will be too hard.
5. Reserve a quarter for the lid and roll out the rest and line a well-greased bowl.
6. At this point add your filling.. a couple of options are give below but have fun and go wild!
7. Roll the final piece of pastry out into a circle big enough to cover the top of the basin, dampen the edges and put in position on the pudding, pinching the edges together to seal.
8.Pour in the prepared mushroom mixture,cover the top with another piece of dough,seal well and cover with a double sheet of foil or parchment paper – pleated in the center to allow room for expansion while cooking. Secure with string, and place it in a steamer over boiling water.
9. Steam for up 1 to 2 hours, you may need to add more boiling water halfway through or possibly more often.
10.When done.Let cool for few minutes before getting it out.Loosen with knife and carefully flip on to a slightly hallow serving dish.Serve warm with some salad greens on side.


Find more Daring Puddings at the Daring Baker's blog roll.

Thanks to Esther for the extra ordinary challenge.

Homemade Whole Grain Bagels and Citrus Coleslaw

Though not as good-looking as the bakery bread ,these Chubby bagels were satisfying enough for my first attempt.Also the fact these are enriched with different kinds of whole grains,low in fat and devoured warm out of the oven ,the pure pleasure of baked bread.Likewise,it was exhilarating to bake them in choicest flavors.
I'll save the sweet kind for another post and focus on the savory and spiced for now.Each of these are enjoyable in any meal of the day.Breakfast ,slather on some low fat cream cheese or nut butter spread and for a more hearty lunch or dinner fill in with any combination of veggie stuffing ,like citrusy no-mayo cabbage slaw(coleslaw) for instance.Chopped up in the slaw ,are two kinds of the cabbages -savoy and red cabbage,the citrus dressing remains same for both.

Here is the line up of wholesome Homemade Bagels

Spiced Whole Grain Bagels has whole grains - whole wheat flour,barley flour ,seeds - Sesame and flax seed meal,Spices - Whole crushed red chillies,garlic and ground coriander.


Onion and Garlic Bagels has whole grains - whole wheat flour,ragi millet flour,oat flour ,seeds - flax seed meal ,topped with onion,garlic and spices


Seed topping Bagels has whole grains - whole wheat flour,ragi millet flour,oat flour ,seeds - flax seed meal,sesame and poppy as topping.


Key to baking a soft on inside and crusty on outside whole grain bagel :

1.Use only fine ground whole grain flours,coarse ground will not yield soft bagels.
2.Use a natural sweetener like honey,agave ,jaggery or dark brown sugar to boost the yeast.
3.Proof(allow the dough to rise) after shaping them for at least an hour .
4.Boil them at right temperature,hot but not boiling.
5.Shape it right.There are two ways to roll the bagel,either by rolling it in to a little rope and pinching the ends together or poke a finger through the middle of the dough ball and work the fingers around the inside to shape the bagel.Using the first method couple of my bagels opened up ,hence the later method was more reliable for me.


Recipe : Whole grain Bagels adapted from recipe at Real Food Living
Makes 8 bagels
Ingredients
1 pack active dry yeast(about 1 teaspoon)
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour[or 2 cups whole wheat flour ,1/4 cup barley or oat flour and 1/4 cup Ragi millet flour]
1 tablespoon flax seed meal or 2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Agave nectar (or honey) or Dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Toppings for the bagels such as seeds,chopped onion, or garlic

Method
Prepare the Dough
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, stir in the sugar and allow the yeast to rise and get frothy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl combine the flour, salt,flax seed meal and agave or sugar. 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.

Shape and Proof
Remove the dough onto a dry counter (you may need to wet your hands slightly). Divide the dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces . Roll each into a round ball and cover with a damp cloth. Let them rest for 20 minutes.

Now comes the shaping. You can roll each ball into a rope and pinch off the ends making a bagel-shape, or poke finger through the middle of the dough ball and work the fingers around the inside to shape the bagel evenly. The hole should be about 2 inches in diameter.Place the shaped bagels 2 inches apart on a baking sheet,Cover all the shaped bagels with damp cloths. Let rest for an hour at room temperature.

Place your 2 oven racks in the lower middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. If you are using a stone, make sure the stone is in the oven for the preheating.


Boil Bagels:
Fill a large wide stockpot with water and bring to a boil.

When the water comes to a full boil, gently drop 2-3 bagels ONE AT A TIME into the water. They will sink and then float. Let them boil for 2 minutes. With a large slotted spoon, turn the bagels over to boil on the other side for 2 minutes. If you like them less chewy, boil only 1 minute per side.

Remove each bagel (tapping the slotted spoon to remove any excess water) and place them back on the same greased parchment paper. They will have almost doubled in size.

If you wish to top your bagels, do so when they are right out of the boiling pot. Sprinkle on your toppings.

Bake
When all your bagels have been boiled and topped, place 2 baking sheets into the pre heated oven, one on each shelf and bake for 15 minutes until crust is brown.Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Transfer the baked bagels to cooling racks and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Flavor Variations
Spiced : Mix some fresh crushed red chili flakes and ground spices(pinch of coriander or cumin) in the dough.
Topped with Onion and Garlic Lightly sauté chopped onions,garlic and ground spices of choice,and top over the bagels after boiling them.

Citrus Cabbage slaw(coleslaw)



Recipe : No-mayo Citrus Cabbage slaw(coleslaw)
Ingredients
4 cups Cabbage(I used savoy cabbage),finely shred
2 oranges,segmented
2 spring onions or scallions,thinly sliced
1 carrot,finely grated
1/2 cup mixed toasted nuts and seeds(I used soynuts,pumpkin seeds,sunflower seeds,black sesame seeds)
1 cup escarole(can also use romaine lettuce),chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro,chopped

For Citrus dressing
1/2 cup orange juice,freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice,freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper,freshly ground

Method
Prepare the dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients.
Mix all the other ingredients in large salad bowl.Pour over the dressing and toss to combine.Let sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavor come together.Serve Cold.Can be stuffed in a hearty whole grain sandwich or bagel.

The bagels taste best the same day however I also cherished it toasted the next day.


The bagels are my entry for Susan's Yeast Spotting and Citrus Slaw for the Health Nut Challenge 5

Kale Dosa and Asparagus Chutney\Spread

You catch a glimpse of this green almost every time you are at the market,but still haven't made the move to embraced it ,despite learning its health benefits.Why? Remember, when its comes to cooking with Kale ,it is as versatile as spinach.Its not bitter,mild tasting and if you can cook with spinach, then why not with kale,unless its unavailable.The recipes posted should give you the confidence to make the move for the good.

Kale's fixed in this recipe with good old pancakes from the land of spices,other wise known as Dosa.Not everyday,but at least once every weekend we feast on dosa.And trying a new medley each week,by mixing and matching the proportion of lentils,greens,herbs and grains,is exciting for me and nourishing for a family meal.

Recipe :Kale Dosa
Makes a dozen large dosas
Ingredients
4-5 medium Kale leaves with stalks,roughly chopped
2 cups lentils and grains(any combination of Green or Yellow Mung,White Urad or Barley)
1 inch ginger root ,peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoon Canola Oil for smearing on the dosa

Method
Soak the chosen lentils and grains in ample water overnight.
Drain all the water.Grind the lentils ,grains,ginger and kale leaves with 1 cup(more or less) of water to a smooth consistency.Add another cup 1/2 cup of water through the grinding process just until the batter is a as thick as the pan cake batter.Season with salt,stir well to combine.
Heat the non stick pan on medium high. Pour one ladle of batter right in the middle. Promptly make swirls using the back of the ladle. let cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and let cook for another minute.Sprinkle some finely chopped onions and serve warm with any chutney or lentil soups.


Kale is a member of Cabbage family,with botanical name Cruciferous.Health Nut Challenge 5 is focusing on these crucial vegetables.Please find the details of the challenge and link up your creations on the announcement page before April 30th.

Asparagus Chutney\Spread

Who would have though of chutney with asparagus,other than a spice nut.I whipped up this chutney when asparagus was in full bloom in the markets, couple of weeks back.If you had enough of the sautes then give this chutney a chance.

Recipe : Asparagus Chutney\Spread
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
8-10 Asparagus,rinsed and ends snapped
1 big clove garlic,peeled and crushed
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
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil


Method
Heat oil in large pan on medium heat,saute the garlic,red chillies and asparagus for 4-5 minutes until asparagus is tender.
Transfer in a blender or food processor along with lemon juice,fresh parsley and salt,cover and run the machine until mixture is finely ground.Store in clean air tight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.Perfect on sandwiches,burgers , dosa or with Brown rice.