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)