Odds and Ends

It has been a busy time for me, obviously, as I haven't had time to get to this blog. I opted to create an Indian Cookbook for my kids, who enjoy Indian cooking. I love it so much that sometimes it seems my blog has more Indian recipes than American or any other ethnicity. I love Indian flavors so much, so I keep on hunting down new recipes. Expect to see lots more in the next months.

One of my recent recipes, Pav Bhaji, has quickly become one of my favorites, and mainly as it is so very simple to make, in comparison to many of the Indian foods I have made. Pav Bhaji is a street food, found in many places, but originating, so they believe, in Mumbai. It is either smashed or pureed vegetables with some amazing spices that make it just exceptional. This mixture is served on or with yeast buns, made without egg. At the time I tried that recipe out, I opted to just buy some buns at the grocery, but since then I have made my own recipe for "Ladi Pav," the buns used for this dish. 

Ladi Pav or Eggless Yeast Buns

Ladi Pav or Eggless Yeast Buns

Makes 12 buns

3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons oil or melted ghee
1¼ cups water

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add in the oil and 1 cup of the water. Stir well, and when it becomes too difficult to stir, use hands to bring the dough together. If the dough will not come together, add some of the remaining water. Turn dough out onto a clean surface sprayed liberally with cooking spray. The dough should come together to a tacky dough, but not sticky. Adjust flour or water as needed. Knead the dough for about 6 to 8 minutes, then spray the top of the dough with more cooking spray and up-end the mixing bowl over top of the dough. Let rise for about an hour.

At the end of rising, remove the bowl and divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces and roll them to smooth balls, keeping the smoothest side upmost.

Line a baking sheet with parchment, or spray the sheet with cooking spray. Set the dough balls on the sheet about 1-inch apart. It is okay if they grow and touch.

Let rise for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then bake the buns for about 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. 

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Spring is here, though it's still a bit hard to tell up north where I live. The snow has melted down about a foot, but we still have so much snow out there it will be some time before it is gone. And who is to say whether Mother Nature has had her last say about winter? But still, Spring weather will arrive eventually, things will begin growing and we will have new vegetables to eat. One recipe that comes together in no time (particularly if you use frozen baby peas), is Peas, Sauteed with Shallot and Prosciutto.

Peas Sauteed with Shallot and Prosciutto 

Peas Sauteed with Shallot & Prosciutto

Serves 3 - 4

2 - 3 shallots, peeled and cut into long wedges
2 - 3 ounces prosciutto, cut into half inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups frozen peas
pinch salt
small pat butter. optional

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Throw in the shallots and prosciutto and quickly toss them until the shallots are mostly cooked and the prosciutto is crisped. Add in the peas and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until they are heated through. Add in the small pat of butter and pinch of salt and serve.



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Asparagus can be  found in grocery stores year 'round these days, but still, it is a vegetable that screams "Spring." Whenever you make asparagus, remember to snap off the bottom, tough portion of the stem. Hold the spear at the end, and somewhere near middle of the spear and bend until the stem snaps where it wants. This is generally the correct spot, and forcing the stem to break farther down or worse, cutting the ends, can result in some pieces that are too tough to chew.  It really takes no time to do this, and is very important.

As for making asparagus, it is very easy. Since I buy it in the store all year, I grill it in warmer weather and saute or steam it on the stove in cold weather. My favorite is grilled though, and I can't wait for it to get warm enough to get the grill out again.

Simply Grilled Asparagus

Simply Grilled Asparagus

Serves 2 to 4

1 bunch asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh clove garlic
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
a few grinds of black pepper

Snap off the ends of the asparagus, then place the spears, whole, in a gallon zip-top bag. Add the remaining ingredients to the bag, seal and move the asparagus around inside the bag to make sure all the spears are coated. Heat the grill (which is usually while I am planning to grill some meat anyway) and preferable use a grill pan for the asparagus, so you don't lose them to the coals.

Set the asparagus on the grill pan and check often while the spears are grilling. Lift a spear by the bottom end with tongs; if it will bend at all, it is done. Waiting too long to take them off will result in flabby and overcooked asparagus. Check them one by one, removing them to a plate once they will bend at all. This can take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus spear.

Serve at once, or squeeze on a little lime or lemon juice just before serving.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.