Meyer Lemon and Ginger Spritzer

Drinks

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

After reading Erika’s post yesterday about her Meyer lemon tree (so jealous!), I was inspired to share with you guys one of my favorite ways to use Meyer lemon juice. I love ginger with just about any type of citrus and Meyer lemons are no exception. What follows is more of a general guideline than a true recipe- play around with the ingredients to get your preferred level of tartness, spiciness and sweetness!

Meyer Lemon and Ginger Spritzer

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

Ginger Syrup:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1-1/4 cups water
* several inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

Meyer Lemon and Ginger Spritzer:
* juice of one Meyer lemon
* ginger syrup
* sparkling water
* ice

Directions:

To make the ginger, syrup, combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly and is nice and syrupy. Let cool, transfer to a bottle and refrigerate.

To make the spritzer, combine the lemon juice, a small amount of ginger syrup and sparkling water and stir to mix. Taste and adjust the amount of syrup and/or sparkling water, if necessary. Add ice and serve immediately.

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries

Breakfast

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries

Over the past year or so, ricotta has transitioned away from being something I use only in lasagna or stuffed shells to being a favorite baking ingredient. Ricotta is an essential ingredient in Nonna’s Lemon-Ricotta Muffins and these Mini Ricotta Doughnuts with Bittersweet Chocolate and Salted Caramel Dipping Sauces, magically keeping things light and moist.

And they do the exact same thing here. You know those pancakes that are so starchy and dry that you need a heavy dose of syrup to avoid cotton mouth? Not a problem here.

A bit of lemon zest adds a nice, subtle lemon flavor. I paired the pancakes with sliced strawberries, but fresh blueberries or homemade blueberry jam or syrup would also be an excellent match as well.

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2/3 cup superfine rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
zest from one lemon
butter for frying
pint strawberries, sliced

Directions:

In a large bowl whisk together the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, egg yolks, sugar, ricotta, and lemon zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs whites until they reach soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the prepared mixture.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Melt a pat of butter over the surface and ladle the batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges have dried out a bit. Flip the pancakes over and cook until golden.

Transfer to a plate and top with sliced strawberries. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes Filled with Lemon Curd

Dessert

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes Filled with Lemon Curd

I’ve professed my love for lemons here at least once or twice. And you know the only thing that’s better than a bright, lemony cupcake? A bright, lemony cupcake that’s filled with a delicious little secret.

It’s impossible to tell that a dollop of sweet and tangy lemon curd is lurking under the swirl of frosting. It’s a great element of surprise. I tried to refrain myself by going with a basic vanilla frosting, but if you’d like to go totally overboard, lemon frosting would definitely be the way to go.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes Filled with Lemon Curd

Yield: one dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup superfine rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
one half teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
one half cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
lemon curd
jar of prepared vanilla frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place paper liners in a 12-well muffin pan.

Beat the sugar and eggs together. Add the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, oil, milk, lemon extract and lemon rind. Beat for about a minute, making sure there are no pockets of dry ingredients.

Evenly distribute the batter among the cupcake wells. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool for about five minutes in the pan and then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.

Using a pastry bag with an injector tip, fill the cupcakes with lemon curd* and then spread with your favorite prepared vanilla frosting.

*Note: if you don’t have a pastry bag with an injector tip, you can also use a cupcake corer or use a more basic method. Check out these instructions/tips for how to make a filled cupcake from Annie’s Eats.

Everyday Ginger Chai Syrup

Drinks
Nepal

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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I’m a big fan of little food luxuries like artisan chocolates, real vanilla beans, or an excellent cup of gourmet coffee. After all, what’s the saying? Life’s too short for bad coffee? Well, I think that goes for tea as well.

I love chai, but have found that the commercially available varieties (whether in powder, liquid concentrate, or tea bag form) fall short of my expectations. The traditional method of simmering spices with tea is clearly the way to go, but who has time to do that every morning?

It finally occurred to me to make a spiced chai syrup to add to plain black of green tea. You get all the complex spice of the traditional method but it won’t take any longer to make than your basic cup of tea.

Everyday Ginger Chai Syrup

Ingredients:

* 2 cups sugar
* 1-1/4 cup water
* 2-inch piece ginger, sliced into several pieces
* 4 pods cardamom, smashed
* 3 cloves
* 2 sticks cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
* pinch salt

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until is has thickened slightly. Let cool and then strain into a jar of bottle. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Vegetable

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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When I make dinner for friends or family I invariably get asked whether the recipe of one of the dishes is available on the blog. It seems like 9 times out of 10 the answer is no. Sigh. I’ll get there…. eventually.

I have a feeling that these were probably the last of the market’s Brussels sprouts until fall. I thought I’d take the opportunity to make them one last time, and fulfill another recipe request.

I make these the exact same way I make my roasted broccoli: with plenty of olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Parmesan. If I happen to have bacon grease in the fridge, I’ll sometime use that… it imparts a nice, subtle, bacon flavor without too much fuss.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Yield: 6-8 side servings

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
* 1/4 cup olive oil or bacon grease
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts, pull off any yellow outer leaves and cut in half. Place in a bowl (throw in any of those green leaves that may have come off- they’ll get nice and crispy like kale chips!) and mix with olive oil or bacon grease, salt, and pepper.

Spread evenly on a sheet pan and roast approximately 30-35 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, or until the sprouts are beginning to brown. Sprinkle with the cheese and place back in the oven until the cheese has melted.

Quick Soy-Sesame Asian Baby Bok Choy

Vegetarian

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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After about a week of desserts, boozy drinks, and decadent brunch fare, I thought it was time to sneak a healthy recipe in (full disclosure: I’m planning on regressing tomorrow by posting my basic gluten-free pizza recipe). And it gets bonus points for coming together in about five minutes.

Baby bok choy, which are just about the cutest Asian green out there, are flash fried in a garlic, soy, and sesame sauce. Crushed red pepper adds a little bit of heat and toasted sesame seeds finish off the dish as a tasty garnish. This would be an excellent side to Teriyaki Salmon.

Quick Soy-Sesame Asian Baby Bok Choy

Yield: 4 side servings

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10 baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise
1 Tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sugar
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish*

Directions:

Heat sesame oil and olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the bok choy and soy sauce. Cook, stirring, until the ends start to wilt. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and the sugar. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

* Toast whole sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat until they begin to turn golden.

Nepali Sesame Cabbage

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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I certainly haven’t hidden my love of cabbage from you guys. In just over a year I’ve posted a cabbage soup, two kinds of slaw, cabbage rolls, tangy ginger cabbage, curried cabbage, Napa cabbage kimchi, etc., etc. Cabbage sure is one heck of an adaptable vegetable.

If you love it as much as I do, you owe it to yourself to head on down to the supermarket this weekend to pick up supplies for this Nepali cabbage. Would I have ever thought to combine sesame paste with cabbage? That’s a negative. But did I love the result so much that two people finished the whole thing almost immediately? That’s an affirmative.

It’s recipes like this one that make me thank my lucky stars that I started this little culinary journey around the world. It’s pretty amazing that about a year ago I only had about two or three go-to recipes for cabbage.

Of course my number of cabbage recipes has increased exponentially and this particular recipe just shot to the top of my list of favorites. Hot, sour, salty, sweet- it’s got it all. And just like yesterday’s dish, it’s vegan and quick to prepare. I sure am on a roll…

Nepali Sesame Cabbage

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sesame seeds
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 medium-sized cabbage, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
black sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden. Grind the toasted seeds in a blender and then add the water and lemon juice, and blend until it becomes a smooth paste.

In a large bowl, combine the sesame paste, cabbage, salt and cayenne.

In a small frying pan, heat the oil over high heat until it begins to smoke. Immediately add the turmeric and then pour the seasoned oil over the cabbage mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Garnish with black sesame seeds.

Khukara Ko Polau- Nepali Chicken Fried Rice

Main Dishes

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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Khukara Ko Polau- Nepali Chicken Fried Rice

Although it shares the same name, this dish is probably very different than other chicken fried rice dishes you’ve had in the past. Besides the obvious ingredient switcheroos, the biggest difference is in the cooking technique.

Unlike most fried rice, this dish doesn’t use leftover, pre-cooked rice; it’s actually cooked similarly to Mexican rice. The uncooked rice gets pan toasted before adding the cooking liquid, causing some of the grains to split and fluff up during cooking.

So if you’re looking for a one-dish, last-minute meal that’s light on the meat but still packed with flavor, you’ve come to the right place. Since I had plenty of leftovers, the second day I added a little Sriracha and Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce. I recommend it highly, if you’re a wild one like myself…

Khukara Ko Polau- Nepali Chicken Fried Rice

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups long or medium grain white rice
3 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 cardamom pod, smashed
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups chopped, boneless chicken breast or thighs
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups water
chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Place rice in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak and set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a very large saucepan. Add the cardamom, cloves and bay leaves and cook for about a minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Next, add the chicken and cook until browned.

Add the salt, turmeric, garlic and garam masala and stir to coat the onion and chicken with the spices.

Drain the rice and add to the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring, until the rice is toasted and golden. Add the water, reduce heat, and simmer until the rice is cooked, about ten minutes.

Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro.

Dal Ra Pulungo- Yellow Dal with Spinach and Burnt Onions

Girl Cooks World

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April 24, 2019

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Dal Ra Pulungo- Yellow Dal with Spinach and Burnt Onions

I know, I know. I just posted another yellow dal recipe last week. But this particular version is really good, super healthy, and definitely different enough to warrant another blog post. It would have been a travesty to keep this recipe from you guys (especially my vegan friends out there).

Several handfuls of baby spinach add a nutritional boost to the already healthy dal. And yellow split peas cook pretty quickly, making this is a perfectly viable weeknight meal option.

And although they’re totally optional, I highly recommend making some crispy and sweet burnt onions to top the dal. They don’t take too much time or effort, but they’ll add a whole other flavor and texture dimension to the dish.

Dal Ra Pulungo- Yellow Dal with Spinach and Burnt Onions

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups yellow split peas
8 cups water
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cloves
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
8 ounces baby spinach, washed
1 teaspoon salt
burnt onions

Directions:

Combine the split peas and water in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer over low heat until the split peas have softened.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, cloves, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about a minute or two. Next, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until golden. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted along with the salt.

Add the spinach mix to the yellow split peas. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Top with burnt onions.