Baked Crispy Lentil Fingers

 

Hi!

I am on a baking spree and trying to innovate healthy, tasty and at the same time low oil and low calorie preparations. As I mentioned in my Yellow Lentil Seekh Kabab, that for vegetarians like me, lentils are a big source of proteins. Continuing to experiment more with the lentils and especially the Yellow Lentils as these are quick to cook and easy to digest, I attempted making baked crispy fingers. I was a little apprehensive about how these would taste after baking but the fears disappeared quickly the minute I tasted them.

The fingers are just perfect, nicely crispy and well spiced, good enough to tease the taste buds. Perfect for people on diet and for those who do not mind eating high calorie food, these can be fried too. It can make a great starter as well as a finger food. Apt for growing children as it’s loaded with proteins as well as anyone who needs a high protein diet.

I am also happy to inform you that my Yellow Lentil Seekh Kabab won second prize at Neha’s Kids Menu Event and I have won the book Cooking with Pedatha, since I already have the book, she has very kindly changed it to a gift voucher. I will surely share what I buy with that in future, but for now the recipe..

Ingredients for Lentil Fingers

about 3/4 cup yellow lentils

3 green chilies

a small piece ginger

1 garlic pod

2 tbsp coriander leaves

salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

a pinch of good quality asafetida

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp cumin pwd

a large pinch garam masala

1/2 tsp dry mango (amchoor) pwd

1-1/2 tbsp oil

cooking spray

Ingredients For Minty Coriander Yogurt Dip

2 green chilies

2 tbsp yogurt

a small handful coriander leaves

a small handful mint leaves

1/4 tsp rock salt

Method

Soak the lentils for half an hour and then grind it to a smooth paste along with salt, green chilies, ginger, garlic and coriander.

Heat oil and add cumin and fennel seeds followed by asafetida. Reduce the flame and then add the lentil paste.

Stir continuously  and add all the spices, mix thoroughly. Once the mixture starts thickening and starts leaving the edges and forms like a ball, switch off the flame.

 

Grease a square plate and spread the lentil mix evenly using hand when hot. If required wet hands and then spread.

Refrigerate for an hour and then cut fingers.

Preheat the oven at 220C and place the lentil fingers on a greased baking dish, spray some cooking spray over it too and bake them for about 10 mins on one side and then turn the fingers and then bake again for 5 mins on the other side, till the crust is golden in color.

For the dip, grind all the ingredients together under the heading dip.

 

Serve hot the fingers with the Minty Coriander Yogurt Dip.

 

Sending this to-

MLLA 27 an event by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

my event ‘Only’- Low Oil/Low Calorie guest hosted by Priya Mitharwal of Mharo Rajasthan’s Recipes.

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De l'aide pour les mésanges

Les traitements anti-chenilles processionnaires du Pin par épandage aérien ont commencé.

L'insecticide utilisé, à base de Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (BTk), tue sans sélection toutes les chenilles de macrolépidoptères et microlépidoptères (les papillons), quelles qu'en soient les espèces.

Ainsi, le stock alimentaire vient de s'effondrer pour les oiseaux qui se nourrissent de chenilles, notamment les diverses mésanges qui sont "spécialistes" dans la recherche et la consommation de ces larves.

Une aide peut au moins être apportée aux mésanges charbonnières, mésanges bleues, mésanges huppées, mésanges à longue queue, mésanges noires: en commençant dès maintenant de déposer des graines de tournesol sur les perchoirs et dans les mangeoires et, plus tard, de la margarine.

Pour la suite, ne nous attendons pas à voir de nombreux papillons ni de nombreux prédateurs de chenilles et papillons l'an prochain.

Vous trouverez ci dessous quelques généralités quant à la Processionnaire du Pin et à sa régulation naturelle.

Merci de votre aide pour les mésanges.
BAE Françoise BRANGER

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Processionnaires du Pin : un correctif

Dans La Dépêche du Bassin du 12 au 18 mars 2009, l’article sur les chenilles Processionnaires du Pin comporte certaines erreurs qui appellent commentaire ou rectification.

Tout d’abord, le caractère urticant de la « Thaumetopoea pityocampa » n’apparait que dans les trois derniers stades d’un développement larvaire qui en comprend cinq ; ce n’est pas toute sa vie que la chenille de Processionnaire est urticante.
Et c’est lorsque la chenille est agressée qu’elle propulse des poils urticants : ces poils ne volent donc pas systématiquement dans chaque goulée d’air comme les pollens.

Il est surtout totalement erroné de prétendre que la Processionnaire du Pin a peu de prédateurs ceux-ci sont au contraire très divers et nombreux !

Parmi les prédateurs naturels de la Processionnaire, on compte bon nombre d'Hyménoptères parasites : Chalcidiens, Braconides, Ichneumonides mais aussi les fourmis, par exemple Formica rufa et Linepithema humile.
Le Grand Calosome, une sorte de Carabe, fait une grosse consommation de chenilles Processionnaires.
La larve du même insecte est capable de se développer au sein même de leur nid!
Les Ephippigères (des sortes de sauterelles) sont de grands prédateurs d’œufs de Thaumetopoea.
La larve de Xanthandrus contus est un prédateur des chenilles. Quant à Phryxe caudata, une sorte de mouche, elle parasite les Processionnaires.
En France, l'étude la plus complète, réalisée en 1958, montre que le taux de pontes attaquées peut atteindre 100 %, alors que celui d'oeufs détruits atteint 28 %.
Plusieurs oiseaux exercent, ensemble, leur prédation durant tout le cycle de la Processionnaire ; depuis l’œuf jusqu’au Papillon.
Les Mésanges charbonnière, bleue, huppée, noire sont toutes prédatrices des œufs et/ou des chenilles Processionnaires, les consommant dans leur nid ou au sol.
Le Coucou gris, le Geai, le Loriot prédatent les chenilles.
La Huppe déterre et mange les chrysalides ; l’Engoulevent avale les papillons nocturnes de la Processionnaire.
Les mammifères s’invitent aussi au festin: les diverses Chauve-souris consomment les papillons de Processionnaire du Pin.
Le Lérot, un animal à la fois terrestre et arboricole aux moeurs nocturnes, est aussi un prédateur efficace de la « Thaumetopoea pityocampa ».
Concernant les épandages, rappelons que la lutte chimique, très utilisée jusqu'au début des années 1990, est particulièrement destructrice de l’entomofaune et présente un risque non-négligeable pour la santé humaine : ceci explique la fluidité de transition vers la solution du traitement microbiologique à base de Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk).
Le Ministère de l’Agriculture –département Santé des Forêts- rappelle cependant dans son rapport d’octobre 2005 que « La lutte n’est ni nécessaire ni souhaitable dans tous les cas. Elle ne doit en effet être envisagée que dans certaines configurations. Il faut alors bien connaître le cycle biologique local de l’insecte, afin d’intervenir au bon moment, c’est-à-dire sur les stades les plus sensibles […] car il est inutile, voire dangereux, de traiter des populations qui sont en train de régresser de façon naturelle.
En aucun cas, la lutte ne permet d’éviter une nouvelle pullulation. Elle peut tout au plus avoir pour objectif de protéger les peuplements les plus sensibles. »
Ajoutons que le traitement au Btk induit une importante perte de biodiversité : les études ont établi que le Bt tue les chenilles de très nombreux papillons, Microlépidoptères et Macrolépidoptères.
Ne soyons pas étonnés de voir très peu de Papillons dans les saisons suivant les épandages de Btk.
Le traitement a aussi, rapidement, un impact indirect sur les prédateurs des Lépidoptères : l’abondance des chenilles (toutes les chenilles) est profondément diminuée l’année de traitement ainsi que l’année suivant l’épandage. Ce n’est que deux ans après la pulvérisation que les populations de lépidoptères se relèvent.
Conséquemment, la recherche ornithologique a démontré une réduction significative du nombre de jeunes Mésanges ayant atteint le stade d’envol dans les secteurs traités.
Cet affaiblissement des populations prédatrices, n’est-il pas, paradoxalement, moteur d’un déséquilibre biologique dommageable?
D’autres moyens de régulation sont pourtant envisageables :
- Le traitement sylvicole consistant en la plantation d'espèces non-hôtes bordant la lisière la mieux exposée au soleil peut permettre de limiter les attaques à un niveau acceptable ;
- Le maintien, aussi bien dans les jardins que dans les forêts, de feuillus, d’arbres porteurs de cavités, de strates végétales diversifiées et de tout ce qui favorise le bon fonctionnement d’un écosystème développe la prédation naturelle régulant les Processionnaires du Pin;
- L’installation de nichoirs aide la présence des prédateurs cavernicoles.
Les séquelles de la tempête Klauss sont, dans de nombreux secteurs, l’occasion de mettre en place cette régulation que connaissent déjà, de façon naturelle, les Forêts les plus diversifiées.

Pour Bassin d’Arcachon Ecologie, Françoise Branger

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ÉTONNANT NON ! COMPREND QUI PEUT

Pour agrandir doublecliquez sur les images

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Stuffed Masala Braided Bread ..a detailed explanation

 

Hi Friends!!!!

I am very, very, very happy today posting this bread. For those who are regular readers will surely understand my happiness….for those who are new to my space and me, I must tell you that I had a huge fear working with the yeast and I was trying hard to come over it by trying simple things which I have posted earlier and now I can say I have finally won over it.

This was my first attempt at braiding the bread and my feelings were a mixed bag…I was quite nervous and at the same time excited too. Nervous as I was going to handle the yeast again and excited that I was trying a braided bread.

I have seen many braided breads in the blogging world and I personally love to eat them. Once in a while I do get the stuffed braided bread from the bakery Grand Plaza here, as my kids love it. Every time I would buy it, I would tell myself that I have to try this one day. Finally the day came and I made an attempt to bake this.

My first step surely was to proof the yeast as I rarely use it, so wanted to confirm that it was active. So I set aside all the ingredients on the platform to bring them at room temperature and proofed the yeast…and it failed. I was disappointed and was wondering what to do when I suddenly remembered I had another pack of yeast which I had not opened, so used that and started to proof the yeast again but this time I did it extremely cautiously taking all due precautions, so used my cooking thermometer and confirmed that the temperature of water  was around 100-115F and then I added the sugar and the yeast. In five minutes I could see the yeast frothing up and I grinned….my first baby step towards the bread was successful finally.

After this hurdle things went quite smoothly and in a few hours time I had a beautifully braided, moist and soft stuffed bread. I chuckled looking at the final product and surely had a big grin on my face and I sent S a message…finally I did it….Guess! S kept guessing and I asked him to guess more. As I type this post I have sent him a clue ‘yeast’ and still waiting for his reply. I am sure he will be equally excited to see this bread.

Ingredients for Bread

1.5-2 cups sifted APF

1 egg

1/8 cup butter

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tbsp dry active yeast

1 tsp sugar

1/4 cup luke warm water

also an egg white for egg wash

For the stuffing

1 onion finely chopped

1/4 cup corn

1/4 cup capsicum

1 potato boiled

few tbsp grated mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp mixed herbs

1 tbsp red chili flakes

1 garlic pod (Chinese)  finely chopped

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

a dash of lime juice

Method Of The Stuffing

Heat oil and add the garlic.

Now add the onions and saute. Add the corn and cook for 2 –3 mins.

Add the spices, salt to taste, also add the potatoes and capsicum.  Mix thoroughly. Cool it ,the stuffing is ready to use.

Method for Bread Dough

First proof the yeast. Microwave the water for 30 seconds and add sugar and yeast to it. Let it stand for 5-10 mins till it froths.

Put the bread dough ingredients into the food processor and knead the dough. I used about 1.25 cups of flour initially. This process can be done using hands too.

Remove the dough from the processor and flour the platform and knead the dough again for about 6-7 mins. My dough was quite sticky so I added about 1/4 cup more of APF gradually till the dough was still sticky but not sticking to hand and floor. The pics will help you understand clearly. Do not add excess of flour else the dough will not rise properly.

Grease a bowl and the dough with little oil put the dough in the bowl and cover it with a cling film. Let it rise for an hour or more till it doubles in volume. I preheated my oven at 40C and kept the dough in it to rise, so in approx one hour the dough had doubled.

To check that the dough has risen completely, press the dough, if it does not rebound back, it’s done. Have a look, one can see the depression in the dough where I pressed it, indicating that the dough was ready to use.

Method Of Making Stuffed Braided Bread

Remove the dough to a floured surface and punch it down to release the air trapped and make a ball and flatten it. Roll it into a rectangular shape of about 9”long and 6” broad and thickness 0.5mm. Mine did not become a perfect rectangle.

 

Leaving a few centimeters from each side, place the stuffing in the centre. Now spread the cheese over it. 

Leaving an inch from one side, make slanting cuts on either side at equal distance.

One can see the triangular piece of dough on the right side, cover it from the top and cross the sides like a braid.

Continue braiding the cut sides. And finally at the last tuck the edges under the bread. The braiding can be done directly on the baking sheet too.

Lift gently and place it on a baking sheet and let it rise again. The second rising is faster than the first one and takes about half an hour. Meanwhile cover the bread with a wet cloth to avoid drying.

Apply egg wash or a milk wash and bake in a preheated oven at 190C for 15-20 mins till the outer crust develops a golden brown color. Do not let the color deepen a lot as the crust turns hard otherwise.

Remove it on a cooling tray.

Cut into slices and serve. Else grill with some butter and then serve.

Linking it back to Vegetarian Foodie Fridays #18

sending this to Neha’s Kids Menu Event as this bread is a complete meal in itself. It has veggies providing minerals and vitamins, cheese giving proteins and fats and the bread itself is a rich source of carbohydrates.

also reposting Bohri Paneer and Stuffed Onion Kulcha for  Combo Meal Hosted by Chaitrali

this bread is yeast spotted.

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Lahsooni (garlicky) Potato Jackets

Hi Friends!

Today again I share an excellent starter/ snack recipe which I had first seen in a cookery show on ETV and was presented by the renowned singer Bela Shende of Sa Re Ga Ma fame or Manamohana fame (the song from Jodhaa Akbar). I had liked the preparation instantly and had scribbled the recipe in my diary. Today while watching another show the potato jackets were shown and I was reminded of this recipe which I had noted down ages back.

The preparation which Bela had made asked for deep frying the potatoes which I very neatly avoided, I just stayed with the concept of Lahsooni Aloo and changed everything else right from the spices, I know I have this problem that I can’t stick to a recipe completely, I have to make my contribution to the preparation.

I must tell you the end product was amazingly tasty with a mild flavor of garlic and rightly spiced. I used the bits of the cored potato in making the filling and also added corn and capsicum. Kept the herb level minimum so that it does not over power the garlic flavor. The marinade gave the potatoes a nice texture and mild tangy taste.The cheese on top gave it the final kick and I will call it a heavenly delight. I normally avoid eating potatoes but I gobbled up quite a few pieces and still could not resist eating them. I surely showed some generosity towards my DH and saved a few for him…see how kind I am. 

Ingredients

For Potato Jacket

6-7 medium potatoes, parboiled

For Filling

1 Chinese garlic pod (thick)

1  small onion finely chopped

2 green chilies deseeded and finely chopped

about 1/4 cup sweet corn kernels

3 tbsp chopped capsicum

bits of cored potato

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

a large pinch freshly crushed black pepper

salt to taste

For the marinade

1/2 cups hung curd

1 tsp red chili pwd

salt to taste

1 garlic pod (thick) finely chopped or grated

For Topping

Mozzarella Cheese

red chili flakes

Method

Peel and parboil the potatoes (takes about 4-5 mins) and then immerse them immediately in cold  water to stop the cooking  process. Cut them into halves and core them. Keep the cored pieces aside and cut them into bits.

Prepare the marinade and coat it well on the cored potatoes and leave it covered for half an hour

To prepare the filling, take a tsp of low fat butter or use olive oil and add grated garlic to it followed by onions and green chilies. Saute.

Once the onions are light brown in color add the corn, bits of cored potato and capsicum. Season with salt, black pepper and italian seasoning. Do not overcook, let the veggies have a bite.

Preheat the oven at 180C. Meanwhile take the marinated potatoes, line them on a greased baking tray and then put 1/2-1 tsp filling in each jacket.

Spread some grated cheese on top followed by some chili flakes. Spray some oil lightly on top ( I used my cooking spray).

     

Bake them in an oven for about 10 mins or till the cheese melts and then serve them hot.

These do not need any sauce or dip and best all by themselves.

Linking it back to Vegetarian Foodie Fridays #18

sending this to Neha’s Kids Menu Event


Sending this to my event 'Only' Crazy For Potato, guest hosted at Nivedhanam.

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