Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

Some things in life are simple. 1+1=2, beach + margarita = holiday and cinnamon + sugar = awesomeness! When I chanced upon this recipe, I was skeptical. The ingredient list was small. The process was easy. And the final product seemed very basic. But the more I kept thinking about the muffin that’s going to be coated with cinnamon sugar, the more I wanted to make it. The story goes back a couple of years – in a mall in Bangkok. (It’s nothing like the Hangover II, so get your mind out of the gutter!). Now BKK is a shopper’s paradise. I landed and checked myself into a hotel which was bang opposite one their biggest malls – yes, I had my priorities in order! The city is hot as hell, so it’s very thoughtful of the government to connect malls to other malls via air-conditioned pathways. The end result being, you feel you are in the biggest mall on the planet!

My daily routine consisted of getting up early, grabbing a quick brekkie at the hotel café and waiting till the mall opened at 10 AM. As soon as the first store opened it’s shutters, I was in shopping mode! Like a ninja on a mission, I went from store to store and floor to floor – looking, comparing, bargaining and buying. The only break I took was a loo break and a lunch break. Ok, so I’m crazy! Luggiing my loot around (I used a big suitcase with wheels :P), I finally saw it. A pretty little bakery done up in pink and dark brown – like candy and chocolate. I was inexplicably drawn towards it - I completely empathize with Hansel and Gretel! There were rows and rows of all the goodies you could imagine – doughnuts, layer cakes, cupcakes, pastries, tarts, truffles and I could go on! I put as many things I could on the tray along with a sugar bun that also made its way there. I sat down to enjoy my sugar coma inducing meal. And you know what the surprise package was?  – The tiny little perfect sugar coated butter bun! I have dreams about it some days (no kidding!).

So the climax is simple. The sugar coated muffin = my substitute for the sugar coated bun. And I’m currently patting my stomach with a Looney smile plastered across my face. Enough said.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Was the chicken a jerk? I thought ‘jerk’ was reserved for the masculine gender, so shouldn’t the rooster be the jerk? On the other hand, why is the poor poultry being subjected to name calling in the first place? Ha ha ha … this recipe name always cracks me up. I know it’s juvenile to laugh at such things but my brain is wired in weird ways! So coming to the point…nobody is a jerk here (except maybe the gas connection guys – but that’s another story)!

Jerk is a style of Jamaican cooking where the meat is generally dry rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture called Jamaican Jerk spice (courtesy: Wiki). The inspiration for this, was the fact that I had a bottle of All-spice and the rest of the ingredient list (including Demerara sugar) available in my pantry. I know! Sometimes I surprise myself! So I proceeded to make the mixture and marinated the chicken overnight. I cooked it for lunch this afternoon and maybe was a bit overenthusiastic in charring the chicken. (Well, the recipe said 45 mins and I was loitering around!) Of course I’ve tweaked the cooking time down to 30 mins for you guys – the martyr that I am, taking the hit so that you can have a good recipe! It’s a good change from the regular tandoori or grilled chicken recipes. Enjoy it with some beer on a hot afternoon J

Baked Yoghurt with Cinnamon and Orange Compote

The BBC Good Food magazine finally arrived in India! (Ok, it arrived in November but I’m writing this post now…Sue me!) Like any food fanatic, I was over the moon. Promptly went and subscribed for it and ran around like a headless chicken to get the first edition in my hand. Yes, I do love books with pictures in it… especially food pictures! Got the magazine back home and devoured it from cover to cover! Bliss comes in different ways to different people. I religiously book marked recipes to try and went and did my grocery shopping. Ain’t I the model foodie? But, days turned into weeks and now weeks into a month and I still hadn’t tried anything. The next issue arrived and I was determined to cook something from the first edition atleast! So obviously I picked the recipe that looked the most difficult, the most beautiful, the weirdest, the most challenging, the easiest! This recipe is more about combining ingredients than actual cooking, but it turned out to be quite the dessert! Maybe a little less cinnamon the next time and I’m bookmarking this recipe for easiest dessert ever. (Other than serving Ice cream of course!)

Baked Yoghurt with Cinnamon and Orange Compote

(Recipe Courtesy: BBC Good Food India, Nov 2011)

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves: 6-8

What you need:

¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon

200 gms Fresh Cream

200 gms Condensed Milk

200 gms Yoghurt (Set Dahi)

2 Mandarins/ Seville Oranges (where the skin sticks to the fruit)

4 Tbsp Sugar

1 Star Anise

What to do:

In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon, yoghurt, cream and condensed milk until it attains a consistent texture. Pour the mixture into ramekins and bake at 120°C until just set – approx 15 mins. Turn off the oven and let it continue to cool in the oven. Refrigerate for a few hours and serve chilled.

For the compote: Zest the orange making sure to avoid the white pith (that imparts the bitter taste). Cut the oranges into pieces and deseed it. In a saucepan, add the orange, zest, sugar and star anise and simmer for 12-15 mins until reduced. Serve warm spooned over the cold yoghurt.

P.S. The original recipe said ½ tsp Cinnamon, but I think it overpowers the yoghurt. So I’ve reduced it to ¼ tsp or lesser.

Sweet Cinnamon Rolls and Savory Dill Rolls

Featured in Tastespotting.com - 14th Jan 2012

Now that I think I can bake bread, I have ventured further into this magical world of yeast. Yes, I know it sounds corny, but it’s becoming an addiction. Somehow knowing that this little growing organism holds the key to a perfectly turned out loaf, makes me feel completely ensnared by it. Like a little slave, I wait for the yeast to make its presence felt and grace my little loaf with the air and water it needs to grow. Amen. This week I made rolls. I used the basic bread roll recipe and decided to twist the dough around – literally. In the end I had these pretty looking swirls enclosing raisins and cinnamon for the sweet lovers and dill and onions for the savory tongues. If you are going to have someone over for tea, I suggest serving a couple of these. Very very fun and tasty. Or have them for a fantastic breakfast – beats the crap out of store cereal anyday!

Cinnamon Rolls and Dill Rolls

Prep time: 15 mins

Sitting time: 2+2 hrs

Baking time: 10-15 mins

Makes: 8-10 rolls

What you need:

1 Basic Bread Dough recipe (Click here)

If making Cinnamon Rolls:

50 gms Butter, softened

2 tsps Cinnamon Powder

2 Tbsps Brown sugar

Some raisins to sprinkle in between

If making Dill Rolls:

¾th Tbsp Oil

1 Onion, sliced

2 Green Chili, chopped

1 bunch Dill leaves, chopped

¼ tsp Salt

What to do:

In the basic bread dough recipe, when you reach the stage of shaping the dough into rolls, follow the below instructions. Divide the dough into 8-10 balls. Now roll out the ball into a 10” rope. Lay it on the table top and flatten it out to 1” width and 1/2” thickness.

For the Cinnamon rolls: Spread some softened butter onto the flattened rope. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon powder. Toss in a few raisins. Now start folding the flattened dough to make a spiral.

For the Dill rolls: Heat oil and fry the onion and chilli. Add dill and fry for 2 mins. Seasn with salt. Cool. Spread the cooled mixture onto the flattened dough rope and then fold into a spiral.

Now place the dough rolls on a baking tray and loosely cover with cling film (to keep the moisture in). The dough will ferment and double in size in the next two hours. Just before baking, glaze with a eggwash for the dill roll or a milkwash for the cinnamon roll. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10-15 mins. Once done, overturn the rolls in the baking tray to avoid the bottom getting soggy. Serve Warm.

Note: If you’re oven is small, you can still bake this in 2 batches. Ensure space between the rolls after shaping, as they double in size. Also if you plan to make both the rolls – don’t bake the cinnamon ones with the dill. They both have very strong smells and the resultant intermingling is strange. Two batches – one for each type should be ideal.

The rolls are at their glorious peak when hot. Serve at tea time or devour for brekkie!!

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