Aloo Chole (Potato Garbanzo Bean Curry)

I made this for soupgroup. I wanted to make the potato dish often served at indian restaurants. I was not sure what the dish was called. Instead of potatoes and peas or potatoes and cauliflower, I decided to make a potato and garbanzo bean combination.

1 lb. garbanzo beans, rinsed
4 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons tumeric
1 to 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 teaspoons madras curry powder
2 pinches asafetida
4 green cardamon pods
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tomato, diced
2 teaspoons tomato powder
2 tablespoons honey
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
sea salt, to taste
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1. Bring garbanzo beans to a boil. Cover and let sit overnight.
2. Boil garbanzo beans until almost tender.
3. In a large pot, heat ghee. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Do not burn the garlic.
4. Add potatoes and sauté a few minutes. Add tumeric, cayenne, garam masala, curry powder, asafetida, and cardamon pods. Saute a few minutes until fragrant.
5. Add ginger, tomato powder, and stock. Bring to a boil. Add garbanzo beans and simmer until potatoes and garbanzos are tender. Add salt. Garnish with cilantro.

It tastes better if you let it sit for a few hours. The potatoes and garbanzo beans will absorb all the yummy spices. The spices (including the asafetida, tomato powder, garam massala, madras curry, and cardamon pods) are from Savory Spice Shop.

All packed in official soupgroup containers.

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Dim Sum at Pearl Restaurant in Rancho Bernardo, CA

I was in San Diego this past weekend (long story). We met up with some friends for dim sum. Yum.

This was only part of the spread. I forgot to take more pictures are we acquired more food.

Chicken Feet

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice in the foreground and shrimp rice rolls and gai lan in the background

Shrimp Rice Rolls. We also got bbq pork rice rolls.

Chicken Buns. We also got a few orders of the bbq pork buns.

BF with Travis

BF taking Travis to see the ducks. The brother is also in the picture.

Duck pond

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Spice Haul

I notice that the lens of my camera is dirty.

I went to Savory Spice Shop www.savoryspiceshop.com to pick up some asafetida for my aloo chole that I am making for SoupGroup this weekend. (Technically aloo chole is not a soup but we usually bend the rules and put different items into our SoupGroup containers.) I was like a kid in a candy store. I am this way in a lot of different stores (i.e. makeup, shoe, book...). I spent $60.60 at the spice store.

I bought:
1. Fancy Green Cardamon Pods
2. Tikka Masala blend
3. Mexican Cut Oregano
4. Ground Ancho Chile
5. Ground Cayenne
6. Tomato Powder
7. Asafetida
and
Deluxe Curry Set w/ ten bottles of spices:
1. Vindaloo
2. Red Thai Curry
3. Mild Yellow Curry
4. Rogan Josh
5. Zanzibar Curry Powder
6. Chat Masala
7. Garam Masala
8. Cambodian Lemongrass Curry
9. Tandoori Seasoning
10. Madras Curry

I really like curry. I prefer Mae Ploy brand thai red curry paste but I couldn't resist the set.

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Shortcut Pho Ga

I bought thai basil and bean sprouts this weekend when I was at the asian grocery store. I had no plans for the bean sprouts but since the store is so far away from my house, I decided to get them anyway. They are cheap.

broth:
2 slices of ginger
half a yellow onion
1 pound boneless chicken thighs (This is why it I call it shortcut pho ga.)
black pepper
salt
msg
2 disks of palm sugar
1 star anise
3 whole cloves
1 black cardamon pod (aka chinese cardamon)
dash of saigon cinnamon (I ran out of cinnamon sticks)
water
fish sauce

to serve:
rick noodles (I like the fresh kind but dried will also work.)
chicken, sliced
thai basil
bean sprouts
green onions, sliced
cilantro, chopped
hoisin sauce
sriracha sauce
sugar
limes


1. Char the ginger and onions and add to a pot. Dump the rest of the soup ingredients into a pot. Simmer until chicken is cooked.
2. Remove chicken from pot and slice.

To serve: Soak rice noodles in hot water. Drain, add broth and garnish with the other optional ingredients. The list above is what I usually like in my pho. Other optional ingredients include, sliced onions, sliced jalapeno peppers, peanuts, fried garlic, fish or meatballs, quail eggs, mint, other herbs...

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Sourdough Bread

This is the first sourdough loaf from Barry the starter. The bread tasted really pretty good. I was a little worried that it wouldn't be sour. I didn't like the shape. I was frustrated this morning so I kinda just let it bake. I still have to perfect this loaf.

First I refreshed the starter. I took a cup of starter, added a cup of bread flour and a cup of water.


I let it bubble up for about 4-5 hours and then I refrigerated it. Below is the starter the next morning after taking it out of the fridge.
There are quite a few steps in between. I didn't take pictures of all the steps. I mixed the refreshed starter with about 3 cups of bread flour and 1 cup of water. I mixed it up and kneaded it for about 10 minutes. I let it sit for about 30 minutes and then added the salt and kneaded for another 10 minutes. I gathered it into a ball and covered it. I left to get my hair cut. When I came back the dough had some bubbles. I gently folded the dough every hour or so for the next five hours. I then gathered it into a ball and then put it into a basket lined with a towel that I dusted generously with flour. I left it in the cold garage overnight. I baked it in the morning.

Below is the finished bread.

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Chicken Red Curry

How much do I love red curry? <----------------------------------------------------------> This much. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not eat leftovers. Curry is an exception. Most restaurants take shortcuts when they make curry. They have one big pot and they add the type of meat and vegetables that is ordered. I've perfected this over the years because it was difficult to find good curry. I have to say that mine is the best I've ever had.

I use different ingredients depending on my mood. Ideally I like using a whole chicken and deboning it myself. I get the best flavor when I use a whole chicken. Lately I've been a little too lazy and I use a combination of boneless chicken breast and either thighs or drumsticks. I debone the chicken drums or thighs and use the bones in the broth. I usually enhance the chicken flavor with a carton of chicken broth. Pacific Brand chicken broth is a staple at my house. I purchase the mini-case from Costco.

Although a lot of the ingredients change, some do remain the same. I always make it with potatoes and bamboo. My favorite potatoes are yukon gold or rose gold potatoes. Yukon golds are easier to find than rose golds. I also love using white sweet potatoes. They are firmer than the orange flesh variety.

2 Tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves garlic; crushed
5 Tablespoons Mae Ploy brand red curry paste
4 Tablespoon madras curry powder (This adds more curry flavor without adding more heat from the curry paste. I don't like it too spicy.)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast; sliced
1 pound chicken drumsticks; debone but reserve the bones
MSG; to taste
salt; to taste
pepper; to taste
1 carton chicken broth
5 cups water (approximately)
4 disks palm sugar (I'm not using red bell peppers or carrots this time. Red bell peppers and carrots add sweetness to the curry.)
1 can Mae Ploy brand coconut milk (The brand matters. I use Mae Ploy for curries and Savoy for desserts.)
2 pieces galanga root
4 kaffir lime leaves (Thanks to grandma. I bring a big bag whenever I go to California. I store them in the freezer.)
2 stalks lemongrass; tied into a knot (Also thanks to grandma.)
1 yellow onion; diced (Yellow is fine. We don't need anything fancy. Save the Bermuda and Vidalias for a different recipe.)
1 can sliced bamboo shoots (I prefer sliced but the thin matchsticks also work.)
1 can quail eggs (This is my favorite thing to add to my curries. I've never seen anyone use quail eggs in their curries.)
4 yukon gold potatoes; peeled and cubed
2 white sweet potatoes; peeled and cubed
fish sauce; to taste

Other optional ingredients:
- Diced red bell pepper
- Sliced carrots
- Thai aubergines; cut in half or quartered (I think I have a post below that has a picture of curry that I made with Thai aubergines. They come either green and white or just white.)
- Butternut squash; cubed
- Sugar snap peas (I had some int he fridge but I had green beans that I needed to use up and it already overflowed the first pot I used. I had to transfer to a big stock pot to finish cooking.)
- Add peanut butter or crushed peanuts for a more Massaman-like curry.


1. In a large pot, heat oil and saute garlic with curry pasts and curry powder until fragrant. Add chicken pieces, season with MSG, salt, and pepper and bones and saute until browned.
2. Add chicken broth, water, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, galanga root, and lemon grass. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about ten minutes. Add coconut milk and fish sauce.
3. Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, onion, bamboo, and eggs. Cook until potatoes are tender.
4. Add green beans. Turn off heat. Remove chicken bones, kaffir lime leaves, galanga root, and lemon grass. Discard. They are not edible.
5. Add green onions, cilantro, and thai basil.
6. Serve with hot jasmine rice.

I often make a huge pot. I give some away and I freeze the rest in small portions. It is not as good after it has been frozen but it still makes a delicious quick meal.

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Sourdough Pancakes

These pancakes are soooo yummy! I think they are replacing my usual pancake recipe. My usual recipe requires separating the egg whites from the yolks, whipping to medium peaks, and then carefully folding the egg whites into the rest of the batter.

I didn't really follow a recipe. I took 2 cups of starter (I had a miscalculation when I built the starter for a different recipe and ended up with extra starter) added some whole milk (I bought whole milk for baking) whisked it all together. I then added more flour to get the right consistency. I added sugar and baking soda. I didn't measure. I sort of just eyeballed everything. I even forgot vanilla and it still tasted really good. Serve with real maple syrup.

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Pizza Night

I used Peter Reinhart's Neapolitan Pizza dough recipe with a few adjustments. I made the dough after work on Friday.

4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached bread flour
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
1 tablespoon malt syrup (I had to dissolve it in warm water.)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag. (This is where I divided them into five balls and put them into little oiled plastic containers. The pizza are still really small. The bf said to go ahead and just divide the two into two next time.)

3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)

4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Let rest for 2 hours.

5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.

7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other toppings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient. (I wanted to do simple toppings but the bf needs his meat so I bought some salami and pepperoni in addition to my fresh mozzarella and fresh basil.)

8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.

Sauce:
I made a very simple sauce.

1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon italian season
salt
black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1. Puree diced tomatoes and garlic. (I decided on diced tomatoes instead of crushed because i wanted to leave them a little chunky.)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until reduced.

Toppings:
- fresh mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil leaves
- italian seasoning
- sliced salami
- sliced pepperoni

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Seeing Double

Talk about customer service! Kitchenaid has awesome customer service. I had issues with Carmine (left) the first night I got her. The second day she would not handle 9 cups of flour for the cinnamon rolls. She kept on shutting herself off. I called Kitchenaid to see if I was doing something wrong. She was overheating too quickly. The nice rep said he would send out a new one right away. This is was Saturday, January 24th. I recieved the replacement on Monday, February 2nd. They said 7-10 business days. It was only about 5 business days. I tested the new one with a batch of Peter Reinhart's white bread recipe. This time I used milk instead of buttermilk. The buttermilk version is soooo much better. The new one also stopped. Maybe these Kitchenaids are not designed for dough.

I put them side by side and took a picture. I'm not sure what I should name the new one. I can't name him/her Carmine again.

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Sweet Pea Risotto

This was dinner on Saturday night. I was intending to serve with flounder. The flounder was a disaster. I will have to go complain tell the store about the horrible flounder they sold to me. The flesh turned into liquid mush. I read that sometimes arrowtooth flounder gets sold as flounder. The arrowtooth produces an enzyme soon after it dies. The enzyme turns the flesh into liquid mush.

The risotto was quite yummy.

- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion; diced
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup madeira wine
- 4-8 cups chicken broth or stock
- sea salt
- fresh black pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 1/2 cups frozen sweet peas; thawed

1. In a large pot, melt butter and add olive oil. Saute diced onion until translucent. Add rice, coat with fat and cook for about another minute.
2. Add wine and stir in. Let rice absorb wine. (Use a dry white wine. I used madeira since I tend to keep fortified wines in the fridge and I didn't want to open up a bottle of white wine for the dish.)
3. Add about half cup of stock, stir and let rice absorb liquid. Continue adding stock in half cup increments, stirring and allowing each addition to absorb. Repeat until rice is al dente.
4. Meanwhile puree about 1 3/4 cups of green peas. You may need to add a little water to get the puree going.
5. Just before serving, add the pureed peas, the rest of the peas, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan cheese.

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