Gevrek - Bulgarian Bagel #EattheWorld

Event : Eat the world

 For this month's Eat the world challenge we are cooking from Bulgaria.....

   Bulgaria is the country in the South Eastern Europe. Bulgarian Cuisine is a representative of the Mediterranean Cuisine of SouthEast Europe. It shares the recipe with other Balkan cuisine (Includes Albanian , Croatian , Greek , Kosovan , Macedonian , Montenegrin , Ottoman , Romanian , Serbian , Slovenian and Turkish Cuisine). They use variety of vegetables , herbs and fruit because of the diversity of its land. They use yogurt more compared to the rest of Europe.

 Bulgarian cuisine shares a number of dishes with the Middle Eastern cuisine as well as a limited number with the Indian Cuisine. The Culinary exchange with the East started as early as the 7th century , when the traders brought herbs and spices to First Bulgarian Empire from India and Persia .

   Bulgarian Gevrek is known as Simiti in Turkish cuisine. Simiti name is quiet popular than geverk and is known as Turkish bagel worldwide.

  Gevrek are made by shaping the dough into a circle with the hole in the center , then boiled in water with honey and rolled in the sesame seeds before baking it. So it is also called as sesame rings / Sesame Bagel.

  This circular bread is typically encrusted with sesame seeds or less commonly with poppy seeds , flax seeds or sunflower seeds. In Bulgaria , there is a savory version of Gevrek.

Requirements : 

4 cup All purpose flour
2 cup lukewarm water
1 tbs Instant dry yeast
Half tsp salt 
2 tbs sugar 
Vegetable oil

For Boiling
2cup water 
3 tbs honey

White sesame seeds for topping


Method : 

In a bowl , add the flour , sugar , salt ,  yeast and mix well.

Add in the lukewarm water little by little  to the bowl and mix with a spatula till the flour is mixed well.

Now transfer the dough to the countertop and knead well for 15 minutes till the dough becomes smooth and soft.

Place the dough in the oiled bowl and let it double for 2 hour.

 Once the dough is doubled , divide into equal parts.

Roll each part into log , shape into circle and seal the ends.

Add the honey to the boiling water and place the shaped gevrek in the water , boil for a minute .

Take  the boiled gevrek out and roll in the sesame seeds and place in the baking tray.

Bake in the preheated oven @ 200*C for 20 minutes or till the Gevrek becomes golden brown.

Gevrek is ready to be served .

Check out all the wonderful Bulgarian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Pandemonium Noshery: Bulgarian Sausage Stew

Sneha’s Recipe: https://snehasrecipe.blogspot.com/2020/05/mekitsa-bulgarian-fried-doughnuts.html

" target="_blank">Mekitsa - Bulgarian Fried Doughnuts

Sara’s Tasty Buds: Gevrek

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: https://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2020/05/patatnik-eattheworld.html" target="_blank">Patatnik + 2016 Edoardo Miroglio Bio Mavrud & Rubin

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Koledna Pitka (Bulgarian Christmas Bread)

Making Miracles: Gyuveche

Kitchen Frau: https://www.kitchenfrau.com/patatnik-bulgarian-potato-pie/" target="_blank">Patatnik (Bulgarian Potato Pie)

Dinner By Dennis: Kebapche (Bulgarian Grilled Kebabs)

A Day in the Life on the Farm: https://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/2020/05/shopska-salata-eattheworld.html" target="_blank">Shopska Salata

Loquamat #Eattheworld

  For this September 2019 , Eat the World challenge , We are cooking from Egypt. I had chosen Loquamat for this challenge. This dish is common in many middle eastern countries called in different names.

     Luqmet el qadi (لقمة القاضي)  are small , round donuts that are crunchy on the outside and soft and syrupy on the inside . They are often served with dusted cinnamon and powdered sugar . The name literally translates to "The Judge's Bite".

     Lokma ( Turkish ), also known as Luqma ( Arabic: لقمة),   Loukoumades ( Greek : λουκουμάδες), and other names in other languages are pastries made of leavened and deep fried dough , soaked in syrup or honey. Sometimes coated with cinnamon or other ingredients. The dish was described as early as the 13 th century by al- Baghdadi as luqmat al Qadi ( لقمة القاضي ) ,  Judge's Morsels . 
   The yeasted dough is deep fried in oil and soaked in sugar syrup .

Requirements :

  2 cup all purpose flour
  2 tbs corn flour
  1 tsp sugar 
  1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  1 tsp instant dry yeast

 For Sugar syrup :
2 cup sugar 
Quater cup water 
Half tsp Cardamom powder 
1 tsp rose water

Method : 

 In a bowl , add the flour , corn flour ,sugar , yeast , cardamom powder  and mix well.

 Add in the luke warm water and mix well without lumps. The batter must be smooth and creamy.

 Let the batter rest for an hour for the yeast to make it airy.

 In the mean time , combine sugar and water . Bring to boil and make sugar syrup of one string consistency. Add in the cardamom powder and rose water to the syrup  and mix well. Add saffron strands if adding to the syrup.

Heat oil in a pan , reduce the flame to medium.

Pour a spoonful / a small pebble size batter with hand into the hot oil.

Deep fry till the dumplings become golden brown.

Arrange the fried dumplings on a flat plate and pour the sugar syrup with a laddle on top of all the dumplings.

Serve the Loquamat at room temperature.

Note :

 The syrup must be at one string consistency , which gives them a golden glow......

Adding corn  flour gives a crunchy texture on outside while the inside will be soft.

Mashed potato can be used instead of corn flour.



                  

Check out all the wonderful Egyptian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: https://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2019/09/lahma-bil-basal-egyptian-beef-in-onion.html" target="_blank">Lahma Bil Basal (Egyptian Beef in Onion Sauce)

PalatablePastimeBedouin Stuffed Grape Leaves

Literature and Limes: Taameyya
Pandemonium Noshery: Ful Medames

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Ghorayebah Cookies

The Gingered Whisk: Basbousa Cake Recipe

Kitchen Frau: Egyptian Fava Beans and Feta

A Day in the Life on the Farm: https://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/2019/09/koshary-eattheworld.html" target="_blank">Koshary

Sara’s Tasty Buds: Luqmet el qadi

Marrallo - Puerto Rican Coconut Candy #EattheWorld

 For  this August 2019 Eat the world Recipe challenge , the country we are cooking are Puerto Rico, a south American country. I had heard the name of the country but didn't know about its cuisine.

 I came through many recipes and decided to make this coconut candy bar. Its simple with less ingredients. I used freshly grated coconut . You can use dessicated coconut for this recipe .

    Marrallo is a coconut and brown sugar candy cooked on a medium flame and cut into cubes.
    Mampostial is the another name for Marrallo. This is a coconut candy of Puerto Rica. The people of Puerto Rico also call it as Malrayo. Its consistency is soft and chewy coconut candy with sugarcane molasses.

   In Southern India , we make a similar coconut candy known as Thengai Burfi with white sugar and adding cardamom powder for flavour.

Requirements :
2 cup shredded coconut 
2 cup brown sugar
2 tbs white sesame seeds 
1 tbs Unsalted Butter (Optional)


Method :
Dry roast the sesame seeds for a minute on medium flame.
In a pan , add the ingredients and cook over medium heat and stir continuously.
Take care and stir continuously to avoid burning.
When the mixture thickens , pour the mixture to a greased tin and flatten with a wooden spatula.
Let it cool and cut into squares.
Marrallo is ready to serve.

Note : 

Adding freshly grated coconut makes this delicious.
Adding sesame is optional too.
Some  add cinnamon powder or Vanilla. I didn't add any of these. The brown sugar itself gives a distinct flavor.



Check My Past Eat the World Recipe challenge 
Finland July 2019 - Voisilmapulla-Finnish Butter Eye Buns

Check out all the wonderful Puerto Rican dishes prepared by fellow
Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld.
Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Sue: Sofrito Rice

Sharanya Palanisshami: Marrallo

Pandemonium Noshery: Pernil - Puerto Rican Crispy Roast Pork

Simply Inspired Meals: Epcot Frozen Torched Cherry Colada

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Empanadillas de Carne

Evelyne: Pastelon, a Puerto Rican Plantain Lasagna

Margaret at Kitchen Frau: Classic Pina Colada Recipe

House of Nash Eats: Patacones or Tostones (Fried Green Plantains)
Elizabeth at Literature and Limes : Mango piraguas
A Day in the Life on the Farm : Pinchos

South Indian Mango Pickle #Improvcooking

        I joined a new Facebook group Improv cooking from this month. Each month two ingredients will be chosen. Any dish can be prepared including those two ingredients.....
  The prepared dish has to be posted on the second Thursday of every month..... For this month August 2019 - Chile and Mango were the two ingredients......

When I saw the ingredients , I immediately decided to share this south Indian cut Mango pickle. It was a common household pickle in many south Indian homes. Though mango pickle is made throughout India , it differs from region to region.

 In most of the Indian homes , pickling was a common summer ritual. Mango is abundantly available in summer season. This pickle was no cook method of pickling . The mango and salt mixed together will be kept in sun for a week , followed by adding the masala - pickle is ready to be consumed.

Requirements :

3 Raw Mango
1 cup Sesame oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
4 tbs RedChilli Powder 
4 tbs Rock salt

Method: 

 Clean and dry a large mouthed porcelain / Glass jar.
 Wash and pat dry the raw mangoes.
 Cut the mangoes into large cubes and place the mango cubes in the porcelain jar , sprinkle the salt in between the mango pieces like layering.
Place the jar in direct sunlight for a week.
Stir the mangoes in between using a wooden spoon.
The mango pieces will shrink by the time.
Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and Mustard seeds and blend it to fine powder.
Add the red chilli powder , ground fenugreek - mustard to the salted mango cubes and mix well.
Add the organic sesame oil to the mixture and mix well with an wooden spoon.
Check salt and spice level , if needed can add more.
You can keep the pickle in sun light for few more days.
South Indian Mango Pickle is ready to serve.

We usually consume this pickle with curd rice........

Note : 

 If you are not able to dry in sunlight , Just spread the cut mango pieces in a cotton cloth and dry in room temperature till the moisture went off.
Mix all the ingredients and place the jar of pickle in the refrigerator section.

 Improv Cooking Challenge: August 2019  

Theme - Chilly & Mango
Chileta Mango suckers by Pandemonium Noshery 
Grilled Steaks with Mango and Jalapeno byA Day in the Life on the Farm 
Raw Mango Moong Dal Chutney / Mamidikaya Pesarapappu Pachadi by Sneha's Recipe

South Indian Mango Pickle by Sara's Tasty Buds

Voisilmäpulla - Finnish Butter Eye Buns#eattheworld

    I joined a new facebook group Eat the world Recipe challenge on June 2019 . It was the group of bloggers cook recipe of our choice from a country randomly chosen on 12 th of the previous month and we has to post the recipe by 10 th of the month.

 Eat the world recipe challenge - cooking from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. This month's country selected was Finland. Check the group's link here.

 Finnish cuisine is generally combining traditional country fare and haute cuisine with contemporary continental style cooking. Finnish foods often use wholemeal products like rye , barley , oats and berries such as bilberries , lingonberries , cloudberries and sea buckthorn.

  Pulla , a sweet cardamom flavoured bread eaten with coffee or as dessert. The pulla are shaped to different shapes one of thi shape is this butter eye buns. The buns resemble eye shape and Recipe is adapted from here.

   Butter eye Buns (Voisilmäpulla)  are made with a cardamom - scented dough and a filling of butter and sugar erupts from the golden top leaving a sweet crunch on top. Use pearl sugar crystals which makes the buns look beautiful. I used normal size sugar . You can use flaked almonds also or leave the buns as plain. 

   To create the eruption on top of the buns , cold cubed butter is inserted into the buns just before it is baked.

  When baked with the frozen butter cube in the middle , butter melts while baking and the melted butter stays in the middle dent of the buns , which gives the eye appearance , hence the name Butter eye buns .
  I baked the first batch of buns at 200*C it caused the eyes to darken like a dark circle around the eyes. Then baked the second batch at 180*C , It was baked well.

 The buns tasted delicious with the cardamom flavour. I made the buns as eggless, if you want to add egg , add an egg to the dough and can give egg wash before baking.

Requirements :
225 ml milk
500 g all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbs active dry yeast
1 tbs ground cardamom
75 g sugar
50 g unsalted butter cut into cubes of 1 cm and chilled
50 g caster sugar
 Pearled sugar to decorate
Method:
 Boil the milk and let it reach to lukewarm , add the butter and mix well.

 In a bowl , add the flour , ground cardamom , yeast , sugar and mix well.
Add the milk and salt , mix well. Once the dough has come together , knead it for 10 minutes until it becomes soft and smooth.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl , cover with a towel and keep in a warm place.
Once the dough is doubled , punch the air out . Divide the dough into 12 equal sized and roll each into ball. Let the buns double for another 30 minutes. 

 Once the buns are doubled , just before baking , make a depression in the centre of each bun and place the butter cube in it. In some recipes , they sprinkle ground cardamom along with the sugar on the butter cube......

 I brushed the buns with melted butter and sprinkled sugar on the butter cube and on the sides of the bun. You can use egg wash for browning of the buns.

 If using pearled sugar scatter some around each bun, but I used normal sugar.

Bake in a preheated oven @ 180*C for 15 to 20 minute or until the bread turns golden and the butter bubbling.

Cool on a wire rack and serve. Voisilmäpulla are ready to serve. Enjoy this cardamom flavoured butter eye buns with your coffee........

Check out all the wonderful Finnish dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Pandemonium Noshery: Vispipuuro - Whipped Semolina Pudding

Nicoletta & Loreto Sugarlovespices: Mustikkapiirakka (Finnish Blueberry Pie)

Margaret at Kitchen Frau: Lohikeitto (Creamy Salmon, Potato & Dill Soup)

Tara’s Multicultural Table: Makaronilaatikko (Finnish Macaroni Casserole)

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: https://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2019/07/mustikkapiirakka-finnish-blueberry-pie.html" target="_blank">Mustikkapiirakka (Finnish Blueberry Pie)

Amy: Sima (Finnish Lemonade)

Sharanya Sara's Tasty Buds: Voisilmapulla(Finnish Butter Eye Buns)

Evelyne: Pannukakku Finnish Pancakes with Blueberries

Sue:Lattyja Pancakes with Strawberry-Gooseberry Jam

A Day in the Life on the Farm: https://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/2019/07/lihapullat-finnish-meatballs-eattheworld.html" target="_blank">Lihapullat (Finnish Meatballs)

Authentic German Pretzels#BreadBakers

For this month’s Bread Bakers The theme choosen by Stacy of  Food Lust People Love is to make Pretzels - Creative Pretzel , traditional Pretzels or bake the pretzels of our choice.

 

   A Pretzel ( German : Breze(l) ) is a type of baked bread from dough most commonly shaped into a twisted knot. Pretzels originated in Europe , possibly among monks in the Early Middle Ages.

 

 The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive nonsymmetrical form , with the ends of a long strip of dough  interwined and then twisted back into itself .

 

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  Salt is the most common seasoning for pretzels , complementing the washing soda or lye treatment that gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor through the Mallard reaction. Other seasonings include cheese , sugars , chocolate , glazes , seeds or nuts. There are several varities of pretzels , including soft pretzels , which must be eaten shortly  after preparation and hard baked pretzels , which have a long shelf life.

  I made Pretzels for the first time , so I was  nervous whether I will be able to do . 

Requirements :

3 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tbs Instant Dry yeast

1 cup Brown sugar 

1 tsp Salt 

1 1/2 cup of Lukewarm water 

Coarse Sea salt for sprinkling 

For soda Bath : 

2 tbs Cooking soda 

6 cup water 

Method :

Mix together flour , brown sugar , yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add in the lukewarm water and mix well.

Knead the dough well for about ten minutes or till the dough becomes soft and supple.

Cover the bowl and let the dough double in size for about one and half hour.

Delate the raised dough and divide into nine equal parts.

Roll each part into rope  by using fingers of both hands about 30 cm. 

Fold the length of the rope into half , then twist the two pieces around each other before pressing the loose ends together.

Then pass the joined ends through the loop at the top. Press down on the dough to secure the twist.

For more shaping of pretzels see here. 

Shape all the pretzels in the similar method.

Arrange on the baking tray and let the pretzels for second rise say 30 minutes. 

Fill a saucepan with water , mix in cooking soda and let it boil.

The water should be rolling boil. Lift a pretzel and slip it carefully into the boiling water . 

Boil the pretzel until it floats about 30 seconds and turn over with spoon and boil for another 3o second. 

Using a slotted spoon , take off from water and place on the baking tray. 

Repeat with the remaining pretzels and place each 2 inch apart. 

Sprinkle each pretzel with the coarse salt and bake on the preheated oven @ 200*C for 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. 

Take off oven and let it cool on wire rack. 

After completely cools wrap each pretzel separately .

Note :

The malt syrup is used to give the pretzels brown colour , we can use brown sugar if malt syrup is not available.

In some of the authentic pretzels they use beer , but i didn't use it.

Authentic German Pretzels from Sara's Tasty Buds

Ballpark Pretzels from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Beer Pretzels from Passion Kneaded

Buttery Pretzels from Ambrosia

Cheddar Garlic Soft Pretzels from Palatable Pastime

Cheese Jalapeño Stuffed Pretzel Rolls from Herbivore Cucina

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites from Cook's Hideout

Cinnamon Toast Pretzel Twists from Hostess At Heart

Double Soda Pretzels from Food Lust People Love

German Pretzel Rolls from All That's Left Are The Crumbs

Honey Mustard Snack Pretzels from Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Pretzel Dogs from Sneha's Recipe

Pretzel Sticks from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Saffron Pretzel Rolls from The Schizo Chef

Soft Whole Wheat Pretzels from What Smells So Good?

Sourdough Soft Pretzels from Baking Sense

Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites from I camp in my kitchen

Badge and blurb

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.