The Food We Eat

Cherry Clafoutis (Clafoutis aux Cerise)

It seems that clafoutis is all the rage this year. Or maybe it seems that way to me since it has been on my mind (I even dreamt about it). I had the same experience when I was pregnant. It suddenly seemed that there was a baby-making contest in Seattle and every second woman on the street had entered....

Anyway, I was determined to make the best clafoutis there was out there. Thus began my studying of all the clafoutis recipes I could find.. in cookbooks, online, you name it. And for something that basically consists of eggs, dairy, and flour, there seemed to be a gazillion recipes for it. I concluded that there were really two types of clafoutis recipes - one that would result in a custardy pudding-cake like product; and one that would result in something more cake-like. I am no expert in the authentic French way, but I immediately knew that I would like the custardy one better. As goes authentic, I'm not even sure there is an 'authentic' recipe for a dessert that was probably whipped together in every french farm home, using the freshest fruit around.

After reading, pondering, re-reading, obsessing (phew!) I decided I would follow the recipe from Ceres and Bacchus for Plum Clafoutis, but use cherries instead, like Deb from Smitten Kitchen did.

I have been waiting for an excuse to make this for a couple of weeks now. I was really resisting the urge to make some just for our family, because I could just see myself eating way more than someone trying to fit into skinnier jeans should (or could or would). Luckily, I didn't need to agonize for too long - the perfect opportunity presented itself when we were invited to my friend Paula's house for dinner on Saturday and she asked me to bring dessert (YAY!).

I bought some uber-juicy and delicious local Bing cherries (grown in Yakima) from the Fruit Stand down the road from us and got to work on pitting them. I wanted to keep the cherries whole, so decided to pit them the non-gadget way using a plain old drinking straw. It is super easy and fun. Simply poke the straw in gently from the top. Then poke the straw firmly from the bottom and the pit pops out leaving a nice clean exit and entry hole in the cherry. No jagged edges here.

Ok, I know. I could always go out and get myself a $12 cherry pitter. I just haven't gotten around to it. Well, I do live reasonably close to Sur La Table (has to be one of my fave Kitchen Stores), but I know better. The $12 cherry pitter purchase will send me home with a $200 tab (I know very well from lots of experience). But I don't learn, 'coz I'm sure you will soon hear all about my cherry pitter shopping experience......

Oh! And guess what. I pitted a few dozen cherries and realized I was runnning pretty short on time. I have already read a lot about how the French don't pit the cherries for Clafoutis (the pits supposedly lend a nice almond flavor). So I figured! What the heck! I'll just be French and use whole unpitted cherries for the adults and use the pitted ones to make a couple individual clafoutis' for the kids (I sure did not trust R to not choke on a pit, or worse chip his baby teeth).

Cherry Clafoutis

3 cups washed cherries, unpitted

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp amaretto liqeuer (my addition)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Beat the sugar and eggs with a whisk till they turn lighter in color. Gradually, add the butter and whisk to combine. Add all the flour in and whisk to mix briefly. Slowly add in the milk and mix. Add in the vanilla and amaretto. The batter should be smooth, homogenous, and shiny. Take care not to overmix.

Put the cherries in a buttered glass or ceramic pie dish or cake pan (reserve 5 -10 cherrries). I used a 9 inch ceramic pie dish. Pour the batter over the fruit. Place the reserved cherries on top of the batter (looks pretty this way). Bake 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and batter is almost completely set in the middle. (Note: Since I had to make a few individual ones for the kids, I borrowed some of the batter to pour into small ramekins)

Let sit 15-20 minutes before serving. The crust will deflate a bit, but don't worry (see below for the 'right out of the oven' look and the 'deflated/rested' look). You can serve the clafoutis warm or at room temperature. Leftovers are excellent the next day (tried and true).

Serve as is, with a dusting of powdered sugar. If you must, serve with ice-cream. In my opinion, the simplicity of this dessert is what makes it amazing. Ice-cream is just over-the-top and better saved for brownies or pie. Sometimes very often less is more. Enjoy!

Oh! And please be nice and tell your guests that the cherries have pits in them. Orthodontics are expensive!

Sarson Ka Saag - Curried Mustard Greens

This dish is near and dear to my heart. My parents are from Southern India, but Dad was in the Indian Army, so we moved every 3 years and lived all over India. It so happens that I spent a good portion of my teenage years in Delhi, and was exposed to a lot of Punjabi food. There are many north Indian dishes I love, but I particularly have very fond memories of Sarson ka Saag. Our neighbor, Indu Aunty, made the yummiest Sarson ka Saag, and the smell....Oh! I can't begin to describe the smell. Earthy, spicy, just delicious. On cold winter evenings, we'd sit with steaming plates of saag and roti and watch some mindless movies.

Sarson ka Saag is Punjabi comfort food at its best. This dish originally hails from rural Punjab. It is traditionally served with Makki ki roti (Corn flour rotis). Ok, I know. This dish is not spectacular to look at, but dear friends the cliche' "looks can be deceiving" is really true here. The greens (Sarson is the hindi word for Mustard) are boiled well (No crunchy, barely wilted greens here) and tempered with onions, garlic, ginger and spices. The ingredients are simple, but the flavor of the finished saag is anything but. This is simple home cooking at its best. The next time you see Mustard Greens at your local market, grab some!

If you find the flavor of mustard greens too strong, feel free to use a half mustard- half spinach combo. Or you can use some turnip greens like I did below. I have not tried other substitutions, but I'm sure you could.

One more thing! Many of my non-Indian friends have asked me "What is this strange thing called Asafoetida? It reeks". Well, you know what? You are absolutely right. It does stink. Asafoetida is a powder made from the resinous sap of the Ferula plant. It is a very strange thing. Used correctly, it lends an absolutely irreplaceable aroma and flavor to curries. Used incorrectly, it renders a dish bitter and stinky. So my suggestion to you is to use it carefully and sparingly. When not sure, better to leave it out. That said, please do use it in the Saag. It plays a starring role here.

It was a busy day at our house. Little Gym for the kids, grown-up gym for J and me, a visit to my CSA farm, bike ride, phew. The kids and I harvested fresh Mustard Greens from the farm (also Swiss Chard, Collard greens and Vita Greens) and I had washed and bagged all that. I'm not making excuses, but there was no way I was making Makki ki roti tonight. So there you go. I'll make this saag again very soon, I am sure, so Makki ki Roti shall happen next time.

Sarson ka Saag (Curried Mustard Greens)

1 large bunch mustard greens

1 small bunch turnip greens

1 -2 serrano peppers, sliced lengthwise

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil (Mustard oil is great)

2 tbsp ghee

1-inch piece ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 large onion, grated (or very finely chopped)

1 pinch asafoetida

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tp 1/2 tsp red chili powder

2 tbsp maize flour (makki ka atta)

salt to taste

Method

1. Wash the greens thoroughly and chop. Cook the greens with water, turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, and the serrano peppers for 45 minutes to 1 hour, till the greens are completely cooked. I like to use a pressure cooker to cook the greens. Takes about 10 - 15 minutes in a pressure cooker. Either way, make sure the greens are totally cooked. They should turn a dark olive green color. Coarsely puree the greens using an immersion stick or food processor.

2. Heat ghee and oil in a saute pan. Add cumin seeds. Fry for 30 seconds and add the asafoetida. Stir for 10 seconds and add grated onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute till golden brown. Add garam masala and chili powder.

3. Add greens to the onion mixture. You might need to add a little bit of water at this point. Sprinkle on the maize flour and cook 10 - 15 minutes longer till the saag thickens up a bit. You don't want to see any water that is separated from the saag. If your saag is too watery, cook on med-high, uncovered, till excess water evaporates.

4. Check the seasonings and add salt if needed. Serve with a dollop of butter or ghee. 

Shaved Fennel and Radish Salad

It is hot out there. Ok, I'm a wimp. But its hot by Seattle standards. I wanted something healthy, light, and cooling for lunch today. I had a work party later in the afternoon, and wanted to save some calories for noshing there.

I didn't feel up to my usual greens, so I decided to try something fun and different. I have a feeling we'll be eating much more of this. My inspiration was from Elise's post on Simply Recipes. Of course, I'm sure it would have been fabulous exactly the way Elise made it, but I have this disease -- I just cannot use a recipe without tweaking it. I know this is a very common disease amongst foodies :-) And not to mention, I love the color and crunch of baby radishes. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Shaved Fennel and Radish Salad

Serves 1 for lunch; 2 as side

1 fennel bulb

5 baby red radishes

4 leaves of anise hyssop (aka licorice mint)

1/2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

pinch of sea salt

few turns of fresh pepper

block of parmagiano reggiano cheese

This salad looks gorgeous and what is even better is that it comes together in a snap. Its is refined enough for a ladies luncheon, yet is simple enough to take along to a summer family picnic. Of course the catch is that unless you have extraordinary CIA (the culinary one) quality knife skills, it is a real snap only if you have a mandoline. There are some great ones out there, but I have a cheap plastic one that I purchased a few years back from the Restaurant Supply Store. It works great, and is small, so it fits in my kitchen drawer. If you don't have a mandoline, I would add one to your Christmas wish list right away. If you are confused as to which one to buy, FYI Cooks Illustrated recommends this one and this one. You're welcome :-) Actually, come to think of it, I need a new one myself. Mine does not allow any adjustment for thickness, which is not so cool! If I did, I would have shaved the fennel a bit thinner. Who says you don't need more gadgets??

If you want to learn more about anise hyssop, click on the link I have above. Thanks to the wonderful folks at my new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), I am discovering some really cool herbs this year. The kids and I were over there a few days back and plucked some Anise Hyssop leaves. They are delicious. Its is called 'Licorice mint' aptly, since the leaves taste a bit like licorice, mint, and chocolate? The boys munched on some and yelled aloud "Mom, come smell our breath. Its minty!". I figured the flavor profile fits in perfectly with the salad, so why not? It was good. You can add any herb you want, but I think thyme, basil, or chives would work quite well.

As goes olive oil, use the best you can find. In a simple salad like this, the ingredients really shine, so a good olive oil would be well worth it. Save the cheaper stuff for cooking with.

To assemble the salad, slice the fennel bulb and the radishes on the mandoline. Make a chiffonade with the anise hyssop leaves. Shave the parmagiano into long strips (I find that a vegetable peeler works great for this). Toss all the salad ingredients together very gently.  Dress with a bit more olive oil. That is it. Serious.

Serve as is or with some crusty bread on the side. Hmmmmm a glass of Prosecco would just make it fantabulous!! Enjoy!

Warm Pasta Salad with Roasted Corn and Tomatoes

School is out! The kids' preschool end-of-year picnic was cancelled (almost) this year. The teachers had booked a neighborhood park for 2 dates, and we were rained out both days. The kids were bummed, especially A since it is his last year at the Montessori. He will be going to public school for 1st grade in September. Actually, I'm not sure who is more bummed out, him or me. Nah! Not even a question. Its Mommy. It is so wonderful that he is growing up into a fine young man (of 6), but I am struggling with his turning-6 thing. I was really sad when R turned 3 (at 3 you're officially not a baby anymore) and took me a few months to get over that. And now, A is 6. He is leaving the safe, homey environment of the private preschool that he's been at since he was 3. He is going to be on a School Bus!! I know, some of you must be thinking that I'm totally pathetic, and I don't blame you a bit, but I am just not ready for the munchkins to grow up. And no, that does not mean that you can drop you little daiper-bottomed ones off at my home :-)

Anyway, back to the picnic. One of the preschool Moms was crazy nice enough to host the Annual school picnic at her house the Friday. Bless her heart! The kids were very excited, and it helped that the weather was great, she has a magical backyard, and there was tons of booze food.

My contribution was a Pasta Salad. Not much of it was consumed, but I really liked it and enjoyed the leftovers over the weekend. It works well served over some fresh leafy greens with a light lemon vinaigrette.

Warm Pasta Salad with roasted Corn and tomatoes

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

1 jalapeno chile. chopped fine

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

5 scallions, greens parts only, sliced thin

4 ears shucked corn, or approx 3 cups

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

2 tsp ground cumin (fresh ground preferable)

Juice from 1 large lemon

Grated rind from 1 lemon

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 lb pasta, such as fusili

1 1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco cheese

1/2 cup crumbled ricota salata

Broil corn about 2 inches from heat, 5 to 10 minutes, until black spots appear. Leave to cool 10 minutes.

Add onion to a dry cast-iron skilet and roast stirring frequently, until browned but still crisp. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add tomatoes, oregano, cilantro, corn, and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain.

Add oil to a skillet and heat. Add garlic, chili flakes and cumin, and cook stirring, until fragrant, approx 1 minute. Add to tomato-corn mixture.

Combine pasta, tomato-corn mixture, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Toss in cheeses and combine gently.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

French Style Sorrel Soup - Potage à L'oseille

If you think the picture above reminds you of slimy green sludge, then I can understand. No, not really. Either way, I urge you to see beyond that and give this soup a try. You will be hooked!

Garden Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a relatively new herb for me. I became interested in this sour, leafy, spinach look-alike herb only in the last year or so, and am very glad I did. I was also very happy to know that Sorrel is a perennial herb. I am an avid gardener, and I am quite partial to perennials. Nothing makes me happier than watching my plants come out of the earth faithfully every spring to say Hello! Simple, but important pleasures.

Sorrel tastes similar to the leaves of a plant (Gongoora) that is a delicacy in Andhra Pradesh, the state in India where my parents are from.  I have seen many references to this plant as Red Sorrel, however, I'm not sure Gongoora is a Sorrel, as there are many other references to Gongoora as a member of the Roselle family (Hibiscus cannabinus). Plant taxonomy aside, I do know that Sorrel tastes similar enough to Gongoora (though a bit less sour) that there is many an experiment about to take place in my kitchen; experiments where I will try and re-create some of my favorite Indian Gongoora dishes using the Sorrel varietal we typically find here.

As for today, I decided to make something more ordinary, yet classic. A French style sorrel soup, except the classic french version uses French Sorrel (Rumex scatatus). Not sure how different it tastes from Garden Sorrel we find here, but if you know, I'd love to hear.

As obsessed as I am with food, I am sad to say that I have not been to Paris yet. Can you believe it? J and I need to fix this very very soon. Well, good thing is that the kids are developing a very discerning palate, so soon I think all 4 of us will be able to have a culinary adventure in Paris. Fun!

Ok I'm back. I was dreaming of Paris and what I'd be eating...... Back to the soup, I decided to deviate from authenticity in ode to smaller jeans, so I skimped heavily on butter and cream. Also skipped the egg. However, the end result was still absolutely lick-the-bowl-clean good. Smooth, creamy, velvety, perfectly tart! Sure, more cream and butter would take it over-the-top, but I think I got plenty of butter in the hearty slice of beer bread that accompanied my soup. So much for smaller jeans - c'est la vie.... Bon appetit.

French Style Sorrel Soup

Serves 2 generously

2 handfulls Sorrel (approx 6 oz), chopped roughly

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/2 medium Rusett Potato, diced fine

1 small shallot, diced

2 cups chicken broth

a pinch of fresh nutmeg

4 tbsp heavy cream

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

salt to taste

Heat butter and oil in a saucepan. Add shallots and a smidgeon of salt. Cook till barely transluscent.

Add sorrel. Cook till sorrel almost dissolves into the onions - about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and the chicken stock. Add nutmeg and pepper.

Cook till potatoes are very tender, and soup thickens just a bit. Blend the soup into a puree using an imersion stick or blender. Add the soup back to the saucepan. The soup should have a nice velvety consistency. If you find that yours is too watery, just cook it a bit longer. Mine was fine as soon as I was done pureeing it.

Once you are satisfied with the soup's seasoning and consistency, reduce heat to a bare simmer and add heavy cream. Leave on heat just enough to heat through. Do not let boil once you've added the cream.

Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with a tsp of cream, or cream fraiche. (I used cream).

Wine Tip: Pair with a good Riesling.

Sprouting in Seattle - Fried Rice with Sprouted Mung Beans

You probably know this already - sprouts are nutrient-dense foods. Mung bean sprouts are low in calories and fat, yet provide substantial amounts of Vitamin C, folates, protein, and fiber. Also, for people intolerant to beans, sprouts are a great alternative. The sprouting process converts starch to simple sugars, making sprouts a lot easier to digest. And lest we forget their most important virtue, they are delicious!

I have tried many different ways of making sprouts at home in the past, and honestly, never took to sprouting at home as there was too much baby-ing involved. Yes, I know what those of you who know me well are thinking..c'mon Susmita, given all the other crazy things you do in the kitchen, changing water once a day is too much baby-ing? Well yes, because its BORING work. And no, I do not own one od those home seed sprouter thingies. As I see it, it is yet another uselessgadget that I have no room for (but who knows, I might  get one anyway. hee hee)

Thankfully, my attitude towards sprouting at home changed when one of my good friends (thanks, Bhavna) showed me a super easy and reliable way of making Mung bean sprouts at home. No babysitting required - ok almost no babysitting.....

Mung Bean Sprouts

Makes about 4 cups

Start with a cup of whole mung beans, and soak in plenty of cold water overnight. Next morning, drain the plumped up mung. There will likely be a couple of goners in the bowl - these will still be hard and shriveled. Pick these out and discard. If most of your Mung  beans look this way, it is probably because you have a very old batch of beans. Dump these and get yourself a fresh batch. I usually buy Mung beans at the Indian grocery store alongwith all my other legume purchases, but I have also found an excellent selection at PCC and Central Market in Seattle. In fact, I think I will switch to PCC as they have a great selection of organic beans and legumes.

Line a large plastic or glass container with a damp paper towel. Add the soaked and drained Mung beans to the container and store covered in a draft-free dark place for a few days. When my oven is not in use, I keep the container there. Check on the sprouts daily -- you might need to sprinkle a tablespoon or so of water if the beans look too dry. In about 2-3 days you will see 1/4 to 1/2 inch sprouts on the beans. These small sprouts are what I want. Chinese mung bean sprouts are large (2-3 inch sprouts), but in Indian preparations, the sprouts are kept small (1/4 - 1/2 inch). Personally, I like the small ones better. They are super sweet, nutty, and crunchy. Yum!

There are many ways to use the sprouts. You can toss them in salads, eat them plain, Stir-fry them, make pancakes with them; use your imagination. They will be delicious all the same. One disclaimer. Our family (and many others) have consumed these raw on many an occassion, but the FDA has warnings about raw sprouts and E.Coli. Granted their issue was focussed on commercially sold alfallfa sprouts, but still.... if you are concerned, cook them. I prefer them slightly cooked over raw anyway.

Fried Rice with Sprouted Mung Beans

Serves 4

My hankering for spicy food was still strong, and I was craving rice...fried rice! I adapted my usual fried rice condiments to this recipe.

2 cups sprouted mung beans

2 cups cooked brown rice (preferably day old)

4 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp garlic, chopped

2 tbsp ginger, chopped

6 scallions, white and green parts

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced

6 baby red radishes, cut in fourths

3 tbsp chili-garlic sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp sugar

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

salt to taste

Heat oil in large saucepan or wok. Add ginger, garlic and peppers and stir fry 1-2 minutes. Add Sprouts and radishes, stir fry 2-3 minutes till sprouts barely soften (you might need 1 tbsp of water to cook the sprouts). Add brown rice. Stir to combine.

Add chili-garlic sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well so sprouts and rice grains are well coated. Stir fry a few more minutes so flavors blend. Taste and add salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Note: I use Sunluck brand chili-garlic sauce. You can use sambal olek or sriracha sauce if you prefer. I like this chili-garlic sauce because of the acidity and the extra garlic oomph.

Also, This rice was quite spicy; the way I like it. If you want it less spicy, omit the pepper or use less chili sauce. If you use less chili sauce, however, you might want to add a tsp of rice vinegar, so you get the acid balance.

I love the flavor of sesame oil in stir fry. If you don't, feel free to use peanut or vegetable oil instead. Or use half-half.

Variations: Add any veggies - snow peas, broccoli, carrots would be nice. You can also add some tofu or cashews for more protein.

 

South-Indian Tomato Chutney/Sambal

We had a wonderful time in Cannon Beach this past weekend. The weather was wonderful, and the kids had a great time on the sandy beaches. Oh! As a side note, the Pumpkin bars I made for the road trip were thoroughly enjoyed and devoured! A keeper recipe.

On Saturday we drove down to the town of Tillamook, Oregon, home of Tillamook cheese, butter and ice-cream. We had our fill (and then some) of Tillamook Ice-Cream and brought home some aged cheddar and fresh cheese curds (aka Squeaky cheese).

Sadly, I can't speak very highly of the gastronomic adventures we had in Cannon Beach, but lets just say, dinners were not the highlight of our trip. Not terrible, just not at all memorable. But it ain't so bad when you are not expecting much to begin with....

After a spice-deprived few days, I was really craving something that would get my taste buds tingling again. I got my hands on some delicious, juicy, organic tomatoes yesterday. I decided I'd make one of my favorite Tomato chutneys. This is my mothers' recipe and it is scrumptious. The chutney has a great balance of spicy, sweet, and sour and goes well with pretty much anything - bread, rice, crackers and cheese, rotis, you name it. It will keep in the refrigerator well for 2 weeks. Just be sure to use a dry spoon when you dip into the jar. Moisture is the enemy here.

As you can see, I fixed myself a snack - toast with butter and tomato chutney alongside a steaming cup of tea!

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup canola oil

3 tbsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

4-6 Indian curry leaves, kadipatta (optional)

5-6 dried red chilis, broken in half

3 tbsp red chili powder (more/less to taste)

2 pinches asafoetida (optional, but highly recommended)

6 garlic cloves, sliced fine

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide-bottomed sauce pan. Add mustard seeds and red chilis and fry till you hear the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add asafoetida powder and let it fry for 10 seconds (raw is nasty).

2. Add garlic and curry leaves. Fry for 1 minute and add tomatoes. Cook on med-high (uncovered) till tomatoes turn pulpy and the tomato juices evaporate. You should be able to see the oil separating from the tomatoes. Be patient and don't rush this step.

3. Add salt, sugar, and red chili powder. Cook 2 - 3  minutes longer. Take off the heat and let sit till cooled down completely. Transfer to glass jars for storage. Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Whole Grain Golden Pumpkin Bars

Why am I craving Pumpkin in June, while my friends on the other Coast are eating ice-cream? Well, because it is June-uary in Seattle. There is something really wrong when you find yourself reaching for fleece and boots in June. That pedicure was such a waste! Those of us who have lived in the Pacific Northwest for a long time know better than to expect calendar-based weather. But c'mon. This is plain ridiculous. I am sick of it. Well, they say it is supposed to get much better this weekend....

I hope the weather cooperates because we are off to one of my favorite family getaways in the Northwest, Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast. It probably helps that there is level sandy beach (an extreme rarity here) and that R took his first real steps on Cannon Beach. It was adorable and I have many many fond memories of that trip. A, who was just about 3, made tons of 'sushi' using all the slimy seaweed he could find (maybe that was his first love affair with Sushi).

I always like to have some home-baked treats in the car when we leave for a road trip. It is one of those quirky things I do. In addition to packing, arranging for Casey to be dropped off at doggie boarding, finishing up chores that need to get done, etc., I bake. J tells me I need to learn how to simplify my life, but what can I say? I like being busy; I hate to admit, but I think I almost thrive on it. So, my handy kitchen helpers, A and R and I baked last night. Since its fall-like weather around here, I was craving something warm, spicy, pumpkin-y. Pumpkin bars it was to be! (notice the kids' opinion was not solicited, otherwise we'd end up with brownies, again!).

My recipe uses a combination of whole grain flours. The original recipe calls for all whole wheat flour, but I find that whole wheat flout when used by itself adds a bitter-ish taste to the bars. Over the years, I have experimented a lot, and have found that I really like the combination of white whole wheat flour and another grain (spelt, oat, barley, kamut, etc) for baked treats.

These bars have a lovely burnished copper hue and are similar to cakey brownies in texture. I oh-so love chocolate, but these offer a nice change from the ubiquitous (yet ever-so delicious) chocolate treat. Not to mention the warm spices are perfect for June-uary. Enjoy!

Golden Pumpkin Bars

(Adapted from the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking book)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tso vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 large egg

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9 X 13 inch pan.

2. Melt the butter over low heat (or use low setting on microwave). Add the sugar and combine. Heat the mixture briefly until it is hot and starts to bubble. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and allow it to cool till you can comfortably test it with your finger.

3. Add the flours, salt, baking powder, and spices in a bowl. Mix well.

4. Add vanilla and egg to the butter-sugar mixture, beating until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. Beat 20 seconds or so until fully incorporated.

5. Gently stir in the chocolate chips, cranberries and ther flour, mixing thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the greased pan.

6. Bake until a sharp knife inserted into the middle reveals just a few moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack 15-20 minutes.

7. Cut into 24 2-inch bars. Take the bars out of the pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Avocado Rotis - Nope, its not a typo

Let me be very candid here - I have lived in the USA for most of, if not all my adult life, and never really got into making Indian flatbreads - rotis/chapatis/parathas/phulkas - at home, until we had children. Before the munchkins showed up, most of our breads were store-bought and pretty decent. Most Indian Stores carry a good selection of Indian breads and 'Deep' brand is my favorite. However, I am really glad I morphed that habit and started making rotis fresh at home. It takes a small amount of time and effort; but the payoff is huge. The smell, the texture, the taste, not to mention you know the ingredients - flour, water, salt, and sometimes, as you will see here, some *interesting* additions. But all 100% good for you.

My mother is the Iron-Chef of battle 'Roti', but I think its fair to say that I am not too shabby *now*. When I first started my roti making adventures, I was extremely frustrated. They tasted fine, its just that they were a far cry from the round fluffy ones I aspired to produce. I would be caught dead before I served them to company. So Dear Hubby and I sure had many an opportunity to carbo-load. I quickly realized that the 'practice makes perfect' mantra was absolutely true for making rotis. You just have to pay your dues before you are rewarded.

So, anyway about a year or so ago, I came across an Avocado Chapati recipe at one of my favorite Indian vegetarian blogs, Mahanandi. I was intrigued and had to give it a shot. Well, I did and ever since this has been one of my favorite roti recipes. I have adapted it a bit as you will see below.

My kids love all rotis, but this one is a particular favorite. Dr. Seuss made Green Eggs and Ham famous; here is a homage in the form of Green Roti. No wonder it is a hit with the boys!

One question I get asked a lot is - which flour do you use for Indian flatbreads? Let me try to answer this to the best of my abilities. Indian flatbread flour (Atta) is made from a type of wheat called Durum Wheat, which is the hardest wheat varietal (highest protein content). If you want more information on types of flours, click here. I would strongly recommend purchasing Atta from your nearest Indian grocery store if you really want to get into making Indian flatbreads, and be able to replicate the taste and texture you might be accustomed to. But, if you want to give a try and are not committed to buying a 5 or 10 pound bag of Atta, you can make do with Whole Wheat Pastry flour. The results are passable, though not great. So caveat emptor. There, I have absolved myself of all responsibility :-)

If you do find yourself making a trek to your nearest Indian grocery store, you will encounter many different brands of Atta. Don't expect much help from the store clerks, because there are loyal customers for each of these brands. I particularly like 'Sujatha' (General Mills) brand. It is 100% whole wheat stoneground flour, and I have been very pleased with it. Many folks like 'Golden Temple' brand, but I don't care for it. It has too much refined wheat flour aka Maida for my taste. It really comes down to a matter of personal preference.

Avocado Rotis

(Adapted from Mahanandi's Avocado Chapati recipe)

2 cups Atta (Indian stoneground whole wheat flour)

1/2 cup atta (for rolling out the rotis)

1 tsp salt

1 large ripe avocado

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water

Method:

Dough: Mix flour, salt, turmeric, and chili powder in a large bowl. Add avocado and incorporate the avocado into the flour using your fingers. Add water, a little at a time and mix till the dough comes together. I cannot really tell you how much water you will need exactly. It depends on the flour, how ripe the avocado is, etc. But the key is that the dough should be soft but not too sticky.

Knead the dough gently a few times. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest 15 - 30 minutes.

Making Rotis: Preheat a heavy skillet/tava or a cast-iron pan (I use my Le Creuset cast-iron skillet). Knead the dough for a few minutes till it is very soft and pliable. If the dough is too sticky, dust with some flour while kneading.

Divide the dough into 8 to 10 portions. Take one portion, roll it into a smooth ball between your palms. Flatten out the ball, dust lightly with flour, and roll it into a thin circle approximately 6 inches in diameter.

Transfer the rolled out dough onto the dry skillet. Cook till you see small bubbles appear. Flip to the other side. You can continue to cook the roti on tke skillet, but I like to finish cooking the roti directly on the flame. Transfer the roti onto the flame (on the burner next to the skillet). If all goes well, the roti should fluff up like a balloon.

Continue with same process until all the dough is used up. I have done this enough that I have a continuous assembly-line going and I can whip up 8 - 10 rotis in 15 minutes. If it takes you longer, don't despair. If I could learn to do it, so can you!

To make it super-delish, add a dollop of butter or ghee on the roti. Store wrapped in a tea towel until ready to eat (even better if you're not the cook, eat immediately).

Serve with your choice of dal, curry, sabji, or if you're like my little one, R, eat it like a burrito with honey inside. His favorite treat!

We had ours with Spinach-Toor dal and Cabbage-Bell Pepper sabji. I will post recipes for these soon.

Lunch box faves - Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I always have some baked goods in the freezer for quick lunches for the kids. Since these are occasionally meant to serve as the starch component of a lunch as opposed to a decadent treat, I tend to make these healthy, to the extent most good baked goods can be *healthy*. I typically add in some 'health-factor' by cutting down some of the sugar, trying to use whole grain flour instead of all-purpose, etc. You go too far and you end up with something 100% healthy, because its so nasty there is a 0% chance of it being consumed. You get my drift. What I strive for is a balance between decadent treats and everyday eats.

The baked goods stash in the freezer has been dwindling over the past few weeks, and I've just not gotten around to replacing it. I usually have a bunch of over-ripe bananas in the freezer waiting to be converted into scrumptious banana bread, but somehow, the family has been in a banana-binge phase, and I never seem to be able to keep bananas around long enough to get them bake-ready ripe. Every once in a way, I have managed to hoarde a banana till it at least gets to the spotty stage, but Dear hubby has been known to take these bananas too to work for a snack. His love for bananas knows no bounds....

Anyway, I finally managed to build up the banana stash and finally had all the software (pun intended) to bake banana bread yesterday. Kids wanted banana muffins instead of a loaf. No problem.

Banana - Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from The King Arthur Whole Grain Baking book

Makes 12 regular muffins

1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs (I used jumbo)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin liners. Spray the liners evenly with cooking spray.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar in stand-mixer bowl. Add the bananas, sour cream, honey, vanilla and eggs. Beat until smooth. (Don't worry if the sour cream looks curdled).

3. Whisk together dry ingredients - flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add chocolate chips.

4. Gently add dry ingredients to the stand mixer. Mix gently until just combined.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 23 to 28 minutes.

6. Remove muffins from oven. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

7. These can be stored for a day in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap individually and freeze.