Maple Oat Wheat Bread!

Stand mixer version of previously made Maple Oat Wheat bread. I used 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups bread flour and added 2 tablespoons flax seed as well in the original recipe.

Super soft and beautiful bread!

Pictures with the Santoku knife hubby gifted me for my bday last year!

Lentil curry Buns( Sambhar buns)!!

What do you do when you have a good amount of Sambhar/Sambar left.. you make a bread bun out of it and come up with savory and spicy buns!

Sambar is a Lentil curry from South India, served as an accompaniment with steamed rice cakes "idli" or lentil crepes "dosa"., recipe here http://beyondcurries.blogspot.com/2009/04/idli-sambar-spicy-lentil-vegetable.html Or http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com/2008/02/idli-with-vengaya-sambar.html

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons quick rising yeast
• 2 cups thick lentil curry(sambhar) blended to an even puree
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon flax seeds
• 1/2 cup finely hopped cilantro leaves
• 1 Tablespoon oil

Directions:

1. Let the yeast sit in a quarter cup of warm water + 1 teaspoon sugar for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Grease the stand mixer bowl lightly. In the stand mixer bowl , add in the flours, salt and pepper and give it a quick mix.
3. Add in the lentil curry(sambhar), cilantro leaves, oil and the yeast mixture and give them a quick mix with a spatula.
4. Knead the dough for 2 minutes using the dough hook.
5. Scrape sides and knead again for 2 minutes. If mixing by hand, keep kneading till a nice soft and not very sticky dough is formed. The sambhar will make the dough generally stickier than normal bread dough and will also give the baked bun a very soft and moist texture.
6. Knead in batched of 2 minutes with intermittent scraping till a soft dough is formed.
7. Coat a bowl with oil and keep the dough in it , covered with a plastic wrap for rising.
8. Let it rise for an hour. Punch it down and make small balls.
9. Use the boule technique for a tighter crust and for the buns to rise more vertically ( pull dough gently using both hands in opp direction and tuck it in. Repeat 2-4 times to cover the circumference of the ball)
10. Place buns an inch apart on a greased baking sheet. I got 8 big buns.
11. Brush water on the buns and stick some flax seeds on them.
12. Let rise covered by a towel for half an hour.
13. Bake at 360 degrees F for 20 minutes. Times may very depending on the oven and amount and thickness of sambhar etc.
14. Cool on wire rack for half an hour before munching on these savory buns with some garlicky olive oil or coconut chutney!. I also used them as burger buns with a veggie patty!

Sandwich loaf !

Made the regular sandwich loaf. with 3 cups bread flour and 1.5 cups wheat flour! using my new KitchenAid 6 qt Stand mixer!

I am still playing around with the mixer, so trying some old recipes and of course I adjust them according to the mixer. Once I get a hang of it, I will be able to nail down the quantities of the ingredients!

Dinner rolls using the new Mixer!!!

By far the fluffiest and softest rolls!

Made my first dinner rolls in my new Kitchen aid 6 qt stand mixer!!!

Followed this recipe

Mouth-wateringly super soft and fluffy rolls!!

3 Layer garlicky Veg Biryani!

This one is adapted from Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice cooked until almost done
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup green beans chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots finely chopped
• 1/2 cup onions chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cloves of garlic sliced
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 4-5 cloves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 tablespoon non dairy milk
• 1/4 tablespoon saffron strands
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

Directions:

1. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and add all the spices.
2. Cook the spices on medium heat for 4-5minutes until they start giving out an aroma
3. Add in the chopped onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until brown
4. Add in the cauliflower, carrots and beans and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
5. Add in some salt and green peas and cook covered for 3-4 minutes or until veggies are almost done.
6. Wash rice and keep soaked for half an hour. Drain and cook in boiling water for 6-7 minutes or rice is almost done. Add in some salt while the rice is cooking.
7. Divide rice into 2 parts.
8. In a small bowl, mix warm non dairy milk or water and saffron strands and keep aside for 5 minutes.
9. Mix this milk in one part cooked rice.
10. In the remaining half rice, add a teaspoon of red chili powder and mix well.
11. Grease a deep baking dish.
12. Make the base layer using the chili rice.
13. Top that layer with cooked veggies.
14. The saffron infused rice will be the top layer.
15. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees F for half an hour.
16. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with Raita!

Spinach Paneer Peas Kofta curry!

We were out of most veggies the other day. I was thinking of making some egg curry, then I decided to make some falafels to put in the curry..But we were out of garbanzo beans too! I just looked in the freezer section and took out the remaining spinach, paneer(indian cottage cheese) and peas and decided to make them into a kofta(meat or veggie ball) instead.

The Koftas.. which can be eaten as snacks with some chutney!

Ingredients:

Kofta(Paneer balls):

• 1 cup paneer mashed
• 1 cup cut frozen spinach thawed
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 Serrano chili pepper chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Curry:

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 tomatoes chopped
• 1 Serrano chili pepper chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• pinch of asofetida
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon oil

The koftas simmering the curry!

Directions:

1. Mix up all the Kofta ingredients except bread crumbs and make flat or round balls out of it.
2. Cover the balls in bread crumbs and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Take them out and keep aside.The koftas can be served as snack with chutneys or ranch as well!
3. For the curry, in a large pan heat the oil. Add in chopped onions
4. Cook until the onions are soft and golden.
5. Add in the garam masala and cook for a minute.
6. Blend the onions with tomatoes, chili peppers, ginger, garlic and lemon juice.
7. In the same large pan, add a pinch of asofetida and cook on medium heat for 10 seconds. Add in the onion tomato puree and cook on medium low heat with occasional stirring, till the mixture acquires a thick brown colour and starts to leave oil. (15-20 minutes)
8. Add a cup or 2 of water depending on how thick you want the curry to be.
9. Add in the koftas. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium low heat until the curry starts to boil again.
10. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot with Naan, Chapattis or Basmati rice!