Chana Masala चना मसाला (Chickpeas Curry)

Chana Masala चना मसाला (Chickpeas Curry)

Ingredients:

2 cups Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans

1 tsp Cumin seeds

a pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)

1 tbsp Gram Flour (Besan)

1 cup Tomato Puree

1 tsp Chilli Powder

2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 cup filtered Water

2 tbsp Olive Oil

a dash of Salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and soak the chickpeas/garbanzo beans overnight and pressure cook it with salt (or boil  in water with salt for 30 minutes on high, or until soft but not mushy.) Drain excess water; set aside.

In a heated pan with olive oil, crack the cumin seeds and add asafoetida.

Add-in the garam flour, and stir fry for a minute.

Pour-in the tomato puree; stir and cook until the oil seperates.

Add-in the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Sauté for a minute.

Pour-in water, and season with salt to your liking.

Add-in the cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans, and cook on low for about 15 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened.

Add-in garam masala, and stir for for a minute more before turning off heat.

Serve hot/warm in a bowl with chapatti, naan, paratha, kulcha, poori, or basmati rice.

Happy Cooking!

Green Tea Madeleines

Green Tea Madeleines

Ingredients:

1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted Butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup All-purpose Flour, sifted

a pinch of Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tbsp Green Tea Powder (Matcha)

1 large fresh Egg (at room temperature)

1/2 tbsp Low-fat Milk (at room temperature)

1 tbsp Sugar Powder, for dusting *optional

1 tbsp unsalted, melted (for coating the pans)

1 tbsp All-purpose Flour (for dusting the pans)

Tool:

Shell-shaped Madeleine Pans

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, add-in the flour, baking powder, sugar, a pinch of salt, and green tea powder. Mix with a wire whisk to combine. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the egg (room temperature) and milk; whisk until frothy.

(*Room temperature eggs expand in volume when beaten.)




Add the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until combined with a rubber spatula.




Then add the cooled melted butter, and mix until combined. Do not over-mix!

Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

(*Resting the batter in the fridge makes all the difference, so don't skip this step. It helps to create the madeleine bump to form.)

 


Preheat the oven to 190°C.

Brush a generous amount of melted butter with a pastry brush in the molds of the madeleine pans; and lightly dust flour over the molds with a fine mesh strainer.

Pull the bowl of batter out from the fridge, and fill each mold in the madeleine pan with a spoonful of 
batter. *Do not overfill; no need to smooth them out in the molds, as they will just melt when baking.


Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the madeleines’ edges turns slightly golden, and the tops spring back when touched.

Remove the madeleine pans from the oven, and let cool for 3 minutes.

Gently remove the madeleines from the molds with a fork, and place them onto a rack to cool.

Dust the tops with powdered sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Happy Baking!!

Note:

Madeleines are great paired with tea or coffee.

Mini GaraeTteok TteokGalbi 미니 가래떡 떡갈비 (Mini Rice Cakes wrapped in Beef Patty)

Mini GaraeTteok TteokGalbi 미니 가래떡 떡갈비 (Mini Rice Cakes wrapped in Beef Patty)

Ingredients:

200 g Ground Beef

15 pcs Tteokbokki Rice Cakes (Mini GaraeTteok)

Beef Patty Seasoning Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsp Soy Sauce

1/4 tsp Asian Sesame Oil

2/3 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tbsp Onion, minced

1 small Garlic Clove, minced

2 pinches Roasted Sesame Seeds

a pinch of Black Pepper

Instructions:

Wash the rice cakes with a clean, cold running water.

Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add-in the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, and black pepper. Mix well.

Then add-in the ground beef, mix well with your clean hands.

Wrap each rice cakes with the beef mixture (about 1 1/2 tbsp).

In a heated pan with a little oil, fry the mini beef patty-wrapped rice cakes until nicely brown.

Serve warm.

Happy Cooking!!

Note:

This recipe is best paired with Kimchi (cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, cucumber kimchi) or any other pickled vegetables.

Mango Float

Mango Float

Ingredients:

2 large frozen Sweet Mangoes or fresh Ripe Mangoes, sliced

1 (250 ml) Whip Cream, chilled

1 (250 ml) Condensed Milk

1 box Graham Crackers

2/3 cup Graham Crumbs

Frozen Mango Meat, Graham Crackers, Graham Crumbs, Condensed Milk, Whip Cream,
Canned Peaches *substitute for mangoes (You can also use canned peaches for this recipe.)

Instructions:

Prepare the milk-cream mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine the condensed milk and whip cream. Mix well.

Assemble the mango float.

Arrange the graham crackers in a rectangular or square glass dish.

Arrange the mango slices on top.

Top with the milk-cream mixture, spreading evenly.

Repeat the process (steps 1~3) to make 2 or 3 layers, ending with the milk-cream mixture.

Top with graham crumbs, and garnish with mango slices.

Cover, and place in the fridge to chill overnight before serving. Enjoy!!

Note:

You can also use canned peaches, fruit cocktail, or strawberries, instead of mangoes.

You may also whip the chilled cream to help the filling set faster and make it more stable; This can be done using an electric mixer or with a wire whisk, with the bowl of chilled cream placed over a bowl of ice.

Gyōza 餃子 (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyōza 餃子 (Japanese Potstickers)

Ingredients:

for the Gyōza:

100 g Green Cabbage

300 g ground Pork

a dash of Salt and Black pepper (to season the pork)

1 bunch Garlic Chives

2 cloves Garlic, peeled

.5" pc of fresh Ginger, peeled

2 tbsp roasted Asian Sesame Oil

2 tsp Soy Sauce (Shoyu)

2 tsp White Sugar

1 tsp Salt

a pinch ground Black Pepper

2 tbsp Katakuriko (Potato Starch)

50 (round) Gyōza Skins

Katakuriko Mixture (2 tbsp Water + 1 teaspoon katakuriko), for sealing the gyōza

Vegetable oil

roasted Sesame Oil

for the Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

a few drops of Rayu (Chili Oil)

Instructions:

Prepare the filling.

Heat a medium saucepan with water; bring it to boil over high heat.

Add-in the cabbage, and simmer until softened, about 3 minutes.

Then cool the cabbage under cold running water, and finely chop.

Squeeze out any excesses water from the chopped cabbage with your clean hands. Set aside.

Finely chop the garlic chives, and squeeze out any excess water with your clean hands. Set aside.

Grate the garlic and ginger. (*This process releases the ginger and garlic aroma, flavor, and heat.)

In a large mixing bowl, add-in the pork; season with salt and black pepper.

With your clean hands, mix the pork for about 1 or 2 minutes, until it becomes sticky. (*This will help the pork bind with the other ingredients.)

Add-in the cabbage, garlic chives, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper, and katakuriko to the seasoned pork.

With your clean hands, mix well to combine, for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture becomes sticky.

Assemble the gyōza.

Fill the gyōza skins (*flour side of the skin on the outside of the gyōza) with the filling in the center, about a spoonful.

Wet your fingertips with the katakuriko mixture, and draw a quick half-circle ring inside the edge of the gyōza wrapper; and pinch them close to seal.

(*Cover the unused wrappers with a clean kitchen towel to keep them from drying.)

Make the dipping sauce.

In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce and a few drops of rayu. Mix well. Set aside.

Cook the gyōza.

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it's smoking hot. Pour-in a little vegetable oil, and use a wadded up paper towel or brush to spread it around the skillet.

Cook the gyōza in batches. Add them in rows (which will make it easier to remove once they're ready), and fill the skillet with water until they are covered about half-way.

Cover the skillet with the lid, and lower the heat to medium. (Open once in a while to let the steam escape.)

Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the water evaporates. Then drizzle sesame oil over the gyōza. Cover again, and cook for about 1 minute more, until the oil is absorbed. (The bottom of the gyōza should be a little crispy.)

Remove them from the skillet, lifting them up in a row with a thin, long spatula.

Place the gyōza onto a rectangular serving plate, and serve steaming hot with dipping sauce.

Happy Eating!!

Note:

Uncooked gyōza can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container or a plastic zipper bag. Just defrost them anytime, and cook them as you would normally.

GamjaTang 감자탕 (Korean Pork Bone & Potato Soup)

GamjaTang 감자탕 (Korean Pork Bone & Potato Soup)

Ingredients:

1.5 kg Pork Bones

3 medium Potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 bunch Radish Tops (Siraegi), cut in 5 cm length

2 bunches Perilla Leaves, washed and halved

1 stalk (10cm) Leek, sliced diagonally

4 tbsp ground Perilla Seeds (Deulkaetkaru)

Sauce:

4 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (Gochukaru)

2 tbsp Red Pepper Paste (Gochujang)

2 tbsp Fermented Bean Paste (Doenjang)

2 tbsp Shrimp Paste, minced (SaewooJeot)

2 tbsp Cheongju (Korean Rice Wine)

1 1/2 tbsp Soy Sauce (Jin Ganjang)

2 tbsp Garlic, minced

1/8 tsp ground Black Pepper

Pork Bone Stock:

3~4 liters Water

1/2 cup Soju

1 medium Yellow Onion, halved

1 stalk (10cm) Leek

1/2 thumb Ginger, peeled

Ingredients for making this GamjaTang recipe...

Instructions:

In a large bowl with clean, cold water, add-in the pork bones; let soak 1.5 hours to remove blood. (Change the water every 30 minutes if it becomes too bloody.)

Heat a large pot with water (just enough to cover the pork bones), bring to a boil. Add-in the pork bones, and boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the pork bones, and discard the water. Clean the pork bones with cold running water to remove any impurities. Set aside.

Prepare the sauce.

In a small bowl, add-in all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix well.

Mix half the sauce with the radish tops and potatoes. Set aside to marinate.

Reserve the other half of the sauce for later.

Prepare the pork bone stock.

In the same large pot, add-in the pork bones,  and pour-in 3~4 liters water.

then add-in the soju, onion, leek, and ginger.

Bring to a boil on high; once boiling, turn heat to medium. Boil for 1.5 hours, uncovered.

After an hour and a half of boiling the stock, remove the vegetables (onion, leek, and ginger) from the pot, and discard. (The pork bones should be soft by this time.)

Add-in the potatoes and radish tops, and cook with the pork bones for 10 more minutes, or until the potatoes are almost done.

Add-in the leek, perilla leaves, ground perilla seeds, and the remaining sauce (Do not add-in all the sauce, just do so according to your taste.) Boil for 3~5 more minutes, until the potatoes are done, but not mushy; and the pork bones are completely cooked and very soft.

Turn off heat. Serve hot with steamed rice, and Enjoy!!

Happy Cooking!!

Fudge Walnut Brownie

Fudge Walnut Brownie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup All-purpose Flour

1 cup granulated White Sugar

3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa

1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

2 cup Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks, divided

1/3 cup Low-fat Milk

1/3 cup Butter, melted

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 large Eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup Walnuts, chooped and divided
Cooking Spray

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Lightly grease a 9" brownie baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup of chocolate chunks with milk; microwave for 1 minute on high, stirring every after 30 seconds interval.

Stir in butter, vanilla, and eggs.

Add milk mixture, 1/2 cup chocolate chunks, and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts into the flour mixture; stir to combine.

Pour the batter into the greased baking pan, and prinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out with moist crumbs clinging.

Remove from the oven, and place pan onto a wire rack to cool down a bit. Cut into squares and place on a plate before serving.

Happy Baking!!

Ginger-Glazed Salmon

Ginger-Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

700 g salmon, thawed and cut into portions

1 tsp Ginger, grated

1 Garlic Clove, grated

1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp Tamari or Fish Sauce

a dash of ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions: 

Preheat oven at 175°C.

Lightly oil a rimmed baking tray lined with foil.
Place the pieces of salmon onto the pan.

In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic,dijon mustard, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and tamari; season with black pepper. Mix well.
Glaze each piece of salmon with the mixture using a pastry brush.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until it just barely starts to flake. (Be careful not to overcook or the salmon will be dry!)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool down a bit before serving. Serve with spinach side dish (optional). Enjoy!!

Happy Eating!!

Banana Raisin Cake

Banana Raisin Cake

Ingredients:

2 large fully ripe Bananas, mashed
1/3 cup Raisins

1 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour, sifted

1 cup White Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda

2 large Eggs, well-beaten

1/2 cup Canola Oil

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions:
In a small bowl, Combine the eggs, vanilla, and raisins. Cover, and let stand for 30~60 minutes.

In a medium bowl, add-in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda; mix them thoroughly until evenly distributed.

Add-in the canola oil, mashed bananas, and the egg mixture with raisins. Then mix well until a smooth batter is obtained.

Preheat oven at 175°C, 

Grease the loaf pan and pour-in the batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45~50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool down for a few minutes.

Transfer the banana cake on a serving plate. Enjoy.

Happy Eating!!

Note:
This cake may be put inside the fridge to cool, or serve immediately.
Soaking the raisins in the egg-vanilla mixture makes the difference, so never skip this step!