Author: Crunch Crunch Away

Chicken Teriyaki Fried Rice / Pržena riža s piletinom i teriyaki umakom

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I was in a mood for something flavorful and spicy, but also had a lot of odds and ends floating around the fridge. Instead of resorting to a takeout, which is undoubtedly always my first instinct, I decided to whip up a fried rice dish. For me, fried rice is always the best way to use up any boring leftovers.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 1.28 EUR per serving / 5.11  EUR for all)

For fried rice:

1 chicken breast (2.67 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp corn starch (0.07 EUR)

5 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.03 EUR)

2 large carrots (0.13 EUR)

1 red bell pepper (0.20 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic (0.10 EUR)

¼ small head of cabbage (0.20 EUR)

1 onion (0.10 EUR)

2 cups precooked rice (0.20 EUR)

For teriyaki sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce (0.33 EUR)

½ cup warm water (–)

1 tbsp corn starch (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp honey (0.27 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.07 EUR)

Pinch of cayenne pepper (0.03 EUR)

Additional:

4 tbsp crushed cashews for serving (0.67 EUR)

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METHOD:

Dice the chicken, sprinkle with salt and let sit for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, wash, peel and thinly slice all the vegetables so you have everything ready once you start cooking, as it’s gonna go quickly. Place wok on high heat to get it thoroughly warmed up. Toss chicken with corn starch.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to hot wok and half of the chicken. Stir-fry for a few minutes, until chicken is crispy and golden. Remove chicken from wok and then repeat the process with remaining meat and fresh 2 tablespoons of oil. If necessary, deglaze the pan in between. Once you removed the chicken, add a bit of water to wok, place it back on high heat and scrape all the bits off with a spatula. Allow most of the water to evaporate, but be sure to reserve this sauce with all its delicious bits for later.

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Once all the meat is done and you did another deglazing, add remaining oil to the wok and gradually add in thinly sliced carrots, bell pepper, garlic, cabbage and onion, following this order. Stir-fry for a minute or two before adding in each new vegetable. Return chicken to the wok, add precooked rice and stir everything well.

In a bowl, quickly whisk together all sauce ingredients and add the sauce all the juices left over from deglazing the pan. Pour sauce over veggie, meat and rice mixture in wok, give everything a good stir and cook for a few seconds, just until the sauce thickens. Serve immediately sprinkled with crushed cashews.

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Jelo mi se nešto bogatog okusa i začinjeno, ali sam imala i hrpu nekakvih ostataka koji su mi se povlačili po frižideru. Umjesto da pribjegnem tome da naručium dostavu, što mi je bez dvojbe uvijek prvi instinkt, na brzinu sam smutila ovu prženu rižu. Jer za mene je pržena riža uvijek najbolji način za iskoristiti dosadne ostatke hrane.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 9,57 kn po porciji / 38,26 kn za sve)

Za prženu rižu:

1 pileća prsa (20,00 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

2 žlice kukuruznog škroba (0,50 kn)

5 žlica suncokretovog ulja, podijeljene (0,25 kn)

2 velike mrkve (1,00 kn)

1 crvena paprika (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

¼ male glavice kupusa (1,50 kn)

1 luk (0,75 kn)

2 šalice kuhane riže (1,50 kn)

Za teriyaki umak:

1/3 šalice soja sosa (2,50 kn)

½ šalice tople vode (–)

1 žlica kukuruznog škroba (0,25 kn)

2 žlice meda (2,00 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,50 kn)

Prstohvat kajenskog papra (0,25 kn)

Dodatno:

4 žlice drobljenih indijskih oraščića za posluživanje (5,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Narežite piletinu na kockice, posolite i ostavite da odstoji 20-tak minuta. U međuvremenu operite, očistite i tanko narežite svo povrće kako bi bilo spremno kada krenete kuhati, jer će sve ići jako brzo. Stavite wok na jaku vatru da se dobro ugrije. Piletinu pomiješajte sa kukuruznim škrobom.

U vrući wok dodajte 2 žlice ulja i pola piletine. Pržite uz miješanje nekoliko minuta, dok piletina ne bude hruskava i zlatna. Maknite meso iz woka i ponovite sa ostatkom piletine i nove 2 žlice ulja. Po potrebi prethodno otopite sve sedimente koji su se skupili u woku od prženja mesa, i to tako da dodate u wok mrvicu vode i nad vatrom špahtlom postružete sve što se za wok prilijepilo. Pustite da većina vode ispari prije nego što ćete takav umak, sa svim ukusnim mrvicama od pečenja sačuvati za kasnije.

Kada je svo meso gotovo i još ste jednom otopili sve mesne sedimente, dodajte preostalu žlicu ulja i postepeno ubacujte tanko narezane mrkvu, papriku, češnjak, kupus i luk, i to slijedeći ovaj redoslijed. Svaki puta minutu-dvije miješajte i pržite prije nego dodate novo povrće. Vratite piletinu u wok, dodajte kuhanu rižu te sve dobro promiješajte.

U zdjelici brzo pomiješajte sve sastojke za umak skupa sa umakom koji ste sačuvali od prženja mesa. Prelijte preko mješavine povrća, mesa i riže te sve dobro pomiješajte. Kuhajte par sekundi, samo dok se umak ne zgusne. Poslužite odmah posipano sa drobljenim indijskim oraščićima.

Chicken Teriyaki Fried Rice / Pržena riža s piletinom i teriyaki umakom

Pumpkin Seed Buns / Bučina peciva

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There is this one shop at our local farmer’s market which, among other tasty things, sells their own pumpkin seed flour. Since I love the taste of pumpkin seeds in breads, I decided to buy a bag of their flour and try baking it into buns. That was a good decision. These buns are dense, sweet, very filling and I absolutely love how they turned out.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 buns / 0.28 EUR per bun / 1.65 EUR for all)

For the buns:

1 cup warm milk (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp dry yeast (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp brown sugar (0.03 EUR)

1 ½ – 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided (0.13 EUR)

1 cup pumpkin seed flour (0.53 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp sunflower seeds (0.07 EUR)

5 tbsp pumpkin seeds, divided (0.33 EUR)

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

Additional:

All-purpose flour for sprinkling (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm milk, yeast, sugar and a tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes so the yeast becomes frothy. Be sure that your milk isn’t too hot, as that will kill the yeast and the buns won’t poof up.

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To bubbly yeast mixture, add in 1 ½ cup of all-purpose flour, pumpkin seed flour, salt, oil, sunflower seeds and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds. Mix with a spoon until shabby dough forms, then dump on a countertop and give a short knead. As necessary, add in remaining all-purpose flour bit by bit, until the dough isn’t sticky. The final dough should be pretty dense, but still pliable. Sprinkle the dough ball with a bit more flour, cover with clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise for about 45 minutes. The dough won’t proof as much as a regular bread dough would, but it’s still going to get a bit poofy.

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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. Gently deflate the dough and divide into 6 segments. Roll each segment into a ball and spread the balls on prepared baking tray. Again, cover with clean kitchen towel and let sit for about 20 minutes so the bagels poof up some more.

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Just before baking, whisk the egg, give the buns an egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining pumpkin seeds. Bake buns for 20 minutes, until dark brown. Transfer buns immediately to a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes before serving. These will also taste good on the next day, just be sure to tightly wrap them once they’re completely cool.

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U jednom dučančiću na našoj tržnici prodaju, uz ostale fine stvari, i svoje vlastito brašno od bučinih sjemenki. Pošto obožavam bučine sjemenke u svim kruhovima, odlučila sa probati ispeći nešto i sa ovim brašnom. To je bila dobra odluka. Ova su peciva gusta, slatka, zasitna i oduševljena sam sa time kako su ispala.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 peciva / 2,07 kn po pecivu / 12,41 kn za sve)

Za peciva:

1 šalica toplog mlijeka (1,50 kn)

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

2 žlice smeđeg šećera (0,20 kn)

1 ½ – 2 šalice glatkog brašna, podijeljene (1,00 kn)

1 šalica brašna od bučinih sjemenki (4,00 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

2 žlice sjemenki suncokreta (0,50 kn)

5 žlica bučinih sjemenki, podijeljene (2,50 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

Dodatno:

Glatko brašno za posipanje (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U većoj zdjeli pomiješajte mlijeko sa kvascem, šećerom i jednom žlicom glatkog brašna. Pustite da smjesa miruje 10-tak minuta da se kvasac zapjeni. Pazite samo da vam mlijeko nije prevruće jer će to ubiti kvasac i peciva se neće napuhati.

U pjenastu mješavinu kvasca dodajte 1 ½ šalicu glatkog brašna, bučino brašno, sol, ulje, suncokretove sjemenke i 3 žlice bučinih sjemenki. Miješajte žlicom dok se ne oformi labavo tijesto. Onda iskrenite sve na čistu radnu plohu i kratko promijesite. Po potrebi malo po malo dodajte ostatak glatkog brašna sve dok tijesto ne prestane biti ljepljivo. Konačno će tijesto biti dosta gusto, ali će se i dalje dati mijesiti. Posipajte kuglu tijesta sa još malo brašna, pokrijte čistom krpom i ostavite da se diže oko 45 minuta. Ovo se tijesto neće dignuti tako jako kao neko obično tijesto za kruh, ali će se svejedno ipak napuhati.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Obložite protvan za pečenje masnim papirom i stavite na stranu. Nježno ispuhnite tijesto i podijelite na 6 dijelova. Svaki dio oblikujte u lopticu, te loptice rasporedite po pripremljenom protvanu. Ponovno prekrijte krpom i pustite 20-tak minuta, da se loptice malo napuhnu.

Netom prije nego što ste peciva stavili peći premažite loptice razmućenim jajem. Posipajte ih ostatkom bučinih sjemenki te pecite 20 minuta, dok ne dobiju lijepu tamno smeđu boju. Peciva odmah preselite na rešetku i ostavite ih da se ohlade 20 minuta prije nego ćete ih poslužiti. Peciva će biti dobra i sljedećeg dana, samo ih dobro zamotajte nakon što se skroz ohlade.

Pumpkin Seed Buns / Bučina peciva

Root Veggie Slaw / Salata od kupusa sa korjenastim povrćem

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Cabbage often feels like such an underestimated vegetable, which is a huge shame because it’s so tasty and versatile. Not to mention super cheap and healthy for you. Here’s a very simple salad recipe to whip up when you’re in dire need for a quick meal.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.29 EUR per serving / 1.16 EUR for all)

For the salad:

3 large carrots (0.20 EUR)

2 parsley roots, together with leaves (0.40 EUR)

¼ small head of cabbage (0.20 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

For the dressing:

¼ cup yogurt (0.07 EUR)

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar (0.04 EUR)

2 tbsp mustard (0.13 EUR)

Good pinch salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash and peel all the vegetables. Using a vegetable peeler, make thin strips of carrot and parsley root. Finely chop parsley leaves and reserve to add to dressing. Thinly shred cabbage and onion, then toss together with carrot and parsley strips.

To make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together with chopped parsley leaves. Drizzle the dressing over mixed shredded vegetables and serve immediately.

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Kupus mi se često čini kao totalno podcijenjeno povrće, što je velika šteta s obzirom na to kako je fin i prilagodljiv u raznim receptima. Da ni ne spominjem činenicu da je jeftin i zdrav. Evo vam jedna jednostavna salatica da ju na brzinu smutite kada vam treba ekspresni obrok.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 2,15 kn po porciji / 8,61 kn za sve)

Za salatu:

3 velike mrkve (1,50 kn)

2 korjena peršina, skupa sa lišćem (3,00 kn)

¼ male glavice kupusa (1,50 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

Za dressing:

¼ šalice jogurta (0,50 kn)

3 žlice jabučnog octa (0,30 kn)

2 žlice senfa (1,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite i ogulit svo povrće. Sa ljuštilicom za krumpir narežite mrkvu i peršinov korjen na tanke trake. Fino nasjeckajte lišće peršina i stavite na stranu za dressing. Tanko narežite kupus i luk, pa pomiješajte sa trakama mrkve i peršina.

Da napravite dressing, pjenjačom umutite sve sastojke skupa sa sjeckanim lišćem peršina. Pokapajte dressing po povrću i odmah poslužite.

Root Veggie Slaw / Salata od kupusa sa korjenastim povrćem

Sweet Potato Ginger Soup (vegan, paleo, low histamine) / Juha od batata i đumbira (veganska, paleo, niskohistaminska)

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We’re having a case of really moody weather over here and as a result everyone seems to be down with a cold. This soup is loaded with ginger and will help clear out those clogged sinuses. Plus, it’s also yummy and super simple to make.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.36 EUR per serving / 2.18 EUR for all)

2 large sweet potatoes (1.33 EUR)

3 large carrots (0.20 EUR)

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp coconut oil (0.13 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

6 cloves of garlic (0.20 EUR)

6 cups water (–)

2 tbsp chopped parsley (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel and chop up sweet potatoes, carrots and ginger, then toss together in a baking tray with salt, pepper and coconut oil. Quarter the onion with its skin intact and arrange among diced veggies together with unpeeled garlic. Bake everything for 45 minutes, until veggies start to get slightly charred.

Allow veggies to cool a bit before squeezing garlic cloves out of its skins and discarding onion peels. Add all the vegetables to a food processor with 6 cups of water and pulse until smooth. Bring the soup to a boil and serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

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Pošto je vrijeme u zadnje vrijeme stvarno čudljivo, svi su navukli nekakve prehlade. Ova je juhica dobro napucana sa đumbirom, pa će vam za čas pročistiti zaštopane sinuse. Osim toga je i jako fina i super jednostavna za napraviti.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 2,73 kn po porciji / 16,36 kn za sve)

2 velika batata (10,00 kn)

3 velike mrkve (1,50 kn)

1 komad đumbira veličine palca (0,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

2 žlice kokosovog ulja (1,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

6 češnjeva češnjaka (1,50 kn)

6 šalica vode (–)

2 žlice sjeckanog peršina (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Ogulite i narežite batat, mrkvu i đumbir, pa u protvanu pomiješajte sa solju, paprom i kokosovim uljem. Raščetvorite luk skupa sa ljuskom i zajedno sa neoguljenim češnjakom rasporedite među narezanim povrćem. Pecite sve skupa oko 45 minuta, dok se povrće lagano ne karamelizira.

Pustite da se povrće mrvicu ohladi prije nego češnjak istisnete iz ljuski i bacite ljuske od luka. Sve propulsirate u multipraktiku skupa sa 6 šalica vode dok ne dobijete glatku masu. Stavite juhicu da prokuha i poslužite vruću, posipanu sjeckanim peršinom.

Sweet Potato Ginger Soup (vegan, paleo, low histamine) / Juha od batata i đumbira (veganska, paleo, niskohistaminska)

Whole Grain No-Knead Bread / Integralni kruh koji se ne mijesi

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The internet has been raving about no-knead breads for years, but I just never got to it to try and make one myself. Up until the last weekend, that is, when I wanted to make bread but had a ton of other chores to do as well. I figured that it was a perfect occasion to try out a quick no-knead method. And it was such a success that I have to wonder why are we still kneading dough in the first place?

INGREDIENTS:

(1.13 EUR)

For the dough:

2 tsp active dry yeast (0.27 EUR)

2 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour, divided (0.07 EUR)

2 cups warm water (–)

3 cups whole-wheat flour (0.30 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

¼ cup olive oil (0.33 EUR)

4 tbsp ground flax seed (0.13 EUR)

Additional:

Extra flour for dusting (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

In a large bowl, whisk together yeast, sugar, water and 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. Leave to rest for 15 minutes until frothy. Be sure that your water isn’t too hot, as it will kill the yeast. To a bubbly yeast mixture add in all of the other ingredients. Mix with a spoon until a shabby dough forms, cover with cling foil and refrigerate for 6-12 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven with a baking tray in it to 250°C. Dump the dough on a floured counter, fold over a few times to form a ball, sprinkle with more flour, then cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Right before baking slice the dough with a sharp knife, then carefully transfer to a preheated tray and place to bake in lower third of the oven for 40 minutes.

Check out on the bread after around 30 minutes to see if it’s browning too much. Should that be the case, lower temperature to 200°C until the bread finishes baking. You’ll know that the bread is done once you tap it on the bottom and it sounds hollow. Cool the bread completely on a rack before slicing.

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Internet već godinama luduje oko kruhova koji se ne mijese, ali kod mene nikako da to dođe na red i da sama probam napraviti takav kruh. Sve do prošlog vikenda kada sam planirala peći kruh, ali morala obaviti i još sto drugih stvari. S obzirom na to, zaključila sam da mi je idealna prilika za probati napraviti brzi kruh koji se ne mijesi. Rezultat je bio toliko uspješan da sam se morala zapitati zašto još uopće mijesimo tijesto za kruh?

SASTOJCI:

(8,41 kn)

Za tijesto:

2 žličice suhog kvasca (2,00 kn)

2 žlice šećera (0,05 kn)

1 šalica glatkog brašna, podijeljena (0,50 kn)

2 šalice tople vode (–)

3 šalice integralnog brašna (2,25 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

¼ šalice maslinovog ulja (2,50 kn)

4 žličice mljevenih sjemenki lana (1,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Ekstra brašno za posipanje (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte kvasac, šećer, vodu i 1 žličicu glatkog brašna. Ostavite da miruje 15 minuta da se zapjeni. Pazite da vam voda ne bude prevruća jer ćete ubiti kvasac. U pjenasti kvasac dodajte sve ostale sastojke i miješajte žlicom dok se ne formira labavo tijesto. Pokrijte zdjelu prijanjajućom folijom i stavite u hladnjak na 6-12 sati.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje zagrijte pećnicu na 250°C sa protvanom za pečenje u pećnici. Iskrenite tijesto na pobrašnjenu površinu, par puta presavinite i formirajte u kuglu. Lagano posipajte brašnom, prekrijte čistom krpom i ostavite da miruje 15-20 minuta. Netom prije nego što stavite kruh peći, oštrim nožem par puta zarežite tijesto. Pažljivo prebacite tijesto na zagrijani protvan i pecite u donjoj trećini pećnice 40 minuta.

Nakon 30 minuta provjerite kruh, pa ako je već dosta potamnio, smanjite temperaturu na 200°C do kraja pečenja. Kruh je gotov kada ga lupnete sa donje strane i zvuči šuplje. Pustite da se kruh skroz ohladi na rešetci, prije nego ga krenete rezati.

Whole Grain No-Knead Bread / Integralni kruh koji se ne mijesi

Barley and Millet Mushroom Skillet / Ječam i proso sa gljivama

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I’m gonna just throw this out in the open. This dish is very fugly looking. Don’t cook it if you’re trying to impress on a first date. On the other hand, it’s also so comforting and tasty. So maybe reserve it for that date night when you stop feeling uncomfortable parading your ugliest, but coziest, sweatpants in front of your significant other. Or, you know, just keep a batch around for those weeknights when you’re too zonked to even consider cooking. Trust me – you’ll thank yourself on any Wednesday evening for having sense enough to whip this up on a lazy Sunday.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.63 EUR per serving / 3.78 EUR for all)

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

Small chunk of bacon (0.67 EUR)

500 grams of portobello mushrooms (2.00 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

1 large tomato (0.27 EUR)

½ cup millet (0.40 EUR)

½ cup pearl barley (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 bay leaf (0.01 EUR)

2 ½ cups water (–)

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Finely dice all of the vegetables and bacon. Halve and slice the mushrooms. Place a large skillet on high heat to warm up. Add oil, then saute onion for a few minutes until softened. Add in bacon and cook to crisp up. Gradually add in sliced mushrooms to cook them down. It probably looks like you have an enormous amount overflowing your skillet, but those will cook down in just minutes.

When mushrooms have cooked down, add in garlic, tomato, millet, barley, salt, pepper, bay leaf and water. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat to low and cook with a lid cracked open for 25-30 minutes, until barley is cooked through. Fluff up with a fork and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

This dish reheats and freezes great, so do yourself a big favor and stock up.

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Biti ću iskrena sa vama: ovo jelo izgleda užasno grdo. Nemojte ga kuhati da nekog impresionirate na prvom spoju. S druge strane, jako je fino. Pa ga možda spremite za večeri kada vam prestane biti neugodno pred boljom polovicom defilirati u vašoj najružnijoj i najudobnijoj trenirci. Ili jednostavno imajte zalihu za dane u tjednu kada ste prekrepani da i pomislite na kuhanje. Vjerujte mi – reći ćete si jedno veliko hvala u srijedu navečer što ste bili dovoljno mudri da si ovo skuhate u lijenu nedjelju.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 4,73 kn po porciji / 28,36 kn za sve)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

Mali komadić špeka (5,00 kn)

500 g šampinjona (15,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

1 velika rajčiuca (2,00 kn)

½ šalice prosa (3,00 kn)

½ šalice ječmene kaše (0,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 lovorov list (0,20 kn)

2 ½ šalice vode (–)

2 žlice sjeckanog svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Fino nasjeckajte svo povrće i špek. Raspolovite i narežite gljive na listiće. Stavite veliku tavu na jaku vatru i pustite da se ugrije. Dodajte u tavu ulje pa kratko popržite luk da omekša. Ubacite špek i dinstajte ga dok se ne zahrska. Postepeno dodajte i kuhajte gljive da iz njih izađe većina tekućine. Možda će vam se učiniti da imate enormnu količinu gljiva u tavi, ali će se one brzo iskuhati i smanjiti u volumenu.

Kada su gljive gotove, dodajte češnjak, rajčicu, proso, ječam, sol, papar, lovorov list i vodu. Dobro promiješajte, pustite da zavrije pa smanjite vatru na skroz lagano. Kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 25-30 minuta, dok se ječam skroz ne skuha. Vilicom raštrkajte i poslužite posipano svježim peršinom.

Ovo se jelo super podgrijava i smrzava, pa si napravite veliku uslugu i nakuhajte veću zalihu.

Barley and Millet Mushroom Skillet / Ječam i proso sa gljivama

Frozen Raspberries Jam / Pekmez od smrznutih malina

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I scored some frozen raspberries on sale and decided to make a quick jam out of them. Admittedly, this jam isn’t one of the budget-friendliest recipes, as a 500 g bag of frozen raspberries yielded only a jar of jam, but it taste a zillion times better than the store-bough stuff, so it is definitely worth it as a treat. Plus, it’s super easy to make.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 jar / 2.40 EUR)

500 grams of frozen raspberries (2.00 EUR)

Juice from ½ of a lemon (0.20 EUR)

1 cup sugar (0.20 EUR)

METHOD:

Place raspberries sprinkled with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a pot on medium heat. Bring to a boil then cook, while stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until raspberries break down and thicken. Gradually add in the rest of the sugar, taste to adjust sweetness and cook to desired thickness. Transfer the jam to a clean jar, cool down and store in refrigerator.

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Naletila sam na smrznute maline na rasprodaji pa sam odlučila od njih napraviti brzinski pekmez. Ruku na srce, ovaj pekmez baš i nije jedan od najjeftinijih recepata, pošto od 500 g malina dobijete jednu teglicu pekmeza, ali mu je okus milijardu puta bolji od onog kupovnog, pa se definitivno isplati kao poslastica. Osim toga, stvarno ga je jednostavno za napraviti.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 teglicu / 18,00 kn)

500 g smrznutih malina (15,00 kn)

Sok od ½ limuna (1,50 kn)

1 šalica šećera (1,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite kuhati maline pokapane sokom od limuna i sa 2 žlice šećera na umjerenu vatru. Pustite da zavriju pa kuhajte oko 20 minuta uz povremeno miješanje, sve dok se maline ne raspadnu i zgusnu. Postepeno dodajte ostatak šećera, kušajte i prilagodite slatkoću te kuhajte do željene gustoće. Pekmez preselite u čistu teglu i oghladite na sobnu temperaturu prije nego ga stavite u hladnjak na čuvanje.

Frozen Raspberries Jam / Pekmez od smrznutih malina

Okonomiyaki Inspired Cabbage Pancake / Palačinka sa zeljem inspirirana Okonomiyakijem

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , 3 Comments

While I was in school (I have a B.A. in Japanese language and culture), we’d often have parties with our teachers which, more often than not, included food. Our teachers were all super nice and friendly and were kind enough to teach us how to prepare sushi and other Japanese delicacies. Also, a few of my colleagues went on round trips to Japan and would always haul food back home. As you can imagine, my student life wasn’t bad at all, as it mostly included a lot of eating.

From those times stem my memories of okonomiyaki – a delicious savory cabbage pancake drenched with sauce and various toppings. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get ahold of any of those ingredients necessary to make an authentic Japanese dish. Things like aonori, bonito flakes and okonomiyaki sauce are nowhere to be found over here. But I worked with what I had and produced a yummy and easy-to-mix treat anyway. So here’s a very simplified okonomiyaki type of dish for you to try out.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 pancake / 2.10 EUR)

For the pancake:

¼ of small head of cabbage (0.13 EUR)

2 spring onions (0.27 EUR)

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

½ cup water (–)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

Few thin slices of bacon (0.67 EUR)

Topping:

2 tbsp tomato puree or ketchup (0.13 EUR)

1 tbsp barbecue or teriyaki sauce (0.27 EUR)

1 tbsp mayonnaise (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Place a cast iron skillet on medium heat, so it gets thoroughly warm while you prepare everything else. Thinly slice cabbage and spring onion, reserving the onion greens for garnish. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, water, salt and pepper. The mixture should be like a thick pancake batter. Dump in shredded cabbage and spring onion, then stir well so all of the vegetables are coated in batter.

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Add oil to preheated skillet and swish around so the skillet is coated evenly. Pour in all of the batter and press down with a spatula to even it out. Cut bacon slices in a few smaller segments and arrange on top of the pancake, pressing them a bit into the batter. Leave the pancake alone for about 10 minutes, until the bottom is browned and crispy and the top is slightly set.

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Flip the pancake over and cook for another 5 minutes, so the bacon and the other side get crispy as well. I found that the simplest flipping method was to cover the skillet with a plate and turn the skillet over, so that okonomiyaki falls out on the plate. Then I’d just slide it off the plate back into the skillet.

Serve okonomiyaki with meat side up. Whisk tomato puree / ketchup with barbecue / teriyaki sauce and spread on top. Drizzle with mayo and sprinkle with onion greens. Serve immediately.

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Dok sam bila na faksu (završila sam Japanologiju), često smo imali tulume sa profesorima koji su uglavnom uključivali i hranu. Profesori su nam bili jako simpatični i dragi, a naučili su nas raditi sushi i druge japanske delicije. Uz to, dosta kolega s faksa išlo je u Japan, pa bi se vraćali doma nakrcani japanskom hranu. Kao što možete zamisliti, studentski mi je život uz svu tu hranu bio užasno težak.

Iz tih vremena proizlaze i sjećanja na okonomiyaki – prefinu slanu palačinku od zelja, natopljenu umakom i raznim dodacima. Na žalost, nisam uspjela nabaviti sastojke za autentično japansko jelo. Stvari kao aonori, bonito i okonomiyaki sos kod nas nisu dostupne. Ali sam zato upotrijebila ono što mi je bilo pri ruci i smutila ovo ukusno i jednostavno jelo.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 palačinku / 15,11 kn)

Za palačinku:

¼ male glavice kupusa (1,00 kn)

2 mlada luka (2,00 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

1 šalica glatkog brašna (0,50 kn)

½ šalice vode (–)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 žlica suncokretovog ulja (0,05 kn)

Par tankih kriški špeka (5,00 kn)

Za serviranje:

2 žlice umaka od rajčice ili kečapa (0,50 kn)

2 žlice barbacue umaka ili teriyaki umaka (2,00 kn)

1 žlica majoneze (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite željeznu tavicu na srednje-jaku vatru da se dobro ugrije dok pripremate sve ostalo. Tanko narežite zelje i luk, a zeleni dio mladog luka stavite na stranu za serviranje. U zdjeli pomiješajte jaja, brašno, vodu, sol i papar. Smjesa treba biti kao gusta smjesa za palačinke. Ubacite unutra zelje i luk, te dobro pomiješajte da svo povrće bude pokriveno smjesom.

Dodajte ulje u zagrijanu tavu i okrećite ju da bude ravnomjerno namašćena. Ulijte svu smjesu u tavicu, poravnajte i pritisnite špatulom. Narežite kriške špeka na manje komade, posložite špek po palačinki i lagano ga utisnite u smjesu. Pustite sada da se sve peče 10-tak minuta, dok dno palačinke ne bude smečkasto i hrskavo, a vrh se ne zgusne.

Preokrenite palačinku i pecite još jedno 5 minuta, da se špek i druga strana isto zahrskaju. Meni je najlakše bilo preokrenuti palačinku tako da tavu poklopim tanjurom i onda sve preokrenem. Palačinka bi mi ispala na tanjur i onda bi ju samo odsklizala natrag u tavu.

Poslužite okonomiyaki sa mesnom stranom prema gore. Pomiješajte paradajz sos / kečap sa barbecue / teriyaki umakom i premažite to po palačinki. Pokapajte majonezom i posipajte zelenjem od mladog luka. Odmah poslužite.

Okonomiyaki Inspired Cabbage Pancake / Palačinka sa zeljem inspirirana Okonomiyakijem

Chocolate and Raisin Banana Bread / Kruh od banane sa čokoladom i grožđicama

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As we’re diving into more and more of the autumn weather, I’m totally digging the cozy recipes. And nothing says cozy to me like a nice loaf of banana bread. Enriched with chocolate and raisins, this bread is perfect to nibble on while you’re sipping that seventh cup of hot tea.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 loaf / 2.15 EUR)

For the bread:

4 medium bananas (0.13 EUR)

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

½ cup milk (0.05 EUR)

4 tbsp butter, melted (0.53 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

1 cup whole wheat flour (0.10 EUR)

4 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

½ cup raisins (0.20 EUR)

½ cup chocolate chunks (0.53 EUR)

Additional:

Butter for greasing the pan (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a loaf pan with butter and coat with parchment paper. Set aside. Mash up the bananas using a potato masher, leaving them a bit on the chunky side. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and milk, then finally stir in melted butter.

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In a bigger bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones and stir to combine. Fold in raisins and chocolate, then transfer batter into the prepared pan and gently shake to level. Bake for about 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean (a slightly moist skewer is also okay).

Allow the bread to cool for 30 minutes in the pan. After 30 minutes, transfer the bread on a wire rack to cool off completely before slicing.

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Kako sve više uranjamo u jesensko vrijeme, totalno sam raspoložena za ugodne recepte. A ništa mi u ovom trenutku ne zvuči ugodnije od lijepe štruce kruha od banane. Obogaćen sa čokoladom i grožđicama, ovaj je kruh idealan za grickanje uz onu sedmu šalicu čaja koju upravo pijuckate.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 štrucu / 20,07 kn)

Za kruh:

4 srednje banane (5,00 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

½ šalice mlijeka (0,40 kn)

4 žlice maslaca, rastopljene (4,00 kn)

1 šalica glatkog brašna (0,50 kn)

1 šalica integralnog brašna (0,75 kn)

4 žlice šećera (0,10 kn)

1 žličica praška za pecivo (0,10 kn)

½ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

½ šalice grožđica (1,50 kn)

½ šalice čokoladnih komadića (4,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Maslac za namastiti kalup (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 190°C. Namastite kalup za kruh, obložite papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Zgnječite banane gnječilicom za krumpir, ali ostavite i malo komadića u kaši. Umiješajte jaja, vaniliju i mlijeko, te na kraju umiješajte i maslac.

U većoj zdjeli pomiješajte brašna, šećer, prašak za pecivo, sodu bikarbonu i sol. Prelijte mokre sastojke preko suhih, pa miješajte tek toliko da se sve sjedini. Lagano umiješajte grožđice i čokoladu. Ulijte smjesu u preipremljeni kalup i nježno protresite da se poravna. Pecite oko 50 minuta, dok testni štapić ne bude čist (malo vlažni štapić je isto okej).

Pustite da se kruh hladi 30 minuta u kalupu. Nakon 30 minuta ga ohladite do kraja na žičanoj rešetki, prije nego što ćete ga rezati.

Chocolate and Raisin Banana Bread / Kruh od banane sa čokoladom i grožđicama

Autumn Triangles are the New Spring Rolls (with a vegan option!) / Jesenski trokutići su nove proljetne rolice (sa veganskom opcijom!)

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While thinking about what to cook the other day, I realized that I have a few sheets of phyllo pastry leftover from a different recipe. I absolutely didn’t want to throw them away, so I decided to combine other odds and ends from the fridge and make these quick snacks.

Since I had a bit of leftover pork roast, I went ahead and threw it in the filling as well. However, feel free to replace pork with any other meat, or ditch it altogether. To make vegan versions of these triangles, replace butter with coconut or sunflower seed oil and use smoked tofu or sauted mushrooms for the filling.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 triangles / 0.53 EUR per triangle / 2.12 EUR for all)

¼ of small cabbage head (0.13 EUR)

1 large carrot (0.10 EUR)

2 spring onions (0.27 EUR)

Small piece of roasted pork (0.67 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

3 sheets of phyllo pastry (0.40 EUR)

4 tbsp butter, melted (0.53 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Thinly slice cabbage, carrot, spring onions and pork, then toss it all together with salt and pepper. Cut the phyllo sheets in half so you end up with 6 strips. Brush each strip with melted butter, place a small amount of filling in one corner and fold the phyllo into a triangle. Repeat until all the filling and phyllo strips are used up.

Space out the triangles on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes in a middle rack, until crispy and golden. Serve hot, or at room temperature. You can also quickly reheat the triangles in a microwave on the next day, if needed.

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Dok sam se neki dan bavila mišlju što skuhati, sjetila sam se da imam par listova tijesta za savijače koji su mi ostali od nekog drugog recepta. Bilo mi ih je žao baciti, pa sam odlučila iskombinirati i druge ostatke iz frižidera i smutiti ovaj brzinski snack.

Pošto sam imala i malo svinjskog pečenja, ono je također završilo u nadjevu. Međutim, slobodno zamijenite svinjetinu nekim drugim mesom ili meso skroz izbacite. Za vegansku verziju trokutića umjesto maslaca upotrijebite kokosovo ili suncokretovo ulje, a umjesto mesa upotrijebite dimljeni tofu ili dinstane gljive.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 trokutića / 2,64 kn po trokutiću / 15,81 kn za sve)

¼ male glavice kupusa (1,00 kn)

1 velika mrkva (0,75 kn)

2 mlada luka (2,00 kn)

Komadić svinjskog pečenja (5,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

3 kore za savijače (3,00 kn)

4 žlice maslaca, rastopljene (4,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C. Obložite protvan za pečenje masnim papirom i stavite na stranu. Jako tanko narežite kupus, mrkvu, mladi luk i meso, pa sve skupa pomiješajte sa soli i paprom. Raspolovite kore, tako da ukupno imate 6 traka. Svaku traku premažite maslacem, u jedan kut stavite malo nadjeva i složite tijesto u trokut. Ponavljajte dok ne potrošite sav nadjev i tijesto.

Raširite trokutiće po pripremljenom protvanu i pecite 20 minuta u sredini pećnice, dok trokutići ne budu hruskavi i zlatno-žuti. Poslužite vruće ili na sobnoj temperaturi. Trokutiće možete i sljedeći dan po potrebi kratko podgrijati u mikrovalnoj.

Autumn Triangles are the New Spring Rolls (with a vegan option!) / Jesenski trokutići su nove proljetne rolice (sa veganskom opcijom!)