Aloo Gobi

- 1 cauliflower cut into florets
- 300g potato in pieces
- 1/2 head garlic
- 1 inch knob ginger
- 1 tbsp coriander ground
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp kalojni seeds
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tin diced tomatoes
- salt
- cayenne pepper

Directions
- using food processor, make ginger and garlic paste (adding oil if necessary)
- add paste to ground coriander, kalojni seeds and tumeric
- heat oil, fry cumin seeds and chili for few minutes until aromatic
- add masala paste and fry for another few minutes
- add tomato, potato and cauliflower
- cook covered for 5 minutes, then uncover and cook until vegetables done and liquid is dried up
- salt to taste

Green Onion pancake

Stolen from Serious Eats

Ingredients

2 Cups of flour (284 g)
3/4 Cup of boiling water (hot water)
Sesame oil
2 cups of sliced green onions (~ 1 bunch)

Instructions:

Using the food processor, add flour, then start processor and add 3/4 Cups of hot water.  If the dough doesn't come together, add more hot water 1 Tbsp at a time until dough comes together.  Stop processor, dump dough out and knead into a ball.  Then let rest for 30 mins covered with damp cloth or cling wrap.

Separate dough into 4 pieces.  Roll out dough on slightly floured surface until ~ 20 cm circle, using brush, paint with sesame oil, then roll up and then coil and roll out again to same size.  Again paint with sesame oil and 1/4 of the green onions.  Roll up and coil then roll out to 7 cm disc and fry in med to high heat pan (non stick or cast iron).  Sprinkle with salt.

Pressure cooker Congee with chicken mushroom, dried scallops, chinese mushroom and Ginger

Ingredients

1/2 chinese cup brown rice
1/2 Chinese cup white rice
6 cups of water
3 chicken thighs
4 dried scallops
6 Chinese mushrooms
chunk of Ginger peeled

Wash rice, throw everything into the pressure cooker.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Pull out the chicken, take skin off and pull the meat of the bones and add back to the congee.  Season with salt, white pepper.

Top with green onions that have been sliced, or radishes or peanuts.

Congee in a hurry !

Fast Pressure Cooker ribs

Ingredients

2 racks of ribs - each rack cut into 4 pieces (after removing the silver skin)
dry rub
bbq sauce
1/2 cup of stock or water or beer
1 tbs of liquid smoke (I didn't use this b/c I didn't have it)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Coat the ribs in the dry rub, getting it into every nook and cranny.  Place liquid in bottom of pressure cooker.  Stack ribs on top.  Cook in pressure cooker for 30 mins.

Place the ribs onto a silpat cover baking sheet (or tinfoil) and then cover with bbq sauce.  Cook for 8 - 10 mins, then flip and cook for another 8 - 10 mins.

Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter melted (57g)
3/4 cups packed brown sugar (148g)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup milk

Sweet Dough:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast (2tsp and 1/4 tsp)
3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour (approx) (568g)

Preparation:

Sweet Dough: In stand mixer, combine 2 tsp of the sugar and 1/4 cup warm water, stir to dissolve sugar. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat milk, remaining sugar (3 Tbs and 1 tsp), butter and salt until butter is melted [microwave]; let cool to lukewarm. Stir into yeast mixture. Beat in eggs. Add enough of the flour, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time, to form shaggy dough [or almost all of it at once 568 gm]. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead, adding enough of the remaining flour as necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes [or use the hook and work it on the machine for 4 mins or so].

Transfer to large greased bowl; turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm,draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. [I like to place it into the oven with a bowl of hot water]

Punch down dough; turn out only lightly floured surface. Divide in half; roll each into 15-inch (38 cm) log. Cut each into 30 pieces; shape each piece into smooth ball.
Place butter in shallow bowl. In separate shallow bowl, combine sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Roll balls in butter then in sugar mixture to coat. Place in generously greased 10-inch (4 L) tube or 10-inch (3 L) Bundt pan. [At this point you can also put it in the fridge covered and back it the next morning for early morning cinnamon sugar monkey bread.  Just take out of the fridge and repeat the hotwater oven trick and let rise again ~30 mins to 1 hr ]

Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (or 30 mins)

Bake in 350?F (180?C) oven until golden and bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 20 - 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack; let cool completely.

Stir icing sugar with milk; drizzle over bread. (or skip this step I do )

Johnny cakes (Cornmeal pancakes)

this is our attempt to recreate the delicious M&M Soulfood cafe pancakes in Las Vegas

Ingredients

10 SERVINGS

3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled

vegetable oil

Preparation

Sift first 6 ingredients into large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs and melted butter in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until blended and smooth.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly coat bottom of heavy large skillet with oil. Heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet for each pancake. Cook until bottoms are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn pancakes and cook until second sides are golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as necessary.

Delicious with maple syrup and pulled pork 

Chicken/Pork Chili Verde - Pressure cooker - Serious eats

Ingredients

- 3 lbs or so bone in skin on chicken (thighs and drumsticks) (consider taking off the skins) OR use pork shoulder cut into large cubes
- 3/4 lbs (or more) of tomatillos (or green tomatoes from the garden that we were trying to eat up) quartered and husked ( 4 tomatillos)
- 1 lb poblano peppers - roughly chopped, seeded and stemmed (3 peppers)
- 6 oz of cubano or anaheim peppers chopped seeded and stemmed (2 peppers)
- 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, chopped, stems discarded
- 10 oz of white onion roughly chopped (~1 medium)
- 6 medium garlic cloves peeled
- 1 Tbsp of whole cumin seed toasted and ground
- salt
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems + more for garnish
- 1 Tbsp asian fish sauce
- Fresh corn tortillas and lime wedges for serving

Directions

1. In the pressure cooker combine chicken, tomatillos, peppers, onions, garlic, cumin and a big pinch of salt.  Heat over high heat until sizzling, then seal bring to high pressure and cook for 15 mins.  Release pressure

2. Using tongs, remove chicken pieces to bowl and set aside.  Add cilantro, fish sauce to pressure cooker and blend with hand blender.  Season with salt.  Remove skin, bones and shred chicken then return to sauce.

Delicious !! and so fast.... super good use for our green tomatoes

Grilled Soy and Fish Sauce Chicken Wings

Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Shoaxing wine
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- sambal/chili flakes
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- cilantro for garnish

Directions
- combine ingredients and marinate wings overnight
- drain wings and pat dry
- oil grill
- cook 7 minutes on medium indirect heat, then medium high direct heat turning frequently to prevent burning

Pita Bread Recipe - Chef John's recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp of yeast (1 package = 0.25 oz)
1 cup of warm water (32 - 38 C)
1 cup (125 g) of all purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 (225g) cups all purpose flour (plus more if needed)

1 tsp olive oil

Directions

Place yeast, warm water and 1 cup of flour in bowl and whisk together.  Let stand 15 - 20 mins for mixture to rise and make a loose sponge (should see bubbles and foam)

Pour 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil, and salt into sponge; mix/ whisk, then add 1 3/4 C flour.  Mix at low speed with hook until dough is soft, supple and slightly sticky.  If the dough is sticking to the side of the bowl add up to 1/4 c of flour a little at a time.

Knead dough with machine on low speed for 5 - 6 mins until slightly springy and still soft.  Turn dough out onto floured work surface and form into ball.

Wipe inside of bowl with 1/4 tsp olive oil, and turn around in bowl to cover with a thin film of oil; cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit until dough has doubled in size (~ 2 hrs)

Remove dough onto floured work surface, lightly pat into flat shape about 1 inch thick and cut into 8 pieces.  Form each into a ball and let rise for 30 mins under plastic wrap.

1. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on a work surface and top of a dough ball; gently pat dough ball flat with your fingers, forming a flat, round bread about 1/4 inch thick. Let dough round rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
2. Brush a cast-iron skillet with remaining 3/4 teaspoon olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Lay pita bread into hot skillet and cook until bread begins to puff up and bottom has brown spots and blisters, about 3 minutes. Flip, cook 2 more minutes, and flip back onto original side to cook for about 30 more seconds. Pita bread will begin to puff up and fill with hot air. Stack cooked breads on a plate; when cool enough to handle, break breads in half and open the pocket inside for stuffing.

Asian Braised Brisket (or other cut)

Ingredients
- 2/3 cup apple juice (or we subbed elderflower syrup, apple jelly, water and cider vinegar coz we didn't have any)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup cooking wine
- 1 tbsp miso
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or molasses
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 kg braising meat (we used beef brisket, would like to try beef/pork cheeks)
- daikon (we used a bunch of radishes)
- 3 chopped onions
- 10 or more cloves of garlic roughly chopped

Directions
1. Season meat with salt and pepper. Sear off meat in oil, remove from pot
2. Saute onions until changing colour
3. Put all ingredients into pressure cooker with enough liquid to just cover- cook for 1 - 1 1/2 hours
4. Skim off fat
5. Serve with udon or rice

Instant Pot Black Bean Sauce Ribs with Kabocha

Ingredients

- 2 rack of baby back ribs (or spare ribs) cut into individual ribs
- 1/2 large (or 1 small) Kabocha squash, cubed (thick pieces)
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 2 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 2 inches ginger, sliced
- 2 tbsp cooking wine
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 4 tbsp black bean garlic sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup water
- chili (optional)
- white pepper

Directions
1. Sautee ginger, garlic and shallots in oil until fragrant
2. Add ribs and remainder of seasoning/water into pot. High pressure for 15 minutes, 8 minutes natural release
3. Remove ribs from pot, add squash and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes, quick release.

Asian Style short ribs in the pressure cooker

Ingredients

Feeds 4

8 Short ribs
3 Carrots cut into big chunks
1 small daikon cut into big chunks
optional shitake mushrooms / chinese mushrooms

1/2 cup cooking wine / sherry
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 soy sauce
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
optional chili

Cut off the meat from the bone (if you want), then season with salt and pepper and sear the meat in the enamel cast iron over med - high heat.  Once browned all over, place into pressure cooker.  Pour out fat, then pour in the cooking wine and scrape up fond, and pour into pressure cooker.  Add the rest of the ingredients in and cook for 30 mins.

Using a slotted spoon, take out all the bits.  Then pour the cooking liquid into a gravy separator (if you have one) and separate the fat.  Pour the juice back in and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve with sliced green onions on top.

Super delicious :)

Overnight Cinnamon buns

I'm Ingredients

Buns
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of butter
1 package (0.25 oz) of active yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
4.5 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
3 eggs

Filling
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 Tbsp of cinnamon
(optional more butter)

Frosting
equal part butter and cream cheese and icing sugar
vanilla to taste


Instructions

warm milk in microwave, melt butter in it, let come to room temperature, add yeast, stir to dissolve.  Add 3 cups of flour, sugar, salt and eggs and stir to combine.  Add the remaining 1.5 cups of flour 1/2 at a time.  When the dough has pulled together, roll out onto a floured suface and knead until supple and smooth ~ 8 mins.

Place in oiled bowl, oil dough and cover with wet cloth.  Let rise in warm place for ~ 1 hr until double in size.  Punch down and then roll on a floured surface to 10X14 size rectangle.  Place filling, wet with water far long side, then roll.  Cut into 12 pieces and place into a greased 9 X 13 or 12 in deep dish pizza dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the fridge.

Next morning, set oven for 375 and take out of fridge, leave room temperature for 30 mins, then bake for 25 - 30 mins until browned on top.  Let cool slightly then turn out onto plate, and cover with frosting.

Ala Dorrie Greenspan - Bonne idea

Instead of cinnamon sugar fill with caramalized onions and chipotles in Adobe sauce 

Chambar's Mussels Congolaise

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

2 teaspoons ground fennel seed

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

½ tablespoon minced garlic

1½ pounds mussels, cleaned

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon chipotle purée

¼ cup lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add red onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until softened. Add fennel seed, coriander, cumin seeds and black pepper, and stir to release flavour of spices. Add garlic and mussels and stir.

Add coconut milk, tomatoes, chipotle purée and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil.

Cook mussels until they have opened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve immediately, discarding any unopened mussels

** good as a stew base

** I added tomato paste and more lemon juice than called for