Brownie Heaven

Little squares of heaven - best enjoyed at room temperature.

I've been in need of some culinary comfort the past few days. With the move to Toronto just 16 days away, the anxiety of moving to a new country alone (Sean will follow me later) and looking for a job has led to sleepless nights and has my stress levels hovering around the high side. So I decided to treat myself to something that will make me feel better, and something sweet has consistently hit the spot since baking has always been my first love.

This is kind of a selfish post because it hasn't been adapted to fit Sean's diet. I just wanted something for me to enjoy and since I've been salivating over Smitten Kitchen and The Wednesday Chef's pictures of Alice Medrich's cocoa brownies, I decided this was just waiting to be made. I've made brownies once before and it wasn't very successful so I never tried it again. But since this recipe seemed quite easy I gave it a go.

And I'm glad I did. This recipe turned out the most fudge-like dense brownies that I have ever tried - both Smitten Kitchen and The Wednesday Chef were spot on with their descriptions. While waiting for them to cool I kept sniffing the air around it because it gave out such a wonderful chocolate aroma. The knife sunk easily into it while slicing and I'm glad I cut them into small one-inch squares because they are so rich you won't be able to eat more than one. I have to admit, Toronto and brain tumours seemed a distant reality as I wolfed a piece down in seconds.

The only point of concern I had before baking was that the batter seemed really little, just about half an inch high in a 7"x7" container. If you find the same occurrence don't despair it all works out in the end. You can taste the luscious butter and the brownie just melts in your mouth. However, I did find them a bit sweet so I'll reduce the sugar the next time I make them, which I guarantee you will be soon.


Best Cocoa Brownies from Alice Medrich's Bittersweet
Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies

10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (280 grams) sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup (66 grams) all-purpose flour

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. [I used a 7x7 inch square baking pan and it worked out as well.]

2. Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.

This is what stage two looks like.

3. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. [I found the butter seemed to separate after the addition of the first egg but it emulsifies with the addition of the second egg.] When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Stage three before entering the oven.

4. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. [I had to increase the temperature while baking from 163°C to 200°C because the brownies seemed to take forever to cook, which rounded off to about an hour.] Let cool completely on a rack. (Deb suggests putting the cooled pan in the fridge or freezer for a while, which helps if you want clean lines when cutting the brownies.)

Cooled and ready to be sliced.

5. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Recipe from The Wednesday Chef.

Fish Fest

Soli kadi - perfect cooler for all the spice.

During Lent I abstain from all forms of meat and stick to fish and vegetables instead. So a fish restaurant was the first choice a couple of days ago for dinner. Sean and I went to Jai Hind on Hill Road in Bandra that's known for its Konkan-style food but they also serve Manglorean, Karnatak and Goan food. So the menu is dominated by coconut and chillies and although there are some meat dishes available, the restaurant is highly recommended for their fishy preparations.

We had a fantastic dinner accompanied by sol kadi, a coconut drink made with chillies, ginger, garlic and gets its pink shade from sour kokum and some neer dosas (a speciality from Karnataka), which are thin rice pancakes that are used to sop up curries. The only thing that I refrained from eating was the Goan fish curry, which was basically all chilly and absolutely no flavour. I have a very high threshold for pungency but I just couldn't stomach the curry and stuck to the other stuff instead.

The tandoori-style squid was succulent and moist and stuffed generously with a mixture of prawns as was the Bharla Bombil (stuffed Bombay duck). But the star of the evening was definitely the Kerala preparation called Prawn Pulimunchi ('puli' meaning tamarind and 'munchi' meaning chilli) that was cooked in a thick spice paste with loads of curry leaves and went perfectly with the slightly sweet neer dosas. I was frankly stuffed and had to turn down an invite for dessert and I almost never do that.

I've been told they also have a location at Lower Parel but if you're ever in Bandra it is definitely worth a try.

Crisp fried Bombay duck.

Stuffed Bombay duck (Bharla bombil).

Stuffed squid.

Prawn Pulimunchi.

Neer Dosa.

Goan fish curry.

I love the finger bowls.

Snack Attack

Crisp and golden straight from the oven.

I haven't always been an advocate for healthy eating. A good 15 years ago I would have laughed if someone had told me - then five feet three inches tall and tipping the scales at 72 kilogrammes (approx. 158 pounds) - that my diet, which consisted of large amounts of refined white rice and potatoes wasn't doing my waistline any good. At that time I was still active in high school, played on the school's basketball team and found no need to cut back on my indulgences. I could still run around and not get winded so that wasn't a problem right?

One of my indulgences was potatoes, preferably in French fry form. I'll be the first to admit, I love, love, love potatoes. One of the many nicknames my mother bestowed on me is 'Potato Jones'. I was already kitchen savvy at that time and whenever I felt in need for a snack I would scrub down some potatoes, pass them through a special French fry cutter (that my dad had gifted me knowing my devotion to the tuber) and pan fry them in copious amounts of oil to ensure they closely resembled a restaurant fry. Sunday breakfast was always a heaping plate of processed sausages and fries or scrambled eggs with bacon and fries. I now shudder at the thought of what I was putting into my body.

Then I went to university, got wiser about my health and dropped all the excessive weight by eating healthily and exercising. I cut out fried foods (read heaps of potatoes) for a long time or would have them cooked in a very minimal amount of oil to ensure I wasn't packing on any extra calories. Luckily I've managed to keep the weight off, but the 'fat girl' inside me still craves a good deep-fried fry from time to time.

Fortunately Sean is also a potato lover and has had to cut out fattening fries since his diagnosis. With his dietary restrictions and my intention to never resemble a potato again, we both quell our deep-fried cravings with oven fries. Thickly sliced and seasoned with fresh herbs, garlic or paprika, they are delicious as a snack on their own and make a good side with roast chicken or steak. We've even cooked sweet potatoes (which actually have a lower GI score than normal potatoes) using the same method and have enjoyed it just as much.

For the past two weeks I've been reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, which talks about the influence of junk food has had on the American diet. Little wonder I've been  craving a snack of golden French fries. I've never been a fast food fan but have been tempted to run down to McDonald's and buy a supersized pack. But now that Schlosser has made me wiser about the corporation's (and other fast food companies) insidious practices for profit, there's no way they are getting my money that easily. I do owe the 'fat girl' a treat from time to time but this time I'm going to settle for the healthier alternative, and happily so.

Oven Fries
This recipe is open to anyone's interpretation and you can use whatever blend of seasoning or herbs you like. Just remember to keep the oven real high and the potatoes in a single layer so they crisp up well yet stay fluffy on the inside.

4 medium-sized potatoes (I've never used a particular kind so can't recommend any)
Approx. 1tbs extra-virgin olive oil 
seasoning of choice (I used thyme and garlic but have also used paprika, rosemary and lemon rind and chilli powder and garlic)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to its hottest (mine was at 270°C). Leave the potatoes unpeeled if you wish. Cut them into thick fries and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle over your seasoning (add or subtract flavouring according to taste) and some salt and pepper. Then toss with a bit of olive oil so they are well coated but not swimming in oil and spread them out in a single layer. Bake until the fries are golden on the outside. Sprinkle with some extra salt and pepper and serve.

Oven Fries

Pancake Tuesday Treat

Yummy stack of home-made pancakes.

For Christians/Catholics around the world, today signifies Fat Tuesday/Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day - basically the last day to indulge in all things loved (read alcohol,meat,eggs, etc.). That's because tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten period that is defined by sacrifice and abstinence. 

One way most people celebrate is making and eating pancakes. Here in Bombay it's no different as grandmothers and mothers alike compete to make the best gossamer crêpe-like pancakes with a rich fresh coconut, sugar and dried fruit filling. I was lucky to be able to help my mother in the kitchen today as she whipped up a batch for friends and neighbours.

My mother usually makes coloured crêpes (like green and pink) and stuffs them with the coconut filling. However, today she just coloured the filling of fresh coconut, raisins, blanched almonds, sugar and vanilla with red food colouring so we had a bright pink mix. Hue aside, the  pancakes were delicious with a moist coconut interior, which seemed to ooze fresh sweetness every time you took a bite. Sean isn't fond of anything with so much coconut so I didn't have to steer him away from the platter.

Here's  to an austere Lenten season. I'm usually off the meat and alcohol for the period so let's see how it goes.

Start with an egg rich batter.

Use an onion dipped in vegetable oil to grease the pan.

Wait for the batter to leave the pan's sides before flipping over...

...and then stuff with a generous amount of coconut filling.

Roll up and it's ready to devour.

The Magic 10

Do you know how to make a low-fat salad dressing?

I came across a great post on the Foodista blog about the top ten recipes everyone should have in their repertoire. Inspired by Jamie Oliver, who's on a mission to eradicate obesity and recently picked up the 2010 TED prize for his efforts, Helen from Foodista crafted her own ten recipe ideas (all vegetarian to boot) that everyone should be able to whip up in the kitchen.

It was particularly inspirational because I recently had a friend who was complaining how she hated cooking and that she never knew what to make. This is definitely something I'm going to recommend to her. From a simple stir-fry to a no-fail dessert, the post doesn't just make it easier to add to your recipe file (especially if you're an amateur cook) but it has a healthy approach to food, making it easy for those watching calories or even following a diet like Sean to stay within their boundaries.

Most nutritionists and writers like Michael Pollan highlight the fact that the more people cook for themselves the less likely they are to make unhealthy choices as they are controlling what goes into their bodies. Of course educating children (which is what Jamie is trying to do with this project) is the first step in ensuring they learn more about their food, where it comes from and how to cook it - all necessary to ensure they make better choices when they grow up and leave home.

So I'm setting myself a little project. I'm going to go through Helen's list myself and try and find my top ten that will hopefully become indispensable to me. The excerpt of the post is below. This is definitely something that might get you thinking about what you need to learn to make or reinvent. Helen is definitely getting a word of thanks from me.

Read on:

Here are the 10 basic recipes that I think everyone should know how to make. These simple foods are versatile, meaning you can easily switch them up to combat boredom. Oh yeah– they happen to all be vegetarian.

1) A killer low-fat salad dressing. Salads can be one of the biggest fat traps, and the culprit is usually the dressing. Load your plate with dark greens, a multitude of colorful veggies (think ROY G. BIV), and healthy protein like soy or legumes, then pour on a reasonable amount of flavorful, low-fat dressing.
2) A healthy stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry is one of the easiest meals to throw together: protein, vegetables and sauce. However, the sauces you buy at the store can be full of fat, sodium and– the horror– MSG; skip the bottle and make your own. A good sauce can also serve marinade for meat, tofu or tempeh.
3) A basic vegetable soup. It’s easy to make healthy vegetable soups, but many of the commercial broths, stocks and bouillion cubes are laden with sodium and preservatives. Make a good quality stock from scratch, then throw in vegetables, beans, pasta– you name it– as you like.
4) A reasonable comfort food, like bean and pumpkin chili or mac and cheese with hidden cauliflower.We all crave comfort from time to time, and sneaking in vegetables can be a great way to reduce the impact of our favorite comfort foods on our heart and waistline.
5) A power breakfast, like veggie-heavy low-fat omlette or tofu scramble. Cereal, pastries and toast are often full of empty carbs that leave your stomach growling before you’ve finished reading through your inbox. Start the day off right with a healthy mix of protein and fiber.
6) An easy casserole. This quinoa casserole is gluten-free, packed with protein, and super easy to cook. Add veggies to suit your taste.
7) A satisfying snack. Hummus isn’t low-fat, but a couple of tablespoons with celery sticks and baby carrots makes a tasty, hunger-satiating snack that won’t pack on the pounds. Try experimenting with different flavors, like red pepper, roasted garlic or black olive to keep things fresh.
8) A versatile side. Roasted vegetables make an incredibly flexible dish that never goes out of season; roast whatever is fresh. Heat caramelizes the sugars in the vegetables and brings out incredible flavor, pleasing even those reluctant to eat anything green. Serve roasted vegetables as a side, mixed with whole-grain pasta, over polenta, in salads, burritos or wraps; the possibilities are endless.
9) A tasty dessert. At some point in your life, you are going to need to provide something sweet for the office, little league, a birthday party, a bribe, etc. And what is life without a (moderate) bit of sweetness? Cupcakes aren’t exactly health food, but they do have built-in portion control, which is a significant plus. Just make sure you don’t go crazy with the frosting– that’s where the real damage lies.
10) A fancy meal to wow anyone. The elegance of quiche never fails to impress, while cutting out the eggs and crust saves calories.  Use a different vegetable or cheese and you have an entirely different meal.

Simplicity is Best

The most delicious fuss-free pasta sauce.

You'll agree when I say sometimes the tastiest bites are those made with the least amount of fuss - or ingredients. Say fresh hunks of Parmesan with honey and walnuts or a perfectly ripe crescent of melon wrapped in a sliver of gossamer prosciutto. 

Today I found simplicity and perfection in a recipe that has many food bloggers (like my favourites Orangette, Smitten Kitchen and The Amateur Gourmet) have been waxing lyrical about - Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce. Just four, you read right, just four ingredients - canned plum tomatoes, unsalted butter, salt and a yellow onion. That's all you need to turn out a sauce that's so rich and satisfying, you'll wonder why you never thought about this combination before.

As it gently bubbles away on the stove the house is filled with the tantalising aroma of butter, which will have you waiting to dig your spoon into the sauce as it braises with the onion and tomato. Refrain from doing so - the trick is allowing the sauce to complete its cooking time and reduce so all the flavours are concentrated and quite literally burst on the tongue. When tiny rivulets of golden butter are snaking through the sauce, you know it's done.

Since I was in Dubai last week I managed to pick up the ingredients needed. Both canned tomatoes and unsalted butter are exorbitantly priced in Bombay. I served the sauce with whole wheat pasta, which Sean is allowed, but was not able to get butter made from pasture-raised cows so I had to make do with Elle&Vire. 

Canned food is not the best choice as they add a lot of preservatives and sometimes excessive salt and sugar. However, the only additive in the Del Monte brand I bought was citric acid so I am hoping it wasn't as bad for this one off. If I had remembered I would have bought the tomatoes from the Organic Foods and Café but it slipped my mind. Also there aren't any yellow onions available in India so I used one and a half white onion.

After reducing, Sean and I also found the sauce was still quite tart (probably because the tomatoes were not the San Marzano variety as recommended) so we added a generous squirt of agave syrup, which immediately balanced out the flavours. To up the nutritional value - and absolve ourselves of the guilt of all that butter - we added a couple of finely chopped garlic cloves and some fresh basil.

Wow. That's all I can say. My parents aren't big on pasta and they were slurping through the spaghetti with delight as well. Now this is definitely something you can throw together when you have unexpected guests visiting and be praised for the amazing flavour, that tastes like it has been cooking the whole day. I'm definitely adding the sauce to my comfort food list as well. After all you have to admit, with some butter everything tastes a whole lot better!

Marcella Hazan's Simplest Tomato Sauce Ever
2 cups canned plum tomatoes (whole, peeled, chopped, with their juices about one 28-oz. can)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

salt, to taste

Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter, and the onion halves in a medium saucepan. Add a pinch or two of salt.
Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato.
Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon.
Taste and salt as needed. 
Discard the onion.

Recipe from Epicurious.com.

Yes, that's all it takes for the most delicious pasta sauce.

Pre-simmering.

Post-simmering - thick, silken and luscious.