Strawberry Muffin Biscotti

I recently made a batch of Strawberry Muffins again. A pot of strawberry preserve was almost seeing it's end and what could have been a better way for me than using them in muffins? Well, this time it wasn't butter-less, but yet low in fat as I substituted butter to vegetable oil. A kind of an experiment with cooking, which worked good. Blame it on my fridge which had no stock of butter as we used them all for breakfast breads! I had made quite a lot, which seemed to be lasting for a few days.

I don't generally enjoy eating the same over a period of days. As we usually get bored, it was the same case with these muffins as well. We loved them for a day or two, but then it seemed to last in the fridge for longer this time. So instead of discarding these precious sweet treats, I made muffin biscottis out of these.

I removed them from the fridge during the mid-day. Allowed them to come to room temperature and baked them early evening for our tea. As these were being baked, we could smell the warmth coming from the soft scented vanilla and fruity strawberry, gently drifting through the house, ditto like freshly baked biscuits right out of oven. As they cooled, they crisped well. Every gentle bite into these were wonderfully crusty, fresh and invigorating. Perfect to enjoy during our tea time.

No one can say these were made from left over muffins. Why don't you give them a try too?

Strawberry Muffin Biscotti

INGREDIENTS:

About 4-5 strawberry muffins
A little oil or butter to wax the baking tray

DIRECTIONS:

Gently remove the muffins from their paper cover base. Slice them thinly to about 1/2 cm or 0.2 inches thins if you prefer crisp biscotti, or about 1 cm thick if you want chewy treats.

Lightly oil the base of baking tray. You may avoid this step if required. Spread the muffin wafers on the tray. You can place them close and side by side as these won't rise any further. Bake them for 10 mins, more or less (depending on your oven) till the biscotti have browned lightly.

These simple and easy biscotti go really well with tea or evening coffee. Crisp and light, so easy that they can be done in less than 10 mins.

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Chinese Hakka Noodles

I am hell bent on not trying the Indian cuisine when we dine out at restaurants. Although most Indian restaurants expertise in good Indian food, I opine that we dine out for a change in the regular food we eat. It doesn't make sense to me to eat Tadka dal or Chole or Palak Paneer, unless if the hotel offers great Indian food and is known for that... On the other hand, I have come across people who just love to stick on to the same menu every time they eat out. I wonder how one never gets bored! For me it's a BIG NO NO! I love my life and food with a difference... be it Chinese, Italian, Mexican or even Middle Eastern food... Since we do not make them home very often, it's a pleasant change to dine outside once a while. And whenever we do, we love to explore different cuisines.

Being vegetarian does not limit our options. And that does not stop us from eating good food either. We even love and enjoy even basic stuffs like salads! One common kind of food that Indians often love to eat out is Indo-Chinese food. I am not sure where and how this concept evolved, but it definitely is a hit in this country with a large population of people loving street side food. Though I have never been hooked by street food considering cleanliness factors, most people would beg to disagree me on that.

Whenever we have such cravings, I make them home with much lesser oil and salt than what we get outside. One such food favorite of mine is simple flavorsome Chinese Hakka Noodles. I adore them truly. I made them over the weekend and they tasted wonderfully good.

Chinese Hakka Noodles

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Hakka Noodles, boiled and strained
2 tsp Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Red chilly flakes
1 small bunch Spring Onion
1 onion, diced
1 small capsicum, diced
1 tbsp shredded cabbage
1-2 green chilly, slit vertically
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook noodles in boiling water as per the instructions on the pack.

In a wide mouthed pan/kadai, heat oil. Add garlic and green chillies and fry for a minute. Add onions and fry till transparent Now add capsicum and fry till it tenders. Next add shredded cabbage and fry for another minute. Add spring onions and continue frying for 2-3 minutes more. Now add boiled and strained noodles and salt (to taste) and mix well. Add soy sauce and tomato and mix it well. Top with red chilly flakes for spice. Hakka Noodles is ready to be served hot.

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Deep Pan Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust Base

Making pizzas have never been tedious task. In fact, they are one of the simplest and the easiest to make, especially if you have the base ready. They make a complete meal by themselves. We love indulging in pizzas quite often. And I ensure I make them all home, including the base.

I generally use whole wheat flour crust base to give them a healthy touch. For me pizza is all about the toppings! So with loads of toppings on them, one can hardly identify the difference in taste between the wheat flour crust against the all purpose flour crust. I am a huge fan of thin crust pizzas, but for a change I decided to go for a deep pan pizza this time. They were actually good for the heavy topping that I use often as they hold them very well. The thick base against the heavy toppings. Perfect to hold the toppings even after they are cut to pieces. I consider to continue making deep pan pizzas again in future for sure.

I realize that I have been loving thin crusts, because pizzas from restaurants offer with light toppings and sauce on a heavy crust. Feels as if we are biting into bread more than the mild sauce and light toppings they come with. My pizzas hold loads of vegetables and good dose of cheese to complete them.

To make the pizza crust at home follow my previous post here. Just double the quantity of ingredients to be used. Infact I used three times the amount mentioned as I made a bigger batch. Also substitute the all purpose flour to whole wheat flour if you want to go the healthier way.

Roll the dough and transfer it to a pizza pan. A deep dish pizza would mean the dough is about 3/4 inch thick in height which would rise a little more on baking.

Pizza Sauce

INGREDIENTS

8-10 pods of garlic
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup tomato sauce, optional
Salt and paprika to taste
Italian herbs of your choice (oregano, basil, etc)
1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Saute finely chopped garlic and onions in oil for 2 mins till they turn transparent. Add the tomato puree and cook for few minutes till it's cooked and leaves oil from the sides of the pan. Add in the tomato sauce and stir well for few minutes. Add in the herbs and spices. Turn off the flame and set aside to cool. Then spread it over the pizza base. Then spread it over the pizza base.

Here's what I used for toppings:

50 gm mushrooms
50 gm onions
50 gm baby corn
50 gm yellow capsicum
50 gm red capsicum
50 gm cherry tomatoes
20 gm jalapenos

All the vegetables were chopped to small-medium sized chunks. Spread them on the sauce on the pizza base. You may choose vegetables of your choice. I did not have olives at hand, else they can be added too. If you dislike vegetables, then skip them and go for a Classic Margherita style pizza with just the sauce and cheese toppings.

For the cheese topping:

100 gm cheddar cheese
100 gm mozzarella cheese

No pizza is complete without cheese!!! Load your pizzas with dollops of cheese. I like my pizzas low on cheese. But if you are a cheese lover and calories don't bother you much, then don't stop your self to add more cheese. Pizzas can take them and they taste best when loaded with good amounts of cheese.

Bake them in oven for 20 minutes or till the crust has baked well and the cheese turns golden brown. Remove and garnish the top with oregano and chilli flakes. Using a pizza cutter, slice to pieces and serve hot.

This pizza was a delight to our afternoon lunch. Served with simple coleslaw, every bite into the pizza was flavored with combination of healthy vegetables sandwiched between the crusty whole wheat base and the baked cheesy top. A delight to a pizza lover's heart.

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Chocolate-Chip Cookies

I bake cakes and cookies with no eggs or no butter with a lot of hesitation. You see, I have not had convincing results without these in the past. So my hesitation is valid. I do not have eggs at hand most often. I buy them only with an intention of making a dessert which I have planned in advance on my mind. Else, I never extend myself to cooking anything with eggs apart from desserts.

I am a perfectionist. I love my bakes to be perfect... rich in flavors and heavenly in mouth. When I follow a recipe, I ensure I stick to what measurements and ingredients the recipe asks for. I am always in dilemma when cooking with alternatives as they may not result to what they should be.

My search for alternatives to eggs haven't yielded good results either. Most common alternatives being agave nectar, unsweetened apple sauce, soy yogurt, silken tofu, flax seed powder, ener-g egg replacer, etc.. etc... etc... Most of these, or must I say, none of these are even available easily in Bangalore. Though off late, a few supermarkets have these imported stuffs on their racks, but the prices of imported goods are way too sky-rocketing that purchasing them at exorbitant prices makes no sense. I would rather enjoy them eating outside with no efforts at all!

Flax seeds were hardly available earlier. But they seem to be getting a little popular in bigger super markets. On one occasion when I had seen them in stock in the nearby Foodworld, I got my hands on them. I had been using them in muesli and granola, but never used them as an egg replacer. So when I came across reviews that flax seed can make good alternatives to eggs, I decided to use them in my chocolate-chip cookie recipe.

Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (200 g)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar (50 gm)
1/4 cup white sugar (50 gm)
A pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted cold butter (100 g)
1/2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add-ons:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (100 g)

First grind the flax seeds with warm water till they become a mushy egg-like paste. Set aside for later use.

Mix in all the dry ingredients from the list above in a mixing bowl. Add in cold butter. Using your fingers, work the flour–sugar mixture into butter until dough resembles breadcrumbs.

Next, add the ground flax meal paste along with vanilla extract to this. Fold in gently. Add the chocolate chips. Knead gently to form a smooth dough. Chill in fridge if necessary. I was impatient to wait though. So I headed to bake them. Shape the cookies to rounds and flatten them a little. Place them on the baking tray and bake them a 180 deg C for about 10-15 minutes or till they brown. Remove and allow to cool before serving.

I am glad I tried this. The flax seed can hardly be noticed or even tasted. One would never imagine that the cookies contained them. They were great. Loved and enjoyed by all. Every bite into the freshly baked warm cookie was decadent and heavenly. It just made our day complete.

It's hard to believe that these are truly eggless! They were crunchy on the outside and chewy in the center. Way to go for a perfect cookie to be mastered!

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Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I have a simple post today. Nothing much on my thoughts to pen down. I am back from a short, but adventurous holiday break and it feels great to unwind and refresh during the trip. Wish to have more of these often. Some simple pleasures are truly adorable!

Pumpkins have never worked well with me. Neither as a dessert nor in a curry. Apart from the Pumpkin Walnut Bread, which was certainly loved and adored by all, they haven't suited our tastes much though. I rarely bring them and whenever I do, they last for months in my freezer, finally ending to throw away half of it. I have almost stopped bringing them home. It's like a resolution. Pains to see so much of it being wasted.

One recent occasion saw me bringing pumpkin home again. Don't blame me - it's a temptation to buy when the prices hit low! The nearby store has a routine Wednesday sale on vegetables and fruits. So I ensure that I fill my crates and baskets to the brim every time I shop here on Wednesdays. As I unpacked the stuffs back home, I could see the dire look on my husband's face as he stared at that yellow vegetable as an evil thing.

I hoped to use them in pumpkin pies or make muffins, but even this time we were not in a mood for pumpkins. We need to kind of mentally prepare ourselves to enjoy yellow pumpkins. Wondering why! I doubt these can ever be my good friend! I ended up discarding a lot of it this time too and have resolved never to bring them again. Well, not even for an attempt!

Although, I did enjoy this simple roasted pumpkin seeds which I made a couple of days ago. Simple and nutty. Good for a lazy evening or a simple snack to munch on.

Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

INGREDIENTS

Seeds from one pumpkin
Salt to taste
Chilli powder to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut the yellow pumpkin to half. De-seed the pumpkin carefully. It can be very slimy to hold. So scoop them to a bowl. Tender seeds taste the best. Remove aged seeds if possible. They may be hard and too nutty to chew on.

Next, wash them thoroughly in running water till the slimy flesh on the seeds are removed. It may take some time, but it is worth the effort. Allow them to dry.

On a roasting pan, spread the pumpkin seeds and roast them on medium-low flame till they are lightly golden brown and crisp. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Season with salt and chilli powder to taste. You may also bake them in oven on 180 deg C for about 15 mins, tossing them on between.

They make a great healthy snack to munch on. Enjoy a healthy treat!

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Shunti Tambli

"Firstly, wishing all a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2010"

Initially, the sole purpose of this blog was to publish simple, easy, home cooked vegetarian recipes. However, I have been cooking and posting more desserts and bakes than what the blog originally called for. I see myself deviating from what was meant to be a simple Veg Bowl, love for life and simple good food... going the vegetarian way. I think I should reconsider renaming this blog for another one. Probably a Dessert Bowl or a Bake Bowl, yeah?

This blog has unfolded new facets of cooking to me and I am enjoying it thoroughly with every passing day. It has been fun working in kitchen trying new stuffs which were tried and tested by my mum long back but not by me. She is taken by surprise the way I have been evolving into a daring baker! I ought to continue with the bouquet of surprises for her :)

Recently, we were craving for some simple food. The Christmas gala and the New Year bash must have seen most of us diving into an array of heavy fat loaded food and creamy, fancy desserts, that now we ought to give rest to our tummies. So I made these simple yet, flavorsome ginger tambli/tambuli to accompany rice for our afternoon meal today.

Tambli or Tambulis are supposedly coolants and are commonly made in summers to beat the South Indian heat. They are best had with steaming hot rice. They are had as starters over steaming hot rice accompanied with pickles and papads. Varieties of these tamblis can be made from different ingredients ranging from ginger, garlic, various herbs, asafeotida or even methi seeds (fenugreek seeds). They are simple and easy to prepare and are generally coconut and yogurt based.

These were very common at home. Amma makes varieties of these. I am an ardent lover of these and can have them as is, even as a refreshing drink. Amma generally makes another gravy curry and a dry subzi whenever she makes tambli. They make great food for patients suffering from fever as they are very easily digestible. This will make you hungry within few hours if not accompanied by side dishes.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 inch ginger pod
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup thin yogurt/buttermilk
2 Green chillies
1 tbsp Grated Coconut
Salt to taste

For tempering:

1 tsp oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 Red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida

DIRECTIONS

Grind the ginger, green chilli, coconut & cumin seeds to a smooth paste. Add thin curd or buttermilk along with salt to this & mix it well. Adjust the consistency by adding more water to this. Tamblis have a thin consistency. So add water if preferred.

For tempering, heat oil in a temper pan. Add mustard Seeds, 2 whole red chillies and a pinch of asafoetida. Fry till it begins to splutter. Add this tempering over the prepared tambli and close immediately.

Serve with steaming hot rice, papads and pickles. Enjoy!

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