Zlamushka Spicy Kitchen

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Korean Seasoned Vegetables
2008-05-27 14:36:00
Eggplant is definitely my most favorite vegetable. I can never get tired of discovering new recipes with this purple wonder.This one below is a recipe for a simple marinade for steamed or sautéed vegetables:KOREAN SEASONED EGGPLANT:(Kaji Namul)300 g eggplant (any type)2 tbsp soy sauce1 tbsp rice wine or vermouth (I used Japanese rice vinegar)1 clove garlic1 green onion1 tbsp sesame oil1 tbsp toasted sesame seedspinch of saltpinch of black pepper1 tsp red pepper flakesSlice the eggplant lengthwise into quarters. If using the long European kind, cut in half, first to make shorter slices. Steam the pieces in a bamboo steamer for about 7 minutes.Meantime, mix the soy sauce, wine or vinegar, finely chopped onion and garlic, sesame oil and seeds and the pepper flakes. Adjust the salt and black pepper taste.Once the aubergine has partially cooled down, wrap in a towel and squeeze as much water as possible. Tear the sliced aubergine into bite-sized pieces and mix with the marinade.Garnish ...
More About: Vegetables , Korean

Tofu Dip
2008-05-25 11:05:00
I absolutely love the logo and idea of Susan´s Beautiful Bones event. As paying attention to calcium was crucial during my vegan years, I am particularly happy to participate in such events.This fresh dip is a great choice on those mornings, when you have to go to work, but first to the post office and make a phone call, pay the rent and definitely do not have time to cook lunch or even think of cooking. What is more, there is not much in the fridge...Challenging, but still, my all time favorite calcium shot:TOFU DIP: 100g Tofu 2 cloves garlic1oo ml yoghurthandful of walnutschilliblack peppersaltbasil leavesPlace all the ingredients into a blender and let it work its magic. Adjust the salt to taste and voilla, here goes your summer bone-friendly treat.This is an absolute forgiving recipe, so don't be afraid to experiment. Throw in tomato for extra flavor or top with tadka for extra spice kick.Serve:as dip - with tortilla chips or crackersas spread - on your morning toast

Nepalese Tofu And Pea Curry
2008-05-22 18:03:00
I am always on a constant hunt for genuine ethnic recipes. So each time I go to a library or a store I am trying to grab a cookbook that would justify this hunger. I was pretty lucky on my last trip to our library discovering a cute little book on Nepalese cooking. I have tried several recipes so far, all of them yummy and spicy, somehow an interesting fusion between Chinese and Indian cuisine. Here, I would like to share my absolute favorite:NEPALESE PEAS AND TOFU CURRY:(Kerau Ra Tofu Tarkari)oil for frying450 g firm tofu2 cm fresh ginger2 cloves garlic1/2 tsp turmeric1 tsp ground cumin1 large onion, sliced2 cardamom pods1 red fresh chili2 bay leaves1 tsp salt2 cups peas4 tomatoes2 cups water or veggie broth1/2 tsp ground chili1/2 tsp ground coriander1 tsp garam masalaCube the tofu into 2 x 2 x 1 cm pieces and shallow-fry them until golden. Remove from the pan and pat dry with a kitchen towel to remove excessive oil. Grind the garlic, ginger, turmeric and cumin to a paste. Reheat t...
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BERBERE - Ethiopean Spice Paste..And An Award
2008-05-20 21:34:00
Berbere (bari-bay) is a real delicious, full flavored thick paste used in African cooking as a spice kick to curries, breads or dips. Influenced by French cuisine, yet widely used all around Ethiopia (and in my kitchen) I am in love with this spice miracle.The two only times I ever tasted real berbere was while in the States, once in Arizona and the other time in San Francisco. The one I dug out and fell in love at home is slightly spicier than the one served in restaurants, but I don't find that of a disadvantage. Here it is, my very own:ETHIOPEAN SPICE PASTE:(Berbere)10 dried chillies8 whole green cardamoms1 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp coriander1 tsp fenugreek seeds8 whole cloves1 tsp whole all spice2 tsp black peppercorns1 tsp ajowan (lovage) seeds1 cm fresh ginger, grated1/2 tsp nutmeg1 tbsp salt1 tbsp strong red paprika powder1 tbsp mild paprika powder1 onion3 cloves garlic3 tbsp red wine100 ml wateroilHeat the wok and dry-fry the whole spices for about three minutes or until fragra...
More About: Award , Spice , Paste

T&T - A Carribean Feast...
2008-05-16 16:19:00
My T&T event rocks, because I get to choose a blog I want and cook anything I want :-) It actually is not that easy with wonderful blogs like Cynthia´s Tastes Like Home, for there are so many things one just drool at and it has been actually very hard to pick out a recipe that I would like to try without ditching all the others. So I did what I did - and made a huuuuge Carribean feast:Here are my (Cynthia´s) dishes that finally made it to my table, a delicious trio of dry curries with only four ingredients :1. Chickpea Spinach - a wonderful combination of spicy spinach and salty chickpeas. Crunchy and chewy, yum...2. Eggplant Tofu (originally paneer) - a lovely light dry curry flavored with a unique garam masala paste. I added a teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds and a sprinkle of amchoor (mango) powder to the original recipe to bring out the flavor of rather plain Tofu.3. Chickpea Eggplant - a fantastic cross-match of both dishes above, a lovely fusion with heaps of fresh Europe...
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Roasted Bell Pepper Salsa
2008-05-15 11:09:00
The very first time I made this sauce, I was still living in Slovakia together with my sister. It was shortly after I started experimenting with spices in the kitchen and this one came a bit too hot for my sister´s European tongue to handle, so despite the fairly little amount, there were still some leftovers next day:ROASTED BELL PEPPER SALSA:Prep time: 25 minutesmakes: 100 ml1 green bell pepper2 green chilies2 cloves garlic, pressedjuice from ½ lime 1 tsp salt 1 tsp dried oregano1 tsp cumin powder2 tbsp olive oilPut bell pepper together with pepperoni in a heated frying pan and dry fry them from all sides until black.Set aside and put them into a plastic bag. Cover tightly and let cool down. This way, the burnt skin separates from the roasted flesh and peeling the peppers is not at all difficult and messy. De-seed all of the peppers and blend in a blender, together with the rest of ingredients.I have made this salsa several times. I used a great amount in burritos, or added a t...
More About: Pepper , Bell , Salsa

Fish-Fragrant Eggplants
2008-05-12 09:42:00
Fish-fragrant flavor is one of Sichuan´s famous 23 flavors and an overall Chinese classic. As my favorite Chinese food guru Fuchsia Dunlop further elaborates in her Land Of Plenty:... based on the seasonings used in traditional fish cookery, this flavor combines salty, sweet, sour and spicy notes, with the heady fragrance of garlic, ginger and scallions. The core seasoning is pickled red chilies, either on their own or mixed with fava beans in Sichuanese chili bean paste, which give fish-fragrant dishes their distinctive orange-red hue...There are many dishes I remember ordering that were "fishy" yet vegetarian, such as fish-fragrant pork slivers (did I say vegetarian? :-) , fish-fragrant Tofu or my absolute favorite all-time winner:FISH FRAGRANT EGGPLANT:(鱼香茄子 - yu xiang qie zi)450 g purple eggplants *100 g minced meat (or reconstituted soy mince)saltoil (+ a splash of sesame oil for final touch)2 tbsp Sichuanese chili bean paste (豆瓣酱 -dou ban jiang)2 tsp fresh grate...
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Arusuvai - Secret Revealed..... And Some Chai
2008-05-10 06:37:00
Thank to all of you participating Arusuvai - Guess the secret ingredient game. I was having a lot of fun correcting your answers.Number two seemed to be a no-brainer: Garam Masala - salt and pepper of Indian cuisine, that is correct.Number three was a bit harder. Some of you guessed habanero or bori in Hindi. Well, pretty pretty close. The correct answer should have been smoked cobanero.....the Cobanero is also known as the "hot little sister of the Habanero" and officially goes by the name of Cobanero Mayan Love Pepper for it's color and shape resemble that of a heart. Originally cultivated by the Mayan's of Guatemala, it ranks as one of the worlds hottest peppers. The Cobanero is a rare hot pepper that gains its strength from the vine... and like the Cobanero, through cultivation, we can individualize your message with economical vine-like growth.The very first one was a tough one,... None guessed the right stuff, but to be honest, if I did not receive thi...
More About: Secret , Chai

T&T - Tastes Like Home
2008-05-01 12:48:00
Tried and Tasted (T&T) is a monthly event of appreciation of other blogs - an opportunity to thank your fellow bloggers for sharing their recipes by re-creating them.Starting the very first edition of T&T, I have kindly asked Cynthia of Tastes Like Home to be the first “laboratory rat”.Cynthia was the very first person to comment on my blog and is a great support throughout my blogging days. I have tried several of her recipes and have to say that not only do they look gorgeous, they taste delicious too.Cynthia’s blog is beautifully weaved with pictures of dishes mainly from her homeland – Barbados and Guyana. It rarely features actual recipes (this is because she is writing a book), but she is more than willing to share them. All you need to do is to drop her an e-mail.So why not come home one evening saying: “Honey, let’s have some Caribbean tonight.”The rules are simple:Cook any recipe(s) from Tastes Like Home and post about it. Stay as true to the original ...

Arusuvai - Guess The Secret Ingredients!
2008-04-26 16:51:00
About a month ago, Pel of Elaichi Et Cetera was about to cook from his secret ingredient he received in Arusuvai Friendship Chain started by Lathamma of The Yum Blog. He asked us to guess which dish he had in mind. I guessed the "ma" part of it. This innocent "ma" won me a pack of wonderful goodies couple of weeks later. Since it was sent overseas, Pel had to reveal what the ingredients were. But, I thought- just because I know it doesn't mean that everyone else should know. So here is what I got, now GUESS:1. A spice mix for coffee. Any ideas? And it is not chai masala, that´s for tea :-)2. A wonderfully fragrant spice mix... Salt and pepper of Indian cooking...3. Tiny little "deadly" smoked chilies. Any guesses on which type these are?The fourth "secret" ingredient - smoked dried chipotles has been cooked from as the first.When I received this beautiful parcel full of these spicy goodies, I went to Tompa:- Baby, look. One of my blogging friends sent me these smoked chilies. Her...
More About: The Secret , Secret , Ingredients , Guess

TRIED AND TASTED – An Event To Show How Tasty You Are!
2008-04-22 20:43:00
Bookmarks and RSS readers are great. They keep your favourite recipes neatly organised. Yet regardless of which tag they bare, Sweet, Indian, Bread, Curry, Vegetarian,… you name it, I am quite positive that similarly to mine, they all fall into one general category: To-be-tried-SOON!And I am pretty sure that this crosses your mind each time you hit the update button. Soon, however, never comes and when it does, it is fairly difficult to decide which one we should try.Yesterday, I caught myself bookmarking more new wanna-tries again (sigh). I accidentally happened to browse all the “Starred items” I already piled up and the list was just unbelievably long. I cannot help it, I am curious to try em all!....So here is when I thought to myself: All righty, this is not going anywhere. I need to start re-creating all these “ooh-aah” mouth drooling yummies. Slowly and systematically! And that was when I created a new folder “Tried and Tasted”… Cute folder, yet empty.And so h...
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Kimchi - Korean Pickled Cabbage
2008-04-19 12:43:00
I have been trying to make my own kimchi for years now. Every recipe I googled or saw in cookbooks just went wrong. Four times over the last year I tried again, leaving the kitchen with a nasty rotten bubbly cabbage smell.This time, I set my mind on pushing this experiment to perfection. I went to our library and looked for the oldest possible traditional Korean cookbook - found one called Growing Up In A Korean Kitchen (by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstal) - a collection of memories and recipes passed on from one generation to another. Immediately I fell in love with it, but what more, I knew with this cookbook; I ll make my kimchi the way I always wished for. I mean this girl makes her own gochujang paste and soy sauce!So what is kimchi, anyway? High in protein, vitamins A and B and low in calories with fibrous texture and lactic acid content.Korean kitchens create more than one hundred kinds of kimchi, using everything from cabbage to watrermelon skins and even pumpkin blossoms in summer. E...
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Semolina Dosai
2008-04-15 21:00:00
After my success with Green Gram Dosai, my confidence and enthusiasm grew bigger and stronger. So strong, that not only have re-created the recipe several times, but I threw myself into the world of dosai experimentations. On my dosai exploration quest, I am still, however, faithful to my sweet little Dakshin cookbook - gosh! I am never tired of this one:It features around 15 completely different dosai recipes (and other snacks). Most of dosai recipes need to stay fermented overnight, which is why I never made them. I always forget to make the batter.This one though is not the same. Two hours of quick set-aside will do it. Here it is, soft and chewy:SEMOLINA DOSAI:(Rava Dosai)Makes: 15 dosaisprep time: 2 hours and 40 minutes1 cup plain flour1 cup semolina1 cup rice floursalt2 tsp cumin seeds3 green chilies1 cup (soy) yoghurta few curry leavesfresh coriander leavesoil for fryingMix the flour, semolina and rice flour. Add the salt and cumin, chopped chillies, yoghurt and the chopped ...
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Panch Phoron
2008-04-10 22:17:00
Panch Phoron (Bengali 5-spice) is a very simple spice mix of an equal amount of dry whole spices and has nothing to do with the traditional Chinese Five-Spice. These ingredients are neither roasted, nor ground. Panch Phoron has gained its popularity by its diverse color (from yellow, through green to black) and shapes (from small round balls to irregular squares).Generally, (similarly to tadka, baghar or popu) there are two ways to use Panch Phoron, :Roast in hot oil, until a strong aroma of each spice is released, and use the fragrant oil as a base to cook dal, meats or vegetables.Roast in butter or ghee and add as seasoning to different dals or thick curries.To make your own batch, simply mix together:BENGALI FIVE SPICE:(Panch Phoron)prep time: 5 minutes1 quantity whole cumin seeds1 quantity whole fennel seeds1 quantity whole yellow mustard seeds1 quantity whole fenugreek seeds1 quantity whole nigella (kalonji) seedsMix all the seeds together, enjoy the lovely color and store in a...

Monday Christmas Cookie (15) - Egg Nog
2008-04-07 10:21:00
Even though the weather here is still kind of Christmas y (except that is only cold and not snowy), it is the time to end the Monday Christmas Cookie series. For all these three months, I have been really enjoying writing about traditional Slovakian Christmas, yet I have to admit, I grew a bit bored of all that sugar that heaped on our table during that time. I am quite excited to have this over, so I can fully focus on what I truly adore...... Spicy Food !Meantime, do enjoy my easy home-made:CHRISTMAS EGG-NOG:(vaječný likér)6 egg yolks1 can sweet condensed milk200g powdered sugar500 ml rumWhip up the yolks together with the sugar, add the condensed milk and mix well. Add the rum and pour into sterilised bottles.Cheers!

Smooth(ie) Seduction
2008-04-02 19:51:00
Learning to fall in love with smoothies as deserts have been fairly easy for several reasons: one, they are sweet, refreshing and energy pumping, two they are easy to make and take no time at all, three they can be so diverse that you just never get tired of them.After New Year, me and Tompa decided to go back on track and loose some extra Christmas kilos. It was him who introduced me to smoothies. It was me, though who ended up pressing the blender button and coordinating the ingredients. "Let´s try this. Throw in some of that! Here, let me just do it" I took over :-)Now making Sunday Smooth ies is entirely my thing. I call it "Blending Stuff".There is no general recipe on how to make a smoothie. Basically, anything that blends can be blended. Generally, for the sweet ones, consider: fruit (fresh or dried), nuts, seeds, milk, yoghurt, ice cream, oats, chocolate chips, sugar, honey, cream, coffee, herbs (honey mint, mint), spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise...), cooked r...
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Monday Christmas Cookie (14) - Ginger Cookies
2008-03-31 10:56:00
Traditional Slovakian Ginger Cookie s are a bit different than the American ones. Ours are crumbly and dry, perfect for afternoon cup of tea. Traditionally baked as stars, we made these .... hm.. pea pods? ;o)The best feature of these cookies is their longevity. Traditionally baked a week before Christmas , ginger stars are quite hard and soften as the time goes by. Then it is only a question of how many hours can you stare at them without having a bite. Here are my:GINGER COOKIES:(Zázvorové koláčiky)220 g all purpose flour220 g powdered sugar3 egg yolks1 egglemon zest1 tbsp fresh grated gingerpinch baking sodamilkMix the flour together with the sugar, add the egg yolks, eggs, lemon zest, ginger and baking soda dissolved in a splash of milk.Make a firm dough, roll out, cut out some nice pieces and place on a greased baking tray. Let sit overnight in. On the second day, bake the ginger cookies in the oven pre-heated to 160 degrees Celsius.The freshly baked ginger cookies are very ...
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Chickpea Curry
2008-03-26 09:48:00
Chana Curry was the very first dish I made after deciding to start cooking Indian at home. The dish looked super easy to make, but mainly, I was lurked in by the amazing combo of spices - the sweet ones (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon) and the spicy ones (cumin, chili or bay leaf). I was convinced it was going to turn out just fine, but honestly speaking, I was amazed by HOW well the curry turned out. I know it looks like a helluva lot of ingredients to bother, but trust me, this is the best dish to start your curry making carrier:CHICKPEA CURRY:(Chana / chole)Recipe adapted from Camellia Punjabi´s 50 Great Curries of Indiaserves: 6 hungry diners 250 g dried chickpeas3 large onions2 cm fresh ginger3 garlic cloves1 big red chili250 g tomatoes2 black cardamom *8 cloves1 cinnamon stick1 bay leaf15 peppercorns1 tsp cumin seedssaltpinch of asafoetida1 tsp turmeric powder1/2 tsp garam masala1 tsp coriander powder1/2 tsp ground chili powder3/4 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)fresh coriander l...

Monday Christmas Cookie (13) - Raspberry Linzer Cookies
2008-03-23 19:32:00
One hundred years ago, Slovakia still belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the second largest country in Europe (squeezed in between the Russian and German Empire). This post is not intended to lecture you in history, but simply to show the huge gastronomic influence the country had on traditional Slovak cuisine (that is Czech, Hungarian and Austrian, so to speak).Linzer Cookie s are one of the most traditional Slovak Christmas cookies you can imagine, fancy little cookies of various shapes, named after the famous Austrian City - Linz. By rule, they are round-shaped filled with raspberry marmalade sandwiched in between the circular shapes, the top one with cut hearts or other shapes in the middle.This year, we have experimented a bit with shapes, as well as the color. As a result, we ended up with happy pinkish batch of:RASPBERRY LINZER COOKIES:(Linecké koláčiky)makes: 50 cookies400 g plain flour1 package (40 g) powdered vanilla pudding1 tsp baking powder2 eggs150 g sugarpinch...
More About: Raspberry , Monday

Ants Climbing Up A Tree
2008-03-21 04:15:00
Yesterday, after almost a year of living in Malmö, for the very first time I cooked meat. I am not a big meat fan, but occasionally, I have a few bites of lamb or beef to satisfy my doctor´s worries about my intake of iron.Couple of weeks ago, I signed up for Taste & Create, a real fun event run by Myamii via For The Love Of Food. You get randomly paired to another blogger and you cook from each other. It is a great way to get to know new bloggers, or to re-discover the old ones.For me, it meant to meet a completely new blogger KC - a wonderful Chinese lady behind Kitschow curtain. Her recipes are very traditional, homey and...... full of ......meat.I browsed through all her recipes ever since she tarted posting in January 2008. KC focuses on tradition, her recipes feature simple everyday ingredients, her instructions are very detailed and easy to follow, turning you into a Chinese Cooking 师傅 Shi Fu (master).Most of the recipes I remember eating on a daily basis, when livi...
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Spicy Hungarian Kettle Goulash
2008-03-18 16:15:00
Goulash is a typical "outdoor soup". Each time hiking, rock-climbing or simply camping, a huge kettle of Goulash - a spicy meat and potato soup would be cooked. In Slovakia, we recognize two types of goulash soup: Hungarian Goulash and Kettle Goulash.Hungarian is traditionally chopped beef sautéed in its own juices with paprika powder and bay leaf, cooked to perfection.Kettle Goulash is a typical garden-style soup that is usually cooked among friends while outdoors. This type of goulash usually takes up potatoes in addition to the meats. Here is my "indoor" version of it. I have also thought of Lisa, a vegetarian spice lover, who is hosting No Croutons Required, (co-hosted with Holler of Tinned Tomatoes), a monthly festival of vegetarian soups. I simply could not have not participated this month´s Spicy Soup theme. Lisa, here it is, a soy nugget:SPICY HUNGARIAN KETTLE GOULASH:(Štipľavý maďarský kotlíkový guláš)1 onion3 cloves garlic2 big red chilies1 tsp cumin seedssaltso...

Monday Christmas Cookie (12) - Home-Made Marzipan... Mushroom
2008-03-17 07:20:00
Sounds pretty gross, eh? Yet these cute little shroomies are very friendly and tasty (supposing you love marzipan as much as I do).Here I am tempted to share one funny love-and hate marzipan relationship, an annual gift from my mother to her "demanding" husband:In Slovakia, we have been making these every Christmas for decades, which ended up in a general aversion towards these cute little shroomies as such. My mum revolted several times claiming that they suck and she s not going to make them again. How unfortunate, my dad (and myself) are in love with them, so mother (regardless of her personal feelings and verbal threats of her determination of NOT making them AGAIN) - she is ready to fulfil her husband´s (who cares about the daughter?) every wish. Each December towards its end, she still throws herself into a huge pile of home-made marzipan and starts folding and molding and thus surprises my dad with a nice happy family of:HOME-MADE MARZIPAN... MUSHROOMS:(Marcipánové hríbik...
More About: Home , Mushroom , Made , Monday

Sichuan Aubergine
2008-03-13 09:29:00
Ever since Tompa returned from his latest San Francisco trip and brought me all those wonderful kitchen gifts (I must have been a pretty good girl for getting a brand-new iron casted wok, superb-quality rice wine, Chinese Wok cookbook and other stuff), I went Chinese food nuts. All the time, I am thinking, 麻婆豆腐 — ma po dou fu, 鱼香茄子 — yu xiang qie zi, some crazy hot-ass hot pot and other spicy treats. This Chinese craze has, once again, re-discovered a hidden supply of Sechuan Pepper (麻花 ma hua - numbing flower) - my favorite Chinese spice:These roundish, bumpy shells have of a very distinctive aroma are best when heated in oil and added to chillies and veggies, making a simple spicy wok stir-fry. Once bitten into, they release their powerful almost liquorish aroma and make your lips go numb for a second, while your mouth starts producing saliva. Fun, eh?Here is one of my favorite, earthy:SECHUAN EGGPLANT:(麻辣茄子 ma la qie zi)500 g aubergine (eggplant)bu...
More About: Sichuan

Monday Christmas Cookie (11) - Layered Honey Cake
2008-03-10 13:16:00
Another one of traditional Slovak sweet treats on our Christmas table. It is generally everyone´s favorite since it is the softest and the most delicate dessert that everyone feels like trying. One of the few cakes that makes it on our tables throughout the year as well on festive occasions like one´s birthday, dearest guests or simply when mum is in a good mood and we are really obnoxious with our straightforward wishes to taste some.One can never get tired of my mum´s amazing:LAYERED HONEY CAKE:(medové rezy)for the dough1 egg200 g plain flour30 g butter100 g powdered sugar1 tbsp honeycinnamon1 tsp baking powder250 ml milk2 tbsp coarse flour100 g sugar120 g buttervanillaraspberry jamMix all the dough ingredients in a bowl to a smooth dough. Divide into 4 parts, roll out each into a thin long strip (about 15 cm wide) making sure they all are the same size. Bake them at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes on a baking paper. Let cool down.As for the filling, boil the milk, add the fl...
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Traditional Chinese Spring Onion Pancakes
2008-03-05 14:31:00
Everyone who knows that I spent two years in China would know that due to my time there I turned into a complete spice-addict. And all that out of a pure fact. Zlamushka could not cook. I dotn mean cooking non-spicy or Western dishes, I mean nothing... zero, nadah. I even called my mum one desperate day to ask her how to boil pasta. I know,... I was 19 years old.So in order not to starve to death, I ate out every day (or more accurately - 3 times per day). No worries, Chinese street food is more than just affordable, let alone student canteens or street stalls. My first account with spicy food was an unbearable experience. I never even seen anything apart from A black peppercorn in our FAMILY Sunday soup. Now I was standing there, with a mouthful of different spices, coughing and sweating.Gradually things went better, I even learned how to make dumplings and fried noodles, even spicy eggplant. And then, after I returned back home, schnitzel and mashed potatoes simply lost its taste....
More About: Spring , Pancakes , Onion , Traditional

Monday Christmas Cookie (10) - Bear Paws... and awards
2008-03-02 13:24:00
Bear Paws are a lovely non fatty dessert that has earned its cute name due to its popularity among Slovakian kids (brown, small, paw-shaped soft cookies). Yet, their quite harmless, even from the calorie point of view. Traditionally baked around Christmas , they are one of my favorites.You will need a special cookie baking form to make these, but dont worry if you re lacking one. Why not make "bear cupcakes" for a change?:BEAR PAWS:(Medvedie labky) 140 g butter or margarine350 g plain flour70 g ground hazelnuts or walnuts100 g sugar1 egg1 tbsp cocoa powderlemon peelclovescinnamon vanilla sugar for coatingSieve the flour into a bowl and crumble the butter or margarine, add the sugar, nuts, cocoa powder, grated lemon peel, spices and egg. Make a firm dough, form into a roll, wrap into a foil and let cool for an hour in the fridge.Pre-heat the oven into 200 degrees Celsius. Take the dough out, cut a chunk and press firmly into the baking form. Bake until golden. While still hot, turn th...
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Shrimp Salad with Tomato Raita Dressing
2008-03-01 18:09:00
I have always enjoyed a small bowl of raita with my fiery hot curries. I loved the way the yoghurt cooled the heat in my throat and kept me ready for another bite.Yet in summer, I felt like indulging myself in such mind-blowing ritual every night was definitely not good for my shapes. So I figured out another way of enjoying the sensational yoghurt mix - as a dressing to a vegetable salad.There are several ways of making raita. For a basic one, whisk some yoghurt with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Should you find it too sour, add a bit sugar. Then add chopped cilantro and sprinkle with paprika powder or chilli. Raita s can be further combined with chopped veggies, such as boiled potato, tomato, onion, grilled eggplant, blanched spinach with raisins or dates. My favorite one is:TOMATO RAITA1 tomato, choppedsalt, pepper1/4 tsp cumin powder1/4 onion1 tsp fresh coriander leaveswalnuts, choppedsweet paprika powder (try the smoked kind)chilli powder Whisk the yoghurt with...
More About: Salad , Shrimp , Tomato , Dressing

Chestnut Flatbread
2008-02-28 10:38:00
Flatbreads are my favorite side dish to any curries. Back home, we make lokša [lok-sha] - potato-flour flatbread greased with lard. Soft and chewy - absolutely fantastic. Then once I started cooking I discovered chapatti, naan, roti, dosai, tortillas, crepes, wonton and other wonderful flatbreads. I was particularly interested in those with flour AND something else. Something to soften them up, to make them fluffier.I started experimenting and today, I have my new favorite:CHESTNUT FLATBREAD:chestnutflourpinch of saltFirst prepare the chestnut puree by boiling whole chestnuts in hot water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain them and peel the skin off. Mash them just like you would potatoes. Add the salt and flour, enough to make a smooth dough. Divide that into small balls and roll each out into a thin round flatbread.Heat the iron-cast pan or tawa griddle until hot and fry them one by one from both sides for about a minute.My little contribution to this month´s Bread Baking...
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Monday Christmas Cookie (9) - Oatmeal Cookies
2008-02-25 14:58:00
My absolute favorite cookie on the Christmas table and probably the only one I touched this year. The reason is simple - too much fat, eggs, dairy and sugar in all the other sweet treats. I got this recipe from my mum, who always thinks of me when running into a healthy vegan yum.This year, similarly, her concern was to make her daughter´s face happy and stomach full (overstuffed, mum...), so honestly speaking, I got to appreciate the taste of these little beauties much later after Christmas, when my eating habits got back on track and I actually experienced that previously famous feeling of hunger. Sometimes, on Sunday mornings, when I am not busy with making "pain cakes", I get up a bit earlier to bake some:OATMEAL COOKIES:(vločkové sušienky)400 g oatmeals200 g sugar20 g vanilla sugar1 mashed banana2 tbsp honey1 tbsp warm soy milk100 g raisins100 g almondsmarmalade (to garnish) Mix the oatmeals with the warm milk and let sit for about 20 minutes or until the milk has...
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My Harissa Picture In A Cooking Software
2008-02-22 13:44:00
Hey everybody,Excuse my shameless self-appreciation, but one of my pictures made it to a cooking software. That I believe is a reason to show off a bit, eh?Couple of months ago, I was complimented by Peter, one of the creators of COOK IT! on the quality of my pictures and was asked to contribute one of them to their cooking software recipe collection. And so I did, gave away my wonderful Harissa picture.Two weeks ago, COOK IT! featured by Spotted Sox went public and I was excited to receive my copy of it. It has a nice collection of recipes from all over the world, but the part I like about it the most is the vast glossary section with explanation of different cooking ingredients; above all, my absolute favorite: condiments - pastes, sauces, curries, dips, pickles, relishes and other spice and herb mixes. And exactly there, under Harissa, there is my picture.Thanks for listening, off to celebrate!
More About: Software , Cooking , Picture