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Chickpeas and Chorizo Stew

28|01|2014

You hear me raving about the blue patches in my city all the time. Well, there is something else I rave about quite a bit. Our sunny winters and our cool summers. Exciting, isn’t it?
It actually is amazing!

When we first moved to Sydney, we happened to stay in a house that did not have a heating or cooling unit. It was spring and pretty cold (that’s what I thought when I disembarked the aircraft). We invested in a room heater. A few mornings later the temperature soared, the heat was unbearable and we were sweating at home. We went back to the same dealer and bought a table fan. Apparently, he wasn’t surprised to see us. Then overnight the weather went through a complete transformation. The following morning, we found ourselves desperately checking up on our cargo that was to arrive with warm blankets and quilts.
Over time we got used to the weather. The room heater and table fan were kept next to each other. There were occasions when both were used on the same day. I found it hilarious at that time. That was pretty much how it was for most of the year. And to take the excitement a step further were the rain showers that would catch us by surprise any time of the day or season.
Today, I have grown to love the thrill that comes with this kind of unpredictability. What is life without a little pizzazz? The benefits are many. And that clearly reflects in our clothing, lifestyle, our local produce or our food. We can enjoy meat roasts in summer while sitting at the beaches with a popsicle in the middle of winter

Chickpeas have been a part of my diet for as long as I can remember. Hence, I am always on the look out for new ways to cook with it. I usually stock up on cans of chickpeas and lentils on a frequent basis and this is a classic example of how tins and cans can come to your rescue to put up a meal when you are too busy to visit the grocer’s. A simple and hearty Spanish stew, great on flavour. When I don’t have chorizo at home I cook the same dish with diced bacon. Chorizo is easy to overcook and can turn hard and chewy if not cooked properly. 7-8 minutes in the pan should do it. Vegetarians can substitute chicken stock for vegetable stock and skip the chorizo or use tofu instead.

Is there anything in particular you love about your climate? Or anything you wish you could change?

“Here’s some ‘blue’ to drive away your ‘blues’. I thought its high time I shared a few visuals with you. This is just one of the blue patches amongst hundreds in my city. If you have already visited or lived in Sydney, you would know this is our gorgeous Bondi Beach. If you haven’t, you know what to expect!

Chickpeas and Chorizo Stew (minimally adapted from Taste.com)
Serves 5-6

1 tbsp olive oil
2 chorizo sausages, sliced or diced bacon
1 red onion, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large potato, peeled, cut into 1.5cm cubes, cooked for 2-3 minutes until almost tender
400 g canned chickpeas with liquid
1 cup of canned, diced tomatoes (3-4 medium ripe tomatoes, if using fresh)
1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
1 cup baby spinach
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper, to season
Crusty bread or rice to serve

Heat oil in a casserole or large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chorizo, turning until starting to crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel. Drain excess oil and fat, leaving 2 tbsp in pan.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the potatoes, chickpeas, oregano, tomatoes and chicken stock. Season, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Add in the chorizo in the last-minute if you like it crisp otherwise cook it with the stew for a few minutes. Garnish with baby spinach and parsley. Serve with white rice or crusty bread.

Milk Chocolate and Ginger Baked Custards

24|01|2014

One of the significant things that has changed ever since I started blogging is the way ‘days’ have assumed an importance in my life. I guess it’s because I have so many to share it with. It makes me feel belonged…makes me feel like a part of the food blogging community. And very responsible too. I certainly don’t start a countdown but I make a mental note if a celebratory day is coming up.

And when the occasion or theme is love, (Valentine’s Day) it is equally easy and difficult to come up with something. At home there is no major fan fare… we express love for each other through food. That’s convenient and enjoyable too. It’s like any other day save that there will be more food on the table. Favourite dishes. Not necessary, home cooked. A Chinese takeaway or even a good pizza. And dessert for sure! One of the rare opportunities to force a dessert on my other half. I grab the opportunity with both hands.

The key to a good Valentine’s day dessert for me is based on 3 principles- make-ahead, chilled and spiced. Add chocolate to it and I am ready with a recipe. I know there’s going to be dark chocolate everywhere so my pick is Milk chocolate. Milk chocolate can be really sweet but when balanced with spice or a tart fruit, it can turn into the most exotic flavour. I am yet to take a count of the number of ginger recipes I have in my blog and I am yet to outgrow my love for it. Possibly never! My very first blog post happened to be a ginger infused sweet. Which brings us back to the topic of love. Love for ingredients…love for flavours..love for cooking…love for desserts! I shall reserve that topic for another upcoming celebratory day in my life. My blog anniversary.

These custard pots are one of the simplest things to bake. Little effort and grand results. If you haven’t tried out this combination before, it’s really worth a try. Sweet, creamy with earthy notes of ginger. In case you haven’t attempted a baked custard before, the cooking takes place in two stages. The first during baking and the second while refrigeration. To get the right consistency, that is smooth and creamy you need to remove the ramekins from the oven while the centres are not completely set..slightly wobbly. The edges would be firm. You can check this by giving the ramekins a gentle shake. The custards will totally set once they chill in the refrigerator. Needless to say they are Gluten free and Paleo.

This recipe makes 4 servings. Perfect for our family of four. If you are making it for yourself and your date, lucky you! Because chances are high that you’ll be going in for seconds. I happily polish off the remaining from my little ones if they struggle to finish it.

Milk Chocolate and Ginger Baked Custards
Serves 4

11/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
100g good-quality milk chocolate, roughly chopped
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp. castor sugar (more if you require it sweeter)
2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
Raspberries or any fruit of your choice to serve
Whipped Cream, to serve (optional)

Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.

Combine cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until hot (do not allow to boil). Remove saucepan from heat. Add chocolate and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir till smooth.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and spices in a heatproof bowl until well combined. Pour the warm cream mixture over the egg yolk mixture, little at a time whisking constantly until smooth. Take care not to add the entire cream to the eggs together as it can overcook the eggs resulting in scrambled eggs.

Divide the custard into four lightly-greased, ramekins or ovenproof cups. Place in a deep baking tray. Pour boiling water into baking tray until halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake custards, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until just set (while the centres are slightly jiggly when shaken). Remove from the oven and take the ramekins out of the water bath. Leave to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with fruit and/or whipped cream.

The custards can be made up to 3 days in advance. and stored in the refrigerator.

Lemon Delicious Pudding

22|01|2014

When life gives you lemons what do you do? Do you make lemonade or lemon curd? Or Nimbu Paani?
Well, life didn’t give me lemons. Or melons. I had to get them myself. All the way from the markets. The markets are not that far away but it’s a rainy day. Have I told you how unpredictable our weather is! Thankfully, the pudding is not. It is very much the way it is and totally lives up to its name.

Australia Day (26th January) is one holiday I really look forward to. The date especially has always been special because that also happens to be Republic Day in India and I have great memories of fun wintry things I used to do on this holiday. I take this day as a great opportunity to whip up some of the Aussie classic sweet treats at home. I find it hard to decide which one as I love every one of them. The Pav is a must every year. Last year I also made the sticky date pudding. This year I debated between the golden syrup dumplings and the lemon delicious pudding. Finally, I realised I could do without the dumplings as I am lately looking like one myself. Seriously, I am almost embarrassed not to be joining the army of fit and health conscious people marching along the water side in my area while I am sitting and looking up recipes on my mobile.

I am not sure how the pudding got its name but I know that all the people I have made this for till date have told me they loved it. This is a self saucing pudding. Meaning, the pudding separates during the cooking process into a light cakey top and a thick lemon sauce below. All you need to ensure is that you don’t overcook it otherwise you won’t be left with enough lemon sauce. The flavours and textures are a treat. The recipe is also fairly simple. If you are a person who is intimidated by egg whites like I used to be years ago, put your worries aside. We are looking for soft peaks..where the peaks are just starting to form and fall back when the beaters are lifted. Other than that, it is all about adding and stirring. The baking takes place in a water bath..like a crème Brule. I have divided the batter into 4 individual baking cups and an oval baking dish (to give you a clear view how it looks on the inside). You can make them in individual ramekins. That way it’s easier to serve.

I also wanted to share with you that this is one pudding which tastes amazing, warm or cold. So many reasons to make this. I hope you give it a try.

Lemon Delicious Pudding (adapted with a slight variation from Taste.com)
Serves 6

150g unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups castor sugar
3/4 cup self-raising flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup plain flour + 3/4 tsp baking powder)
1 1/2 cups milk (I used semi skim)
4 eggs, separated
Icing sugar , to dust

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C for fan-forced) Grease six 1 cup-capacity oven-proof dishes.

Place butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, flour, milk and egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high-speed until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, fold one-quarter of the egg white into lemon mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white.

Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Place dishes in a large baking dish. Pour boiling water into baking dish until halfway up sides of smaller dishes. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and just set. If you want a brown crust on top, put the oven on the grill mode for an additional 5 minutes. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Corn, Carrot and Pea Breakfast Fritters

19|01|2014

Are you noticing quite a few breakfast recipes in this space? I confess, that is one meal I am paying more attention to. That is because the others are turning out to be less of sit down meals and more of quick fix situations. We are outdoors for most of the time our weather allows us. Day times have been warm. Hot rather! But evenings are the perfect excuse to step outside and watch the colourful sunset or lose ourselves to the soothing water views.

I find myself totally drawn to the water front. It kind of refreshes my soul. And that is probably the only time I am ready to sit down and relax. At home, I am constantly doing something. Life with two young kids can be very demanding…I have mentioned it before. I can make it worse for myself by finding a hundred other things to do. I am a cleanliness freak. It’s certainly not a great situation with two little boys running around the house looking for an excuse to begin an adventure. So yes, I think I’ve found another place to unwind. Other than my kitchen!

I’ve been making these fritters frequently because they allow me to add plenty of vegetables. They came together quickly but I still find it easier to make the batter the previous night and fry the fritters at breakfast time. The batter is very much like a pancake batter, only thicker. The choice of herbs and vegetables is entirely yours. For the herbs, I use coriander or parsley or mint…just a random choice. I grow the last two in my garden but I buy coriander leaves. So if that’s at home I usually try and finish that one. Sometimes, I serve sausages or smoked salmon with the fritters but it’s really quite great on its own. Even a salsa or salad is fantastic to go with it. I also like to dollop either sour cream or Greek yoghurt on the fritters. Needless to say, they will make a great snack or even an appetizer.

Corn, Carrot and Pea Breakfast Fritters
Makes 12-14 fritters

11/2 cups self-raising flour (or 11/2 cup plain flour +1 tsp baking powder)
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/2 cup milk (more, if required)
3/4 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen, drain if using canned)
1 carrot, grated
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Herbs- Coriander, Parsley, Mint, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and milk and stir gently to make a smooth batter. Add more milk if required. It should result in a thick but drop-able consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.

Add the corn, grated carrots, peas, onions and herbs to the batter and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a little of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Drop 2 tablespoons of batter in the pan for a fritter, fitting in as any fritters in the pan leaving room for spreading. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles have risen to the surface and the fritter is golden underneath. Turn with a spatula and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Repeat in more batches with remaining batter and oil.

Serve fritters with sour cream or greek yoghurt.