Cauliflower was on sale at the grocery store last week and it's been a while since we've had any, so I picked one up. I then consistently failed to cook it for the entire week. Luckily, I am finally getting back into the swing of meal planning now and hit upon this simple recipe to use it up. It's definitely not the most healthful vegetable side. Too much butter and oil for that. But it was very tasty!

Caramelized Cauliflower with Honey and Smoked Paprika

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 head caulflower, cut into florets
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. water
• juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions

1. Melt the butter with 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the cauliflower and sear for 3-4 minutes without disturbing.
3. Flip and sear for another 3-4 minutes. Repeat once or twice more.
4. Add the remaining Tbsp. of oil along with the onion, and garlic and cook until onion begins to brown (~5 minutes longer).
5. Add the chile flakes, paprika, honey, and water and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the lemon juice and cook for ~30 seconds longer.
7. Remove from heat and serve.

Baked Rigatoni with Fennel, Sausage, and Peperonata

This was delicious! But I think it could have used more sausage. (And maybe a bit of spinach.)

Baked Rigatoni with Sausage and Peperonata

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 450g rigatoni
• 1 bulb fennel
• 450g Italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 bell peppers, julienned (preferably all different colours)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar¹
• 1 1/2 c. tomato sauce
• 1 c. heavy (35%) cream²
• 150g baby spinach (optional)
• 250g fontina cheese, grated
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) and grease a 23x33cm lasagne pan.
2. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Remove and discard the core and stems from the fennel bulb. Dice the remaining bulb and set aside.
4. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the sausage.
5. Cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
6. Add the fennel and cook until softened and beginning to brown (~5 minutes).
7. Add the sausage and fennel to the bowl with the pasta.
8. Add the bell peppers to the now-empty pan. Add a little oil if necessary, but the sausages released sufficient fat that I didn't need any for mine.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.
10. Add the sugar and vinegar and keep cooking until vegetables are glazed.
11. Add the tomato sauce and cream to the peppers and cook until slightly thickened (~5 minutes).
12. Pour the peppers and sauce over the pasta, add the spinach (if using) and the fontina, and toss to combine.
13. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
14. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 10-15 minutes.

---

¹ The recipe called for granulated sugar and red wine vinegar. I swapped out the white sugar for brown. But I used the red wine vinegar as specified. Having tasted it though, I'd be inclined to try balsamic next time. I think that'd be even better! ^Back
2 The recipe called for 1 c. of tomato sauce and 1 1/2 c. of cream. We had a bit of extra sauce though, so we just tossed it in. I'm not sure if it was a full extra half cup. It might've been more like 1/3 c. But... close enough. Meanwhile, after putting in just 1 c. of cream, the sauce looked both very rich and very pale already. So I opted to omit the extra half cup. If you wanted to make this dish a bit lighter, you could use half-and-half instead. (I normally would've done that. But the cream has been in the fridge for a while and needs to be used up.) ^Back

I'm used to stratas being savoury dishes. Layers of bread, maybe some sausage and/or veggies, probably cheese, and then eggs or custard to bind it all together. Baked up into a tasty breakfast dish.

This one is a bit different. It's a sweet strata! Basically a layered bread pudding. Full of apples, raisins, spices, and a lightly sweetened custard. And served with maple syrup. Rather than cheddar or mozzarella (as I might normally expect for a strata), it uses cream cheese.

I think, on the whole, I prefer my savoury stratas. But this was definitely a nice way to mix things up a bit. And the Kidlet loved it!

Apple Strata

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 6 slices stale bread, cubed and divided
• 125g cream cheese, cubed
• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/4 c. milk
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Directions

1. Grease a 23x23cm (9x9") square pan.
2. Place half of the bread cubes in an even layer in the bottom of the pan.
3. Scatter the cream cheese on top.
4. Layer the apples on top of this and sprinkle with the raisins.
5. Beat the eggs with the milk and mix in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
6. Pour the custard over the strata.
7. Cover and set aside to allow the bread to soak up the custard for at least an hour and as long as overnight. (Store in the fridge if there will be more than 2 hours between assembly and baking.)
8. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)¹.
10. Bake strata at 180°C (350°F) until custard is just set (60-75 minutes).
11. Serve topped with icing sugar and/or maple syrup.

---

¹ The original recipe says to bake your strata at 190°C (375°F) for 55 minutes. Mine was very dark on top after only 45, but still raw in the centre. I ended up covering it with foil and baking it for another 10 minutes and then reducing the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and baking it 10 more minutes. So, I think next time I'd just start it out at 180°C (350°F) and bake it for a bit longer to make sure that everything gets cooked through without burning. ^Back

This is meant to be made with fresh Chinese-style egg noodles. I didn't feel like making a special trip out to the shop though, so we just used dry spaghettini. It worked just fine and was delicious.

I also didn't bother trying to cook the chicken in a grill pan like the recipe called for. I just cooked it in a normal frying pan. No pretty grill marks on it that way. But it seemed just fine otherwise.

For the vegetables... It was meant to use edamame and carrots. I don't particularly like edamame, so I used frozen green peas instead. Honestly, I think it would've been good with even more veg. It was good as-is. But I might be tempted to add some thinly sliced bell pepper next time.

Sesame Noodles with Chicken

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 c. light soy sauce
• 1/4 c. rice vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 1 tsp. Sriracha
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• pepper, to taste
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 300g dry spaghettini (or similar)
• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
• 2-3 carrots, grated
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine the oils, soy sauce, vinegar, juice, sugar, garlic, and Sriracha and mix well.
2. Season the chicken breasts with pepper and brush with 2 Tbsp. of the sauce.
3. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook until no longer pink inside (5-6 minutes per side).
4. Remove from pan and slice.
5. Meanwhile, place the frozen peas in a colander.
6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt lightly, and add the pasta, cooking until al dente.
7. Drain the pasta by pouring it into the colander with the peas.
8. Toss the noodles and peas with the bell pepper (if using), carrots, chicken, remaining sauce, and green onions.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

I didn't quite do this recipe to spec. It's very simple. You're meant to cut the topknots off of a few individual brioches, hollow out the larger bottom parts, butter both, and then bake eggs in the bases. They're seasoned with a little tarragon and parsley. But there's not much to them other than that.

So how, with a recipe so simple, could I have deviated? Well... I still had about half of this lovely poppyseed bubble loaf left. And some of the centre bits were ever so slightly underbaked. So it occurred to me that this might be the ideal way to use them! Hollow them out, fill them with eggs, and bake them again. Which is great, except the "bubbles" are all a bit smaller and much more awkwardly and irregularly shaped than a traditional brioche. So the eggs didn't really fit neatly into them. I did my best. But it still got a bit messy.

Eggs Baked in Brioche

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 4 individual brioches
• 1-2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 4 large eggs
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
• 4 tsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and butter 4 custard cups or ramekins.
2. Cut the topknots off the brioches and set them aside.
3. Hollow out the brioche bases and butter them.
4. Crack and egg into each brioche base.
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, tarragon, and parsley.
6. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, butter the topknots, wrap in foil, and set aside.
8. Once the eggs have been in the oven for 10 minutes, add the foil packet with the topknots and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and serve.

This was pretty tasty! Definitely not health food. But a nice treat. Especially on the first day. (I do think it loses something in the reheating. It's still good. Just not as good.)

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

Slightly adapted from Delish.com

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato oil¹
• 450g shrimp, shelled and deveined
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 450g dry pasta (rigatoni, shells, or penne all work well)
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 1 c. heavy (35%) cream or half-and-half (10% MF)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning²
• 300g spinach
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan
• fresh basil, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pink and opaque (3-5 minutes).
3. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ~1/2 c. of pasta water, and set aside.
5. Reduce pan temperature to medium.
6. Add garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes and cook until paste darkens (1-2 minutes).
7. Add sun-dried tomatoes, broth, cream, and Italian seasoning, deglaze the pan, and bring to a simmer.
8. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly (~5 minutes).
9. Add spinach and cook until wilted (1-2 minutes).
10. Add pasta, shrimp, and reserved pasta water, stir vigorously for a few seconds, and cook until pasta is well-coated and sauce is glossy.
11. Stir in Parmesan.
12. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
13. Sprinkle with fresh basil (if using) and server.

---

¹ My tomatoes were not oil-packed, so I didn't have any tomato oil for my sauce. Instead I used a bit of oil from some spicy, oil-packed anchovies. I feel like this was an acceptable substitute. ^Back
2 I didn't have any ready-made Italian seasoning, so I just mixed in a few herbs separately: mostly parsley, oregano, and basil with just a touch of rosemary and thyme. ^Back

I needed a vegetable to go with my chicken stir-fry the other day and bok choy was on sale at the grocery store. The fact that this is an incredibly simple recipe didn't hurt either!

Bok Choy with Lemon and Soy

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1kg baby bok choy, thoroughly rinsed and quartered
• 3 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the bok choy and stir-fry for a minute or so.
3. Add the soy sauces, honey, and lemon and stir-fry until bok choy is wilted and glazed with sauce.

These waffles are... weird. The batter uses an unusal ordering of ingredients. The flavour profile of the salsa is bizarre. And the overall effect, while not bad, is quite unusual.

Hawaiian Waffles with Tropical Salsa

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

Salsa

• 1 c. diced mango
• 1 c. diced pineapple
• 1/2 c. chopped bell pepper
• 1 jalape&ntile;o, seeded and minced
• 2 green onions, minced
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Waffles

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1 3/4 c. milk
• 275g flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder, sifted
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 c. chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut

Directions

1. Combine all of the salsa ingredients, stir, and chill for 1-2 hours.
2. Preheat waffle iron.
3. Beat the eggs until foamy.
4. Drizzle in the butter and continue beating.
5. Mix in the milk.
6. Add the flour, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.
7. Stir on the nuts and coconut.
8. Scoop a portion of batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer directions.
9. Repeat with remaining batter.
10. Serve topped with maple syrup and/or tropical salsa.

I've been meaning to make this one for a while now. It can be done as either a "bubble loaf" with little round balls of dough coated in poppyseeds or "money bread" with flat ribbons of dough coated in brown sugar and currants. I opted for the savoury poppyseed variety.

The recipe specifies using 2 cups of butter for coating the dough pieces. This is clearly insane. I melted 1 stick (ie. 1/2 a cup) and still had about half of it left over by the time I was done. Two cups would've been ludicrous!

Otherwise, I pretty much followed the recipe. Although I did toss in ~250g of sourdough discard. Not because the recipe needed it, but because the starter desperately needed to be fed. And, to be honest, the starter does act as a decent conditioner that makes the dough a bit nicer and the finished bread a bit more resistant to going stale, so... why not?

And, while I kept the rest of the ingredients the same, I did slightly change the way that I handled some of them. Most notably, I omitted the butter until I was about halfway through kneading the dough and then worked it in. My understanding is that, although it doesn't necessarily make a huge difference, this can often help with gluten formation.

Poppyseed Bubble Loaf

Slightly adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients

• 800-900g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour, divided
• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 250g sourdough discard (optional)
• 2 c. water
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2/3 c. dry milk powder
• 6-8 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1/3 c. poppyseeds

Directions

1. Combine the yeast with 400g of the flour.
2. Add the sourdough discard (if using) and the water and stir to combine.
3. Add the salt, sugar, and milk powder and mix vigorously for ~150 strokes.
4. Add 400g of the remaining flour ~50g at a time.
5. Turn the dough out and knead for 5-10 minutes, using the remaining flour to dust as needed to achieve a soft, supple dough that does not stick too much.
6. Smear 2 Tbsp. of the butter on the work surface and work the dough on top of it for another 5-10 minutes, grandually working the butter into the dough.
7. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Small bubbles forming just below the surface is an excellent sign!
8. Round the dough and place it in a covered bowl to rise at room temperature.
9. Once dough is fully risen (~1 hour), knock it back.¹
10. Melt the remaining butter and use some of it to grease a large (10-cup) Bundt pan.
11. Place the poppyseeds in a shallow dish.
12. Pinch off a small portion of dough, shape it into a ball, dip it in the melted butter, and then dip it in the poppyseeds. Place the ball seed-side-up in the prepared pan.
13. Repeat with remaining dough.
14. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
15. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
16. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until done.²

---

Variations

Monkey Bread

Ingredients

• 800-900g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour, divided
• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 250g sourdough discard (optional)
• 2 c. water
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2/3 c. dry milk powder
• 6-8 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. currants, soaked and drained

Directions

1. Make the dough as directed above.
2. Once ready for shaping, press or roll the dough into a large, flat rectangle and cut into ribbons ~2cm wide and 8cm long.
3. Mix the brown sugar and the currants into the melted butter.
4. Dip the dough ribbons into the butter mixture and toss into the pan. (Clayton says to do this "haphazardly", but I think that trying to make a nice pattern with them would be pretty.)

---

¹ At this point, you're meant to begin shaping the loaf. I had errands to run, however, so I asked TF to knock the dough back at the 1-mark and then put it back in its bowl to complete a second rise there. After an additional hour, I knocked it back a second time and then shaped the loaf. So the final proof was actually it's third rise, rather than the second as called for in the original recipe. Doing it this way certainly doesn't seem to have hurt the results any! So, feel free to adjust the rises to suit your schedule. Putting it in the fridge to retard it somewhat could also be an option. Bread is really quite flexible! Figure out a method that works for you. ^Back
2 This can be a little tricky to judge with this loaf. Clayton actually says to bake it at 190°C (375°F) for 1 hour. I thought that sounded excessive. Especially for how well-risen the loaf was. I also worried that the slightly higher oven temperature would cause it to burn on the outside before it had baked through in the centre. So I lowered the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and baked it for just 30 minutes. The top pieces were certainly wonderfully browned and beautifully baked. Hopefully it ended up fully cooked in the centre as well. I will admit, I did not end up testing it as I was a little distracted by the time it was going in the oven. ^Back

This is a weird one: An omelette without cheese and with fruit.

I have to admit, I haven't been impressed with sweet/fruit omelettes when I've tried them before. That said, I've tried it precisely once before today. So I figured I shouldn't write them off completely yet. And this one is going for a savoury-sweet Hawaiian pizza type deal. So I figured it might have a better chance of working out than a purely sweet omelette. And, you know what? It did!

Is it my favourite omelette? No. But is it something I'd have again? Absolutely! This combo worked. Even the coconut was excellent in it. (Honestly, I feel like the coconut is what made it.) And the "tocino" SPAM that I had in the pantry worked fabulously in place of chopped ham. So... great success all 'round.

Don't mind the structural integrity issues. It was a tasty omelette despite its ragged appearance.

Hawaiian Omelette

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. water
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 c. diced ham or SPAM
• 2 Tbsp. minced pineapple
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2-3 slices papaya (optional)
• 1-3 fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a medium-size pan over medium-low heat.
2. Beat the eggs with the water, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook gently until almost completely set.
4. Sprinkle half the omelette with the ham, pineapple, and coconut.
5. Fold the plain side of the omelette over the topped one and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
6. Carefully flip the omelette and cook for 2-3 minutes longer (or until eggs are completely set.
7. Transfer to a plate, top with papaya and mint (if using) and serve.

I've spent most of the last few months flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to scheduling and meal planning. Lots of "just-in-time" compiling of food. And lots of emergency takeaway as I realize that I've run out of either time, ingredients, or energy. (Or sometimes all three.) This stir-fry was very much in that vein. I needed something that I could throw together quickly with ingredients on hand. And this happened to fit the bill. And, bonus: It was even pretty tasty!

Spicy Basil and Chicken Stir-Fry

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cornstarch (cornflour)
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 2 fresh Thai or finger chilies, thinly sliced
• 2-3 coves garlic, minced
• 450g skinless boneless chicken breases, sliced
• 3/4 c. fresh basil chiffonade (preferably Thai basil)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• cooked rice, to serve

Directions

1. Combine the stick, fish sauce, sugar, and cornstarch and mix well. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil over high heat.
3. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the chiles and garlic and stir-fry for another 20-30 seconds.
5. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink (2-4 minutes).
6. Add the basil and green onions and stir-fry for one more minute.
7. Stir the sauce and then pour it into the wok.
8. Bring to a boil and cook for 30-60 seconds longer.
9. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

This was not a spectacular dish, but it was honestly pretty good. And while it took a while to make, the time required was mostly passive. There was very little active prep or cooking required. So, while definitely not a showstopper, this does make for a very appealing side dish.

Tomato and Eggplant Tian

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1-2 American or Italian eggplants
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• 1-1.2kg fresh tomatoes, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, divided
• 2-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1/4 c. dried breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp. butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F), line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, and grease a gratin dish or deep dish pie plate.
2. Peel the eggplant(s) and cut them crosswise into 1cm thick slices.
3. Brush both sides with olive oil and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper.
5. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes with the garlic, thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper. Set aside.
7. Flip the eggplant slices and return to oven for another 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and increase temperature to 230°C (450°F).
9. Arrange eggplant slices, overlapping, in pie plate.
10. Sprinkle with half the basil.
11. Layer the tomatoes on top, being sure to pour in all of their juices as well.
12. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top and dot with butter.
13. Bake at 230°C (450°F) for 25 minutes.

Classic Tteokbokki (Korean Rice Cakes)

This is the classic spicy tteokbokki preparation. And it was... fine? I didn't dislike it. But I have to say, I also didn't enjoy it nearly as much as some of Aaron & Claire's other tteokbokki recipes. So, not a huge success overall, but I'll still make a note of it for compleness' sake.

Classic Tteokbokki

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

• 600g tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes)
• 3 sheets of Korean fish cakes
• 4 green onions
• 3 c. water
• 1/2 Tbsp. dasida (Korean beef stock powder)
• 2-4 hard-boiled eggs

Seasoning Paste

• 2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chile powder)
• 2 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean chile paste)
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 1 Tbsp. dasida (Korean beef stock powder)
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. If your rice cakes are frozen, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes first.
2. Cut the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces and the green onions into long strips. Set aside.
3. Combine the gochugaru, gochujang, sugar, corn syrup, dasida, and black pepper for the seasoning paste. Mix well and set aside.
4. Combine the water with the 1/2 Tbsp. of dasida. Mix well and set aside.
5. Combine the tteokbokki, fish cakes, green onions, stock, seasoning paste, and hard-boiled eggs in a large pot and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is thickened and rice cakes reach desired doneness (10-13 minutes).

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

So... I messed this one up a little bit. It was supposed to be grilled chicken and corn. And I even got the corn for it. But then I took a little too long getting to it and the corn had gone off by the time I was making this. Okay, that sucks. But, no worries, I'll just ask TF to run out and get some more. Except apparently no, no I won't. Because she hit up just about every grocery store in town and they were all out of corn. After making five unsuccessful attempts to purchase corn, I told her to just get me any grillable vegetable. So, in the end, we ended up having grilled zucchini, not corn with our chicken. It was still pretty good. But definitely not nearly as good as the corn would have been.

Also, I only belatedly realized that I completely forgot to add the lime zest and thyme after everything was cooked. Whoops!

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini (or Corn)

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. cumin seeds¹, ground
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 4-6 zucchini, halved lengthwise or ears of corn, husked
• 680g skinless boneless chicken breast
• 1 Tbsp. lime zest
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme

Directions

1. Set up a grill for direct heat cooking and allow to preheat.
2. Combine the paprika and cumin and stir to combine.
3. Mix in the lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
4. Brush the vegetables all over with the paprika mixture.
5. Toss the chicken with the remaining paprika mixture.
6. Add the vegetables to the grill and allow to partially cook (5-10) minutes.
7. Add the chicken and grill until cooked through (3-5 minutes per side).
8. Remove from heat and sprinkle everything with lime zest and thyme.

---

¹ The recipe called for cumin. And that's what I used this time. But I think it might actually be quite good with dhania-jeera masala either instead or as well. I think I'd be tempted to try using 1/2 Tbsp. of masala + 1/2 Tbsp. of ground cumin next time. ^Back

I was asked to bring some biscuits or scones to the Mother's Day festivities this year. (Yes, I know. This post is very late. I made these back in May. I've just been bad at actually getting around to the write-ups.) I did make some plain drop biscuits, but I thought it would be nice to make a second variety as well. The plain ones are great for toppin and enjoying with cream and jam, but the flavoured ones can be nice to have just on their own (or maybe with a bit of butter). Both were appreciated.

Photo goes here.

Chocolate-Orange Scones

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 Tbsp. orange zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Sift the baking powder into the flour.
3. Add the sugar and salt and stir to combine.
4. Cut in the butter.
5. Mix in the chocolate chips.
6. Beat the egg with the milk and orange zest.
7. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a fork.
8. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few seconds.
9. Pat dough into a 20cm (8") round.
10. Cut into 8 equal wedges.
11. Transfer scones to baking sheet and bake until done (~12 minutes).

This somewhat unusual breakfast scramble was apparently the signature dish of a restaurant in San Francisco. I've seen a few different versions of it floating around over the years. This one is very straight-forward. And tasty.

Although I do feel that this is one case where the dish might benefit from the use of lean -- or even regular -- ground beef rather than my usual extra lean. Don't get me wrong! The extra lean was good. But it just didn't quite have that unctuous, greasy spoon diner vibe that I really associate with this kind of cooking. Definitely much healthier this way. Just maybe slightly less authentic.

Original Joe

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 400g ground beef
• 250g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• 200-300g frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 6-7 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. water or milk
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• grated Parmesan
• chopped parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the beef, mushrooms, and green onions over medium heat and cook until beef is no longer pink. Add a little water if necessary.
2. Season with half of the salt and pepper and add the frozen spinach. Stir to combine.
3. Beat the eggs with the water (or milk), nutmeg, and remaining salt and pepper.
4. Pour the eggs into the pan and let cook for a minute or two.
5. Stir and continue cooking until eggs are set.
6. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley.
7. Serve with buttered toast and/or broiled tomato slices.

Not much of a recipe here: Just tomatoes with a bit of salt, pepper, and Parmesan. They are tasty though. And they make a nice addition to many breakfast plates.¹

Broiled Tomato Slices

From The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, thickly sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• grated Parmesan, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat a broiler and lightly grease a small rimmed baking sheet.
2. Place the tomato slices on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cheese.
3. Broil until tomatoes are cooked and cheese is melted (~4 minutes).

---

¹ As long as you can safely eat them! (Sorry, Reiv...) ^Back

I was at a bit of a loss for dinner the other night. I haven't been sleeping well lately and have been very much flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to meal planning.

I needed something that would come together quickly, without too much effort, with the ingredients that I already had on hand. And this fit the bill. It's not the greatest meal ever. And, having tried it both ways now, I actually think I prefer it as a pasta sauce rather than serving it on buns like you're "supposed" to. But it got the job done. (And it is excellent on pasta!)

Sloppy Joes

Slightly adapted from Delish.com

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• black pepper, to taste
• 450g ground beef (preferably extra lean)
• 1 c. tomato sauce

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until softened.
3. Add the bell pepper and cook for another minute or two.
4. Add the ketchup and cook until the colour darkens slightly (2-3 minutes).
5. Add the garlic and chili powder and cook for another minute.
6. Add the vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce and season to taste with pepper.
7. Add the ground beef and simmer, stirring and breaking up any large chunks, until meat is cooked through (~5 minutes).
8. Add the tomato sauce and simmer until heated through (3-5 minutes longer).
9. Serve on buns or over pasta with toppings of your choice. Dill pickles, lettuce, and cheddar cheese are all particularly good.

Aloo Pudhina Rajmah (Potato-Mint Kidney Beans)

This is yet another curry that I made while still trying to get back into the swing of things after my return from New Zealand. Not a favourite, I don't think. But it got the job done.

Photo goes here.

Aloo Pudhina Rajmah

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 c. firmly packed fresh mint leaves
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 3-5 fresh green Thai, serano, or finger chilies
• 1 (7cm/3") cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 russet or Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 3 c. cooked red kidney beans (rajmah)
• 1 c. water
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. heavy (35%) cream
• 1 tsp. Punjabi garam masala
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. choppsed fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Add the tomato, onion, mint, ginger, peppercorns, turmeric, chilies, and cinnamon to a blender and purée.
2. Heat the ghee over medium-high heat.
3. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle for 5-10 seconds.
4. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated (~15 minutes).
6. Add the potatoes, kidney beans, and water and bring to a boil.
7. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender (~20 minutes).
8. Meanwhile, whisk the cream into the yogurt.
9. Once the potatoes are cooked through, stir in the yogurt mixture, masala, salt, and cilantro.
10. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through (3-5 minutes).

This is really meant to be done with lamb rib chops. But those are expensive. I've never seen a rack of lamb go on sale for a price that I'd be willing to pay. So, instead of doing that, I found some shoulder chops on sale and just used those. Were they as tender and succulent as rib chops? Probably not. But did $10 worth of lamb feed all three of us + lunch for the Kidlet the next day? Yes. Yes, it did. So I am very okay with that trade-off.

Iyer comments that one should be judicious with the marinade application. I thought about doing that. But then I decided that I'd rather just double the marinade quantity and not have to worry about judicious application.

East Indian-Style Lamb Chops

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. garlic paste
• 1/4 c. ginger paste
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. groud Kashmiri chilies or ground cayenne
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• ~700g lamb chops (rib or shoulder)
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2-3 tsp. bottle masala¹
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 c. shredded fresh coconut (or 1/2 c. dried coconut, rehydrated)
• 1 tsp. tamarind concentrate
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. Combine the garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric, ground chilies, and 3/4 tsp. of the salt and mix well.
2. Smear the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or chill overnight).
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and curry leaves and cook until onion begins to brown (10-12 minutes).
5. Stir in the masala and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
6. Pour the water into a blender jar and add the onion mixture, coconut, and tamarind.
7. Purée.
8. Pour the sauce back into the pot and stir in the remaining 3/4 tsp. of salt. Keep warm until while lamb cooks.
9. Preheat a grill or broiler to high heat.
10. Brush grill or rack of a broiler pan with a bit of oil.
11. Arrange the lamb chops on the grill or broiler pan and cook over direct heat for 4-5 minutes per side. (You may need slightly longer for shoulder chops or if you like your lamb more well-done.)
12. Serve lamb topped with the sauce and sprinkled with mint.
13. Serve with rice, a vegetable curry, and/or your favourite flatbreads.

---

¹ The original recipe only calls for 2 tsp. of masala, but mine is a bit old and slightly stale, so I bumped it up to 1 Tbsp. (3 tsp.) to compensate. ^Back

I finally made a successful batch of jelly!

Okay, it's maybe slightly firmer and sweeter than I'd ideally like. But it's set while still being spreadable! So I'll take it. (Every previous attempt either never set or set so firm that you couldn't spread it at all.)

Given how firmly it set and how sweet it came out, I think I'd try reducing the sugar slightly next time. I know that it probably won't keep as well that way. But that's fine. We'll just plan to eat it quickly.

Apple Jelly

Slightly adapted from Recipes Made Easy

Ingredients

• apples¹ (preferably Granny Smith or another tart variety), roughly chopped or sliced
• 625mL water per kg of apples
• 150-200g sugar² per cup of apple juice/liquid
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice per cup of apple juice/liquid

Directions

1. Wheigh your apples, then combine the them with the water and bring to a boil.
2. Boil until apples are very tender (30-45 minutes).
3. Once the apples are very soft, pour the entire contents of the pot into a jelly bag or muslin-lined colander suspeded over a bowl to strain out all of the solids. Do not press! Pressing will make the jelly cloudy. Let it rest and drain for at least four hours.
4. Once the apples have finished draining, measure the liquids collected.
5. Return the liquids to the pot and, for each cup (~250mL) of liquid, add 150-200g of sugar and 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice.
6. Bring to a boil and cook until temperature reaches 105-110°C (220-230°F) or until jelly wrinkles when dropped onto a cold plate and gently poked.
7. Pour into sterilized jars and seal immediately.
8. Set aside to cool, label, and store in a cool, dark place until ready to use. (If you used the lower amount of sugar, store in the fridge, just to be on the safe side.)

---

¹ I actually used 1 whole apple and the peels and cores of six additional apples for making my jelly. ^Back
2 The original recipe called for 200g of sugar per cup of liquid, which is what I used this time around. I'd like to try it with 150g next time and see how it goes. This will definitely make it less sweet. Hopefully it will also reduce the firmness of the set a bit without affecting it so much that it doesn't set at all. ^Back

Kheer (Dessert of the Day)

Dessert of the Day calls this "spiced basmati rice pudding", which isn't wrong. That's what kheer is. It's a thin, creamy, basmati rice pudding with spices (and often almonds and/or pistachios).

Kheer

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 8 c. whole (3.25%) milk
• 8 green cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1/2 c. basmati rice
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. slivered almonds
• 2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios
• 3 Tbsp. golden raisins
• pinch of saffron

Directions

1. Combine milk, cardamom, cinnamon (if using), rice, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced (60-80 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, lightly toast the almonds and pistachios.
4. Add the toasted nuts, raisins, and saffron and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Serve hot or cold.

Sarson aur Palak ka Saag (Mustard Green and Spinach Curry)

This was a nice, easy vegetable curry to toss together to round out our dinner for the night. We served it with leftover dal, vindaloo, and some rice and naan.

This wasn't a spectacular curry. But it was perfectly serviceable. And gave us a nice bit of green on our plates.

Sarson aur Palak ka Saag

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 8-9 cloves garlic
• 4 fresh green Thai, serrano, finger chilies
• 2-3 Tbsp. fresh ginger (or ginger paste)
• 2 Tbsp. ghee (or oil for a vegan option)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 450g mustard greens, chopped
• 450g spinach, chopped
• 1 small (400mL) can diced tomato
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. Punjabi garam masala

Directions

1. Place the garlic, chilies, and ginger in a food processor and pulse to mince (or mince by hand).
2. Heat the ghee over medium heat.
3. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
4. Add the garlic mixture and stir-fry for a minute or two.
5. Add the greens a handfull at a time, cooking until wilted between each addition.
6. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook until heated through (~5 minutes).
7. Stir in the garam masala and cook for another minute or two.
8. If desired use an immersion blender to purée or process in batches in a jar blender.

I don't tend to make very many rye breads. I find the low-gluten flour difficult to work with and I still haven't mastered the technique. This one came out quite nicely though! It takes a while to get it going. The sour needs to ferment over three days. But it's worth the wait!

Old Milwaukee Rye

Slightly adapted from Berndard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients

Sponge

• 250g rye flour
• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp. caraway seeds
• 2 c. warm water (~40°C)

Dough

• 1 c. hot water (~50°C)
• 1/4 c. molasses
• 2 Tbsp. caraway seeds, divided
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 250g rye flour
• ~500g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1. Combine the flour, yeast, caraway, and water for the sponge and beat for a minute or two.
2. Cover the bowl tightly and set aside at room temperature to ferment for 6-72 hours, stirring once every 24 hours.
3. Once ready to bake, add the hot water, molasses, 1 Tbsp. of the remaining caraway seeds, 1 of the eggs, and salt to the sponge.
4. Stir in the remaining rye flour and ~250g of the white flour.
5. Beat for 3-4 minutes, then mix in the butter.
6. Work in the remaining white flour a little at a time.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10-20 minutes until smooth.
8. Round the dough and place it in a covered bowl to rise (~1 hour).
9. Knock the dough back, allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
10. Divide the dough into two equal portions and round each one.
11. Cover and rest for another 10 minutes.
12. Grease a baking sheet and dust it with cornmeal.
13. Shape each loaf as desired. If you have bannetons, then a standard letter fold + coil fold works well. If not, then I like to do a letter fold and then round them again. Or do a letter fold and then fold in half lengthwise and pinch the seam together.
14. If using bannetons, place the loaves seam-side-up in the bannetons. If no bannetons are available, place the shaped loaves directly on the prepared baing sheet (seam-side-down).
15. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature for ~45 minutes or as long as overnight in the fridge.
16. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
17. If the loaves have been rising in bannetons, turn them out onto the prepared baking sheet now.
18. Beat the remaining egg with the milk.
19. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the remaining caraway seeds.
20. Slash as desired. (3-4 diagonal slashes for long loaves or a # pattern for round.)
21. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 35-45 minutes.
22. Turn off oven and allow to stand in hot oven for 5-10 minutes.
23. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Kishmish Waale Chane ki Dal

I really liked this curry! The tomatoes, lightly caramelized onions, and sweet raisins (along with all the spices, of course) make for a delightful combination! Definitely a keeper.

Kishmis Waale Chane ki Dal

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. yellow split peas (chana dal)
• 4-5 c. water¹, divided
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 3 Tbsp. ghee, divided
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1/2 c. golden raisins
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 Tbsp. cumin seeds²
• 1/2 tsp. black cumin seeds
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 2 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes
• 4-6 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Punjabi garam masala
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Thoroughly rinse and drain the peas.
2. Add 3 c. of the water, bring to a boil, and skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
3. Stir in the turmeric, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until almost tender (25-30 minutes).
4. Add the remaining 1-2 c. of water and continue to simmer until peas are tender and just starting to break down (~15 minutes longer).
5. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. of the ghee over medium heat.
6. Add the onion, raisins, and bay leaves and cook until onion is browned and the raisins are plump (~10 minutes). Transfer to plate and set aside.
7. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. ghee to the now-empty pan.
8. Add the cumin and black cumin and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
9. Add the ginger paste and the garlic paste and cook until colour darkens (2-4 minutes).
10. Add the tomatoes, chilies, salt, and masala and stir to combine.
11. Simmer until heated thorugh and peas are ready.
12. Stir tomato mixture into peas and cook until flavours blend (~5 minutes).
13. Stir in onion-raisin mixture and cilantro and serve.

---

¹ The original recipe calls for six cups of water! Three for the initial cooking of the peas, then two that get added later, and one for the sauce. I thought this sounded like way too much, so I omitted the water in the sauce. The finished consistency was still a bit thinner than I would have ideally liked though. I think I would consider scaling the water back even further next time. ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for one teaspoon each of regular cumin and black cumin. Neither TF nor I are huge fans of black cumin though, so I usually scale it back a bit and replace it with extra regular cumin instead. ^Back

Oven pancakes (aka Dutch babies) are a big hit in our household. This one is a big eggier than I generally prefer, but still good nonetheless. And I did very much enjoy the sweet pear base.

Caramelized Pear Oven Pancake

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. butter, divided
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 c. diced pear
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 c. whole (3.25%) milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 140g all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• icing sugar, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat in an oven-proof pan.
3. Add the brown sugar and pears and cook, stirring and turning occasionally, until pears begin to brown (5-10 minutes).
4. Add the lemon juice and cinnamon and stir to mix.
5. Beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla.
6. Stir in the flour and salt.
7. Spread the pear mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the pan and gently pour the batter over the pears in the hot pan.
8. Transfer to oven and bake at 220°C (425°F) until puffed and golden (20-25 minutes).
9. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

This bread uses a generous quantity of sesame oil in the dough, has walnuts folded in, and is topped with toasted sesame seeds. Unfortunately, I was a bit out of it when making it, so I forgot to add the walnuts before doing the preshaping like I was supposed to. Given that the dough was already divided, I decided to just add half the quantity of walnuts to half of the dough and leave the other one with just the sesame seeds. And, I have to admit, the one without the walnuts rose better and came out with a nicer shape. I think, if I were doing it again, I'd like to try a pure sesame loaf: sesame oil, sesame seeds folded into the dough, and sesame seeds on top.

Sesame-Nut Bread

Slightly adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1/4 c. honey
• 250g sourdough discard (optional)
• 450g hard (strong/high grade/bread) whole wheat flour, divided
• 1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 c. dry milk powder
• 4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs
• 150g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 1 c. chopped walnuts (or 1/2 c. toasted sesame seeds)
• 1 small egg
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine water, sesame oil, canola oil, and honey and heat to ~50°C (120°F).
2. Add the sourdough discard (if using) and 300g of the whole wheat flour and stir vigorously for ~100 strokes.
3. Add the remaining whole wheat flour, salt, milk powder and stir for another 100 strokes.
4. Cover and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
5. Add the yeast and mix in the 2 large eggs.
6. Work in the white flour, a little at a time.
7. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead for at least 20 minutes, working in small amounts of extra flour as needed to stop dough from being excessively sticky.
8. Round the dough and place in a covered bowl to rise (60-90 minutes).
9. Knock the dough back and work in the walnuts (or sesame seeds).
10. Divide the dough into two equal portions and round each one.
11. Cover and rest for ~10 minutes.
12. Grease two 20x10cm (8x4") loaf pans.
13. Shape each dough portion into a loaf and place into pans.
14. Cover and allow to rise for 45-60 minutes.
15. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
16. Beat the small egg with the milk and brush the tops of the loaves with the mixture.
17. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
18. Bake at 190°C (375°F) until done (~30 minutes).
19. Run a knife or a spatula around edges of pans and carefully turn loaves out.
20. Return to hot (but turned off) oven for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Toram Paruppu Vadai (Pigeon Pea Fritters)

Here's yet another recipe that I made while in NZ, but didn't get around to writing up until well after I'd gotten back to Canada.

These are tasty little fritters with an interesting texture. I have to admit... they don't reheat super well and, even fresh, they weren't the star of the show, but they were still good. Especially with the sauce.

Toram Paruppu Vadai

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

Fritters

• 1 c. skinned split pigeon peas (toovar dal)
• 2-4 dried red arbol, Thai, or cayenne chilies
• 1/4 c. yellow split peas (chana dal), soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
• 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
• 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground asafetida (hinga)

Sauce

• 1 c. plain yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomato
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Thoroughly rinse and drain the pigeon peas.
2. Fill a pot halfway with warm water and add the pigeon peas and chilies. Cover and soak for 1-4 hours.
3. Drain the pigeon peas and chilies and transfer to a food processor.
4. Process to form a somewhat gritty paste and transfer to a bowl.
5. Mix in the soaked split peas, onion, cilantro, salt, and asafetida.
6. With greased hands, shape ~1 Tbsp. of the paste into a tight, round ball. Press into a flattened patty ~1cm thick.
7. Repeat with remaining paste to make ~2 dozen patties in total.
8. Pour some frying oil into a wok and heat to ~180°C (350°F).
9. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels.
10. Once oil is ready, slide a few patties into the hot oil.
11. Fry, turnning occasionally, until they're nicely browned all over (5-7 minutes).
12. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and place on the paper towel lined baking sheet.
13. Repeat with remaining patties.
14. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, salt, and water and mix well.
15. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
16. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds stop popping (30-60 seconds).
17. Add the tomatoes, chilies, and cilantro and cook, uncovered, until heated through (~5 minutes).
18. Stir the tomato mixture into the yogurt mixture.
19. To serve, place a few fritters on a plate and spoon a generous portion of the sauce over them.

Amchur Chana (Chickpeas with Unripe Mango Powder)

This was another great curry that I made way back in the earlier part of the year when I was still in New Zealand. It's pleasingly straightforward to make with just a handful of pantry items and spices and can make for a nice, vegetarian main.

Amchur Chana

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 whole, 1 ground
• 2 cardamom pods (black or green)
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 c. crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. mango powder
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, grounds
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 3 c. cooked chickpeas
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c. chopped red onion

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the whole cumin seeds, cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks and sizzle for 15-20 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes, mango powder, coriander, ground cumin, salt, cayenne, and turmeric.
4. Reduce heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until oil begins to separate (~10 minutes).
5. Add the chickpeas, water, and 2 Tbsp. of the cilantro.
6. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavours meld and sauce thickens (20-30 minutes).
7. Sprinkle with onion and remaining cilantro and serve.

Cranberry Scones (Big Book of Breakfast)

I tried out a few different scone recipes while I was in NZ. But, as with so many of the things I made while I was over there, I didn't get around to writing it up before I left. I've been doing my best to catch up since then, but it's been slow going. I think I still have about four dozen left in the backlog. So, I'm not sure I'll actually manage to catch up before the end of the year at this point, but as least I've put a dent in it.

Cranberry Scones

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 c. salted butter
• 3/4 c. dried cranberries
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c. buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Combine flour and sugar and sift in the baking powder and baking soda.
3. Cut in the butter.
4. Mix in the cranberries.
5. Beat the egg with the buttermilk.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a fork until a dough forms.
7. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few strokes.
8. Press into a 20cm (8") round.
9. Sprinkle with a little extra sugar.
10. Cut into eight wedges and transfer to a baking sheet.
11. Bake at 220°C (425°F) until just slightly browned (~12 minutes).

---

Variations

Apricot Scones

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 c. salted butter
• 3/4 c. chopped dried apricots
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c. buttermilk

Date Scones

• 250g flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 c. salted butter
• 3/4 c. chopped dates
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c. buttermilk