On this day ten years ago, Donna and I posted our first combined post on ‘Goodnessis’, and with this in mind, we felt it was appropriate to share another, considering that we are currently spending family time together in Australia. As we live on opposite sides of the world, we always commit to meeting once a year with our parents in Australia’s Winter on Hamilton Island. Each night, Donna and I cook and prepare a meal together, these Hasselback sweet potatoes was one of those delicious meals!
Donna first initiated this blog as a way for us to keep in contact. As with most areas of life, for growth to occur, things need to evolve, and due to exploring other pursuits, Donna stepped away from contributing, and I continued. This blog has given me so much and has become a wonderful way to share this way of life and recipes with like-minded well-wishers.
This post is a heartfelt THANK YOU to Donna! I am forever grateful that we began this journey, as I am not sure this blog would have taken birth without her initial inspiration.
Hasselback sweet potatoes
preparation 1 hour
serves 6
ingredients
3 large/6 small sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp ghee/extra virgin olive oil, melted
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
sea salt & cracked pepper
to serve
beetroot, apple, fennel, sesame seeded salad with ginger lemon dressing
preparation
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper.
- Place a sweet potato in between 2 wooden spoons. Holding the spoons and the potato, make thin slices across the top of the potato. The spoons prevent cutting all the way through. Repeat with all sweet potatoes.
- Place each sweet potato on the lined tray. Gently fan out the potatoes so the slices are revealed.
- Drizzle ghee over the potatoes, aiming for a little to drip between the slices, and then also brush the tops with ghee.
- Sprinkle the rosemary over the top of each. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes, then remove foil and roast for a further 15-20 minutes, or until edges are crispy/charred, depending on how you like them.
Turning 50 requires a very special cake!
This cake is quite a journey. Much of the time is spent in preparation, removing the skin from the hazelnuts and pitting the cherries. Once you pass these steps, it is easy from there onwards. The cake batter, with the addition of the ground toasted hazelnuts, makes it special, and the cherry filling pairs well with the chocolate and nuts, adding a burst of tangy-sweet flavour.
Use fresh cherries when available, and save some to garnish the top.
tips
- I recommend making all three components—chocolate ganache, cake, and cherry filling—in the morning, putting them in the fridge for 2-3 hours to firm up, and assembling them in the afternoon. Be sure to assemble the cake when all components are completely cool.
- When making the chocolate ganache, the agar flakes must be very well dissolved. See note below.
- The recipe makes more cherry filling than needed; use the leftovers to spoon over the cake when serving.
- See an easy alternative Chocolate ganache recipe below.
chocolate hazelnut layer cake with cherry filling and chocolate ganache
Recipe from ‘At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen’ by Amy Chaplin.
‘For best results with the frosting, make it a day ahead, so it has plenty of time to cool and set. I recommend assembling it on either a round cardboard cake base or the bottom of a springform cake pan. This makes it easier to decorate the sides with hazelnuts, holding the base of the cake with one hand and pressing nuts into the sides with the other.’ – Amy Chaplin.
Makes 1 tall 8-inch cake
Equipment – Two 8-inch cake pans
chocolate ganache
2 x 400ml can unsweeten full-fat coconut milk (13.5FL OZ each)
¼ cup/70g maple syrup
5 Tbsp agar flakes (I added 1 tsp more)
Pinch fine rock salt
¾ cup/100g dark chocolate(70%), broken into pieces (3½ OZ) (I used 55%)
½ cup fresh orange juice, strained (I used ¼ cup maple & ¼ cup orange juice)
4 tsp vanilla extract
cake ingredients
2 cups/300g toasted hazelnuts*, skin removed – divided
2 cups/240g whole-spelt flour – divided
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup/50g cocoa powder
1 cup/200g boiling water
¼ cup/25g ground flaxseeds
½ cup/100g melted coconut oil
1½ cups/420g maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp fine rock salt
cherry filling
2½ cups/425g pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp cinnamon
Pinch fine rock salt
1 tsp arrowroot powder
2 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
½ cup/130g unsweetened black cherry jam (I used sweetened)
prepare the ganache
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, agar flakes, and salt, and bring up to a boil, whisking frequently. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, simmer for 20 minutes, and whisk every 5 minutes. Check that the agar flakes are very well dissolved.*
- Remove from heat, add chocolate, and re-cover the pot for 2 minutes, then thoroughly whisk until completely smooth.
- Pour into a shallow bowl, cool, and then place in the fridge until completely hard and set—approximately 1 – 2 hours.
- Cut the ganache into rough 1-inch pieces and place it in a food processor with orange juice and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides as necessary and check for unblended lumps. If the frosting separates, just keep blending until it comes together again—it can take up to 5 minutes. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for 1 hour before frosting the cake.
prepare the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Oil the cake pans and line the bottoms of each with a baking paper circle—set aside.
- Place ⅔ cup/90g toasted hazelnuts and ¼ cup/30g spelt flour in a food processor. Blend until finely ground, about 30 seconds.
- Place in a medium bowl with the remaining 1¾ cups/210g spelt flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir with a whisk to combine, and set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk the cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Add flax seeds, coconut oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and salt—whisk to emulsify. Then add the flour mixture and whisk to mix the batter.
- Divide the batter between cake pans (approximately 560g each) and bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the pan. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool.
prepare the filling
- Combine the cherries, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook fresh cherries for 10 – 15 minutes or until softened and juicy or frozen for 5 minutes.
- Dissolve arrowroot in water and drizzle it into simmering cherries; stir constantly until it thickens slightly and returns to a simmer. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, almond extract, and jam, pour into a shallow bowl, and refrigerate to cool.
assemble the cake
- Spread the remaining 1⅓ cups of toasted hazelnuts out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with baking paper, crush them with a rolling pin, and set aside.
- Run a butter knife around the edge of one of the cake pans and invert onto an 8-inch cardboard cake base. Remove the paper and spread the surface with 1 cup frosting.
- Top with some cherry filling and spread out, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.
- Invert the second cake onto a flat surface, remove the baking paper and slide the cake onto the bottom layer. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting and press crushed hazelnuts into the sides of the cake.
Garnish with fresh cherries and place in the fridge until ready to serve. It will improve after a few hours as the flavours settle, and it can even stay in the fridge overnight.
* When toasting the hazelnuts
Spread onto a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. While they are still warm, rub the nuts in a towel to remove the skins. Inevitably, some skins will refuse to peel away, but that’s no matter.
* When checking to see if the agar flakes are completely dissolved
Take a spoonful of hot liquid and slowly pour it back into the pot; you will be able to see any flakes that have not dissolved on the spoon. They can be small, so look carefully. Re-cover the pot, and continue simmering until no flakes appear.
EASY ALTERNATIVE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
I have been using a different method for the chocolate ganache, which is easier and can be made just before frosting the cake.
chocolate ganache
90g vegan/regular butter (softened to room temperature)
1 ½ tub (300g) Vegan Cream Cheese
⅓ cup/40g icing sugar
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
½ cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
150g melted dark chocolate(70%)
prepare the chocolate ganache
- Beat together the butter with a hand mixer until soft. Add the cream cheese and beat again until well mixed (don’t overmix). Sift over the icing sugar and cocoa powder, and add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate—beat again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
I have been making this palya often. It is very simple, quick, and based on what is in the garden at the moment: a handful of beans, small cabbages, and a few small zucchinis. Feel free to change the vegetables to suit the season or availability. It is great served over rice, with avocado and pickle, or accompanied by a simple dal.
~ zucchinis in the garden
summer garden palya
preparation 30 minutes
serves 4
Use heaped spoon measurements.
ingredients
2 cups/230g zucchinis
3 cups/170g cabbage
1 cup/150g green beans
¼ cup/60ml water
1 tsp fine rock salt
2 tsp jaggery/sugar
5 Tbsp dried shredded coconut
½ cup chopped coriander/fenugreek leaves
voggarane
4 Tbsp peanut/melted coconut oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 Tbsp split channa dal
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium, mild dried red chillies, chopped
⅛ tsp hingu powder (asafoetida)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
20 fresh curry leaves
to serve
brown rice
sliced avocado
spicy pickle
preparation
- Chop the zucchini, cabbage, and green beans into small uniform pieces, measure the spices for the voggarane, and set aside.
prepare the voggarane
- Pour oil into a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and channa dal; when they turn grey and the dal is golden-brown, turn down the heat. Add cumin seeds, chillies, and asafoetida—fry for 30 seconds, then add the turmeric powder and curry leaves—fry for a few seconds longer.
- Add the vegetables, water, salt, and jaggery. Stir to combine, and cook uncovered on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Then, cover and cook until the vegetables have softened for three more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the dried coconut and coriander.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly and for the flavours to be absorbed—taste, adding more salt or jaggery as needed.
Serve with brown rice drizzled with ghee.
- Categories: Indian & Ayurveda, indian recipes, summer, vegetables & salads
This is a recipe I often make based on these Raspberry Muffins. The sweet almond crumb adds a delicious crunchy texture, which contrasts nicely with the sourness of the rhubarb. The maple syrup can be replaced with ½ cup brown sugar. If you don’t want to spend the time arranging the rhubarb, chop it into 1 cm pieces and sprinkle it over the cake.
taking stalk
by Shelley Posen
If your rhubarb plant could only speak
This is what it would say—
“Use this harvesting technique
So, I increase from day to day:
Don’t cut with knife that’s sharp or dull
(This is known in ancient lore)
Grab stalk by stalk at the base and pull
And soon, I’ll grow some more.
rhubarb cardamon cake with a rhubarb-vanilla compote
preparation 30 minutes
baking time 45 minutes
serves 8 – 10
millet
¼ cup/50g millet
¾ cup/185ml water
almond crumb
⅓ cup/25g flaked almonds
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
cake
4 rhubarb stalks (250-300g)
1½ cup/210g whole-spelt flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cardamom powder
¾ cup/220g maple syrup
⅓ cup/65g mild-tasting olive/coconut oil
¼ cup/55g almond milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp grated ginger
zest of 1 lemon
¼ tsp fine rock salt
prepare the millet
- Rinse the millet, place it in a pan with the water, bring to a boil, simmer rapidly for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Remove from heat; let sit for 10 minutes before removing the lid. Measure out 1 cup/180g cooked millet—set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF and line an 11 x 7-inch baking tray or favourite cake tin with parchment paper.
prepare the almond crumb
- In a small bowl, combine the almonds, sugar, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then set aside.
prepare the rhubarb
- Unless the rhubarb stalks are very slender, cut them in half lengthwise. Then, cut the stalks at an angle, two pointing one way and the other two the opposite, so they will fit together in a herringbone pattern. Use your pan to do a trial run, cutting to size and arranging your stalks however you like—set aside.
prepare the cake
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and cardamom – set aside.
- In a medium jug, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, almond milk, vanilla, ginger, lemon zest, salt and cooked millet.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until well combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan and arrange the rhubarb stalks. Spend a little extra time arranging your rhubarb—this is my favourite part! Don’t press the fruit into the batter—just place it over the top and let it rest on the surface.
- Crumble over the almond crumb.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until golden or a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool. Make the compote.
Serve with a generous dollop of Greek yoghurt or cream and a spoon of rhubarb-vanilla compote.
rhubarb-vanilla compote
preparation – 25 minutes
makes 1 cup
ingredients
2 cups/225g rhubarb, diced (redder part of the stems or replace half with raspberries)
⅓ cup/90g maple syrup
½ tsp freshly grated ginger
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
preparation
- Place the rhubarb, maple syrup, and ginger in a medium saucepan.
- Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into a saucepan, adding the pod as well.
- Cook, covered over low heat. (It’s important to begin slowly so the rhubarb warms up and begins to release its liquid. Cook the rhubarb for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and increase heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is completely broken down. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
This is a very simple, sweet, salty, gooey 5-minute caramel sauce to drizzle warm over ice cream or pancakes. You can also crumble the base of a bowl with a 5-ingredient tahini almond cookie. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of toasted pistachio nuts, drizzle over the caramel sauce, and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Perfect for Pesach Celebrations!
~ spring vegetable garden ~
5-minute vegan salted caramel
Recipe inspired here.
preparation 5 minutes
makes 1 cup
ingredients
⅓ cup/75g hulled tahini
⅓ cup/70g coconut cream
⅓ cup/50g coconut sugar
¼ tsp fine rock salt
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp water, or more for desired consistency
½ tsp vanilla extract
to serve
vanilla ice-cream
5-ingredient tahini almond cookies
toasted pistachios
preparation
- Mix all the ingredients, except the vanilla, in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring continuously.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- For a more syrupy, drippy consistency, once cool, whisk in water 1 tsp at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Enjoy immediately! It can be stored refrigerated for up to a week.
Once cooled, the sauce will set, so you will need to reheat it to regain a pourable consistency or add hot water until you reach the desired consistency.
I prefer to keep this palya simple and the flavours subtle, as it is normally served with other complex dishes. Use fresh, small-medium-sized beetroot with lots of flavour and preferably with their greens attached—a reliable sign of freshness. Always give them a squeeze to avoid buying old, spongy beetroot that has been stored too long.
~ vegetable garden and blossoms ~
beetroot palya
preparation 40 minutes
serves 4 as a side dish
ingredients
4-5 medium/450g beetroot
voggarane
2 Tbsp peanut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
15 small curry leaves
½ tsp fine rock salt
1 tsp jaggery
3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
3 Tbsp freshly grated coconut – can be replaced with dried
to serve
whole moong dal with garden greens
yoghurt
rice
preparation
- Scrub the beetroot and place it in a pot of boiling water. Simmer for 30 minutes until tender but still firm.
- Drain and allow to cool slightly. Using vinyl gloves (this will keep your hands clean while working with beets), slip the skin off. If the skin doesn’t slip off easily, use a knife to scrape it away. Finely chop into small uniform cubes and place in a serving bowl.
prepare the voggarane
- Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds; when they turn grey and pop, remove from heat. Add the curry leaves, swishing the pan around so the leaves fry evenly. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 1 – 2 minutes, then stir in the salt and jaggery.
- Pour the voggarane over the beetroot – toss until well-incorporated.
- Add the finely chopped dill and sprinkle over the coconut – stir to combine. Garnish with a handful of small beetroot leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.
variation
- Stir through 1 cup full-fat yoghurt.
- If buying beets with their greens still attached, lightly steam them when boiling the beet, double the voggarane and stir through.
- Categories: autumn, Indian & Ayurveda, indian recipes, vegetables & salads
There are two different ways to prepare this dish. One is more of a soupy, liquid dish, and the second is a dry palya; both use the same ingredients, whilst the main difference is the amount of water used.
Soupy Whole Moong Dal with Garden Greens
preparation 40 minutes
serves 3
ingredients
½ cup/100g whole moong dal (mung beans)
4½ cups water
2 cups/55g loosely packed kale/fenugreek/spinach, cabbage & coriander leaves
2 Tbsp dried shredded coconut
1 tsp fine rock salt
1 tsp jaggery/brown sugar
1 -2 tsp lemon juice
voggarane
1 – 2 Tbsp ghee
½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 heaped Tbsp split channa dal
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
1 chilli (broken into three pieces)
⅛ tsp asafoetida powder
⅛ tsp turmeric powder
12 curry leaves
to serve
Basmati rice
Yoghurt with cucumber
Beetroot Palya or Grated Beetroot Salad
preparation
- In a medium saucepan, wash the dal until the water runs clear, drain, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer, and simmer, uncovered, until tender—about 20-30 minutes or until the dal is cooked. Just keep in mind that you may need to add more water when cooking, depending on the quality of your dal.
- While waiting for the dal to cook, wash the greens and roughly chop. Measure out the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
prepare the voggarane
- Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and channa dal and fry until the mustard seeds turn grey and the dal is golden brown.
- Turn down the heat and add the chilli and asafoetida powder. Continue to fry for 20 seconds, swishing the pan around so the spices fry evenly. Add the curry leaves and turmeric powder, turn off the heat, and then add the voggarane to the dal.
- Sprinkle in the dried coconut, salt, jaggery, and lemon juice, and fold in the green leaves. Mix well, cover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes until the greens have wilted. Taste, adding more sweet or sour as needed.
Serve over rice, drizzle with ghee and sprinkle with a few rounds of freshly ground pepper.
tips
- Soak the dal in the morning or evening for quick meal preparation.
- To keep the green leaves vibrant, add only when ready to serve.
variation
- Use split yellow moong dal instead of the whole moong dal.
- Add in finely chopped carrots instead of the garden greens.
Dry Whole Moong Dal with Garden Greens
preparation 40 minutes
serves 3
ingredients
½ cup/100g whole moong dal (mung beans)
3 cups/750ml water
2 cups/55g loosely packed kale/fenugreek/spinach/cabbage & coriander leaves
2 Tbsp dried shredded coconut
1 tsp fine rock salt
1 tsp jaggery/brown sugar
1 – 2 Tbsp lemon juice
voggarane
1 Tbsp ghee
½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 heaped Tbsp split channa dal
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
1 chilli (broken into three pieces)
⅛ tsp asafoetida powder
⅛ tsp turmeric powder
12 curry leaves
to serve
shaved carrot salad or carrot palya
basmati rice or chapati
preparation
- In a medium saucepan, wash the dal until the water runs clear, drain, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer, and simmer, uncovered, until tender—about 20-30 minutes. Just keep in mind that you may need to add more water when cooking, depending on the quality of your dal. Keep an eye on them and judge so you are not left with mush. You want the moong dal firm but cooked.
- While waiting for the dal to soften, wash the greens and finely chop. Measure out the remaining ingredients – set aside.
- When the dal is ready, pour it into a strainer to drain off any excess water. Leave for a few minutes.
prepare the voggarane
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the ghee; once it’s hot, add the mustard seeds and channa dal; fry until the mustard seeds start to pop and the dal is golden-brown.
- Turn down the heat and add the chilli and asafoetida powder. Continue to fry for 20 seconds, then add the curry leaves and turmeric powder. Allow to fry for a few seconds, stirring to ensure the spices fry evenly.
- Turn off the heat and add the greens. Mix well (you may need to add 2 tablespoons of water if they feel too dry). Cover and allow the greens to wilt.
- Stir in the cooked dal, dried coconut, salt, and jaggery. Mix well, cover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to come together. Taste, adding more sweet or sour—I like to add extra lemon juice. When serving, garnish with lemon zest and freshly grated coconut.
- Categories: dal, rasam & sambar, Indian & Ayurveda, indian recipes, winter
Making pita bread feels like magic! It is surprisingly easy to make and starts with a simple yeast dough baked in a hot oven. The heat activates the yeast and creates steam, which makes the dough puff up dramatically, forming its signature pocket. The pita will deflate when it cools, but the pocket remains.
note
- It is important that the temperature in the oven is very hot and stays hot.
- A pizza stone is very helpful when making pita; however, preheating a baking tray works just as well.
- To ensure a pocket, don’t roll your pita out too thin.
homemade pita
makes 8 medium pita
ingredients
1½ cups/320g warm water
2 tsp/8g dry yeast
1½ Tbsp/12g sugar
3 Tbsp/30g olive oil
3¾ cups/490g unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp/5g fine rock salt
preparation
- Grease a large bowl with oil or ghee. Set aside.
- In a bowl with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl (if mixing by hand), combine the water, yeast, and salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes, at which point the mixture should look foamy. Add the salt and oil, then gradually add the flour with the mixer running on low speed.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes, it will look a bit shaggy at first but as it continues to knead, it will come together. After 5 minutes, if the dough is still sticking to the bowl, add a tablespoon of flour at a time so that the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Do not add too much flour. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.
- Using oiled hands or a bread scraper, place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or a beeswax sheet to rest at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 – 2 hours.
- Using an oiled bread scraper or a knife, turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and divide it into 8 equal portions, each approximately 105g.
- Flour your hands and mould each into a ball by stretching the top and tucking the edges under, achieving a round shape with a smooth top. This is a great video demonstrating how to do this – jump to 3:00 mins.
- Place the balls 1 inch apart on a well-floured board, cover them with an oiled sheet of plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 minutes.
- While the pita rounds are resting, preheat the oven with the baking stone inside to 250C/480F.
- Use a rolling pin to lightly roll out the balls of dough into circles, ¼-inch thick (for thinner pita bread) or ½-inch thick (for thicker, puffy pita bread) and approximately 5 – 6 inches in diameter. You don’t want to press out all the air and make them too thin. Do your best to keep an even thickness.
- If using a pizza stone, gently lift a pita with your fingers and flip it onto the hot baking stone (if your stone is large enough, place three more pita onto the baking stone). Bake for 5 minutes or until cooked through and puffy. You don’t want them to brown.
- Take out of the oven and repeat with the remaining four. Cool on a rack. Fill with homemade hummus and salad, or the next day, cut into triangles, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with za’atar, and toast in the oven to serve with your favourite guacamole.
tips
If using a baking tray, preheat it when resting the pita rounds. When sufficiently hot, flip the pita onto the tray and bake as above.
variation
For a whole wheat variety, replace some of the all-purpose flour with 1¾ cups/230g of whole wheat flour.
- Categories: bread, breads & crackers
Growing up, dinner was always six o’clock sharp, no later and no earlier. I grew up on the same weekly menu for as long as I lived with my parents, and they still eat according to this same menu to this day.
This routine seems to be deep-rooted. As I get older, I see a pattern emerging: Sunday is pasta night, Monday morning is pepper rasam, and in the evening, it’s chapati. Tuesday morning is a garden-inspired rasam, and Fridays are becoming sandwich nights.
On chapati night, I serve this simple dal, a quick guacamole, and this cabbage carrot palya. This combination goes well together and has become a regular on the table for years now.
I prefer to keep this palya simple, as it is normally served with other complex dishes. For a more deeply flavoured dish, add 1 tsp finely grated ginger, roughly chopped toasted cashews and a squeeze of lemon towards the end of cooking.
cabbage carrot palya
preparation 20 minutes
serves 3 – 4, as a side dish
ingredients
2 Tbsp peanut or coconut oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 Tbsp split channa dal
1 tsp split urad dal
12 curry leaves
2 – 4 Tbsp water
3 cups/200g cabbage
1 medium/80g carrot
1 tsp fine rock salt
1 tsp jaggery
¼ cup/20g dried shredded coconut
to serve
preparation
- Finely chop the cabbage – measuring 3 cups; peel and grate the carrot using the larger side of a box grater – measuring 1 cup. Set aside.
- In a skillet, on medium-high heat, add the oil and mustard seeds. When the seeds turn grey and pop, add the channa and urad dal. Fry until both dals are golden-brown, then add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
- Turn down the heat, pour in the water and immediately add the cabbage. Cover and simmer the cabbage until cooked but still firm, stirring every few minutes – approximately 4 minutes. If there is any liquid left on the bottom, uncover it and increase the heat to high until it has evaporated.
- Stir in the grated carrot – cook 1 – 2 minutes more, uncovered, stirring until the carrot is soft.
- Season with salt and jaggery, sprinkle in the dried coconut and combine well. If you like, add a small amount of finely chopped fresh coriander.
tip
Use a variety of cabbage (Savoy Cabbage) with dark outer leaves for a variation in deep greens. It doesn’t affect the taste but the contrast is lovely.
variation
- In spring, add in fresh green sweet peas, when adding the cabbage.
- Replace the carrot with finely chopped fenugreek leaves.
- Categories: Indian & Ayurveda, indian recipes, vegetables & salads, winter
No knead bread gives a gorgeous, crusty loaf, with very little hands-on time. The use of a Dutch oven (cast iron pot with a lid) creates a moist environment for the bread as it bakes; I use an old Le Creuset pot for this. However, I have read that an enamel, Pyrex or ceramic pot works just as well.
The wet dough and long fermentation are the keys to success. The rough seam, when placed in the hot pot, creates unexpected beautiful results, so there is no need to slash or score the bread.
no-knead bread
preparation 15 hours
serves 8
ingredients
3 cups/390g unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp fine rock salt
½ tsp/2g dry yeast
1¼ cups/275g warm water
rice flour for dusting
preparation
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and yeast. Pour in the water, then stir with a wet hand or a wooden spatula to form a sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl with cling film or a beeswax sheet and leave overnight or for at least 12-18 hours in a warm place. Slow fermentation is the key to flavour.
for the second rise
- With oiled hands or a bowl scraper, pull the sticky dough onto a well-floured surface and fold it over a few times, forming a ball. I like to gently lift up the dough as I fold it over so that the dough is being stretched.
- Lightly dust a proofing basket or a medium bowl with rice flour (the rice flour will not blacken when baking). Place the dough inside, seam side down, and cover for another 2 hours.
- About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 260C/500F and place your Dutch oven inside (with the lid on) to heat up. It may be cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic.
- Once your dough has finished its second rise, remove the Dutch oven (taking care and wearing oven mitts).
- Invert the dough into the floured Dutch oven. If the dough doesn’t land evenly, give the pot a shake, and it should right itself.
- Cover the pot with the lid, and pop it back in the oven. Bake the bread for 30 minutes covered and then 10 – 15 minutes uncovered.
- Tip the bread out of the pot and cool on a wired rack. Allow the bread to cool completely to fully establish the crust and set the crumb. It will make a lovely crackling sound as it cools!
Enjoy!
tips
- Before putting the bread inside, cover the proofing basket with a heaped tablespoon of seeds (black and white sesame, flaxseeds, and poppy seeds).
- If you think your dough will be sitting out for a longer 24-hour period, reduce the amount of yeast to ¼ teaspoons.
variations
- Replace 100g of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- Replace the wheat flour with spelt flour. You may need to increase the amount of water because wheat absorbs more moisture.
- Categories: bread, breads & crackers
