July 2018 – Serendib Kitchen

July 20, 2018

The Marshmallows of Serendib Launches!

Launch day! The Marshmallows of Serendib (and yes, the name was a deliberate echo of Arthur C. Clarke’s wonderful Fountains of Paradise) is now available for purchase. $3 for a baker’s dozen of Sri Lanka-inspired marshmallow recipes, plus a vegetarian variation (suitable more for making fluff than cut marshmallows), and a little story co-authored with Anand Whyte. (It’s on Amazon for your Kindle too!)

Thanks to Kat Tanaka Okopnik for the kitchen conversations, and to everyone who ordered and taste-tested sample marshmallows the last few months. I’m done with shipping out marshmallows now, but if you follow Kat, she’s gearing up to start shipping her own again soon, and you’ll get a generous dose of smart social justice commentary along with the foodie posts.

The tiny book ($3) is available in e-book formats (DOCX, PDF, MOBI, EPUB) now, and may be available as a paperback soon; I’m working on it. With color interior for the photographs, it’ll be a little pricey, though, so just be warned.

Table of contents at the link above, along with direct ordering from me. Enjoy!

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July 12, 2018

Pistachio & Rosewater Mini Scones

Delicate and fragrant, with a little nutty goodness to add to your morning or teatime. (If you don’t have a mini scone pan, you can cut and shape these by hand, and bake on a regular baking sheet, placing them quite close together. If you pop them in the freezer for 30 minute before baking, they’ll hold shape better.)

2 3/4 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup cold butter

1/2 c. chopped pistachios

1/2 c. dried edible rose petals

2 large eggs

1 T rosewater

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 t. lime zest

1/2 cup milk

Glaze:

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

6 T water

1 T lime juice (or substitute water for a plain sugar glaze)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray mini scone pan with Baker’s Joy (or butter and flour pan, which will be kind of a pain).

2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Chop butter in small pieces and cut into flour with a pastry cutter (or with your fingers) until mixture resembles coarse meal. (It’s fine to have small lumps.) Stir in pistachios and rose petals.

3. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 5 scone ingredients, beating eggs lightly. Pour into dry mixture and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.

4. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times. Cut into 16 equal pieces and press into the cavities of the pan.

5. Bake 20-25 or until medium brown. Let cool 20 minutes in pan, then remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely. Serve warm, with coffee or tea.

6. Optional: Glaze. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, water, and lime juice. Line a baking sheet (with sides) with parchment. Pour glaze in, then dip scones in glaze. Remove to wire rack to dry. Alternately, drizzle glaze over the top.

July 9, 2018

Vegetarian Passionfruit Marshmallow Fluff

This makes a delicious and cravable spoonable dessert (you might want to stir in some chopped fruit to grace it, or sprinkle with sliced almonds).

NOTE: The egg whites won’t be cooked, so you may want to use pasteurized egg whites for food safety.

(45 minutes + cooling time)

1/2 c. passionfruit puree

2 t. powdered agar-agar

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. water

3 egg whites

chopped fruit (optional)

1. Combine passionfruit puree and agar-agar in bowl of stand mixer (whisk attachment). Stir briefly to combine.

2. In a small saucepan (a bigger one will be heavy and hard to hold steadily at a later stage) combine water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cover and cook over medium high heat for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook until the mixture reaches soft ball stage (240 degrees if you have a candy thermometer), approximately 12 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from heat.

3. Turn mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the agar mixture. (Be very careful with the sugar syrup, as it is scaldingly hot and will burn you badly if it gets on your skin.) Once you’ve added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high.

4. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 minutes. Add food coloring, if using for the whole batch, during this stage; it will be a creamy color if no additional coloring is added.

5. Add egg whites and beat an additional 5 minutes or so, until notably increased in volume.

6. Turn off mixer, remove whisk, and with a spatula, gently fold in chopped fruit if desired. Pour the mixture into a large serving dish, spreading it evenly.

6. Chill fluff for at least four hours, and then serve.

July 9, 2018July 10, 2018

Vegetarian Marshmallows with Agar-Agar & Egg White

I’d deem these barely acceptable. They taste right, if a bit dense and chewy, and they toast up. The biggest problem with them is that they’re quite sticky, so a huge pain to cut up into neat squares. Your best bet with them would be to abandon neatness, chop off pieces, and then toast them up over a fire, where you don’t care so much about the neat aspect. They brown beautifully, melt in your mouth afterwards, and I’m sure would be delectable in a s’more.

NOTE: The egg whites won’t be cooked, so you may want to use pasteurized egg whites for food safety.

NOTE 2: Recommend not trying to make these on a high-humidity or raining day, as the moisture in the air will affect setting properties.

(45 minutes + cooling time & 15 minutes powdering time, makes 36)

4 egg whites, divided
2 t. powdered agar-agar
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. water
powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
butter (for greasing the pan)
food coloring (optional)
chocolate chips (optional)
sprinkles (optional)

1. Place two egg whites in bowl of stand mixer (whisk attachment); add agar-agar. Stir briefly to combine.

3. Turn mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. (Be very careful with the sugar syrup, as it is scaldingly hot and will burn you badly if it gets on your skin.) Once you’ve added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high.

4. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 minutes. Add food coloring, if using for the whole batch, during this stage. (For bicolor marshmallows, you can pour half out, spreading flat. Then color remainder in mixer bowl and whip to mix, then pour out second half on top.). Add two more egg whites and whip another 3-4 minutes; volume should increase.

5. While it’s whipping, butter a large 9 x 12 pan and dust with powdered sugar (you don’t need the sugar here for gelatin marshmallows, but the agar ones are stickier). Prepare an oiled spatula.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly (and swiftly) with oiled spatula.

7. Dust the top with enough of the powdered sugar to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

8. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut. As you’re cutting, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining powdered sugar, using additional if necessary. These are more perishable than gelatin marshmallows, due to the egg whites, so best used within a few days.

July 9, 2018July 9, 2018

Honeyed Pistachio, Rosewater, & Lime Shortbread

(makes 36 large cookies)

Fragrant, buttery, melting in your mouth. Bake a few minutes longer if you’re planning to dip them in coffee or tea.

3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. honey
2 T lime juice
1 T lime zest
1 T rosewater
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 t. pistachio extract
3/4 t. kosher salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 c. chopped pistachios
1/4 c. dried edible rose petals
powdered sugar, edible rose petals for decorating

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Cream together the butter, sugar, and honey; add the lime juice, lime zest, rosewater, vanilla, and pistachio extract. Add salt and mix, then add flour and mix on low until dough forms. Stir in pistachios and rose petals.

3. Turn out dough onto floured board and roll to 1/2″ thick. Cover in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. NOTE: Can be kept chilled at this point for several days, covered in plastic wrap, and then rolled, cut, and baked fresh for maximum scent and fresh taste on serving.

4. Remove from fridge and cut with cookie cutter (or roll into log and cut slices). Chill individual cookies again for 10 more minutes (to reduce spreading). Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet (I like the insulated ones for even baking).

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges begin to brown, then remove to wire rack to cool.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and rose petals to decorate. Delicious with tea!

OPTIONAL: Some people like to use a royal icing on their shortbread at this stage, which I admit, may be even prettier, esp. sprinkled with additional rose petals and chopped cashews. But I tried it, and I feel that a sweet icing actually detracts from the subtly fragrant buttery glory of the shortbread. If you must, then try adding a teaspoon of lime juice to the icing, which will enhance the overall flavors.

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July 5, 2018July 5, 2018

Broccoli-Cheddar Sous Vide Egg Bites

Another sous vide egg bite experiment, pretty good. This was mostly using up farm share stuff in the fridge — garlic scapes, zucchini, broccoli, plus eggs and cheddar. Could’ve used a little more zing, maybe more black pepper, though Kat recommended just eating it with hot sauce. Maybe a little cream cheese too, so it sets a little fluffier.

But good, will likely make again, next time in 4 oz., straight-sided canning jars so that I can un-mold them easily and have it pre-portioned to an amount I’m likely to want to eat. Thought eating it with a spoon wasn’t hard, and you could just stick it back in the fridge for a day without any negative consequences, I think.

July 4, 2018

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Strawberries from the farm share, rhubarb from the garden, 1/2 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, bake @ 400 for 35-40 minutes. Happy 4th!

July 2, 2018

Keto ‘Naan’

Made coconut flour keto ‘naan’, out of curiosity. It’s not naan, but it’s good! A little odd, and definitely soft — you have to be careful flipping it, or it will tear / mush. The texture isn’t really bread-like — closer to injera, maybe.

But I actually kind of love the sweetness of the coconut with a tangy pork curry. If you’re looking for a gluten-free (or higher-fiber) desi bread-like option, this is a good one; I might even make it again myself.

July 1, 2018July 1, 2018

Sri Lankan Spinach-Egg Sous Vide, take one

First try at a Sri Lankan-style sous vide egg dish was not fabulous. Spinach, scallions, cumin and mustard seed, chili powder and salt, sautéed in a little ghee. I tried to make it lactose-free / paleo vegetarian, but without cheese or heavy cream, the eggs set a little hard — I mean, they’re fine, but they don’t have the delectable fluffiness that I want for sous vide eggs. If you’re avoiding dairy, I’m not sure what you should add to get that texture — coconut cream might be your best bet? I’m not sure.

Next time I try it, though, I’m going to just add some heavy cream, which I’m pretty sure is how many restaurants get such delectable saag paneer. 🙂 Also, more salt (without the cheese, I under-salted this), and maybe ground cumin and mustard instead of seeds, to maximize the creamy texture. I have a lot of eggs cooked right now, so it might be a week or two before I get back to this…

July 1, 2018July 1, 2018

Sous Vide Ham-and-Cheese Eggs

A is for Anovo sous vide eggs. This worked really well. Make as if for omelette, put in canning jar, submerge and cook @ 172F for one hour.

Yum — this is a straight ham-and-cheddar that I’m hoping the kids will like. Didn’t really measure!

Made three other varieties too. I think this is going to become a weekend staple, prepping for the week; have ordered some 4 oz. jars because the assortment I had on hand were all bigger. I’m going to work on developing a Sri Lankan-ish recipe for it.

This is a good base recipe, if you want an actual recipe.