Kidney Beans and Potato Curry

Ingredients

Kidney beans…..……………….1/3 cup (soaked in 1 cup water for 5 hours)

Baby new potatoes……….…..6 (washed and cut in halves)
Onion…………………………..….1 (medium, finely chopped) 
Tomato…..………………….…...1 (large, finely chopped) 
Garlic…………….………………..1 large pod (finely chopped) 
Ginger paste…………………….¾ tea spoon
Red chilli powder….....………½ tea spoon
Rajmah masala powder…....½ tea spoon
Cumin powder……………..….½ tea spoon
Turmeric powder….………….1/6 tea spoon
Water………………………….…..2 cup
Oil to cook
Salt to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add the onions and cook until transparent.
• Now add the tomato, garlic and ginger paste. Cook for about 1 min.
• Mix in the turmeric, cumin and red chilli powder and salt and cook for half a min on medium heat.
• Now add in the kidney beans along with the water it was socked in and the additional 2 cups of water.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 45 min on low heat or until the kidney beans are tender.
• Now add the potatoes and salt for the potatoes and cook until the gravy thickens and the potatoes are cooked. Remove from heat.
• Serve hot with bread, chapatti or naan.  

Serves: 2

Traditional Challah (Braided Egg Bread)

Ingredients

White flour………………3 cup

Water……………...………1/3 cup (warm)
Yeast…………...………….7 g (2 tea spoons)
Sugar…………………..….3 table spoon
Eggs………………………..4
Poppy seeds………….…2 table spoon
Oil………..…………………1/3 cup
Salt…………………………½ tea spoon

Method

• Mix the warm water and 1 table spoon of sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the yeast to the mixture (do not mix). Keep it aside for 15 min.
• Add in the 3 eggs, remaining sugar, salt and ¾ of the oil. Mix well.
• Now add the flour 1 cup at a time and make a soft dough ball.
• Knead the dough for 2-3 min.
• Apply the remaining oil on the dough ball.
• Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover with a moist cloth.
• Place the bowl in a warm place.
• Once the dough has doubled in size (2 hours), punch it and knead for 1 min.
• Divide it into 5 equal parts.
• Sprinkle some flour on the work place and roll each part into a 1 foot long roll.
• Place the 5 roll side by side and make braid with them.
• Secure the two ends of the braid by tucking it in at the bottom.
• Place the braid on the well-greased baking tray.
• Cover with a cloth and keep it aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
• Beat the fourth egg in a bowl and apply the egg on braided bread dough with a baking brush.
• Sprinkle the poppy seeds on the egg coating.
• Pre heat the oven on convection mode at 175°C.
• Place the raised braided bread in the pre heated oven and bake for 15-20 min.
• Check if the challah is cooked by tapping the base of the bread. If it sounds hollow challah is ready.
• Cool the challah for about 30 min before serving.

Makes: 1 loaf

Thin Crust Pizza (with Baking Powder)

Ingredients

For the pizza base:

White flour………..……..….….1 cup
Sugar…..……...…………...…....½   tea spoon
Salt………………………….…...…½ tea spoon
Baking powder….……......….1 heaped tea spoon
Water……………..………….…..¼ cup
Oil………..……………….…….….2 table spoon

For the toppings:

Tomato ketchup………….…..4 ½ table spoon
Grated mozzarella cheese….2 cup
Garlic……………………………...1 (large, finely chopped)
Italian seasoning………….…..1 ½ tea spoon
Onion……..………..………….….1 (medium, cut in juliennes)
Bell pepper…......………...……1 (cut in juliennes)
Or any other topping/s as required.

Method

For the pizza base:

• Mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl.
• Add the water and start making dough.
• Then add the oil and finish making a dough ball.
• Knead the dough for 2-3 min.
• Keep the dough aside for 15 min in a well-oiled bowl in a warm place. Cover with a cloth.
• Divide it into 3 equal parts.
• Dust the balls with flour and roll each ball into the required pizza base shape (circle/square) with a rolling pin or by hand. Place on a baking paper.
• Pierce each pizza base with a fork at random place to keep it from puffing up while it cooks.

For the toppings:

• Apply 1 ½ table spoon of tomato ketchup on each base.
• Sprinkle the garlic and Italian seasoning on the pizza base.
• Add the onion and capsicum toppings or any other topping/s required.
• Lastly top the pizza with the cheese.

To cook the pizza:

• Pre heat the oven on grill mode at 200° C along with a baking tray. 
• Once the oven is hot enough remove the hot baking tray and place the pizza on the tray along with the baking paper it is placed on and put the tray back in the oven.
• Cook for 10 min or until pizza base is cooked and cheese has melted. 

Cut the pizza as required with a pizza cutter and serve hot.

Makes: 3