Whole Wheat Focaccia (Italian Bread)

Focaccia is a flat italian bread topped with herbs and seasoned with olive oil and salt. It is eaten as a snack in Italy. Here in US, you would normally eat as a sandwich stuffed with cheese and meat/vegetables. It is similar to the making of pizza, instead of rolling the dough thin, it is hand pressed to a even thicker dough and dotting over the unbaked dough(that is making indentations)is practiced. The recipe calls for no wheat flour, so if you want a light airy bread, you can replace the wheat flour with all purpose flour. Pushing to be a bit more healthy turns the bread a little dense. But the bread was very soft and tasty. My food critic complained about the denser side, but he absolutely loved the taste. Feel free to top the bread with your favorites and enjoy the hot bread. Baking breads at home are so comforting and therapeutic and makes your whole kitchen smell heavenly. And here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour

2 cups + 1/4 cup All purpose flour (maida)

1 pack Rapid rise yeast

1/4 cup + 2tbsp Olive oil

1 2/3 cups warm Water

1tsp Sugar

2 1/2tsp Salt

Topping:

1tsp dried Rosemary

few thinly sliced Red onion

How to:

• Grease a 15x10" baking sheet with olive oil and keep it aside.
• Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water and let sit for 5 mins.

• In a big bowl, add the flours and salt, mix well, followed by 1/4 cup olive oil.
• Once the yeast bowl is foamy, pour'em into the flour bowl and bring it together starting to knead.

• Dust the surface by slowly adding the remaining 1/4 cup flour and knead for 15 mins to a soft, non-sticky dough.

• Transfer the dough onto the greased baking sheet and flatten'em evenly by pressing with your hands.

• Cover the dough with a wet kitchen towel and let rest for 1 1/2 hrs in a warm place to rise.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Meanwhile mix the 2tbsp olive oil with the rosemary and onion and keep it aside.

• Once the dough is risen, make indentations all over the dough with your finger.

• Now, with a pastry brush, spread the oil mixture on top the dough. Also arrange the left over onion slices and sprinkle a pinch of salt on top.

• Bake the bread for 20 mins. Let it cool before you slice'em.

• Serve it as a snack, use it for making sandwiches or drizzle some almond butter and gobble it up like me.

To Store, refrigerate the left over bread in a tight container.

Quinoa Pulav

Quinoa doesn't need much of an introduction. A lot of us started replacing rice with quinoa and experimented different recipes. And one such is this pulav, a spiced and healthy one-pot meal that is so colorful and flavorful that will make you feel full and satisfied. It has a crunchy texture, nutty flavor and turns out very aromatic when cooked with Indian spices. I am sure this recipe is a KEEPER. Check this out and here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa (pre-rinsed)

1/2 cup Carrot (chopped)

1/2 cup Green beans (chopped)

1/2 cup Peas (frozen and thawed)

1 1/2tsp Garlic (minced)

1 1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

1 Spring Onion (chopped)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Coriander powder

1/2tsp Cumin powder

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

1 Black Cardamom

2 small Green Cardamom

4-5 Whole black peppercorns

1/2" Cinnamon stick

2 small Cloves

1 Bay leaf

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1 1/2 cups Water

1 tsp Lemon juice (optional)

1tbsp Oil

Salt

 How to:

• Soak the quinoa for 30 mins, drain the water completely and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a deep skillet, at medium heat, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cardamoms.

• After a few secs, add cumin seeds, cloves and black peppercorns.

• Then add the onions followed by turmeric powder and some salt and saute until translucent.

• Now add the ginger, garlic and half of the spring onions and cook until raw smell disappears. 

• Add the soaked quinoa and roast'em for 5 minutes.

• Then add the carrot, peas and beans, give it a quick mix and then add the coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder.

• Mix well and pour the water and add salt for taste. 

• Bring water to a boil and then reduce the flame to low, close the lid and cook it for 30 mins.

• Switch off, open the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork, add the lemon juice and garnish with the remaining spring onions.

• Serve hot with onion raita and chips.