Modak ( Steamed, Coconut Dhal Dumplings)

Divali is nearly upon us and my mind is already on the food, especially sweets. This one is a sweet, steamed, rice dumpling from the South of India. Modaks are usually made for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in honour of Lord Ganesh. While not a Divali sweet per say, it was just too tempting to pass up.

Traditionally modaks are filled with with coconut, jaggery (unrefined brown sugar) and spices. However modern versions use a staggering variety of fillings. I have come across everything from mango modaks, to ones filled with raspberry coulis. There are even chocolate modaks. I love that it is a dessert which can be customized to just about everyone's taste.

For my first go at it, I decided to start with a more traditional version. Most people use modak molds to obtain a pretty fluted shape. It is possible to form the pleats by hand. if you are so skilled. Clearly I am not. I gave it the old college try but people I have a day job that I won't be quitting anytime soon. 

The lady in this video gives a good explanation of the pleating process at about 3.33 mins into the video.

The little red dots on top of my modaks are not traditional but if I were making these with different fillings, then different coloured dots would be an easy way to remember the stuffing of each dumpling. Plus it makes my sad looking, little, dumpling balls look just that more festive - or so I tell myself. A small amount of self delusion is quite healthy, isn't it? 

The reality is that working with any kind of dough takes practice as you need to develop a feel for it. Clearly, I need more practice to get a smoother dough. Luckily, these little dumplings are such a treat that making them over, and over, and over again, in order to perfect my technique will not be a hardship.

Modak (Coconut Dhal Dumplings )
Makes 24 modaks

For the dumpling
2 cups rice flour *
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp white sugar
1/8 tsp salt

For the Filling
1 cup dried yellow split peas
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger


Method

Filling
1. Cook split peas in pressure cooker with 3 cups of water. Bring pressure to high then cook for 10 mins

2. Mash peas with a wooden spoon. Mix in the grated coconut  and set aside.

3. In a saucepan dissolve one cup of sugar with half cup of sugar and cook for a few minutes until you have a thin syrup.

Add the syrup to the peas and coconut mixture. To this add salt, cardamon, and ginger.

4. Return to the stove over a medium high heat. Cook for a few minutes tirring constantly until mixture has thickened, is no longer watery and can be shaped into small balls.

Dumpling

Place rice in a mixing bowl. In a saucepan, bring to a boil  2 1/2 cups water, sugar  salt, and oil.  Slowing pour over rice flour while mixing with a wooden spoon to form a soft dough.

Grease your hands and have a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands if needed to help maintain a good dough consistency. Make lemon sized balls and flatten to make a small cup place the coconut/dhal filling in the cup. Wrap and seal dough around the filling. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth while you shape the other modaks. Steam in a steamer for 10 - 12 minutes


Cooks Notes
*I could not find rice flour so I used a plain white gluten free flour blend that had rice flour listed as one of its ingredients.

The Regular Show - Mac and Minced Beef

Today I thought that I should bring you a dish that makes a regular appearance in my home, usually at the end of every month and just before payday. Its takes no time at all to prepare and uses inexpensive ingredients.

People seem to think that because I have a food blog I cook gourmet meals at every turn.

Seriously no, eh!

My husband is sworn to secrecy about just how often we call for takeout around here.

No folks, I am not running home after work to whip up burgundy lamb shanks, with grilled polenta and a hearts of palm salad, because really you'd have to be crazy to try to get a cranky toddler to eat THAT at the end of a long day after a late swim lesson.

My kids are troupers and will eat all manners of things that other children their age would not touch. Still they do have their limits and pizza rules over okonomiyaki any day. I enjoy leading them to discover as wide a variety of foods that I possible can but my budget and time doesn't allow for fancy dishes all the time. On weekends I might experiment with something new but during the week it's the regular show. starring a rotating line up of budget-minded, unfussy meals.

Actually I am happiest when preparing meals that don't require a whole lot of thought and are sympathetic to dwindling pantry supplies. This dish fits that bill and is versatile. You don't have canned diced tomatoes? Then use tomato paste and ketchup or tomato soup and omit the tomatoes.   Hello left over spaghetti sauce languishing in in the fridge, you would be perfect for this! My  favorite substitution is a bottle of salsa which gives the meal a pleasant zing. Feel free to include any other add-ins like corn, celery, and sweet peppers if you have them.

Mac and Minced Beef

Ingredients
1 package of elbow macaroni ( 4 servings size)
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion
1 lb ground beef
1 large carrot
* I like the slight crunchy texture of the fresh carrot in this
1 8oz can peas and carrots
1/2 cup ketchup

1 14.5 oz can Hunts Rosemary and Oregano diced tomatoes
1/3 cup water

1 teaspoons salt
black pepper to taste

METHOD
In a large pot cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions. drain and set aside.

Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Add a little water if meat starts to stick to the pot.

When the meat is no longer pink add the carrots, peas and carrots, ketchup, diced tomatoes, and 1/3 cup water. Cook the mixture for about 10 mins on medium high heat. Mixture should look like a soupy stew. Add more water if needed. Enough to coat the pasta but not too watery to make it soggy. Remove from the heat and mix the pasta into the beef.

Ginger Chicken and Noodle Stir Fry.

Just popping in with this stir fry that comes with a huge disclaimer since it is one of those meals that I do on the fly. I don't measure anything, just chop some vegetables, make a sauce, boil noodles. Stir fries are not something I make often because of all the prep involved with chopping the vegetables. I hate soggy, next day, veggies.  I just make sufficient so that it is all consumed in one sitting with no leftovers. This is not so much a recipe but more of a suggestion or rough guide. I can't guarantee the precision of the amounts as I usually just eyeball the ingredients on this one. The sauce is basically a sweet/sour sauce so taste as you make it and adjust to your preference.

Ginger Chicken and Noodle Stir Fry
Servings (4-5) 
3 teaspoons vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons cornflour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts 
6 ounces baby corn ( halved length ways
3 carrots (julienned)
2 red bell peppers
1 or two small zucchini (julienned)
chow mien noodles
6 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions
Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

For the sauce: Mix vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, orange juice and honey together. Add the cornflour and stir until well combined. 

Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan or wok and fry chicken for 3-4 minutes. The chicken will stick to the pan if you do not use a non stick for this.

Add the vegetables and stir fry for 4-5 mins.

Add the sauce and cook for a few minutes. 

Remove frying pan from the heat. Add the noddles to the chicken and vegetables along with the sesame seeds. Mix well and serve.

There is an apple dumpling for that!

This recipe comes from my friend Debbie who shared it with me about a year ago. I am kicking myself right now for not having dropped everything and making it immediately. Learn from my mistake people. 

LEARN!

Seriously STOP reading the rest of this post. Just skip to the recipe at the end (I won't mind),  and go make this. 

Fair warning: this is the least pretty dessert you are ever likely to see. 

Not to worry, the aroma alone will have you shoveling this into your mouth too quickly for you to even want to stop and appreciate with your eyes. 

I learned some things from making it so many times in the past month.

What!!!  I was doing 'research'.....See, this is me trying and failing to make it look glam.

Luckily I learned that my stomach doesn't care for pretty pictures, nor does my face apparently since I stuck it in these dumplings almost before they came out of the oven. 

I learned that my tongue can curse a blue streak when food that is one degree less the surface of the sun is placed on it. 

There are days that just suck and on those days I learned that apple dumplings have superpowers. 

It's true. 

We all know that that no matter how well you plan for life, no matter how many random acts of kindness or how much positive energy you fling out into the Universe, none of it is any guarantee that good karmic vibes will boomerang its way back to you.  

The truth of it is, random shit happens to good people resulting in days when the letter L in your good luck turns into a gigantic letter F. 

Are you getting that its been a somewhat trying week for me?

Everyone has bad days. I am sure you have them too. Isn't it good then to know that there is an apple dumpling - preferably an apple dumpling topped with a huge scoop of dulce de leche ice-cream - for days like that? 

For those I-just-can't-deal-with-that-right-now-moments, what matters is that I've got my favourite song on continuous loop ....this

and friends who pass along recipes like this:-) 

Apple Dumplings
Makes 16 dumplings

Ingredients

3 Granny smith Apples ( peeled cored and sliced into about 8 pieces)
3 Gala apples (peeled cored and sliced)

2 (10oz cans) refrigerated crescent roll dough OR
shortcut pastry dough for two 9" inch pies  OR

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup water
1  12 fl oz  can Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters ( or Mountain Dew)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two  9 X 13 inch baking dish

Peel, core and slice apples and set aside. 

Roll pastry dough into a large rectangle and cut into 16 squares.

Place 2 or 3 apple pieces (1 gala and 1) granny smith in each square  Fold and pinch edges to seal.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the nutmeg, sugar, water and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Angostora Lemon, Lime bitters over the dumplings.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Like I said I have been experimenting with this recipe. This is not the exact recipe that was given to me by my friend but somehow I'll always think of it as her recipe.

  

Fanatic Kitchen is Kitchen Fantastic!

Fanatic Kitchen is a kitchen studio in Trinidad where one can have an elegant dining experience with friends while being pampered by a personal chef.

You have the option to cook right along with the chef who will guide you and give handy tips or you simply chat and sip your wine while your meal is prepared.

Our chef for the evening was the enigmatic Jason Peru who was assisted by Ridge Juman.

I think they were both a little surprised to find themselves under the intense scrutiny of a photography group. However both gentlemen handled the pressure of having cameras thrust in their faces and their food  like seasoned professionals.

Of the entire meal, I think it was the appetizer which made the biggest impression with everyone who attended.  When chef Peru described this quiche dish topped with banana rum chutney, I am fairly certain that I was not the only one wondering if he'd been hitting the bottle of rum before our arrival. The flavour combination did not sound very appetizing.

Gamely we all  smiled and nodded politely.  One guy muttered sotto voce that he hated raisins.  Another person shared that she disliked bananas. Out of earshot of the chef we all expressed our doubts. Popular opinion was that banana chutney, which is essentially a sweet jam-like preserve had no business being served over savoury eggs and cheese. Gah!

Two helpings later, (thanks Ridge for sneaking me that second helping :-) Oh my damn! Eggs and jam are da bomb! Raisin hatin' guy now loves raisins. The person who expressed reservations about bananas is converted and we all want the recipe.

Chef inspired meals are not something that appear on my table at home, ever. In truth such displays of haute cuisine are out of place on my homework, keys, and various newspaper ridden dining table. When I cook the television is on - its loud. The kids are on - they are louder. My goal at meal time is usually to get everything squared away as quickly as possible.

There is fine dining and then there is my life; a place where there is no sous chef to make pastry dough from scratch or to roll out and fill individual tartlettes for the sake of gorgeous presentation. By the way, I call dibs on that one, there!

This is the chef version paired with an equally to die for cherry tomato salad with a honey balsamic and basil oil dressing.

I loved this little appetizer so much, I was curious to see if I could adapt it and make it a somewhat more home cook friendly. I mean pie crust from scratch is sublime but labour intensive.

Hello! No sous chef in my kitchen. Believe me I have looked. What I have is folks who appear  for the serving and the eating only to disappear just as suddenly for the clean up.

Here is my much humbler version of Chef Peru's dish  which  I promise it's no less delicious.

Caramelized Onion and Sundried Tomato Quiche
adapted from Chef Jason Peru

 1 Frozen 9" pie crust

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion (julienned)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tbs fresh thyme
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 cup canned corn kernels
1/2 tsp salt (or salt to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (chunks)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs

In a medium frying pan, on medium high heat saute onions until they cramelize. (About 5 mins) Towards the end of the caramelization process add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the thyme, sun dried tomatoes and corn. Remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella chunks and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together eggs and heavy cream. Season with salt and black pepper.

Remove dough from the fridge and roll out into a pie dish. Spread the corn, tomato onion filling across the bottom of the pie. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over it. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and put in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Banana Rum Chutney
Chef Jason Peru

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tbsp diced ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups diced bananas
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp rum

Bring vinegar, sugar, juice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, nutmeg to a boil.. Add ginger, bananas, raisins and rum simmer for 10 minutes at low heat. Add salt and cayenne pepper.

Slice quiche and serve with a dollop of Banana Rum Chutney on top. Serve with a salad.

Finally I must make mention of photographers Antony Scully, Jason Khan and Sarita Rampersard who all graciously consented to having their photos posted here. A world of thanks you guys! Without your gorgeous photos this post would have been a lot less interesting..