Vanilla-Date Swirl Cake

The original recipe was for an easy vanilla-flavored cake, which I've made several times before. I wondered how I could jazz it up this time, and decided to swirl in some date syrup (dibs at-tamar/silan). Although I didn't quite get the swirl I wanted, it looked pretty, and did flavor the cake nicely. 

Broccoli-Cauliflower Kootu

This was based on the Cauliflower Kootu of Alemalu Vairavan and Patricia Marquardt in Healthy South Indian Cooking. I wanted something quick-ish and tasty, and remembered that I had some frozen homemade cooked masoor dal (red lentils), as well as the remainder of some frozen broccoli-&-cauliflower. I cooked them with some spices for this Kootu. The only thing was, I wasn't sure how much spice to add, and may have added a little too much. Otherwise, it was simple yet excellent. 

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were based on The Kitchen Magpie's Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I don't tend to have peanut butter around, but I did have a large jar of tahini (sesame seed paste). I also used coconut oil instead of butter, a little less sugar, and fewer chocolate chips. (Using fewer chips sounds bad, but believe me, there was still plenty of chocolatey goodness. 😃) These were such awesome cookies! I feel certain I'll make them again sometime.

After making enough cookies to fit a baking sheet, I patted the rest into an oven-proof cereal bowl, and baked it in that. It took about the same time to bake as the individual cookies. Just cut up the result however you like. These cookies, in whichever shape, lasted a long time, as long as their container was tightly covered.

The Kitchen Magpie Website, Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Instant Rava Uttapam 

(Savory Cream of Wheat Pancake), 

with Eggplant Chutney/Kathirikkai Thogayal (Thuvaiyal)

This made a yummy South Indian breakfast. The Rava Uttapam recipe is from Hebbar's Kitchen. Although this Uttapam batter has to rest for 20 minutes before cooking, it's still "instant" compared to other traditional versions. The Thogayal recipe is from Padhu's Kitchen. This was a great way to start the day!

Hebbar's Kitchen Website, Instant Uttapam Recipe

Hebbar's Kitchen YouTube, Instant Rava Uttapa Recipe

Padhu's Kitchen Website, Brinjal [Eggplant] Chutney -- Kathirikkai Thogayal (Thuvaiyal)

Broccoli Poriyal 

(Stir-fried South Indian Broccoli with Coconut)

This was based on Broccoli with Coconut Poriyal from Healthy South Indian Cooking by Alemalu Vairavan and Patricia Marquardt. Rather than using chopped broccoli, I thought I'd experiment by using "broccoli slaw," instead. I'd seen it at the supermarket, and it looked handy: shredded broccoli, with some shredded carrot and red cabbage, as well. It did take longer to cook to get to the level of "doneness" I prefer, but in the end, it was awesome! 

Bougatsa 

(Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

This is a throwback to: the dessert featured in my last post, Bougatsa (Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie). The Bougatsa and Scratch Made Phyllo Dough recipes are from Kouzounas Kitchen, while the filling is from the Tamriye recipe of Anissa Helou's Sweet Middle East. (For more details, please see the last post.) I took this pic the day after baking. Although this piece was slightly singed from the toaster oven reheating process, I think it shows off the finished product much better! 

Kouzounas Kitchen, Scratch-Made Phyllo Dough

Kouzounas Kitchen, Bougatsa (Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

Bougatsa 

(Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

I made this using Kouzounas Kitchen's Scratch-Made Phyllo Dough! The filling is the filling for Tamriye (Arabic Semolina Cream Hand Pies), from Sweet Middle East by Anissa Helou. It's a funny story how that happened, actually ... 

I decided that the Tamriye filling by itself would be delicious. (The recipe calls for store-bought puff pastry, which is too rich for me to eat.) The filling smelled so good, with rosewater, but then was very creamy ... too much so to make individual pastries with phyllo, say. (Maybe I used the wrong kind of semolina? I used semolina flour instead of the farina that's like Cream of Wheat.)

Somehow, I came up with the idea of using it as filling in Bougatsa. This would be the perfect occasion to try this Phyllo Dough recipe again! I also used Kouzounas Kitchen's Bougatsa recipe, with this filling instead. At the end, I sprinkled on some ground cinnamon. ... I think this may be breakfast. 

Kouzounas Kitchen Website, Scratch-Made Phyllo Dough

Kouzounas Kitchen Website, Bougatsa (Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

Mango Cake

This was based on the One-Bowl Mango Cupcakes of Vegan Richa. Any subs or additions I made, were included in the recipe: making it into a cake, and using all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and an extra 1/8 tsp baking powder. As you can see, it didn't rise much, so next time I'll use more baking powder (in addition to the leavening from baking soda and vinegar), as suggested. However, after I first tasted it, I realized how much I liked it ... it reminded me of pumpkin pie (without the crust), but with mango flavor. 

(Vegan Richa later kindly suggested that the use of additional flour would help with this.)

I used canned Kesar mango pulp, which added color and flavor (and vitamins? ). It was also very thick, and I think that contributed to the pie-etude of this cake. I look forward to making this cake again ... maybe it will be cake, and maybe like pie, but either way, it will be a treat! 

I have both of Vegan Richa's cookbooks, but somehow, I haven't cooked from them, yet. I've only made recipes from her website. It's just so fun! 

Vegan Richa Website, One-Bowl Vegan Mango Cupcakes

Blueberry Muffins

This must be my favorite kind of muffins ... I never seem to make any other kind!

Ladenia 

(Greek Pizza-Like Pie, 

Topped with Tomato & Onions; 

from Milos & Kimolos, Greece, in the Cyclades)

The recipe is from Diane Kochilas. Although I couldn't get my version to look just like hers, as the dough rose quite high, it was still yummy. The onions and tomato are cooked a bit on the stovetop first, before topping the dough and finishing in the oven. I found that the leftovers reheated nicely in the toaster oven. It's a winner! 

Diane Kochilas Website, Ladenia: Vegan Pizza-Style Flatbread from the Cyclades

Eggah 

(Middle Eastern-Style Omelette)

This is based on a Middle Eastern egg dish, with olive oil, chopped onion, herbs (cilantro, parsley, and mint), and salt. (Here it is pictured with rice.) The recipe is from Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. You could use frozen onions and dried herbs, if that's easier. (You could also add some butter, "for flavor," as my grandma would say.) This was very simple and quick to make (especially with the shortcuts I mentioned), and very yummy. Yay!

Tofu "Paneer" Pakora 

(Tofu Fritters in a Chickpea-Flour Batter)

I made these using the Pakora batter from My Tasty Curry's Special Paneer Pakoda Recipe. A few days ago, I baked some firm tofu before adding half of it to a noodle stir-fry (not pictured). I decided to transform the rest into Indian Pakora (fritters in a chickpea-flour batter), but wanted a recipe to guide me. This batter seemed the best candidate of those I found, and indeed, it ended up cooking nice and crispy. (I shallow-fried rather than deep-fried, but that seemed to be enough.)

The first pic is the Tofu Pakora. There was still batter left, so I fried that, too! That's the second pic. The third pic features everything together. The leftovers reheated nicely in a toaster oven, on a toaster-oven-safe tray, the next day. I just had to watch that some of the thinner pieces didn't burn. This certainly is tasty!

My Tasty Curry Website, Special Paneer Pakoda Recipe

Iraqi Chickpea Sambousek 

(Savory Turnover, like Samosas)

Throwback to: this recipe from the post of March 3. Actually, while these are from the same batch as that, the photo here is newer. I put most of the unbaked Sambousek in the freezer, and experimented recently to see the difference between baking the frozen ones, and pan-frying them. Baking them was easier but took longer. Frying them, covered, took less time, and I liked the results a little better. Maybe next time, I'll just fry them, and then freeze them. Well, anyway, they were tasty, and they're all gone now!

Allrecipes Website, Sambusaks (Sumboosaks) with Chickpeas, recipe by Nurit Cusack

Tlacoyos 

(Mexican Turnovers)

These turnovers were made with a shell of masa harina (Latin American corn flour). The (non-traditional) filling is leftover Saag Aloo (Indian Kale & Potatoes), from the last post. I had these leftovers, and I'd recently seen Mexico in my Kitchen's recipe for Tlacoyos, and decided it was time to try it! (ITo save energy, I prefer to use whatever leftovers I have as fillings for a recipe like this.) I really liked it: warm, nutritious, and comforting. 

Mexico in my Kitchen Website, How to Make Tlacoyos, a Tasty Street Food

Instant Pot Saag Aloo 

(Indian Kale & Potatoes)

Made with frozen chopped kale, and potatoes, this is from the recipe of Vegan Richa. I think next time, I'd first quickly defrost the kale in the microwave before cooking. I'd also add a bit more salt and spices, as I just added in most of a bag of kale (without measuring), and I tend to toss in extra potatoes when I take the time to cut one or two ... thereby diluting the power of those seasonings. These comments reflect on me, of course, and not on the recipe, which was fabulous. As it's better for me when things are well-cooked, I just let the pressure naturally release after the cooking time was up. Anyway, I was really wanting kale and potatoes, and this recipe was the perfect vehicle for that. 

Vegan Richa Website, Instant Pot Saag Aloo with Sweet Potatoes