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Posts Tagged ‘sesame seeds’

fresh hot bagels

03 Oct

That’s what the neon sign in the bagel storefronts read on Thirteenth Avenue in Brooklyn, where I grew up.  On many Motzei Shabbosim (Saturday Nights) in the winter, we would go with my father to pick up some hot, mouthwatering bagels.  So, I thought - what better way to break a fast than on fresh, homemade bagels?    My bagels came out of the oven at break-fast time and were awesome!  For a crowd of 9, we polished off 15 bagels!  And they were fun to make and didn’t take all day like traditional breads.  Many years ago, when I first tried this recipe and before there were any bagel stores in Lakewood, my husband and I dreamed of opening a bagel shop.  Today, more than 25 years later, we’re both in the food business but have yet to own a bagel store…..

Ingredients

  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar

Combine in a bowl.  Add:

  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar

Knead dough in a mixer and/or by hand until smooth.

Place in a greased bowl.  Rise 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a pot of boiling water.

Divide dough into 8 pieces.   (I made a double batch.)  Roll each piece into an 8-inch rope. 

 Shape into bagel rings by wrapping the rope around your 4 fingers, overlapping the dough by one inch.  Squeeze the overlapped dough like play dough until it is totally integrated.

Rise another 20 minutes.

Cook in boiling water, 3 minutes on first side and 2 minutes on second side.   Remove from water and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle with seeds of your choice (poppy, sesame, kosher or sea salt, minced onion, minced garlic, or ”everything” spice blend) while bagel is wet from the water.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  This will give you a soft bagel.  If you prefer a crispy bagel, bake at 450 for 20 minutes, and turn over and bake the second side, if necessary for 5-10 minutes.

 
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japanese kani/sushi salad

19 Sep

This salad is pretty and delicious and I’ve gotten rave reviews each time I’ve made it. After tasting it, my guests requested I make them this salad for their upcoming affair (Bas Mitzvah/Sheva Brachos, etc.). I must say that it is time consuming, but oh, so worthwhile. I brought it to my friend the day she moved and she told me days later that she is craving my salad! Inspired by a recent Binah Article (07/18/2011) written by Chaya Fleishman, I have made a few changes most notably in the dressing. This salad is quite versatile, as it is elegant enough for a fancy party and simple enough for a weekday dinner.

INGREDIENTS

1 bag (or head) romain lettuce
2 cups raw shushi rice, cooked according to directions below
3 cucumbers, seeded, peeled and julienned
2 large carrots, peeled and julienned (you can use shredded carrots)
12 sticks kani (imitation crab)*, defrosted and pulled apart into thin shreds (I bang it down with my wrist to separate)
1 cup dressing (recipe follows)
Tempura crunch (recipe follows)
Avocado, thinly slied
Toasted sesame seeds

*Sold in grocery/supermarket freezers with the brand name Dyna-Sea. I use the long ones.

Sushi Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups rice
3 Tbsp oil
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup Nakano brand unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Rinse rice in a strainer for a few minutes to remove excess starch. Saute rice in oil for a few minutes, then add water and bring to a boil. Lower flame and cover pot. Allow to cook for approximately 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Let stand for 10 minutes. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt and mix into rice. Cool.

Tempura Crunch
Ingredients:
1 cup tempura batter mix*
1 1/2 cups water
Oil for frying

*Sold in the sushi section under the Freund’s label

Directions:
Mix together tempura mix and water. Preheat oil in a pot. Deep fry the batter by dripping batter into the hot oil while holding the bowl about 2 feet above the pot. The batter will disperse immediately. Once golden brown, remove from pot and drain well. Allow to cool, then crumble by hand until you get a fluffy, breadcrumb-like texture.

Tip: Ready made tempura crunch can be purchased at sushi bars to save time and avoid mess.

Dressing
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 oz water
1 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp hot pepper sauce or schug
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
14 tspn white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tsp wasabi powder

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a covered container and shake well to mix.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

To serve the salad, put the ingredients in a salad bowl or on idividual plates in the following order. First put the lettuce on the plate (or in bowl), top with kani, carrot and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing (according to salad proportion). Sprinkle with tempura crunch, put a few thin slices of avocado atop salad (in the center of plate) and sprinkle with toasted white and black sesame seeds.

 
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