Lychee or Rambutan Sorbet

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

When you’re accustomed to generic supermarket produce aisles, seeing all of the tropical fruits at an Asian market can be somewhat awe-inspiring. There’s a whole other world out there where apples, oranges and pears aren’t part of the daily diet. Instead, fruits like rambutans, longans, lychee, and starfruit are king.

Each time I try a new tropical fruit, I cross my fingers, hoping it isn’t like the dreaded dragon-fruit… gorgeous to look at, underwhelming to eat. Luckily rambutans and lychee pass taste tests with flying colors; their firm, juicy flesh has a sweet, floral taste. I prefer rambutan, which seems to be a delicate in flavor, although lychee seem to be more popular… around these parts anyways.Lychee and rambutans are both grown in Hawaii, which means that both farmers’ markets and regular supermarkets sell them in season. But for those of you who aren’t as lucky, both lychee and rambutans are sold canned.

If you can refrain from eating them straight, rambutan and lychee make a wonderful sorbet. The drained lychee or rambutans are blended with a simple sugar syrup and just a touch of lime. You can leave the mixture as-is for a sorbet with just a touch of blush pink color or enhance the color with a drop or two of red food coloring.

Lychee or Rambutan Sorbet

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 5+ hours

Ingredients:

* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 Tablespoons corn or tapioca syrup*
* 4 20-ounce cans lychee or rambutans, drained
* 1 teaspoon lime juice
* 1-2 drops red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Combine the sugar, water, and corn or tapioca syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Process the lychees in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl and combine with the cooled sugar syrup, lime juice and food coloring, if using.

Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop into a freezer-safe container and freeze until ready to serve.

Note: if you use corn syrup, do not use the high fructose variety, as this will make the sorbet too sweet.

Suspiro de Limena- A Lady from Lima Sighs

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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Suspiro de Limena- A Lady from Lima Sighs

Dulce de Leche: hard to pronounce, easy to love. I love it straight out of the jar, on top of Momofuku Sour Cream Ice Cream, and now in this Peruvian dessert, A Lady from Lima Sighs. Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk simmer down and reduce to create a thick and rich dulce de leche sauce. It’s then topped with a Port wine-spiked meringue and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, both of which keeps the dessert from reading overly sweet.

I’ve read a couple different explanations regarding the name of this Peruvian dessert, the most logical being that it’s so good it elicits sighs from the ladies who eat it. The dessert is extremely rich, so you’ll want to keep the portion sizes small to keep sighs of contentment from becoming sighs of overindulgence.

A Lady from Lima Sighs is not very difficult to make, but I do have a couple notes for you. You really need to stir the dulce de leche mixture pretty much constantly to prevent the mixture at the bottom of the saucepan from scorching. Also, if you’re able to find white port it would make the finished result a little more attractive. The regular port syrup tints the meringue a grayish-purple color. Not a deal breaker, but a little annoying for a sometimes perfectionist like myself.

And finally, I’ll throw out the usual caution regarding uncooked eggs. This dessert does use raw eggs, so please be aware that there is a small risk of salmonella contamination.

Suspiro de Limena- A Lady from Lima Sighs

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
12-ounce can evaporated milk
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup port wine (preferably white port, if you can find it)
ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions:

In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook over medium-low until reduced, thick and toffee-colored, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and stir to thoroughly combine with the warm pudding. Spoon the pudding into individual bowls or ramekins to cool completely.

In small saucepan combine the sugar and port wine over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then bring to a boil. Boil 5-7 minutes, or until syrupy.

While the port syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites using an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. While the mixer is running, slowly pour in the hot syrup. Continue to beat until the meringue has cooled.

Spoon the meringue atop the pudding. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.

Chicha Morada- Peruvian Purple Corn Drink

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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Chicha Morada- Peruvian Purple Corn Drink

Had I seen these gorgeous purple corn husks outside of a Latin American grocery, I would have guessed that they were purely ornamental, much like the ones that emerge as decorations every fall in picturesque places like New England (I’ve never seen anybody attempt fall decorations beyond a pumpkin or mum plant out here in Hawaii).

I definitely wouldn’t have thought to simmer them with pineapple rind, apple, cinnamon and cloves. It creates a lovely, fruity, dark-hued spiced corn beverage that’s sweetened with a bit of sugar and brightened with the juice of a couple limes. Corn has never really struck me as a beverage ingredient, unless we’re talking about corn syrup… and well, let’s not go there.

But South Americans have all sorts of corn-based drinks, although this purple version seems to be unique to Peru. They even make little packets of just-add-water powdered chicha morada that are widely available in Latin American grocery stores. I’ve never tasted any of them, but I can’t imagine it could come close to the homemade stuff.

Chicha Morada- Peruvian Purple Corn Drink

Yield: approximately one gallon

Ingredients:

approx 1 pound bag of dried purple corn
several slices pineapple rind
1 small apple, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cloves
20 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
juice of two limes

Directions:

Combine the corn, pineapple rind, apple, cinnamon sticks, cloves and water in a very large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about an hour. Remove lid and let simmer for an additional 30 minutes to allow some of the water to evaporate and the flavors to concentrate.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain into a large pitcher and add sugar and lime. Taste and add extra sugar or lime, if desired.

Cool in the refrigerator before serving.

Makes approximately one gallon.

Best Mahana Cocktail

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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You guys may have noticed that Thursday’s post went up late and Friday’s post was non-existent. This Mahana cocktail was supposed to be Friday’s post, but my laptop more or less bit the dust. Luckily a friend has an old laptop I could borrow and so with a couple updates and installations I’m good to go until I figure out what to do.

Is it too soon to post another tropical drink recipe from the islands of Tahiti? Well, after the past couple days I’ve been in need of a drink or two (I’ve also been boozing it up with some Homemade Irish Crème-spiked coffee). Yes, I realize that these drinks aren’t authentic Tahitian fare, but they sure are tasty. A nice change from my usual piña colada, this frozen drink combines pineapple, Triple Sec and fresh vanilla bean seeds. A wedge of pineapple and a pineapple leaf make it look particularly fancy-pants 🙂

Mahana Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 cups diced, fresh pineapple
1-1/3 ounces vanilla-infused vodka
2/3 ounce Triple Sec
1-1/2 cups ice

Directions:

Combine the pineapple, vodka, Triple Sec, and ice in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a pineapple wedge and pineapple spear.

Kabuli Chana Ko Tarkari- Nepali Chickpea Curry

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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Kabuli Chana Ko Tarkari- Nepali Chickpea Curry

Although I’ve drastically reduced the amount of meat and animal products I consume over the past decade or so, I’ve never truly considered becoming a vegan on a long-term basis. But I have considered doing short term experiments, similar to my past cleanses. Kenji over at Serious Eats did 28 days of vegan eating this past month and had a great experience.

Of course, adding a gluten-free requirement adds another layer of difficulty, but I have no doubt that you could still eat extremely well, even without any animal products. What would be my crutch in times of difficulty? South Asian food. There are so many delicious Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Nepali, etc. foods that you realize are vegan only in retrospect.

That was the case for this Nepali chickpea curry. It’s a fresh and healthy meal that will fill you up without bulking you up. I love chickpeas because they’re so versatile and buttery; they work just as well in a heavy, coconut-milk based curry as they do in this brighter, lemony dish. And although I didn’t set out to create vegan dishes this week (a couple more recipes are in the pipeline), but I’m always happy to post dishes that will work for all readers regardless of dietary restrictions.

How about you guys- ever consider going gluten-free and vegan?

Kabuli Chana Ko Tarkari- Nepali Chickpea Curry

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
6-8 cups water
15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
3 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 Jalapeno pepper, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:

Drain the chickpeas and combine in a large saucepan with 6 cups of water. Cover and simmer, adding more water if necessary, until tender. When the chickpeas are finished cooking, add the tomatoes and heat through.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden. Add the ginger and Jalapeno pepper and cook, stirring for one minute. Next, add the turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander and salt and mix to coat the onion mixture.

Pour the onion mixture into the cooked chickpeas and let the mixture simmer on low heat to allow the flavors to meld. Add the lemon juice and cilantro leaves. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

Loaded Bacon and Cheddar Baked Potato Soup

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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The other week at Safeway I couldn’t pass up a 10-pound bag of potatoes that was on sale for $3. In a land where a half-gallon of milk can cost you $5, it was pretty much the deal of the century. Nevermind the fact that I’m generally unable to use a 5-pound bag of potatoes before they start to spoil: I was blinded by the savings.

If I wanted to avoid throwing a good portion of these into my compost, I knew I had to do something drastic. You know, like making enough baked potato soup to last me a week or two. Luckily I’m a huge fan of leftovers. Especially when it’s a thick, rich, and creamy soup with the taste of your favorite loaded baked potato. Bacon and cheddar and sour cream, oh my.

Loaded Bacon and Cheddar Baked Potato Soup

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

* 8 large baked potatoes
* 12 slices bacon
* 2 onions, finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) butter, cut into 8 pieces
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 4 cups whole milk (can also substitute cream or half-and-half for up to two cups of the milk for an even richer soup)
* 2 cups cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
* salt and pepper
* 1 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (I like my soups VERY thick so I double this… but start off with 2 Tablespoons… you can always add more)
* 1/2 cup chopped green onions
* 1 pound container sour cream

Directions:

Dice four of the baked potatoes into small, bite size pieces, skins and all. For the remaining four potatoes, scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Discard skins of these potatoes.

In a large soup or stock pot, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly. Crumble into small pieces when cool enough to handle.

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the rendered bacon grease. Cook over medium heat until softened. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chicken broth, milk, diced potatoes and mashed potatoes and stir to combine. Heat soup thoroughly, but do not boil. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add salt and pepper to taste as well as they cayenne.

Place the cornstarch in a small bowl and combine with equal amount of water to create a slurry. Add to the soup and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, the reserved crumbled bacon, extra cheese (if desired) and green onions.

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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I don’t know about you, but prior to going gluten-free I didn’t make biscuits from scratch very often. Instead I was a happy and frequent consumer of those exploding cans of refrigerated biscuit dough. That’s sort of a shame, because making biscuits is ridiculously easy, even in gluten-free form. And I probably don’t have to tell you about how amazingly versatile biscuits are. What else could be equally appropriate topping a chicken pot pie or a peach cobbler?

The first time I made gluten-free biscuits, I set one or two aside for a breakfast sandwich. I think I may have shed a tear or two of joy when I bite into that bacon, egg and cheese on a biscuit. What can I say? I’m a breakfast sandwich girl. I’m still impatiently awaiting the day somebody recreates an authentic New York bagel in gluten-free form, but until then, I guess these biscuits will tide me over…

Gluten-Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup rice flour
* 3/4 cup potato starch
* 1/2 cup sorghum flour
* 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
* 1 Tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 Tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 8 Tablespoons (1 stick or 1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into small cubes
* 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt and stir to combine. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two knives. Add the buttermilk and mix with a spoon until well combined. The mixture will start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and between the sheets of plastic, roll out the dough to a thickness of about an inch to an inch and a half, depending on how large you’d like your biscuits. Peel back the top layer of plastic and cut out rounds of dough using a floured 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter (or a floured can or glass about the same approximate diameter). Place dough on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll any leftover dough and again cut out rounds of dough. Use your hands to shape any small, left-over dough.

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly golden, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking time.

Makes 8 to 12 biscuits, depending on thickness.

Zucchini Hummus

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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Even though I’m not a raw foodist, and have no plans of becoming one in the immediate future, I love looking through raw cookbooks. Not only do they have great recipes for juices and smoothies, you find a lot of neat tricks that you won’t necessarily find in mainstream cookbooks. One example is using raw zucchini to make hummus.

The result is a pale green dip that’s creamier and lighter than your average hummus. So for you raw foodists out there, I realize this recipe is old news. For the rest of you, this might help you figure out how to use all the zucchini that might be popping up in your garden or favorite farmer’s market.

Zucchini Hummus

Ingredients:

* 1 large zucchini, cut into chunks
* 1/2 cup tahini
* 1 clove garlic, peeled
* 1 Tablespoon olive oil
* 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings to taste.

Peach Ginger Smoothie

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 10, 2019

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Coffee or peach ginger smoothie? I’m very lucky that I don’t get major withdrawals when I stop coffee and caffeine cold turkey. I always hear of people who feel lethargic or get major headaches the first couple days of a cleanse or detox. But just because I’m not drinking coffee or tea doesn’t mean that I don’t like a morning pick-me-up.

Well, this zippy peach ginger smoothie will definitely put some pep in your step. The ginger is super energizing while the peach adds sweetness, and the coconut water and coconut milk add a mellow, creamy background. I’d take this over coffee any day- it’s like dessert for breakfast.

Peach and Ginger Smoothie

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

1 ripe peach, halved and pit removed
1/2-inch piece ginger, grated
1/2 cup coconut water
1/2 cup coconut milk*
1 cup ice cubes

Directions:

Place the peaches, ginger, coconut water and ice in a blender and blend until smooth.

Note: You can also make this using all coconut water or all coconut milk. For more smoothie recipes click here.