Monthly Archives: January 2012

Dipping Sauce

Dips, Chutneys, Preserves and Pickles

for Salad Roll

Ingredients

  • 3             medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1             small shallot, quartered
  • 2             tbsp coarsely grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1/4         cup rice-wine vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 2             tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4          tsp toasted sesame oil
  •                Pinch of course salt and freshly ground pepper  
  • 1/4          cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4          cup water

Instructions

  1. Puree carrots,shallot,ginger, vinegar,soy sauce,sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth.  With machine running, add vegetable oil and then water through the feed tube in  slow, steady stream. 

Chicken Pies

Poultry, Snacks & Appetizers

 Chicken Pies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients   

  • 1                   chicken (about 3-4 lbs)
  • 1                   tsp garlic paste
  • 1                   tsp ginger paste
  • 1                   medium onion
  • 2                   sticks celery
  • 1/2                tsp salt
  • 1/2                tsp black pepper
  • 1                   can sliced mushrooms
  • 1                   can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1                   pkg frozen  puff pastry (395 gms)
  • 1                   egg

Instructions

  1. Skin and cut the chicken in quarters, remove all the fat and rinse it in cold water.  In a medium sauce pan put 4 cups of water, garlic,  ginger,  1/2  tsp salt and the chicken and boil it for about half an hour.  Remove the chicken and let it cool.  Remove the bones and cube the chicken in small pieces.
  2. Peel the onion and chop it finely, chop the celery finely.
  3. In a medium saucepan melt the butter, sauté the onions and celery.  Drain the mushrooms and add this to the saucepan,  Add the mushroom soup.  Add the chicken, 1/4 cup of the chicken stock, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper and mix it well.  Remove from the heat and cool it in the fridge.
  4. Beat the egg with 2 tbsp water.
  5. Roll out the pastry to 1/8” thickness,  with a 3” cookie cutter cut the rounds.  Reroll  the scrapes and do the same.  Use the reroll rounds  for the bottom of the pastry.  Put a teaspoon of filling in the centre of the round, brush the sides with egg wash and cover it with a round on top.  Press the sides with a fork.
  6. Put the pastry on a cookie sheet, egg wash it and bake in a preheated 400 degree  oven for 30 minutes(it should be golden brown in colour)

 

 

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Dhokla/Dokra

Breakfast, Snacks & Appetizers

Dhokla (also spelt Dhokra or Dokra)) is a vegetarian dish that originated in the state of Gujarat in India.  It can be served for breakfast, or as a side dish,a main course or a teatime snack.  It can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature.  It is made with fermented batter made of gram flour(chickpeas)  rice and yoghurt.  The main ingredient is rice.

Dhokla is a savory cake that is steamed.

My mum used to make dhoklas for breakfast. Any left over,  we would have at teatime.  A hot garlic chutney is served with it.

Somebody came up with instant dhokla which are easier to make and you do not ferment it overnight.  Instant dhoklas are made with Sooji (wheatlets) or cornmeal.  I make it with sooji, If you are  allergic to wheat, use cornmeal.

Sooji is also known as Semolina or wheatlets

1.Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middling’s of durum wheat used in making pasta  and also used for breakfast cereals  and puddings.  Semolina is also used to designate coarse middling  from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains such as rice and corn.

Semolina

Dokra

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Ingredients

  • 1                    cup sooji
  • 2                    tablespoon Channa Flour
  • 5                    tablespoon Yoghourt
  • ½                   teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
  • ½                   teaspoon Cumin (freshly ground)
  • ½                   teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
  • 1                    tsp sugar
  • 1                    tsp Citric Acid
  • ½                   tsp salt
  • ¼                   cup oil
  • ¼                   tsp ground ginger
  • ¼                   tsp ground garlic
  • ¼                   tsp ground jalapeno
  • ½                   tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • ½                   cup warm water
  • 1 ½                tsp  rounded Baking Powder

Instructions

  • In a large sauce pan pour about 2 inches of water and boil.  The water should be boiling when you put the dhokla in.  The saucepan should be about 10 inches wide.  Put a wok ring inside the saucepan, the dhokla dish should sit on this ring. 
  • Add  everything except Baking Powder and mix well.(The mixture should be running consistency like a cake). 
  • Add Baking Powder and mix well. 
  • Pour into a greased 8” sandwich tin.
  • sprinkle chilly  powder on it.
  • Steam for 20 min.

Serve with Garlic Chutney.

Omelette Roll

Breakfast, Snacks & Appetizers

A dish consisting of beaten eggs cooked until set.  It can also be folded over with a filling inside.

Omelette  Roll is a chapatti rolled with an omelette.  It is breakfast on the go or lunch for the kids.  It is nutritious and easy to pack.

Omelettes are easy to make but are a little tricky.  You need practice to make it perfect.  Making a roll is the best place to start because if you break the omelette  nobody will know.

You can make your chapatti or buy it from Indian Grocery Stores.

Omelette Roll

Omelet

Ingredients

  • 1                   egg
  • 1                   tbsp water
  • 1                   tsp finely chopped onion
  • 1/4                tsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/8                tsp salt
  • 1/2                tsp butter
  • 1 chapatti

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine  egg, water onions, cilantro and salt  and beat with a fork till everything is mixed together.
  2. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat, pour the egg batter and tilt the pan to spread it around.  When it starts to set, loosen it with a palette  knife, turn it over and cook on the other side for about 1 minutes.
  3. Place the omelet on the chapatti and roll it up.
  4. Wrap it in a napkin.

Variations

  • Sugar roll:            Spread butter on the chapati sprinkle with        sugar and roll it up.
  • Banana Roll:         Spread butter, sugar and a banana and roll it up.
  • Aloo Roll:             If you have  leftover Alo curry (Potato) use that and roll up the chapatti.

Chicken Tikka Pita Pockets

Poultry

Makes 36

Chicken Tikka Pita Pockets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1            Chicken breast, boneless and skinless
  • 2            tbsp Yogurt
  • 2            tsp Green Masala
  • 1/2         tsp Salt
  • 1            tsp Tomato Paste
  • 1/2         tsp Black Pepper freshly ground
  • 1/2         tsp  Cumin freshly ground
  • 1            tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1            tbsp oil
  • 1            pkt Pita Bread Small size (18 pieces)
  • 4            leaves iceberg Lettuce

Directions

  1. Remove all the fat from the chicken and rinse it with cold water.  Cut chicken breast into 1/4 inch stripes and then cut the strips in 1/2 inch pieces.  Marinate it with yogurt, green masala, salt, black pepper, cumin and lemon juice.
  2. In a frying pan heat the oil and add the marinated chicken and cook till the chicken is firm.  (chicken is done when it changes color and it is firm to the touch).  Let it cool.
  3. Finely cut the lettuce leaves.
  4. Cut the pita in halves,fill the pita with a little lettuce leaves and 2 tsp of chicken mixture.
  5. Drizzle it with yogurt riata and tamarind sauce.

CHATAKO

Snacks & Appetizers

Chatako 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients 

  • 4                 medium potatoes 
  • 2                 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 – 14         oz can Patra or 1 pkg Frozen Patra
  • 1/4              cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2              tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 8                 Curry Leaves (Limbdho)
  • 1/2              tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4              tsp Ajma (Omum)
  • 4-5              cloves, optional
  • 1 – 14         oz can Chickpeas
  • 1/4              tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2              tsp chilly powder or to taste
  • 2                 tsp Sugar
  • 1/2              tsp Salt
  • 1/2              tsp citric Acid or
  • 2                 tbsp lemon Juice
  • 1/4              cup chopped Coriander leaves
  • 1                 tbsp chopped Mint Leaves
  • 2                 cups yogurt riata
  • 2                 cups tamarind chutney
Directions
  1. Peel and cube the potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes.
  2. Coat it in 2 tbsp oil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 min or until cubes are cooked.
  3. If using canned patra cube it in 1/2 inch cubes.  If using frozen, follow the cooking instruction and cook it then cube it in 1/2 inch slice.
  4. Open the can of chickpeas and rinse it under cold water, drain it.
  5. In a med saucepan Make the vagar.  Heat 1/4 cup oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, ajma and cloves.  When the mustard seeds start to pop add the chickpeas, turmeric, cumin powder, chilly powder, sugar, salt, citric acid or lemon juice, half the coriander leaves and the mint and mix well.  Add the baked potatoes and patra and toss it.
  6. Pour this in a pyrex dish. 
  7. Before serving spread the yogurt riata and then tamarind chutney. 
  8. Decorate with chopped cilantro.

Nanaimo Bars

Sweets

makes 30 pieces

food pictures downloaded jan 17-12 056

Ingredients

Base

  • 1/2            cup Butter
  • 5               tbsp cocoa
  • 5               tbsp sugar
  • 1/2            tsp vanilla
  • 1                egg
  • 2                cups graham wafer crumbs
  • 1                cup coconut
  • 1/2            cup chopped walnuts

Icing

  • 4                tbsp butter
  • 2                tbsp vanilla custard powder
  • 2                tbsp milk
  • 2                cups icing sugar

Chocolate  Cover

  • 2                 oz semi sweet chocolate
  • 1                 tbsp butter

Directions

  1. Place softened butter, cocoa, sugar, vanilla and egg in a bowl.  Set bowl in a pan of bowling water.  Stir mixture until butter has melted and is the consistency of custard about 5 minutes.
  2. Mix wafer crumbs, coconut and nuts together.
  3. Add to the cocoa mixture and mix well.
  4. Pour the mixture into an ungreased 9 inch square pan and spread with icing.

Icing

  1. Cream butter, milk, vanilla custard powder and icing sugar till nice and creamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Spread this over chocolate base,  and return it to the fridge for a couple of hours till the icing has hardened.

Chocolate Cover

Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt it in the microwave, covered, for 1 minute, mix it well and spread it over the icing.  Return it to the fridge and let it set,, about 10 minute.  Cut it in squares and serve.

Peanuts

Snacks & Appetizers

      

 The peanut, or groundnut  is a species in the legume or “bean” family.  Peanuts are used in a lot of different ways,  Boiled roasted, fried, used as a sauce for meats and vegetables, cakes, peanut butter , candies, chocolates, and oil are a few examples.

In Uganda peanut soup is eaten with boiled matoka(green plantain bananas) as a main meal.  Boiled fresh peanuts are sold on the street as a snack as are roasted peanuts.  The locals make a cone using old newspaper and fill it with roasted peanuts and sell it.  When going to the movies we would buy a cone of peanuts before we went into the theatre.

In Canada we do not get the fresh peanuts so I buy the dried raw peanuts, soak them over night and then boil them.  These dried peanuts can be found in China Town, T & T Market and Osaka(Super Markets)

This is a good food to snack on when watching a movie or something to nibble on when you have a party.

  peanut cone

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Peanuts
  • 1 tbsp salt

Instructions

  1. Soak the peanuts in cold water overnight.
  2. Add salt and boil it for half an hour until soft or you can presure cook it for about 5 minutes.

Mogo Masala

Snacks & Appetizers

Mogo also known as cassava or yucca is a staple of Uganda.  Mogo can be cooked in a lot of ways. Few examples are:It can be boiled, fried, made into chips, or cooked with spices.  Fried Mogo is like potato fries and a lot of the small cafes served fried mogo with ambli or lemon juice, salt and chilly powder.  In school at recess boiled mogo was sold in the canteen so we would have mogo and milk or pop.

Mogo is also a street food in East Africa.   The locals roast the mogo over the barbeque sprinkling salt, chilly powder and lemon on it. 

In Canada,you can buy fresh mogo from Supermarkets and frozen mogo from Indian grocery stores.

Mogo, when dried to a starchy, powdery (or pearly) extract is called tapioca.

Mogo Masala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2                 lbs Frozen Mogo
  • 4                 cups water
  • 2                 tsp salt
  • 3                 medium onions
  • 3                 medium tomatoes
  • 1                 tbsp green masala
  • 2                 tsp tomato paste
  • 1                 tsp coriander and cumin powder
  • 1/2              tsp turmeric powder
  • 1                 tsp chilly powder(or to taste)
  • 1/2              tsp citric acid or
  •                    juice of 2 lemon
  • 1                 cup chopped cilantro
  • 4                 cups oil for frying

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan boil the water with 1 tsp salt.  Add the mogo and cook it for about 10 minutes.  Slice the mogo into chips about 1/2 inch thick.
  2. Heat the oil to medium hot and deep fry the chips to golden brown in color.   (The oil is ready when if you put the end of the wooden spoon in the oil and tiny bubble appear around it).
  3. Drain the chips on paper towel.
  4. Peel and thinly slice the onions.
  5. Thinly slice the tomatoes.
  6. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onions and fry till the onions are transparent, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and rest of the ingredients.  Mix and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.
  7. Add the mogo and toss it.
  8. Serve hot with ambli(tamarind chutney)

Naral vari Bharazi (Pigeon Peas in Coconut Sauce)

Breakfast

 

Fresh Green Pigeon Peas                  Seeds of the pigeon pea

Bharazi, also known as pigeon Peas, are high in protein and have a nutty flavor.  Pigeon peas are usually found dried, canned,frozen or ground for flour. They are easiest to find in  cans and will likely be in most large grocery stores or specialty Indian and Latin shops. Although there are many varieties of pigeon peas grown, store-bought varieties will usually come in green, white, or black colors.

Bharazi can be used in a lot of different dishes like a curry or on its own, cooked with rice, or in stews.

I like to use dried bharazi but you can use 2 cans or 1 lb frozen bharazi.

When I was growing up, naral vari bharazi was a  treat for us, as we could not always buy coconut.  Coconut is found on the coast and there they use a lot of coconut in their cooking.  Naral Vari bharazi is a breakfast dish and is also served for brunch.

You can also use 2 pkts cream coconut with 4 cups of water.

Bharazi

Ingredients

  • 1/2               lb dried Bharazi
  • 1                  small onion
  • 2                  small tomatoes
  • 2                  tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4               tsp cumin seeds
  • 2                  tbsp green masala
  • 1/4               tsp turmeric powder
  • 1                  tsp salt
  • 2                  cans coconut milk
  • 1                  cup water   
  • 1                  jalapeno
  • 2                  fresh lemon or
  • 1/4              tsp citric acid
  • 2                  tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Soak the dried bharazi in water and leave it overnight,  boil until tender, about half an hour.  Drain and rinse in cold water.
  • Thinly slice the onion and tomato.
  • In a saucepan heat the oil, add the cumin seeds and onions.  Saute the onions till they are transparent.
  • Add the tomatoes, green masala, turmeric powder, jalapeno and salt.  Stir and cook for a minute.
  • Add the coconut milk water and bharazi, when this starts to boil,turn the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle chopped cilantro before serving.

Serve with Mandhazi,  French bread or Rice