Urfa biber Brownies

Just before setting off to Istanbul, coincidentally, a brownie recipe came my way with the famous raisin-ish, maroon colored Turkish pepper from the Urfa region. The pepper was already gracing my pantry. I adapted the recipe to all-pantry-ingredients for a quick, no-fuss, no-guilt brownie that promises to stun your palate. You will not miss the flour-laden version. Believe me. I may have even done the unthinkable. I packed some for the ten hour flight that awaited me. Enjoy!

SPECIAL TOOLS:

Oven.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 can (15 oz). black beans, rinsed and drained + 3 large eggs + 3 tbsp EVOO + 1 tsp vanilla essence
    + 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + 1/2 cup slivered almonds + 1/2 cup sugar
    + 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt + 1 1/2 tsp Urfa biber
  • Garnish: Maldon sea salt

METHOD

Run all ingredients (except garnish) in food processor till smooth. Pour into a greased (with EVOO) baking pan and bake at 350 F for 20-25 mins.
Sprinkle sea salt. Let cool and cut into pieces.

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

  1. The food processor is powerful enough to mix all the ingredients together. But if you plan to mix by hand, then mix the dry and wet ingredients separately before put them all together.
  2. You can increase the amount of sugar in the recipe, if you prefer sweeter versions.
  3. If you prefer, you can line the baking pan with parchment, instead of greasing it.
  4. You can test the done-ness with a toothpick and adjust the baking time.
  5. The excess brownies can be frozen in freeze bags.

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Ajika Millet with Miner’s Lettuce

Georgian seasoning blend, Ajika, brings depth brightening the grains; fish provides the protein and seasonal Miner’s lettuce (purslane greens) tops it off. A quick, easy, toothsome rounded meal. Enjoy!

SPECIAL TOOLS:

A kerai or wok.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup millet cooked as per packet instructions (simmered in 2 cups water, for 20 mins)
  • 1 Can fish (5 oz Albacore tuna OR wild sardines)
  • Sofrito: 1 tbsp oil + 1 small shallot diced + 2-3 garlic pods minced
  • Seasonings: 1 tbsp Georgian Ajika + 1/2 tsp black lime powder + 1/4 tsp urfa biber (Turkish) pepper + 1 tsp dried crushed mint greens + salt to taste
  • Topping: 1 1/2 cup Miner’s lettuce (purslane greens)

METHOD

In a wok, heat the sofrito ingredients till fragrant (3-4 mins). Add the seasoning ingredients and mix in till the spices bloom (2-3 mins). Add the canned fish and let mix well, breaking up the fish into smaller pieces. Mix in the cooked millet. Finally add the greens, cover and let wilt (2 mins).

Serve hot.

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

  1. You can use any seasoning of your choice (for example adobo or curry or Bayou seasonings). This is a very forgiving recipe.
  2. The black lime powder is a tangy flavorful agent worth experimenting with, if you have not already done so.
  3. The recipe is resilient enough for any other grain (rice, farro, spelt, barley, rye, … ) as well.

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Stuffed Turkish Apricots

I am looking forward to my upcoming Istanbul trip. In anticipation of the exquisite cuisine that awaits me, here is a dirt simple, 2-ingredient, super-quick amuse bouche that is astonishingly mind-blowing as well. Enjoy!

SPECIAL TOOLS:

Microwave.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6-8 Turkish dried apricots (without sulphates!)
  • 1/2 cup drained yogurt
  • Topping (optional): crushed walnuts or pistachios

METHOD

Rehydrate the apricots in a cup of water by microwaving for 2-3 minutes. Let cool. Stuff each apricot with a tsp of drained yogurt. Optionally sprinkle with crushed nuts and lightly pour the apricot syrup (from rehydration).

Serve warm or cold.

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

  1. DO NOT USE THIS TREATMENT ON DRIED APRICOTS WITH SULFUR DIOXIDES. For these poach in apple juice gently over the stove, till softened.
  2. Note there is no added sugar in the recipe. Just the natural sugars in the apricots. For this minimal treatment, I would avoid the ones that use sulphates.
    Surprisingly, the warming of the apricots in water (albeit in the microwave for a few scant minutes) turns the whole house redolent with the aromas of an Indian mithaiwala‘s ! Many Indian sweets revolve around sugar syrups of various consistencies.
  3. The recipe was inspired by a master class from CIA.

On Memorial Day, these apricots were stuffed with gajar halwa and topped with ground pistachio (from Istanbul) and cashewnuts. The apricot was gently, poached in the microwave, 1 minute at a time, until tender. Was a smashing hit, even with the most pernickety.

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Kibbeh Casserole

A meat-n-wheat sumptuous casserole for Superbowl. A little unusual but mighty addictive. Also, with guilt-free mustard greens. Enjoy!!

SPECIAL TOOLS:

A food processor; oven; 5 qt casserole.

INGREDIENTS

Makes enough to feed a small party (8-10) of Superbowl revelers.

  • Stuffing:
    • 1 lb ground meat
    • 1/2 cup onion diced
    • Spices: 1 tsp ground allspice + 1 tsp cinnamon powder + 1 tsp cayenne pepper
    • Salt to taste
    • 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • Bottom and Top Layers:
    • 3 cups bulgur wheat grains (cooked in 5 cups water for 10 mins till soft and fluffy — or follow package instruction)
    • 2 bunches (8 oz each) greens (mustard or spinach or any other green)
    • 1 lb ground meat
    • 1 cup diced onions
    • Flavoring: 1 tbsp dried marjoram + 1 tbsp dried mint + 1 tbsp dried basil + 1 tbsp allspice powder + 1 tbsp cinnamon powder + salt to taste

METHOD

Stuffing: In a saute pan brown the ground meat. Mix in the rest of the stuffing ingredients. Set aside.

Lightly oil the bottom of a large casserole dish.

Use the food processor to make the bottom and top layers. Given the volume, you may want to process the bottom and top layer separately. Halve the recipe for each layer. I use kitchen scissors to coarsely chop the greens right into the processor. Run the processor for a minute or so till the greens are coarsely and evenly chopped. Then add the rest of the ingredients and and process till homogenous. Dump this into the casserole dish and press for an even bottom layer.

Layer the stuffing on the bottom layer. Process the top layer as per the bottom layer. Carefully spread the processed mix, in about 1/2 cup chunks over the stuffing. Then gently press the top into an even layer.

Score with a wet, sharp steak knife as in picture. Brush with water. Tightly cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 475 F for 40 to 50 mins [test doneness by piercing with knife]. Remove foil, broil for 10 mins.

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

  1. This meat in a meat-n-wheat casing (kibbeh) is adapted from The Lebanese Kitchen by Monique Bassila Zaarour.
  2. The ground meat can be lamb OR bison OR bison/beef mix. I have not tried with poultry or tofu- but that could be a good experiment.
  3. I added the greens to round out the nutrition profile.

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Fermented Teff Crepe

An amazing minimalist one-ingredient crepe! If you don’t count water and the horde of wild yeast (from the natural environment). This is not quite the (white) injera I have had at many Ethiopian restaurants, but a fairly toothsome dark contender. After many laborious experimentation, here is my streamlined version –utilizing a Proofer– for a seven-day version. I.e., one Sunday to the next. Enjoy!

SPECIAL TOOLS:

A Proofer.

METHOD

  1. Sunday 1: Mix 2 cups dark teff flour in about 3 cups warm water in a glass bowl. Mix well with wire whisk and cover. Ferment at 86 F, in Proofer, for 5 days.
  2. Friday 1: – Pour out the entire top liquid (that may even look alarmingly funky).
    – Bring 1 cup water to boil in a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup of the fermented residue (which has the consistency of clay) and thicken while constantly stirring with wire whisk. In a few minutes, it thickens. Add this to the remainder of the fermented residue in the glass bowl. Mix with wire whisk till homogenous.
    – Add 2/3 to 1 cup water and mix well.
    – Cover and continue to ferment at 86 F, in Proofer, for 2 days.
  3. Sunday 2: Pour out some on the top liquid layer.
    – Heat a non-stick crepe pan. You may have to very lightly oil the pan before the very first one.
    – Pour 1/3 cup batter onto the crepe pan and swirl it around.
    – Cover and let cook undisturbed for 5 mins on medium heat.
    – Carefully peel off the pan with the help of a spatula.

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

  1. This has been inspired from from many sources: https://www.daringgourmet.com/authentic-injera-ethiopian-flatbread/ ; https://www.preservedgoods.com/post/ethiopian-injera .
  2. I have had tried various fermentation catalysts like yogurt, fenugreek seeds etc, but in this version I don’t use any.
  3. The fermented teff flour has a sweet nutty flavor, almost that of molasses. I was also reminded of a sweet aroma from my grandmother’s village kitchen, but couldn’t place my finger on quite what.
  4. Serve (at room temperature) with Ethiopian or Indian curries.

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Sprouts & Microgreens

Let bio be your sous-chef!

For decades my parents had this daily pre-breakfast ritual of a few activated nuts and a handful of sprouts. Now, I relearn these practices from books on clean, wholesome foods. So, when my mother is visiting me now, I took the opportunity to upgrade my basic tea towel sprouting. I ordered a kit, fancy mixes and converted a small real estate next to the kitchen sink into a sprouting station. You will be astonished how humble seeds, legumes, grains turn impossibly flavorful. And, no cooking required!! Even the pickiest of eaters were impressed.

Persistence is the key. Drain and rinse religiously at intervals of 12 hours. On an average beans and grains take about 2 days, while moong bean takes 3 days and seeds take 5-6 days to be harvest ready. But you can also harvest as you go (after the first soak) which makes it very convenient to sustain. Here is the simple protocol (using 3 days as an example).

Day 0 PM: Soak in plenty of water.
Days 1-3: AM & PM: Rinse and drain.
Day 4 AM : Rinse and drain. Ready to harvest. Refrigerate.

Although I am not fully convinced that you really need different geometries of sprouters, nevertheless the following may be helpful:

  • Flat surface sprouter (1/2 – 1 cup moong) helps maintain the lentils in a single layer (you could even place a weight on top to aid in this) [1/2 – 1 cup]
  • Mason jar with perforated lid (1 cup rye berries, wheat berries) [1/2 -1 cup]
  • Bottom perforated Sprouter kit (Sproutpeople.org.). (1-2 tbsps of seeds –broccoli, mustard– , or, 1 cup peas, or, 1 cup grains)

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

  1. The 1-qt sprouter is perfect — you couldn’t possibly improve it anymore. See the description– quite sophisticated for a set that at first glance looks like takeout plastic containers.
  2. For the rye berries, I was not patient enough to actually see the roots. But the rye berry sprouts are sweet and delicious (you even get asked “wow, is this cooked?”) !! Use in grain salad. The wheat berries, on the other hand, were not shy and merrily displayed their roots.
    See picture.
  3. My mother was particularly impressed with the sprouting wheat berries and methi (fenugreek seeds).

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