Universal Flapjacks

Crunchy, soft or chewy. Flapjacks of any kind are my absolute favorite sweets. I can eat five and still crave a few more: a-d-d-i-c-t-i-o-n? sugar overdose,.. random thoughts popping through my mind when indulging in another bite, do I care? not now...

I have always had mixed feelings about learning how to bake flapjacks. Mainly thought that if I knew how, I would never leave the kitchen. So I kept buying them instead. And then they stopped selling them. Disastrous... Convinced, I went on a flapjack recipe hunt. And then ta-raaa.... I signed up for my favorite Taste & Create event (again) and was paired with Arundathi of My Food Blog. Arundathi is a lovely Chennai lady who truly enjoys cooking anything. Browsing through her recipes, guess what I found!

Similarly to me, she became a flapjack-addict: "...It was sheer bites of deliciousness. Please, if you want to learn to make just ONE dessert, let this be the one - its sheer genius and completely idiot-proof..."

True, after googling a few, you find that the secret traditional ratio is very simple - Sugar : Butter : oats - ratio 1:1:1.

FLAPJACK:

• 250 g margarine
• 250 g oats
• 100 g brown sugar
• 3 tbsp dark syrup
• dried fruit or nuts (raspberry and chocolate in Arundathi´s version)
  

In a small saucepan melt the margarine with the sugar and syrup. Add the oats and coat well. Let cool partially. Mix in the chopped fruits or nuts and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake at 175 degrees for about an hour or until crispy, chewy or however desired.

This is a really simple forgiving recipe and I will never give up experimenting. Thank you, Arundathi for this wonderful recipe.

Japanese Sushi

You would not think that sushi is something one needs to introduce to today´s world, but trust me, every time I go back to Slovakia and make a few for visitors, there will always be at least one that wonders: "Hey, Zu! What are these funny looking rolls? And what´s that black thing around them?" And then, naturally, everyone falls in love with it and wants to make it right away.

It may not seem so, but sushi is a very easy dish. All you need is dried nori seaweed leaves, rice and some leftovers. All you need to bring is your fantasy and a bit of free time to play.

Traditionally, sushi is made with raw fish, but there is more to it than that. So, here is a very easy example with using commonly available ingredients. Below are some of my favorite fancy combos. Voilla, a plate of:

JAPANESE SUSHI:

• for the rice:
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• for a basic filling:
• Omelet stripes
• cucumber
• carrot
• soft cheese slices
• sautéed mushroom
• nori seaweed sheets *
  
• sesame seeds
  

* Note: If you ran out of sushi leaves, try blanched spinach or mangold leaves. Maybe shortly boiled cabbage could work, too?

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Put in a pot together with two cups water, bring to boil, cover and cook until all the water evaporates (this will take up to 20 minutes. Do not mix it, rice will create a little “holes” to breathe).
Meanwhile wash the cucumber and the carrot cut them lengthwise into thin matchsticks.
When the rice is ready, pour in the vinegar mixture and mix well. While still hot, start spreading layers onto the sushi seaweed, the thinner the better. Leave 1 cm on each side. Evenly put three rice grains on the empty 1 cm seaweed - one to the middle and one on each end. (This serves as glue). Now get crazy and line-up the filling to the first (less than) third: 2-3 cucumber, carrot and omelet stripes, one line of sautéed mushrooms, cover with soft cheese slices. Start rolling. At the end, press a little on the “glue”, so the rolls stay rolled-up

Leave for 10 minutes with the end on the bottom, so it sticks properly. Make some more rolls.

To serve, take a thin long knife and wet with water. Start cutting from the middle towards the end 1.5 cm thick slices. Water your knife with cold water after each slice (rice is too sticky, you may ruin the roll). Arrange nicely on a plate, with the endings in the middle. Pretty, isn’t it?

Traditionally served with soy sauce, pickled ginger and grated wasabi.

A few of my favorite fancy fillings:

1. "mushy fillings"
1. Grated tofu mixed with yogurt and shredded horseradish.
2. "Japanese Guacamole" (avocado with soy sauce, pressed garlic and a few drops of dark balsamico vinegar)
3. Tuna or egg sandwhich spread.
4. Hummus
5. Peanut butter
   
2. "Sprinkles"
1. Fresh herbs
2. Garden cress
3. sesame seeds
4. chopped nuts
   

This was the first thing that popped to my mind when Kaykat announced this month´s Think Spice Think Wasabi event run by Sunita of Sunita´s World. I am pretty sure that I am one in a million that will submit sushi, but my wasabi usage skill is fairly limited. This is also why I am super-excited about the round-up... ehm... to expand horizons :-)

Simple Veggie Oatmeal Patties

Once I was at home completely alone, vegan and hungry. On top of this misery, I was lazy to go to the store. I looked into the fridge. Lousy half-dead carrots. Fab... (rolling eyes).
Off to the cupboard. Some oatmeals, zillion of spices, some dried lentils and beans and brown rice. Back to the fridge... Still just carrots, nothing new. ..Back to the storage cupboard. Still the same. Darn.. Rice, beans, lentils - those all take forever to make. That gives me a choice of zillion of spices, shivered carrots and oatmeals. Great, lets get cooking.
Believe or not, but what seemed like a complete disastrous dinner turned out to be a fab never-ending feast. By a graduate experimenting with different ingredients I came to the conclusion that one can never have enough of:

SIMPLE VEGGIE OATMEAL PATTIES:

• oatmeals
• firm veggies (e.g. carrot as on the picture)
• seasoning (I used simply salt)

Simply grate the carrots (I like the thicker gratings) and pile up. Sprinkle with seasoning. Mix well, add the oatmeals and process to a sticky dough. The vegetables will release its juices, so don't worry about liquid.
Divide into several chunks, shape into balls, flatten and form patties of any desired size. Now the fun is here, so make sure you make enormous quantity.

1. Eat them raw (it´s just oatmeals and veggies after all)

2. Deep- or shallow-fry them
3. Bake them

4. Freeze them for later use.

How can one have enough? Try:

1. Chopped chilies
2. Various spice or herb mixes
3. A combination of grated or mashed veggies (mashed broccoli works great)
4. Chopped seeds or nuts
5. Coat them with breadcrumbs, dessicated coconut

... cannot think of something that would not work. You can even make them sweet!!!

This is my contribution to Eat Healthy Eat Fiber event run by Sangeeth over at Art of Cooking Indian Food. Looking forward to the round-up and part 2.

We had ours with a simple sugar-snaps stir-fry.

A very unique oatmeal patties that I like to make whenever back home in Slovakia are the ones made from Stinging Nettle herb... very lovely spinachy flavor.

T&T - Tastes Like Home (Round-Up)

Hey everyone :-)

Last week, my lovely tiny miny blog turned 1 :-) Today, I am turning 26. Tompa took me to London, where we have been celebrating ever since. I am having a great time! However, similarly to my last post, this one is not about me neither. It is about you, but fore mostly about Cynthia of Tastes Like Home - our Blog Of The Month in Tried And Tasted.

I am very excited to share all the entries I received with you. Guessing from all the entries, it has been a busy month for you guys, running around kitchen throwing in a bit of Caribbean tang. I myself have had a lot of fun re-creating few of her delicious dishes. So here is the moment, when Cynthia is surely quite anxious to hear:

HOW TASTY IS TASTES LIKE HOME?

Well, well, well ;-) .....

Generally speaking, Cynthia´s blog is an absolute feast and not only for one´s eyes. Each and every participant commented not only on its picturesqueness, but equally on flavors, aromas, colors, freshness, .... in one word beauty, that only reflects author´s personality.

Let us have a little look at statistics:

Number of participants: 29
Number of recipes tried: 32
Number of entries: 45

And now let us see who was responsible for all this:

Firstly, let us have a look at the winners...

1. Flaked Roti - the most popular dish that has been re-created by 5 bloggers. Following Cynthia´s step-by-step detailed slide show, even kids can make these and as only flour and water is needed, everyone can afford them. We were all amazed, eh? Peek at our lovely flatbreads, from our kitchens to yours - by Asha of Aroma, Margot of Coffee and Vanilla, Kittie of Kittens In The Kitchen, humble me Zlamushka´s Spicy Kitchen and our very first non-blogger Shundel, a true Cynthia´s fan: "Being a native of Guyana like Cynthia it warms my heart and makes my mouth salivate each week I visit her page". For this event, she made 36 rotis, can you believe that? And only one survived :-)

2. Peanut Punch - another reader´s favorite. Despite several complains from lovely Cynthia about her porridge nightmare in her childhood, her recipe for this filling drink was definitely a digg-in. Uma of Essence of Andhra, Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi and Lyra of Rice And Beans ... all three (or four, Jai ?) were on the top of the happy hill with this one.

3. Coconut-Cilantro Rice - another reader´s favorite gaining the best reviews. A lady with a lovely name Pintoo of Zaayka, Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons and my most favorite Ayi Christine of Kitschow were equally impressed by the surprising taste of this simple fresh combination.

...followed by the delicious rest:

* Snacks And Appetizers *

4. Channa - a simple snack reminding Cynthia of her childhood has been a great inspiration to Jen of Real Good Taste and Deeba of Passionate About Baking.

5. Parmesan Crisps - party time! Cynthia announces. Everyone grab your aprons and get cooking. Cheesy crispy munches.... no wonder TBC of The Budding Cook did not have to be asked twice.6.Dhal Puri - lovely lentil flatbread, a great breakfast, snack, side dish or ,... pretty much on any occasion you can imagine yourself. Margot of Coffee And Vanilla shall tell you more.

7. Cheese Wafers - adored by Lisa of Vegetarian Kitchen. Crispy, soft, warm, slightly crumbly - a magnificent treat, in Lisa´s own words. On the very last day, Nirmala of Amma´s Special showed up with another batch of these lovely treats. Better late than never, eh?

8. Cheese Scones - I just realised that a few entries ended up in my junk box. What a shame, I almost did not notice. Fortunately I did and I am proud to present these gorgeous love-scones baked by Namratha of Finger-Licking Food.

* Main Courses *

9. Egg Curry - a fantastic hearty lunch idea straight from Margot´s Coffee And Vanilla, flavored with Cynthia´s home-made curry paste (below) and a bit of potatoes.


10. Spinach Channa - a wonderful combo of spicy spinach and salty chickpeas. I at Zlamushka´s Spicy Kitchen enjoyed this soft and crunchy light dry curry with some roti and white wine.

11. Chicken Curry - talking about side dishes? Well, what with them? Visit Margot of Coffee and Vanilla, she has made a whole feast of Caribbean food.

12. Baked Eggs - this lovely baked omelette fascinated Happy Cook of My Kitchen Treasures so much, her daughter was scrapping the last bits until clean. How cute :-)

13. Eggplant Channa - a lovely fusion with heaps of fresh European herbs. I at Zlamushka´s Spicy Kitchen even took it a step further, adding a splash of wine while sautéing the chickpeas and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce at the end.

14. Fried Salt Fish - an absolute favorite of Kittie of Kittens In The Kitchen. In her own words: "...deeply spicy, lovely chunks of salt cod simmered in tomatoes and onions. And a spoonful of scotch bonnet sauce (below), of course."

15. Eggplant Paneer - another one of my favorite dishes featuring my favorite vegetable. I at Zlamushka´s Spicy Kitchen used tofu instead of paneer, added some cumin powder and was left speechless. Tofu was packed with flavor and coated with fresh herbs.

* Salad *

16. Buljol - a wonderfully refreshing salt fish salad bursting with flavors of raw onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. Kittie of Kittens In The Kitchen, has once again created a gorgeous looking must-try.

* Side Dishes *

17. Cook-up Rice - a new keeper of Arundathi of My Food Blog who has discovered this traditional Guyanese dish and made it already twice. I am sure she will not hesitate to make it again. Glenna of A Fridge Full Of Food has toyed with the original recipe and ended up with a whole dinner feast.

18. Potato Choka - has also not been forgotten. While Jan of What Do I Want To Cook Today? stayed true to the recipe, Pintoo of Zaayka has been very creative with this one by adding Pepper Jack Cheese, creating a satisfactory fusion dinner.

19. Guyanese Bakes - wonderful deep-fried dough, a great accompaniment to curries and stews. Kittie of Kittens In The Kitchen has enjoyed a whole pile of them.

* Pastes And Relishes *

20. Curry Paste - there is nothing as warming as a spoonful of a nice homey spice curry raising from a small jar of home-made curry paste. Ask Margot of Coffee And Vanilla for more details.

21. Tamarind Relish - a wonderfully sour, sweet, fruity, juicy, spicy and refreshing, a lovely Caribbean chutney happily enjoyed by Nupur of One Hot Stove, and myself at Zlamushka´s Spicy Kitchen.

22. Eggplant Choka - Choka is referred to the actual method of making the dish. Basically a choka is roasting, pounding and grinding an ingredient till the consistency is just right. Meeta of What´s For Lunch Honey? made the one with her favorite veggie.

23. Tomato Choka - re-created by Namratha of Finger-Licking food. A wonderful relish to any rice or curry dish. The simplest she has ever made, yet packed with flavor. Those are my favorite - real deals!

24. Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce - a naughty fiery spice-kick that will definitely get your nose runny and eyes watery, another favorite of Kittie from Kittens In The Kitchen. I am yet to make this little diablo sauce ;-)

25. Souree Sour - innovated by Indosungod of Daily Musings by adding mango instead of souree, a picturesque post accompanied with a few green tips to tickle everyone´s eco-awareness.

* Desserts *

26. Shortbread Coconut Cookies - fancy something sweet? Lots to choose from. Stop by over at Aparna´s Diverse Kitchen and indulge yourself. cannot you smell them already? So smooth, soft, chewy....

27. Coconut Ice Cream - ...I hope catches your fancy. It certainly did, for Aparna has once more invited her taste buds to Carribean and re-created this gorgeous snow-white wonder.

28. Salara - This extremely shiny rolled bread cannot flee anyone´s attention. Laavanya of Cookery Corner went crazy with the filling, added raisins to the original recipe, resulting into a festive eye-catching juicy roulade.

29. Cassava Balls - a completely new cooking experience for Sangeeth of Art of Cooking Indian Food., who has thanks to Cynthia discovered the goodness of cassava.

30. Chinese Mooncakes - I have been longing to make these gorgeous treats for ages. After my trip back from London I ended up with a lovely cake mould, but it was not until a peek into Tastes Like Home, Zlamushka´s Spicy Kitchen proudly presented it´s first batch.

31. Rice Pudding - this time with raspberry sauce has been re-created by Gloria of Canela´s Kitchen Recipes. Additionally, she suggests different serving ways, making this lovely dessert more versatile.

* Drinks *

32. Cinnamon-Bay Leaf Tea - A wonderful marriage of aromas transferred into your favorite cup. Meera of Enjoy World Food can only underline its great taste.

Thank you everyone for participating, this has been a great month. I really hope you had fun exploring fellow blogger´s cooking skills and will continue cooking with us in June as well.

And now Cynthia - I am happy to stamp your blog, here is one, just for you :-) Thank you so much for volunteering. You have been a great laboratory rat ;-)

T&T - One Hot Stove

Hey Everyone :-)

BURNT MOUTH is 1 year old today :-) Happy birthday to you, my little blog, muah on the screen... almost 150 posts and almost 40.000 visitors, I feel so popular ;-) But anyone, this post is not exactly about me....

T&T for May is now over with amazing entries from all over the world, however as I am still compiling the round-up that will be up next week, late arrivals are sure welcome. So, if you haven't got a chance to contribute yet, do so this week.

Today, it is my utmost pleasure to present our second volunteer - scrumptious One Hot Stove. I chose lovely Nupur, because her A - Z of Indian Vegetables (Oh, wasn't that one fun?) was the very first event I ever participated. I found out about blogging events as such when Nupur was announcing X is for eXploration.

Ever since the event, Nupur holds a special place in my heart and I love reading her frequent posts and drool over her beautiful pictures. She has recently learned how to knit and seems to enjoy this new hobby of hers a lot. But let us be honest here (or here and definitelly here???), do these dishcloths still fall in a category of "beginner´s luck" as she puts it? I highly doubt it, Nupur, you´re a pro! Just as when cooking :-)

So, ready for some Indian?

The rules are simple:

1. Cook any recipe(s) from One Hot Stove and post about it. Stay as true to the original recipe(s) as possible. Therefore, there is no need for re-posting it, simply link to the original post :-)
   
1. There is no time-frame for the original recipe. It can be as old as my grand-mother or as fresh as a mung bean sprout.
2. Have you cooked from Nupur before? As this event is all about tasting and reflecting on the taste, older posts are also welcome. Simply link to this post and mention T&T event.
   
2. Link your post to HERE (feel free to use the logo) and to the original post. Please always link to both sites, so both blogs are given credit and you are avoiding copyright fuss.
   
3. Send me an e-mail (zlamushka@hotmail.com) with your name, your post URL as well as the original URL and a picture (any size).
4. Deadline is the June 30st 2008 and the round up will be posted within a week.

Non-bloggers are more than welcome to participate (after all, our posts are mainly being written for them). Simply e-mail me (zlamushka@hotmail.com) with your experience of what you cooked and please include a picture.

The round up will be posted during the first week in July.

So from now on until the end of the month, we are enjoying ONE HOT STOVE!

Uff, what a looong post ;-) off snacking on Nupur´s Bhadang...