Turkish bread

We had a great time in Antalaya enjoying the amazing Turkish cuisine. It was such a joy to be able to prepare Turkish bread at home.

Ingredients

250 gms All purpose flour OR wheat flour – for 4 breads

1 tsp dried yeast

½ cup yoghurt

Salt to taste

¼ cup sesame oil OR olive oil

¾ to 1 cup Water

To garnish:

1 tbsp ghee Ghee

1 tbsp kasuri methi

Instruction

-          Mix yeast and a few grains of sugar in 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water and keep covered for ten minutes.

-          Take the flour in a big bowl, add salt, the dissolved yeast, yoghurt, oil, and knead.

-          Keep adding water slowly and knead into soft dough.

-          Cover the dough with cling film or wet cloth and keep for an hour for it to double in size.

-          Divide the dough into four, spread each one into round, dusting some dry flour, and keep covered for ten minutes.

-          Heat skillet on medium heat, smear oil. Cook each bread on both sides till done.

-          Apply ghee on the surface and sprinkle kasuri methi.

-          Serve with spinach sabzi or any sabzi of your choice.

Lebanese Falafel Pita Pocket Sandwich

I had made this dish in 2014, but this is an easier version.

Pita bread

Ingredients

2 cups Wheat flour     

1 tsp Salt     

1 tbsp Sugar 

1 tsp Yeast   -

1 tbsp Olive Oil or any other oil          

1 ¼  to 1 ½ cups Warm water    

Instruction

-          Mix the yeast with a little sugar and ½  cup lukewarm water and keep it covered for about 10 minutes till it turns frothy.

-          Take the flour, salt and the remaining sugar in a large bowl. Make a small depression in the middle and pour yeast water in the depression.

-          Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.

-          Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes till the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic.

-          Smear a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Roll the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. 

-          Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth or cling film and set aside to rise for about 2 hours.

-          Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 5 pieces.

-          Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 6 inches across and evenly thick. Cover with a cloth and leave for 30 minutes.

-          Heat the skillet (medium to high heat), roast each one on both sides and keep aside.

Falafel

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas (Bengal gram) soaked overnight

1 large onion, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger finely cut

Some fresh coriander leaves finely cut

1 Green chilli cut fine

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon refined flour

A pinch of baking soda

Salt

Pepper

Oil for frying

 

Instruction

-          Coarsely grind the soaked chickpeas after draining the water. Add all the above ingredients and mix well.

-          Form the mixture into small balls, deep fry, and drain.

 

Salad for filling:

-          Cut 2 cucumbers and 2 tomateso into small pieces. Make a salad dressing with lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and ground black pepper.

-          Mix the salad dressing with the cut cucumber and tomatoes

Making the sandwich

-          Cut the pita bread into half, split open to accommodate the filling.  Apply Thousand island dressing and coriander leaves chutney on the inner side, slide in the falafel, the salad and cut olives.

-          Enjoy it for lunch, dinner, or as a snack.

Iron For Your Body and cast iron utensils

Hemoglobin in the red blood cells carries oxygen from your lungs to transport it throughout your body and iron is an important component of haemoglobin. So the major reason why our body needs iron is because it helps to transport oxygen in the body. It has other functions like maintaining healthy cells, skin, hair, and nails.

Foods containing iron and its deficiency

Foods that contain iron are spinach, legumes, pumpkin seeds, quinova, red meat, poultry, liver and organ meats. Low iron levels are common and can, if left untreated, progress into iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This can cause tiredness, shortness of breath, difficulty in concentrating, frequent bouts of illness, difficulty in regulating body temperature or often feeling cold, pale skin, heart palpitations, and headaches.

Iron supplements

Taking iron supplements in the absence of iron depletion is dangerous. Unlike other supplements or vitamins, the body does not regulate iron homeostasis well and the excess iron cannot be excreted from the body. Excess iron can lead to damage to a range of organs including the liver, skin and pancreas, and it may also be related to cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Side effects of iron supplements are constipation, dark stools, stomach pain, nausea, and, vomiting. It seems confusing that absorbing more iron could lead to fatigue. For children, iron overdose can be toxic. Symptoms of iron poisoning include severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dehydration, and bloody stool. Simply put, Iron supplements should only be taken under medical supervision and when a diagnosis of iron deficiency has been made.

A simple way to maintain iron levels

Cooking in a cast iron vessel once a week and consuming that food will maintain the body’s iron requirement. There are two things to be taken care of. One is, make sure there is no rust in the vessel. If you see rust, scrub and wash thoroughly before cooking. Secondly, after you cook (especially if the dish contains acidic components like tomatoes), transfer it to another vessel immediately. 

These are the beauties in my kitchen, which I use routinely. 

 

References:

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/features/iron-supplements#1

https://healthybutsmart.com/iron-supplements/ 

Lady's finger (Okra) sabzi

Lady's finger or okra is grown in many parts of the world, especially with temperate or tropical climate. 

It is widely consumed in the Indian household. It contains pectin which helps in lowering bad cholesterol. It is a great option for diabetics since the high fiber content is of a type which releases sugars slowly into the blood due to slow rate of digestion. Research has shown that okra contains higher amounts of antioxidants compared to other vegetables. Antioxidants prevent oxidative damage to cells and hence lower the risk of cancer. The high fiber content maintains a healthy digestive system and prevents colon cancer. Its high vitamin C content boosts immunity and prevents common infections. 100 grams of okra can give you around 40% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C.

Ingredients:

250 gms lady’s fingers

1 onion cut fine

6 flakes of garlic

2 small tomatoes cut fine

Salt to taste

2 tbsps oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1/3 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/3 tsp dried mango powder

¼ tsp garam masala powder

Instruction:

- Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cut onion, garlic and tomato.

- When they become pliable, add cut okras and salt. The secret of getting crispy okra dish is to cook on medium flame and not covering it completely with a lid while cooking. Cover with a lid, but leave some space for steam to escape, otherwise it will give a soggy dish.

- Keep stirring in between and when it is cooked (takes within ten minutes), add all the masala powders (sometimes I don’t add any of the masala powders), mix well and remove from the fire.

- Serve with steamed rice or chapatis

References:

https://www.1mg.com/articles/8-surprising-health-benefits-of-bhindi-ladys-finger/

Making Raw Cashews Edible

 

Truly raw cashews contain a substance known as urushiol, found in poison ivy. So they are not safe to eat. Cashew kernels sold as “raw’ in stores have been steamed, which removed the toxins.  

Cashew nuts have several health benefits. They contain antioxidants, which combat free radicals that build up in our bodies and cause cellular damage, which are partly responsible for the visible signs of aging. Evidence shows that eating nuts regularly can help prevent painful gallstones from forming because they work to lower bad cholesterol and they lower triglycerides, both factors in gallstone formation.

The brain needs a steady supply of healthy fatty acids in order to function. The good fat that we get from cashews, along with zinc, iron, copper and manganese, help support cognitive function and mood regulation, and can alleviate mental disorders such as ADHD, depression and anxiety. Copper deficiency can lead to anemia, a condition where a person’s red blood cell count is too low. One serving of cashews contains a lot of copper and some iron, which together help in the formation and utilization of red blood cells.

Cashews are full of monounsaturated fats, which are needed to lower LDL cholesterol (AKA the bad kind) and raise HDL cholesterol (AKA the good kind). They also help lower blood pressure, combat against the formation of plaque buildup in artery walls, and help to lower triglyceride levels, which all works together to fight against heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Raw cashews, a delicacy

During the season when the trees used to be laden with cashew fruits, as kids we used to pick them up and the ladies of the house used to make the Kerala preparation ‘Theeyal”, which all used to relish. In Karnataka, I found that raw cashews are available in the market during season and the price is to be paid per piece, because it is a skilled job to take out the kernels without breaking.

Cashew nuts from the tree

When the cashew tree that we had planted years ago started giving yield and it became a frustrating trial and error methods for years to take out the cashew nut. But finally, my husband arrived at a workable solution and I thought of sharing it here.

The steps

1.       The first step is to pressure cook the cashew nuts in water with 1 teaspoon of oil for 7 minutes. Allow it to cool and open. Drain and keep aside, do the next step after at least four hours.

2.       Cut them open and gently pry out the nuts from inside the two halves.

3.       Boil them in salted water with one teaspoon oil for ten to fifteen minutes depending on the variety. Pour off the water, wash once in cold water, and drain.

4.       Take off the thin skin from each and now they are ready to be consumed as they are, or to make any preparation you like.

References:

https://spreademkitchen.com/blog/the-health-benefits-of-cashews-11-reasons-to-eat-these-delicious-tree-nuts

Making butter and ghee at home

 It is believed that ancient nomadic people first discovered the miracle of butter. While travelling long distances, nomads would attach sacks containing milk to their pack animals and the cream was eventually churned into butter.

 Letting the cream ferment with live bacteria before churning creates a tangy version called cultured butter. Cultured butter is creamy, more buttery in flavour. Cultured or fermented dairy products contain lactic acid-producing bacteria that begin to break down both lactose (milk sugars) and casein (milk proteins), which aids in digestion. These helpful bacteria strengthen our immune system, checks pathogenic bacteria from multiplying and helps digest our food. 

In Indian culture, the cow is considered sacred; cow represents the soul, and it is gentle and generous. The butter it gives is a sacred offering, fuel for lamps, and treasured food. Krishna worshippers have special love for cows. The Hindu god's role as a cowherd, and stories about his love of butter are legendary. He is lovingly called "Makhan chor." This means, "butter thief."

Ingredients

4 cups Milk cream

1 tbsp yoghurt

Method of preparation

-         To get good amount of thick cream and later butter, full fat, unhomogenized (pasteurized is ok), non UHT milk should be used.   I boil full cream milk in the morning, cool and keep in the refrigerator uncovered till evening. Then a thick layer of milk cream will be formed on the surface. This I carefully remove and keep in the freezer.

-          In 15 days I get about 4 cups of cream. Then I take it out of the freezer in the morning and leave outside to bring it to room temperature.

-          In the evening I add 1 tablespoon of yoghurt and mix well, close and leave till next day morning.

-          In the morning I use the churner or wooden hand blender and move it clockwise in the vessel containing the milk cream. In just about 8 to 10 rotations, the butter will form in lumps. You can do this in a blender also. I find using blender  and cleaning it later cumbersome.

                                                                 Wooden hand blender

-         Now I add cold water from the refrigerator and use the churner for just about 5 seconds. The butter forms huge lumps, which is taken out and is ready for use.

-          For making ghee, the butter is kept in a thick bottomed pan on low fire. 

It should be stirred in between and when the light brown colored milk solids settle down, and the surface is filled with bubbles, remove from fire.

-          The ghee is strained, cooled and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It should not be refrigerated. The separated solid can be eaten as such (I love it), or after adding sugar, or used to make sweets.

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Paratha

Crispy parathas stuffed with spicy soft cottage cheese served with green chutney and butter is one of my favourite breakfast items.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups wheat flower (for 2 parathas)

Salt to taste

½ tsp ajwain seeds

4/4 cup warm water

For filling:

5 tbsps grated paneer

½ tsp ginger cut fine

1/3 tsp finely cut green chilli OR ¼ tsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp cut coriander leaves

Instruction

-          Knead the wheat flour with salt, ajwain and water into somewhat stiff dough.

-          Mix all the ingredients for the filling. I don’t add salt to this as it makes it soggy while filling.

-         Divide the dough into two, spread each one into a round, put the filling inside, bring the periphery together, flatten and gently spread into a larger round.

-          Heat thava on medium heat and cook the paratha from both sides, applying ghee.

-          Serve with coriander mint chutney and butter, or tomato ketchup.