Sugar free fruit and nut loaf

I created this recipe as I wanted a new breakfast option as I was getting tired of eating cornflakes everyday and a quick breakfast is the hardest meal on my no gluten, soy, egg or dairy elimination diet. This loaf is perfect as it is packed full of goodness, a thick slice keeps me going all morning and I can vary it up by using different jams, honey, peanut or nut butters or even vegan margarine.  It is also great as a tea cake served with your favourite tea or coffee. Besides being vegan and gluten free, there is no added sugar (the sweetness comes from the dried fruit), which is great for people who are watching their cane sugar intake.

You will need the following:
1 cup of almond meal
1 cup chick pea flour
1/2 cup of slivered almonds (or chopped nuts or seeds of your choice)
1 cup of raisins and sultanas (you can also use currants or other dried fruits like apricots or pear chopped up)
1 cup of almond milk
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 heaped teaspoons of egg replacer powder
Handful of flaked almonds or sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, place the chick pea flour and almond meal, breaking up any lumps. Add the baking powder, baking soda and egg replacer powder and mix with a spatula to combine. Add the fruit and nuts and mix again. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the oil and almond milk. Mix until just combined and transfer to a lined loaf tin. Sprinkle some almonds or sesame seeds on top and place in a 175C preheated, fan forced oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack and cut into thick slices. Will keep well in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It is yummy at room temperature or you can place under a hot grill for a few minutes and spread with some vegan margarine before serving.

Smoked eggplant dip (babaganoush)

This dip is perfect served with batons of carrots or celery (or middle eastern bread), as part of a meze spread, with kebabs or as a side to a main course dish.

You will need:

1 medium to large egg plant
2 heaped teaspoons of tahini (sesame seed paste)
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

The dip is really simple to make, once you have roasted the egg plant, the food processor does the rest of the work. The roasting of the eggplant can tend to be a messy as I do it on an open flame. I have tried roasting it in the oven, and though the eggplant cooks beautifully, it lacks the smokiness that charring it on an open flame provides. hence, my preference is to always roast it on a gas cooktop. To reduce the post roasting clean-up, I line the cooktop with some aluminium foil and place the eggplant on a trivet, that stops it from rolling over.

Roast the eggplant on a low flame, until the skin is charred and the flesh inside is soft. Essentially, we are both cooking and smoking the eggplant. Once the eggplant is softened, place it in a bowl and cover it with cling film. Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin (do not wash the eggplant as that also washes away a lot of the flavour) and place the inside flesh (it should be soft and cooked through, if not cook for 10 minutes in a hot oven) into a food processor. Add the tahini paste and salt and blend until you have a smooth puree. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and blend again. Place into a serving dish of your choice, drizzle over some olive oil and garnish with an olive or some smoked paprika. The dip can be refrigerated covered for 3-4 days.

Masala dosa (Crispy rice flour savoury crepes with spicy potatoes)

Dosa is a South Indian staple. It is a savoury, crispy crepe made predominantly out of rice flour. In the past, I would never attempt to make it at home myself and would happily enjoy it at a speciality restaurant. However, ever since starting the elimination diet, I am extra careful about eating outside, plus, once I tried it once, I realised it is not really that difficult or cumbersome.

I make the dosa batter by combing  3 parts of rice flour with 1 part of urad dal flour. Traditionally, whole rice and the dal would be soaked overnight and then ground into a fine paste.  However, since the flours are easily available in the Indian grocery stores, I opt to take the easy way and save myself the trouble of soaking and grinding the mixture.

The dosa batter needs to ferment, so it is best to prepare it the night before or even 24-28 hours before if the weather is cold (which is often the case in Melbourne).  Mix the 3 parts of rice flour and 1 part of urad dal flour with 4 - 4.5 parts of water. Use the same cup/ bowl to measure. Mix with a whisk until you have a lump free mixture. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in a dark place for a minimum of 10 hours.

Just before using the batter, season it with salt (Do not add the salt earlier as it may hinder the fermentation process).

To make the dosa, use a dosa pan, or a non stick fry pan or crepe pan. Once the pan is slightly hot, place about two ice cream scoops worth of mixture and spread it as thinly as you can across the fry pan. I use the back of a small stainless steel bowl (it needs to have a flat bottom) to spread the batter. You can also use the back of the ladle. This is the only tricky part. Once you master this, dosa making will be a breeze and believe me practise makes perfect. I prefer to have no oil on the frying pan when I start, and I also clean it with a wet paper towel between making each dosa to maintain the ideal temperature -  if the pan is too hot, the mixture will cook and set before you have had a chance to spread it. Once the first side is crispy, place some oil, turn the dosa and cook the other side. Cook for about 1 minute and fold over and serve. Dosa can be served plain, with cheese, tomato or onions or with a spicy potato mix, which is the most popular combination and is referred to as a masala dosa. The traditional accompaniments are coconut chutney and sambar.

If you have any batter, left over, you can also use it to make idlis (steamed rice cakes) or uttapams (savoury pancakes).

To make the masala/ potato mixture for the dosa you will need:

4-5 boiled potatoes which have been peeled and chopped or roughly smashed
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
2 whole chillers either dry or frozen
7-8 curry leaves either fresh or dry
Salt and chilli powder to taste
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 tablespoons of oil
Handful of peanuts (optional)

Sometimes, I also add either chopped onion, coconut and beetroot or all three if available.

In a large fry pan/ skillet heat the oil and add the chillies and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds begin to pop add the curry leaves (be careful as they have a tendency to splatter) and peanuts (if using). Sometimes, I also add chopped onion, coconut and/ or beetroot at this point.

Add the the spices followed by the potatoes and mix well until all the potatoes are coated with the spices (they should all be stained yellow with the turmeric). Cook for 4-5 minutes and set aside until required. The masala can be used as a filling for the dosa (by placing a serving spoons worth in the middle of the dosa or served on the side if you prefer to keep the dosa crispy for longer.

Sambar

Sambar is a traditional accompaniment to many South Indian dishes, however, in the north (or at least in my family) it was also often eaten with plain rice. It is made with Toor or Arhar dal, which is used in both North and South Indian cuisine.

My version, while not traditional works well (or so I think).

You will need:

1 cup of toor dal, which has been washed and soaked
2-3  cups of mixed vegetables cut into equal sized cubes (I often use a couple of potatoes, carrots, onions and tomatoes. However, drumsticks, okra, zucchini etc. are also often added).
Salt and chilli powder to taste
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 tablespoon of tamarind paste or concentrate
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
7-8 curry leaves
2 dried red chillies
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
2 teaspoons of sambar masala
2 tablespoons of oil
4-5 cups of water

Cook the dal and vegetables together with the water, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker (1 wistle on high flame and then two whistles on low flame) or sauce pan (until the dal and vegetables are tender). Reserve for later.

Prepare the tarka (tempering) by heating some oil in a fry pan. Add the dried chilles and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the curry leaves.  Add the sambar masala and chilli powder and cook for 30-40 seconds, taking care not to burn the powdered spices. Immediately add the tarka to the cooked dal. Add the tamarind paste and bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes to allow the tamarind flavour to infuse the dal. Serve hot as an accompaniment to dosa, idli uttapam or plain rice.

Coconut chutney

Coconut chutney or sambal is the traditional accompaniment to many South Indian dishes. While you can use desiccated or shredded coconut, I strongly believe that fresh coconut gives the best results, plus had the added advantage of not containing any sulphates or preservatives.

You will need:

1/2 a coconut
1/4 cup of roasted bengal gram/ chana dal
Salt to taste
A little water

For the tempering (tarka)

1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
2-3 chillies (fresh or frozen)
6-7 curry leaves (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons of oil

To make the chutney, cut up the coconut into small pieces, taking care to remove the hard brown skin (only the white flesh is used for the chutney. Place it in a food processor along with the roasted chana dal, some water and salt. Process until the coconut and chana dal are broken down and incorporated. We are after a slightly coarse mixture rather than a puree. If the mixture appears too dry, you can add a little water. Alternatively, if it is too wet, add a little more of the chana dal. Once the correct consistency is achieved set it aside and prepare the tarka.

Heat oil in  a frypan and add the chillies, followed by the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and sesame seeds. If you are using fresh curry leaves, take extra care, as they have a tendency to splatter. Take off the heat and add the hot tarka to the coconut chutney and mix well. They chutney can be enjoyed immediately and can also be refrigerated in an air tight container for 2-3 days.