gluten-free cornbread

this is an adaptation from a recipe on glutenfreegirl.com. i tried a few modifications and finally perfected it. it's awesome, and whenever i make it, i eat the whole thing in a day!

1/4 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup sweet rice flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cold non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening or lard (not butter)

2 large eggs

1.25 cups yogurt, or milk

1.25 cups yellow cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Combine the flours by sifting them into a large bowl. Add the remaining dry ingredients (except cornmeal) and stir.

Cut the shortening into the flours, the way you would when making a pie dough or scones.

Combine the eggs and milk in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid. Stir with a rubber spatula until everything is combined.

Stir in the cornmeal fast, until it is just combined.

’Pour’ (the batter will be very thick) into a greased 9 inch circular cake pan, and gently smooth out so that it is evenly distributed. Bake on rack one step down from center, for 25 minutes, then move up to the next rack level for 5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the sides of the cornbread are slightly shrinking from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean.

The cornbread is best served after it has cooled completely, with butter and whatever else you like to use cornbread as a vehicle for. I think it’s even better the next day.

summer is for salad

mmm...salad.

mung bean sprouts
fresh seasonal veggies, like carrots, kholrabi, cabbage
cilantro, chopped
peanuts

dressing:
tahini or peanut butter
lime juice
hot sauce
salt
minced garlic
minced ginger
water

chop, grate, or julienne the veggies. mix all the veggies, beans, and cilantro. stir together the dressing ingredients, thin with water to a pourable consistency, and adjust flavors as necessary. toss with salad. garnish with chopped peanuts.

madhur jaffrey's spiced rice with cashews

like most indian food, it's really easy to eat too much of this.

spiced rice with cashews

2 cups white basmati or other long-grain white rice
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp raw cashews, split in half lengthwise
1 medium-sized onion, peeled, cut in half, and sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garam masala
3 cups hot vegetable stock (make it by boiling 10 dried shitake mushrooms, 1/2 an onion, 2 carrots, for 20-30 minutes, then drain broth from veggies)

rinse the rice 4 or 5 times. cover rice with 4 1/2 cups of fresh water and leave to soak for 1/2 an hour. drain, and leave rice in strainer.

preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

use a heave ovenproof pot or 2-quart sauté pan with a lid. heat the oil over medium heat. Put in the cashews. Fry for a few seconds, until the nuts turn golden brown. remove nuts with a slotted spoon and set aside.

fry the onion slices in the same oil for a few minutes, until they begin to brown. add the drained rice, garlic, ginger, cayenne, garam masala, and salt. turn heat to medium low and stir and fry the rice for 7-9 minutes until rice is translucent and well coated with the oil.

add the heated stock. keep stirring and cooking on a medium-low flame for another 5-6 minutes. when the top of the rice begins to look dry (there will still be liquid left on the bottom of the pot), cover the pot with a well-fitting lid and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until rice is cooked through. remove pot from oven, stir in cashews and leave, covered, for 10 minutes.

when ready to serve, break up clumps in rice and spoon onto plates.