Folklorama: Blintzes and Seekh Kababs

Blintzes

Goodness, here we are at the end of July!

I hope you’ve been enjoying the recipes of past Folklorama pavilions and that you’re planning on seeing a few - or all - of the pavilions at Folklorama50.

In 1980 Israel displayed its arts and culture in the Shalom Square Pavilion, held in the Y.M.H.A. Community Centre at 370 Hargrave Street.

It was noted in the brochure that the Sabbath would be observed and that the pavilion would be closed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, a handy reminder for those who wanted to visit, but weren’t aware of the religious rules.

The Winnipeg Jewish Community Council had arranged for the internationally acclaimed Chair Folk Ensemble to perform Israeli and Yiddish songs and dances.

The cultural displays featured information on Israel, as well as exhibits presented by the Canadian Zionist Federation.

While the entertainment was excellent and the displays were informative, the sponsors knew that the food was the real draw.

The traditional favourites were there: gefilte fish, salami sandwiches, knishes, dill pickles, matzah, hamantashen, apple strudel, moon cookies and halavah.

They also added new items to their menu: cherry and blueberry blintzes, giant and salty bagelach (pretzels), and an assortment of candies, both sweet and sour.

Beverages ranged from Israeli wine (red and white), Israeli beer, and Sabra (a chocolate-orange flavoured liquor), to soft drinks and coffee.

Shalom!

In 1980 the India Pavilion, sponsored by the India Association of Winnipeg Inc., made full use of the classrooms at R. B. Russell Vocational School at 364 Dufferin Avenue for their large number of cultural displays. 

Colourful sarees (the common costume of women in India), floral design, handicrafts, artifacts, jewelry, Indian spices and herbs, books for children, posters of historical sites, fashions of India, and wall displays explaining the Indian system of mathematics and science filled the rooms.

Classical Indian dances and Folk dances from various regions of India were performed by dancers in colourful costumes, who were accompanied by East Indian music.

Intricate foot work and hand gestures conveying emotions and ideas, an important part of the dances, held everyone's attention.

The hostesses greeted guests with a warm Swagatum as they joined the lines for ‘East-Indian’ curried meat and rice, as well as a variety of curries divided into chicken, beef and vegetables.

Taj Rum and Calcutta Dry Gin for the full experience, as well as local beverages - both hard and soft - were available, as were desserts which included gulab-jamun, a pastry made with milk, then shaped into balls, fried and served with sweet syrup.

In the current Folklorama50 brochure there are still an Israel Pavilion - Shalom Square, and an India Pavilion, as well as the Punjab Pavilion and the Tamil Pavilion.

Hints:

The recipe said that oil is best for greasing the pan for the leaf for blintzes.

                        Blintzes  

Leaf

Combine in a small bowl

1 1/2 Cups flour

1/2 Cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Place in a large bowl

6 eggs

2 Cups water

2 Cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat together.

Add the dry mixture and beat well.

The batter should be thin. Add water if necessary.

Lightly grease a pan with oil and heat until hot.

Pour enough of the batter into the prepared pan to form a thin leaf, tilting the pan from side to side so that the batter spreads evenly.

Cook until the top is dry and slightly blistered. 

Turn onto a clean cloth, cooked side up.

Filling

Combine in a small bowl

any canned pie filling

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

dash of cinnamon

grated lemon peel or dash of orange peel

Place a tablespoon of the filling in the centre of a leaf, fold sides to centre, and roll up.

When ready to use, fry lightly in butter.

Serve with sour cream and fruit.

                        Seekh Kababs  

Place in a medium bowl

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 green chillies (hot), chopped finely

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt to taste

Blend until it is a fine paste.

Add

1 pound lean ground beef

Blend well.

Grease a skewer with melted butter.

Take a scoop of the meat mixture and wrap around the skewer.

Repeat with remaining skewers and meat.

Barbecue or broil.

Serve garnished with sliced onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and green peppers.

Shrikhand for Diwali by Margaret Ullrich

Living in the north end of Winnipeg, I sometimes can't find some exotic items in my local grocery store.

However, one of the nice things about the north end of Winnipeg is that - due to the luck of having neighbours who are an incredible mix of people from all over the world - 

I get to taste food from other countries.

And I'm not talking the bland, toned-down stuff you find in stores, but real recipes from real folks who know how things are supposed to taste.

We're talking recipes that have been in the family for quite a while.

And they are perfect.

This Sunday is the Hindu feast of Diwali, the festival of lights.

And just like all proper feasts, there's a special recipe for the celebration.

Shrikhand is a dessert that is very easy to make.

Hints:

Greek yogurt or yogurt that is 9%-14% fat content would be perfect for this.

Saffron is really hard to find.

And expensive.

About the only time stores carry it is before Easter for folks who make Paska. 

They often have to request it a few weeks in advance.

An easier to find (and cheaper) spice you can use instead of saffron is turmeric.

I've read that instead of saffron, some folks use safflower annatto.

No, I don't know where you'd find that.

You can add more or less sugar, depending on how sweet you'd like it to be.

Shrikhand is also delicious as a cupcake frosting… and healthier.

                        Shrikhand

Place in a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl

1 Kilogram of thick yogurt 

Place the yogurt in the fridge and allow it to drain overnight.

Warm

15 mL milk

Rub over the milk to crumble

a pinch of saffron

Stir and let the saffron milk sit for 15-20 minutes.

Mix together in a bowl

the drained yogurt

the saffron mixture

5 g ground cardamom

Add a few spoonfuls at a time

375 g sugar

Blend thoroughly.

Refrigerate mixture for about an hour.

Serve cold and top with

sliced almonds and chopped salted pistachios

Spice Blends: Tandoori, Curry, Chinese Hot Mustard - Margaret Ullrich

I live in the north end of Winnipeg.

My neighbours are a pretty diverse bunch, ethnically speaking.

One thing we have in common is having to make dinner for the family.

Kids are great at loving to try something different, food-wise, especially if their friends are eating it.

There are worse things they can want to do.

One day when I was getting groceries, a Filipino mom approached me and shyly showed me a few bags of different grated cheeses.

Seems her kid wanted tacos and she wasn't sure which was the right mix to get.

And at least once a month I can see my neighbour, an East Indian Mom, tossing out a few boxes from a local take out pizza restaurant on garbage day.

So it goes.

If your kids would like something Asian for dinner, no problem.

Just buy a few bags of cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, and cardamom.

And don't forget the powdered mustard and dry minced garlic.

Easy enough, and they are delicious in other recipes, too.

Tandoorie Spice Blend

1 1/2 teaspoon dry minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Makes a scant 1/2 Cup

Homemade Curry Spice Blend

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

4 teaspoons ground coriander

4 teaspoons powdered mustard

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon cayenne 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Makes 1/2 Cup

Hot Chinese Mustard

Mix mustard powder with water (or vinegar, or a mix of the 2)  

Let stand 10 minutes

Links for Spices, Spice Blends, Uses and Recipes

It's the Holiday Season!!

There are so many smells and spices in the air.

Delicious... wonderful... inviting...

Try something new!!

Allspice

Anise

Caraway

Cardamom / Sugar & Spice Blend

Cayenne / Tandoorie Spice

Celery Seed / Seafood Spice

Cinnamon / Apple Pie Spice

Cloves / Pumpkin Pie Spice

Coriander Seed / Curry Blend

Cumin / Fajita Blend

Fennel

Ginger

Nutmeg & Mace

Mustard / Hot Chinese Mustard

Paprika / Season Fish, Salads & Noodles

Paprika / Meat and Poultry Seasoning

Thyme / Salad Dressing

Baked Chicken with Curry Powder (East Indian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Okay... if you're East Indian, this is 'same old, same old'.

You were probably weaned on it.

Time to go out and get a bucket of KFC.

But, if you're not East Indian, this will make the family sit up and take notice.

And you can use your home-made curry powder.

As mild or strong as you want.

Don't have chick-peas?

No problem.

Peas work well, too.

Frozen or canned.

                           

                        Chicken with Curry Powder

Season 

2 legs and 2 breasts 

with

salt and pepper

Brown in butter and oil.  Remove.

In the same pot, cook until translucent

1 medium onion, chopped 

Combine and add to onion in pot

1 1/2 Tablespoon flour 

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons honey

Cook, stirring until thickened.

Add

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 Cups chicken broth

1 Can (20 oz) chick-peas, drained 

                     

Replace chicken, cover with sauce (can be stored in the fridge).

Bake, covered in 350º oven 1 hour. 

Serve with green salad.

Baked Chicken with Coriander (East Indian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

By now coriander should be an old friend.

Especially if you've been making your own Curry Blend.

As mild or as strong as you like.

You're free from being a slave to what's on the grocery spice shelf!!

Okay, it's not exactly Freedom 55, but its nice.

And so is this recipe for chicken.

Rice is nice, and easy.

But, if your grocery store has an East Indian section, check out the starch choices.

Excitement you can afford!!

Really, a different food section should be on your 'Bucket List'.

                        Chicken with Coriander

Season 

2 legs and 2 breasts 

with

salt and pepper

In a large ovenproof pot 

Brown chicken in butter and oil.  Remove.

In the same pot, cook until translucent

2 medium onions, chopped 

Add and cook gently, stirring, 5 minutes

1 1/2 Tablespoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 clove garlic, chopped 

1/2 Cup chicken broth

1/2 Cup plain yogurt

                  

Replace chicken, cover with sauce (can be stored in the fridge).

Bake, covered, in 350º oven 1 hour. 

Serve with rice, and spinach salad with mushrooms. 

Coriander (seed and ground) / Homemade Curry Spice Blend - Margaret Ullrich

Coriander seed is another unsung hero in the kitchen.

Especially since I can't spoof it like I did Cumin.

Aren't you glad of that?

Coriander seeds are the seeds of the cilantro (Chinese parsley) plant.

In case you've never tried it, cilantro tastes like a sweet lemony sage.

So, give it a try the next time you roast a chicken.

If you've bought a bag of Coriander seeds but don't want to reseed your lawn 

with the leftovers, you can add the extra seeds to pickles and marinades.

Coriander seeds have a pungent aroma and sweet flavor.

It's very versatile.
Especially if you grind it.

Ground Coriander is great in a main course.

It combines beautifully with garlic and chili in meat, fish and vegetable dishes.

Add some to meat pies, hamburgers and stuffings.

For a gourmet touch, rub some into pork before roasting.

And, of course, it's essential in curry powder

Want to punch up a dessert?

Use ground Coriander to flavor pound cake.

Use it in place of cinnamon to flavor apple pie.

You can add ground Coriander to frying batters.

Toss melon chunks with coriander and sugar.

About that Curry Powder... why not make your own?

You can make it as mild or as strong as you want.

Here's a middle of the road blend.

Have fun!! 

Homemade Curry Spice Blend

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

4 teaspoons ground coriander

4 teaspoons powdered mustard

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon cayenne 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Makes 1/2 Cup

Cumin (seeds and ground) / Homemade Fajita Spice Blend - Margaret Ullrich

He'll be cumin 'round the mountain, when he comes.....

Sorry.

Cumin really is too good a spice to be stuck in a bad joke.

What can I say?

Let's just blame it on the weird weather we've been having in Winnipeg.

Cumin isn't as famous as pepper or cinnamon.

But it is essential in curry and chili powders.

Yes, those are blends of spices.

Now you know.

Cumin seeds can be stirred into cheese spreads.

Or you can add a few to cooking water for rice or couscous.

Ground cumin adds a nice touch to lentil soup.

You can add a pinch to bottled salad dressing.

Have yogurt, have cumin, have fun...

Stir some cumin into plain yogurt, add some chopped cucumber and serve 

the cucumber/yogurt with spicy curries.

For a cooling summer drink, season plain yogurt with cumin and salt 

and thin with cold water.

Much healthier than a soda.

Along with curry and chili powders, cumin is in those packages of Fajita seasoning.

And you can make it at home!

Fajita Spice Blend

4 Tablespoons chili powder

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground oregano

2 teaspoons garlic salt

Makes a scant 1/2 Cup

Cayenne (ground red pepper) / Homemade Tandoorie Spice Blend - Margaret Ullrich

Man does not live on bread or cookie alone.

Although, during the holiday season, it sure seems that way.

It's January.

On to the more savoury spices.

The main course spices.

Spices like cayenne.

Did you always wonder what the heck cayenne is?

It's ground red pepper.

Really.

Cayenne goes well with many recipes.

Cayenne gives a lift to egg dishes.

Stir a bit into cream cheese spreads and guacamole.

Add some to corn bread batter, chili, barbecue sauce and salsa.

Stir into creamy dishes like chowders, cheese or white sauces and dressings.

In 1910 chili pepper production began in California.

Cayenne didn't just stay in California.

No way.

Can't keep a good spice hidden away.

Here's something to spice up your next chicken dinner.

Tandoorie Spice Blend

1 Tablespoon garlic salt

1 Tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Makes a scant 1/2 Cup