Phodni Bhat (Seasoned Stir-Fried Rice)

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Onion, finely chopped - 1 cup
Green chili, slit lengthwise - 1 large
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Rai (mustard seeds) - 1 tsp
Sunflower seeds - 1/4 cup (optional)
Egg - 1 (optional)
Haldi (Turmeric powder) - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Cooking time: 5 min
Servings: 2

Method:
Add jeera, rai and sunflower seeds to hot oil in a wok. When the rai starts to sputter, add the green chili and onion. Stir fry until the onions are translucent. Break the egg into the wok and stir until scrambled. Mix in the rice, salt and turmeric and fry for a couple of minutes.

Comments:
This is a variation on my mom's recipe and makes for a quick snack for breakfast or in the afternoon. The sunflower seeds are a delicious addition and they are cheaper than cashews!
Source: Mom's recipe
Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Rice Flour Dosa

More about dosas here. This variation on the traditional recipe uses a batter made with non-fermented rice flour. It is quick, easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Rava (semolina) - 2 tbsp (optional)
Onion, finely chopped - 1 small
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp (can be replaced with finely chopped green chillies or red pepper flakes)
Coriander leaves, chopped fine - a handful
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2-3 tbsp

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients together and add enough water to make a batter of pancake consistency. Heat a pan and spread a few drops of oil onto it. Spread one ladle of batter onto the pan (there should be enough batter to make a thick dosa), dribble some oil along the sides of the pan and some oil onto the dosa (I used a spray can). Cover the pan with a lid and let fry for 2 minutes. Turn the dosa over and dribble oil down the sides once again. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Serve the dosas with your favourite chutney or sambar.

Source: Adapted from the Aayi's Recipes page.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Masoor Dal Soup With Spinach

Ingredients:

Masoor dal (split red gram lentils) - 1 cup
Spinach, freshly washed - 1/2 cup (or two handfuls)
Ginger, chopped fine or grated - 2" piece (makes this recipe very gingery!)
Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp
Rai (mustard seeds) - 1 tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Haldi (turmeric) powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Cooking time: 20-25 min (15 min soak, 10 minute cook)

Servings: 2-3

Method:
Wash and soak the dal in water for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a pan. Add the fresh washed spinach leaves to the pan. Drain the dal and add this to the pan. Add haldi, red chili powder and salt to taste. Cook on medium heat until the dal is cooked (about 10 minutes). Season this with rai and jeera sputtered in 1 tbsp of hot oil.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Spinach Feta Hummus

Ingredients
Chickpeas - 1 lb soaked overnight (or from a can, drained)
Spinach, freshly washed - 1/2 cup (or two handfuls)
Garlic, roasted - 10 cloves (less if you want)
Feta cheese, crumbled - 4 oz
Tahini - 2 tbsp (optional)
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Red pepper flakes - 1/8 cup (more for a spicier taste)
Lemon juice - 3-4 tbsp

Cooking time: 5-7 min
Servings: Party size!

Method:
Blend the chickpeas with everything except the cheese and red pepper. Now add the cheese and red pepper flakes and blend to a smooth paste. Decorate with sunflower seeds if desired.

Source: Inspired by Saad Fayed's recipe on About.com
Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Chocolate Stout Cake with Chocolate Stout Sauce

Ingredients:

Cake:
1/4 Cup cocoa powder
1/3 Cup stout
1 Cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 Cup buttermilk

Sauce:
1/4 Cup stout
4 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

Method:

Cake:
1) In a saucepan, combine cocoa powder and stout. Heat until combined and smooth.

2) In a bowl, combine flour, baing powder, baking soda, salt

3) In a second bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until mixture is pale yellow. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Next, stir the buttermilk into the stout/cocoa powder mixture. Alternately, add 1/3 of this buttermilk mixture, then 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture in the bowl. Repeat until everything is combined.

Pour this mixture into a greased and floured 9"x9" pan. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes. Just like brownies, don't worry about undercooking. It'll still be good.


Sauce:

Mix all sauce ingredients in a saucepan over low heat until they combine and are smooth.


When the cake is done cooking, allow to cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and place on a rack, upside down. Poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of the cake, and pour 2/3 of the sauce over the cake. Allow it to soak in for at least a few minutes. Longer is better. Then, turn the cake right side up, and pour the rest of the sauce over the top.

This ends up being a VERY moist cake. But it's so good, you'll be digging in with your hands anyway.

Contributed by: Bryan
Source: http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/stpatricks/chocolate-guinness-cake.htm

Mole Negro Oaxaqueno

(Black Mole from Oaxaca)

Ingredients:

* 1 whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
* 6 C chicken stock (1 C if you buy cooked chicken, but get stock for adding to sauce)
* 5 chilhuacle negro chiles, or substitute ancho chiles**, seeded, stemmed
* 5 guajillo chiles, or substitute dried New Mex. chiles, seeded, stemmed
* 4 pasilla chiles, seeded, stemmed
* 4 mulatto chiles, or use ancho, seeded, stemmed
* 2 chipotle chiles, seeded, stemmed
* 1 medium white onion, cut in quarters
* 6 cloves garlic
* 2 Tbs whole almonds
* 2 Tbs shelled, skinned peanuts (or a spoonfull of peanut butter)
* 2-4 Tbs lard*** (or use vegetable oil if you must)
* 2 tsp raisins
* 1 slice bread (prefer Challa or egg bread)
* 1 small ripe plantain, or use a small banana
* 1/2 C sesame seeds
* 2 pecan halves
* 1" Mexican cinnamon stick
* 2 whole peppercorns
* 2 whole cloves
* 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 5 fresh tomatillos, chopped
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 1 bar, or to taste of Ibarra chocolate, or other Mexican chocolate
* 1 avocado leaf, omit or use bay leaf
* salt to taste
* fresh tortillas

Cooking Time: ~3 hours with prep work as you go

Procedure:

1. Simmer the chicken in the stock until tender, about 30 min. Remove, keep warm and reserve stock

2. Toast the chiles, or fry them in lard, until just darkened -- don't let them burn. Place in bowl, cover with hot water until soft, about 30 min.

3. Puree chiles in blender, adding the soaking water if needed to form a paste.

4. Roast the garlic and onion in the same pan until slightly brown, then remove.

5. Toast the almonds and peanuts slightly, remove.

6. Toast the chile seeds until dark but don't let burn.

7. Heat 2 Tbs lard in skillet and fry raisins until plump, remove and drain.

8. Fry bread until brown, remove.

9. Fry plantains until brown, remove.

10. Add more lard if needed, and fry sesame seeds at low heat until slightly brown, stirring often.

11. Add pecans, brown and remove and drain.

12. Toast the cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves lightly in a dry pan. Let cool, and grind in a molcajete or grinder.

13. In a blender or processor puree nuts, sesame seeds, bread and pecans; use small batches if needed.

14. Add onions, garlic, plantains and puree. Remove, then puree tomatoes and tomatillos.

15. Heat the remaining lard in a large heavy pot and fry the chile paste until dry, but don't let it burn.

16. Add tomato puree and fry until liquid is gone.

17. Add ground spices, nut/bread mixture, pureed onion mixture, oregano and thyme.

18. Heat to a simmer while stirring constantly, add chocolate.

19. Toast the avocado leaf over open flame briefly, then add to mixture.

20. Slowly add reserved chicken stock to mixture until mixture will just coat a spoon.

21. Salt to taste.

22. Simmer for 5 min, then add chicken and heat thru.

23. Serve with tortillas and spoon over with the sauce!


Yield: 4-6 servings (so they say, I think more like 10-12)


(*Note 1: This is your basic chicken stock with onions, garlic, carrots celery, bay leaf and thyme, plus 1 allspice berry, 1 clove and 1 whole chile de arbol.)

(**Note 2: For all chiles, save the seeds. Substituted chiles are more readily available in the US.)

(***Note 3: Lard is essential for the best flavor. Turkey is traditional, a small amount of beef and pork are also used to enhance flavor.)


Since the sauce took so long, I copped out and bought a roast chicken, which worked pretty well actually.

tastes excellent with Imperial Oatmeal Stout :)

Source : http://www.ramekins.com/mole/recipesmole.html

Author: Megan

Aval (Flattened Rice) Upma

Ingredients (in order of appearance)
Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chana dal (split pigeon peas) - 1 tsp
Udad dal (black gram) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-4
Ginger, grated or chopped fine (optional) - 1" piece
Onion, sliced - 1/2 large
Green chilly, chopped - 1 long
Aval - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander (cilantro) leaves - 1 strand
Lemon juice (optional) - 1 tbsp

Cooking time: 12 min (7 min prep + 5 min cook)
Servings: 2

Method:
Soak the aval in water for 5-7 minutes. Wash well and drain. Leave in strainer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Heat the oil in a wok and sputter cumin seeds, chana and udad dals. Add curry leaves to this, and ginger if you choose. Mix in onions and green chillies and fry until the onions are golden brown. Now, add the aval, turmeric and salt and stir fry for a few minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice if desired. Makes a tasty breakfast or mid-afternoon snack!

Source: Mom's recipe
Author: Shrinkingsodacan