Kitchen Confidential

Chicken Spring Rolls

A few weeks ago, I had a gang of girls over from our book club meet. I always look forward to these all-girl meetings, especially when it’s my turn to host. I get to experiment with fun menus and love the fact that we girls can totally agree on chocolate cake as a filling dinner option.

For the past few months I’ve been toying with the idea of throwing an appetizer sampler party. According to me, it’s probably the best party you could get invited to, second of course only to a chocolate themed night. This book meet was the perfect setting for what I had in mind. We were meeting to discuss the book, ‘Cooking for Mr. Latte’, and though I enjoyed the read, I knew that planning the party was going to be even more fun.

It was obvious that I was going to serve tiny bites and mini morsels of divine finger food, in all shapes, sizes and forms. My centerpiece comprised of a huge platter flavoured oven-roasted pita chips and deep bowl overflowing with cool creamy hummus. It was to be the decoy for those health conscious skinny ones. Neatly arranged around that were the actual sinners. Melt-in-your mouth Tandoori wings, my simply-to-die-for Ginger Chilli Shrimp, and not to mention petite little squares of a rich dark chocolate almond fudge cake that I had baked for the first time in my life, among many other delicious treats.

But the highlight of my evening had to be the warm crisp rolls that simply had me wishing I were in the Orient somewhere, digging into a bowl full of slurpy noodles to go with it – tiny little spring rolls.

CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS
Prep time: 15 min | Cooking time: 15 min | Makes: 24 mini spring rolls

24 small spring rolls wrappers
1 chicken breast, finely chopped into tiny pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp garlic, finely crushed
1 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp honey-garlic sauce
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
oil, for deep frying
water, as needed

MARINATE chicken, onions, green pepper and crushed garlic with honey-garlic sauce and pepper powder for at least an hour.

HEAT sesame oil and a tbsp of cooking oil in a non-stick wok and stir-fry marinated ingredients with any leftover marinade over high heat till chicken is cooked through. Remember to stir and mix continuously, so as not to let it burn.

SEASON with salt, and set aside to cool.

ONCE the filling is cooled, begin rolling out the spring rolls. Start with placing a spring roll wrapper on a cool flat working surface. Place about 2-3 tbsp of the filling to one corner of the wrapper. Fold over that corner and roll up half way, tucking in the open side corners. Seal edges with a bit of water and set the spring roll aside on a cool plate. Continue to roll out remaining cigars, making sure to cover them with a slightly damp towel so that they don’t dry out.

DEEP fry in hot oil till golden and crisp.

Lamb with green peppers

I’m almost embarrassed to say what I’m going to say: I LOVE winter! Yes, I really, really, do. I love everything about it: the snow covered roof tops, cashmere sweaters and scarfs, hot chocolate dunked biscotti, Hubby Dear moaning while scraping ice off his windshield… Okay, scratch that, maybe I don’t truly enjoy watching him do that, but it’s just a part of the season I’ve come to reckon with, like baking cookies. Yes, quite like that, except not so rewarding. Well, you get what I mean!The reason for my embarrassment is because I seem to invite such odd looks from people when I say it. They all look at me in a ‘are-you-serious-or-just-plain-crazy’ kinda way. But I beg to differ! I mean, wouldn’t you prefer engulfing yourself in soft warm fabrics and eating rich stews as opposed to sweating through the day? I do at least.

While winter is far away from us (hopefully!), the spring weather is still chilly enough to bask in the warmth of our favourite winter comfort foods. Here is one of mine.

LAMB WITH GREEN PEPPERS
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 45 min | Serves: 4

2 lbs boneless lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp cooking oil
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
water, as needed
salt, to taste

MARINATE lamb for at least an hour in a blend of yogurt and ginger-garlic paste.

HEAT oil in a deep pan and add nigella and cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add in sliced onions and fry till lightly browned.

STIR in spices and tomato paste, and add in the marinated lamb along with the yogurt.

COOK covered on low heat for 35-40 minutes till lamb is tender, adding water in between if it starts to dry up and stick to the pan. Season with salt and add in chopped peppers, letting it cook for another 5-10 minutes.

GARNISH with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.

In the Kitchen with: Erin Ergenbright

I first  got a chance to read Erin Ergenbright’s writing when I got my hands on this delightful read. She voice was an instant hit with me. A while later, I was able to get hold of her ‘The Ex-Boyfriend Cookbook’, a fun book with recipes gathered from, you guessed right, ex-boyfriends! I simply couldn’t pass up a chance for a tete-a-tete with her, and just had to take a peek into her kitchen habits.

What did you eat today?

Scrambled farm eggs with spinach and garlic, a banana, a tuna sandwich, part of a lemon bar from the Farmer’s Market (they never taste quite as good as they look, but I’m always tempted), a lovely caprese salad made by my friend Natalie, and, I’m more slightly ashamed to admit this because it’s a rare event (honestly) but it was late and I was hungry and there wasn’t much else in the cupboard: Annie’s macaroni and cheese (made with fresh, creamy milk from a local farm, pepper and ketchup).

What do most enjoy cooking?

I love making my mother’s picadillo recipe—it’s actually in The Ex-Boyfriend Cookbook, and attributed to someone named Phil, who, in reality, didn’t cook for me. He would have, maybe, but we lived in a dormitory. And we were eighteen. Anyway, the picadillo tastes amazing, and it somehow soothes me to prepare it: it has the perfect amount of chopping and mixing and savory smells.

In your fridge, we can always find…

Farm eggs, milk, spinach, peanut butter, a variety of soft and hard cheeses, and Castelvetrano olives—these buttery olives are nearly round and the most gorgeous shade of green imaginable.

Your most cherished kitchen tool?

Not counting the coffee maker, I’d say my melon baller. Not the most used instrument in the drawer, but the most cherished, as it was my grandma’s.

The last cookbook you enjoyed?

Mangoes and Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels through the Great Subcontinent, by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. It’s part coffee table book, cookbook and travel journal, and is completely riveting.

Where does your love for food come from?

My mom is a wonderful cook—growing up we ate dinner together every night, so good food has always seemed both important and, well, “normal.”

When was the last time you cooked for a loved one? What did you make?

Apparently it wasn’t recently, since I’m having struggling to remember–ah yes: it was a sort of a summer salad medley. Curried chicken and rice salad; cucumber, red onions, tomatoes and rice wine vinegar salad, and spinach salad with strawberries and balsamic.

What is your guilty food pleasure?

Peanut butter. I eat far, far too much peanut butter.

What according to you is the one dish that everyone must try at least once?

Brussel sprouts prepared with a lot of butter and coarse ground mustard. I thought I hated brussel sprouts, but I’d like to do my part to redeem this much maligned vegetable.

Dal Makhani

You know how there is always this ONE recipe that no matter how hard you try to replicate, you never seem to be able to hit it just right? Somehow, the taste of when you first devoured the dish still lingers on your palate, and even after a dozen of your experimented versions later, you still know that it’s not quite as close to the original. Well for me, I have one too many of those!

There’s the PERFECT Mee Goreng served by the street hawker down the lane from my Grandma’s house in Malaysia, the spicy Chole garnished with fresh chopped onions and served with giant-sized crisp Bhaturas in Delhi and the most amazingly luscious melt-in-your-mouth Tiramisu served at a corner cafe by the Colosseum in Rome, to name just a few! But of all of them, the ONE recipe that has me searching non-stop for a close flavour duplicate would definitely have to be of Dal Makhani from a little nondescript restaurant in Kuwait.

Growing up, I remember eating off the restaurant’s classic menu once too often. They were especially known for their fantastic and lip-smacking combination of Chicken Tikka, Dal Makhani and Puris. But for me, a die-hard Chicken Tikka devotee, it was always their Dal Makhani that did the deed. It’s thick, warm and creamy texture was everything I craved for anytime of the year.

Ever since I moved away from home, I have always been on a search for a Dal Makhani that would come close to my childhood indulgence. But alas, none came even near an inch to tasting anything like it. I went high and low, to some of the most fabulous Indian restaurants as well as the local take-out favourites, but none of them could win me over. I had almost given up ordering the dreaded dish until one day my Mom decided to come to my rescue. She played and she toiled a few recipes, added this and subtracted that from the ingredients, and simplified the method to suit her needs, and Voila! What can I say? Now whenever I crave some lip-smacking comfort food, all I do is enter my kitchen. It’s a perfect go-to recipe this time of year, and I need I add, an absolute hit at my Diwali bash last weekend!

DAL MAKHANI
CREAMY BLACK LENTILS
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 30 min | Serves: 4
Special Cooking Equipment: Pressure Cooker

1/2 cup whole black lentils and a handful of dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium-sized tomato, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cooking oil
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
water, as needed
salt, to taste

HEAT oil in a pressure cooker and saute onions till lightly browned. Stir in salt, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, and tomato paste and fry for a few seconds.

ADD in the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes to combine well. Add lentils and beans, and enough water to cover them. Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes till lentils are soft and done. Stir in milk and let it come to a boil.

IN a separate pan, make a tempering by heating butter and whole garlic cloves slit in the middle. Stir the tempering into the lentils and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

SERVE warm with soft, fluffy Naans.

Restaurant Review: Thai Cuisine Experts

A few weeks ago, our spice-craving tastebuds found Hubby Dear and I at a remote little establishment called Thai Cuisine Experts. Tucked away in the heart of the city of Mississauga, this fresh, fast food Thai restaurant took us by surprise. I was most intrigued to try it out after I heard that the owners, Celine and Naresh Sharma especially travelled all the way to Thailand to find authenthic and experienced help. They came back with Chef Jongkol Sringern, who worked at the prestigious five star Shangri-La Hotel. Accompanied by Celine herself, who has been trained in traditional Thai cuisine, the two promise to serve you the best of Thailand. And boy, did they deliver!

The ambience is very casual, and the place - bright, neat and tidy. Due to its small space, it’s serves as a perfect choice for take-out when you want something fresh and delicious. One of the best things I noticed, is how how they ask every customer their spice-tolerance level and any nut allergies they may have. Each dish is made fresh, as you order it, and catered to your requests.

We started with subtly flavoured Chicken Satay and side of Papaya Salad. I truly believe we hit a jackpot with the salad. Thinly shredded slices of papaya and mango smothered in a tangy lime dressing, this salad had to be one of the best I ever tasted. I’m not lying when I say that this salad has got me looking to try out papaya in other forms, something which I would have never thought of doing otherwise.

We then went on to the main course. We ordered the Garlic Chicken and the Chicken Pad Thai. Although much to my dismay thet Garlic Chicken tasted like any normal oriental stir-fry, the Pad Thai was simply delicious. It had the perfect blend of hot, sour, salty and sweet flavours, and was truly exceptional. Although we were stuffed to the brim, I couldn’t resist trying their special ice-cream for dessert. Boasting of traditional tropical flavours such as Mango, Coconut, Lychee and Pistachio, it would’ve been a shame to leave without so much as a spoonful. We had the pistachio, which was just wonderful.

If ever you’re craving from some good, authentic Thai food I would definitely recommend dropping in and giving it a try. And if you do, do not skip the Papaya salad!

Thai Cuisine Experts 2155-Leanne Blvd., Unit 103, Mississauga, Ontario L5K-2K8 Phone: 905-919-0063

Hours: ~ (Major Holidays Closed) Monday - Thursday: 11:00am till 10:00pm Friday: 11:00am till 11:00pm Saturday: 11:00am till 11:00pm Sunday: 11:00am till 9:00pm

Chicken Chili with Black Beans

I woke up this morning and went straight to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee and looked out the window. It’s been chilly, wet and cloudy the past couple of days, which makes me happy knowing that my favourite season has finally made it’s way! Just looking at wet ground gave me a cozy feeling. I was so glad for being home and not having to drag myself through the chill to go someplace. It was a treat to look forward to spending the next hour or two enjoying my hot cup over the books and magazines I’d gathered a few weeks ago to aid me in my impending writing assignments.

There’s something about Spring that just brings me to a good place. The lovely hues of orange and red in the trees, the crisp chill in the air, and especially the warmth from cranking up the stove and oven to begin a long period of rich comfort food. I always welcome the cooler weather by making an array of rich spicy curries, aromatic stews and tantalizing soups. Most of our dinners during these colder months are enjoyed on the warm comfy couch over our favourite movies, with the softness of a fleece blanket wrapped around us.

Of all things I enjoy cooking in the Spring, one of my most favourite meal would have be a big bowl of Chili with fresh rustic Italian bread on the side. This dish is such a hit in my home, that I almost always make a big batch and freeze it, to savour over the coming weeks. Like any rustic dish, it’s very versatile to work with. When I want to give it more depth, I always opt to add in a cup or two of mixed beans and meatier vegetables like mushrooms.

Although this may not be the traditional Chili recipe we Canadians are so used to, it definitely is worth trying! And for those with little time on their hands and a big craving for easy comfort foods, its definitely a winner. It hardly took me about 30-35 minutes to get done and doesn’t differ much from the original.

CHICKEN CHILI WITH BLACK BEANS
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 30 min | Serves: 4

1 lb lean ground chicken
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans in tomato sauce
1 can black beans
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tsp read chilli powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
water, as needed
salt, to taste

HEAT oil in a deep pan and saute onions, jalapeno and garlic till onions become transparent and soft. Add ground chicken, and fry till moisture dries up.

SEASON with salt, chili powder, oregano and cumin powder and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add in the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook for a few minutes to combine well.

ADD in canned beans and about a half cup of water, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat.

GARNISH with fresh coriander and serve warm with bread.

Potato Parcels

Me and Hubby Dear are what some might call munchers. You know, the kinds that could live on finger foods alone. Yes, now that I think back a little, we most certainly are one of those kinds.

The first time we went out, ever, we unsuccesfully tried to share a plate of french fries. I say we tried, because truly, I was was the one trying my best to get my fork into the plate while Hubby Dear conviniently walked at a much faster pace covering it with his arms. (Walking, since unlike the tradional way of going out to dinner for a first date, we chose to spend a day at the CNE.) Yes, the guy does like his fries, sometimes, I believe, even more than his pretty little wife. We spent the rest of the day bouncing between samosas, popcorn and fiery wings.

When we’re not having friends over, our Friday nights usually turn out the same each week - a bunch of movies enjoyed over a platter of assorted mini treats. As much as our choice of movies may differ, the only variable constant to our evening would be the finger food. Constant, because they mostly always find themselves to be potato-based. And variable, because they almost never taste the same.

I love experimenting with different flavours, and what better way to try a new flavour than to toss it over a bowl of plain boiled and mashed potatoes. From chat masala to chipotle-lime, the list of flavourings is endless, and the combinations one can come up with is overwhelming. We made this a couple of weeks ago. We, because while I fried, Hubby Dear ate, much to the dismay of his burning tongue. The things men do for food, or should I say, potatoes!

POTATO PARCELS
Prep time: 30 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Makes: 24 bite-size parcels

2 large potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed
12 large spring rolls wrappers, cut in half to make 24 strips
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
salt, to taste
light cooking oil, for frying
water, as needed

MIX mashed potatoes with salt and spices, and set aside to cool.

PUT about a teaspoon of the potato filling on a cut-in-half spring-roll wrapper. Fold it up to form a tiny parcel. Seal the edges with water. Set aside on a platter covered with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out. Repeat for remaining strips.

HEAT oil in a non-stick frying pan and shallow-fry parcels a few at a time so as not to crowd the pan. Remove parcels when they turn crisp and golden on both sides. Drain excess oil by placing parcels on paper towels. Serve warm with ketchup or chutney of choice.

In the Kitchen with: Laura Calder

If you, like me, cannot go a day without turning on the Food Network, then you must’ve surely gotten a glimpse of the fabulously homely show, French Food at Home with Laura Calder. Like many I know, I always thought of French cuisine as one that oozes out elegance, which automatically went on to mean laborious planning and cooking techniques. Once I got taste of Laura’s show, I was forced to change my pre-concieved notion of fancy French food. She makes the most elegant dishes seem so comforting and so very doable.

I recently had a chance to catchup with her over an essay she wrote for ‘Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant‘, that I thoroughly enjoyed, and decided to quiz her on kitchen routine…

What did you eat today?

Well… not what I normally eat.  During a shoot, my eating habits change completely because I burn up so much energy.  I have a smoothie every morning + an egg on toast (whereas, normally, I just drink tea).  Then, all through the day as I cook my way through a show, I devour each of my recipes.  This is great when I do a menu show; but it is torture when I do, say, a chocolate show or a pastry-only show.  I get home quite late, so I don’t eat anything at night.  I go straight to bed.  In normal life, however, I always have an excellent dinner. It’s my favourite meal of the day.

What do most enjoy cooking?

There is no one thing that I most enjoy cooking.  I like being in the kitchen generally, so pretty much anything goes, although I don’t like things that demand too much perfection and finicky work.  I’m not detail-oriented enough for that kind of thing.

In your fridge, we can always find…

Milk, butter, cream, creme fraiche, cheese…  Capers, dijon mustard, eggs, cornichons….  a bottle of white wine, probably… And lots of vegetables.

Your most cherished kitchen tool?

I get asked this a lot…  I don’t have a lot of kitchen tools, because I am a basic cook, but those microplane graters are pretty indispensible. I also love my metal pastry scraper.

The last cookbook you enjoyed?

I use my Larousse Gastronomique constantly, and I can’t wait for Anne Willan’s new book to hit the stands:  The Country Cooking of France.  It is excellent.

Where does your love for food come from?

I’ll have to ask a shrink that some day.

When was the last time you cooked for a loved one? What did you make?

I cook for people I love all the time, but the shoot has been in my way all summer, so I can’t remember…  I do recall a recent strawberry galette which I made about 15 times trying to perfect.  It’s in season two so watch for it!

What is your guilty food pleasure?

I have no guilt when it comes to food, just pleasure.

What according to you is the one dish that everyone should try at least once?

You can’t dictate this kind of thing:  appetites differ and I respect that. What I do think everyone should be forced to try, however, is a proper carrot straight from a garden, corn straight off the stalks and thrown into a pot, an excellent butter croissant straight out of a wood oven…  The best of whatever it is we like, in other words, so that we raise our standards.

* Photograph courtesy LauraCalder.com

Kitchen Essentials, Part 1

Over the past couple of months, I’ve recieved a slew of emails from readers asking me share with them all the tools, equipment and staples in my kitchen. So instead of replying individually to each and every one of them, I thought it would be better to share it here on my blog with all of you. I’ve decided to break up this list into installments, each time concentrating on a few particular components. The following list is one that I’ve designed based on my preferences and what I actually use on a regular basis. Most of them, if not all, can easily be found in regular kitchen stores or kitchen sections of any deparmental store.

What I list here are items that I mostly can’t imagine cooking without, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go all out and grab each of them for yourself. Think of what will work for you and what simply won’t fit into your cooking ritual. We all have our own style of cooking and there’s nothing worse than trying to imitate one that just isn’t cut out for you. As an enthusiastic cook, I love sharing kitchen and cooking ideas with like-minded folks, so don’t hesitate to leave a note on your kitchen staples in the comments section. The kitchen Gods surely know how much I would enjoy reading them!

Cooking Utensils

• Two deep pans, with lids, and preferably one of them non-stick. It’s always best to get two different sizes, one small (1 litre/quart) and one large (3 litres/quarts). When selecting, I would go with a smaller non-stick one and large regular pot.
• One heavy bottom pot, 6 to 8 litres/quarts, for all those wonderful slow cooking soups, stews and curries that we seem to fill ourselves with during the colder months. Also perfect for thet big pot of Biryani you’re planning for your next dinner party.
• One pressure cooker, 3 to 6 litres/quarts in capacity. I love my pressure cooker and don’t know what I’d do without it. It’s amazing in cooking lentils, dried beans and meat in considerably lesser time. If you need to avoid this purchase, I’d suggest investing in a good heavy bottom pot to enable the long, slow cooking process for these ingredients.
• Two round skillets, or frying pans, preferably one non-stick. I would go with one medium and one large size, both with lids.
• One non-stick flat skillet, or tawa: perfect for flipping rotis, as well as frying parathas. If you need to improvise, you can definitely go with the non-stick frying when making rotis and parathas, but in that case try and get one that’s flat at the bottom as opposed to a more rounder one.
• Two deep kadhais, or the Indian wok, one preferably non-stick with lids. These are perfect for deep frying as well as stir frying. Classic dishes like Kadhai Chicken got its name due to the cooking method that explicitly requires it being cooked in a kadhai. For deep frying, I personally love thick aluminium ones, that give out perfectly crisp puris, kachoris and samosas. If you have to choose between the two, I would definitely stick with the aluminium one since it is the more traditional option.
• One small saute pan, perfect for tadka or tempering.

Other utensils in my kitchen that are not essential, but definitely nice to have, include,

• A cast iron skillet, perfect to sear meat on a high heat and shoving it into the oven for a slow cook wonderful flavour.
• A steamer. Before I bought one for myself, I easily did with placing a round baking dish on a small grill stand inside a large pot, tightly covered with a lid. Worked perfectly!

To be continued…