Ambade( hog plums /amtekayi/ambazhanga) trees are commonly found in backyards of most of the houses in our region. There are two types of ambades – sour and nonsour(sweet ). We use sour ambades for this pickle. These sour ambades are preferred in most of the recipes to obtain sour taste.These trees bear hundreds of fruits and we use tender ones – provided they get spared from ‘monkey business’. Yes, we have these mischievous monkeys visiting our garden frequently. Monkeys eat them and hardly allow them to grow.
We also use tender bamboo shoots preserved in salt for this pickle.
Ingredients: ½ cup bamboo shoot pieces (keerlu) ½ cup (5 or 6) crushed hog plums(ambades) 1/3 cup salt 1 cup Water 4 tea spn chilly powder 2 tea spn mustard seeds 1 tea spn fenugreek seeds(methi) ½ tea spn asafoetida ½ tea spn turmeric powder 2 tea spn oil
Be careful with the salt quantity. I use the raw sea salt that we get here. So change it to your taste.
Method: Boil water with salt till it reduces by about half inch in volume and keep it aside to cool to allow it to come to room temperature. (This is called ‘ meeta kho l’ in Konkani ). Immerse the crushed ambades in it and keep it aside for about thirty minutes. Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard, fenugreek and asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds start popping, bring it to room temperature and powder it. Mix this powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder with salted bamboo shoot pieces and add them to the soaked ambades in salt water. Mix very well. The pickle is ready for use after about thirty minutes. It can be stored for many days.
We had invited some of our friends for dinner over the last weekend. We didn’t realize how the time had passed. During one of our discussions, I told them I love baking. Our friend Vishal asked if I make Jeera bread. Well, that sounded a great thought, I had to try it. It reminded me Jeera biscuits which we get, back at home. I somehow didn’t act on that idea the next day. But today, I wanted to give it a try.
I started making the bread very late. My plan was to just make the dough and bake it tomorrow morning for breakfast. But curiosity took over me and I rushed to bake it today itself. It was one of the best and tastiest breads I have ever baked. I served it with a simple olive oil-dried basil-salt mixture (like they serve in some of the Italian restaurants here). It was a very crusty on the outside, soft on the inside.
I am sure if I had left the dough for more time, the results would have been much better. Another thing I would try next time is to bake it in a bread loaf pan which would give it a nice depth and height.
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup wheat flour 1 cup water 1 tea spn cumin seeds (roasted) 2 and 1/4 tea spn active dry yeast 1 tbl spn unsalted butter 1/2 tea spn sugar 1 tea spn salt Olive oil
Method: Roast cumin seeds till a nice aroma comes out of them. Crush them slightly(do not make a powder). Heat the water till it is lukewarm (I microwave it for 15secs). Add sugar, butter and little olive oil. Then add yeast to it. Leave it at a warm place for 10mins till yeast becomes active (the mixture becomes frothy).
Add salt, cumin and flours. If necessary add a little more water. Make a dough.
Kneed very well for about 10mins. Transfer the dough to a well oiled big vessel. Cover with a plastic wrap (or a plate).
Leave it for about 1 and 1/2 hrs – 2hrs till the dough doubles in size.
Take out the dough on a flat surface. Press down the dough. Kneed for a minute and give desired shape. (I added a slit to the top with my kitchen scissor).
Apply some olive oil on top and leave it covered for another 45mins. The dough should double in size again.
Preheat the oven at 500F for about 10mins. Bake the bread for about 15mins. Take it out and brush some butter on top. Then keep it back in oven and bake till you get a nice brown color(about 15mins).
Serves : 4-5
