Tag Archives: Vegan

FOOD

making focaccia the ligurian way

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I’ve made focaccia many times over the years, recreating recipes from magazines, cookbooks, and blogs. Any focaccia made with rosemary is super loved by my older daughter. But recently, given our stay home statuses, I really wanted to try and recreate the focaccia that comes from the Liguria region of Italy. This focaccia is considered by Italians to be the original. For guidance, I turned to a former colleague, Carlo, who is from Camogli, a beautiful village in Liguria. Carlo promptly shared the recipe he had from the master focaccia maker in his village and I set about creating the same thousands of miles away. The process was time consuming (primarily due to the number of rises), but the result was the specified 1 cm thick focaccia with a crusty exterior and a chewy interior. I made so much, that we not only enjoyed the focaccia by itself, but we also made some lovely sandwiches the day after.

Ingredients:

  • 250 ml of water at room temperature
  • 25 gms extra virgin olive oil (best quality you can buy)
  • 10 gms dry yeast
  • 500 gms of flour (Since Carlo instructed that the flour have a protein content of 9-11%, I used a 50/50 mix of all purpose and 00 flour. The focaccia turns out well with just all purpose flour as well)
  • 10 gms salt
  • 10 gms sugar
  • Extra virgin olive oil for pouring on top
  • Kosher salt for topping
  • Fresh rosemary, or finely sliced onions or olives (optional) for topping the focaccia

How to:

1. Put the water, oil, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix well using a spatula.

2. Add a couple of spoons of flour and mix at low speed for just a couple of minutes. Then, using your hand, dissolve any lumps of flour that have formed. If you do it at the beginning, no lumps will form afterwards.

3. Add the remaining flour one spoon at a time, rather quickly, while the mixer is still at low speed. Increase the speed to a higher setting and let the dough work for another couple of minutes. Let it rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.

4. Now sprinkle the salt and sugar and mix for another two to three minutes at a higher speed until the dough is well formed.

5. Take the dough out of the bowl and work it a bit on the work surface of your kitchen (marble or granite is better than wood, so it doesn’t stick too much). To work it well, you can slap it on the counter and make some pleats and when it is fairly smooth, form a ball with a circular movement of your hands.

6. Let the dough ball rest in a slightly oiled bowl for two to three hours (cover the ball with plastic wrap or a wet towel). (I left mine for two hours). Make sure the dough rests in an area without a draft and at room temperature. You may put it in the oven off with the light on. This is the first rise.

7. Take the dough out of the bowl and form a ball working a bit with your hands to revive the dough and form the ball again. Put the ball in a focaccia pan (16x12x1 inch) coated with oil. The size of the pan is critical, because if it’s wrong you will have either a too thin or a too thick focaccia; the final product must be no more than 1cm thick. Let the ball rest covered for 30 minutes. This is the second rise.

8. At this point, you are ready for the real fun. Stretch the dough balls in the pan to cover the entire surface (by hand, no rolling pin, please!). Once the focaccia covers the entire surface of the pan, let is rest again covered for 20 to 30 minutes. This is the third rise.

9. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

9. Now use a mix of 2 tbsps water and 2 tbsps oil and pour some on the focaccia. Using the tip of your fingers, form the famous “dimples” on the surface. Spread some kosher salt on the surface, press in some toppings (if you are using any), and put the pan in the preheated oven at the lowest level for 10 minutes and then in the middle for another 5 minutes. Check the status of cooking and make sure it’s golden but not brown at all. Remove from the oven and finish the surface by brushing the cooked focaccia with some olive oil using a brush. Enjoy!

FOOD

Vegan cauliflower frittata (inspired by Handvo)

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Lately, I have been looking for dishes that are more like one pot meals. You prep, cook on the stove or oven, and end up with nutritious, no frill meals that actually taste super good as leftovers too. This particular dish is inspired by a snack from Gujarat, India, known as Handvo. It is like a giant frittata that can be made in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop. This nutritious version is actually like the eggy version in that it is quite low in carbs, yet the blend of creamy coconut milk, versatile cauliflower and nutty chickpea flour, take it to a whole new taste level. My recipe is a version inspired by the woman who inspired many young Indians to cook, Tarla Dalal. A wedge of this served with some zhoug, cilantro chutney, sriracha, or even ketchup is the perfect anytime snack or light meal.

Ingredients:

  • One can coconut milk (I used the 403 ml can of Thai kitchen organic coconut milk)
  • 6 tbsps chickpea flour.
  • 1/2 small cauliflower cut into tiny florets
  • 4 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch cilantro (coriander leaves) finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp oil

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix all the ingredients except for the mustard seeds and oil in a bowl, ensuring there are no clumps of chickpea flour.

3. Transfer the mixture to a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan

4. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, scatter on top of the mixture in the cake pan.

5. Bake for 50-60 minutes till the top is nice and golden brown and the centre appears set.

6. Let cool for 10 minutes and then cut into 12 wedges. Serve hot or cold, as suggested with one of your favorite condiments.

7. This will stay fresh for several days in the fridge, if kept wrapped in foil. When serving, simply toast in a toaster for a few minutes before serving.

 

FOOD

Three kinds of chickpeas pulao

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One reason Trader Joe’s is my happy shopping space is that they always have something new in the aisles to try, This time it was a rice made with chickpeas and lentils (in the pasta aisle) that caught my attention. It could go in dishes as rice or as a pasta like orzo. I got a pack and then got thinking about what I could make and that’s when I spotted the can of chickpeas and some crisp chickpeas in my pantry. And that’s how the idea of a three kinds of chickpeas pulao was born. Of course, you could make the same dish with regular rice and it will taste just as yum.

The list of ingredients is a bit long, but once you get everything together, it is very easy to make and the result is a delicious one pot, hearty meal.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp cooking oil or you can use a mix of ghee and oil (I used vegetable oil and ghee)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cardamoms, open pods and use seeds only
  • 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger, finely grated
  • 1 garlic glove, finely grated
  • 2 moderate green chilis finely chopped
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped into moderate pieces
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • A 15 ounce can of cooked chick peas, washed and drained
  • 1 cup Trader Joes chick pea/lentil rice (or you can use an equal amount of basmati rice – just wash and drain the regular rice)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp crisp chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped

How to:

1. Heat two tbsps of oil (or the oil/ghee combo) in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise.

2. When the whole spices sizzle, add the chopped onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes till they turn slightly brown.

3. Now add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the green chilis and mix well.

4. Next add the tomato, salt, turmeric powder, and garam masala and toss this well with the onion mixture.

5. Now add the drained chickpeas, the chickpea/lentil rice (or regular basmati rice) and two cups water and mix all the ingredients well.

6. Cook uncovered for 12 minutes (check and stir once or twice)

7. Turn off stove, top with the crunchy chickpeas and mint. Leave covered for a few minutes and then serve with yogurt.

Hint: If you don’t have crispy chickpeas handy, just save a tbsp of washed and drained chickpeas from the can and fry in a pan with a tbsp of oil till it crisps up.