Garam Masala गरम मसाला

 

Many Indian curries call for Garam Masala which basically means hot (garam) and mixture (masala). This recipe is a mild blend but great for the ever popular Murge Makhni (butter chicken). Measure out  approximate amounts of the following spices and grind together using a spice grinder or mortal and pestile.

35% Jeera (cumin seed)

35% Coriander seed

30% mixture of equal measure of the following:

 black cardamom

 green cardamom

 cloves

 cinnamon

 jivitry or mace

 black peppercorns

 nutmeg

 bay leaf

Once finely ground, sift and store into airtight jars.

I  met these beautiful ladies at the Tulsi Baug market in Pune and fondly refer to them as the Spice Girls. I had never seen whole tumeric root before and was pleasantly surprised by how aromatic these whole spices were compared to the bland packaged spices we get in Canada.

Rosemary Apple Bison Tart

When I was a kid, we always enjoyed my Mom's home cooking. Occasionally, however,  she would buy us frozen meat pies, a trashy treat to beat the winter blues. Recently inspired by the fading apples and rosemary on my windowsill, I devised this lovely meat pie filled with organic, free range bison.  

A note to my non-veg, Hindu friends, the bison used is not like that of Indian bison and is definitely NOT beef. Out of love and respect for a dear friend, the sacred cow has not touched my lips for nearly 5 years now.

To homemade pastry or tart shells fill with the following preparation:

In a pan fry 1 finely chopped yellow onion until lightly browned. Add 1 lb of ground, organic, free-range bison and fry until browned. Add 1 tsp of finely ground rosemary, salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Peel and thinly slice a tart apple. In a lightly oiled pan, braise the apple slices until tender. Set aside.

In the same pan, brown two whole onions sliced julienne style. Use very little oil or ghee and 1 tsp of demerara sugar to caramelize. Set aside.

Prepare 1 cup of grated asiago or crumbled feta cheese. In a shallow bowl, beat two free-range eggs. To this add the bison, half the caramelized onions, and a 1/2 of the cheese. Spoon into pastry shells and top with grape tomatoes, the braised apples, whole sprigs of rosemary and the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F until the pastry is lightly browned and cheese is melted. (Approx. 25-30 minutes) 


Serve hot with mixed greens. Enjoy. 


*Free-Range Bison was purchased from October Farms in Prince George, B.C.

Bejeweled Borscht

 

It's socks and sweater season. Snowfall paints a monochromatic palette outdoors, but inside; jeweled tones fill our bowls with seasonal favourites such as tangy borscht flavoured with fresh dill and cylinder beets. Served with fresh dahi (yogurt) and sourdough croutons, this hearty soup with Eastern European flair is not only a feast for the eyes....

Finely chop a fresh bunch of dill and divide into three parts. In a few tablespoons of oil, fry two chopped yellow onions until transparent. To this add 1/2 chopped red cabbage and fresh dill. Fry until tender.  Add one chopped green pepper and two large grated cylinder beets. Once tender add more fresh-cut dill, two tablespoons of salt and 5 cups of water. Let simmer until colours blend.  

My mother's Mennonite family also added to this some chopped Zuahrump, sorrel leaves that give the borscht its signature tang.  Because this leaf is hard to find, I add a 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in its stead. 

Simmer until all vegetables are tender and flavours are well blended. Add remaining dill as garnish with fresh dahi and sourdough croutons.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

The smell of dried leaves and pumpkin guts is in the air. It's time for squirrels to take stock of their cache and for soup lovers like myself to dust off the crock pot. It's soup season fellow foodies, and nothing warms the soul more on a chilly autumn day than a new pair of slippers and a hot bowl of squash soup. There are so many varieties of squash to choose from and in such plentitude. They're as thick as landmines in the fading garden but my all time favourite is the butternut squash. 

When my sister foodie, and fellow Capricorn at Plum Syrup challenged me to The Great Squash Cooking Competition of Fall 2010, I knew I could no longer hold off the promise to post my Curried Butternut Squash Soup. So here it is! And here's to you "M" for getting me in the game. 

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

First half and gut the squash and brush a little olive oil to keep it from drying out. Place both halves on a baking sheet in the oven and bake at 425 degrees until the flesh is tender. Approx. 30-40 minutes depending on size of the squash.

meanwhile...


In a pan add oil, one or two finely chopped onions and fry until lightly browned. Then add 1 tbsp of cumin seed, 1 red hot chili sliced lengthwise (unless you're lightweights then add only half) or 1 tbsp of chili powder and 1 tbsp of either fresh or prepared ginger garlic paste. Fry for a few minutes without burning the garlic. Add 1-2 tbsp of garam masala and enough water to keep the mixture moist. Stir until you can smell the aromas then add one can of lite coconut milk. Stir well. To this add the roasted butternut squash and use a hand blender to mix until smooth. Simmer on low, add salt to taste and garnish with fresh cut coriander leaf (cilantro). I have also added cooked masoor dal (red lentils) for added texture and protein. Serve with fresh hot rotis or naan and a dollop or curd or yogurt.

Artichoke Rice Cakes

I recently attended the birthday party for my Spanish friend who challenged us to a Tapas contest. Clever way to get the best of the best and a lovely idea indeed. Many of the carefully prepared delights however, did not make it to judging time as they were snapped up as quickly as they arrived. 

My personal favourite were the Artichoke Rice Cakes that my friend Margo brought. They held the texture and consistency of a potatoe patty, but with the rich flavour of artichokes. Although she cannot take credit for the recipe, she certainly deserves kudos for their preparation. I highly recommend you try it.  http://www.spain-recipes.com/artichoke-rice-cakes-manchego.html

Bocconcini Delights

Do you love bocconcini salad? Are you still dreaming up ways to enjoy the freshness of those heirloom tomatoes?  This is an adaptation of a recipe that I found in a fabulous book called 320 Italian Recipes. 

Simply cut one baguette into half-inch angled wedges, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with dried basil and toast until lightly browned. 

Then using 6 inch bamboo skewers, thread toasts, a fresh basil leaf, heirloom cherry or grape tomatoes, and teardrop bocconcini. 

Bake until tomatoes are plump but do not let the bocconcini melt completely. Remove and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar reduction.

If you are a little hungrier then try this fresh and yummy variation fashioned by my daughter Larkin. A perfect dish for lunch in the garden.

Bocconcini Pasta Salad

Cut together fresh cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, bocconcini, fresh basil, basil flavoured olive oil and a pinch of salt. Serve on your favourite pasta and drizzle with balsamic reduction glaze.

Tandoori Salmon

I am constantly thinking of new ways to fuse Indian with Western dishes. On my last trip to Mumbai I ate Tandoori Pomfret for the first time. Who would believe that such masalas would compliment fish so nicely. On a recent trip to the Bulkley Valley in northern B.C., my family rained the riches of some freshly caught river salmon on me and so the East met West with this delicious new experiment.

Tandoori Salmon

2 cups of fresh salmon chunks

Marinade in 1 cup of fresh dahi or yogurt

1/2 bunch of chopped fresh coriander leaf ( cilantro )

2 heaping tbsp of tandoori masala

mix well and refrigerate 

dice one whole yellow onion

fry in 2 tablespoons of ghee or clarified butter on medium heat until lightly browned

add fish chunks and marinade

stir and simmer covered over medium heat until half cooked (approx 7 minutes)

remove lid and cook for 5 more minutes, allowing the marinade reduce to a thick gravy

Serve with Jeera Rice and Beet Green Saag (see offerings page for recipes)