Caramel Custard

Sometimes the most easy recipes can bedevil you. I've made caramel custards over the years since my husband favors them,  but the last few attempts have been disastrous. Cant figure why!  So I look for a 'foolproof' version, which I try. Disaster follows! The caramel, made with sugar and water doesn't turn golden even after a long boil. So it is discarded and I start the traditional way, cooking the sugar till it melts and caramelizes. The next  calamity unfolds. Really, the custard is easy. All items mixed in a bowl and then ladled into caramel coated ramekins and baked. Chagrin begins when I find after an extended bake, the custard hasn't set....I think I  followed the recipe to a tee, exasperation prevailing.

While the custard still bakes, I comb through several caramel custard versions,  finally figuring that I'm missing a water bath! More important... I realize I did not read the original recipe in its entirety! Something I do often....My bad! 

The ramekins are rescued from the oven and arranged in a baking dish. Hot water is poured in. A quick bake and the custards emerge a little jiggy. My patience is extended as I cool them in the fridge. One more dip in hot water, a knife run around the edges and the custard is inverted onto a plate. Perfection at last!

CARAMEL CUSTARD

Makes 6 large ramekins

Caramel

1/2 cup Sugar

Custard

2 cups Milk

1/2 cup Sugar

A Pinch of Kosher Salt

2 Eggs, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/8 teaspoon grated Nutmeg

Have 6  large ramekins ready.

Make the caramel first by putting the 1/2 sugar in a saucepan. 

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Watch the sugar carefully, swirling the pan as the sugar melts. Do not use a spoon. 

The sugar should turn golden brown. Take it off the flame. 

Working quickly divide the caramelized sugar between the 6 ramekins. 

Pour enough to coat the bottoms of the ramekins only. 

Set ramekins aside, allowing sugar to cool  and firm up. It might crackle and pop as it does. Nothing to worry!

Whisk milk, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla and nutmeg powder well. 

Wait till the caramel has cooled before you pour the custard into the ramekins.

Heat oven to 300F/150C.

Pour custard into ramekins. If you like, you could use a strainer to pour the custard for a smoother texture. I didn't bother.

Place the ramekins in baking dish. 

Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up to the ramekins.

Bake for 25 minutes or till the custard is almost set.

Take the ramekins out of the oven. lift them out of the water bath and cool for 5 minutes on the counter. 

At this stage you could refrigerate the custards if  you like them cold. If you do, then dip the ramekins in hot water before unmolding and follow the directions that come next.

Run a sharp knife along the edges of the ramekins. 

Invert a plate over the ramekin.

Flip the ramekin and plate so the custard plops onto the plate.

Fetch a spoon and take a bite of silken goodness.

Success at last! And deservedly so, as the results are quite lovely. Silky smooth custard is coated in a rich caramel sauce...happiness.

Potato Paratha Wannabe

 Sometimes a genius recipe comes along. It changes the way you think about a favorite food. I belong to a foodie group where you see a parade of dishes, ranging from the mundane to the sublime. Anu Sen's potato parantha recipe falls into the latter category. How do I extol the recipes's virtues?  With these words......'is ridiculously easy'....'can be made ahead of time'....'delicious'.....'tastes very much like the real thing'... the list of compliments is as long as my arm! 

I play around with the recipe, adding and omitting some spices. The ratio of grated potato is increased. I lessen the heat of chiles. But the basic method stays the same. Anu calls it a 'weekday recipe'. For me it should be an everyday affair!

POTATO PARATHA WANNABE

Adapted from The Spice of Life by Anu Sen

DF, VN, EF, V

Makes 6-7  

1/2 cup Atta or Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup All Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon finely chopped Red Onion

1 Green Chile, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons finely minced Cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Ginger Powder

1/2 teaspoon Kala Namak (Black Salt)

1 teaspoon Aamchur Powder

2 Garlic cloves, minced fine

1" piece of Ginger, finely minced

2 large Potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 teaspoons melted Ghee

Oil

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl gently. 

Add enough water to make a thick batter. I added about 3/4 cup of water.

At this point you can keep the batter for up to an hour.

Heat a nonstick pan over a medium flame. 

Spritz a little oil in the pan. 

Drop a ladleful of batter in the pan. Spread it out gently as you would a pancake or dosa.

Cook one side till it is brown, then flip and cook the other side. Flip the paratha a couple of times as it cooks.  Dribble a little oil around the sides of the paratha as you flip.

This  batter will give you about 6-7 palm-sized parathas. 

Any leftovers can be reheated on a tava or pan. That is if you have any left!

  

I am thrilled to bit with this faux potato paratha. All the elements without the hassle....this recipe is in my top ten!

Sumac Dusted Roasted Chicken

What do you call it when your daughter attempts one of your recipes and you make one of her simple successes?  Serendipity! She makes my chicken tikka masala and I make her  simple roasted chicken with sumac. We exchange recipes, give each other tips and head to our respective kitchens.

The recipe starts by coating chicken thighs and legs with plentiful sumac, garlic, onion powders, some paprika, fresh thyme and salt. Sliced onions and sweet potatoes form a base on which the chicken roasts. Its as easy as that, a short hop from the oven to the table. 

SUMAC DUSTED ROAST CHICKEN

DF, GF, VG, EF

Serves 4

6-8 pieces of Chicken Legs and Thighs

2 teaspoons Sumac

1 teaspoon Garlic powder

1 teaspoon Onion powder

1 teaspoon Paprika

2 tablespoons fresh Thyme leaves

1 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 large Onions

4-5 Sweet Potatoes

Pat chicken pieces dry. 

Sprinkle chicken with sumac, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme leaves, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat oven to 375F/200C.

Slice onion thinly.

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 2" pieces.

Paint the bottom of a baking dish with the olive oil.

Scatter onion and sweet potatoes over oil. 

Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place the chicken on top of the onions.

Bake chicken uncovered for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy the chicken piping hot from the oven. 

Any leftovers can be made into soup the next day.

The chicken is succulent, tender, tasty and juicy. An effortless roast becomes a treasured recipe...Thank you Shauna!

Baby Eggplants in Coconut Peanut Masala

Small eggplants have a charm of their own. They soften and cook easily. They taste distinctive. You also eat with your eyes... these little ovals floating in a spicy curry, look very appealing. I make these in the style of bagara baingan, the iconic Hyderabadi eggplant. 

A complete opposite of the baigan that I make, this version uses a paste of fresh coconut, peanuts, sesame seeds, coriander, cumin and spices as a base flavor. Curry leaves, green chiles, sugar and tamarind enhance the dish. A little prep, a short braise makes the eggplants a sight to behold. And savor!

BABY EGGPLANTS IN COCONUT PEANUT MASALA

DF, VF, GF, EF, V

Serves 4

6-8 small purple Eggplants

3 tablespoons Canola Oil

1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds

4-6 Curry leaves

1-2 Green Chiles, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons Tamarind Paste

1 teaspoon Sugar or Jaggery

3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Coconut Paste -(to be ground)

1/2 cup fresh grated Coconut

1/4 cup Peanuts

1 teaspoon Sesame seeds

1 teaspoon Coriander seeds 

1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Paprika (for color)

1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi

Wash and dry the eggplant. 

Cut a cross halfway through the eggplant, starting at the round end. Keep the stem side intact.

Heat oil in a wok or wide saucepan.

Saute eggplants, stirring often, on a medium flame till slightly soft, about 10-15 minutes.

While eggplant softens grind the coconut paste using water. The paste should be fairly smooth. Add water as needed.

When the eggplant has softened, take it out of the saucepan. 

You should have some residual oil left in the pan. If not add a teaspoon more.

Splutter mustard seeds, green chile and curry leaves.

Scrape the coconut paste into the oil and stir fry for 5 minutes.

Put the eggplants into the masala. 

Season with tamarind paste, sugar and salt.

Add 1/2 cup of water, cover the pan and braise till eggplant is easily pierced with a knife. Add more water if needed.

The gravy should be thick and coat the eggplants.

The eggplant tastes really good with dal and rice, a veggie lover's gem.

 

Lamb Biryani

Cooking shows inevitably whet your appetite. When you watch them around the midnight hour, those hunger pangs are quite unappeasable. So I do the next best thing. Plan for the next day. A show about Hyderabadi cuisine sharpens my taste buds. The segment on biryani has me running to the freezer to defrost some lamb. 

India has a vast range of biryanis, from the Lucknowi, Bengali, Keralan, Sindhi, Bombay  just to name a few. Regional styles vary in prep, using mutton, chicken and in some areas vegetables and pulses.

The Hyderabadi version comes together with marinated meat, which is layered with par-boiled spiced rice. Saffron, fried onions, mint and cilantro blanket the rice. The lid is sealed with a whole wheat flour dough. The vessel is placed on a tava, a cast iron griddle and slow cooked. Unsealed, the aroma of fried onions and spiced meat is one I love. This biryani is made with what I have on hand. No mutton, no saffron, no flour dough, and yet it works. This is my love song to biryani, a song I sing often, as I can eat biryani anytime, anywhere.

LAMB BIRYANI

Serves 4

1 pound bone-in or boneless Lamb chunks, with fat removed

2 large Onions

1/2 cup Mint leaves plus more to garnish

1/2 cup Cilantro leaves plus more to garnish

2 teaspoons Garam Masala

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Ginger Powder

2 teaspoons Garlic Paste

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 cup Yogurt

3-4 tablespoons Ghee

2-3 tablespoons Canola Oil

2 large Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 cups Basmati Rice

2 Cinnamon Sticks

10 Peppercorns

3 Bay Leaves

5 Cloves

Trim all fat off the lamb. Cut into 1" pieces. Wash lamb well, pat dry and place in a bowl. I used boneless lamb.

Cut onions in half and slice thinly.

Heat canola oil in a saucepan and fry onions till golden brown and crisp.

Add half the onions to lamb. Save the rest  to garnish the biryani.

Peel potatoes. Cut into 1" chunks. 

Fry potatoes till golden brown on all sides. They do not have to cook all the way.

Roughly chop mint and cilantro and add it to the lamb.

Add turmeric, garam masala, chile powder, salt and yogurt to the lamb as well. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours, overnight for best results.

When you are ready to cook the lamb, heat a little oil in a pressure cooker. 

Add lamb and potatoes to oil, saute for 2 minutes.. Addenough water to cover the meat. 

Cook till meat is done. Mine took 1 whistle and 16 minutes on low flame.

You could use an InstantPot or cook the lamb stove top. Stovetop will take about 1 1/2 hours. Check water level frequently.

Rinse rice well and soak in water for 1/2 hour.

Tie the whole spices in cheesecloth to make a bundle or potli. 

Pour 6-8 cups of water in a large saucepan. 

Add rice, spice bundle, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of ghee to the water.

Bring water to a rolling boil  and cook rice for 9-10 minutes till almost done. Drain rice and keep aside. Discard the spices.

Ladle cooked lamb and potatoes into a glass dish. Use a slotted spoon to take them out of the gravy. 

If you have a lot of gravy, boil it down till you have 1 cup of thick gravy. Add 3/4 cup gravy to the lamb.

Cover the lamb with rice.

Drizzle remaining gravy over rice. 

Scatter mint leaves, cilantro and fried onions over rice.

Dot rice with remaining ghee.

Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. 

Place a cast iron griddle or tava over a medium flame.

Place the covered biryani on the griddle. Cook for 1/2 hour.

Uncover biryani just before serving. 

It is traditionally served with a onion, cucumber and tomato raita. Yogurt is mandatory.

Enjoy 

Biryani warms my soul. I eat it reverently with my fingers, each morsel fulfilling a corner of my heart...and stomach as well. 

 

Leek and Parsnip Potage

A surfeit of parsnips and leeks makes me inventive. Thinly sliced leeks mellow in butter. Small chunks of parsnips melt into nothingness. Chicken stock fills the liquid component. You could use water for a vegetarian option. A slow braise, a firm mash and you have a thick, hearty soup. Stir in a spoonful of Boursin for creaminess. 

LEEK AND PARSNIP POTAGE

Serves 4

1 large Leek

2 Parsnips

2 tablespoons Butter

4 cups Chicken Stock

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

4 teaspoons Boursin or any flavored Cream Cheese

Slice leek vertically in half. Rinse well to remove any grit. Then slice thinly into half moons.

Peel parsnips and cut into 1/2" pieces.

Heat butter in a Dutch oven.

Add leeks and saute till translucent.

Drop parsnips into leeks and saute for 3-5 minutes.

Pour stock into leeks. 

Season with salt.

Cover and cook for 15 minutes or till parsnips are soft and mushy. 

Mash soup roughly. The leeks will have become soft and should dissolve. Mash the parsnip to add body to the soup. 

Ladle soup into bowls. 

Drop a teaspoon of Boursin in each bowl.

Stir the cheese into the soup and enjoy!

 Sorry folks, no pictures...was too hungry. The verdict was mixed. G says this soup is not one of my top ten....as for me, I ate two bowlfuls...you decide.