Decadent Minty Brownies

Posted in Desserts, Simple and Delicious by serendibbeginnings

Decadent brownies! Yikes, I wasn’t really planning on preparing something so indulgent, but I had to prepare them for school and so I did! And OK I confess, I did have a piece (and I promise, it was just one piece) and it was DIVINE!

These brownies are so rich and satisfying that you only need to indulge in one to satisfy your craving for something sweet to round off your meal. The recipe is adapted from the original posted on http://www.bonapetit.com. My version uses less sugar, bit of ground flax, bit of instant espresso, 1/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips and mint extract.

If you don’t like your brownies too sweet, feel free to reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup. I found 1 cup sugar to be a bit too sweet for my liking, so I will definitely be cutting it down next time around! Also, if you are watching calories, bonapetit.com says these are 110 calories per piece (16 pieces total). I baked mine in a 9″X9″ metal pan and cut them into 20 pieces. So even though I added just 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, these brownies cut into 20 pieces should be a 100-calorie dessert. Just guessing!

Decadent Minty Brownies

Servings: 16-20
Time: 25-30 min
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Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 level tablespoon instant espresso
2 eggs
1/2 – 1 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder (you can omit this if you are using regular cocoa powder)
1 heaping tablespoon ground flax
1/3 cup all purpose flour

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350F (325F if you are using glass pan)
2. Prepare the baking pan by spraying it lightly with nonstick cooking spray
3. Combine sugar, cocoa, espresso and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Add melted butter to the above and stir well to combine.
5. Add eggs one at a time and whisk to incorporate well. Follow with mint extract.
6. Combine flour, ground flax and baking powder.
7. Stir the flour mixture gently into the cocoa mixture.
8. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
9. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are well set and middle tests done.
10. Let cool and cut into 16-20 pieces.

9Mar2014

Roasted Veggie Melt with Mozzarella

Posted in Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

I love eggplants! Chunky purple American eggplant, somewhat smaller confetti purple Italian eggplant, long and slender Chinese eggplant, golf-ball sized Indian eggplant, white round Thai eggplant….you name it, I love it! I like them prepared in any way – curries, roasted and added to salads or transformed to baba ganoush, layered in vegetarian lasagna, indulgingly breaded and fried, or simply layered on with other roasted vegetables as a “melt”! As you can see, I am somewhat obsessed with this vegetable and my love goes back to my childhood. My other favorite vegetable is bitter gourd or Chinese bitter melon. I will have to add a post on that as well!

I bought this beautiful Italian eggplant the other day and was debating which route to take with it. After bit of self contemplation, I settled for a “melt”. I had some fresh mozzarella and sweet red peppers sitting around and figured they would go well together. This recipe is so quick and easy to put together. You start with roasting the eggplant and red peppers. Then, you just layer them with sliced tomato and mozzarella and bake them till the cheese melts into a ooey gooey goodness. Just top it with a bit of prepared pesto and voila, you have yourself a delicious stack (or two) of cheesy, yummy veggie melt!

Roasted Veggie Melt with Mozzarella

Servings: 2-4
Time: 45min
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Ingredients
1 medium sized Italian (or American) eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 beef steak tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium sized sweet red pepper, core removed and quartered
Eight 1/8″ slices of fresh mozzarella
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1. Turn broiler on to “high”
2. Arrange eggplant slices and red pepper on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and turn to coat the other side as well.
3. Roast the vegetables for 4-6 minutes in the top rack of the oven till they turn golden. Turn over and roast the other side as well (another 4 – 6 minutes).
4. Remove the veggies from the oven. Turn oven to 375F.
5. Stack the vegetables on a greased baking tray in the order of eggplant, tomato and mozzarella, seasoning each layer with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Repeat the layer once more. Top with a piece of roasted red pepper. Secure the “deck” with a toothpick.
6. Bake for about 4-6 minutes till cheese melts and the “deck” is heated through.
7. Serve immediately with a light drizzle of pesto and olive oil.

9Mar2014

Pad Thai Style Asian Noodles

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish, Pasta by serendibbeginnings

Pad Thai is probably the most common Thai dish enjoyed in North America! It is a dish that offers a perfect balance of flavors. One down side is that if you prefer spicy food, this probably won’t be your top choice at a Thai restaurant. I prefer Pad See Ew or other spicy options when we dine at Thai restaurants, but occasionally I do enjoy the delicate flavors of Pad Thai.

This recipe is inspired by traditional Pad Thai. I say inspired because it uses different blend of sauces/seasoning and vegetables. Served with a side of crispy cucumbers, red onions and jalapeno in a sweet and sour dressing, this noodle will taste light and refreshing.

Pad Thai Style Asian Noodles

Servings: 4
Time: 45 min
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Ingredients 8 oz wide rice noodles
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups of shredded napa cabbage
1 large carrot, shredded
3 green onions, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 inch piece of ginger, minced
½ lb medium uncooked shrimp or boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon corn starch

Sauce for the noodles 3 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 dime sized ball of tamarind pulp dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
1 clove of garlic, minced,
¼ inch piece of ginger, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 green onion, minced

Garnish
1 lime quartered
¼ cup toasted peanuts, crushed

Preparation
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook noodles according to instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Prepare the sauce for the noodles by combining all the ingredients and simmering under low heat for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large skillet or wok, heat one tablespoon of oil under high heat. Stir fry shrimp (or chicken) coated in cornstarch till cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside till later.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok and add ginger and garlic, followed by all vegetables. Stir fry the vegetables for about 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the cooked shrimp or chicken and follow with the sauce. Mix well.
6. Add the cooked noodles and gently toss to combine.
7. Serve immediately with a wedge of lime, a generous sprinkling of peanuts and a crisp cucumber salad!

4Mar2014

Swiss Style Muesli with a Twist

Posted in Breakfast by serendibbeginnings

20140304_062728 Muesli brings to mind the Kashi type of cereal, doesn’t it? Well, that’s pretty much what it is! A mix of wholesome cereal like oats, fresh/dried fruits and nuts softened in milk or yogurt. Identical twin of granola cereal perhaps? With everyone going bananas for healthy eating, this could potentially become your favorite breakfast item to enjoy at home or pack to work so you could be the envy of your colleagues! 🙂 You know what is the best part – only your imagination is the limit to making every bowl taste! Now, how many wholesome breakfast meals can do that!!!! Honestly, I could occasionally have this for lunch or light dinner as well, especially in the summer months!

So, what has long been a popular breakfast or light evening meal in Switzerland and Germany has now found an ardent following in North America. You will hear it being referred to as overnight oats or if you are familiar with Chicago breakfast scene, “Swiss Oatmeal”. You can amp up the goodness with the addition of chia seeds or even ground flax.

This recipe uses a mix of old fashioned oats and chia seeds, the latter adding such a wonderful textural element and a boost of wonderful nutrients! Also, the fresh and dry fruits in the muesli provide the natural sweetness that you may or may not need to sweeten it further.

To make it even better…..here is a time saving tip. Double the recipe and save for breakfast next morning with perhaps different topping for a different taste!

Swiss Style Muesli with a Twist

Servings: 4
Time: 20 min plus overnight mellowing
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Ingredients
Muesli Base
1 heaping cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 heaping cup chia seeds
1 1/4 cups skim, 1% or almond milk (enough to mellow the oats and chia)

Toppings/Stir-ins (LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN WILD WITH THIS!)
1/2 Granny Smith or other sweet-tart apple, grated
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 large banana, halved and sliced thin
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries or cherries
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 6-oz container Greek yogurt (I used pineapple Chobani)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey and additional milk and , if needed
Freshly grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon

Preparation
1. Combine oats, chia and milk in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at the very least few hours).
2. Either prepare the toppings the previous night (saves time in the morning) or in the morning.
3. In the morning, remove the muesli bowl from the refrigerator. Add the Greek yogurt, orange juice, honey and additional milk, if needed and stir well.
4. Stir in grated apples, dried cranberries and golden raisins.
5. Layer like a parfait with bananas and strawberries and finish with chopped nuts and a sprinkling of nutmeg or cinnamon.

3Mar2014

Minty Avocado Brownie

Posted in Desserts by serendibbeginnings

It’s March! And that usually is characterized by GREEN!

From Facebook posts, it is quite clear people are already enjoying their minty Shamrock shakes! So, when the thought for brownies came about, I wanted to combine chocolate and mint, but in a healthier unison! Avocados anyone?

In many ways, I guess a good ripe avocado is nature’s butter! Or creamy milk substitute (gosh, can’t wait to try an avocado ice cream or froyo!). Since I had a perfectly ripe fruit tempting me to transform it into something even more divine than its natural indulgent self, I figured I would try out an avocado brownie recipe that I saw at http://www.kirantarun.com. So, that’s what I did! Avocados have a lot of the good fat – but they do pack some serious calories if you eat too much. This recipe that serves 8 uses one large avocado, so not bad. The only cholesterol that is in this recipe comes from a single egg used.

Also, I replaced wheat flour with all purpose flour and ground flax. The end result was a very moist, soft, “choco-minty” brownie that prompted calls for seconds! Next time, I would like to add some chopped nuts (pistachios sound good) to add a bit of textural element. All in all, I think you will not be disappointed in this recipe. In fact you will probably have this as your go-to recipe when you run out of mint-chocolate chip ice cream! This is one of those recipes that definitely needs to find a place in the “guilt free indulgence” category!

Minty Avocado Brownie

Servings: 8
Time: 45 min
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Ingredients
1 large ripe avocado
1/2 cup minus 2 heaping tablespoons all purpose flour
2 heaping tablespoons ground flax
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 heaping tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
1 egg, very lightly beaten
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
2 tablespoons chocolate chips, optional
2 tablespoons chopped nuts, optional

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mash avocado until quite smooth in a medium bowl.
3. To this, add lightly beaten egg, mint extract and espresso mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, mix well the dry ingredients except chocolate chips and nuts.
5. Gently fold in the dry ingredients into the avocado mixture.
6. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if used.
7. Scoop batter into a small loaf pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Level with a knife or back of spoon.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes, till center tests done (toothpick test).
9. Cool in refrigerator and cut into eight squares, about 2″ wide.

3Mar2014

Jamaican Style Meat Curry

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish by serendibbeginnings

Mutton, although not as common in the United States, is a shining star in Southeast Asian nations as well as Africa and Caribbean Islands. Mutton curry was/is at least a weekly occurrence in most households in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan mutton, as in India and other southeast Asian countries, is predominantly derived from goats rather than sheep. Personally mutton from goats tastes leaner than that from sheep. Sheep meat tends to taste a bit gamey – not my first preference by any means. Another note about mutton that you might already know is that it is a red meat. Darn it!

I don’t cook mutton often – few times a year tops! This way we can really relish a good mutton curry every once in a while without risking our lipid panels too much! 🙂 Mutton is one of those things we love but can go for months without missing it! It works out well!

So, when I came across some mutton at the local grocery store, I bought it on impulse. I think this was the 3rd purchase of mutton in almost 9 months – not bad eh! Then my recent interest in African and Caribbean cuisines took the better of me and I grabbed a cellophane wrapped package of habaneros in different hues. Oh, what potent fiery bombs are those little guys! I wonder what those lovely Jamaican and African ladies do with the multiple packages of peppers they pile in their shopping carts! Perhaps I will ask one of them during my next shopping trip!

So, this recipe is a deviation from how I would normally prepare mutton. This uses a good amount of curry powder, dash of cayenne and as many habaneros as you can handle while consuming the curry and afterwards! In my case, I tried two peppers for about slight over a pound of meat and ended up scooping out one in the middle of cooking. The other one that was left still made the curry super spicy – and I know spicy, so please be warned! Just an FYI, I used the seeds and all!

The resulting curry, simmered in wonderfully spiced, fiery, coconut-based gravy was rich and saucy – just the right dish to go with a small serving of white or brown rice or a piece of flat bread. Enjoy!

Jamaican Style Meat Curry

Servings: 4-5
Time: 75 min
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Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs of mutton or chicken pices cut into 2 to 2 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons oil plus extra tablespoon of oil
1 1/2 tablespoon Jamaican* curry powder plus 1 tablespoon
1 – 2 habanero peppers halved (be very careful handling these. Remove seeds if you don’t want your curry very spicy)
A spring of curry leaves or 2 bay leaves
1/2 cup of diced onions
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light coconut milk
3/4 cup canned tomato sauce or crushed tomato2 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2″ chunks (optional)

Preparation
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or heavy bottomed pan and add 2 tablespoons of curry powder.
2. Brown the mutton pieces in the curry powder spiced oil. Remove to a plate and keep aside.
3. Heat the additional tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Add onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, cayenne, additional tablespoon of curry powder, salt, turmeric and habanero. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes under medium heat till onion starts to brown.
4. Add the browned meat pieces, tomato sauce and coconut milk and simmer under low medium heat for about an hour. Check after 3o minutes and adjust salt.
5. If using potatoes, add them in the last 20 minutes of cooking.6. At the end of the cooking time, skim and remove any fat that collects on the top of the gravy.
7. Serve with brown or white rice or roti and sliced cucumbers, tomato and plain yogurt.

* If you don’t have Jamaican curry powder on hand (I didn’t either), use equal amount of Madras curry powder with a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice.

3Mar2014

Crispy and Healthy Pizza

Posted in Breads by serendibbeginnings

I like pizza. I don’t know if I love it, but I certainly enjoy it every now and then. Having said that, anytime someone suggests a carryout pizza, I am usually not keen with the choice. I just don’t feel good about chomping down on a slice of a typical carryout pizza – with a massive crust made with all white flour, tons of cheese (I wonder if it is all 100% dairy based), so-so sauce and a smattering of toppings that you may or may not really care for – leave alone worry about the calories! So, that pretty much leaves me with wanting (and in a peculiar way, longing) to make home-made pizza that not only tastes good but better for you!

I like to try out different recipes for the crust, preferring to use a combo of flours. This recipe, to everyone’s delight, turned out to be soooo good – crispy and chewy with a nutty note. I wish I had some whole wheat flour on hand to replace some of the all-purpose flour with (what a crime!). Next time! Anyway, if you are the type that loves this type of crust, forget about the Chicago-style deep dish crust, and give this one a try. I think your body will thank for it as well! 🙂

Crispy and Healthy Pizza

Servings: 6
Time: 3 hours including proof time
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INGREDIENTS

Pizza crust
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (replace some of the white flour with whole wheat if you would like)
1/2 cup soy flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon wheat bran
1 tablespoon olive oil

Pizza toppings
1 cup pizza sauce
1/2 – 2/3 cup part-skim mozzarella (for one pizza)
1/2 -2/3 cup sliced fresh mozzarella (for other pizza)
1/2 cup diced chicken breast
1/2 cup diced green peppers
1 cup broiled or sautéed broccoli florets
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 slices of cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preparation
1. Mix all purpose flour, soy flour, ground flax, salt, yeast and sugar in a stand mixer or a large bowl (I went with the bowl this time around).
2. Add the olive oil, followed by warm water in a slow stream and mix to form a dough.
3. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of all-purpose or whole wheat flour. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon of warm water.
4. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes to make a smooth dough.
5. Coat a large bowl with the additional tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough ball there and toss to coat with oil.
6. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm, drought-free spot till the dough doubles in size.
7. When ready to prepare the pizza, preheat oven to 500F.
8. Punch down the dough and divide into two parts.
9. Sprinkle a cookie sheet or pizza stone with wheat bran (or cornmeal if you prefer) and flatten one part of dough to a thin crust, about 1/4 inch thick. You can flatten using the tips of your fingers. Repeat with the other part of the dough.
10. Bake the crust for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven.
11. Spread about 1/2 cup of pizza sauce of your preference. Sprinkle with part-skim mozzarella cheese or sliced fresh mozzarella. Follow with toppings of your choice. I used a combination of broiled broccoli, green peppers, baby bella mushrooms, green onions, diced cooked chicken breast and bit of cooked and crumbled center-cut bacon.
12. Bake the pizza till cheese melts and toppings (fresh veggies and pre-cooked meats) are heated through (about 5-7 minutes).

28Feb2014

Rice and Wheat Flour Puttu

Posted in Breakfast by serendibbeginnings

Puttu is a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine, and is also enjoyed in parts of India and countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere where migrants have settled down.

It is typically made with rice flour – either from white or red rice mixed with some steamed all-purpose flour. In northern part of Sri Lanka, puttu is frequently made using toasted red rice flour. You can find this product online or if lucky, in a well-stocked Indian grocery store.

A simple dough is made using the chosen flour(s), bit of salt and hot water. The dough is then broken into tiny bits (much like coarse bread crumbs, perhaps a bit larger) either by hand, or using a food processor. The latter is a much easier if you use the pulse function.

Once the dough bits are formed, they are steamed in a special puttu equipment or regular steamer. If you use the special equipment, you get the traditional cylindrical pieces of puttu with each cylinder separated by a thin layer of grated coconut. More common steamer option yields equally delicious soft, fluffy puttu with a light touch of coconut that can be enjoyed in myriad ways.

Puttu can be eaten with some sweetened coconut milk (paal puttu), any spicy curry, coconut (pol) sambol, seeni sambol or spicy scrambled eggs. As kids, we also enjoyed puttu with ripe mango, banana or jackfruit (similar to durian fruit), especially for breakfast. So, if you have made up your mind to make it, enjoy it with whatever is on hand. It will be delicious.

My favorite way to enjoy it – mixed with spicy scrambled eggs

Rice and Wheat flour Puttu

Servings: 4
Time: 45 min total
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Ingredients
1/4 cup toasted red rice flour
1/3 cup steamed* all purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted** wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (or bit more) hot water
1/2 cup freshly grated or thawed frozen grated coconut

Preparation
1. Mix all flours and salt.
2. Slowly add just enough hot water to the flour mix to be able to form “crumbs”. Be careful not to add too much – you are not trying to create a dough that comes together in a ball like a pizza dough. You are just wetting the flour enough to form crumbs.
3. If using special puttu equipment, alternate about a handful of dough crumbs with a teaspoon of grated coconut till the top of the cylinder. Place it on the steamer base with hot water and steam the puttu till steam escapes from the top. This should take about 7-10 minutes.
4. Alternatively, if you are using the more commonly available steamers, line the steamer top with a white kitchen towel and place the dough crumbs in a donut shape, leaving a gap in the middle for steam to circulate through (to hasten the cooking process). Sprinkle with grated coconut. Cover and steam for 10-15 minutes till dough is cooked through.

* Steamed all purpose flour – Line the top portion of your steamer with a kitchen towel. Place about a cup of all-purpose flour. Cover and steam for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and sift using a sieve. As the flour gets steamed, it will tend to clump up. Just break it up and sift.
** Toasted wheat flour – Heat a pan under low heat. Toast the wheat flour in the pan for about 5 minutes till you notice a distinct toasted flour smell. Be careful not to let the flour burn.

27Feb2014

Seeni Sambol (Sri Lankan Onion Confit)

Posted in Sauces and Condiments by serendibbeginnings

Seeni sambol is a very common accompaniment on many a breakfast table in Sri Lanka. My first childhood memories of this pungent, yet extremely flavorful spread goes back to our annual family pilgrimage to Kathirkama temple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kataragama_temple). We went on this trip with several extended families and we all brought all necessary provision for preparing our meals. Seeni sambol was a must have! My grandma and other ladies brought their versions of this popular relish because it kept fresh without refrigeration for the week-long trip (or was it 10 days?) – thanks to the tamarind pulp and ample amount of oil in it. For breakfast, we were served this with rotis (flat breads), string hoppers, puttu or just plain freshly baked crusty bread (we called them “roast paan” – “paan” being a Portuguese word referring to bread)! Oh, the memories of childhood!

Regardless of any variation, the shining star in this dish is PLENTY of onions! A popular variation to an otherwise vegan dish is the addition of dried Maldives fish (which is really bits of dried tuna). Growing up, we kids would usually picked this out but as I grew older, I have come to enjoy the subtle flavor imparted by the fish. To think of it, I would like to make a version with a bit of shrimp paste one of these days! Hmmmmm…

Back to the dish, so, yes, be prepared to peel and slice plenty of onions. Other than that, there is no other prep work. So, the time you save prepping ingredients….well, you will need that for the cooking process! Just saying.

Seeni sambol (Sri Lankan Onion Confit)

Time: 45 min
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Ingredients
5 to 6 cups of thinly sliced onions
3″ piece of cinnamon, preferably Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly bruised
4-6 pods of green cardamom, crushed
1 tsp salt
1 to 2 tsp cayenne, or per taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon of tamarind paste
3 tblsp oil (another tablespoon more if needed)
2 tblsp sugar

Preparation
1. In a large wok or heavy bottomed pan, heat oil.
2. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Now, add onions and begin to sauté.
3. After about 3 minutes, add remaining ingredients except tamarind and sugar.
4. Continue to cook under medium low heat until onion begins to caramelize and become sort of pulpy and glazed. This should take about 20 minutes. Remember to stir well every few minutes as this recipe uses less oil and onion tends to stick to the bottom of the pan as it begins to caramelize. While stirring, just scrape up any bits of stuck-on onions. 🙂
5. Now, add tamarind paste and sugar and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. The end product should be a beautiful golden brown confit.

If you use more than 4 tablespoons of oil (like how my grandma used to make and ahem…my mom continues to make!), at the end of the cooking process, excess oil will separate from the onion mixture. This is one of the reasons seeni sambol keeps for several days without spoiling. 🙂 I use as little oil as possible without sacrificing too much flavor and taste! I think you will enjoy this recipe. Try it with a slice of toast, as a spread for a sandwich (mozzarella melt anyone?) or as in the picture below as a filling for baked empanadas! Yum!

24Feb2014

Harissa Sauce

Posted in Sauces and Condiments by serendibbeginnings

Harissa is a fiery hot sauce used in North African cuisine. As you might have guessed, primary ingredient is PLENTY of dried hot peppers. I used dried cayenne peppers this time around. Next time though, I would love to incorporate some fiery harbanero or other super spicy pepper for added heat.

This sauce can be used as a condiment or as a seasoning for meats and seafood. I even used some of it to spice up pasta sauce and it was amazing. I also tried it spread on a cracker. Delicious! Who knows, if you like spicy things, this might become your new favorite dip for chips or veggies.

Harissa Sauce

Time: 15 min
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Ingredients
20-25 Dried hot peppers (I used cayenne)
1 dried Pasilla pepper
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons oil
2-4 tablespoon water
Sea salt to taste
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Preparation
1. Soak dried peppers in hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Dry roast coriander, cumin and caraway seeds for 3-5 minutes under low heat.
3. Grind them to powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
4. Drain the peppers and transfer to a blender or food processor along with all other ingredients except water.
5. Grind to a paste adding just enough water.
6. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.

Harissa can easily be stored in the refrigerator for few weeks – if it lasts you that long.

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Where this journey begins….

Category Archives: Simple and Delicious