DAL PAKWAN & SEERO

This is a popular Sindhi breakfast dish. Cooked chana dal with spice powders tadka is served with crispy fried maida pakwans. Usually Seero is also prepared along with this. Mostly everyone prepares this on a Sunday morning so that the whole family can relish this special breakfast/brunch together.

Dal

Ingredients:

Chana dal ... 2 cups

Green chillies .. 2 (chopped)

Salt ................ to taste

Turmeric powder .... 1/2 tsp.

For tempering:

Amchoor powder .. 1 tsp.

Coriander powder ... 1 tsp.

Cumin powder ......... 1 tsp.

Red chilli powder ... 1 tsp.

Garam masala ........ 1/2 tsp.

Oil ...... 2-3 tbsps.

Method:

1. Wash and soak dal for at least 2-3 hours. Cook it adding enough water, green chillies, salt and turmeric. Dal should remain whole and not over cooked. Just stir with the spoon to mash it a little. ( You may pressure cook it also but take care not to over cook it )

2. Sprinkle all the tempering spice powders mentioned above and pour hot oil over them just before serving.

Pakwans

Ingredients:

Maida ..... 2-3 cups

Salt ........ to taste

Oil ........ 2 tbsps. to mix with the flour

Caraway/kummel seeds .. 1 tbsp

Water ......... to knead the dough

Oil to fry the pakwans.

Method:

1. Mix the salt, oil and caraway seeds with the flour. Knead into a soft dough adding enough water. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a kadai to fry the pakwans.

3. Roll out thin rotis. Prick with the fork or knife all over the roti so that it does not puff up while frying. It has to be flat and crisp like papdi. Let them cool. Store in an air-tight container.

(Tip: always fry 2 pakwans together in a kadai one on top of the other, turning each one from time to time. This way they will not puff up. You can store them for a few days and use the left over pakwans to make Bhel or Papdi Chat)

Seero:

Click HERE to see the Seero recipe.

BREAD & EGG PANCAKES

Ingredients:
Bread slices: 4
Eggs: 2
Onions: finely sliced
Green chillies: 2 finely chopped ( or ) Red Chilli powder 1/4 tsp.
Coriander leaves: 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ajinomoto: a pinch











1. Soak the bread slices in water and mash them well or put them in a mixer to make fine crumbs.
2. Mix all the above ingredients well into a thick batter.
3. Heat a griddle, spread the batter carefully to make a pancake about 1.2 cm thick. Bake two sides using oil until the pancake is cooked well.
















Serve hot with Chilli-Garlic Sauce.

SEYALA MAANI (Sindhi)

This is a Sindhi breakfast dish, usually made from left over rotis.

Ingredients:
Rotis ....... 6-7 (you may use the left over rotis)
Coriander Leaves.....1 cup
Mint leaves .............. 1/2 cup
Green Chillies............2-3
Onions........................1 chopped
Tomatoes...................1 chopped
Garlic..........................7 to 8 cloves
Ginger .......................1 inch piece
Salt..............................to taste
Red Chilli Powder.....1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder.....3/4 tsp
Coriander Powder....1 to 2 tsp

Garam masala ........ 1/2 tsp (optional)

Oil ................... 2-3 tbsp.

Method:

1.Grind coriander leaves, mint leaves, onion, tomato, green chillies, ginger and garlic. ( Grind coarsely)

2. In a pan pour the oil and saute the green masala for a few minutes.

3. Add the dry masalas and salt and mix well. Pour 2 cups water and let it boil.( If using left over rotis then add a little more water)

4. Break the rotis into small pieces and stir into the masala. Check the salt and let it cook on low flame until the rotis are cooked.

5. Sprinkle garam masala on top and pour a little hot oil on it.

Serve immediately.

For variation you can also make chapati rolls using this masala.

(Will add the recipe soon.)

FRENCH TOAST FUSION (Pav Bhaji Flavour)

Ingredients:
Eggs ......... 2
Bread slices .. 2
Carrot .......... 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Capsicum .... 1 tbsp. (finely chopped)
Onion ......... 1 tbsp. (finely chopped)
Green chilli ... 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato ......... 1/2 (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves ...1 tbsp.(finely chopped)
(All the vegetables have to be very finely chopped..I have used a chopper.)
Pav bhaji masala ... 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp.
Salt .................... to taste
Oil

Method:

1. Take all the chopped vegetables in a bowl.

2. Add the eggs, pav bhaji masala, chilli powder and salt. Mix it well.

3. Heat oil on a griddle, dip the slices and fry them. Spoon a little egg mixture on the slices while frying.
4. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Things That Make Me Smile

Old movies. We watched Lillies of the Field the other night. What a wonderful movie!

Cup of Nitinha III

cup of Nitinha III, a photo by good mood factory on Flickr.

Cup featuring my illustration with Nitinha


Friday with an illustration.


A ilustração da semana.

Soft Tacos with Grilled "Flap" Steak

Well, look what came home with me from my latest foray to the Williams-Sonoma class the other weekend.  The Cook and the Butcher cookbook somehow followed me home and flipped open to a delicious looking "flap steak" recipe and voila...Sunday dinner!

This cookbook is written by Brigit Binns for Williams-Sonoma. What I like about it is that each chapter is designed to educate novice chefs like me from the perspective of butchers.   I haven't devoured it from cover to cover yet.  To be honest, I am a little intimidated.  I get really confused by all of the names of beef as well as the varieties of cooking methods.  I can tell, though, that this book is going to sort it all out.

Patrick and I were in Dallas a few weekends ago.  We went to meet his brother's fiance.  She is from Mexico and made us the most delicious, authentic breakfast soft tacos.  I thought I would just eat one  and ended up eating three (piggish...I know.  Thats why we are food bloggers).

Well, the next William-Sonoma class  was covering meats and grilling.  How timely because I wanted to duplicate the delicious flavors of the beef we had in Dallas.  The smell in the store drove everyone beserk it was so aromatic.  Our adorable chef, Jill, caramelized onions for us to sample alongside the meats she cooked.  I especially liked the ease and flavor of skirt  steak.  Whole Foods was out of skirt steak and the butcher said "flap" steak would work just as well.  

I am now getting acquainted with my butcher at Whole Foods.  Isn't that great?  You know how you always hear "Just ask your butcher this question...or that question".  Ha!  I couldn't even imagine a grocery store butcher taking time with me.  However, I have started talking with the people at Whole Foods in the meat as well as seafood department and they are so wonderful!  Really!

In addition to this hefty new grilling cookbook making its way home with me, I also bought what I consider to be the best cooking purchase ever!  I picked up the new All-Clad "instant read thermometer".   This is a great tool for grilling meats.  We used it on the leg of lamb the other day and it worked beautifully.  The fear of over-cooking or under cooking meat has often made me pass on trying out a recipe.  

In fact, M. has been down with a cold for a few days now.  I considered telling her to pop this meat thermometer in her mouth so we could figure out if she had a fever.   I didn't do it.  You know, she is a teenager and all.  My humor just doesn't seem to work well on the teenage variety.


A dry rub we have tried out since moving to Texas has quickly become our favorite.  Its called "Rub Grub".  Yep.  Its Texan alright. This rub is amazing on barbeque.  I seasoned the flap steak with this before it went on the grill.  Delicious.


Time to get serious and dig into this new cookbook and learn more about beef selections.

I do know one 4-legged creature that certainly was thrilled with this new cookbook find.  His name is Chester and he is hoping that I read it from cover to cover and apply any newfound learning.  Often. 

I know your not supposed to feed your pets table scraps.  But look at that face!

Did we hand out secret tidbits under the table?  Geesh.  No one ever tells.  But, he sure does seem to be snoozing rather dreamily...

Grilled "Flap" Steak:

(from The Cook & The Butcher cookbook, p. 52)

1 skirt (flap, hanger or flank stead will also do)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Rub Grub (Sarah's addition)

Place the steak in a nonreactive baking dish.  Brush both sides with the oil and season generously with salt and pepper (and Rub Grub).  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.

Remove the steak from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 45 minutes.  Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over high heat, or preheat a cast-iron stove top grill pan over high heat.  Place the steak on the grill rack over the hottest part of the fire or in the grill pan, and cook without moving it for about 1 1/2 minutes.  Turn and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the steak registers 130º-135ºF (54º-57ºC) for medium-rare, 1-3 minutes more, or to your desired doneness.  Transfer the steak to a platter and let rest, loosely covered, for about 5 minutes.

Cut the steak across the grain and on the diagonal into the slices and about 1/2 inch (12mm) thick.  Arrange toppings and heat soft tacos and serve!

A Question

Are all passport photos awful? Is there something about the type of camera they use that makes them universally hideous?

disney princess

kalau dulu otak si kecil ini pernah berangan-berangan nak masuk syurga sebab nak ada semuaaaa baju princess-princess Disney. sebab dulu mama kata, "kalau buat baik, masuk syurga, boleh dapat apa kita nak". bersinar-sinar mata si kecil ni dan terus berazam... "kalau saya masuk syurga, saya nak semua baju princess disney. betul semuanya ada?" tersenyum si ibu.

oh tapi hakikatnya time tu otak cetek, maka abaikan saja angan si kecil itu. eheh. tapi dulu waktu kecik memang suka sangat tgk cite kartun, especially disney lah kan. sampai ade video tape, yg boleh rosak berkulat, lepas tu cuci video player banyak kali pasal nak tengok video cite kartun disney. terpengaruh sangatlah kan sampai azam hingusan nak baju disney bebanyak kalau masuk syurga nanti ;')

tapi memang tak dapat dinafikan disney punye kartun sampai skrng pun kalau ade dkt wyg, mesti mau tonton pnye sbb selalunye mmg best & klako! dah berpuluh tahun tp disney masih maintain, kalau tak masakan ade Disneyland yg menjadi kegilaan ramai kanak-kanak dan org dewasa. okay hari ni nak summarize sikit princess-princess disney yg utame.

snow shite. aurora (sleeping beauty). jasmine (aladdin). ariel (mermaid). beauty. cinderella

dulu dalam antara 6 cite puteri-puteri ni, paling sukeee ade 3. serius tataw nak pilih mane no1 antare 3 cite nih. 3 cite nih - cinderella + sleeping beauty + beauty & the beast. cite paling ta suke snow white. eh jgn salah faham, tak suke tu maksudnye tak fanatik lahh. kang ade peminat snow white boo plak. tskkk. erm, kurang minat snow white, entah? sebab rambut die x panjang kot. haha. pemikiran budak kecik time tuh macam tuh :P tapi snow white pun lawak sbb ade 7 org kerdil tuh!

cinderella. sampai ada cite Melayu buat cam cite cinderella ni kan. well, aku paling ske tikus-tikus tuh. siap pandai buat baju utk cinderella! comelll gileee. cindrella ni yg ade mak tiri and 2 org adek beradek tiri yg jahat nak mati tuh. tp in the end dpt gak die kawin dgn putera lepas jumpe kasut yg matching dgn kaki cinderella tu! dah name pun fairy tale an. mestilah ending "they live happily forever and after"

cinderella

lepas tu suke burung hantu pun sebab tgk burung hantu dlm cite sleeping beauty. boleh? sleeping beauty ni plak cite yg anak raja kene sumpah akan mati pd hari lahir yg ke-16. ahli sihir yg jahat, mmg ske menyumpah kan. oleh itu kurangkanlah menyumpah :P

lepas tu, aurora (puteri) ni pun mmg disumpah wkt umur 16. die pengsan sampailah putera die selamatkan die. actually putera dah pernah jumpa dia waktu dia lahir dulu, tp mana nak ingtkan. but, itulah org kata kalau jodoh tak ke mane. sumpahan pun berjaye dikalahkan. hebatnya cinta!

sleeping beauty

and the 3rd, beauty and the beast. yang ni memang sdeyh aa skit. sobbb. tp cite ni mmg bg aku antare yg mcm, memang mendalam la. ni baru cinta sejati. ini pun mcm gabungan cinderella + sleeping beauty sbb ada 2 org kakak yg annoying, + ada sumpahan-sumpahan.

and aku benci gile dgn mamat poyo bajet hensem dlm cite nih!

beauty and the beast

mermaid pun aku suke... tapi antare 6 org puteri ni, aku rase cerita ni paling aku tak boleh tengok sebab aku rasa cerita ni paling sedih. sebab ariel ikan duyung, sanggup hilang suara sebab nak pergi naik ke darat nak jumpa putera dia.

tapi ahli sihir tu jahat. putera tu terpedaya. tu aku sedih tuh. sobbb. tapi cite nih tetap comel sebab ade ketam yg bnyk mulut and ikan kuning comel gile tuhhh!!! :)

aladdin kire aku biase-biase ah. hehe. tapi selalunya cite camnih, yg 1st ori version nih je best. maksud aku, kan ade cinderella 2, beauty and the beast 2, tp cam kureng. sbb tu org kate ape tuh, yg 1st mmg selalunye yg plg best. betul betul betul.

actually. aku nak buat post pasal aku berangan kalau masuk syurga dpt baju gown cam die org ni. da meleret jadi pasal princess-princess disney. haha. ape pun sampai skrng pun, kalau ade cite nih dkt disney channel. aku nak tgk punye! ohhh, astro dkt rumah ni ada disney channel pun, utk aku je ;')

Portugal: Childhood's End

So I spent a little time this morning clikcing around the Interweb Tubes, looking for some Portugese newspapers and opinion pieces. If you haven't seen the latest, the spanking by the EU will be done with a 2x4 and not just the palm of the hand.

April 8 (Bloomberg) -- Europe’s rich countries pushed Portugal to make deeper-than-planned budget cuts in the heat of an election campaign in exchange for an emergency aid package estimated at 80 billion euros ($115 billion).

In an unprecedented intervention in national politics, euro-area finance ministers said Portugal can win relief by mid- May as long as it makes cuts that go beyond measures that failed to pass parliament in March and led to the government’s downfall.

Emphasis mine. So they marched and chanted and their political leaders embodied their opposition to voluntary cuts that would have left them (temporarily) in charge of their own destinies. Now mathematics, which doesn't acknowledge the power of marching and chanting, has made its own decisions and they will be little more than a protectorate of the ECB and the EU.

In a sign of how Portugal has surrendered control of its fate, the EU will intrude on the political campaign by trying to broker a cross-party budget-cutting deal between Socrates and the opposition party led by Pedro Passos Coelho.

So just what is their analysis of their own position? I came across the opinion section of Jornal de Noticias which Google Translate informs me has these paragraphs, albeit in Portugese. Note that this page does not have a date and time stamp, so clicking on that link tomorrow will probably give you a different result. In any case, here's one newspaper's take on the situation.

And that, to me, is the most important lessons to draw from this whirlwind of events. The inevitability of a foreign aid - and that Socrates is quite right - there is more than the assumption of the inability of politicians to deal with the problems of the country. It is true that speculators and the rating agencies acted and act like hungry jackals (just watch them froth while gazing at Spain, new potential prey), but the luck in the gutter that now is not exactly surprise anyone. To paraphrase a character in the media, "was written in the stars" we would need outside help. And the truth is that the way we started. Over time more.

Google has muddled the translation a bit, but you can see that the author gets it, despite his finger pointing that the "speculators and the rating agencies acted and act like hungry jackals." "(T)he truth is that the way we started" is a good indication that they're taking responsiblity for this:


I'd suggest that Portugese society became infantile and possessed a childish view of the world. They looked to someone else to give them treats so they could do what they liked. The editorial is the words of someone who is waking up to what they've done. It's a cause for optimism.

In other news, President Obama's proposed FY12 budget has a planned deficit of over $1T. One wonders if he takes his meals from the Presidential High Chair.