Baker's Corner: Paneer Masala Buns

It is no secret that I love baking. Heck, having a dedicated segment on the blog called "Baker's Corner" makes it more than obvious, no?

I have this obsession of taking homemade baked goods as an edible gift when visiting family/friends/colleagues. I perceive it to be a thoughtful gesture (and it fulfills my ulterior motive of being an enjoyable pursuit) so I do it all the time 😁 Although I go for sweet bakes more often than savoury bakes when gifting, I have baked stuffed buns, pesto rolls and focaccia many a time.

If you have been following my blog, you may know that I already have the Iyengar bakery-style potato buns and the Italian-inspired pizza buns in my blog archives. With these two buns, I used refined white flour with predictably good results. Subsequently, I posted a recipe for savoury whole wheat buns using, as the name suggests, only whole wheat flour which came together after some experimentation and was an unexpected success. Slightly denser, I would have to admit but with a more robust flavour.

So, you may know that unlike white flour, whole wheat contains germ and bran. These two components have minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber. They also add a nutty array of flavors to a loaf of bread, as well as a fuller texture. The downside is, they also make life harder for bakers. For one thing, bran and germ soak up water, which can dry out a loaf and make it crumbly so largely, for this reason, bakers cannot simply substitute whole grain for white. Rather, recipes must be entirely recomposed. Thus, when working with whole wheat flour, it is necessary to use more water in your dough compared to using only white flour. Germ and bran also add weight to the dough, which can impede its capacity to rise, leading to loaves almost as dense as stone.

Blending whole wheat and white flour creates an easier to work with, lighter textured and tasting loaf that will produce decent volume. Blending is a great way to start out working with whole wheat flour and allows you to progressively increase your whole wheat with each successive loaf until you are baking with 100% whole wheat. While it is entirely possible to get soft and fluffy rolls/bread using whole wheat flour alone, it does take a wee bit of know-how and practice.

Although I have baked buns using only whole wheat in the past, for this particular recipe, I thought I'd combine both whole wheat and plain flour. I am no baking expert so I thought I'll err on the side of caution. Since, I had already done a spiced potato and a pizza filling, I was deliberating between a mushroom or paneer filling for my next bun-making attempt. The recipe for the filling was a very spur-of-the-moment thing where I just kept adding whatever I felt liked (and just hoped for the best). The buns turned out good enough to make it to the blog. Soft and wholesome with a delicious paneer filling. These buns will make their way to a loved ones home of that  I'm sure! 

Check out the recipe and let me know how it goes. You can try the other bun recipes while you are it at too.

Recipe of the month: Bhatura

I have a culinary confession to make. Actually, it is something I wasn't privy to until a few days ago. For all the cooking I've done in my life - I have never once made bhatura in my kitchen. I find that astounding considering how many times I have savoured this Indian street-food staple. 

Growing up, Channa Bhatura/Chole Bhature is something I would frequently order at restaurants/canteens/food joints. Me and my siblings never got to eat this at home since my mom would make whole wheat pooris instead to go with channa/chole. In addition to the kind of flour used, the bhatura recipe is quite different than the standard poori recipe in that the dough is made with a leavening agents such as baking powder, yoghurt and yeast or cooking soda.

Bhatura is more common to North Indian (particularly Punjabi) households where it is served for breakfast or brunch. But the popularity of this dish has extended across India and overseas as well making it well recognized by Indians and Indian food-lovers alike.

Bhatura evokes a deep sense of nostalgia for me. Catching sight on the balloon-sized piping hot puffy bhatura and inhaling the intoxicating aroma of the chickpea curry is enough to send my taste buds into a frenzy and stimulate the salivary glands. It is the combination of the tender flaky flatbread and the exotic spice-infused chickpea side dish which is hard to resist. This dish is delicious, moreish and will lull you into a deep slumber after you are done with it. If you have never tasted channa bhatura before, you are truly missing out.

Bhatura is made from refined flour and involves deep-frying so obviously, it has to taste fabulous right?! But on the flip side, packed with calories and saturated fats, this Punjabi bad boy has the potential to take your bad cholesterol to an all-time high. It could also cause you acidity, bloating and heartburn. But that doesn't stop people from getting their bhatura-fix. I'd say the reason is usually deep-rooted in one's childhood. See the thing is, when you are a skinny little Indian kid and crave bhatura with all your heart, your mom is unlikely to tell you about its artery clogging potential. Especially if it only a once in a while indulgence. 'You like it? You eat it' used to be the simple mantra back in the day. And c'mon, who doesn't like channa bhatura right? You would have to be mad not to 😝

So, keeping all the above in mind, I have decided to not deprive my kids of the chance to try this lip-smacking universal favourite. Moreover, considering how homemade is infinitely better than eating at questionable street vendors or seedy dhabas, I don't think it is such big a deal. Of course, in keeping with modern times where people are more conscious of what they eat and developing good eating habits from an early age is important, I will be sure to let my kids know when to keep certain guilty pleasures to a minimum and channa bhatura will definitely be one of them. Probably making it for them twice or thrice a year should be acceptable 😁

What I would say to anyone who wants to make this dish at home is - use good and fresh ingredients, fresh oil, avoid getting the oil to point that it is smoking (but remember it should still be hot), use paper towels to absorb the excess oil from the bhatura and please, do not reuse that oil after you are done. Also, it would be a good idea to make bhatura for breakfast or brunch so you have the rest of the day to at least attempt to burn off the unspeakable amount of calories 😆

Bhatura and channa/chole are made for each other so that is your best bet for a side dish. With the chole, it is always preferable to use dried chickpeas and soak + cook them yourself compared to using canned chickpeas. Freshly cooked chickpeas are richer, fuller and meatier than their canned cousins with a texture that is infinitely creamier. In addition, they are BPA-free, more cost effective, and contain less sodium. It is worth putting in the effort to cook the chickpeas from scratch for the chole since it is the star of the show (although I admittedly take the short cut and go the canned route many times). I have a fabulous recipe for Punjabi Chole on the blog which you can find here and if you minimize the amount of oil that you use, it can actually work out to be a delicious and protein-packed side dish.

Serve the bhatura with sliced red onions, lime wedges, pickle and cooling yoghurt for a gastronomic experience that is nothing short of sheer bliss.

Oh and you're welcome  😊

Book review: The Letter by Kathryn Hughes

I was keen on doing a book review because it took me a while to remember the last time I did one. It bothers me that the daily grind of life leaves me with little to no time for reading. At the start of the year, I gave myself a feasible target of 15 literary books to finish by the end of the year. We are more than half way into 2018 and I'm mildly embarrassed to admit that my dismal count stands at 4. Talk about unfulfilled reading goals 😒 At this rate, I don't think I can justify calling myself a bibliophile anymore. You could always argue that one could make time for something if you really wanted to and I wouldn't disagree with you. Case in point - my husband who easily goes through 40-60 books a year. Reading before going to bed is a habit I would like to cultivate but that time is mostly hijacked by Netflix. Since I have no intention of perfecting the art of procrastination, things need to change starting today 😁

This novel was recommended to me by my husband (as is mostly the case). It has been written by English author Kathryn Hughes. The Letter, set in her hometown of Manchester was first published in 2013 and since then has become an International best-seller, capturing millions of hearts worldwide. 

***Plot*** 

Tina Craig's journey begins as a beautiful and self-assured young woman giving her fledgling marriage every chance to succeed. But after enduring unending physical and mental abuse at the hands of her volatile husband Rick, she becomes fearful and longs to escape. She puts in long hours at work and even volunteers at a charity shop on Sundays to seek respite the treadmill existence of misery at home. One day when going through the pockets of a second-hand suit, Tina comes across an old letter, one that was never posted. She opens the letter and reads it – a decision that will alter the course of her life forever.

Billy Stirling's fairly carefree life that sees him go from orphan to the son of his doting adoptive mother turns into a dreamy fairytale when he meets the love of his life, Christina Skinner. Unaffected by her draconian father's disapproval, their burgeoning relationship blossoms. But as fate would have it, circumstances tear the young lovers apart. Billy is aware of a blunder he committed and desperately hopes to set things right. On 4th September 1939 he sits down to write the letter he hopes will change his future. It does – in more ways than he can ever imagine.

In his quest to trace his origins, William Lane crosses the Atlantic to track down his biological mother. Time and again he questions the wisdom of his endeavors but flashbacks to his childhood spurs him on. Destiny intervenes and his paths cross with a psychologically battered Tina. As the final pieces of the 34 year-old puzzle fall together, the reality of how one woman's devastation leads to another woman's salvation begins to emerge.

Water Play Area at Rainforest KidzWorld, Singapore Zoo

[UPDATE: Rainforest KidzWorld has now been upgraded to a new KidzWorld]

Before I had children of my own, I'd been to the Singapore Zoo at least half a dozen times. I'd keenly scanned the map, explored every inch of the zoo and visited all its inhabitants. But oddly enough, not once did I pay any attention to Rainforest KidzWorld 😝

Fast forward to the present day where I am a mother of 3+ year old exuberant twin girls and someone who is constantly on the lookout for outlets to expend their inexhaustible energy. Rainforest KidzWorld? YES PLEASE!

A few weeks ago, my husband was overseas on a business trip and I had taken it upon myself to make sure the girls were less affected by his absence by keeping them occupied. We had been to Gardens by the Bay, Far East Organization Children's Garden, a few shopping malls, restaurants, two trips to Admiralty park, Palawan beach and finally, the last stop on our mother-daughter fun agenda was the Singapore Zoo.

I happened to take the day off from work on a gloomy Monday and coincidentally, the twins did not have school that very day. Through a corporate pass, I had four complimentary entry tickets to the zoo which was perfect for me, the kids and our domestic helper. Even through rain had been threatening to ruin our day right from sunup, we decided to go through with our plan equipped with raincoats and umbrellas.

We reached the zoo nice and early. I had packed a hearty breakfast for the duo which they finished by a bench beside the otter exhibit. Although they were eager to see the animals, I insisted we put that off for later in the day. I was worried it was going to rain any minute and was anxious to get to Rainforest KidzWorld. My girls had never been to that part of the zoo before and I knew they would love it. They have been water babies ever since I can remember and water parks make them go slightly loopy 😛

At the entrance there are clear signs about what is allowed and what isn't. Particularly helpful for first-timers like us. 

These are the wet play area guidelines:

• No food and drinks
• No footwear
• No running
• Appropriate swimwear and swimming diapers are to be worn at all times
• Shower before and after play

As expected, the minute we got the girls changed into their bathing suits and showered, they bolted towards the vast and enticing play area in a flash and were in their own world for the next one and a half hours. Luckily for us there were hardly anyone there and it was almost as if they had the whole place to themselves. And although still cloudy, there was no sign of rain the entire duration. Whoop whoop!  

Like I said, it was the first time I actually noticed the water play area. It is anchored by an animal-themed slide and spray shack flanked by a colourful array of sprayers, climbers, and a variety of zippy water-flushed slides and tubes.

The twins were obsessed with the green slides and must have gone on them at least 25 times. The blue closed one they found intimidating and so they stuck to the obviously safer choice 😁