Kugelhopf

A Gugelhupf or Gugelhopf is a southern German, Austrian, Swiss and Alsatian term for a marble cake or Bundt cake. It is a sweet cake served with coffee. It is usually baked in a special kind of pan that resembles a bundt pan but is much heavier. 

This month the International Food Challenge took us to the Alsace Lorraine region. We were asked to choose from 3 recipes. I decided to try this Kugelhopf. This savory version is not as popular as the sweet one. The original savory version calls for using bacon but we substituted using some veggies.

What you’ll need

1. All Purpose Flour/Maida – 1 ¾  cup
2. Instant Yeast – 1 tsp
3. Salt – ½ tsp
4. Sugar – 1 tbsp
5. Butter – 2.5 tbsp
6. Curd – 2 tbsp (at room temperature)
7. Milk – 6 tbsp

For the filling

1. Cheddar Cheese – 50gm ( I used 2 Cheddar cheese slices, cut into small pieces)
2. Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
3. Tomato – 1 medium, remove the pulp and chop finely
4. Capsicum – ½ of a big one or 1 small, finely chopped (I used yellow bell pepper)
5. Red Chilli flakes – ½ tsp
6. Italian Seasoning – ½ tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Oil – 2 tsp

Method

1. In a wide bowl, mix 1 cup flour, salt, sugar and yeast.
2. Now add the butter and rub well with fingers until butter is incorporated into the flour and flour turns crumbly.
3. Now add the curd and mix.
4. Next add the milk and the remaining flour and mix. It will be sticky.
5. Knead for 5 to 6 minutes to form a dough.
6. Set aside in an oiled bowl covered with a cling flim or a damp cloth.
7. Let this rise to double its size. It may take anywhere from 1hr to 2.5 hrs. Mine was done in 1 hour.
8. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling.
9. Heat a Kadai with oil, sauté the onions, until translucent. Next add the chopped tomatoes and capsicum and sauté with salt for 3 to 4 minutes. The capsicum should remain crunchy.
10. Remove from heat add the red chilly flakes and Italian seasoning. Mix and keep aside.
11. One the dough has risen, Punch down the dough to deflate it and knead for couple of minutes.
12. On a clean work surface, roll out this dough into a square of ½ inch thickness.
13. Place the cheese cubes and the vegetable filling and roll it to form a log.
14. Now, start kneading, your dough and vegetable mixture will be very sticky don’t worry. Knead for few minutes until the vegetables, cheese and dough are all mixed together and incorporated well.
15. Shape into a log. Carefully lift it and place in a greased pan. You can use any pan/loaf tin to bake this.
16. Cover with a cling film and set aside for it rise for the second time. Let it rise for 30 minutes.
17. At the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
18. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
19. Remove from oven, demould and cool on wire rack.

Slice after it is cooled completely.

 

Linking to International Food Challenge hosted this month by Shobhna.

Kadalai Paruppu Sundal

 

Sundal or Chundal like we call it at home is nothing but stir fried legumes or lentils with spices. This is a healthy and wholesome dish and is a great snack for kids and adults. It is also one of the most important offerings during Navarathri. People make sundal using different kinds of legumes like Chickpeas, Peanuts, Moong Beans or lentils like Channa Dal, Split Yellow dal etc, everyday for the nine days during Dasara. 

Most sundals require that the dried legumes be soaked for minimum 6 to 8 hours. But if you have forgotten to soak your legumes then this one is a life saver. This Lentil sundal does not require much soaking and can be made instantly. Make it as spicy as you like. The spicier the better. :) You can add a dash of lemon juice if you like. Though I personally don't like it.

What you’ll need

1. Kadalai Paruppu/Channa Dal – 1 cup
2. Scraped Fresh Coconut – 2 or 3 tbsp
3. Green Chillies – 1 or 2, Slit
4. Ginger – a small pieces, peeled and grated
5. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
6. Salt to taste

For tempering

1. Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
4. Curry Leaves – 5 to 6 leaves, torn

Method

1. Wash and soak the channa dal in water for 30 mins.
2. Drain the water, rinse again and add it to a pressure cooker.
3. Add just enough water to cover the dal about ¾ cup.
4. Add turmeric powder and pressure cook for 1 or 2 whistles.
5. The dal should be cooked but not mushy.
6. Once the pressure is released from the cooker, open and let the dal cool for a while.
7. Heat a non stick kadai with oil.
8. Temper with mustard seeds. Add asafoetida and curry leaves.
9. Throw in the chopped chillies and ginger. Fry for few seconds.
10. Next add the cooked dal, coconut and salt to taste. Mix well.

Healthy and wholesome sundal is ready.

Serve warm.

Godhuma Ravai Upma/Broken Wheat Rava Upma

Upma is one of the most common breakfast recipes in south India. There are many different variations to this humble breakfast. Upma is usually made of Sooji/Semonila. It can also be prepared using broken wheat, rice rava or rice flakes (Aval).

Like I have said in many of earlier posts, we hardly have elaborate breakfasts, but rather prepare all these breakfast recipes for dinner. And upma surely is one of the last resorts. It is made only when I don’t have any idly/dosa batter and I am feeling too tired to make rotis.

Today I am sharing the recipe for broken wheat upma. Usually, MIL makes this without adding any vegetables.  (See notes). But like to make it a little healthier by adding whatever veggies I have at hand. So here is the recipe for a simple yet wholesome meal.

What you’ll need

1. Broken Wheat/Godhuma Ravai- 1 cup
2. Onion – 1, finely chopped
3. Carrot – 1 finely chopped
4. Beans – 5 to 6, finely chopped
5. Green Peas – 2 handful
6. Green chilly – 1 or 2, chopped finely
7. Ginger – a small piece, grated
8. Curry leaves – few
9. Lemon juice – 1 or 2 tsp (Optional)
10. Coriander Leaves – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil – 2 tsp
13. Ghee – 1 tsp
14. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
15. Bengal gram dal/ Kadala paruppu – 1 tsp

Method

1. Heat a pressure cooker/pan with oil and ghee.
2. Temper with mustard seeds and Bengal gram dal, once the dal turn golden, add the chopped onions, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves.
3. Saute until onion turn pink.
4. Next add the veggies – carrots, and beans and sauté for another minute.
5. Now add the broken wheat and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.
6. Add 2.5 cups of water, salt and green peas. Mix well and bring to boil.
7. Cover and cook for one whistle.
8. Once the cooker has cooled, open and drizzle the lemon juice.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with a chutney or Sambar.

Note:

You can omit the onions and vegetables and just temper with ginger and green chillies and add freshly scraped coconut while the water is boiling and proceed as above.

Kronut

This month the Baking Partners challenge was Kronuts. Kronuts is a cross between croissants and doughnuts. The whole process of making these takes 3 days and is quite laborious. But the end result was really good. It is very rich and high in calories. I made the dough eggless but substituting the eggs with applesauce.

Recipe Source: Bootleg Cronut

For the dough

1. 1 1/2 tbsp dry yeast
2. 1/4 cup water
3. 1 1/2 cups warm milk
4. 1/2 cup sugar
5. 1 tsp salt
6. 1/2 cup applesauce
7. 1/3 cup butter
8. 5 cups all purpose flour

For laminating

1. 295 gms of cold butter
2. vegetable oil (for frying)

For the Chocolate Glaze

1. Chocolate chips – ½ cup
2. Butter – 2 tbsp
3. Milk – 1 tbsp

 Method

Day 1

1. In a wide bowl add milk, sugar, salt, applesauce, shortening, yeast and flour.
2. Mix everything with hand or use a processor and make into smooth dough.
3. Allow this to rise for 1 hour or until double the size.
4. Transfer to refrigerator overnight.

Day 2

1. The next day, cut the cold butter lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Arrange the pieces on a piece of parchment or waxed paper to form a 5- to 6-inch square, cutting the butter crosswise as necessary to fit.
2. Top with another piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a rolling pin, pound the butter with light, even strokes. As the pieces begin to adhere, use more force. Pound the butter until it’s about 4 x 6 inches square and then trim the edges of the butter.
3.  Put the trimmings on top of the square and pound them in lightly with the rolling pin. Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours. 

Laminate the dough

1. Unwrap and lay the dough on a
2. lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 10-1/2-inch square. Brush excess
3. flour off the dough.
4. Remove the butter from the refrigerator.
5. Unwrap and place the butter on the dough so that the points of the butter square are centered along the sides of the dough.
6. Fold one flap of dough over the butter toward you, stretching it slightly so that the point just reaches the centre of the butter. Repeat with the other flaps. Then press the edges together to completely seal the butter inside the dough. (A complete seal ensures butter won’t escape.).
7. 1st Turn. Lightly flour the top and bottom of the dough.
8. With the rolling pin, firmly press the dough to elongate it slightly and then
9. begin rolling instead of pressing, focusing on lengthening rather than widening
10. the dough and keeping the edges straight.
11.  Turn the dough so that a shorter end faces you. Roll to expand the length of the dough, making sure that the dough doesn’t stick to the table. Add flour if needed.
12. When you have a rectangle about 21 x 9 inches, fold the top third of the rectangle down and fold the bottom third up to cover it.
13. Turn the dough 90 degrees so that the opening resembles a book
14. 2nd Turn. Try to do this turn right away, but if the dough
15. is too warm, wrap in film and place in the refrigerator until it cools. Repeat
16. rolling, just like the first turn, then turn 90 degrees and gently press two
17. fingers into the lower right corner to mark the number of turns. (Marking the
18. dough allows you to track your progress, and ensure that the orientation of the
19. dough is correct when you remove it from the refrigerator.) Cover the dough in
20. a parchment paper and then again with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least
21. 1 hour.
22. 3rd Turn. The dough will be hard, so gently pound the dough
23. to warm the butter. If it is too cold the butter will separate and not spread
24. as it should. Repeat the previous steps, and turn again, marking the corner
25. with three fingerprints. Cover dough with parchment paper and plastic wrap and
26. refrigerate for 1 hour.
27. 4th Turn. Make the final turn, repeating the steps from
28. turns 1-3. Refrigerate overnight

Day 3

1. Rolling out the Dough. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll
2. out the dough to approximately the size of a sheet pan, 1/2 inch thick. Make
3. sure the dough stays cold, without sticking to the surface. If it starts to
4. stick, place in the refrigerator and roll again when cool. Transfer to a sheet
5. pan with parchment paper, film and chill before use.
6. Punching out cronuts. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper, sprayed
7. with oil . Remove dough from fridge and take two ring moulds, approximately
8. outer molds should be 3 ½ inch and inner should be 1 ½ inch
9. Only start punching if the dough is very cold. Otherwise, your Kronut won’t fry straight.
10. Transfer punched kronuts to the sheet pan, leaving room for kronuts to “poof.”
11. Brush tops of the Kronut with water and set aside.  Place Kronut holes on the same sheet tray, leaving enough space for them to poof without sticking to each other. Leave in a warm area until they have proofed, about 30 min.
12. Once it is proofed keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 15 minutes before frying.
13. Once golden brown throughout, test one to see if it is cooked all the way through. Remove and place on paper towels.

Chocolate Glaze

1. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and butter for a minute.
2. Remove and mix well with a spoon. Keep for another 30 secs if chocolate is not completely melted.
3. Add a tbsp of milk and adjust the consistency.
4. Dip the crounuts face down into the glaze and set aside. Top with colored sprinkles. 

Pineapple Rasam

The weather in Amsterdam has been very bad past week. Cloudy grey skies, chilly winds and continuous drizzling has left me craving for some warm food. And what’s better than some hot rice and rasam with some spicy stir fry and pappadams. Mmm…that’s what I call comfort food. And that’s exactly what I made yesterday for lunch.

The pineapple rasam is a nice variation from the regular rasams. It is sweet, sour and spicy. I have had this rasam mostly in marriage feasts and I love it. I searched for a lot of recipes and after many trials I found my own version, which is just like the ones you eat in the feasts. So go ahead and try it, I’m sure you will love it.

Serves - 4

What you’ll need

1. Pineapple – 1.5 cups, finely chopped (u can use upto 2 cups)
2. Toor Dal – 2 heaped tbsp, cooked and mashed
3. Tomato – 2 Medium sized
4. Tamarind – marble sized ball
5. Rasam Powder – 1.5 tbsp
6. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
7. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Coriander Leaves and Curry Leaves for garnish

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for few minutes.
2. Extract the tamarind juice and discard the fibre.
3. Grind one tomato and add to the tamarind extract.
4. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, rasam powder and salt, mix well.
5. Add another cup of water and bring to boil. Let this boil for 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Grind half of the pineapple and add to the boiling mixture.
7. In the meanwhile chop the other tomato.
8. Saute the remaining chopped pineapple and chopped tomato, for a 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Add this also to the boiling mixture.
10. Let everything boil for another 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Now mix the cooked dal with 1 to 1.5 cups of water and add to the boiling mixture.
12. Reduce the flame to low, add chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves and simmer till the mixture starts frothing.
13. Remove from flame.
14. Heat a small frying pan, with ghee, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Pour this over the rasam.

Serve hot with plain rice and a stir fry and some pappadams.

Note:

You can omit the tamarind and add lemon juice instead at the end, after removing from heat.

Make use of a nice ripe pineapple. A pineapple that is sweet and tangy would be ideal for this rasam.

You can add a slit green chilly if you want to make the rasam spicier.

Cabbage Molagootal

Molagootal is a popular Palakkad Iyer dish. It is basically vegetables and lentils simmered with ground coconut. Molagootals can be prepared using different vegetables. The most common ones being Ashgourd and Yam, or Keerai (Spinach). Molagootal is more like a kootu but a little more runnier. It is is well liked by kids as it is not spicy. Molagootal is one of my favorite kootans and I can have it with just some pickle. Usually it is served with either Pachadi or thogayal.

What you'll need

1. Cabbage – 4 Cups, finely chopped
2. Pasi Paruppu/Split Yellow Moong Dal – ¼ cup
3. Scraped Coconut – ½ cup
4. Broken Urad Dal – 1 tsp
5. Dry Red Chilly – 1
6. Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
8. Salt to taste

For Tempering

1. Coconut oil/Any Refined Oil – 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Curry Leaves – few

Method

1. Pressure cook the dal, mash lightly and keep aside.
2. Cook the chopped cabbage, with salt and turmeric powder and about 2 cup of water.
3. Heat a small frying pan with little oil, roast the urad dal and red chillies until the dal turns red. Take care not to burn the dal.
4. Grind the coconut, fried urad dal, red chilly and cumin seeds into a smooth paste by adding little water.
5. Add the cooked dal to the cooked cabbage and mix well. Let this come to a boil.
6. Now add the ground coconut paste, mix well. Add about a cup of water to adjust the consistency.
7. Check for seasoning and let it start boiling.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Heat a frying pan with oil, temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the Molagootal.

Cabbage Molagootal is ready. Serve with plain white rice and pachadi or thogayal.

Payaru Kozhukattai

Pillayar Chaturthi is around the corner. And the blog world is flooded with recipes varieties of Kozhukattais and other neivedhyams. So here is one from my side too. I have already posted a few varieties of kozhukattais. The one I am posting today has a delicious protein rich filling. I came to know about this from my SIL's mother, who never fails to make this one on Chathurthi. 

So if you are looking for a different filling for your kozhakattai then you should try this one.

Makes about 14 to 15 Kozhukattais

For the outer dough

1. Rice Flour/ Idiyappam flour – 1 cup
2. Water – 1 cup + ¼ cup (use only if required)
3. Salt – a pinch
4. Coconut Oil – 2 tsp

For the filling

1. Pachha Payaru/Whole Green Mung Beans – ½ cup
2. Powdered Jaggery – ½ cup + 2 tbsp
3. Scraped Fresh Coconut – ¼ cup
4. Cardamom – 2 or 3, crushed
5. Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method

To make the Rice Flour

1. Wash and soak 1 cup of rice in water for 2 hours.
2. Drain and spread on a cloth and allow to dry in shade for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Grind the rice to a fine powder in mixer or send to the flour mill and get it milled.
4. Sieve the powder.
5. Roast this powder on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Sieve the roasted flour. Cool and store in airtight container.

To make the dough for the outer covering

1. Bring 1 cup of water to boil with salt and coconut oil. Heat another ¼ to ½ cup of water and keep ready. Use only if required.
2. To the one cup of boiling water, add the rice flour slowly stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.
3. The whole thing should come together as a mass.
4. Remove from flame. Add a few spoons of water if required.
5. While the dough is still warm to touch, knead into a smooth dough, just like a chappathi dough.
6. Set aside. Keep covered to avoid drying.

To make the filling

1. Dry roast the mung beans until a nice aroma starts coming.
2. Remove from heat, wash and soak for half an hour.
3. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or until soft.
4. Once the cooker cool, open and mash the mung beans coarsely with the back of a ladle.
5. Heat a Kadai, with jaggery and 2 to 3 tbsp of water to dissolve the jaggery.
6. Once the jaggery is dissolved, filter the syrup of impurities and pour it back into the kadai.
7. Let it come to boil, take care not to burn.
8. Now add the scraped coconut and the mashed dal.
9. Mix well. Add the ghee and stir for 3 to 5 mins until most of the moisture is absorbed or and the whole thing comes together as mass.
10. Add the crushed cardamoms, mix well.
11. Remove from heat and cool.
12. Form balls out of this filling.

To make the kozhukattais

1. Grease your palms and pinch out small lemon sized balls out of the dough. Flatten the dough in your palms and place a ball of filling in the center. Gather the edges and seal the filling forming a peak at the top. (just like you would do for the stuffed paratha). Prepare more kozhukattais using the remaining dough and filling.
2. Heat a steamer, you can also use the idli stand. Place the kozhukattais one by one without touching each other and steam for 10 minutes or until the outer layer is shiny.

Note:

1. Always keep a little extra hot water and use only if required. The amount of water required depends on the quality of rice used.
2. Keep the rice flour dough covered so that it doesn’t dry up.

Cantonese Sweet and Sour Tofu

The International Food Challenge is a group started by Shobhana and Saras, where we are exploring the cuisines from across the world. This month the chosen cuisine was Chinese, more specifically Cantonese. We were given 4 recipes, out of which we could try any one. I decided to try this Sweet and Sour Tofu. We had it with some Chinese noodles. It was really delicious. A new recipe learnt and its definitely a keeper. I do see myself making this often in my kitchen.

What you'll need

1. Firm Tofu – 1 Packet (about 250gm)
2. Oil to deep fry the tofu

For the sauce

1. Tomato Ketchup – 4 tbsp
2. Red Chilli Sauce – 2 tbsp
3. Plum Sauce – 3 tsp (Substitute with 1 tbsp tomato ketchup + 1or 2 tsp Vinegar + 1 tsp brown sugar)
4. Light Soya Sauce – 1 tsp
5. Water – 2 tbsp
6. Sugar – 1 tbsp

To marinate 

1. Corn flour – 3 tbsp
2. Salt – ½ tsp
3. White pepper powder, to taste

Add a little water and make a paste of coating consistency.

Marinate the tofu with the above ingredients for about 10 minutes.  Use your hands to mix well.

To dredge the tofu 

1. All purpose (plain) flour - 3 tbsp
2. Corn flour - 3 tbsp
3. Rice flour - 2 tbsps

Take all the flours in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Vegetables 

1. 1 large red onion
2. ½ of a big green capsicum
3. ½ of a big red Capsicum
4. ½ cup pineapple chunks (optional)

Dice the veggie’s into ½” pieces. Set aside.

Method 

1. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil stirring well.  Remove from heat and save in a bowl.  Set aside.
2. Heat enough oil in a sauce pan to medium heat and fry the marinated tofu in batches after dredging the tofu with the dry flours i.e. Dip the tofu pieces in the flour, shake off the excess flour and deep fry until crisp and light golden color.
3. Heat about 1 tbsp. of oil in a separate pan.  Sauté the onion and capsicum.
4.  Now pour in the prepared sweet and sour sauce.  Bring to a boil.
5.  Add the fried tofu, mix well to coat the tofu with the sauce evenly, check seasoning and add salt if required. Stir in the pineapple. Mix well to coat. Switch off and serve hot.  

Curried Chickpea Burger

Anything homemade has its own charm. I love the experience of recreating things we eat out at home. I felt great, the first time I made a pizza from scratch. My mother said it was one of the best pizzas she had eaten. Now, isn’t that enough to make you feel out of the world.

So this month the Groovy Gourmets decided to make burgers, but not a regular potato peas patty. I came up with these chickpea patties. I tasted really delicious. All at home enjoyed this yummy treat.

Makes about – 6 to 8 patties depending on the size you choose

What you’ll need

1. Dry Chickpeas /Channa – 1 cup
2. Sweet Potato – 1
3. Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
4. Garlic – 1 clove, crushed
5. Ginger – a small piece, grated
6. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
7. Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala Powder – ¼ tsp
9. Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
10. Corn flour –  2 tbsp
11. Maida – 3 tbsp
12. Bread Crumbs – from 2 slices of bread
13. Salt to taste
14. Oil to shallow fry

Other things to assemble

1. Burger buns
2. Eggless Mayonnaise (I used a flavoured yogurt dip)
3. Lettuce Leaves
4. Onion rings
5. Tomato Slices
6. Cucumber Slices
7. Cheese Slices (optional) ( I did not use)

Method

1. Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours.Pressure cook until the chickpeas are soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Wash, peel and dice the sweet potato. Cook until soft. Cool and mash.
3. Add the cooked chickpeas, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala to a processor/mixie and grind. It need not be very smooth. Transfer to a wide bowl.
4. Add the mashed sweet potato and mix well.
5. Heat a small frying pan with little oil, sauté the chopped onions, garlic and ginger until the onion turns translucent.
6. Add these sautéed onions to the chickpea, sweet potato mixture.
7. Add  coriander leaves, cornflour and salt to taste. Mix well
8. Refrigerate this for 1 hour.
9. In the meanwhile, powder the 2 bread slices and transfer to a plate.
10. Make a paste of cornflour and water, set aside.
11. Heat a frying pan with enough oil to shallow fry.
12. Now, shape the chickpea mixture into patties of required size.
13. Dip them in the Maida paste, and dredge on the bread crumbs, such that the entire patty is coated with bread crumbs.
14. Now shallow fry the patties until crisp on both sides.

To assemble the burger

1. Slice the burger bun into two, apply the mayonnaise on the inner side of both the halves.
2. Place lettuce leaves, then the patty and top with onion, cucumber, and tomato slices and finally place a cheese slice and cover with the top half of the bun.

Delicious burger is ready.

Note:

You can toast the slices of bun, if you like.