Whole Wheat Tomato Basil Loaf

For Nov Taming the yeast Veena has shared her Whole Wheat Tomato Basil Loaf that is adapted from Italian cookbook by Tarla Dalal.

It is very flavourful bread with all the goodness of the whole wheat, tomato and basil.

Since half the flour is whole wheat flour, the bread tends to be a little dense.

As Veena suggested I have used both regular whole wheat flour and Maida. Varada suggested that I quarter the tomatoes and bake on low heat for 4 hours in the oven to get my sun dried tomatoes. Thanks Varada!

Whole Wheat Tomato Basil Loaf

Yield: One loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour     
• 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast  
• 1 tsp sugar        
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup sun dried tomato (soaked in warm water)
• ¼ cup fresh basil    
• 2 tbsp tomato puree 
•  3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup to ½ cup warm water   

Method:

• Mix the flours together with salt.
• Add the yeast to 1/3 cup of   warm water with sugar and let it rest for 2 minutes.
• Add this mixture and tomato puree to the dry flours and knead well for 5 to 7 minutes to make it into soft pliable dough.
• Oil a wide mouthed bowl and transfer this dough to it.
• Keep it covered in a warm place and let it double for nearly 1 hour
• Now punch down the dough a little and add the  sun dried tomatoes, basil  and knead again.
• If need be add a little more flour and knead applying olive oil.
•  Dust the rolling surface and roll it into a rectangle approximately ¼” in thickness and then shape it into a loaf by rolling it from long side.
• Grease a baking tray.
• Place the shaped loaf on a prepared tray, cover it loosely and let it rise again for 30-40 minutes.
• At the end of 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 180°C or 356°F
• Now brush the top with egg wash or milk and bake it at 180°C /356°F for 20 minutes or till done.
• Let it cool and slice it.
• I served it with Garlic Cheese Dip to others I preferred it plain with tea!

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Xi’an stuffed pancakes

Xi’an stuffed pancakes

For the alphabet X I have tried the Xain province from China.I knew of this province for the terracotta army. I would have liked to write more but as my arm is not too agreeable I am just linking my source Wikipediaof course.

These were appreciated a lot at home and the waiting period is right now extended till y arm is better then I better make these again and not just 8. Apparently younger one want 8 for herself alone. ;D

 Xi’an stuffed pancakes

Recipe Source:here

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8 pancakes

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
•  Water as needed

For the filling:

• 200 grms mushrooms
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• ½ tsp pepper
• Pinch of jeera/cumin
• ½ tblspn soya sauce
• 1 tblspn tomato sauce
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt
• ¼ cup paneer, crumbled
• 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oil
• Pinch of white pepper
• 2 tblspn til/sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup oil for frying+ 1 tblspn oil

Method:

Let’s make the dough first:

• To the flour add salt and water little at a time to form dough.
•  Knead for 5 minutes. Set aside keep covered with a damp kitchen towel to rest.

Now let’s make the filling:

• In a kadhai /wok add 1 tblspn of oil.
• Add the garlic and brown it.
• Add the onion and stir fry till the onions are translucent.
• Add the mushrooms and stir and cook covered.
• Once the mushrooms are done add the jeera/cumin, pepper, soya sauce, tomato sauce, salt sugar. Mix and stir fry till almost dry.
• Add the paneer and mix well. Switch off the gas and keep the kadhai/wok open. Set aside to cool.
• Once cool transfer to the chutney jar of the blender and make a coarse paste. Set aside.
•  In another bowl, combine the cabbage, spring onion, garlic powder.

Now let’s assemble the pancakes:

•  Divide the dough into 8 equal portions use one portion and keep the rest covered with a damp towel.
•  Oil the work surface lightly and roll the selected portion into a long, thin rectangle about four inches wide.
• Again very lightly oil the dough and spread on about an eighth of your mushroom paneer mixture on one side. Spread till about the middle of the rectangle.
• Add about 2 tblspn cabbage mixture to one end.
•  Roll the dough a little. Cover the sides like a burrito to make a cylinder till you reach the end of the rectangle.
• Stand the roll on one end so it's like a standing cylinder.
• Press the dough down into a flat pancake with one hand and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Repeat with all the balls. Meanwhile keep the prepared pancakes under the damp towel.
•  Pour ½ cup oil into a small kadhai/wok and heat. When put a small pinch of dough in the hot oil the dough should first sink then slowly come up. In case the dough sinks and stays under you oil is not hot enough heat it and test with a fresh pinch of dough. In case it rises immediately cool the oil. Test and then fry.
• Drop the pancakes gently into the pan and fry until golden.  You will need to flip the pancakes so fry 1-2 at a time.
• Carefully flip and fry on the other side (about 3 minutes per side). Please be careful when working with hot oil.
• When golden brown, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Taste best when eaten immediately but they can be frozen and re-toasted in the oven.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Blintzes from Russia

 

Today on in the Mega Marathon which has been christened as “Around the World in 30 Days” let us visit Russia!

If you are about my age you will remember the Span and the “Adventures of Misha.” How I used to wait to see what she came up with next.

Apeksha, my elder daughter has been always after me for pancakes. And as I was researching Russia for some reason she borrowed the laptop, the rest is history this was the page that I was on. If that was not enough after that she was trying to convince me to do crêpes as a Sub-category in street food….

On the day I made these Blintzes it was pouring and we had a lot of guests. The idea was to remake the dish for better pics. Never got down to it. Hope to remake these delicious Blintzes again soon!

According to Wikipedia, “A blin (pl. blini), blintchik (pl. blintchiki) or blintz is a type of thin pancake.  Blintzes are thin pancakes that typically lack a leavening agent and are similar to crêpes, whereas blini are typically thicker and include a leavening agent.^”

Traditionally Russian blini are made with yeasted batter, which is left to rise and then diluted with cold or boiling water/ milk. When diluted with boiling water, they are referred to as zavarniye blini and were baked in a Russian oven. Though the blini are pan fried they are cooking of blini is still referred to as baking in Russian.

 French crêpes made from unyeasted batter (usually made of flour, milk, and eggs) are also common in Russia.  Flours used for making blini range from wheat and buckwheat to oatmeal and millet, although wheat is currently the most popular.

Blintzes are made in Jewish cuisine too; blintzes that are stuffed with a cheese filling and then fried in oil are served on holidays such as Chanukah (as oil played a pivotal role in the miracle of the Chanukah story) and Shavuot (when dairy dishes are traditionally served within the Ashkenazi minhag). Blintzes are called "blinchiki" in Russian, and are ordinarily stuffed before frying a second time. Fillings include chocolate, mushrooms, meat, rice, mashed potatoes, and cheese.

Blintzes are the traditional meal in Lithuania during Fat Tuesday.

Buckwheat blini are part of traditional Russian cuisine. They are also widespread in Ukraine, where they are sometimes known as hrechanyky (Ukrainian: гречаники), and Lithuania’s Dzūkija   region, the only region in the country where buckwheat is grown, where they are called Grikių blynai.”

Blintz

Recipe Source: Tony Avey

Ingredients:

  For The Blintzes:

• 2 cup Maida or APF
• 2 cup milk
• 2 tblspn sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tblspn oil
• 2 tblspn baking powder

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 1 cup fresh paneer, crumbled
• ¼ cup cream
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk (optional)
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Method:

• Blend all of the blintz ingredients together using a blender or electric hand mixer. You can blend with a fork too but remember that the batter should not have any lumps.
• Warm up a non-stick tava/skillet until hot.
• The tava/skillet is ready check the heat . Sprinkle a drop of water and if it sizzles on the surface of the of the tava , your tava is ready. If the water pops or jumps out of the pan, the skillet it too hot—let it cool slightly before starting.  
• Grease the tava/skillet generously with cooking oil.
• Pour the pancake batter using a 1/3 cup into the pan.
• Tilt the pan in a circular motion till the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan in a large, thin circular shape.
• Cook for 60-75 seconds until the edges of the blintz brown and the bottom of the blintz is lightly golden. The pancake is done when the centre of the pancake's surface is dry and slightly tacky to the touch.
• Remove the pancake with a spatula and place it on a plate.
• Keep the blintzes separated by pieces of butter paper or paper towels to prevent the blintzes from sticking together.
• Similarly cook all the blintzes.

Now make the filling:

• Put all of the filling ingredients into a chutney bowl of the blender and pulse it. The filling should not be smooth. But should be well blended.
• Now let’s assemble the blintzes
•  Put about 3 tblspn of filling on the lower part of the blintz, about an inch from the edge.
• Now fold the lower edge of the blintz covering up the filling, say about till the centre.
• Now fold the sides of the blintz inward, as though you’re folding an envelope.
• Roll the blintz up and over the filling like a burrito, tucking the edges in as you roll.
• Finish them all. Then let’s fry them…
• Heat about ¼ cup of oil in a non-stick pan over medium until hot.
•  Cook the blintzes in batches see that you have enough space to turn them easily in the pan. Gently lay the flapside down in the oil (take care the oil is hot).
• The oil will sizzle after 1 ½ to 2 minutes flip carefully the blintzes. They will be brown and crispy.
• Fry the flipped side again for a 1 ½ - 2 minutes till they are browned evenly.
• Serve blintzes warm as they are or topped with fruit topping, sour cream, applesauce, whipped cream or maple syrup.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Simiti or Simit or Turkish Sesame Rings

Simiti  or Simit

For the month Swati of Baking Partners has challenged us to make  Simiti  or Simit from here. I was relieved for i had already made this delicious bread. With the month long marathon at my space and all of sick I did not have too much tension.

Then I began thinking where is the post? Cannot see it at my wordpress site or here on blogspot!! I could locate it on my facebook page. The FB page led me to the domain I had and which crashed without any way of recovering it. I lost so many delicious posts. Boy was I upset?

Luckily for me I had the draft and pics. So for me it’s a repost. I hope you don’t mind Swati.

This is my repost....

"For the month of February Aparna had given us a freehand and we could bake anything we choose. Now there are many that I wanted to bake some are from the challenges that I had missed in the past. But I had made the petimezi/ grape juice thickened in the fridge.  So I made Simitia/Koulouria these were to be made for Eggless Baking, Gayatri’s brainchild.

So enjoy these for we We Knead to Bake

Simiti  or Simit

Recipe Source: My Little Expat Kitchen

Makes 10 Simiti or Simit

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 3 tsp active Yeast
• 5 cups Flour/ Maida
• 2 tblspn  Sugar
• 1 cup Lukewarm Milk
• 1 cup Lukewarm Water
• 2 tblspn Olive Oil + extra for oiling the mould
• 1 tsp salt

For the coating:

• 1 ½ cups Til/Sesame Seeds
• 1/3 cup petimezi /grape juice thickened
• ¼ cup water

Method:

• First make the Petimezi. I have just done nothing but followed the instructions here. As usual I did not follow any measures just crushed and strained the grapes and boiled it stirring constantly. I have done the job in a thick bottomed kadhai/wok on a low flame. 
• In a medium bowl mix the milk, water and sugar. Add the yeast and mix well. Set aside in a warm corner to proof.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl mix together flour, salt, and oil.
• Add yeast mixture to make soft and slightly sticky dough.
• Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for 10 minutes until soft and elastic.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and allow it to double for 1 hour.
• While the dough is resting roast the sesame seeds till slightly brown and aromatic. Remove and cool.
• In a bowl mix together the petimezi thickened grape juice and water. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 180°C. (The original recipe says 200°C but I baked at 180°C).
• Now deflate the dough and divide into 10 equal portions. 
• Divide each portion into two and roll each portion into a 30 cm long rope.
• Attach at one end both the rolls and twist both together to form a braid.
• Make a ring by sealing both the ends to form a braided ring. Repeat with all the portions.
• Dip the ring in petimezi /grape juice and place it on the sesame seeds.
• Coat the ring completely with the seeds.
• Place the coated ring on a baking tray.
• Complete all the rings.  
• Transfer to the oven directly they do not need second proofing.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until nicely browned.
• Remove from oven and serve it hot or warm.
• Serve slathered with butter, jam or chocolate spread and enjoy!!
• Mine disappeared without any spreads. 

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Lengmans Noodles from Kazakhstan

Lengmans Noodles from Kazakhstan

For K today in the Blogging Marathon Around the world in 30 days I have chosen Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is located in southern Asia between Russia and Uzbekistan. Approximately 80 percent of the land consists of lowlands, plains, and plateaus. Strong winds often sweep through these flat lands. The climate in Kazakhstan is varied, and different plants and animals are found according to region. Parts of Kazakhstan become extremely cold in the winter and very hot during the summer. The Kara Kum Desert, the world's fourth largest desert, occupies most of central Kazakhstan.

For hundreds of years, Kazakhs were nomadic herders who raised qazaqi qoy (fat-tailed sheep), cattle, ayïr tüye(Bactrian camels), and at (horses). Kazakh nomads heavily relied on their animals for transportation, clothing, and food. They usually ate mutton (sheep), milk, cheese, and flat bread baked on a griddle. They also produced goods that they traded for grain, vegetables, and fruits at markets in the more settled cities of south Kazakhstan. Cone-shaped tents called yurts were their homes, which were easy to set up, dismantle, and carry.

 Traditional Kazakh foods reflect the nomadic peoples and also Middle Eastern influences. Middle Eastern methods of preparing and seasoning rice, vegetables, kebabs (skewered meat), and yogurt have been added. Favorite drinks such as black tea and vodka are part of Kazakh and Russian custom. Russian food is found in abundance in northern Kazakhstan and larger cities.

So for my choice it was difficult in fact I was about to just give up when I chanced on this site. It opened a whole new world of Kazakh foods.  

Okay girls please do not be put off with my long long procedure. Try it its well worth the effort.

Lengmans Noodles

Cuisine : Kazakhstan

Recipe Source:Here and Here

Serves : 6

Ingredients:

For the Stew:

• 1 tblspn of diced onion
• 200 gram mushrooms, cubed
• 1 medium size potato, thinly sliced
• 3 leaves of cabbage, sliced lengthwise or into cubes
• ¼ cup of bean sprouts
•  1 capsicum, cubed
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ cup of diced coriander, chopped 
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp of ground cumin
• 2 tblspn of olive oil

 For the Dough: 

• 2 cups of maida
• A little less than 2/3 cup of water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• olive oil as needed

For boiling noodles: 

• 4 cups of water
• 3/4 to 1 tsp salt 

Method: 

Let’s mix the dough:

• Add the salt with flour in a bowl and mix well.
• Add water a little at a time mix as you go.
• Mix with a little force in the beginning and towards the end use less and less water each time.  You may not need all the water recommended.
• After mixing the dough smooth the dough by kneading with fists and folding for about 5 min.
•  In case you need water to because the dough feels tough dip your hand in the water container .Make sure your dough is completely smooth.
• Spread some oil on the top of dough, cover the dough with plastic wrap first, and then towel on top, let sit for 30 min at room temperature.

As the dough is resting let’s make the stew:

•  Heat the kadhai/wok add oil and heat at high heat.
•  Add onion to the cooking pan, stir.
• Add the potato and stir fry often until all sides of potato turns brown.
•  Add cumin and mushrooms stir fry for 2 or 3 min.
•  Add tomatoes, stir fry for 5 min or until the juice of tomato comes out nicely.
•  Add cabbage, stir fry for 2 min.
•  Add red pepper, and bean sprouts stir fry for 2 min.
•  Add coriander stir.
• Add about ½ cup of water to cover all goodies, add garlic, and allow it to boil for 5-10 min or so. Add salt to taste.

Let’s now make the noodles:

• Cut the dough into few pieces, roll each piece into long thin band, On top of each layer, brush with plenty of vegetable oil to keep them from sticking to each other.
• Roll each band into long round thinner band and roll onto a plate as below. Start with inner-most layer first then next outer layer. 

• Brush the top of circled dough with plenty of oil, cover with plastic wrap, and keep at room temperature for 30 min. If you feel your dough is still a bit hard after 30 min, keep it a bit longer, so it is easier to stretch.
• Meanwhile boil water in a deep pot with salt. Keep the water simmering as you get on with the next steps.

• Pull out the rolling band from one end, stretch it to even thinner (this is to be done in a wooden board but since I don’t have one I did it on the kitchen platform.)

• Actually there are more steps here which I could not manage but in case you are interested you could roll the noodle on hands, press hard on the wooden board, press it few times, and press it till you see some noodle is almost broken. Check here.
• Then toss the stretched noodle in the boiling water.
• It’s very important here is make sure you stir the noodle thoroughly by chopstick or folk. This way your noodle will not stick to each other. Cover the pot, allow it to boil. Open the lid let it continue boiling for 3 more minutes
• Take out the noodle from the pot.
• Toss the noodle into another container with cold water to cool down the noodle a little. Depending on the person you are serving the noodles can be custom served.
• Place one portion as needed on a plate; break the noodle by hand if needed.
•  Add about 1/2 cup stew on top and serve.
• Laghman needs to be served to each individual one by one, it tastes great when it is fresh.

Notes:

• If you feel your noodle turned out a bit bland, add some extra salt to the boiling water. So your next batch noodle will turn out better.
• And this water after boiling noodle can also be served as soup.   

Enjoy!!!

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Berry Short Cakes

Berry Short Cakes

Berry shortcakes was a Baking partners challenge. The July month challenge (I know I am late) was suggested by Reeni of Cinnamon nice and everything nice.  This eggless recipe is a simple one and you can use any berries of your choice.  

I agree that there is no better way to showcase them then with fresh whipped cream and classic shortcakes. These shortcakes are like biscuits only instead of butter they use heavy cream.

My family love them a lot. In fact by the time I came back from a bloggers meet they were all gone. 
Thanks Reeni and Swati!

Komaj~ A Persian Date Bread With Turmeric & Cumin

Koma j~ A Persian Date Bread With Turmeric & Cumin

For this month in We Knead to  Bake we are baking  Komaj which is a Persian turmeric and cumin bread that’s filled with chopped dates.

I was skeptical about its acceptance at home and was right. Hubby refused to eat it! Since I suspected as much I made just 5 Komaj the rest I filled with cheese, chilli flakes and oregano. Sorry this I took  just one picture of the big roll I made and managed to delete that too.

Tthis dough has three rises instead of the usual two.