SPICES & SEASONS Blog Cook-Off, Week 2

You could win a copy!

We're continuing the SPICES & SEASONS Blog Cook-Off and for week #2, each blogger will be cooking up a recipe of their choice. Next week (week #3), each foodie will share their review of Spices & Seasons. Plus all of the participating bloggers will be doing a giveaway! See individual blogs on how to enter.

Here are the bloggers, and their dishes for this week:
(links will be updated along the way)

1. Well-Seasoned Potato and Mint Salad - Susan,  The Wimpy Vegetarian

2. * - Helene, La Cuisine d'Helene  

3. Stir-fried Asparagus with Garlic and Sesame Seeds - Joi,  Get Cooking   

4. Shrimp in a Mango Basil Sauce - Susan,  Create Amazing Meals

5. Pasta with Spice-Infused Ground Lamb and Green Peas  - Laura,  The Spiced Life

6. Fresh Ginger Apple Chai Cake - Felice,  All That's Left Are the Crumbs

7. Zucchini, Lemon Thyme and Onion Flatbreads - Trish,  In Fine Balance

You can find all the recipes in one place if you follow our Pinterest board! You can find more information about Rinku Bhattacharya on her blog cookinginwestchester.com, and her event schedule for this summer.

If you missed last week (week #1), the bloggers all tried an Indian restaurant staple: Classic Green Mint Chutney. See post...

SPICES & SEASONS Food Blog Cook-off

We're excited to share that Hippocrene Books is sponsoring a food blog cook-off for Spices & Seasons: Simple Sustainable Indian Flavors by Rinku Bhattacharya! The cookbook spotlights for Muy Bueno and The New Southwest were so much fun--we had to do another!

Mint from the author's garden.

This week, (week #1), the bloggers will all try Classic Green Mint Chutney. You've probably enjoyed it at Indian restaurants and you'll see it's simple to make. Susan at Create Amazing Meals has already posted her take with a surprising pairing--watermelon!

Week #2, each blogger has the chance to try out a recipe of their choice. In week #3, each blogger will share their review of Spices & Seasons. At the end of the cook-off, all of the participating bloggers will be doing a giveaway!

Here are the participating bloggers:

1. Susan -- The Wimpy Vegetarian

2. Helene -- La Cuisine d'Helene  

3. Joi -- Get Cooking   

4. Susan -- Create Amazing Meals

5. Laura -- The Spiced Life  

6. Felice -- All That's Left Are the Crumbs 

7. Trish -- In Fine Balance

The cook-off is already underway, so be sure to check back to find links to individual posts from each blogger, and for a chance to win your own copy of Spices & Seasons! You can find more information about Rinku Bhattacharya on her blog cookinginwestchester.com.

New cookbook: SPICES & SEASONS by Rinku Bhattacharya

" . . . beautifully combines the time-tested traditions of the Indian kitchen with a practical, modern approach . . ."
--SUVIR SARAN, author of Masala Farm and Indian Home Cooking

"Spices & Seasons awakened my sleepy palate the moment I opened it! What gorgeous, beguiling recipes and such wise words about so much, especially about children and vegetables. I am off to my kitchen, book in tow and with great anticipation of many wonderful meals." 
--DEBORAH MADISON, author of Vegetable Literacy and The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

"Whether you're shopping in supermarkets or farmers markets or cooking from CSA boxes and farm stands, Rinku has ideas and recipes for you. Whether you are a confident, seasoned cook, or curious about the kitchen, whether you know and love India's vibrant spices and culinary traditions or whether you are more curious than confident, Rinku welcomes you with this splendid and practical book. Teacher, coach, and passionate, smiling guide, she's exactly the presence I want in my kitchen this year, for all the spices and all the seasons." 
--NANCIE MCDERMOTT, author of Quick & Easy Thai and Southern Pies
 

We're excited to announce a new cookbook that will be out next month! Spices & Seasons: Simple, Sustainable Indian Flavors by Gourmand Award-winning author Rinku Bhattacharya is a fresh take on Indian cuisine inspired by the bounty of local produce.  You'll learn how to turn enticing farmstands full of fruits and vegetables into healthy, flavorful meals. Rinku not only teaches readers how to prepare meals with ingredients from the backyard, but she also shares advice on cooking with Indian spices, using a pressure cooker, and "green tips" for making your kitchen eco-friendly.
 
With more than 150 easy-to-follow recipes--many of them vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free--Spices & Seasons is ideal for the busy home cook who wants to bring Indian flavor to their table. Savor dishes such as "Mango and Goat Cheese Mini Crisps," "Seared Scallops in a Blueberry Ginger Sauce," "Fresh Ginger Apple Chai Cake," and much more! A beautiful photo accompanies each recipe in this hardcover volume.

Stay tuned for details about our blog tour and giveaways!

About the author:

Rinku Bhattacharya is a native of Kolkata, India, currently living in a house with a vibrant backyard in Hudson Valley, New York with her husband and two young children. Rinku's practical, sustainable approach to Indian cooking is showcased on her blog, Cooking in Westchester, and her Journal News column Spices and Seasons. Rinku has been teaching recreational cooking classes for the past nine years and also partners with the local Down Home Markets to offer seasonal Indian cooking demos. She is author of The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles (Hippocrene Books, 2012). Rinku has also written for the Poughkeepsie Journal and several online sites, and appeared on CT Style television a few times.

Thanksgiving with "The New Southwest"

Thanksgiving is all about tradition. Buying a turkey, watching the parade or the big game, preparing the same dishes, and eating as much food as possible. This year we hope to inspire you to mix it up! The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi (of Scarlettabakes.com fame) has some great variations for iconic Thanksgiving dishes. Here's what we think you might enjoy 
this year:

Vinegar Biscuits

This recipe adds a little twist to your average biscuits.  The vinegar makes the biscuit extremely moist, and pairs well with the buttermilk. Ideal for not just Thanksgiving dinners, but also great with breakfast and leftovers on Friday!

2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cubed

3 teaspoons vegetable shortening

3/4 cup chilled buttermilk

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

Note: The key to yielding the best biscuit here has everything to do with the way you handle the dough. Actually, it has most to do with how little you handle the dough. I strongly recommend cutting your butter and shortening in by hand, eschewing a rolling pin, and cutting straight down with your cutter so as to avoid sealing the edges of each biscuit and preventing a complete rise.

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Working as quickly as possible and using clean hands, cut the chilled butter and vegetable shortening into the dry ingredients, mixing the fats into the flour mixture until you have a coarse, chunky meal. Pour in the buttermilk and vinegar, and again using clean hands, mix the ingredients together until you have a solid mass of dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a flat disk approximately ½-inch thick. Using a 2-inch cutter, press straight down into the dough to cut out each biscuit (keep your biscuit cutting as tight as possible so as to avoid residual scraps). 

4. Remove cut biscuits to a parchment-lined baking sheet—I find that these biscuits bake better when they are arranged in rows with their edges just touching each other. Pat remaining scraps together and cut out additional biscuits. Once all biscuits have been cut out, bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown on the tops and bottoms. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

YIELD: approximately 24 to 26 biscuits

Fried Sage Mashed Potatoes

 A family favorite amongst many households, mashed potatoes are a dish that can be served up in a variety of styles. These mashed potatoes offer an exciting mouthful of crispy flavor. Who doesn't like a new spin on a classic potato recipe?

2 pounds small red potatoes

2 cups peanut oil*

6 large sage leaves

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons garlic powder

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

*Canola or vegetable oil may be substituted here, but I find that, especially when working with ingredients as delicate as sage leaves, peanut oil is the best for heating and frying evenly.

1. Place the potatoes in a heavy-bottomed stockpot with enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. 
2. Drain the potatoes in a large colander and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, heat the peanut oil over high heat in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage leaves (the leaves should bubble immediately on contact with the oil) and fry until crispy, approximately 10 to 15 seconds. Carefully remove the fried leaves with a slotted spoon and place on a papertowel-lined surface to drain.

4. While the sage leaves drain, stir the ricotta cheese, milk, butter, and garlic powder together in a medium bowl and set aside.

5. Place the cooled cooked potatoes in a large bowl and using a potato masher smash to a chunky consistency, taking care not to overwork your potatoes. Once the potatoes have been mashed but are still quite chunky, stir in the ricotta mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then crumble the fried sage leaves over top and gently fold into the potatoes. Serve immediately.

YIELD: approximately 4 to 6 servings

Grilled Caramel Apple Pie

See the recipe for Grilled Apple Pie on a previous post!

If you'd like to purchase The New Southwest, check it out on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound!

Happy Thanksgiving from Hippocrene Books! 

 

Get Ready for Diwali 2013

Light decorations before upcoming Diwali celebrations are pictured in Kuala Lumpur October 27, 2013. Reuters via International Business Times.

We hope you are enjoying "the festival of lights" known as Diwali or Deepavalli!


If you're not familiar with the holiday, this explanation from India: A Culinary Journey by Prem Souri Kishore may illuminate:

The festival of lights, called Deepavalli in the South of India and Diwali in the North, is perhaps the most widely celebrated festival in India and marks the return of Lord Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, to Ayodhya after a fourteen-year exile in the forest. The name of the festival is derived from the Sanskrit word "deepavalli" which means a row of lamps. Thousands of lights illumine every city and village across India in the month of November. Fireworks are set off to guide Lord Rama home. There is much feasting, card games are played, gifts are exchanged, new clothes are worn, and gold is bought. Residents renovate, paint, remodel, or buy new property, while business houses give every employee a special bonus; and the day is regarded as the beginning of the financial year. It is almost like New Year. This festival is noted for the preparation of every kind of sweet dish. Sweet shops sell or give away sweets to customers. Every household delights in making specific Deepavalli sweet preparations, while every woman firmly believes that buying new clothes and jewelry during this time is auspicious. 

Hippocrene Books publishes many cookbooks that celebrate the Diwali holiday. Here are just a few recipes you could use in your feast this year. 

Fish in Ginger-Garlic Sauce from Indian Inspired Gluten-Free Cooking

Most types of fish lend themselves beautifully to Indian spices. Here the flavors of garlic, chili, ginger, and a range of spices make the fish irresistible. Use any firm fish such as halibut, red snapper, striped bass, catfish, haddock, pollock, salmon, tilapia, or whitefish.

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped tomato

6 garlic cloves, quartered

1/2 fresh green chili pepper, chopped (more or less to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper Cumin Powder (page XX)

1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce

1/2 cup warm water

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1/2 pound boneless skinless fish fillets, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (the oil should be hot but not smoking). Add fennel seeds and cumin seeds and stir until seeds change color from light brown to semi-dark brown.

2. Add onion, tomato, garlic, chili pepper, and turmeric. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring.

3. Add cayenne pepper, ground cumin, garam masala, Black Pepper Cumin Powder, and salt. Add tomato sauce and warm water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add ginger. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

4. Add fish pieces and cook over medium-low heat, spooning sauce over fish occasionally, until fish is opaque in the center, about 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Yield: 3 cups

Serving size: 3/4 cup

Nutrition per serving:

310 calories

17 g fat

2 g saturated fat

55 mg cholesterol

376 mg sodium

17 g carbohydrate

4 g fiber

26 g protein

976 mg potassium

Roasted Vegetables from Indian Inspired Gluten-Free Cooking

Nothing beats the simple appeal of a colorful blend of roasted vegetables in a light seasoning.

4 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

5 cups raw vegetables, cut into pieces, such as:

1 cup broccoli florets, cut in half

1 cup cauliflower florets, cut in half

1 cup brussels sprouts, stem ends sliced off and cut in half

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut in cubes (about 1 cup)

1 cup peeled and cubed butternut squash

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. In large bowl, combine oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt.

3. Add vegetables and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer on a dark baking sheet. If they are too close to each other, they will steam instead of roasting. Dark baking sheets work best to brown vegetables.

4. Place in oven and roast 10 minutes. Check to see if they are starting to brown. If not, return to oven for 5 minutes. When edges are browned, stir and bake 10 minutes longer or until vegetables reach desired softness. Cooking time will vary based on your individual oven and how well done you like your vegetables.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Serving size: 1/2 cup

Nutrition per serving:

120 calories

8 g fat

0.5 g saturated fat

0 mg cholesterol

110 mg sodium

10 g carbohydrate

3 g fiber

2 g protein

266 mg potassium

 Soan Papdi (Flaky Sweet Squares) from India: A Culinary Journey

These treats are boxed in Indian stores everywhere and are perfect gifts for the festival. 

1 1/4 cups gram flour
1 1/4 cups maida (fine white flour)
1/2 pound ghee
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 

1. Sift flours together. Heat ghee in deep pan. Add flour mixture and roast on low heat until golden brown. Set aside, stirring occasionally. 

2. Mix sugar, water, and milk together in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a syrup, about 10 minutes.

3. Pour syrup onto flour mixture. Beat well with fork until you get threadlike flakes. Pour onto greased surface and roll to one-ince thickness.

4. Sprinkle ground cardamom on top and press down with palm. Coll and cut into one-inch squares. 

Kueh Tat Pineapple Tarts from Flavors of Malaysia

For the Pastry

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted chilled butter

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Pineapple Jam Filling

1/4 to 1/3 cup (depending on desired sweetness) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 to 3/4 cup (depending on desired sweetness) white granulated sugar

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or 1-inch cinnamon stick

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, or 3 to 4 whole cloves

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground star anise or 4 segments of whole stare anise

3 cups (about 1 pound) canned pineapple chunks, drained, or fresh pineapple chunks

Directions for Pastry: 

1. In a bowl, sift flour and add salt and mix well. Slice chilled butter into pieces and add to flour. Mix with fingers till dough has a crumbly texture.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg with lemon juice and vanilla. Ad this mixture to the crumbly dough and knead till dough gets soft and pliable. (Chill dough, if desired.)

3. Roll on a floured board into 1/8-ince thickness.

4. Cut dough into 2-inch diameter circles using a cookie or tart cutter or mold. Shape the dough into cup-like forms, or place dough circles in greased mini cupcake pans, and flute edges with fork. Set aside or refrigerate till ready to use.

Directions for Filling:

1. In a small bowl, mix sugars and spices and mix well.

2. Grate or coarsely process pineapple chunks.

3. Place pineapple in a saucepan, add the sugar mixture and stir.

4. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly so mixture does not burn, till all the liquid evaporates and mixture thickens and becomes a golden brown color.

5. Remove whole spices if used. Cool of chill jam filling for about 30 minutes before filling pastry. (You can prepare pineapple jam filling ahead of time and keep refrigerated or frozen. When ready to use, add some water and blend the filling well before use.)

 To Assemble Tarts:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Add about 1 heaping teaspoon pineapple filling in center of each pastry cup. Flute rims with fingers or fork.

2. Optional: decorate or criss-cross top of filling with 2 or 3 strips of dough about 1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch wide, or roll tiny balls of dough and place one on top of filling.

3. Brush top and sides of pastry with eggs whites before baking. 

4. Bake tarts at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, till crust turns golden. Cool before serving.

Hippocrene titles to consider using in your Diwali prep!

 Have a happy Diwali!