If you've been following me for awhile, you'll know that I recently joined the Secret Recipe Club. In addition to the monthly blog explore-and-execute, I also signed on to be a volunteer cook in the event that someone can't complete their assignment; they don't want any bloggers left out. This month my name came up in the rotation to take on an orphan blog. And I was pleased to get acquainted with Jayasri Ravi's Samayal Arai Cooking is Divine blog. I actually wasn't able to find much information about the culinary genius behind that mostly Southeast Asian blog, but the recipes and photographs made me want to reach a fork - or spoon - into my screen.
Because I was stepping in less than a week before reveal day, I decided to peruse the blog immediately and look for some thing or some things I could make with what I already had on hand. I came up with two recipes and called it a perfect dinner for a chilly Autumn evening.
QUINOA DINNER ROLLS
The first recipe that caught my eye was for quinoa dinner rolls because I had a few cups of left over savory cinnamon quinoa pilaf from dinner last night. I was in a rush and didn't read the recipe carefully, accidently putting double the water in the bowl to bloom the yeast. Whoops. So I adapted by skipping the eggs and oil. Still, my rolls ended up delicious and pillowy soft. Success!
1 C cooked quinoa (I used a pilaf that had olive oil in it, so I didn't add any other oils)
2 C hot water
3 tsp smoked salt
2 T active dry yeast
1/2 C ginger syrup (or use honey)
4 C white whole wheat flour
2 C dark rye flour
butter
Place the hot water in a large mixing bowl, sprinkling the yeast on top. Let bloom for five minutes. Add ginger syrup (or honey) and salt. Add the cooked quinoa and flours. Blend until well combined. Knead for 3-5 minutes until it is smooth and soft. Lightly oil the dough and the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot for 35-45 minutes. Once it has risen, punch it down again and shape handfuls of dough into balls. Place the balls in a buttered baking dish, cover, and let rise again - for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425.
Bake the rolls for 15 minutes at 425. Reduce the heat to 375 and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and rub the rolls with stick of butter. Pull apart and serve.
SWEET POTATO SOUP
The second recipe that grabbed me was her Brazilian sweet potato soup. I already had half a dozen roasted sweet potatoes in my fridge. When I got home from work, I realized that I didn't have any tomatoes. Another goof. So I did without, but added carrots and squash to add some more flavor to the soup.
6 leftover roasted sweet potatoes, skinned and mashed
6 carrots, sliced
2 summer squash, sliced
1 T minced garlic
butter
5 C chicken broth
dried oregano
fresh cilantro
smoked sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Cook the carrots, garlic, and summer squash in a pat of butter and a splash of olive oil until fork tender. Add mashed sweet potatoes, oregano, and chicken broth. Stir till combined and heat to boiling. Add 2-3 T of cornstarch to 1/4 cold water. Add a ladel-full of the hot soup, to the cornstarch mixture, then add all of that to the boiling soup. Keep stirring as the soup begins to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Another success!
Well, that's all I have time to cook this month. But I will happily return and hope to make Pacchai Kolumbu, Puli Itta Keerai, and more.
QUINOA DINNER ROLLS
1 C cooked quinoa (I used a pilaf that had olive oil in it, so I didn't add any other oils)
2 C hot water
3 tsp smoked salt
2 T active dry yeast
1/2 C ginger syrup (or use honey)
4 C white whole wheat flour
2 C dark rye flour
butter
Place the hot water in a large mixing bowl, sprinkling the yeast on top. Let bloom for five minutes. Add ginger syrup (or honey) and salt. Add the cooked quinoa and flours. Blend until well combined. Knead for 3-5 minutes until it is smooth and soft. Lightly oil the dough and the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot for 35-45 minutes. Once it has risen, punch it down again and shape handfuls of dough into balls. Place the balls in a buttered baking dish, cover, and let rise again - for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425.
Bake the rolls for 15 minutes at 425. Reduce the heat to 375 and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and rub the rolls with stick of butter. Pull apart and serve.
SWEET POTATO SOUP
6 leftover roasted sweet potatoes, skinned and mashed
6 carrots, sliced
2 summer squash, sliced
1 T minced garlic
butter
5 C chicken broth
dried oregano
fresh cilantro
smoked sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Cook the carrots, garlic, and summer squash in a pat of butter and a splash of olive oil until fork tender. Add mashed sweet potatoes, oregano, and chicken broth. Stir till combined and heat to boiling. Add 2-3 T of cornstarch to 1/4 cold water. Add a ladel-full of the hot soup, to the cornstarch mixture, then add all of that to the boiling soup. Keep stirring as the soup begins to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Another success!
Well, that's all I have time to cook this month. But I will happily return and hope to make Pacchai Kolumbu, Puli Itta Keerai, and more.
What a neat way to get a grain in bread! I might have to try this~
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using leftover quinoa. These rolls sound great. Great SRC post.
ReplyDeleteHi camilla, you tried two recipes from my blog, wow, you are great, my family loved these two dishes too, I try to incorporate grains and lots of vegetables in my cooking as basically I am a vegetarian and try to use protein boosting and healthy recipes.., thanks you people liked it, Do visit me when you can and check out my SRC this month, lovely clicks, It's fantastic to be with you in SRC...
ReplyDeleteI love using quinoa in baking too. You chose a great recipe for the Secret Recipe club. Here is what I cooked up from group C: http://su.pr/1HICCz :)
ReplyDeleteThese rolls sound wonderful, as does the soup.
ReplyDeleteI love quinoa!