Venturing Afield with Indian Recipes

Last year I created for myself a cookbook of Indian recipes I had made, plus adding in some that I wanted to try. Of course, with as much as I love Indian foods and flavors, I am constantly finding new things to try. And so it was that in the course of researching Indian food, or spices or whatever of the moment took my interest, I discovered recipes for Bisi Bele Bath.

You might well be saying "Bisi . . . . .what????" That is pretty much what I did. 

Bisi Bele Bath

Many, many Indian recipes call for a pre-made spice mixture. Of course, many households make up their own, but in this day and age, pre-mixed spices exist in packets, boxes or jars, and many Indians choose to go this route. It certainly would cut down on the amount of different spices one must keep in the home. Making from scratch means a very long list of spices needed to be on hand. As it happens, I have an amazing amount of Indian spices on hand! 

Bisi Bele Bath

So when I came upon recipes for Bisi Bele Bath, a vegetarian recipe of rice, lentils and vegetables from the Indian state of Karnataka, of course it called for a spice mixture. Some recipes online had all the spices listed and created the mixture as with any recipe: get out the spices, measure, toast, grind (or not). Other recipes I encountered called for using a Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix, with their own recipe available on their site. And some few other recipes called for a particular favorite brand of Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix. Reading all these recipes, it became a personal challenge then, to make up my own spice mix for this dish.

Coming back to the unusual name for this dish, it is explained everywhere online that Bisi = Piping Hot; Bele = Lentils; Bath = Made with Rice. So, in essence, Bisi Bele Bath means "A Piping Hot Lentil and Rice Dish." Paraphrasing. The addition of vegetables to this dish is optional. Vegetables can be added to the meal in other ways, if you choose.

Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix 

Makes enough for a few recipes of Bisi Bele Bath

4 dried red chilies (with or without seeds)
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4 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
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1½ tablespoons channa dal (Bengal gram/desi chickpea)
2 teaspoons urad dal
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4 whole cloves
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4-inch piece soft (true) cinnamon, or 1-inch piece of cassia bark 
1 - 2 pieces mace blades* (see Note)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 Kapok buds (Marathi moggu)* (see Notes)
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1 tablespoon white poppy seeds
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4 teaspoons dried unsweetened coconut
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1 teaspoon asafetida
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10 - 12 fresh curry leaves

Heat a dry skillet over medium to medium high heat. Have a wide plate or bowl ready to hold the hot spices for cooling, after toasting. Each section of the spices will be toasted separately, turning out to the plate to cool. Toast until the spices are fragrant, but in no way burnt.

1. First, toast the dried chilies. If you wish less heat, break them and remove seeds, along with stems. Toast the chilies until they begin to change color; turn out to the plate to cool.
2. Add in to the skillet the coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds and stirring constantly, allow them to change color slightly and smell wonderful, then
   turn out to the plate to cool.
3.  Now add in the two dals (dry, uncooked) and stirring constantly, allow them to become golden brown, but not burnt. Then,
   turn out to the plate to cool.
4. Add to the skillet the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon pieces, mace blades, black peppercorns and Kapok buds, if using. Toast them until fragrant, how long will depend on how high the heat. Stir constantly until colored, then turn out to the plate to cool.
5. Pour in the white poppy seeds and keep them moving, just until they start to change color, then turn out to the plate to cool.
6. Add in the dry coconut and stir quickly, it will go from white to blackened in seconds! Once the coconut turns golden, turn out to the plate to cool.
7. Add in the asafetida and stir quickly, just until it smells of onions, then turn out to the plate to cool.
8. Add in the fresh curry leaves and toss, stirring until they are completely dried and crisped, then turn out to the plate to cool.    

Allow the spices to cool to nearly room temperature, then grind them to powder using a spice grinder/coffee grinder used only for spices. This may require grinding in various batches. Once ground, stir well to distribute evenly, then keep stored in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dark place.

NOTES:  If mace blades are not available, substitute by adding in about ¼ teaspoon ground mace at the end, after all spices are ground to powder. Kapok buds, or Marathi moggu, are a new spice for me. I ordered them and used them as the recipes say this is an authentic flavor. If you do not have or cannot get them, just omit.

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In the U.S., we don't often go for, or even think of, mixing up lentil and rice dishes, unless you are vegetarian, and then it is important because rice and lentils combined make a complete protein. Simply cooked rice and lentils are not much of a draw, as they haven't much flavor. All I can say is that this dish does not lack flavor! It is a thick, soft mixture, which may not seem to appeal. But flavors are wonderful, so despite what your eyes may tell you, it is worthwhile giving this dish a try.

Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi Bele Bath

Serves 4 to 6 

¾ cup toor dal (aka ardhar dal)
¾ cup long or short grain rice
5 cups water
-----
¼ tamarind, from a compressed block 
1 cup water, hot
2½ tablespoons Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix
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1 tablespoon ghee or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
-----
½ cup cubed carrot
½ cup green peas
½ cup potatoes in small cubes
½ cup green beans, cut in little pieces

TEMPERING / FLAVORING:
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
10 fresh curry leaves  
1 dried red chili, whole
10 cashews
½ teaspoon asafetida/hing 

Before beginning any prep, rinse the toor dal in copious quantities of water, until the water runs mostly clear. Then, cover the dal with water and set aside for ½ hour. At this time also, set the tamarind chunk to soak separately, in the hot water.

Once dal has soaked, combine the dal with the rice in a pot of adequate size, cover with the 5 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until the rice and dal are both very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Use a spoon or a potato masher to mash up the mixture. Set aside.

In a skillet, heat the ghee and add in the chopped onion and salt to cook until soft. While onion is sauteeing, break apart and strain the tamarind in a strainer over a bowl, to catch all the liquids. Press to get as much from the tamarind as possible, then discard the seeds and fibers. Add the Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix to the tamarind and stir. Once the onion is nicely soft, add the tamarind liquid into the skillet, along with the carrots, peas, potatoes and green beans, then cook the vegetables until tender, adding water if needed for cooking. Once done, pour the contents of the skillet into the rice and lentil pot.

Set the skillet back on the heat and add in the ghee for tempering. Once ghee is very hot, add the brown mustard, until the seeds begin popping. Quickly add in the curry leaves, dried chili, whole cashews and the asafetida/hing. Cook for just a few minutes, until everything is very fragrant. Pour half of the contents of the skillet into the pot with the lentils and rice, stirring well, then pour the mixture into a serving bowl, garnishing with the reserved tempering mixture for presentation.


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.

Overlooked Recipes

I put a stop to my website as of last September. I had been steadily working to add in to this blog all the recipes that had previously only been posted on the website, but inevitably, some get overlooked. I want to post three I discovered I had missed.

I have been horribly lax with working on my blog, or putting out a newsletter, or even cooking much of anything new. Why? I got into a project and it has occupied all my attention and interest for months, now. I periodically like to put together "books" with comb bindings for myself or for family. Often these are cookbooks of collected recipes for a family member, as well as being a quick reference for me. Sometimes I have dedicated myself to identifying flowers (as after a trip to California, with a slew of flowers I'd never seen before, living in the east) and making a small booklet, so I have them as a reference. I have done this with birds, using my own photos as well as photos my sisters had taken. We love birds. That book was immense, and it is in a large binder. Another was butterflies. Most often it has been recipes just because I love to cook.

Cactus Flower

The one that has occupied my time these past three months or so has been any and all plant photos taken in Arizona. I had visited AZ a fair bit in past, as one of my sisters lives here, but really never thought to live here myself. But, here I am, and now I am seeing cactus plants and wondering what kind they are, or other plants in general. While some seemed very straightforward, having been labeled, others not so much. And I have spent countless hours researching online. The last in a long line of plant types are succulents, and soon I will be wrapping up this project. I still have orphan plants I cannot identify, no matter how long I search. Alas. 

So back to these missed recipes. I just found that I had omitted them yesterday, and was horrified, because they are some favorites. So, without further ado:

Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini

Serves 6

Turkey Tetrazzini

6 ounces spaghetti
¼cup butter
½ cup flour
2¾ cups chicken broth
1 cup light cream or evaporated milk
¼ cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained (6 oz. can)
½ cup green pepper, chopped
1 small jar chopped pimiento, drained
2 cups diced cooked turkey, or chicken
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water till just barely tender; drain. In a large skillet melt butter; blend in flour. Stir in broth, whisking so no lumps form. Add cream. Cook and stir till mixture thickens and bubbles. Add the wine, salt, pepper, spaghetti, mushrooms, green pepper, pimiento and cooked turkey. Turn into a 12 x 7½ x 2" baking dish. Sprinkle top with Parmesan. Bake @ 350 for about 30 minutes.

NOTES: I have on occasion tripled this recipe for a party. Divide the mixture into two 9 x 13 inch pans, and add on about 10 minutes of cooking time, or until it is bubbling all through.

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Smoky Pork BBQ Ribs

1 (3½ pound) rack pork loin ribs

Smoky Pork BBQ Ribs

6 - 8 tablespoons Sweet Smoky Cocoa Rub
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
3 cups mesquite wood for smoking
½ cup Sweet Tangy BBQ Sauce

Early in the day, soak the wood chips in water to cover, for at least 2 hours or more. Pat the Sweet Smoky Cocoa Rub onto both sides of the slab of pork ribs, plus 1 teaspoon of the salt per side, and allow to stand at room temperature, while the wood chips are soaking; 2 hours.

Once the wood chips have soaked long enough, cut two sheets of foil. Place half the wood chips onto each piece of foil and make a packet enclosing the wood and poke holes into the top.

At least 5 hours before you want the ribs done, start the grill, heating only one side. Once grill is ready, place the slab of ribs onto the hottest side and allow to sear well, about 10 minutes. Flip over and sear the other side for about 10 minutes. Move the ribs to the unheated side of the grill. Set one of the wood chip packets onto the hot side of the grill. Close the lid and monitor the temperature, keeping it relatively low; below 300 degrees if possible for at least 2 hours. Midway between, if the first wood chip packet has stopped smoking, place the second packet onto the hot side of the grill, to keep up the smoking. 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Once the ribs have spent at least 2 hours on the grill, prepare a sheet of foil large enough to completely enclose the slab of ribs and set it into a large baking sheet with sides. Remove the ribs from the grill and set onto the large foil sheet. Cover the top with ½ cup of Sweet Tangy BBQ Sauce and then fold the foil around the ribs, completely enclosing them. Place the baking sheet into the oven and allow to bake slowly for another 2 to 2½ hours, until completely tender.

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Tzatziki Sauce

Makes about 1½ cups sauce

Tzatziki Sauce

1 cup plain Greek yogurt or 1½ cups other plain yogurt
½ cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, diced small (optional)
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced finely
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

If using a good quality Greek yogurt such as Fage brand, you may not have to drain the yogurt. If using other brands or the larger amount of just plain yogurt, set the yogurt into a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Place in the refrigerator and allow to drain for at least 1 hour or more.

If raw garlic upsets the stomach, set the minced garlic into a small bowl and just barely cover with vinegar. Allow to stand for at least 10 minutes, then drain. This removes the raw taste. Add to the recipe and continue.

Discard the yogurt liquid. Place the drained yogurt into a bowl. Add the olive oil. vinegar, garlic, dill and salt and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. If using cucumber, stir in. 

Note: Cucumber, while true to the recipe, will add liquid if it sets for too long, making the mixture runny. If using cucumber, it may be best to stir in just before serving. Use this tzatziki when serving Falafel or Butternut Squash Falafel. 

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.

Deliciousness with Pork Chile Verde

A very long time ago, one of my sisters sent me a recipe for a green pork "enchilada sauce." It was supposed to be something like the green canned enchilada sauce, which was never available in the eastern states. I had eaten something with that kind of sauce, so I knew I liked it. And I really, truly, meant to make the recipe. 

Somehow, as with far too many things - it just never happened.

Pork Chile Verde

Then, possibly within the last year, I found something that sparked my interest in that type of recipe. Again. Plus, soon after we moved to AZ, we ate at a little local Mexican restaurant and I ordered the pork chile verde over rice, and of course the ubiquitous refried pinto beans. It was delicious. I figured if I ever got around to making this, mine might be a big hit. I had the flavors all set in my head. They had just never yet made it into existence.

A couple of months ago, I bought two huge pork shoulder roasts. Not sure why, as I rarely buy something that big. There are only two of us in the household, after all. But I got one out and cooked it very slowly till it all fell apart and then proceeded to clean all the meat out, tossing excess fat and bones. Once I finished with all that, I chopped the meat. Half of it, I set aside to use. The other half went in the freezer for another time. That first half was used to make Pork Barbecue for sandwiches - one of my favorite things ever.

The frozen portion I got out from the freezer the other day and decided that it was finally time for some Pork Chile Verde. I had the meat all set. I had some Tomatillo Sauce already made in the fridge (it is SO good as a dip alone, as a dip mixed with guacamole, over eggs for breakfast, and multitudes of other uses). The basic necessities were all ready. To make the sauce for the meat was a snap.

In that sense, I do advise making life easier by first having the meat all prepped ahead of time. If you don't care for taking time to make your own Tomatillo Sauce, then buy your favorite brand of a Tomatillo Salsa and use that, though in general, the spicy heat factor is quite high in those.

Pork Chile Verde

Serves 8 or more

Pork Chile Verde

1 pound cooked, chopped pork shoulder roast

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 - 1½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (no stems)

12 ounces canned green chilies (three 4-ounce tins)

16 ounces Tomatillo Sauce/Salsa

4 cups beef or chicken stock, unsalted

1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 tablespoons fresh leaves, minced

½ teaspoon salt, or as needed

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

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THICKENING

1 cup water

½ cup corn tortilla flour (Maseca, Torti-ya)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Saute the onions until they are turning golden, then add in the garlic and fresh thyme leaves and continue to saute for a few more minutes, to cook out the raw garlic taste. Add in the next 8 ingredients and then the chopped/shredded pork. Stir well and bring to boil.

In a smaller bowl or large measuring cup, stir the water and tortilla flour together until there are no lumps, then whisk in the flour briskly to leave a lump-free slurry. Pour this into the pot and stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Continue cooking over lowest heat for at least 10 more minutes. 

Serve with rice and refried beans, or over enchiladas, over omelets. Use your imagination. This is really wonderfully flavored.

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.

When Life Hands You Bananas Part 2

A couple of years ago I wrote about a banana cake in my first blog titled, "When Life Hands You Bananas." Well, once again, with some bananas that had gone way past where they were really edible, I created a recipe for Banana Nut Bran Muffins. These turned out absolutely amazing; light and fluffy, moist and tender. 

Banana Nut Bran Muffins

Banana nut muffins are nothing new, for sure. Every grocery store deli has them. Recipes abound. Still, I didn't go looking for recipes online, as is my wont. Instead, I wanted to create something that was midway between banana cake and banana bread. Not too heavy but not too light and not too sweet. As it happens, they were sweeter than I intended, but that was no deterrent for my husband - or for me, for that matter. They were delicious. I looked at my Banana Cake recipe, and at an old recipe for a "Banana Coffee Bread," from my (very) old "Better Homes and Gardens" binder cookbook. I opted in most cases to go in between amounts called for. The Banana Coffee Bread had very few ingredients. I also went with a streusel on top of the muffins, though this can be left out if preferred, for a less sweet version. In the end, this is what I came up with, and I am very pleased.

Banana Nut Bran Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Banana Nut Bran Muffins

¾ cup mashed over-ripe bananas
2 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
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1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
-----
¾ cup sour cream

STREUSEL:
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Line a 12 well muffin tin with muffin papers or simple spray the wells with cooking spray (I sprayed the wells - no papers). Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make the streusel by combining all the ingredients and cutting them together - or work the ingredients with fingers. Set the bowl into the fridge while making the muffins. 

In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 cup flour and the following 5 ingredients and set aside.

Mix the bananas and lime juice together and set aside. Beat together the 6 tablespoons butter with the ¼ cup granulated sugar and the ½ cup brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the banana mixture. Once well blended, add in the bowl of dry ingredients and mix on low speed for a minute, then add int he sour cream all at once and continue to beat until the mixture has no white streaks left.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin tins and rap the tin sharply on the counter to settle the batter. Remove the streusel from the fridge and cut through it with a fork to loosen. Divide the mixture evenly on tops of all the muffins. 

Place the tin in the oven, then immediately lower the oven temperature to 350 and time them for 20 minutes. Once done, allow the muffins to set for about 10 minutes before turning out of tins, at which time, if you have only greased the tin and not lined with papers, the muffins should easily release. 


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.

Savory Dinner Muffins

I've been spending all my time of late working on identifying plant and flower photos I have taken while visiting (and now living in) Arizona. I have taken a lot of photos. And generally I take closeups, with no thought to really being able to identify them later. It has been an arduous task. A task I love and have been enjoying, and it keeps me very busy, to the exclusion of just about everything else. Including this blog. 

Shallot & Pesto Muffins

I have been occasionally making something new, such as these savory muffins. 

One day recently I was planning to make my Roasted Corn & Poblano Chowder for dinner and wanted something bread-like to accompany the soup. My first thought was corn muffins, but the soup is full of corn and to top it off, with corn masa flour added, both for thickening and for flavor. Maybe I needed something other than corn for the "bread." The more I pondered, the less I was able to come up with. I didn't want just plain muffins, or plain anything. Even without sugar, plain muffins might go okay with the soup, but to me somehow they just didn't sound appetizing.

So I went online. I found ideas. Some were appealing. Others just gave more ideas. So, with what I had on hand, I went to work. While the muffins stayed very light colored, their flavor was excellent. And, best of all, they went so great with the chowder! We enjoyed every last one of them, over the course of a few days. If I had had chives available, I would have added some of those, minced finely as well, but at this time I did not. They came out excellently.

Shallot & Pesto Muffins

Shallot & Pesto Muffins

Makes 12 regular sized muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 small shallot, minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced finely
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¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons pesto
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the wells of a 12-well muffin tin: set aside.

Place the first 6 ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss well to combine; set aside.

In a large measuring cup or smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the next 5 ingredients until well combined, then pour into the dry ingredients and mix just to combine, until no dry ingredients are left. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin wells and bake the muffins for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.


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.

A Really Good Curry

Just want to say . . . I am not a huge fan of Thai food. 

WHAT?!?!?!? You may exclaim.

It's true. While I have eaten some things that are tasty, it seems that no two restaurants even come close, for flavor and style, and the inconsistency makes it difficult (for me, anyway) to figure out what I like. I am not fond of peanuts. At all. And many Thai dishes call for peanuts or peanut sauces. I like a little spice, but not overwhelming spice. That is less of an issue for me, but if something is spicy, that leaves my husband out. I am allergic to shellfish, so anything with shrimp or dried shrimp or the like means I swell up like a toad. 

Get my drift?

Thai Red Curry

Okay, so the thing is, I have been making my own version of a Thai Red Curry Paste for years and years and years. And the reason I make it is to use in ONE recipe - one that we dearly love - called Red Curried Chicken Kebabs. I have never ventured out farther than that with my curry paste. I think my curry paste tastes great - at least by the standards of the chicken kebabs, which have excellent flavors. Back in February, my son and his lady came to visit and brought Thai food, from a restaurant they like. I have to admit, most of it was certainly delicious. The one single problem? too much salt. Holy moly, the salt made my mouth and tongue hurt. And that is why I like making my own things from scratch, even the curry paste.

Thai Red Curry

Granted, my curry paste recipe makes a fair amount. That said, it is not at all hot spicy, so it can really be used as much as wanted in a recipe. And I got thinking, not long after the kids left here and I was eating some leftovers from their largesse that I though about the fact that I really had never used my excellently flavored curry paste for anything else. And so I set about trying to see what I could come up with. I found recipes all over the internet for Thai Red Curry. Most of them called for similar ingredients, like coconut milk. Many called for chicken with little vegetables, some for vegetables and no meat, and some were somewhere in between. I opted for in between, using one huge chicken breast and a lot of vegetables. 

First though, I had to make a batch of my curry paste. When we moved to Arizona, I had my little frozen packets of my curry paste in my cooler with all the other cold foods, but with the extreme heat in the southwest in late June, the curry paste leaked out everywhere, staining my cooler forevermore. So a new batch was the first priority. Then, since it was just made and not frozen, I went ahead and created my own recipe for Thai Red Curry, and ended up using fully half of the curry paste in one recipe. It was so delicious, and my husband said this recipe was a real "keeper" (his way of saying, "Please make this often!"), so I went ahead a few days later and used up the remaining curry paste in a second round of Thai Red Curry. I don't have any idea how authentic this may be, but it certainly bears repeating. Yum!

Thai Red Curry

Thai Red Curry

Serves 4

¾ - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (dark or white as preferred)
oil for frying
4 - 6 dried shiitake mushrooms (or fresh if available)
1 - 2 shallots, sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 - 3 green Thai chilies, or Serrano, minced (seeds left in or out as preferred)
1 can (14-ounces, approximately)
2 - 4 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (if store bought, use discretion with the amount, if heat is an issue)
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce, optional
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1 cup snow peas (or snap peas, sliced across diagonally)
1 cup red bell pepper, in thin strips
1 cup butternut squash, small cubes
1 - 2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
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½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup scallions, sliced thinly

If using dried shiitake mushrooms, set them into boiled water and top with a bowl to keep them submerged for at least 20 minutes.

Cut the chicken into smaller cubes and brown them in the oil, then set them aside. 

In the same pan the chicken was browned in, adding more oil if needed, lightly saute the shallot, then add in the ginger and garlic with the green chilies. Saute for another 3 minutes. (If a lot of heat is preferred, simply slice the chilies across and toss them in. I prefer to keep the heat low, so I remove seeds and mince the chilies.) Pour in the can of coconut milk and stir in the Thai Red Curry Paste to combine. Add the brown sugar and fish sauce and all the veggies. Cook until the vegetables are tender, then add in the chicken and cook for just a few minutes longer. Sprinkle on the cilantro and scallions and serve over rice.


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.

Another Variation of the Soda Bread Theme

Just in time to experiment for St. Patrick's Day, coming up in a couple of weeks, I have tried out yet another Soda Bread.

Oat & Whole Wheat Soda Bread

Before ever trying to make soda bread, I had only ever heard negative comments on it. That it was very dry, or too heavy, or flat, or any number of other unfavorable comments. With that as its recommendation, why would anyone choose to make it?

And then, I got interested. I am ever curious about how things originated. What was the reasoning for making this kind of bread? Some years back, I decided to make soda bread, so I went online to search for information. In most places one sees soda bread recipes, either on TV or online, it is made with pure white, all-purpose flour, has eggs, sugar, butter, raisins and who knows how many other things in it. And I wondered . . .  Because Ireland had been a poor country, and sometimes subject to famine, why would this enriched type of "soda bread" be touted as their bread? I went searching online again, delving further, and was enlightened in oh, so many ways! Rather than go into all this again, and spend time up on my soapbox again, please refer to my first soda bread recipe, here, where I went into more detail on the whys behind the bread.

But in the meantime, over the past many years, I have been more and more interested in whole grains, nuts and seeds, and using them in breads of all description. I have always preferred whole, heavier and denser breads, though some of my tries and experiments nearly exceeded my own tolerances. There has been a learning curve in both making and eating. Also, I have learned that in many countries, where ovens were not at all common, barring a communal oven sometimes only fired up once a month, a yeasted bread was only made at that one time and had to last. Meaning, of course, that the bread dried out completely, and a saw was needed to cut off chunks, which were used as a thickening for soups and stews, as there was no way to have it safely eaten, hard as a rock as it was. With that knowledge, I wondered if something similar was done in Ireland? I got no real answer to that. But I did learn a lot more about soda bread.

Oat & Whole Wheat Soda Bread

Since that foray into all things to do with Irish Brown Bread, I have altered the recipe myriad times and in myriad ways. I have used freshly ground whole grain wheat, oats (whether old fashioned oats, minute oats or steel cut oats), whole grain barley flour, sprouted grain flour, rye flour and possibly others. Through all these recipes and experiments I have kept one constant: I use some all-purpose flour and some cake flour. Why, you might ask?

Oat & Whole Wheat Soda Bread

The reason the Irish went to a soda bread rather than a yeast-risen bread is that their flour was too "soft." Meaning their whole grain flour did not have sufficient gluten in the grains to allow the yeast to work. In this sense, cake flour is perhaps one of the "softest" of flours. Making bread with cake flour would likely be a catastrophe, though I have not tried it. My reasoning was that these flours would make the resultant mixture less suitable for yeast rising; conversely, more apt to work well with baking soda. I have no scientific basis for these statements, only my own experiences.

To date, my only concession to using eggs or butter in a supposed "soda bread," was when I tried to approximate the bread we ate at an Irish restaurant in Las Vegas, which was exceptionally good. I am happy to say I did make that one a few times, it is that good. I called it Whole Wheat Oatmeal Soda Bread. It is also the only soda bread I have made in a loaf pan, rather than as a freestanding loaf. Otherwise, any upstanding Irish person would likely have said, why waste butter IN the bread, when it was going to be used to put ON the bread when they ate it. Ever frugal, and the notion of wasting eggs in the bread or, horror or horrors, making the bread with beer, when it could have been used to drink, was unthinkable!

In an attempt to increase the use of oats, being one of my favorite of grains, I tried out another new recipe yesterday and it was delicious as well. And without any further ado, this is that recipe:

Oat & Wheat Soda Bread

Makes one loaf

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a heavy baking sheet lined with parchment.

Grind the steel cut oats (regular, long cooking variety) lightly in a blender or food processor.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 7 dry ingredients and whisk briefly to distribute the ingredients. Pour in most of the buttermilk and the molasses and stir, until it is no longer possible. Turn the mass out onto a greased surface and lightly "knead" (flatten, fold, turn, flatten, fold) two or three times to bring the mixture together. If the dough needs more liquid, add in the remaining buttermilk. If it is too wet, add in up to ¼-cup more of flour to firm up. Form the dough into a tight, high-domed ball and set onto the prepared parchment lined baking sheet. With a very sharp knife, cut an "X" across the top, at least 1-inch deep. This will flatten the loaf considerably from the little ball shape. Place in the oven and time for 50 to 55 minutes. Internal temperature should be at least 200 degrees. Allow to cool completely before cutting.



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.