Namak Para - Salt Pieces - An Indian Snack

I had never heard of Namak Para - Salt Pieces until one afternoon at the home of friends, one of whom is from India. As we sat down to tea, I noticed among the treats a little dish of something I'd never seen before. When I heard the name Salt Pieces I thought, I'm just not hearing that right. It must be an Indian name. But, no, Salt Pieces was the English name.

They're rather unusual, to the uninitiated, but quite addictive. I found myself reaching for that little bowl again and again and knew this would be my next experiment in the kitchen. In the meantime, they gave us a box of them. The label indicated carom seeds (ajwain) as the main spice ingredient. Having none on hand, I tried to come up with a combination from my spice rack that would stand in for it. I've listed them here. And I can always pay a visit to my local spice shop to pick up some ajwain to try next time. 

The first batch I made did not taste particularly salty, and something called "Salt Pieces" should be noticeably salty, I should think; so I added an extra 1/8 teaspoon to the recipe to correct that deficiency.  

Namak Para is usually fried, but I prefer baking over frying so thought I'd try a baked version. Some people use vegetable oil, others use ghee. Since I avoid refined oils and only ever have organic unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil on hand, I thought I'd go with the ghee. Of course, you can buy ghee. But that would have involved a trip out to get it, so I made my own. It's simply Beurre Noisette (Brown Butter) with the milk solids removed, and I've put the directions below. 

I'm certainly no expert—this is only the fifth Indian recipe I have developed—so I'd love to hear your comments and any suggestions you might have. Here are the other recipes: Chicken Tikka Masala, Dal Makhani, Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala, and Naan. 

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Namak Para - Salt Pieces

(Makes about 6 dozen)

1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour (maida)

OR use half unbleached and half whole wheat flour (atta) 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) OR

1/16 teaspoon each anise seed, celery seed, ground coriander, ground cumin, oregano, and thyme

3 tablespoons ghee*, melted (or melted unsalted butter) 

4 to 6 tablespoons (2 to 3 fluid ounces/59 to 89 ml) water

This is the ghee when hot from the pan; it changes color,
lightens, as it cools and solidifies.

* Ghee is useful for so many things, I made a little 1-cup batch of it. You can just use melted butter if you like, but if you want to make the ghee it only takes 10 minutes. In a 10- or 12-inch stainless steel skillet (the shiny interior allows you to judge the color of the butter as it browns) over medium-high heat, melt 2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) of unsalted butter that you've cut into 8 slices each, about 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring with a silicone spatula and/or swirling the pan, until it smells nutty and is dark golden brown, about 6 minutes. The time varies according to your stove, so pay attention. You can't take your eyes off it; it can go from brown to black in a flash. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup, to get rid of much of the foam and milk solids. Skim off any remaining foam. Clean the sieve and then strain the butter again into a half-pint canning jar, pouring slowly to leave the remaining milk solids behind. The color changes, lightens, as the ghee cools and solidifies.

1  In 1.5- to 2-quart mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Pour in the melted ghee and rub the flour between your palms for a minute or two until the fat is well incorporated into the flour and the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Press some of the mixture together in your hand; it should hold together and not crumble.  

2 With your hand, mix in 4 tablespoons (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) of water. Add only as much more water as needed to form a stiff dough (I used a total of a little over 5 tablespoons). Taste the dough and add more salt and spices if needed. 

Note: The dough should be stiff but pliable, neither too soft or sticky nor too dry and crumbly.

3 Knead it for just a minute or so (with no added flour) to form a sort-of-smooth dough; don't overdo it. Cover (if your mixing bowl has no lid, just turn your bowl upside-down over the dough) and rest the dough for 30 minutes. During last 10 minutes, preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5 and line baking sheet with parchment paper. 

4 On surface lightly dusted with flour, roll out the dough to a rectangle about 10 by 13 inches and about 1/8 inch (3 to 4 mm) thick. Using a straight edge and pizza wheel or knife, cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips and then cut pieces 1.5-inches long. 

5 Lay the pieces out on the parchment-lined 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking for doneness after 10 minutes (mine took 15 minutes). Transfer the pieces, still on the parchment, to a wire rack; cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Peach Pie with Lattice Crust

Peach pie with a lattice crust is my all-time favorite pie. So when asked to bring a dessert to a friend's dinner party, I knew right away what that dessert was going to be. I mean this is August, right? 

I found the most wonderful peaches at a chain supermarket of all places. The young man working in the produce department was arranging the "large yellow peaches" display when I walked in. I asked a question and he was off and running. Said these were really good peaches, he'd been buying them for his mother every week. 

Hmm. I had my doubts and was prepared to go to two more distant stores to get the best yellow peaches. But I smiled and picked one up, noting that it did not have green shoulders around the stem end (green shoulders are not a good sign), so I gave it a sniff and could actually smell it. There are one or two varieties that don't give off their aroma like that, but most varieties do when they are really good. So I took home four pounds of them and set them on the kitchen counter to further develop for three days till the day of the dinner party.

Generally speaking, if you pick up a peach that has green shoulders (which means it was picked too soon) and no fragrance, you might as well just buy a bag of fuzzy balls of styrofoam as those peaches. And I always look for the ones with a deep red flush. It doesn't make them taste better, but I don't peel the peaches and that crimson blush looks so pretty in the pie. 

You don't have to do the lattice for the top crust, but it's sort of traditional with peach pie. If you haven't done a lattice crust, try it; it's really easy and I've put the directions in the recipe below. I used to always use five strips of dough in both directions, but I decided to do this one with four wider ones. Kinda like it! What is your favorite summer pie? 

PS The pie was a huge hit at the dinner party. Turns out peach pie was the hosts' favorite pie!

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Peach Pie

(Makes one 9-inch pie, 8 servings)

Pastry for double-crust pie (Click and scroll for the pastry and another wonderful fruit pie!)

2 1/2 pounds (about 5 large/40 ounces/1.13 kg) perfectly ripe yellow peaches

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
1/4 dip-and-sweep cup (1 ounce/29 grams) tapioca flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (No, that's not a typo!)
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (I want you to taste the peaches!)

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

1 Preheat oven to 425F/220C/Gas7. On lightly floured square of parchment paper, roll out one disk of dough to a 13x11-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. (Save the plastic it was wrapped in; you'll be using it again.) At this point, it's best to chill the dough for a few minutes in the freezer or several minutes in the refrigerator. Then, with a straight edge* and a knife or pizza wheel, and the long side of the dough facing you, cut the dough into 8 even strips about 1 1/2 inches wide. Transfer, on the parchment, to a rimless baking sheet, cover with the reserved plastic wrap or parchment, and refrigerate while proceeding.  

* There are so many uses for a sturdy straight edge in the kitchen. Years ago, pre-Amazon, a friend and I were taking cake decorating classes and needed an 18-inch ruler for leveling the icing. Went to the hardware store and all they had was yardsticks, so I bought one and had Mr Delightful cut it in half (and smooth out the cut edges) for us. I use it all the time! Fortunately, Amazon has this 18-inch aluminum ruler.

2 On a lightly floured surface, roll out second disk of dough to a 13-inch circle. Line the 9-inch glass pie plate with pastry, fitting it down into the plate without stretching it, and trimming the overhang to about 3/4 inch. Cover and refrigerate while preparing filling.

3 Peel peaches (or not)* and cut into 1-inch chunks into a large bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure). You'll have about 6 cups of peaches. (I cut them like this: Quarter peach, cut each quarter into 2 to 4 wedges, depending on the size of the peaches, and cut wedges in half.) In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, tapioca flour (vastly superior to cornstarch or any other thickener for fruit pies), salt and spices; add to peaches and mix gently but well. Pour into pie shell. Cut the tablespoon of butter into little dice and spread them over the surface of the peaches.

* I implore you, please try NOT peeling. You'll never go back! Just do a thorough job of washing the peaches and getting all the excess fuzz off as you dry them.

4 Lay 2 strips of dough across the pie in one direction, centered, about 1/2 inch apart. Then lay the 2 outer strips about 1/2 inch from the center strips. Fold back every other strip halfway and, again, place a long strip of dough 1/4 inch from the center going the other way. Unfold the folded strips over the crossing strip. Place the second center strip in the same way. Repeat with the 2 outer strips. Press the overhanging strips against the bottom crust, then trim them even with the bottom crust and crimp the edge.

Note: If your kitchen is warm and your dough is getting warm, you'll get a better crimp if you pop the whole thing in the freezer for a few minutes or in the refrigerator for several minutes.

5 Place the pie on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips (There will be drips!), and place it in the preheated oven. Bake at 425F/220C/Gas 7 for 25 minutes. Lower temperature to 350F/180C/Gas 4, and bake for an additional 40 to 45 minutes (juices should be bubbling). Cool on wire rack for a minimum of 4 hours before serving. Use a pie crust shield to prevent overbrowning the edge. I put it on when it's time to lower the temperature.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Lime Frozen Yogurt

Here's a cool way to kick off summer! Lime Frozen Yogurt is soooo refreshing. And, no, it isn't supposed to be green!

You might have the kind of ice cream maker that has the canister you put in the freezer. If so, put it in the freezer now and stir up this recipe and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours up to a day or two (I do 24 hours).

My ice cream maker is the self-refrigerating compressor type, which is too heavy for me to pull in and out of a cupboard, so I keep it in my butler's pantry at all times.

But before you get all green with envy over my having a butler's pantry, let me tell you it's not an official butler's pantry. It's just a humble countertop in the garage. 

When we remodeled the kitchen years ago, we had the crew carefully remove the old cabinetry and install it against the back wall of the garage. While most of the cabinets are filled with typical garage stuff, most of the countertop holds the appliances I don't use every day. 

Difference is, I actually use the ice cream maker right there! I leave it exactly where it is stored, uncover it, plug it in, and make the frozen yogurt. When it's done, I just turn it off, remove the lid, lift the mixing bowl out by its handle and take it into the kitchen.  

Are you a frozen yogurt fan, or do you prefer ice cream? Tart or sweet? In case you missed my Coffee Chocolate Gelato recipe, check it out. 

Lime Frozen Yogurt 

(Makes about 1 quart) 

Finely grated zest of 1 medium organic/unsprayed lime

5/8 cup* (5 fluid ounces/148 ml) freshly squeezed and strained lime juice
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces/149 grams) sugar 
2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce/14 grams) non-GMO cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) heavy whipping cream
3 cups (24 ounces/680 grams) plain full-fat** organic Greek yogurt with no additives or stabilizers

2 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Quite tart. If you like less tartness, use 1/2 cup juice.
** The full-fat yogurt (and the rum or other liquor and the cornstarch) makes the yogurt less icy and more scoopable.

1 Zest one lime; squeeze enough limes to make 5/8 cup juice. 

2 In 1-quart saucepan whisk together sugar, non-GMO cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in cream until mixture is smooth, then whisk in lime juice and zest.

3 Heat over medium-low to medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly, just until it is just below a simmer (if you stick your impeccably clean little finger into it, you will jerk it right out!) and starting to thicken. Remove from heat.

4 Measure yogurt, rum, and vanilla extract into 1-quart glass measure (the spout will make pouring mixture into the machine easier). Gradually whisk in the heated mixture. You should have about 3 3/4 to 4 cups. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours or up to a day or two (I always aim for 24 hours for maximum flavor development and chilling). 

5 Put the ice cream paddle into the mixing bowl of the Cuisinart ICE-100 compressor ice cream and gelato maker; whisk the chilled mixture, pour it into the mixing bowl and put on the lid. Turn unit on, set timer for 30 minutes* and press Start; let spin until thickened. OR follow the directions for whichever ice cream maker you have.

* Check it in 20 minutes. It might be ready in 20 or 25 minutes, but if you set it for 20 minutes and it stops, you can't restart it with the frozen yogurt already quite thick. So set the machine for 30 and your kitchen timer for 20 minutes.

6 Turn the unit off by pressing the power button, remove the lid, lift the mixing bowl out by its handle and remove the paddle from the bowl. Transfer the soft frozen yogurt to an airtight container (I use yogurt containers), and place in freezer for at least 6 hours. Everyone's freezer is different. If necessary, remove from freezer about 15 minutes or so before serving to make it easier to scoop.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Dundee Cake - Scottish Teatime Classic

Dundee Cake is one of those recipes with lots of lore attached. As with all lore, much of it is inaccurate. Was it really created at the end of the 18th century by Janet Keiller of the Dundee marmalade family? Or was it first made in the 16th century for Mary Queen of Scots, who purportedly did not like cherries which usually featured in fruit cake? 

Which of the so-called must-have ingredients must one really have? Some insist on a bit of whisky from Scotland, or Seville orange marmalade, or ground almonds. The list goes on. So ... what to do? Professional bakers of the cake actually applied for protected status, but the government chose not to award the cake protected geographical indication (PGI) because "the name Dundee Cake is generic."

The application for PGI status specified certain ingredients, including sultanas, Amontillado sherry, candied orange peel, dried vine fruits, and a pattern of whole blanched almonds on top. Not even a wee dram of Scotland's finest! Good, because I've always preferred sherry (though not necessarily Amontillado). 

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I abhor store-bought candied orange peel, so unless I have a batch of my homemade candied orange peel on hand, I prefer to use fresh orange zest and perhaps a bit of juice. The main thing is that the predominant flavors be orange and almond. And I do hold with the PGI applicants' insistence on an arrangement of whole blanched almonds on the top.

Unfortunately, for some reason none of the stores around here had whole blanched almonds in stock, which I found surprising. Perhaps they consider them a "seasonal" item? Anyway ... I decided to proceed with the whole raw unblanched almonds I always have on hand. Perhaps not as pretty to some, or not "authentic" to others, but it will have to do! Blanching them myself would likely have been simple, but I wasn't in the mood to experiment with it just then.

When developing a recipe I always try to make it as "authentic" as possible, but not being a Dundonian myself, I don't wish to be dogmatic about any of this. But if you are a member of the Baker Trade of Dundee or just have set ideas about Dundee cake, do let me know in the comments!

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Dundee Cake   

(Makes one 3-inch/8cm deep 7-inch/18cm round cake)

1 1/4 packed cups (6.25 ounces/177 grams) sultanas, currants, or other dried vine fruits

Finely grated zest of 2 medium organic or unsprayed and unwaxed oranges
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon (0.5 fluid ounce/15 ml) sherry

1 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (7.5 ounces/213 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour*
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces/149 grams) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons non-GMO baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice**

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (5 ounces/142 grams) unsalted butter, softened***
2 large (medium, in UK and some other places) eggs, room temperature

About 34 whole blanched almonds

* Many British recipes call for self-raising flour, but mine will always call for plain flour. I prefer to be in control of the amount of baking powder and salt I use. 

** Since the mixed spice, a ready-made blend popular in the UK, is not readily available elsewhere (not the same as US pumpkin pie spice), you may have to make your own. The amount to make depends on how frequently you’ll be using it. I usually stir up just a tablespoon at a time, but multiply these amounts if you’d like to make more: 3/4 teaspoon each allspice and cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon each cardamom, cloves, coriander and ginger.

*** Let butter stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Butter needs to be a little softer for a hand mixer than for a stand mixer. It should be squishable, but not melting or greasy/oily.

1 About 12 to 24 hours before mixing cake, stir together fruit, zest, juice and sherry in a small bowl. Cover tightly and let stand for about 12 to 24 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 300F/150C/Gas2. Prepare baking tin. Butter the inside of a 3-inch deep 7-inch/18cm pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Turn the parchment over so that both sides are buttered. Lightly flour the tin and set it on a quarter sheet pan for baking.

3 In 2 to 2.5-quart bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, mixed spice, and salt to aerate as well as combine. With electric hand mixer, mix the softened butter into the flour mixture until it resembles crumbs. Drain the fruit and zest, reserving the liquid. On low setting, mix in the eggs and the reserved juice; beat on medium to high speed for 1 minute. Gently stir in the drained fruit. The batter is quite stiff and should just drop slowly off a spoon when nudged. If it is too stiff, add a tablespoon of milk or another tablespoon of orange juice or sherry, if you like.

4 Scrape batter into prepared tin and smooth the top. Arrange the whole blanched almonds in 3 concentric circles on the top, starting on the outside—20 almonds, then 11, then 3. Bake until golden brown and cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center or when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

5 Leave in tin on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Peel away the parchment on the bottom and set right side up on rack to cool completely. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Enchilada Casserole - For Now or Later - Homemade Freezer Meals

It was time for Enchilada Casserole, and I thought "Why not make a bigger batch and have four meals out of it?" One for now and three for later. You know, I'm all about streamlining and am never happier than when my freezer is full of homemade freezer meals!

Since I'm usually cooking for two, I freeze two portions in my favorite 3-cup rectangular glass storage containers that are just the right size and shape for two pieces of anything you make in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish and cut into 8 pieces. You might need a different size container for the number of servings that make a meal in your house.

This casserole can be made with ground beef or chopped cooked chicken or whatever you like. For convenience, I used frozen chopped onions and canned green chiles.

I couldn't compromise on the sauce though, and homemade is really not that much trouble. It's a pretty basic and simple sauce that packs a lot of flavor. And you can adjust it however you like. If a canned sauce has too much of something for your taste, you can't do anything about it.

Do you love casseroles? My father did not like casseroles (or chicken or ground beef), so we never had them. I love them! 

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ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

(Makes 8 servings)

The Meat

1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces/680 grams) ground beef (I use organic grassfed 85% lean) 

OR 4 cups chopped cooked chicken, and omit the 3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped onions

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 4-ounce (113 grams) can diced mild green chiles

The Sauce

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons (27grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon oregano

3 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) tomato paste 

3 cups (24 fluid ounces/710 ml) lower sodium chicken broth

The Casserole

12 ounces (340 grams) cheese, shredded (I use half jack and half medium cheddar)

9 6-inch white corn tortillas

4 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 In large skillet, cook the ground beef, breaking it up and browning it well. Remove the fat from the pan by your favorite means: covering pan with lid and draining it off, tilting the pan and spooning it out with a large metal spoon, or using a turkey baster. Then add the onions and salt, and cook for a few minutes. Then stir in the diced chiles. Remove from the heat. OR cook the onions in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, stir in the chopped chicken and chiles, and set aside.

2 In another skillet or saucepan, melt the butter and blend in the flour, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and oregano. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth and fragrant. Whisk in the broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer. When it begins to bubble, continue cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes, until sauce is thickening. Remove from the heat. 

3 Spread 1/3 cup (2.67 fluid ounces/79 ml) of the sauce in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

4 Heat a griddle (my square griddle can cook 2 tortillas at a time), put 2 little 1/2 teaspoon puddles of oil (about the size of a quarter) on the hot griddle. When oil is hot, lay down the 2 tortillas and cook for about a minute, turning them several times. Repeat to lightly cook all 9 tortillas. Stack them neatly and cut in half. 

5 Dip each tortilla half in the sauce as you assemble the casserole. Place 4 halves with cut edges against the long sides of the baking dish and then 2 halves down the middle. Top the first layer of tortillas with 1/3 of the meat mixture, then 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Make second layer of tortillas, meat, and cheese. For the third layer, tortillas and meat, then pour over the remaining sauce, and top with cheese. 

6 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and browned. Let stand for 30 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces. Place 2 pieces in each of 4 of my favorite 3-cup lidded Pyrex storage containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

7 When ready to serve, remove plastic lid and heat in microwave until heated through. Plate and garnish with sour cream, a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, or sliced green onions. Serve with Mexican Rice, Pinto Beans or Refried Beans, and Broccoli Salad.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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