quick-fix desserts & snacks — no. 1

even though i buy and use them fairly often in a variety of ways (mostly in baking or to make smoothie type drinks), bananas have never been on my top 10 list of favourite fruits. i'm not sure why — maybe it has something to do with childhood memories of seeing them blacken in that crystal fruit bowl on the dining room table and emit their ripening smell. my parents regularly bought too many. of course, to counter this problem, i always seemed to find them in my lunch bag. even though i said i don't like them, that damned banana was in my lunch anyway with its oh-so-gross smell that made me gag. if they only knew how many bananas i threw in the garbage can at school! LOL.

for that reason, i can only eat them when they are greenish-yellow or have just turned yellow. i think they are at their best at this stage. to this day, if i see one brown spot or they have started to soften, they are immediately relegated into the "banana bread category". one good thing is that they can be frozen to use later.

an easy and quick dessert for bananas which are in their firm stage is the ubiquitous and very popular asian fried bananas. almost a de rigueur post meal ending in vietnam and thailand, they are also eaten as a snack item. the bananas used are often a small variety but the regular standard large(r) kind work just as well.

there are many recipes for the batter. as fried bananas are served in a variety of asian countries, the ingredients that go into the coating will differ from country to country. some will use rice flour or all purpose wheat flour or a combination thereof. as for the liquids, recipes include one or more of the following: eggs, water, coconut milk, beer. some even add coconut to the batter. the one i use is very basic and simple. you can use that one or look around for different recipes. no harm in testing out a few different versions!

the coating for this particular recipe is eggless and dairy free, making it suitable for people with different dietary followings/restrictions. if you want, you can always whisk one egg and add it as the liquid (mixed with 3 tbsp of water) until you get the desired consistency. it works fine without the egg, just using water to bind the flours.

i cannot give an EXACT measure for the amount of liquid used as it will depend on the type of flours you are using. what is important is the consistency; it should be like that of a thick cream (whipping cream) — one which is thick enough to nicely coat the bananas and stay adhered to them. just remember to err on the side of thicker versus thinner. of course, if it is too thin, you can always just add a bit more flour. you can slice a coin sized piece of banana off and coat and cook it to test the results and adjust as necessary — a good idea for people making this for the first time.

using rice flour is important to achieve a crisp texture. you can use either rice flour from glutinous (sweet) rice or a regular one. if you don't want to buy a whole quantity of it, you can easily grind some to a fine powder in your coffee grinder. make sure to sieve it with a fine strainer as you do not want any granular pieces in it.

frying the bananas can be a bit messy because, as they fry, the bananas soften and slight amounts of liquid are released causing splutters. the best thing to do is to (shallow) fry them in about 3 inches of oil in a pot which has high(er) sides.

that said, don't be deterred from try them. it's just a matter of stirring, dipping and frying :))


easy asian style fried bananas

serves 2

ingredients:

2 firm just ripening bananas*

batter ingredients:

4 tbsp rice flour
3 tbsp AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sugar
good pinch of salt

enough water to make a heavy cream consistency. you can also use an egg mixed with 3 tbsp water, again, adding only enough to make correct batter consistency.

honey syrup:

1/4 c honey or brown rice syrup
2 tbsp butter or margarine
(1 tsp lime juice or rum, optional)

*bananas should have just turned yellow. using ones which are too ripe will result in poor results as they are too soft and fragile to use in this recipe.

optional garnishes:

-shredded toasted coconut
-toasted sesame seeds
-powdered sugar
-granola

method:

heat your oil over medium heat as you make the batter and prepare the bananas.

make the batter —

add the dry ingredients in a bowl and blend them together with a whisk.

add enough water (or egg combined with water) to make a heavy cream consistency. set aside.


prepare the bananas —

peel the bananas.

cut each evenly in half. if you want to make them whole, you'll obviously need a larger bowl for the batter and to fry them — use a wok for that purpose.


to fry —

with a spoon, drop a very small amount of batter into the oil to see if it is ready. you will know when to add the bananas when the piece floats to the surface and bubbles. if it falls to the bottom and stays there, it is not ready.

place each half in the batter and turn to coat evenly.

place the bowl near the heated oil. very carefully transfer each half of banana by jabbing it with a fork.

take care to drop the banana in the oil near the surface of the oil and not from a distance. this will prevent the oil from splattering.

fry the bananas until they are golden brown and drain them on paper towel.

serve them with a drizzling of the honey syrup (or plain honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, etc) and sesame seeds or granola..

to make the syrup:

place the honey or brown rice syrup in a microwavable bowl or small pan and add the butter or margarine. heat it until it melts and stir to blend. it should be in a liquid state. some people like to add a tsp of rum or a liqueur to it. i often add lime juice to cut the sweetness. you can also just serve them with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.

enjoy!

reruns no. 1 — lavosh

as everyone knows should know, there is no one definitive recipe — or more accurately put, set of measures of ingredients — for any given prepared food. rather it's more a set of ratios and/or standards, which when combined and executed, give a culturally accepted flavour or texture or shape to whatever we are making. a case in point would be for something like bagels which are a staple bread here in north america (usa & canada). depending upon where you live, one community's bagels are very different from another one's. each community thinks its version is the right one.

much of it comes down to what you grow up with in your community and personal tastes. what one person may find delicious and inviting, the next person may find disgusting and unpalatable. such is the reality of cooking and baking.

over the next while, time permitting, i will post some "reruns" of previous recipes. it has nothing to do with previous versions not being "good" but rather variations on the same theme.

the first rerun is for the "crackerbread" called lavosh which is a staple of turkey and armenia. if you want to (re)read, or missed the previous post about it then look here. that version is made with wholewheat flour and is texturally different from the following one. it also contains information about the history of the bread and how it is/was made traditionally.

this {modified} recipe is from a cookbook by victoria jenanyan wise called simply, the armenian table. it results in a soft(er) version made from all purpose flour. it makes for great sandwiches or using as you would pita bread. i have been using it for several years now. i've changed the proportion of water a bit and the shaping is how i (learned to) do it .....



lavosh

makes 6 large lavosh breads

ingredients:

4 tbsp margarine or shortening (or olive oil)

2 tsp rapid rise yeast (or 2 1/2 t active dry)
1 1/4 c warm water
2 tsp sugar

3 1/2 c AP flour
2 1/2 tsp salt

sesame seeds

large baking sheet
parchment paper

method:

measure 4 tbsp margarine or shortening or (olive) oil. don't use butter as the milk solids in the butter will cause the lavash to brown too quickly.

if using margarine, melt it first and set aside.

prove yeast: add 1 1/4 c warm water with 2 tsp rapid rise (or 2 1/2 tsp active dry) and 2 tsp sugar.

let sit at least 15 minutes to fully 'bloom'.

add the melted margarine or oil to the yeast mixture and mix well. make sure the margarine or shortening is not hot when you add it or you risk killing or at the very least damaging the efficacy of the yeast.

mix the salt and flour together.

add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.

with a wooden spoon mix the wet with the dry.

mix until you get a shaggy mixture.

bring it together in a round of dough.

place a bowl over the dough and let it sit for 15 minutes.

knead the dough for a good 5 minutes. the texture of the dough should be firm but kneadable.

place the dough in a greased bowl and let rise for about 2 to to 2 1/2 hours.

preheat your oven to 400 F 1/2 hour before you bake.

remove the dough and flatten it. don't knead it.

shape the dough into a square.

cut the dough evenly in half.

cut each half evenly into 3 squares.

form balls and cover the dough and let rest (covered) 15 minutes.

take each round and make a disk with it by using your hands or a rolling pin. this is to make the rolling easier. place them back in a bowl or on a plate and cover.

you can make round shapes or rectangular ones for lavash.

for the round shape:

place a flattened dough round on an unfloured surface and roll it out by turning and flipping it over from side to side. the dough should not be sticky; if it is, then use a bit of flour.

this will take a bit of practice if you aren't skilled but it is very easy.

keep rolling until it is very thin and about 12 to 14 inches across.

take your hand and wet it under the tap and then place it on the dough round. spread it all around the dough until it is thoroughly moistened and the surface looks whitish. this takes about 5 to 10 seconds only.

sprinkle sesame seeds over the surface evenly.

take your rolling pin and roll the seeds into the surface of the dough. this is to prevent them from popping off.

transfer the round to a parchment paper or greased paper by taking by edges and lifting. remember, the dough will stick to an ungreased surface and make removal difficult so grease your pan in not using parchment.

for the rectangular shape:

take the dough round and roll it lengthwise.

you will probably have to roll it sideways also to stretch it further.

once it is the length of, say, a small forearm, take each corner with your finger and shape a square corner. do this to all four corners.

wet dough as described above and sprinkle with seeds, rolling them into the dough.


to bake both:

bake them one by one only. they are fairly large and should be baked in the middle of the oven; baking on double racks may cook the lower one too quickly. as one is baking, you have enough time to roll out the next one.

it takes only about 8 minutes to bake them. they will remain whitish and will be golden in spots. don't let them overbake or they will become too brittle. the breads will bubble in certain areas as they bake.

let the lavash cool.

(underside)

they will be somewhat soft and somewhat crisp. tear pieces and use as you would pita. if you are using them right away, you can place them in a plastic bag after you take them out of the oven to soften them up further. if you've never had lavosh before, don't expect pita breads from these; they are much thinner and the texture is different.

if you store them, they will dry out further, however this is fine.

to use your lavash:

they are typically & traditionally brought back to life (usually to make breads for sandwiches) by doing the following:

either wet the whole lavash under the tap and then place wrapped in a damp clean teatowel or spray it with water and place in teatowel. at this point, i usually place it in a plastic bag to keep the moisture.

it must rest for several hours to soften up. depending on how dried out it is, it can take quite a few hours (like all morning). you know when to use it when it is malleable enough to roll. if you leave it too long, however, it can become too moistened — so keep checking it every once in a while.

use it to wrap up a filling as you would a burrito OR roll it up around your filling as for pinwheel sandwiches and cut into rounds.

enjoy!

putting on the pounds

eat all of this and you surely will put on pounds! but a little piece here and there never hurt anyone ;p

there are many versions for this pound style cake. this one works. it's also scaled down (by me) to a more reasonable size. the original was massive! a good "snacking" cake, this is sure to please and uses the "secret" ingredient of lemon-lime flavoured 7 UP (if you don't have 7 UP, you can use any other similar carbonated drink).

i've made it so that this version is parve, or without any dairy or animal products. the original uses butter and lots of sugar — this one is less sweet. if you like you can switch over to just butter but i can't vouch for results.

the (original) recipe calls for lemon extract/essence which may not be accessible to everyone. if you can't get this replace it with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of finely grated lemon zest.

to get a nice lemony flavour without adding excess liquid, i add something called 'sour salt' which is essentially citric acid crystals. see the links in the ingredients list to read about it.

in any case, this is a nice cake and worth the time to make it. it has a great interior texture and a sweet mouth-puckering icing! it will disappear quickly :)


7UP pound cake with lemon drizzle

makes 1 regular sized loaf (8 - 12 servings)

ingredients:

for cake:

1/2 c margarine (1 stick or 125 ml)
1/4 c crisco/vegetable fat [shortening] (60 ml)
2 eggs
3 tsp lemon extract (don't use less)

1/4 tsp "sour salt"* (use it if you can get it)**
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

1/2 c 7 UP drink (not diet!!)

*don't exceed this amount as it is very pungent and effective :)
**replace with 1 - 2 tbsp lemon juice & 1 tbsp grated lemon zest

lemon drizzle:

1 tbsp margarine
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 c icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice (as needed)

method:

grease and flour a regular sized loaf pan and preheat oven to 350 F (325 F if using glass pan).

cream margarine and shortening until well blended.

add eggs one at a time until completely incorporated.

mixture will seem curdled at first. whip to buttercream texture for about 3 minutes.

add the lemon extract or whatever you're substituting. mix again.

in another bowl, mix dry ingredients together.

add half to buttercream.

blend and add 1/4 c of 7up.

blend again and repeat with rest of dry and wet ingredients.

add batter to prepared pan.

bake for 1 hr 10 min approximately. test with a toothpick. do not overbake. let sit 10 minutes and then remove from pan.

let the cake cool completely before making the icing. it will take about 1 1/2 hrs.

make lemon drizzle:

mix together completely softened margarine with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and the icing sugar.

make a thick paste. adjust amount of icing sugar if necessary (different countries have different qualities of same product).

add more lemon juice to make a thickish but pourable drizzle.

pour over completely cooled cake.

enjoy!

sunday morning breakfast

notice the unbreakable concentrated look.....

while i'm dreaming of waffles, someone else is dying for poultry!

kitchen essentials — basic vegetable broth

one of the essential items in any good kitchen is stock [broth], be it from an animal source — like chicken, beef or fish — or from vegetables. a vegeterian stock is easier and faster to make than one like chicken and can almost always be used in any recipe you are making, especially if you follow kashrut.

the following recipe will take about one hour to cook and leave you with a very good tasting vegetarian stock which can be used right away or divided up and frozen in either half cup or one cup portions (some people like to freeze their stock in ice cube trays). freezing your broth is a good idea as you always have some on hand.

an advantage to making your own vegetable broth is that you can decide what flavours you like and control the level of salt and seasonings. in addition, this particular one which i found years ago in some book someone lent me (name of it now long forgotten!), and uses up common vegetables we often have, many of which are laying around in the vegetable bins of our refrigerators.

you can use whichever vegetables you want but be wary of those which are said to leave bitter aftertastes or distinct strong flavours. this also goes for various herbs like parsley (leaves vs stems controversy). people have differing opinions about this topic. go with what you think tastes good and those which you like. different countries have different parameters for which flavours are "good" — in the end, it's a matter of personal tastes. an interesting thing about this recipe is the use of caraway seeds. believe it or not, it makes for a great enhancement and does not leave any distinct caraway (i.e. strong) taste.

an important thing about making this stock provide maximum flavour is the way you prepare your vegetables. this was not part of the original recipe but something i incorporate into most stocks i make which are vegetable based. since most of the flavours are sealed within the vegetables themselves, just throwing them in the soup pot whole or even large chunks does little to extract their essences. cutting root vegetables (the main ingredients in this recipe) lengthwise to expose the most of their inner surface allows for maximum amount of extraction; cross cutting onions and garlic almost to the root ends does the same thing and allows them to be fished out later in their whole state. as a final note, this recipe adds the cleaned skins of the onions to give the stock its golden colour. remove the outer loose skins and wash them well and them wash the skins which cling to the onions before cutting them as mentioned above (keep them attached!).


all purpose easy vegetable stock

makes ~ 8 cups (2 L)

ingredients:

vegetables:

2 large carrots
3 stalks celery
1 good and ripe tomato (leave whole)
2 large parsnips (essential!)
2 medium/largish onions
1/2 head garlic cloves (keep attached)

seasonings/herbs:

2 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp sugar
20 black peppercorns
1/2 - 1 tsp caraway seeds
2 bay leaves

parsley (italian flatleaf type)
small amount of dill, if wanted

method:

wash all your vegetables well and prepare them.

from the carrots, celery and parsnips, remove the root tops. you can peel the carrots and parsnips if they need it or you prefer them that way (if you want to keep them for another purpose later, them peel them).

cut the celery into large chunks and set aside.

cut the parsnips and carrots lengthwise. make sure to do this! then cut them into large chunks and set aside.

take the loose skins (if any) off the onions and wash them and set aside. then take the onion with remaining skin still attached and cut it with a cross cut ALMOST to the ROOT end to keep it whole. set aside.

keeping it whole (attached), clean off the garlic. with a small paring knife make slits in all the garlic buds through the skins, and set aside.

if you are using other vegetables, decide what's best on how to prepare them.

measure out your seasonings and herbs and set aside.

in a large pot, place the vegetables and the seasonings EXCEPT the fresh herbs.

add 8 cups of water only and bring to a boil.

cook the stock on medium low covered for the first 30 minutes.

add the fresh herbs and cook for another 30 minutes.

remove the stock from the stovetop and let it cool down until it's warm.

strain the stock through a FINE sieve and either reserve or discard the carrots, celery or parsnips. the onion and garlic will be for the garbage.

at this point, taste the stock and adjust the seasonings (i.e. more salt/sugar).

use as necessary or freeze the rest.

enjoy!

bread of substance

a simple bread of portuguese origin, this recipe comes from a friend's mother who grew up in the verdant coastal region of galicia in spain and speaks gallego, one of the four languages of spain which is quite similar to portuguese. like the shared language roots, so are many of the foods. this is one of my friend's family's weekly breads usually enjoyed along side a soup or stew which is typically fish-based.

while eaten by almost everyone these days, traditionally this is the bread of peasants & "common people" — it is not a bread which is light and airy but rather one which is dense and substantial but in no way inferior. its heft comes from the ingredient which gives it its unique character: cornmeal (or traditionally corn flour).

according to my friend's mother, you can change to ratio of flour to cornmeal to suit your taste (how much?? big surprise she never measures! 'who needs a measuring cup?', she asks). this also applies to the amount of salt and sugar in the loaf. as a note, i have found that using too little salt/sugar leaves a very bland loaf of bread. that in mind, you'll need to fiddle a bit with the ratio of water if you do decide to change ratios of flour and cornmeal. some recipes for this bread also call for ingredients like rye flour or corn flour. when my friend ramon's parents first moved to canada, they could only find (italian) corn meal and therefore used that instead. his mother says to process or place in a blender and try to grind it as fine as possible. cornflour is more appropriate, yellow or white, if you can get it. cornmeal gives a heavier end result.



broa
portuguese / galician cornmeal (cornflour) bread

yellow from the cornmeal or flour, this moist loaf is hearty and substantial on the inside and crisp and crunchy on the outside. it goes well with soups and stews or simply just with some salted butter. the loaf keeps well for a day or two. if you like, give it the brazilian twist by adding fennel seeds.

ingredients:

dry mix:

1 1/2 c super fine granulation yellow cornmeal*
1 1/2 - 2 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 3 tsp sugar

2 - 3 or even 4 tbsp olive oil (or melted margarine/butter)**
1 1/4 c boiling water

2 c bread flour (or if you have to, all purpose flour)

optional: 1 tsp fennel seeds (brazilian version)


yeast mixture:

1 tbsp regular active dry yeast (not rapid rise)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 c warm water


*the cornmeal should be superfine. place it in a blender or processor and get it as fine as possible; otherwise, use cornflour:

*you can use cornflour instead but don't add the boiling water to it. mix it with the AP flour and add lukewarm water instead. adjust as need as absorption rates will vary.


**if you add more oil/butter, you'll need to add a little extra flour

method:

place the sugar and yeast in a small bowl.

add the warm water and let the yeast prove for 15 minutes.

while waiting,

in a large bowl, place the cornmeal, salt and sugar and mix. you can add the oil to it also or add it to measured boiling water.

add the boiling water (and oil) to the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed.

set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.

this is done because of the granulation of the cornmeal. if using cornflour do not do this step. just blend it with the flour and proceed below.

the yeast mixture should be fully proved by the time the cornmeal is ready.

mix the yeast mixture into the cornmeal and stir well.

add 1 cup of flour and stir.

add the next cup of flour and stir again and, with your hands, mix it until you get a ball of dough.

place the dough on a surface and knead it for about 8 to 10 minutes. you may need to add a little more flour while kneading. it will be slightly tacky.

place the round of dough in a greased bowl and in a warm place, well covered, for 1 hour.

punch down the dough and make into a round. the dough will be soft.

preheat your oven to 400F. i use a clay baker which is made to cook bread and put it in the oven for the full hour before baking. if you want, you can approximate the same thing with a cast iron (le creuset type) pot with a lid that is safe to go in the oven.

otherwise, cook as you would any other bread and place in the oven on a baking sheet when the dough has proved.

if cooking the regular way, place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet which has been sprinkled with cornmeal. cover the dough and let rise again for one hour. i use a bowl to cover the dough and give it a shape while it rises; if you do this, make sure that the insides of the bowl are well oiled so the dough does not stick to the bowl when you remove it. it will be fairly flat.

if you are putting the bread in the clay baker or cast iron pot (more difficult as it has high sides), place the parchment on a sturdy cutting board so as to make the transfer simple. cut around the proved loaf to rid of excess parchment before placing in oven.

before putting in the oven, you can finish it off in the following ways:

*rub some flour over the loaf and bake (the loaf will crack on top);
*use water to coat the surface and then slash (use an X or # or + design);
*sprinkle a mixture of kosher salt with a little sugar over the loaf.

bake the loaf (covered if using the clay baker or le creuset) for 45 minutes, approximately.

let the loaf cool completely before cutting.

enjoy!