pink rickshaw

cookie experiment: recipe four

"Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies."-John Q. Tullius

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I had the pleasure of finally making a trip to the famed and charming Miette Bakery. Among my many favorites of the colorful pastries I perused and purchased were the delightful classic French cookies: chocolate sables (recipe from the Miette book here). The delicious chocolatey shortbreads were the perfect inspiration for the fourth cookie recipe: Martha's chocolate charms. The chocolate treats using this recipe are surprisingly easy to make and have the same subtle chocolate flavor as my beloved sables.

The recipe suggests shaping the dough into balls but I opted instead to use square cookie cutters and loved the shape it provided. The recipe recommends dusting some of the unsweetened cocoa powder used in the recipe for a "velvety texture". It does give the cookie more of a truffle like feel, but to be honest, I preferred mine without the layer of cocoa powder to make it more like the sables. For some variety, set a few aside that you do not dust, and try them paired with some vanilla ice cream. It made the perfect weeknight dessert.

image source: SD

-SD

july super six

"Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos."-Don Kardong

Due to recent current events, the term willful blindness is popping into conversations. If you haven't heard the legal term yet, it is defined as "if there is knowledge that you could have had or should have had but chose not to have, you are still responsible." This got me thinking. In this unbearable summer, don't we all have a tad bit of willful blindness when it comes to frozen and not exactly the healthiest treats?  I could read the label on the ice cream container and see how many calories it is and I should have posted today about healthy alternatives to ice cream and popsicles like fruit but chose not to. Therefore, I am responsible, if by reading this month's super six, you gain 10 pounds. Sorry. This July's sinfully delicious Super Six is all about cooling off with sweet, frozen (and slightly unhealthy) treats.

 
1. Homemade Ice Cream
The best purchase we have made this summer has to be an ice cream maker (more on that in number three: tools). Homemade ice cream just tastes so delicious and making it is like a little science experiment. One of the first ice creams I made using my new toy was coffee ice cream using this recipe from David Lebovitz. It's just the right amount of sweetness with a wonderful rich coffee flavor (to avoid the caffeine, it tastes just as good if you use decaf beans like I did) The result is a creamy delight that you have to avoid eating right out of the container.

  
2. Kulfi
If you're feeling slightly exotic and don't want to bother with tools like ice cream makers, this frozen treat is the perfect lazy gal's ice cream. Kulfi is a popular, milk-based dessert from India. Think of it as regular ice cream but just denser (it is not whipped like western ice cream). There are tons of variations, flavors and recipes you can find, but I grew up every summer eating this simple version that my mom makes. In our family, there would literally be fights for who would get the last kulfi, so you can imagine that if you follow this recipe, you won't be disappointed. (As an added bonus, this literally can be done in five minutes)

SD's Mom's (super easy) Kulfi
1 (14 oz.) can of condensed milk
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups evaporated milk
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
rose water (available at most Indian or Middle Eastern stores or here) (optional)

1. Blend condensed milk, evaporated milk and ricotta cheese to a smooth, liquid consistency. (I watched my mom do this and she blended for about two minutes)
2. Pour into popsicle molds. Place approximately half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of chopped pistachios at the top of the kulfi mixture in each mold compartment.
3. Freeze for a minimum of eight hours.
4. If desired, sprinkle with rose water when serving and enjoy.
 

cookie experiment: recipe three

"Once in a while I say, 'Go for it' and I eat chocolate."-Claudia Schiffer

 

Break-ups, horrible bosses and the end of All My Children: some events in life beg for serious pick-me-ups. To date, the great cookie experiment has highlighted Martha's delicate side, so PR decided to try the decadent peanut butter whoopie pies. These are are not your granny's dainty tea cookies, but more a crack-like hit of chocolate, peanut butter goodness. While bikini season may not be the most ideal time for this caloric bomb, as someone whose personal motto is "I'm starting my diet next Monday", I was, of course, up for the challenge.

The whoopie pie is two cookies sandwiched together with heaps of yummy frosting. To call the ends, "cookies" is a stretch--they are more like thin cakes. Due to their distant relationship to the cupcake and cakeball, whoopie pies have been increasingly popular in bakeries (NYC's famed Magnolia Bakery has been serving whoopie cookies for the last couple of years) and cookbooks. The great thing about these humble little pies is that they are relatively easy to make, and call for ingredients that even the most reluctant baker would have on hand. I used the recipe from Martha's book which varies slightly from this recipe available online. The key differences: the book's version calls for buttermilk, white sugar and butter versus her online recipe of whole milk, a brown/white sugar combination and a butter/shortening combination. I'm sure you can't go wrong either way.

 
 
After mixing my ingredients, I was wondering..could this be? Easy as whoopie pie? Almost. The recipe calls for 1.5 tablespoons of batter for each cookie, but due to the runny, cake-like consistency of the batter, I could not keep the cookie sizes consistent. This resulted in crazy, whoopie pies of varying sizes and shapes, making sandwiching difficult. Sorry, Martha. I could just imagine her disapproving but composed smile. Cooking time is also essential, so don't even think about pulling the cookies out of the oven early, in hopes of a gooey version. The ends are meant to be firmly cooked and will fall apart if not cooked thoroughly.

With my golf ball-to-hockey puck sized cookies cooling in the background, I was ready to tackle the icing. Butter? Sugar? Peanut Butter? Hello heaven. After mixing up the icing and then licking the beaters like a crazed 7-year-old, I nearly keeled over in a sugar-induced coma. The icing is extremely rich. In a zombie-like state, I was able to ice and sandwich the cookies but could only bring myself to eat one of the completed pies. Traumatic life events aside, you only want to indulge in these whoopies if your diet starts next week.

image source: RW

-RW

cookie experiment: recipe two

"Sometimes me think what is love. And then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up last cookie for you."-Cookie Monster

   

For the second recipe in the great cookie experiment, I tried the simple but delightful sugar cookie cut-outs using this recipe. The possibilities are endless for fun shapes and colors which is why they are so popular for holidays and showers. There's just something whimsical and innocent about sugar cookies with colorful icing that it totally reminds me of being a little girl. So Pink Rickshaw sought the help of a little cookie monster named Bella for this baking project.The mission: to see if this recipe would get the mini-fashionista's thumbs-up. Would the cookies be kid tested, PR approved?

Some quick facts on our guest baker, she loves: cookies (obviously), painting her toy lamb's toenails and placing stickers on her extremities (who doesn't?) and flora and fauna (especially butterflies). So, naturally, we used these cookie cutters that were just the right amount of girly to celebrate the arrival of summer.

cookie experiment: recipe one

"Cookies are made of butter and love."-Norwegian proverb 



Three things I'm willing to put money on: the world will not end Saturday (sorry post-rapture looters), Schwarzenegger's baby momma will write a book and the cupcake trend is over. While we all love a good cupcake, it seems that its time in the spotlight is close to being done. A sweet adieu, old friend. I would say we would miss you, but the hundreds of gourmet cupcake shops will still be around for the occasional frosting-filled fix. So, what will fill the spot for dessert du jour? My vote is for the delightful, crumbly and very portable, cookie. Pink Rickshaw will pay homage to the cookie with the next food series: the great cookie experiment. The challenge: attempt five cookie recipes from the famed Martha Stewart's Cookies (Most of the recipes are also available on Martha's new app for the iPad and iPhone)

To start out simple, I used this recipe to make the delicious and crunchy Earl Grey Tea cookies. Earl Grey tea has that distinctive aroma of bergamot and when mixed with orange zest, it adds just the right amount of subtle citrus flavor to this cookie. My favorite part of the process was grinding the tea. After collecting the tea leaves from a few tea bags, you can grind them using a small food processor, but I thought it was more fun to go old-fashioned and use the mortar and pestle RW got me. I felt like an apothecary.



Martha classifies this as an icebox cookie, which makes it super easy to make it in two sessions: make dough one day and freeze and bake whenever you are ready. She also introduced me to the paper towel roll method which keeps your cookies nice and round in the freezer. Oh Martha, you're so brilliant. To be candid, I did have some trouble cutting the cookies as thin as the recipe suggested, but they still baked correctly.  The cookies also make a great gift or favor when packaged with tea bags.

image source: SD; book cover: amazon.com

-SD

oh my blog: bkfst

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast."-John Gunther

The motto in our household is if a weekday breakfast is purely about sustenance (read: frappuccino and half a granola bar), weekend breakfasts are all about leisurely indulgence. Since breakfast is often my favorite part of the weekend, what better way to celebrate the beloved meal than with a recipe and some web inspiration. 

 
Recipe: This weekend, suffering royal wedding withdrawal, I thought some scones and tea would keep the British feel going. I used this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa and substituted the cranberries for dried strawberries. I also could not get the drizzle quite right to look like Ina Garten's, but my version of the drizzle still gave it a syrupy glaze and a sprinkling of powdered sugar gave it just the right amount of sweetness.

Inspiration: While the excitement of the royal wedding may have inspired my scones, on a typical lazy weekend morning, getting motivated to make or even go out for a delightful breakfast can be tough (wouldn't in be so much easier to eat a pop tart and watch HGTV?) So, if I'm in a culinary slump, I turn to the beautiful photographs of Bkfst for instant motivation. The site features images of morning meals and is also a great collection to links to breakfast recipes all over the blogosphere. Even if you have no intention of cracking an egg, the site is worth a peek for the brilliant collection of gorgeous images of breakfasts that are small and large, complicated and simple and is just as appealing to your eyes as your stomach.

image source: scones: SD, bkfst.tumlr.com (thespinningplate.com, healthygreenkitchen.com, iartublogspot.com, foodobsessed.ca)

-SD

indian cusine: recipe five

"Chutney is marvelous. I'm mad about it. To me, it's very imperial."-Diana Vreeland

 

Recipe Five: Cranberry and Tomato Chutney
What is it? Sauce or relish
Source: SD's mom
For the final recipe in the Indian cuisine series, I thought I would share a easy and delightful family recipe from my mom. My mom like most Indian women who immigrated to the U.S. brought over many of the recipes their moms made in India. However, they found some of these recipes needed to be adjusted to use more readily available ingredients. This is a perfect example of a classic Indian dish that meets modern western conveniences: canned cranberries and packaged prunes. My mom's fusion relish is an absolute family favorite at Thanksgiving as an Indian version of cranberry sauce. But the quick and easy condiment can also be served year round for a sweet, tangy treat with a meal or this weekend with your Easter ham. Mom says keep it on hand and you'll be surprised how often you're using it.
Tidbits: Bengali style chutney is a staple for most Bengali and often Indian meals. At formal Bengali banquets, it is traditionally served along with fried puffed white-flour breads (loochis or puris) and pappadoms as the penultimate course (just before desert). My mom like most in the Western world tend to just serve it with the meal. A chutney is quite versatile. In addition to complementing Indian dishes, it makes a great dipping sauce (try it with chicken nuggets or any roasted meat) or in a sandwich as relish. The chutney should be stored in a cool place after cooking and then refrigerated after use. It should keep for seven days.

(click image to enlarge)

Cranberry and Tomato Chutney
Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 25 minutes; Serves 8

1 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seed
1/4 tsp. panch phoron (five spice mix)*
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 can (14 oz) cranberries (jellied or whole)
4 medium sized tomatoes, diced into small chunks
8 oz. prunes
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. sugar

*Panch Phoron which literally translates to five spices has some variations. My mom makes her version by combining equal parts nigella seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek and fennel seeds. Too much work? No problem. A similar ready made blend can often be purchased at Indian grocery stores or online.

indian cusine: recipe four

"Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried...." -Bubba Blue, Forest Gump

Recipe Four: Indian Inspired Shrimp with Coconut, Chiles and Tomato
What is it? Entree
Source: Emeril Lagasse (Emeril 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast and the Cooking Channel's Emeril Live)
Indian flavors seem to be the bee's knees in the culinary world (even Snapple just released a papaya mango iced tea "inspired by the exotic flavors and rich tea tradition of India.") The Food Network also boarded the curry train over the years with the network's popular chefs frequently featuring indian inspired items like Giada's Mango and Lime Lassi, Rachel's Indian Spiced Chickpea and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup and of course the latest addition to the line up, The Next Food Network Star winner's show Aarti Party. I thought for the second to last recipe in the series (yes, we're in the home stretch), we would turn to a celeb chef who not only dabbles with Indian spices but really knows his seafood. The obvious choice was: Bam! Emeril. This recipe first caught my eye when I saw it on a rerun of his show, Emeril Live and can also be found in his popular cookbook. What's interesting is since Emeril's specialty is New Orleans cuisine, this dish could almost pass for an Indian version of shrimp creole.
Tidbits: In India's coastal areas, seafood is an absolute favorite. No doubt due to the fresh selection but also the unique and delicious flavors that come from fish and shellfish when combined with traditional Indian spices. Sadly, many mainstream Indian restaurants typically ignore seafood, but a quick search for recipes will find you some delicious ones like Jamie Oliver's Southern Indian Crab Curry. Growing up in a Bengali family (West Bengal is a coastal state of India) shrimp curry is a favorite and staple for family dinners. However, traditional shrimp curry can be a tad advanced for novices so, Emeril's dish is a good fusion of Indian spices and shrimp, but is surprisingly light and easy.

Indian Inspired Shrimp with Coconut, Chiles and Tomato
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves 6

1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
4-6 green chiles, seeded and finely chopped
3 tbs. minced ginger
2 tbs. minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Set a 14 inch saute pan over medium heat. Add the ghee and toast the mustard seeds and cumin until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the onions, chiles, ginger and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Pour the diced tomatoes into the pan and cook until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Raise the heat to high, and add the coconut milk.
5. Cook the coconut milk until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
6. Season the shrimp with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Add the shrimp to the pan, stirring often, and cook until curled and pink, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the chopped cilantro and season with the remaining salt.
Serve the shrimp over steamed basmati rice.
Note: The top image is a slight variation found here.

image source: top image: stirring the pot, foodnetwork.com, amazon.com

-SD

indian cusine: recipe three

"Acorns were good until bread was found."-Francis Bacon

 

Recipe Three: Masala Bread (Indian Brushetta)
What is it? Appetizer
Source: This simple and delicious appetizer recipe comes from PR friend Amee from Rabbit Food Rocks. Her blog is all about vegetarian fare and as the tagline puts it "you won't miss the meat here.." and it's easy to see why. Filled with delicious recipes, veggie friendly restaurant reviews and guest posts from fellow vegetarian bloggers, it's a good resource to keep on your blog roll whether you're vegetarian, trying to go meatless in March or simply looking for recipes that lend to a more balanced diet. It can't go without being mentioned that PR's favorite part of RFR is the Amee humor that is occasionally infused in her posts. To illustrate said food meets humor, I'll provide a personal example. For a lovely shower present, Amee put together a super handy (and filled with colorful commentary) recipe book for me and lovingly entitled it: How To Feed a Guju Vegetarian Husband (and Others) With the Least Amount of Effort Possible. I'm begging her to publish it to help other poor souls like myself, but until that happens, we can all benefit from the culinary guidance Rabbit Food Rocks provides.
Tidbits:  This Indian inspired dish is a good stepping stone towards full on Indian cooking while still having the familiar feel of brushetta. However, Amee mentions that while a simple dish, the heating of the tomato mixture  makes it quintessentially Indian especially the timing. She says, "Step 6 is where this dish gets the Indian in Indian cooking. No measurements. No clocks. You cook this mixture on the skillet for an arbitrary period of time. This is what I do: a) pick a number b) add the number after it c) add 9 d) divide by 2 e) subtract the number you picked in the first place f) cook for this many minutes, then turn off the heat." Basically, cook until you see fit.  She also suggests, "For brushing oil on the bread, invest in a good cooking brush with natural or silicone bristles-an Oral B will not do." The dish can also be served as a different appetizer as salsa and a side dish. See notes below. The recipe requires a food processor or blender or as Amee says "really great teeth".

Masala Bread
Prep time: 10 min, Cook Time: 10 min; Serves 4

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small bunch cilantro
3 ripe Roma tomatoes
2 serrano peppers, stems removed
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. oil (olive, vegetable or canola)
1/2 loaf French bread, sliced 3/4 inches thick

1. Make one single cut across the stems of the cilantro bunch removing most of the thick stems. Discard the stems. Coarsely chop the rest of the bunch into thirds.
2. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. (Cut each tomato in half, lengthwise, and then cut each half into four or six pieces)
3. Remove the stems from the serrano peppers. Cut each serrano pepper in half, for a total of four pieces. (Approximately 1.5 serrano peppers is what is needed for this recipe to make it medium-hot spicy)
4. Put the garlic cloves in the food processor first and pulse until all of the cloves are chopped into tiny pieces and stuck to the walls of the food processor bowl. Scrape the sides down and all of the tomatoes, cilantro, half of the serrano peppers, turmeric and salt. Pulse again. The mixture should resemble a fine puree/salsa/soupy consistency. Taste with a small spoon and adjust heat by adding the rest of the serrano peppers, if desired.
5. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Gently add the puree. It should start to sizzle.
6. Cook for a few minutes. See tidbits for guidance.
7. Brush both sides of the bread slices with oil.
8. Using a grill pan or grill, grill both sides of the bread for three minutes on each side over medium-high heat. Let both sides of the bread get crispy.
9. Top each slice with tomato-cilantro mixture. Serve immediately while it's hot.

Notes: Steps 5 and 6 can be skipped for a cold version. However, Amee recommends, "by cooking the mixture in a little oil over the heat, you're allowing the flavors to you know, bump and grind." To prepare this as salsa, prepare until step 4, serve in a small bowl with Indian pappdum chips. For a side dish, instead of cutting the French bread loaf in slices, cut the entire length loafwise. Proceed with steps 1-6, then spread the mixture over one half of the loaf. Top with the other half of the loaf. Cover the loaf and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, slice and then serve on a platter for a garlic bread-like treat.

image source: amee shah

-SD

indian cusine: recipe two

"Without the curry, boiled rice can be very dull."-C. Northcote Parkinson

Recipe Two: Andhra Methi Chicken Curry
What is it? Entree
Source: This delightful recipe comes courtesy of Shefaly Ravula of Shef's Kitchen. Pink Rickshaw first talked to the Indian cuisine enthusiast and instructor in 2009. She continues to teach interesting Indian cuisine courses at the Austin's Whole Foods Market's Lamar Culinary Center and will begin teaching at programs Cooking Up English and The Happy Kitchen. For more of her delicious recipes, check out her blog or if you're in the Austin area, take a peek at her upcoming class schedule.
Tidbits: Why did the chicken cross the road? Probably to hurry into into this delicious curry. The dish originates from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and Shefaly adopted the family recipe from her mother-in-law, adding a few of her own variations. Straight from the Shef, "Yes, the recipe says it take an hour and a half. You can do it and it's worth it," she says. "Most of the cooking time is just patiently watching the onion miraculously transform into a thick fragrant gravy on the back burner. When combined with fenugreek, a herb not commonly used in the United States, this curry becomes a spectacular dish that is hardly ever found on U.S. Indian restaurant menus and that will become part of your Indian cooking repertoire. The curry can keep for a few days in the refrigerator and freezes beautifully." Shefaly recommends serving it with plain basmati rice, flavored rice or naan and yogurt for a simple meal.

Andhra Methi Chicken Curry (Fenugreek Chicken Curry)
Prep Time: 20 min, Cook Time: 1 hr, 30 min; Serves 5-6

2 tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. black cumin seeds (shah zeera) (optional)
2 medium onions (preferably white), finely diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup dried fenugreek leaves or 1/2 cup frozen or fresh fenugreek leaves
2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp. chili powder (can be substituted, see notes below)
2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. salt
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tsp. garam masala (see definition in notes)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large nonstick pot over medium heat.
2. Add the cumin seeds (if using) and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add the fenugreek and saute five minutes until fragrant.
4. Add onions to the pot, stirring well. Turn heat to low if onions are sticking to the bottom.
5. Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Make a paste out of ginger and the garlic; grate the ginger so you have a mound of about 2 tbs. and then grate the garlic cloves into the ginger; mix the two into a paste.
7. Add the ginger/garlic paste to the onions that are cooking and mash well. Cook five minutes while you gather the spices.
8. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt. Mix well. Cook covered on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. The onion/spice mixture will begin looking like a mushy paste.
9. Add chicken pieces. Stir until all is combined well.
10. Partially cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The juices from the meat will form a gravy with the onions over time. Uncover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Stir in garam masala and cook 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

Some notes from the Shef: Garam masala is a an aromatic blend of spices that you can purchase at most Indian grocery stores. Shefaly makes her garam masala at home and her blend is a combination of cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cloves, and black pepper. Store bought brands include aromatic spices with sweet notes such as nutmeg, mace, and allspice. These will make a more perfumed but equally delicious curry. Also, for the chili powder, Shefaly recommends Indian chili powder like Reshampatti (extra-hot). If extra hot is not your style, you can decrease the amount or substitute for Kashmiri chili powder for a vibrant color, but less heat.
Another great tip for this recipe is if you simply just do not have the time to do this recipe in one session, you can make the onion/spice mix up thorough step 8 and freeze the mixture. Then reheat it in a pot when you are ready to cook the chicken and begin with step 9. And finally but also important, Shefaly warns that whenever you cook with fenugreek (methi), your house will smell. She recommends lighting some candles and possibly a shower afterwards.

image source: shefaly ravula

-SD