Spiced Yellow Split Pea Fritters

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

Americans sure do love fried foods, so I’m not quite sure why we haven’t jumped on the bean/legume fritters bandwagon. Clearly the rest of the world has a leg up on us: countries in the Middle East have their chickpea Falafel, Brazil has its black eyed pea acaraje, and both India and Burma have yellow split pea fritters.

If you’re a fan of yellow dal, then you can probably imagine how good hearty, spiced dal would be in fried appetizer form.

Soaked yellow split peas are processed until nearly smooth and then combined with garlic, onion, spices and fresh cilantro. Form the mixture into little discs or balls, and shallow fry them until golden and crispy. These might not qualify as health food, per se, but I’m guessing that these vegan treats are a whole lot better for you, and a whole lot tastier, than what’s coming out of the fryer at your local fast food chain.

I couldn’t resist snacking on them just out of the skillet, but I imagine they’d also make a great lunch or dinner when paired with an Indian or Burmese salad.

Spiced Yellow Split Pea Fritters

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 10-12 hours

Ingredients:

* 1 cup yellow split peas
* 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 Jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped (seeded first, if you prefer less heat)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish (optional)
* 1/4 cup water
* oil for frying
* lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:

Rinse the split peas under cold water. Cover with plenty of water and soak overnight.

The following day, drain the split peas and process in a food processor or high speed blender until almost smooth. Mix the processed split peas with the onion, garlic, chile pepper, cumin, turmeric, salt, cilantro leaves, and water and stir until well combined. Let sit for one hour.

Heat a thin layer of oil to a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Use your hands to shape round or slightly flattened fritters and place in the oil. Cook for several minutes until the bottom is beginning to turn golden. Use long-handled tongs to flip the fritters. Continue to cook until the fritter is golden all over and cooked through the center.

Drain on paper towel-lined plates. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the fritters if desired and top with an extra sprinkle of salt and cilantro.

Burmese Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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If you were to poke around my kitchen right now, you’d see a lot of jars and bottles containing all sorts of liquids and other curiosities. There’s the large jar of vinegar that’s steeping with orange peels (for a natural, orange-scented all-purpose cleaner), a small container of vodka with zested citron peel for a test batch of limoncello, and a giant bottle that holds my first, and possibly failed, attempt at making kombucha.

These endeavors aren’t for the impatient or the overly tidy. Not only do I have to wait a week or two, but all of these experiments are taking up almost every horizontal surface of the kitchen.

So it sure is nice to throw a simple, healthy and, most importantly, quick meal to the mix. There’s nothing quite like immediate gratification.

This shrimp and asparagus stir fry, which is flavored with shallots, turmeric, and cayenne, can be thrown together in less than 20 minutes. Perfect for those in a hurry. And because you only need one-skillet to cook everything, it’ll be a snap to clean up and get your kitchen back in order. Unless of course you’ve got some vinegar/limoncello/kombucha experiments going on like I do…

Burmese Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

* 3/4 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 3 teaspoons fish sauce, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 Tablespoon oil
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
* 1-1/4 pounds asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal
* 2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce, tamari or Bragg’s liquid aminos
* 2-3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the shrimp in 2 teaspoons of the fish sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of the turmeric, and the salt. Let marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the remaining turmeric, the cayenne pepper and the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots have softened. Add the asparagus, the remaining teaspoon of fish sauce, and the soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus have begun to soften.

Finally, add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp have turned pink and are cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Top with cilantro and serve hot.

Provençal Garlic Cure-All Soup

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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The holiday season, as you undoubtedly have noticed, is well underway. And with an ever-growing to-do list and seemingly less time to accomplish the tasks on said list, it’s just about the worst time to feel under the weather.

This soup is the just the ticket, whether you’ve indulged in one too many spiked eggnogs at the holiday party the night prior or you’re in the beginning stages of a head cold, courtesy of your cubicle neighbor who REALLY should have just stayed home.

It’s very much peasant food, created from very simple ingredients, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If you’re looking for something excessively rich and indulgent, this isn’t the soup for you. (But I would encourage you to try this terrific garlic soup, made with butter and heavy cream).

But if you’re anything like me, after all of the peppermint bark, holiday cookies, and fudge, your body might just be craving something simple and nourishing.

The traditional version uses water only, but I added a bit of broth for extra flavor. You’ve also got a couple options as to how to serve the soup: with the garlic slices left untouched (which is more traditional) or pureed. Either way is great, but be forewarned that you might have garlic coming out of your pores for about a day or so afterwards.

p.s. If you’re REALLY feeling under the weather, I’ve found nothing beats the combination of this garlic and honey immune booster paired with ginger and lemongrass tea.

Aigo Bouido- Provençal Garlic Cure-All Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

* 2 Tablespoons olive oil
* 20 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
* 6 sage leaves
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 sprigs fresh thyme
* 3 cups water
* 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock
* 6 egg yolks
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* salt and pepper to taste
* extra olive oil and sage leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to turn golden. Tie the sage leaves, bay leaves and thyme together with kitchen twine or enclose in a piece of cheesecloth, tying the packet closed with a piece of kitchen twine. Place the herbs in the saucepan, give everything a quick stir and then add the water and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and partially cover (set the saucepan lid slightly askew). Simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the herbs from the saucepan and discard. In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks and Parmesan cheese together. While whisking, add several small ladles of hot broth. Then slowly add this mixture to the saucepan, whisking constantly. If you’d like a smooth-textured soup, use an immersion blender to process the soup in the saucepan. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into individual bowls and top with a small drizzle of olive oil and a sage leaf, if desired.

Homemade Nutella- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Homemade Nutella- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Ahhh… the first time I’d tasted Nutella. I remember it very clearly (the taste anyways… the rest is sort of hazy, as you’ll see). I was young, around ten years old perhaps? We’d just picked up my oldest sister, who’d just returned from a trip to Europe (Austria? Germany?), from the airport.

From deep within the depths that giant duffel of hers she produced a couple jars of Nutella. When I finally had a taste I had no idea there was any hazelnuts in the spread because 1) I was so focused on the chocolate and 2) I’m not even sure I knew what a hazelnut was. But I distinctly remember thinking that those European kids had it made if they were eating chocolate sandwiches instead of boring old peanut butter and jelly.

These were the days before Nutella was on every aisle of every major grocery store, back when Nutella was still very much a novelty and treat.

Twenty years (and many, many Nutella crepes) later, the magic has, if not disappeared, certainly diminished. I recently bought a three pack from Sam’s Club and had a hard time getting through it. If Nutella and I were in a relationship I would have told him, “it’s not you, it’s me. I’ve changed. I want more.”

Like a more pronounced hazelnut taste, not one that’s hidden under all that mild, unmemorable chocolate and sugar. And speaking of chocolate, I want it dark, rich and pronounced.

Had I realized how easy it was to make, I would have called it quits with Nutella a long time ago.

Nutella vs Homemade Hazelnut Spread

Freshly toasted hazelnuts are ground with cocoa, a touch of powdered sugar and combined with bittersweet chocolate to create a rich and creamy spread that you’re going to want to slather on everything. Including a bare spoon to be immediately inserted into your mouth. You don’t need to go all out on the chocolate, but I’d definitely recommend upgrading from Nestle or Hershey’s chocolate… Ghiradelli got the job done admirably.

A word of warning: don’t ever make this if you have any intention of purchasing the store-bought version ever again. This will ruin it for you, I promise.

p.s. Yes, I know that Nutella was originally made by an Italian company, but it’s such a part of French food culture that I decided to include it in my French posts.

Homemade Nutella- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Yield: about 2 cups

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup raw hazelnuts
2 cups (12 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips (or a mixture of half bittersweet chocolate and half milk chocolate)
2+ Tablespoons mild vegetable oil like canola or grapeseed (or be super fancy and use hazelnut oil!)
3 Tablespoons powdered/confectioners’ sugar
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until the nuts have darkened and the skins have blistered, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove as much of the skin as possible (or you can also just use your fingers to take the skin off the hazelnuts individually). Don’t worry about any of the stubborn skin that clings to the hazelnut. Let cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.

In a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec) or a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. Add the oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Continue to process the mixture (if you’re using a blender you’re probably going to need the tamper) until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add the melted chocolate and continue to blend until smooth and well combined.

If you’ve used a food processor and would like the spread very smooth, you may need to strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any chunks of hazelnut that remain. The resulting homemade Nutella may be thin and somewhat runny, but it will thicken as it cools. If the mixture is already pretty thick feel free to add a bit of extra oil to keep the mixture more spreadable.

Transfer the spread into a jar or other resealable container and let cool to room temperature. Cover and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you store it in the refrigerator you may need to bring it up to room temperature to get it to a spreadable consistency.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Caramel Chex Bars

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Chocolate and Peanut Butter Caramel Chex Bars

So I’m interrupting your regularly scheduled programming (French recipes) because holding back this recipe from you guys for another couple of weeks just seemed cruel.

I came home from the supermarket with four boxes of plain Chex over the weekend, creating the perfect opportunity to make these bars, which I’d pinned several months back. One look at the ingredient list and I knew they’d be a winner. Chex (naturally gluten-free!), peanut butter, caramel, peanuts and chocolate? How could these be anything but amazing?

I made them once exactly as written in the original recipe (very, very good), but make some edits for the second batch to make them a little less salty and a bit crunchier. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of peanut butter caramel goodness to coat each and every Chex piece.

You might want to save these for a day when you know when you’ll be having company or kids over (or not… I won’t judge). Because I promise you that these will disappear shockingly fast. It’s sort of like having two dozen Twix or Take 5 candy bars out and unwrapped. Totally dangerous.

I should also warn you that Rice Krispy Treats will seem completely inadequate as a cereal bar after you get a taste of these.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Caramel Chex Bars

Yield: about 24 bars

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

7 cups Rice or Corn Chex
1-1/4 cups roasted, salted peanuts
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup bittersweet/dark chocolate chips (or 4.5 ounces chunk chocolate)

Directions:

Use butter to lightly grease a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. Alternatively you can line the pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment set the pan aside.

In a large bowl combine the Chex and peanuts. Lightly toss and set aside.

In a small saucepan combine the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir to mix. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for one minute without stirring. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, vanilla and salt and stir until well-combined and smooth.

Pour the peanut butter caramel sauce over the cereal mixture and toss gently but thoroughly, trying your best to not crush the Chex. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Use your hands to gently press the mixture down evenly (you can lightly grease your hands if desired. Also be careful as the mixture will still be somewhat hot).

Let cool for at least 20 minutes. Melt the chocolate chips using a microwave or double boiler. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars. Let cool completely, placing the bars in the refrigerator if necessary to make sure that the chocolate hardens.

Cut the bars directly in the pan or, if using parchment, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and then cut on a cutting board.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature in cooler climates.

Vietnamese Pork Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Vietnamese Pork Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

Here’s a fun, quick little recipe using those Vietnamese pork meatballs I posted last week. The traditional recipe includes rice noodles in these little lettuce cups, but I decided to keep things simple… and low carb for those of you who are interested in that sort of thing.

Little lettuce leaves are topped with springy pork meatballs infused with lemongrass and all other sorts of goodness, sweet and sour pickled carrots and daikon, and sprigs of fresh cilantro. Wrap this little number up and plop it into that hot, sour, salty and sweet Vietnamese everyday dipping sauce, nuoc cham.

Again, I kept this simple, but feel free to add little piles of cooked rice vermicelli or other fresh herbs like mint, Thai basil or green onion. They pork meatballs are already super flavorful on their own, but adding extra fresh herbs is rarely a bad idea.

Vietnamese Pork Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

about 10-12 small, cup shaped lettuce leaves
one batch Vietnamese pork meatballs
do chua, or small handful shredded carrots
sprigs fresh cilantro (note: you can also add mint or Thai basil leaves and/or chopped green onion)
nuoc cham for dipping

Place the lettuce cups on a large platter or divided among several large plates. Place two meatballs on each cup, then adds some do chua and a sprig or two of fresh cilantro. Diners wrap up the lettuce like a little wrap or taco and dip into the nuoc cham.

Serves four.

Avocado Ice Cream

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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No longer unjustly vilified as unhealthy, avocados have gone from being associated almost exclusively with a certain Mexican dip to being appreciated as a versatile fruit that’s easy and fun to incorporate in just about every meal of the day.

Ten years ago I probably would have been surprised to see avocado as an ingredient in a dessert recipe. But after looking through hundreds of cookbooks (vegan, raw, South American, Southeast Asian, etc.) over the past couple of years, I realize that just about everybody has accepted avocado is as great in desserts as it is in guacamole.

Of course, the Vietnamese were way ahead of the trend on this one. They’ve been enjoying the tropical fruit with sweetened condensed milk as a indulgent shake.

Although I’ve incorporated avocado in desserts on Girl Cooks World several times before (here), I thought it was about time they were given a starring role, rather than being a background ingredient providing texture and body. I adapted the classic Vietnamese avocado shake to ice cream form.

The avocado gives it a creamy, luscious mouthfeel and the lime juice adds a touch of acidity and brightness to keep things fresh and interesting. Still dubious about avocado being a natural fit for dessert? I think a bite of this just might change your mind…

Avocado Ice Cream

Yield: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

flesh from 3 small to medium avocados
2-3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1-1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

First, combine the avocados, lime juice, milk, sugar and sweetened condensed milk in a blender and process until smooth. Then add the heavy cream and process quickly, until just combined.

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Peruvian Ceviche with Candied Sweet Potatoes

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Peruvian Ceviche with Candied Sweet Potatoes

Sure, there might not be consensus on where ceviche originated or even how to spell it (it’s also spelled cebiche and serviche), but I think we can all agree that raw fish “cooked” in a citrus marinade is good stuff. Ceviche is a pretty big deal in Peru- they even have a National Ceviche Day! It’s June 28th, for those of you looking for an excuse to celebrate…

And why not celebrate? Ceviche is quick and easy to make, healthy, and surprisingly varied. I’d encourage any hard core ceviche fans to check out The Great Ceviche Book by Douglas Rodriguez of Top Chef Masters fame. Sure, I probably won’t ever make his conch or sea urchin ceviches, but there are plenty more accessible recipes for home cooks like me.

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I was drawn to this recipe because it paired the ceviche with sweet potatoes, which is very typical in Peru. The sweet potatoes add a nice contrast to the spicy, salty and acidic fish. I didn’t intend to buy purple sweet potatoes (it’s always a mystery as to what color flesh will lie beneath the skin of the sweet potatoes that I get at the farmer’s market), but I ended up being really happy with the visual contrast the purple provided. I mean, let’s face it…. ceviche tastes great, but it doesn’t always look great.

And you can count on a top chef to put a special twist on his recipes. It’s the celery and celery juice that does that here. Yes, it was sort of a pain to pull out (and clean!) the juicer for 1/4 cup of celery juice, but I’m sure glad I didn’t skip that step. It made the citrus marinade, which can often seem one-note, much more balanced and nuanced.

And one final note: many Peruvian ceviche recipes call for sea bass, but I’ve found that many other fish work just as well… and are much more affordable. I’d be most inclined to experiment with whatever is freshest at your fish market. Ceviche should always be made the same day you purchase the fish.

Peruvian Ceviche with Candied Sweet Potatoes

Yield: 4-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

Potatoes:
1 large sweet potato (any color), peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar

Ceviche:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup celery juice
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
1 Tablespoon Mirasol yellow pepper paste (can substitute 1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced)
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 pound boneless, skinless fish, cut into 1/2-inch dice (sea bass, sole, flounder, swordfish, moonfish, etc.)

Directions:

Combine the sweet potatoes, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, but still hold their shape. Drain the potatoes, reserving the syrup, and cool. Place the potatoes back into the syrup until ready to use.

Combine the lime juice, celery juice, salt, pepper paste, celery, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl. Add the fish and toss to coat. Serve immediately if you’d like the fish raw, or let marinate for 2-3 hours if you’d like the citrus to “cook” the fish. Spoon into a serving dish or individual bowls and serve with drained sweet potatoes.

Lemongrass Ice Cream

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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I mentioned earlier that some of the best foods I’ve ever eaten was in Vietnam, primarily in stalls in back alleys and nondescript restaurants. It literally makes me want to cry when I hear of people going to Vietnam and not eating the street food or trying the local lemongrass ice cream (the food at all the restaurants catering to tourists was less than inspiring).

There was, however, one notable exception. In the middle of the chaos of Hanoi and Saigon, Fanny’s always provided a much-needed break from the hawkers, motorbikes, heat and humidity. Oh, and they had some pretty great ice cream too.

In addition to standbys like chocolate and strawberry, they also had a number of Asian-inspired flavors such as young rice, ginger and star anise. I don’t remember whether lemongrass ice cream was on the menu or not, but I can tell you that it’s going to become a new favorite over on this side of the Pacific.

The lemongrass is bright and refreshing, a perfect palate cleanser. Best of all? It’s not a custard-based ice cream, so I don’t have to worry about finding a use for leftover egg whites. Cornstarch does double duty by thickening the base and preventing ice crystals from forming. If you’re a lemongrass fan, you’re definitely going to want to dust off those ice cream makers and give this one a shot.

Lemongrass Ice Cream

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1-1/2 cups chopped lemongrass (remove the dry, woody sections from the top of the stalks)
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup half-and-half

Directions:

Combine the whole milk, lemongrass, and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and half-and-half until smooth. Add to the saucepan and stir constantly, until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the lemongrass. Cover and chill at least 3-4 hours, or up to 24 hours.