No Knead Crusty Bread

I baked this no knead crusty bread last year (2014) on 29th January. I know I am posting the recipe after a whole year. Well, this bread does not need any introduction nor a recipe. The recipe is by Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery - a simple google search and the recipe will pop up. But the crust and the texture makes this one awesome bread.

Its a very simple bread to make - uses minimal yeast and no muscle power either. Just needs time 20 to 24 hours.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water
cornmeal or wheat flour or bread flour as needed

Method

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt and water and mix with a wooden spoon till all is blended well. and you get a goopy and sticky mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for about 16 to 18 hours.
After the 16 to 18 hours the dough will have risen almost double and will be covered in bubbles - just a proof that the yeast is working.
Remove the dough on a lightly floured work surface and fold it over on itself about 2 to 3 times.
Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball (be careful not to use too much flour) - its the water in the dough that makes the crust so crunchy and the crumb so beautiful.
Jim Lahey says to use a cotton towel to get the second rise - but, I used parchment paper. Put some cornmeal on the parchment and put the shaped dough seam side down on it and covered with a huge bowl and let it rise for the next 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
About one and half hours after you have kept the dough for its second rise preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Pick the parchment paper with dough inside and slide it into the pot. Shake pan once or twice to get even dough distribution - do not worry about the shape, it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Be very careful when you are handling the pans inside the oven - use proper oven mittens to remove it from the oven and to put it back in. It is very very hot.

Kale chane ani Jeev kadgi Ghassi (breadfruit and dark chickpea curry)

This is one of those dishes that is cooked at festivals and weddings. The black chana and the breadfruit (Jeev Kadgi) make it an amazing combination of flavors along with the mild spices and the mustard tempering in coconut oil and ofcorse the ground coconut masala adds its own unique flavor profile. This is also cooked with raw jackfuit and the kala chana can be substituted with kabuli chana (Garbanzo beans) too.
I personally do not know how it is cooked in the most authentic way - but, I like the use of chana dal (split bengal gram) and urad dal (Split black gram) in the masala mixture and I like to roast the coconut a bit too. There are various ways to cook this humble ghassi and like many recipes this differs from household to household.
Since this was cooked for a festival as a neivedhya - there is no use of onion or garlic here.

Ingredients

1 cup kala chana/dark chickpea
1 cup breadfruit - I used the precut frozen breadfuit.
2 tablespoons urad dal/split black gram
1 tablespoon chana dal/split bengal gram
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
5 dried kashmiri chilis (use more or less as per taste)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (you can use any other cooking oil too)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida/hing
1 teaspoon oil (I used olive oil)
salt to taste

Method

Soak the kala chana in 4 cups of warm water for 8 to 10 hours. Pressure cook them in just enough water to cover the chanas along with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida and 1 teaspoon oil. Cook it for about 3 whistles and wait till the cooker releases the pressure.
In the meantime make the ground masala. In a karahi add 1 teaspoon coconut oil. When it gets hot, lower the flame to a medium and add the whole coriander seeds, urad dal, chana dal, dried kashmiri chilis and cumin. Let this saute for about 30 to 40 seconds till a nice aroma of the dals fills the kitchen. To this add the grated coconut and saute till they turn a little golden brown. Take this mixture out onto a plate and let it cool. In the same karahi, add the 1 teaspoon coconut oil. when it gets hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the curry leaves and when they crisp up, add the breadfruit pieces. Mix well, add about 1/4 cup water and cover and cook on low medium flame for 10 minutes.
By now the roasted masala will have cooled to a warm. Grind this to a fine paste adding the tamarind paste and just enough water to get the grinder running,
Add this paste to the cooking breadfruit along with the pressure cooked chanas. Add just enough water to get a thick gravy as shown in the picture. Add salt to taste. Cover and let this mixture come to a boil - then lower the flame and let it simmer for about 10 more minutes.
Serve with plain steamed rice or chapatis. I can eat it just like this in a bowl.

Gudi Padva Thali - 31 March 2014

This has been a long long overdue post. We celebrated Gudi Padva on 31 March 2014. Its a Maharashtrian  festival celebrating the first day of the New Year according to the Hindu Calendar. This festival is also called 'Ugadi' in Kannada - I know this because I was born in North Karnataka and spent a good 7 years of my life there.
We refer to this festival as Gudi Padwa or Ugadi at home.
I remember Mom making some wonderful dishes on this day. Ofcorse the dreadful part used to be the neem leaves that we had to chew. Ofcorse mum used to have it smeared in sugar and grated coconut............ still it was bitter and had a funny smell. But, we ate it so that we could enjoy the goodies that were to follow.
we had a fun meal of Maharastrian food as well as Konkani food. What can I say - we are foodies and celebrations means food. On this day I had made food like it is in most Konkani households.
So - this year we had a fun meal on the auspicious day. Kiddo was at home and the husband was working from home - so, it was fun.
This is how the thali looked - We had Sheeth (Rice) with Dali Thoy (Dal) in the big bowl. On the plate (lets go clockwise) - kale chane ani jeevkadgi ghassi, beans and carrot sukhi bhaji, khamang kakdi, shevai kheer, Puri, Rice Papad and Potato Bhajiya in the center.

Sheeth & Dali Thoy

Kale Chane ani Jeev Kadgi Ghassi

Rice Papad

Puri

Khamang Kakdi

Potato Bhajiya

Shevai Kheer

Beans & Carrot Sukhi Bhaji

Rasam Powder

Ingredients

15 dried kashmiri red chilis
15 curry leaves
1/4 cup tuvar dal/split pigeon peas
1/4 cup masoor dal/split lentils
2 tablespoons urad dal/split black gram
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds/methi seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida/hing
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

Dry roast all the ingredients one by one except the asafoetida and the turmeric powder - till a nice aroma comes by. Mix all the ingredients together including the asafoetida and the turmeric powder and run it through a mixer/blender/grinder to get a nice powder.
Rasam powder is ready. Store in a airtight container. Lasts for a good year.
Use it to make Rasams of your choice.

Jeera aur Saunf wali Chicken Curry (Cumin & Fennel Flavored Chicken Curry)

Chicken curry with bread or chapattis is a staple dinner at our place as 'Little Miss A' always loves to eat it. You ask her what she wants for dinner and pat comes the reply........... Can we have some chicken curry please............

Just like her father Mr. A - she wants variety when it comes to the favorite food too. So, I have been coming up with different different versions of the curry - just to please my family.
For vegetarians - you can add potatoes, cauliflowers, peppers, paneer or even some soaked and cooked kabuli chana (Garbanzo beans) or black eyes kidney beans to the gravy.
I had made this simple stuff when my cousin an his family had visited us a couple of weeks ago - and it was loved by my niece and nephew.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper

2 green cardamoms

2 cloves

1 black cardamom

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 cup - chopped cilantro

5 green chilis - you can add more or less as per your spice preference

2 pounds chicken - I used boneless skinless thighs - cut into bite size pieces

2 onions - roughly chopped

10 cloves garlic - grated

1 inch ginger piece - grated

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Method

Grind to a fine paste by adding very little water the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, green chillis, cilantro and coconut and keep aside.
In a wok or karahi add the oil and once it gets hot add the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick. Then add the chopped onions and grated garlic and fry till it turns into a golden color. To this add the grated ginger and turmeric powder and saute for another 1 minute. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the ground masala paste. Mix this well and keep stirring it for about 10 minutes. Now add the chicken pieces , lower the flame to a medium, add half cup water and cover and let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
Open lid and stir the curry well. Add salt if needed, according to your taste and check if the chicken is cooked through. If chicken is not cooked - cover and let it cook on medium flame for another 10 minutes or till it gets cooked through. Adjust water to make it as thick as you wish. I kept it at curry consistency - a little more runny than a dosa/pancake batter.
Serve hot with bread slices, pav, chappati or with rice.