Weave a Thousand Flavors

Meat filled envelopes ~ Murtabak (Malaysia) & Tavaa Roti, Mughlai Paratha (India)

After a day of raiding the refrigerator, fixing 15 minute meals and eating out of bowls, I am ready to get back on the horse and bring out my exploratory cap for something different and delicious for lunch.

The prerequisite - nothing that involves rice or noodles or pasta. 'Nuf already!

My mind drifted towards samosas, since I had a some ground meat in the ice box but  when we do end up making samosas we're going to make the traditional variety first - punjab style stuffed with spicy potatoes and peas, the meat filled ones will just have to wait.

And then it came to me like Zeus' bolt - 'meat filled envelopes' known by a variety of names such as tavaa roti  in Mumbai or Mughlai paratha in Delhi or Murtabak in Maylasia.

 I grew up eating these. We'd go to this neighborhood restaurant row with outdoor seating and we'd order what was called tavaa roti (which essentially means griddle fried bread) and I would watch this guy facing a 5 ft long griddle , stretch and twirl the dough like it was made of nothing but elastic, crack eggs and flip the stuffed rotis,  high in the air with this long metal spatula. The one thing I do distinctly remember is that they were absolutely delicious.

Finally, standing at a roadside food cart outside the railway station at Johor Bahru, Malaysia, while these meat filled envelopes were prepared with similar theatrics was another dear memory. The rotiwala would throw the dough in the air and stretch it as he twirled  it high above his head ( not unlike the pizza makers in Italy). 

A lime sized lump of dough would become a large, smooth sheet in about a minute. It was then cooked and filled directly on the griddle with savory meat, chopped onions and beaten egg.

Only this time they were called  Murtabak . Now I can't promise theatrics but I reckon we can make a pretty decent Murtabak a.k.a tavaa roti or Mughlai paratha right at home.

 

15 Minute Superlative Breakfast Oatmeal ~ Old Fashioned Oats cooked with Orange Juice, Dates & Bananas

It's official - I can't take a good oatmeal picture worth its salt!

Lets blame it on the cloudy sky, an off day but please don't let my lame photography skills stop you from making one of the most delicious oatmeal creations you'll ever end up putting in your mouth. Guaranteed.

Old fashioned oats are cooked in freshly squeezed orange juice with nutmeg & chopped dates. To which is added brown sugar, butter & mashed bananas. Yummm......

Also,what a great way to use bananas  on their last legs - that's exactly what you need for this dish - ridiculously overripe bananas.

 Added incentive? 15 minutes to fix and dairy free for all those lactose intolerant & 'dairy-avoiding' folks out there.

So with the weekend here, what's your excuse?

ALFAJORES De Dulce De Leche Cookies from Argentina

Meet Argentina's favorite street food - Alfajores.

Think Buttery Shortbreads Sandwiched with Caramel & Rolled in Coconut Flakes

Though there are many variations of this cookie all throughtout South America, the most common fillings are chocolate, dulce de leche & jam. As Dulce de Leche goes, you can of course go the super market route but  as it's all the better home made.

How to make dulce de leche at home? Follow the cooked can method in one of my previous posts. You can make one can at a time but why bother when they'll keep for a long time in the pantry, unopened or refrigerated.

I first got hooked to these darlings as we continued to frequent our favorite Argentinian  gelato place Dolcezza in Georgetown Washington D.C for their superlative gelatos, coffees and of course Alfajores. Just so you know, Argentinian gelato varies from it's Italian cousin in that's its creamier and made without eggs.

These cookies are all the rage during the holidays of course but since when do you need an excuse to enjoy these treats? These are even better when dunked in dulce de leche as you enjoy them with your cuppa.

That's what we've been doing all Sunday afternoon!

Rise of the Souffle ~ Horseradish Cheddar Souffle

“The only thing that will make a souffle fall is if it knows you're afraid of it.”     

- James Beard

In my humble opinion, Souffles are perhaps one of  the most astonishing culinary feat to come out of French kitchen.    

    

It is also one of the most feared. A test of true grit of the cook & technique. Which is why it is also one of the most satisfying, self-congratulatory dishes one can ever prepare. I will be lying if I tell you that before I begin a souffle, I don't say a little prayer. Because when it comes to some things in life we can use all the help we can get.          

    

Don't get me wrong - it's not difficult to make at all and the fact that it takes only a handful of ingredients to make leaves me gobsmacked. Because when you do take the first bite of that airy, fluffy, ever so light & delicate souffle, it is nothing short of an orchestra or a 12 gun salute going off in your mouth.    

    

I think an orchestra is a perfect analogy for a souffle. A sum of parts to a make an exquisite whole.   A perfect souffle begins with a perfect dish. It must be round, it must have flutes and the bottom must be unglazed.

And my 12 cup Emile Henry souffle dish is perfect because the burgundy clay it is made of ensures even browning. The ridges on the side add to the surface area as well as the unglazed bottom all aid in maximum heat absorption for that perfect end result.    

    

Also, I am about to inaugurate one of my most coveted kitchen appliances - The Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. How I have been swooning over this electric hunk of a bowl for over 2 years and finally, I have it! Thanks to my dear friend Beth, our friendship that has endured over a decade which makes this gift all the more special.    

    

Now that we have the perfect dish & the perfect appliance to do the job, the next  important piece of the puzzle is the perfect recipe. Let me tell you friends - you'll be hard pressed to find a recipe that does not begin with roux - you know whisking flour in hot butter to make a Bechamel sauce.    

    

And here is where sheer genius of technique steps in - Richard Grausman in his recipe,  as detailed in At Home With The French Classics,  takes a short cut - gasp! And one that as you can see renders an incredible, upwardly mobile Souffle without the unnecessary rue of dealing with roux.

So without further ado lets get to it!

Tired of Leftover Roast Bird? It's Chicken, Fennel & Sweet Potato Soup to the Rescue

How many times have you closed the refrigerator door to that half-eaten roasted chicken that you have been picking on all week?

Well, here's a soup that will have you waiting for that chook carcass in your fridge.

Just think rich stock flavored with fennel with the scent of anise, natural sweetness of sweet potatoes enhanced with the flavor of brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg? I hope that got you to sit up and take notice!

This is such a staple during the cooler months in our home and especially wonderful during busy days, cleaning days, 'I'm-bored-of-cooking-days' and 'I-am-soccer-mom-of-the-year' - days and  of course my favorite 'leave-me-curled-up on-the-couch-with-a-book' days.

So for what ever ails you or for no reason what so ever, just simply because the air is crisp and the trees are barren,  I hope you'll put this on your menu.

 

Smokin' NOT Hot 'POSOLE ROJA' ~ A Rich & Smoky Mexican Pork Stew with Chiles & Hominy Corn

To welcome the joy of a thick, rich steaming bowl of Pozole (pronounced po-zo-lay) in your life you'd have to get rid of one important presumption that,

Chiles are hot

In most of Asia this holds true. If a chilli ain't hot, why bother!

It's only when you've been accquainted with the Southwestern and Mexican chiles like Guajillo, Anjo, Chipotle & Casabel that the opposite holds true - these chiles are smoky, rich and complex not hot.

At the heart of a great Pozole is a dried chile paste which gives it a thick texture, vibrant color and unforgettable earthy aroma. Here I've used dried Guajillo peppers that have been soaked in boiling water, turned into a fine paste and added into the simmering stewed pork. To this add the incredibly flavorful kernels of Hominy corn and you have an exquisite Pozole.

Guajillo chiles (pronounced Gwaa-hillo) are the backbone of Mexican-style cooking lending their classic smoky, rich and complex flavors to any dish. Especially fantastic with pork, these chiles have a 'heat reading' of 6000 scoville units.

Hominy corn is dried maize kernels that are treated and are available in cans in Latino or Mexican grocery stores.

Where to buy dried Chiles?

I buy all my chiles at Penzeys Spices and can vouch for their quality but feel free to shop at your neigbourhood Mexican/Latino stores.

Thank goodness for my years in the Southwestern USA where I learned so much about Mexican and southwestern cuisines I hope you'll find comfort from a cold blustery evening in the welcoming bowl of Pozole.

Kick Off 2012, Say Fromage! WIN, WIN, WIN a YEAR'S worth of SARGENTO Cheese

Here I am kicking off 2012 on the blog with~

a recipe, none (gasp)

gluttony, of embarrassing proportions

weight gain, equally embarrassing

exercise, on the books

hope, heartful

smiles, from ear to ear

talk, a earful

a bucket, of love

and

a pail, of thanks

for all of you who have put up with my ups and downs, my oohs and my aahs whilst serving the world on a plate for all of two years now.

That's right, WEAVE A THOUSAND FLAVORS is now officially a toddler and is in the terrible two's so expect a year full of frequent mood changes and temper tantrums. Hang on a minute, isn't that where we've already been these last two years? So not only do we have a toddler on our hands, it seems we have a dysfunctional one!

Well what a two years it's been - for one, depending on whom you're talking to, we've gone from Obama to Heybama to Boobama! And no we aren't entering a world of political discourse on the blog, I'm just sayin'.

As for me, I can't wait to for another year of delicious, challenging and always fun eats, stories and more of hearing from all of you. The fact that we're still here goes to show how much your support, your comments, emails and friendship means to me.

Now I know that you all are just at a point when the post-holiday-blues are about to set in - no more gifts with Santa safely retired to the North pole for his year long zzzz......, so it is nothing short of providential that SARGENTO cheese has graciously offered one of my readers a whole years worth of free cheese!

So Say Fromage People!

That's 52 SARGENTO cheese coupons for one lucky winner that will entitle you to shop for Sargento's wide range of cheese products to your hearts content.

Apologies to my International readers but this ones only valid for folks in the US only.

Now, the important part – To Enter: You can enter in one of three ways -

1. Subscribe to Weave A Thousand Flavors via RSS or via email
2. Follow me on Twitter (@weaveflavors)
3. Like 'Weave A Thousand Flavors' on Facebook
4. If you are a fellow blogger please pass the word along on your blog/fan page etc

Post a comment here letting me know which option above you chose and what your favorite cheesey dish is. If you already are a subscriber, follower, or 'like' Weave A Thousand Flavors on Facebook, just leave a comment indicating that – it will count as your entry.

This giveaway will be open until Friday, January 15th 2012 at 11:59pm PST. I’ll be announcing the winner on shortly thereafter.

So here's to a GREAT 2012!

Comments are closed.

The Winner of the contest as announced on Jan 16, 2012 is

Katie @ cozydelicious

CONGRATULATIONS & Have a cheesy year ahead! (Sorry couldn't resist!)

Be sure to mail me your address. Thanks!