Around The World On Your Plate

Ingredients: Flour mix: 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon rye flour 2 tablespoon plain flour 1 tablespoon spelt 1 tablespoon sorghum flour 1 teaspoon flaxseed meal 1 tablespoon finger millet flour Others: 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon discard 80 ml milk or as needed 1 mashed banana Method: Mix all the dry ingredients and sift a few times to incorporate things well. In a mixing bowl add discard, milk and banana and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients and mix everything until a smooth batter forms. Grease a skillet and pour ladleful, cook until bubbles form and flip after 40 seconds and cook on the other side.  Once done, serve hot. This roughly yields 6 small pancakes. Note: You can adjust the quantity of milk as needed.  I usually add an equal amount of milk to dry ingredients, in this case, the dry ingredients weighed about 80 grams.

Udon Soup Ingredients: Soup Base: 2 cups vegetable stock 2 teaspoon miso paste 1 teaspoon red chilli paste (Korean) 1 teaspoon tahini paste Others: 1 Packet udon noodles (cooked per packet instructions) 1/2 cup onion sliced 1/2 cup mushroom sliced 1/2 cup cabbage shredded 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced ginger 2 teaspoon oil Scallions to garnish Sesame oil to taste Salt to taste Method: Saute all vegetables in oil on medium heat.  Add vegetable stock along with red chilli paste, tahini paste, and cooked udon noodles.  Simmer on low until everything is cooked.  Just before serving, add in the miso paste and turn off.  Garnish with scallions and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 grated apple (optional) 1 onion finely chopped 1-2 teaspoon garlic minced 2 cups diced potatoes, bell pepper, sweet potato,  carrots etc Salt to taste Oil as needed Roux: 2 tablespoon vegan butter 2 tablespoon flour 1/4 cup water 1-2 teaspoon Japanese curry powder Red chilli powder and garam masala to taste Method: Heat a nonstick pan on low and melt butter, add flour and mix using a spatula or a whisk until well incorporated and cook until its light brown, next add water and mix well.  Add the curry powder and red chilli powder along with garam masala and mix well.  Keep stirring on low heat until aroma wafts from the pan.  Turn off, the roux is ready. In a separate pan, heat oil and saute onion and garlic until light golden in colour.  Next, add all the vegetables and saute.  Add the roux and desired amount of water and mix well.  If you find this spice blend to be spicy, a grated ap...

Serves: 2 Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup cauliflower florets 2 medium sized potatoes peeled and cubed 1 cup onion chopped 1-1/2 cup tomato chopped 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1-1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon garam masala Salt and sugar to taste Oil as needed Cilantro to garnish Dry fenugreek leaves to garnish Method: Heat oil on medium and fry onions along with ginger garlic paste until translucent.  Next, add the tomatoes and cook on low heat until tender. Once tomatoes are tender, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and garam masala.  Mix well and cook until oil separates from the tomatoes.  Turn off and let it cool. Once cooled, puree and set aside. In the same pan, add oil followed by cumin seeds and let them splutter, next add the cauliflower florets and potatoes and saute until golden in color. Add the above pu...

Ingredients: 1/3 cup warm water 2-1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast 1 cup almond milk 3-1/2 tablespoons of vegan butter 3 to 3-1/2 cups of all purpose flour 1 teaspoon of salt Cinnamon powder and sugar mixture as needed Butterscotch crunches (optional) Method: Mix melted butter with milk and set aside. Heat water to 110 degrees Fahrenheit and add yeast and sugar and set aside to activate. In a mixing bowl, add 3 cups of flour, salt and mix well.  To this add the yeast and butter and milk mixture and knead until it comes together into a soft dough. Once the dough is well formed and kneaded, grease a bowl and place the dough in it and cover it.  Place it in a warm spot in your kitchen and let it rise until double in size.  This may take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Once the dough has risen, punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to 14 x 8 inch rectangle, sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture eve...

Ingredients Vegetables: 1 burdock root, prepared 1 carrot, thinly sliced 1 potato, thinly sliced Others: 1/4 cup prepared dashi 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon cooking sake 1 tablespoon mirin 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 1-2 tablespoon of oil Instructions Cut vegetables into thin matchsticks. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.  Cook the vegetables until slightly tender, add rest of the ingredients and mix and cook on low until all the liquid is gone. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve. Notes: Preparing burdock root for this recipe takes a bit of work. The best way to do it is by peeling off the burdock root with a knife and shredding it to thin matchsticks.

Ingredients: 3 cups of Dashi stock 2 tablespoon miso paste 1/2 cup chopped Spinach 1/4 cup cubed firm tofu Method: In a pot, simmer the stock along with spinach and tofu until just done.  Strain the miso using a mesh strainer into the soup and turn off the heat once you start to smell the rich flavour of the miso paste infused into the soup. Serve immediately. Note: Do not boil the soup after miso paste has been added. This soup can be made with a combination of veggies added to it, see below. Vegetable Combination: Spinach and tofu. Potato and onions. Mung beans. Cabbage and deep-fried tofu.

Vegan Dashi Ingredients: 3 cups water 1 small piece  of kombu seaweed Method: In a pot, put kombu and water and leave it for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, simmer on medium heat until it comes to a slow boil.  Turn off.  Remove kombu. The vegan Dashi stock is ready. Dashi with Bonito Flakes Ingredients: 3 cups water 1 small piece  of kombu seaweed 15 grams of dried bonito flakes Method: In a pot, put kombu and water and leave it for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, simmer on medium heat until it comes to a slow boil.  Turn off.  Remove kombu.  Add the bonito flakes to infuse the flavour only.  Do not turn on the heat. Strain using a fine mesh strainer and its ready. Note: Kombu is a type of edible kelp. If you prefer to make this without kombu, dashi stock powder is also available in supermarkets but it contains dried fish flakes and hence not vegan.

Ingredients: Seasoning: 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon urad dal 1 teaspoon channa dal 1/8th teaspoon asafoetida 1 sprig curry leaves 2 teaspoon oil Others: 2 cups cooked rice 3/4 cup chopped bell peppers (green, yellow, red, and purple) 1 green chilli chopped Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish 1 teaspoon lemon juice Method: Heat oil on medium in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them pop, next add urad dal and channa dal and asafoetida along with curry leaves a saute for 20 seconds. Add in the green chillies and chopped bell pepper and saute. Once the bell peppers are just cooked, not too mushy, turn heat to low and add the cooked rice along with salt to taste and mix. Turn off heat and before serving some lemon juice and mix and garnish.

Ingredients: Vegetables: 4-6 baby potatoes peeled and halved 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 medium bell pepper cubed 1/2 cup carrot cubed Makhani (curry base): 1 cup onions chopped 1-1/2 cup tomatoes chopped 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste 2 green chillies, slit 2 red chillies 1-inch cinnamon stick 4-5 cloves 10 peppercorns 1 cardamom 2 bay leaf 10 cashew nuts 2-3 tablespoon oil/butter or as needed Others: Salt and sugar to taste 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) Cilantro to garnish Method: To prepare the curry base, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and saute onions and ginger garlic paste. Next, add all the whole spices along with green chillies and cashew nuts and saute. Add the tomatoes last and cook until tender.  Add salt and sugar as needed. Once the tomatoes are tender, turn off heat and let it cool in a separate bowl.  Puree once it has cooled. In the same pan, heat remaining oil and saute the mix vegetables ...

Ingredients: Tapioca/Sabudana/Sago 1 cup Roasted crushed peanuts 1/4 cup 2 green chillies chopped 1 medium sized potato, chopped 1 tablespoon oil 1 sprig curry leaves 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder Salt to taste 1 teaspoon lemon juice Cilantro to garnish Method: Wash tapioca pearls and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water and set aside for 5 hours.  Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, asafoetida along with green chillies and curry leaves and saute.  Next, add chopped potatoes and cook with little water until done. Next add in the tapioca pearls along with turmeric powder, salt, and crushed peanuts and mix everything well.  Stir well on medium flame.  Sprinkle water if it is too dry. Turn off heat, add lemon juice and mix. Garnish with cilantro leaves and some peanuts and serve hot.

Ingredients: 2 cups cooked rice 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup diced mushrooms 1/4 cup chopped carrots 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped onions 2 Green chillies slit (optional) 2 tablespoons green curry paste 4 tablespoon thick coconut milk Salt to taste 1 teaspoon soy sauce Thai basil and scallions to garnish Method: Heat oil and add garlic and green chillies and saute. Next, add all the vegetables one by one and saute on medium heat. Add rice along with soy sauce, coconut milk, and green curry paste and adjust salt to taste. Mix everything until well combined. Garnish with basil leaves and scallions and serve hot.

Serves: 2 Time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 5-6 slices of bread cubed (I used a baguette) 1 onion chopped 1-2 tomatoes chopped 1 green chilli chopped fine 1 teaspoon sambar powder or chilli powder salt to taste 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 sprig curry leaves Cilantro to garnish Water as needed Method: Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them pop, next add curry leaves and green chilli and saute. Add in the onions and saute until translucent.  Next, add the tomatoes and sambar powder or chilli powder and cook until tomatoes are tender. Add the cubed bread and sprinkle some water to moisten it.  Adjust salt to taste and mix everything well. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Ingredients: 4-ounce Linguini Water as needed 2 tablespoons of butter 2 tablespoons of flour 1/8th teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable stock Salt and white pepper to taste 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup onion chopped 1/2 cup bell pepper chopped 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved Basil to garnish Olive oil as needed Method: Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta and cook as per package directions. Alongside in a wide pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  Add all the vegetables and cook until tender, but do not overcook.  Season with salt. Transfer the vegetables to a separate bowl and set aside. In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat and add the flour and stir until smooth.  Cook until the mixture turns a light golden color. Add heavy cream and milk to it and stir until smooth.  Add water or vegetable broth and stir and cook for a minute.  Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt and white p...

Its almost autumn and I have a lot of cherry tomatoes and basil growing in my garden, so thought of making this delicious bread and trust me when you are done, your kitchen will smell divine. Ingredients: 150 grams of all-purpose flour 50 grams of 00 flour 70 grams of water 30 grams of lukewarm water 2 tablespoons of olive oil 5 grams salt 5 grams sugar 60 grams ripe sourdough starter 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast 2 teaspoon Italian dry mixed herbs Handfull of fresh basil chopped Few ripe cherry tomatoes halved Method: Mix yeast and sugar to lukewarm water and set aside.  In a mixing bowl add water and ripe sourdough starter and mix.  To this, add activated yeast mixture along with flour, salt, mixed herbs, and olive oil and mix.  Knead into a soft smooth dough. Place it in a greased bowl and set aside to double in volume. Once doubled in volume, punch down the dough and divide into three equal portions, approximately 135 grams eac...

I often hear stories where there are at least two generations of people in the family who have been baking, but baking has never been a part of my family nor has anyone been a baker.  I always admired people who could bake those beautiful cakes and delicious loaves of bread. I got into baking 6 years ago after getting married and moving to the USA, the advantage of having an oven at home gave me the start.  I began with cakes and cookies and quick breads such as banana bread.  Once I figured following instructions came naturally to me, I started looking for more challenging and time-consuming recipes, I then eventually ventured into baking bread and all kinds of them. I immediately fell in love with the art of baking bread. It was love at first sight for me in many ways when the thought of freshly baked dinner rolls from Goa brought back so many childhood memories and joy that I wanted to relive those moments in every bite.  I started to learn to bake like most...

Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour 1 small onion finely chopped 1 green chili finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 cup grated coconut Salt to taste oil as needed water as needed Method: In a mixing bowl combine flour, salt and mix well.  Next, add all the remaining ingredients except oil and water. Add water in small quantity and start to knead a soft dough.  Once everything comes together, grease it with oil and set aside covered. Divide the dough into equal portions. Take a banana leaf or an aluminum foil and generously grease it with oil. Place one of the dough balls in the center and start patting it down with your fingers, if it gets too sticky just wet your fingers and continue to pat it down to a small 6-inch round shape. Place a skillet on medium heat and grease it. Put the ready to bake rotti on the skillet  upside down so as that the banana leaf or foil is on top.  Once the bottom side of the rotti gets cooked, peel off the ban...

Ingredients: 160g milk 50 grams ripe starter 215 grams all purpose flour 10 grams sugar 5 grams salt 10 grams butter Method: Mix milk, starter, sugar, and flour. Autolyse for 2 hours. Mix salt and knead until dough is not sticky. Add butter in two batches and mix well and knead. Transfer to a greased bowl and cover and let ferment in the fridge for 16 hours. Remove the dough from the fridge and knead once and divide into 8 portions, roll into balls and place on greased baking sheet and let double in size. About 1-2 hours.  Brush with milk/egg/water and sprinkle sesame seeds and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 or until golden brown in color.

Ingredients: 196 grams of all-purpose flour 76 grams of milk ( almond milk or any of your choice) 20 grams of water 10 grams butter (vegan butter) 4 grams salt 8 grams sugar 65 grams ripe sourdough starter 1/2 teaspoon yeast Method: Mix sourdough starter and milk and set aside. Mix flour and salt and set aside. To 20 grams of warm water add yeast and sugar and mix. Once the yeast is activated, add the yeast mixture along with sourdough mixture to the flour, add melted butter and knead into a soft smooth dough. Keep it in a greased bowl covered in a warm spot to double. Once doubled, punch down and divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll them into balls. Place them on a greased baking sheet to double in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake them for about 20-25 minutes or until done. Serve hot.

Ingredients : 1 cup chopped lettuce 1 cucumber shopped 1 carrot grated 1/4 cup red onion chopped 1 tomato chopped 1 sprig cilantro chopped Salt as needed 2 teaspoon tamarind and dates chutney 1 teaspoon spicy coriander chutney 1/4 cup puffed rice Nilon sev to garnish Haldirams Moong dal to taste Nuts or fried green peas to garnish Method : Toss all the ingredients except the sev and nuts. Mix well and garnish with sev and nuts. Serve immediately.