Yesterday Jr and Sr. H i.e., mom and daughter and went shopping coz it was Jr's birthday and she wanted a book! We went all the way to Crosswords at Nirmal Lifestyles, and spent a most satisfactory hour browsing through books. H bought an Asterix, and I stumbled upon a bread book with drool-worthy pictures! Naturally, we walked with more than we thought we would, and H gorged on a dutch truffle with all the energy of an enthusiastic 12yr. old.
Meanwhile I half read another 'Calvin and Hobbes - One of my favourite - wrong most favourite - comic books'. BTW for those who saw 'Taare Zameen Par', did you know that the sequence where Ishaan adds up the numbers wrong (3+6 = 6) has been word for word, and scene for scene picked up from Calvin and Hobbes where Calvin like Ishaan dreams of Captain Spiff bashing into the 6th planet and writes 5+6=6! I wonder why we don't respect copyright! I like Aamir Khan but so many of his movies have sequences picked out from Hollywood I wish there was more originality and more research (He should know - he calls himself an avid reader!) in our movies. BUT I loved the movie and watched it teary eyed till the end sniffling into a hanky for a good measure!
This morning I had to make one of the breads and since Jr. P is incredibly fond of Domino's Garlic bread sticks I decided to make it, and I was more than just happy with the results!
Here's the recipe - I took mine brushed with olive oil mixed with rosemary and oregano while the rest took it which the herbed cheese dip! I am going to repeat this very soon again.
The recipe is called 'Buttered garlic and basil sticks' in which I forgot to add the garlic so mine gets to be 'Buttered herbed sticks':). This falls under the category of flat breads and is absolutely easy to make!
Recipe:
Buttered herbed sticks
(Source: Adapted from
The Bread Book by Sara Lewis)
(Adapted to vegan style and little bit of changes in the amount of salt and combination of flours)
Ingredients:
1 and 2/3 cups - Whole wheat flour
2 cups - APF
3/4tsp - Salt
3/4 tsp - Caster sugar
1 and 1/4 tsps - Fast action dried yeast
1tbsps - Olive oil
1/4 cup - Soy milk warmed (Approx.)
1 scant cup - Warm water
Coarse sea salt
Garnish:
2 tsp - melted butter (I used vanaspati)
1/4tsp - Mixed dried rosemary, oregano and basil (Use just fresh basil if you can)
4 garlic cloves - grated or finely chopped (I completely left this out - The aranai strikes again:))
A pinch of pepper - optional
Method:
1. Place the flour in a large bowl and stir in the salt, sugar and yeast. Add the olive oil and gradually mix in enough warm water to make a soft dough. If it does not come together sprinkle warm milk little by little till you are able to make a soft pliable dough.
2. Knead well until dough is smooth and elastic. Place back in the lightly oiled bowl oiling the surface of the dought also. Cover with an oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for an hour or until doubled in size. I had to keep it in the oven which was heated for sometime as the rain has brought the temp. down. And this took over 2 hours to double.
3. Place the raised dough on lightly floured surface and knead again. Divide into two portions. Roll each half out to a 1 and 1/2 cm thick oval - I rolled it into 9 x 7".
4. Transfer to greased baking sheets. Make sharp cuts 2.5cm apart within the oval and not cutting into the edges. Like this:
5. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover again and let it proof for another 1/2hr. The edges will rise slightly.
6. Remove the clingfilm. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 deg. Cel. for 8-10mins(Mine took 15 mins and I grilled it for another 3 mins. to brown it slightly). It should be golden and sound hollow when tapped.
7. Melt a small piece of butter (2tsp.) or vanaspati and add the garlic (I forgot this one). Fry for 2-3mins till the garlic turns pinkish brown. Remove and add the herbs n' pepper. Brush this over the hot bread separating them to sticks and serve hot.
8. You can store the bread at stage 6, and warm at the time of serving as in step 7.
9. Serve with cheese dip - Melt a little butter, add a tsp. of APF or whole wheat flour. Roast to pink, and add 1/4 cup milk. Stir till smooth. Grate in 1/2 a cube of cheese and stir smooth. BTW the ones above are taken in my kitchen with less light and this one in the living room - what a difference sunlight makes:)
Sailaja ventures to take you into a delicious journey into vegetarian food through her blog
Sailaja's recipes, and keeps the word! I am happy to be
tagged by her for this me-me:).
1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATER?
Bhoothnath
2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
Helen Keller's "Story of my life" and Asterix if that is counted. I always read a comic parallel to a book! And picturing many scenes from Black.
3) FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Trade/Monopoly/Pictionary
4) FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Femina/Reader's Digest/Health/Good Housekeeping/Meri Saheli (Hindi) /Sarita (Hindi)
5) FAVORITE SMELLS?
Kasuri methi, Vanilla sticks, Dalchini/Cinnamon/Roses/Almond/Fresh homemade bread or cake, the smell of earth after the first shower, the smell of pine trees in forests, smell of good food and fruits - I know there are so many and I am not doing justice to them!
6) FAVORITE SOUNDS?
I enjoy KennyG's saxophone, the sound of birds in the morning - the fantail, koyal and kingfisher, sounds of laughter, flowing water, the first thunder, soft lilting music and guitar in hard rock, my childrens' voices when they call me at office to let me know they have got back from school, Friends on phone - Again I know I am leaving out many!
7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
I really wish I could give back to society in more ways than I am. This sometimes depresses me when I see sorrow, poverty, unfairness.
8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Reply to Mummy - what's for short break!
9) FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Prashant Corner at Thane.
10) FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
I have two. If I adopted another one - I wouldn't change the name!
11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D’
I would aid the poor.
12)DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
I ride only a cycle, and when I am on a slope I am crazy:)
13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
No.
14)STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
Cool when the storms start, scary if rages too long.
15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Maruti 800.
16) FAVORITE DRINK?
Was tea and coffee - I have given them up of late. Now it's mango juice.
17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
Listen to more music, sleep more, paint more, embroider more and bake more:)
18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yes! I never waste the edible parts in any of the vegetables, and broccoli is so costly here:)
19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
I had streaked a few strands purple and coloured my hair mahogany. It was deadly but the purple faded too soon. If only it was permanent - I still haven't found what I am looking for!
20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Barreilly, Kanpur, Jabalpur, Secunderabad, Mumbai, Shillong, Bangalore many more - Dad was in the defence.
21) FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Tennis sometimes - I haven't watched much of cricket since Imran Khan left...ha ha:)
22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
From her blog I know one thing for sure - She is one helluva cook!
23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
Alarm at my side.
24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
Oh yes!
25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Morning. Of late I have started going to bed late - stretching time.
26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Energetic!
27) FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
Bed.
28) FAVORITE PIE?
Apple crumble.
29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Malai and mango.
30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
That's unfair.
More to come:)
What are five things on my to-do list for today (non-work related)?
I have to purchase something nice for daughter's b'day tomorrow:)
Watch Jo jeeta wohi superstar - I never miss it.
What are five snacks I enjoy?
Congress kadalakai - Only from Srinivasa Iyengar Bakery, Bangalore!
Ragda pattice
Chhole bhature
Sesame bread fingers/gold coin
Tarts, cookies and cakes - most baked goodies:)
What things would I do if I were a billionaire?
I would build a farm and have lots of animals with lots of land to themselves. Have a private playground, and stop going to work!
I am tagging
Happy cook of my kitchen treasures andSimran of Bombay Foodie- I can understand if you don't want to do it:)
I just ran over to Susan of Wild Yeast to look at her Danish Braid which all the daring baker made this month. I missed it out because of flu and power cuts and what not! Will be sure to make it next month:). Susan also has this weekly yeast spotting event and today's recipe fits the bill. So I am rushing it over for inclusion in next week's edition.