Pumpkin White Chocolate Cookies

My Dad was a generous host who treated Halloween like a well-orchestrated dinner party. The candy he handed out had to meet a certain standard much like the imported cheese and crackers that he carefully assembled for dinner guests. In southern Illinois, mini candy bars were considered top of the line and a few weeks before Halloween, he and my Mom would drive to a wholesale store to buy them in bulk.  

My Dad would pile bags of the bars into a shopping cart to ensure that every witch, ghost, and goblin that rang the doorbell left with a generous handout. My Mom would tell him to cut back by a bag or two knowing that he cushioned the count to accommodate his sweet tooth. But my Dad would insist that they also take part in the celebration.

On Halloween, my Dad would leave his medical practice early to ensure that the yard was presentable. He brought out the blower to clear leaves from the driveway and the front walk. Afterwards, he would put on a well-pressed shirt, pair of slacks, and a sweater vest to guard against the cold each time he popped open the screen door. Before my parents sat down for an early dinner, my Dad would transfer the bars into wide-mouthed wicker baskets, making it easy to dole them out. He also loaded his camera with film to document the parade of costumed guests.

PUMPKIN WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

3/4 cup chopped pecans

2 cups white chocolate, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well blended. 

Add the vanilla extract, cardamom, cinnamon, ground ginger, and cloves and beat until combined.

Add the pumpkin puree and egg. Beat until well combined.

Add half of the dry mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are just combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients.

Gently fold in the pecans and white chocolate.

Drop teaspoons full of cookie dough two inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake until edges brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.



Eggs in Coconut Milk

If  close my eyes, I can still picture my grandmother’s chicks in coats the color of well whipped butter. She tosses out a handful of grain and they bob about in a frenzy. 

By  the age of four, I had stood before the Taj Mahal, watched yards of sari silk unfurled, and seen goldsmiths handcrafting jewelry. And yet it was the chicks (and their free-wheeling brethren) that represented the beauty of India to me. I would have given anything to scoop one up.

During my first trip to Kerala, I encountered animals throughout the day. I woke to a rooster’s call, accompanied by the solemn sound of Muslim prayers. After breakfast, I got to touch a cow's jiggly udder. Her milk was churned into butter by mid-day. I kept an eye out for the neighbor’s goats, which appeared like magic, in search of tender leaves. Eyes alert. Heads held high.   

Fast forward more years than I care to admit, and nothing much has changed.  I have developed a deeper appreciation for India’s architectural and artistic wonders, but it’s still random encounters with animals that compel me the most. From poufy-bummed chickens pecking around the yard to free-range goats frolicking about to hulking elephants ambling down the road with their trainer. So much of life in India goes un-curated, and to me, that’s the most wondrous thing of all. 

EGGS IN COCONUT MILK

This dish is traditionally served with a fermented Syrian Christian bread called appam. In our family, they are served together for breakfast on Christmas and on Easter. When I'm strapped for time, I pair this dish it with white rice. Either way, it's delicious!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

6 eggs

1 1/4 tablespoon coriander seeds

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cloves

3 cardamom pods

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 cup water

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1 1/2 cups finely sliced onions

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons finely cut ginger

1 teaspoon finely cut garlic 

1/2 cup potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup diced tomatoes

10 to 15 fresh curry leaves

1 cup coconut milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. 

Peel the eggs and score lengthwise. 

Blend the coriander, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and fennel in a coffee grinder or spice grinder.

Heat the oil in a medium size skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the onions and salt. Cook until they become translucent, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Add the curry leaves, potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic. Cook until the potatoes and tomatoes soften, about 15 minutes.

Add the spices to the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the water.

Add the eggs and stir gently. Add the coconut milk, stir, cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.  

Cinnamon Cardamom Granola

When you hear the word antioxidant, what image comes to mind? A bowl of blueberries, a chunk of dark chocolate, or a carafe of red wine? Well, that's not surprising as they are often cited for their antioxidant prowess. However, if you depend on two of the three for disease fighting nutrients, you risk becoming overweight and tipsy! 

Thankfully, there are plenty of other antioxidant-rich options to choose from including my favorite, spices. In fact, according to the National Institute of Health, herbs and spices have the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food group. Cloves, peppermint, allspice, and cinnamon top the list. 

I add spices to everyday fare including hot tea, salad dressings, and smoothies. The low-calorie nuggets help me  create a nutrient-rich layer of flavor. If you're looking for simple ways to consume antioxidants and bring more pleasure to the table, why not sprinkle in some spice? 

CINNAMON CARDAMOM GRANOLA

Makes 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

3 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup raw almonds, cut in half 

1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconuts

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sunflower oil, plus some for greasing
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Cover the foil with a thin layer of oil.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, shredded coconut, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl.

Place the honey, brown sugar, oil, and molasses in a small  saucepan. Stir to combine. Heat on low heat until the brown sugar melts, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, and whisk together.

Pour the honey syrup over the dry ingredients. Stir together to coat the dry ingredients completely.

Spread the mixture in a single layer on the greased foil.

Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool and break into 1/2 inch chunks.

Mix in the raisins.



   

When I was seven, I received a copy of Cricket’s Cookery from my Uncle Matthew. Inside the front cover, he penned the following directive in a curly-cued script that tangoed across the page:

“To Susan, help your Momie in need. Here is a good cookbook for you. Hope you will make some of the recipes.

Love,
Machayan
Christmas 1977”

Cricket's Cookery turned out to be the perfect gift for a child enthralled by her mom's sorcery in the kitchen and eager to enter its fold. At a half inch thick, it was easier to hold than the culinary tomes that anchored our book shelf. Inside it offered recipes for Roly-Poly Pancakes, Mighty Meatballs, Yum-Yum Stew, and other silly sounding dishes. 

The instructions for many of the recipes were meant to be sung out loud, a bonus for someone already apt to break into song. 

The Rainy Day Popcorn, for example, was to be prepared “…to the tune of Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” 

Its instructions begin like this:

“Put oil and corn into the pot.
E-I-E-I-O!
Cover pot and heat till hot.
E-I-E-I-O!
With a Pop! Pop! here and a Pop! Pop! there.
Here a Pop! There a Pop! Everywhere a Pop! Pop!”

For me, the underlying message was cooking could be loads of fun. 

With my mom's help, I baked Oh, My Darling Sugar Cookies, Sugar Crumb Pies, Apple Doodle, and the other desserts, greasing pans and packing brown sugar along the way. I cracked open eggs and fished out shards of shells from whirly waves of butter, again and again.

Over time, I became the family baker and my mom focused on dishes prepared with palm fulls and pinches versus carefully measured ingredients. 

I have rolled out thousands of cookies and baked hundreds of cakes since unwrapping Cricket's Cookery's beneath a tinsel-laden tree. Its cover is bandaged with scotch tape and its back pages are wrinkled from water spills. Even so, it continues to be one of my most cherished culinary companions.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12

If you're looking for a delicious holiday dessert, try making these moist, perfectly spiced little cakes! This recipe calls for many of the basic techniques I learned while cooking from Cricket's Cookery. Trader Joe’s carries candied pumpkin seeds, which add a lovely bit of crunch. If you can't track them down, use salted pumpkin seeds instead. 

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
Candied pumpkin seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle. Blend until eggs are fluffy. 

Add the pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla. Blend until thoroughly combined.

Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl.

Spoon half of the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl. Blend until just combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients.

Fill 12 cupcake liners 3/4 way full. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely. 

Place 1 teaspoon vanilla, butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar in a standing mixer and beat until fluffy. 

Frost cupcakes and top with candied pumpkin seeds.

Plantains with Coconut Milk (Banana Stew)

When I traveled to India, my paternal grandmother, Amachi, always served plantains as a mid-day snack. By late afternoon, everyone would gather in the dining room for a dose of milky tea generously sweetened with raw sugar. A steel platter sat in the middle of the table stacked with steamed plantains. Each one had been sliced in half. Peeling back their blackish-yellow jackets set off a stream of steam and revealed the fruit’s saffron-colored flesh.  

The plantains were as local as it gets having been plucked from plants in Amachi’s yard. They offered a sweet complexity in every bite and had a heartier texture than the wide variety of bananas we consumed over the course of our stay. We were treated with chunks of fresh jackfruit, tender coconuts, juicy mangoes, and plump papayas all the while. But they never gave me the comfort of Amachi's steamed plantains.

It's been 20 plus years since Amachi passed away, and yet, whenever I bite into a perfectly cooked ripe plantain, I picture her moving about in the kitchen.  

 

BANANA STEW

Serves 2

Banana Stew and banana chips are both made with plantains not bananas. Don’t ask me to explain why that isn’t spelled out! What I can tell you is that this delicately flavored dish makes for a lovely, filling breakfast or dessert, particularly if you’re a fan of plantains, coconut, and/or cardamom. My suggestion? Cook some up and dig right in.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium ripe plantains
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch salt
1/2 cup coconut milk


INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the plantains into 1/2-inch discs. 

Place in a sauté pan. Add the butter, water, sugar, vanilla, cardamom, salt, and coconut milk. Stir.

Heat over medium-low heat. 

Cook, stirring occasionally until the plantains are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Kerala Beef Puffs

When we were young, my parents used their mother tongue as a code language to discuss private matters. My ears always perked up when they switched from English to Malayalam, lowered their voices, and glanced in my direction. Eager to crack the code, I listened closely and picked out words I knew from their sing-song sentences. More often than not, my caveman understanding of the language led me nowhere. 

Over time, my parents spoke more and more Malay-English, making it easier for me to translate their tête-à-têtes. Unless it was British English. That just added a layer of confusion.

Who knew that to the Brits, gas is petrol, trucks are lories, cookies are biscuits, cafeterias are mess halls, pants are trousers, scarves are mufflers, purses are hang bags, shades are blinds, grades are marks, stewardesses are air hostesses, lawyers are solicitors, and apartments are flats?  And morons? Well, they're bloody fools!  

Forced to decipher what seemed like gibberish, I would eventually tune out to my parent's relief. 

KERALA BEEF PUFFS

In Kerala, puffs are turnovers made with a variety of fillings. My favorite version has spiced beef tucked inside. The flaky pies are wonderful as appetizers or served with a side salad.

Makes 20 to 22 

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
2 teaspoons coriander
2½ tablespoons oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
½ teaspoon salt
1 small potato, boiled and finely cubed
2 teaspoons minced ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons water
½ pound lean ground beef
14-ounce package puff pastry, defrosted
1 large egg, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend the cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, and coriander in a spice grinder until finely powdered.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium low. Add the onions and salt. Cook until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. 

Add the ground spices, potatoes, ginger, garlic powder, cayenne, turmeric, and water. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the beef and mix until thoroughly combined. Continue until beef is fully cooked, about 8 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly flour a cutting board and rolling pin. Lay one sheet of puff pastry on the board. Roll it into a large square. 

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry dough into twelve squares.   

Layer a teaspoon of beef filling in the center of each piece of dough. 

Using your index finger, spread a thin layer of beaten egg along the edges of the dough. 

Fold each piece of dough to form a triangle. Press the edges with with a fork to seal in the filling. 

Place the filled dough on two cookie sheet covered in parchment. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. 

___________________________________

Looking for adventure?
Join us for a Culinary Tour of Devon Avenue.

Over Memorial Day, my partner Chris and I traveled west to attend my cousin Mithu’s wedding. The ceremony took place at the Fort Mason Center, which overlooks the San Francisco Bay. After the couple said their “I dos,” we stood in the sun, sipping Cochin Gin and Tonics flavored with a pinch of cardamom. Waiters wooed us with pan-fried plantains and melt-in-your-mouth ceviche. The hors d'oeuvres were followed by platters of perfectly seasoned tacos. Drunk with happiness (and booze), we embraced day five of our royal treatment.

As guests, we had been treated like royalty the moment we landed in California. My Uncle Mathew and Aunt Anu insisted on providing us with curb side pickup at the airport. They fed us scratch cooked meals three times a day (which included dosa and sambar, appam with egg roast, and barbequed tandoori chicken with potatoes). In between, we snacked on homemade beef cutlets and samosas from Trader Joe’s. In the evenings, my Uncle cracked open several bottles of wine to wash it all down.

Over the course of our stay, neither of us lifted a finger or spent a dime. It reminded me of trips to India where hospitality means everything.

BEEF CUTLETS

Thanks to its Christian population, Kerala is one of two states in India that allows for the consumption of beef. In our family, Beef Cutlets are a staple at family reunions and large celebrations. Preparing them is a multi-stepped process. But don’t worry. I’m sure you (and your guests) will find that it’s worth every bite.

Makes 30

INGREDIENTS

2 medium Idaho or Russet potatoes
2 pounds 90% lean angus beef
2 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks
16 cardamom pods
16 cloves
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
20 black peppercorns
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil plus 2 cups for frying
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 small serrano pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Cool. Peel and mash.

Place the beef, cinnamon sticks, 12 cardamom pods, 12 cloves, and water in a medium sized saute pan. Cook on medium low heat for about 20 minutes or until the beef is thoroughly cooked. Transfer the beef to a colander to drain the fat. (This helps to ensure that the beef patties will hold together.)

Blend the remaining cardamom pods, cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns in a spice grinder until they form a fine powder.

Heat the oil in a medium sized saute pan on medium low heat. Add the ground spices and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions, serrano pepper, ginger, and salt. Cook until the onions turn translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the cooked beef to the onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the potatoes and mash all of the ingredients together to fully incorporate the potatoes.

Shaped the mixture into 30 2-inch patties and place them on cookie sheets.

Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat together. Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl.

One by one, coat each patty with eggs and then bread crumbs. Before transferring a patty to the bread crumbs, hold it above the bowl of beaten eggs to allow any excess to drain off. When the bread crumbs become clumpy (which will happen after you’ve dipped enough patties), add a few more tablespoons of bread crumbs to refresh bowl. Also, your fingers will become breaded at some point. Rub off the coating over the garbage or sink periodically.

 

Layer two cookie sheets with paper towels.

Heat 2 cups of oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Place a pinch of the bread crumb egg batter in the pan. When it rises to the top and bubbles, the oil is ready to use.

Carefully lower 4 patties into the oil. Flip immediately with a slotted spoon (otherwise the breading will crack). Cook until teddy bear brown.

Place on the cookie sheets to cool.

To reheat cutlets: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not microwave cutlets as the breading becomes soggy.

Madakku San (Coconut-Filled Crepes)

When you travel to Kerala, you will find banana plants galore and mango trees aplenty. But it’s the coconut trees that truly define the region’s landscape. The lanky palms border rice patty fields and tower over sandy beaches. They rise above rural huts and nestle next to urban high rises, projecting a sense of ease amid the continuous cacophony of car horns. 

The ever present palms offer an ample supply of raw materials including wood, leaves, and, of most importance culinarily, coconuts.  Malayalees use every component of the tropical fruit (the oil, the milk, the flesh) to make a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. As such, Kerala cuisine is a treat for anyone who’s crazy for coconut. 

Stay tuned for more coconut-centric recipes…

MADAKKU SAN

Makes 10 crepes

When my mom was young, she ate these crepes as an after school snack. I prefer to dig into them at breakfast, with a mix of bananas and pineapple on the side. Wondering what really sets them apart? It’s the contrasting textures of the crepes and the shredded coconut and alluring combination of cardamom and vanilla. 

 

INGREDIENTS

For filling:

1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

For crepes:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Coconut oil or butter

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, mix together the coconut, sugar, cardamom, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together to form a smooth batter. 

Lightly coat a skillet with coconut oil or butter. Heat on medium low heat.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter on the skillet. Rotate the skillet to  thinly spread the batter across its surface.

Cook until light brown. With a spatula, loosen the edges of the crepe and flip it to cook the other side. 

When both sides have cooked, place the crepe on a plate to cool. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Lay a crepe on a cutting board. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut filling along the edge of the crepe and roll it tightly. Repeat with the rest of the crepes.

Pan-Fried Plantains with Cardamom

A few years ago, my Aunt Regina returned from India with a weathered notebook. A curly script on the cover identifies it as “Mrs. Chachyamma Peter Cooking Book.” Inside, the lettering is clear and controlled, and the evenly spaced sentences flow straight across the aged, unlined paper. The passages ebb and flow between English and Malayalam, which I hope to have deciphered. A few entries bring the two together into a Mala-English of sorts. 

My maternal grandmother, who everyone refers to as Mummi, started keeping the journal on January 1, 1937. Her earliest entries focused on childrearing and nutrition. “Teach the children dental hygiene at the earliest possible age.” “Bananas contain calcium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium and copper in abundance.”

 

Later, she fills a page with her Grandma’s beauty hints, which includes tips for a good complexion. “Take the skin of an orange and grind it to a smooth paste with a little milk or cream. Then rub it thoroughly on your face…”

But it’s the carefully printed recipes, peppered throughout the book, that draw me in. Mummi has instructions for American Breakfast Biscuits, Creamy Pudding Sauce, and Pineapple Punch. She documents steps for making Toffee Everton, Sponge Cake, and Sweet Potato Surprise. And, more importantly, she offers detailed instructions for some of my favorite Malayalee dishes, including Muton Cutlets and Uppu Mavu (spicy semolina). “Place the ghee in a kadai on the fire and when it gets firmly heated add the black gram dhal and fry until light brown then pour in the mustard …”

Mummi died five years before I was born. Over the years, I’ve sought to understand the lean, wavy-haired woman whose name I bear. Fortunately, the recipe-filled notebook provides me with that much needed connection. 

PAN-FRIED PLANTAINS

Serves 4

In Kerala, plantains are used in both sweet and savory dishes. The unripe, green-skinned fruit is thinly sliced for bananas chips or whittled into small chunks for stir-fries. Ripe plantains are steamed for a sweet mid-day snack or dipped in batter and deep-fried. This recipe for Pan-Fried Plantains with Cardamom is a dish my maternal grandmother, Mummi, used to make. For the best flavor (and texture), use plantains that are soft but not mushy. Their skins should be yellow with patches of black. When gently squeezed, their flesh should give just a little more than a ripe banana. 

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds ripe plantains
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cardamom pods or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash the plantains. Slice off the ends and cut them in half widthwise. 

Using the tip of a knife, slit the skin lengthwise without piercing the flesh. Carefully pull back the skin, beginning at the slit, and then remove the skin. 

Cut the plantains into three long pieces lengthwise.

Crush the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle. Remove the papery husks and powder the seeds. In a small bowl, mix the ground cardamom and sugar. 

Melt the butter on a large skillet over medium-low heat. Layer the plantains on the skillet, placing the thickest pieces in the center. 

Cook the plantains until they begin to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. 

Sprinkle the plantains with a layer of the sugar mixture and cook for 1 minute. 

Flip and continue to cook until the sugar melts and forms a thin crust. Sprinkle the other side of the plantains with the remaining sugar. Cook for a minute and flip. When the sugar has browned on both sides, remove from heat. 

Serve immediately.