Slovakian Steamed Dumplings with Jam

The holidays are soon approaching! A few weeks ago Joe and I drove south to a dusty, side of the road Christmas tree lot and brought home this dear Fraser Fir. Every time I step threw the front door of the apartment, this tree cheerfully greets me with a pine-scented handshake... 

Trying to squeeze into a self-timed photo equals
awkward posing... !

Its branches are now adorned with strings of white lights that I can't help but turn on every time I'm home. There is something exceedingly calming about the sight of an incandescent evergreen. This glowing symbol of joyful celebrations to come is also a constant reminder to get into the kitchen and bake!  My most recent creation was a special Slovakian treat:  

Steamed Dumplings with Jam!

These sweet yeast dough balls are steamed, not baked, which keeps their exterior pale.  A light brushing with butter plus a sprinkling of ground poppy seeds and powdered sugar allows for a freckled, golden completion. Bite into one and experience a burst of warm jam enveloped in soft bread.  I made these one evening when Joe was working a late shift and stayed up until 1:00 AM to share with him a tall glass of milk and a taste of my first batch of steamed dumplings as a late night snack. He was so happy for a taste of home and I was so happy for his appreciation. 

Here's how it went...

The first step is to make a nice yeasty dough. It is just like any regular yeast dough, except it has a bit more sugar in it to give it a slightly saccharin taste.

My sweet dough has risen!
I was creating a "warm environment" by slightly heating
some water in a cooking pot and placing my dough
bowl on top to receive the warm vapor. 

Before getting your hands dirty, prepare the steaming bed. This process is the same as for the Slovakian Steamed Bread Dumplings, except this time I used kitchen string (leftover from Thanksgiving), to secure the tea towel to the cooking pot. Basically, fill a large cooking pot halfway with water, then cover with the towel, and locate another large pot that will balance upside down onto it as "the lid". 

Tie the towel tightly enough to get a flat, strong surface
for the dough balls to rest for cooking.  The pot seen in back
was the lid that covered this covered pot

Back to the dough. Roll it out into about 1/2 inch thickness. My one mistake was rolling it out too thin (I did about 1/4 inch thickness). Then make as many dough circles that you can, which will require you to take the leftover scraps and roll them out again until there is no dough left.  I used a pint glass to stamp my dough, but a round cookie cutter would also do!

Match your dough circles up with a mate and place a small spoonful of your favorite jam onto one of them.  The Slovakian recipe that I was following asked for thick plum jam, however, I used a homemade grape jam that was gifted to Joe by a friend. Frankly, I think any jam would be delicious! Try to avoid jelly, however, since its a bit runnier (and without remnants of real fruit, which I am partial too). 

Cover each jam piece with an empty one and secure the edges together using your fingers. Try to smooth out the edges more than what my pictures show here so that you don't get a rugged looking finished product! Finally, secure the edges once more by cutting the extra dough off the edges, and then let sit on a floured surface to let the dough rise a bit once again.

Once your dough balls look puffy and smooth, bring the water in your towel-covered pot to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to medium and place 3-4 dough balls on the flat towel surface. Cover with the second pot and set your timer to 12 minutes. Whatever you do, do not peek!  The steam must not escape.

Top with melted butter and ground poppy seeds (mixed with a bit of powdered sugar) and serve immediately! I like these dumplings best while warm.  Let extras cool completely before covering with plastic wrap. They keep well, unrefrigerated, for about four days.  

'Tis the season to be baking!  Fa la la la!

Steamed dumplings with grape jam and
poppyseed dusting.

Slovakian Steamed Dumplings with Jam

Adapted from "Slovak Cuisine" cookbook

Makes about 1 dozen large

Leaven:

50 ml milk, warm

2 Tbsp. yeast

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Dumplings:

4 cups (500 g) flour

1 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

2 egg yolks

150 ml milk

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Jam (plum recommended), for filling

Toppings:

Butter, melted

Poppy seeds, ground

Powdered sugar 

-or-

Ground walnuts 

Powdered sugar

Combine all of the ingredients under "leaven" to make prepare the yeast. Set aside for about 5 minutes to check to make sure that the yeast is alive (foam should form).  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together  the salt, sugar, yolks, lukewarm milk and butter. Then mix in the leaven, and finally begin adding the flour until a soft dough is formed. Knead for 3 minutes and then flip into a slightly greased bowl, cover in a warm place and allow to rise about 1 hour (or until dough has doubled in size). Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a cookie cutter or pint glass rim. Place about 1/2 Tbsp. of the firm jam on half of the rounds, cover them with the empty ones. Seal the edges together using finger tips, then cut again with the cutter to remove extra dough. Allow to rise again, about 30-45 minutes. Fill half of a bigger pot with water, tie a tea cloth onto the top to cover securely (see picture above). When water starts to boil, place dumplings on the cotton cloth, cover with a pot that fits the pot filled with water. Steam dumplings for about 12 minutes in small batches as not to overcrowd the dumplings. Transfer the steamed dumplings to a serving dish, brush the tops with melted butter, followed by a sprinkling with the ground poppy seeds mixed with powdered sugar. Best when warm! Enjoy!

Glorified French Toast

I recently experienced one of those "Hollywood mornings." You know when you sit up from your slumber with unusually voluminous hair, glowing skin, and you're wearing a smile instead of cursing your alarm clock?  I recognize how rare such occasions are and tried my best to preserve this enthusiasm as long as possible. After starting some coffee, I decided to have myself a sort of movie star breakfast. Or rather, something that celebrities might eat in an actual movie!  I call it, Glorified French Toast!  

Homemade whole-wheat banana bread makes
for a great option for Glorified French Toast.

This recipe is fancy but so simple. The only real messes come from making your favorite breakfast bread ahead of time. Or simply go purchase something with flax or chia seeds while wearing your biggest sunglasses if you feel like being extra glam (and don't forget to stop at Starbucks to grab a disposable cup to accessorize with). Lucky for me I had a fresh loaf of homemade banana bread (pictured above) already in-house, so I nixed the paparazzi outing and threw on a pair of heels instead. Ahem... !!

To share with you my recipe for making yourself a glorified morning on demand, just follow these five simple steps.

1. Slice up your favorite breakfast bread.

2. Dip each side of each slice into milk and then beaten eggs.

3. Drop your dipped slices into some hot butter and let sizzle on both sides until toasty.

4. Serve your, now "Glorified," French toast immediately with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of warm syrup. 

These pictures illustrate the five steps using a
mini loaf of homemade blueberry bread, 
which I prepared earlier this summer.

5. Although it's fun to look movie star while cooking, you don't have to eat like one. Kick off those heels (if you haven't already), grab a fork, and consume your whole plate while reclining on the couch with some cartoons... or Jersey Shore reruns. 

Curried Red Lentils with Nutty Naan

If I was forced to make a list of my top 10 favorite foods, naan, a south-central Asian and Middle Eastern flatbread, would most certainly be included. Similar to a pita, this bread has a true rustic texture: soft, chewy, and dappled with crispy bubbles. Depending on the region, naan can be fried or baked, leavened or unleavened. I got such a craving for this bread that I tried making it myself.  It was a impulsive craving.  I swear one of those hot, doughy bread saucers was floating around my head and filling nostrals with smells of toasted wheat brushed with butter. Naanaanaan!  I had to have some! With such a sudden cooking outburst, I hadn't realized that my bread flour supply was running dangerously low until I ended up with an empty bag in the middle of preparing dough. The end result was a "nutty naan."  Whole wheat flour became a main ingredient to make up for the lack of bread flour in my pantry.  Despite such a recipe alteration, the end result was just as dreamy...

Homemade, whole-wheat Nutty Naan.

Nonetheless, in my option, naan truly shines at the table when it can be accompanied with dishes laden in spicy sauces to dip, scoop, and clean your plate with.  Red Lentil Coconut Curry, brown rice, yogurt, and hot sauce became my naan's handsome counterpart. 

Red Lentil Coconut Curry

Sassy red lentils. 

This dinner was an experiment of sorts. Never before had I prepared flatbread, cooked (let alone ever heard about) red lentils, or used coconut milk as a curry base. Luckily, everything turned out even better than I had imagined. Scrumptious! I happily enjoyed these spicy winter veggies with sassy lentils as leftovers... even long after the naan had disappeared.  If you are looking for a hearty meal to warm you up from the inside out, I recommend making the recipes that follow.

Nutty Naan

Adapted from "Simply in Season" cookbook

Serves 8-10

1/4 cup warm water

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp. oil

2 teaspoons salt

2.5 cups bread flour

2.5 cups whole-wheat flour, plus extra for kneading

Extra oil or butter

Mix the first three ingredients in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to make sure yeast is alive (will begin to foam). Mix the 1 cup water, yogurt, egg, oil, and salt in a large bowl until wall combined. Stir in yeast mixture. Now, begin to stir in the bread flour and then begin adding whole wheat flour until a soft dough forms. Knead 5 minutes. Turnout into a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Near the end, begin heating a bit of oil/butter in a large frying pan (medium-high heat). I used about 1/2 Tbsp. butter to cook each piece of naan. Separate leavened dough into golf ball-sized balls (I did one at a time). Roll each ball into a very thin circle, only a few millimeters thick. Cook each piece, one at a time, until golden and puffy on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). 

Leavened dough pile from which I would tear off one small
ball at a time and then roll it out as thin as possible.

The thinner the dough, the better it will bubble up in the
hot skillet. This piece got too thin and tore. 
But this level of thinness was what I strived for.

Red Lentil Coconut Curry 

Adapted from "Simply in Season" cookbook

Serves 8-10

1 large onion, minced
13.5 ounce can coconut milk (full fat best)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups red lentils, dried, rinsed
5 cups water
1/2 head cauliflower florets
1/2 large sweet potato, peeled, cubed
1/4 head cabbage, shredded and chopped
1 cup peas (frozen are fine)

Spice mixture:
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. ginger powder
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 teaspoon tumeric, ground
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayanne pepper, ground
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 bay leaves

Throw your can of coconut milk in the freezer for 20 minutes while you dice the onion and mince the garlic. By that time, the fat from the can will congregate at the top, as shown here:

Use the coconut milk fat to saute the onion and spices.
The fat separates from the milk nicely with a quick freeze. 

Once your coconut milk fat is displaced from the can to a large cooking pot, heat it over medium heat and saute the diced onion until translucent and soft. Add the ingredients listed under "Spice mixture" and cook, string constantly, for 3 minutes. Do not let the spices or the onion to brown! Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, and tomato sauce to the pot. Turn heat down and simmer this spiced sauce on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often. Now add the lentils and water. Continue simmering the mixture for another 20 minutes. Now add the prepared fall/winter vegetables, reserving the peas until later.  Turn heat up to medium-high to allow the mixture to boil gently until the vegetables become tender (about 30 minutes).  Add the peas around the last 10 minutes of cooking if you like them to remain a vibrant green (I threw my peas in early specifically so that the peas would lose a bit of their green hue). Taste the seasonings and add more if necessary, perhaps just a teaspoon of salt.  Serve over rice garnished with your favorite curry toppings. My favorite curry topping happens to be plain yogurt and sriracha sauce!  However, toasted sunflower seeds or Indian chutneys could certainly give your leftovers a facelift.  

Must-have curry toppers.
If I don't have yogurt, sour cream is my go-to substitute.

Who knew that a simple craving for naan could inspire such a unique cooking cascade?

A Bierocks Tradition

Although my childhood was spent living between Kansas, Texas and Minnesota, I consider myself to be a Kansas gal. I was born in Kansas. Both of my parents are from Kansas, and their parents' parents are from Kansas, and the majority of our living relatives remain within Kansas boarders today.  

Kansas. I think of this state as a humble gem at the center of America. Its soils are studded with golden limestone and frosted with waving wheat fields stretching as far as the eyes can see. These flat prairie lands accentuate the limitless sky above displaying cottony clouds and brilliant coral sunsets. Quiet gravel roads thread veins through old farming lands where immigrant European farmers once settled years ago. The only reminders of modern times in rural Kansas come from shiny combines juxtaposed with dilapidated barns.  Two of my great grandfathers farmed these fields. They were both Germans immigrants who were stubborn enough to tame the great plain's hard clay soils and unwieldily storms. They were determined to make a living for themselves and their families. I am part of the 4th generation, with fond memories of wheat and soybean harvests. Over so many years, however, many traditions from my German heritage have been lost with the land.  

And then again, there are Bierocks... 

Related to the pierogi.

My mother has been making these beef-and-cabbage stuffed buns for quick weeknight meals ever since I can remember. It has always been a family favorite. And very German! Well... to be more accurate, they are actually very Volga-German. In other words, they originated from ethnic German communities living along the Volga River in Russia. These peoples were allowed to continue practicing their religion and maintain their language. It wasn't until the 19th and early 20th centuries that many migrated to the Americas. Interestingly, while Joe and I made the long journey to Denver via I-70 (straight west through Kansas flint hills) we discovered that there are a few obvious reminders of the old Volga-German communities, such as a grand Cathedral erected from the land's limestone deposits by Roman Catholic German settlers over a hundred years ago.  

Victoria, Kansas.

In order to keep such a small piece of my family's history alive, I want to share with you a Bierocks story. My mother's recipe calls for quick Jiffy dough (modernization for new generations of working women), however, I was craving something as traditional as possible. In doing a little internet searching, I stumbled across a wonderful newspaper article written about another Kansan who wishes to preserve such a tasty tradition. In fact, has made a successful business out of it! While reading this article, I realized that there are a few variations of Bierocks, for example, thin versus thick dough, or sauerkraut versus carrot additions.  I merged his recipe with my mother's to create a recipe (below) that most aligns with my personal childhood memories of a family favorite.  

My Bierocks story:

Prepare the sweet yeast dough first.
While dough is rising, brown the ground beef in a large skillet.

While meat is cooking, shred cabbage and carrots, and dice
up some purple onion. 

Add the veggies to cook in the meat fat until tender.

The risen dough is now ready for sectioning.
This is how I keep my dough "warm" despite a cold apartment:
I heat up an inch of water in a large pan, turn off the heat,
and then set my dough bowl on top.

Grab a handful of dough and spread it thin.

Fill dough with meat and cabbage mixture.

Let your raw Bierocks set so that the dough can rise
a bit once again.

Bake your buns and then brush their tops with butter!

Enjoy with mustard...
or ketchup if you feel like being more American!

Traditional Family Bierocks
Makes 12
Serves 4 (most individuals consume 2-3 buns each).

Dough:
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
2.5 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 1/3 cups flour ("Yay" for wheat!)
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 head cabbage, shredded and chopped
1/2 purple onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

First, prepare the dough. Combine yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl until dissolved. Set aside until foamy (5-10 minutes).  Add melted butter, then flour, then milk and salt. Add more milk if dough gets too dry.  After mixing, knead until smooth (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise until doubled (about 1 hr).

While dough is rising, cook the filling. First brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat (if any). Add veggies and salt and pepper to taste.  Turn heat down to medium-low heat and cook slowly until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and set aside until dough is ready for stuffing.  Note: if you like sauerkraut, add about 1/2 cup now.


To assemble Bierocks, portion dough into 3-ounce balls (about 1 small handful). Roll out flat to about 1/2 inch thickness. Place 1/2 cup of meat mixture into the center of each, pull corners of the dough over the filling and pinch together in a nice seam. Place stuffed dough balls, seam side down, onto a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise another 20-30 minutes. During this time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes, or until browned. After removing buns form the oven, brush the tops with butter. Serve with spicy mustard and a pint of wheat ale.

Note: Bierocks keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days after preparation.  I love making extra to bring to work because they are easy to take on the go!

Piquant Pumpkin Soup

These early December days seem to be zooming right on by. Memories of the past week's events replay in my mind like fast-forwarded scenes on a VHS tape.  Many times my only interaction with Joe has been in the car, commuting to and from opposite work shifts; as he completes night shifts, I begin day shifts.  Thankfully, the past few days of being cooped up in a stuffy office or convention center have coincided with the harshest winter weather slam that Denver has received this season. We received three nights of consecutive snowfall with temps dipping down into the negative digits! 

Today, however, all that I have on my itinerary is to spruce up the ol' apartment, enjoy a bit of sunshine, and blog. I can already check the first two items off my list. The AM hours were spent vacuuming, dusting, doing three loads of laundry, taking out trash, washing dishes, and scrubbing the bathroom, kitchen, and hardwood floors. I am always amazed at how quickly a small 1-bedroom apartment with two tidy residents can explode into messy chaos. How does anyone manage kids, pets, and more square feet, in addition to full-time employment? I stand flabbergasted!  

By mid-day, the temperatures have risen to a balmy 40 degrees. My running shoes were sloshing all the way around the snow-packed trails of Cheesman Park, but I sort of enjoyed the irregular acoustics. Crunch, crunch, splash. Crunch, splash, crunch!  Squirrels were all a buzz in the warm sunshine, scampering through the snow with bushy tails twitching. They seemed to be baiting every leased dog to a game of chase.  

Then for a slow lunch, some leftover, spicy pumpkin soup: 

As it turns out, I dined in my bedroom to escape the gritty banging taking place right outside my table window:

There I still remain, comfortably lounging in an old IKEA chair with feet propped up on the bed corner, completing the last thing on my list. Blogging. My digital escape. I can't describe what compels me to continue posting about the amateur happenings in my kitchen. There seems to be hundreds upon thousands upon millions of food bloggers out there.  Each with, what seems to be, well-planned signature themes or goals, and professionally edited photos.  The Curious Cook appears to be without rhyme or reason to the foods prepared, or the nature in which events are posted. Some entries capture detailed cooking processes step-by-step, while others only highlight the finished products. Some are recipe-oriented, others are life-oriented. I have no cooking merit, nor interest in becoming famous. But here I am!  Typing away during any free opportunity, because I simply find joy in it. Because I love to write. Because I hope to inspire others to play with food. Because it inspires me to continue inspiring myself. 

For those of you reading these posts, I want to say, "thank you."  You always make my kitchen feel warm and buzzing with company, even though we may be hundreds of miles apart.  

The sun is now low in the late afternoon sky, setting my beige walls ablaze with orange. A sort of spiced pumpkin color, I decide.  Supper is on the horizon. This is my signal to, once again, return to the kitchen... 

Sexy Enchiladas

I made enchiladas, and fell in love at first bite.

"Enchi-lot-a love"

Warm tortillas stuffed with spices, smothered in homemade special sauce, and blanketed with cheese - these were the main components of my seductive enchiladas. However, this love story began with the making of Perfect Pintos in my slow cooker. These lovely beans became the main ingredient, and inspiration, of my filling.  In truth, however, any vegetable, legume, or cooked meat that you desire (or must purge from your refrigerator) may be used.  The recipe, posted below, appears wordy but hopefully my pictures convince you otherwise. 

Once you have identified your filling ingredients (in my case, traditional Mexican staples of beans and maize), cook them with sizzled onions and garlic. 

Pinto-maize filling with dried cilantro scattered on top.

Then, prepare some special sauce. 

Special sauce. 

Let some prepared sauce and shredded cheese mingle with the lonely filling mixture. Adjust seasonings as necessary.  Now, pre-heat that oven. As you do so, sneak some tortillas (flour in my case) in there to soften. Esta bien! 

Some Assembly Required: 

1. Pour some special sauce in a baking pan to coat.

2. Fill each tortilla with a large spoonful of filling.

3. Give that tortilla a roll in some sauce.

4. Repeat until there is no more room.

5. Pour the remaining special sauce over the backs of the stuffed tortillas.

6. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and accessorize with jalapenos (optional).

7. Bake-up some anticipation. 

In the heat of the oven, sauce and cheese envelope all other ingredients in a tasty embrace.  Top with shredded lettuce, sour cream, lime wedges, or whatever you fancy, and you'll soon be falling in love with an enchilada, too! Perhaps their particular lure has something to do with spicy cayenne kisses that linger.  Beckoning you back to the table for another... just one more... bite.   

Sexy Enchiladas

Inspired from Culinate

Olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

Salt to taste

6 gloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, or 2 cups pre-made

1/4 cup chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 cans crushed tomatoes, or 3 cups tomato sauce

1 cup beef broth

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped or 1 Tbsp. dried

2 cups (8 ounces) grated cheese (sharp cheddar great)

6 larger -12 small tortillas, corn or flour

Cooking spray 

Filling Part 1:  In a large pan, saute onions and a few shakes of salt in a few tablespoons olive oil until transparent. Add about 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add corn kernels and cook until heated through. Then do the same for the beans (canned or slow-cooked). Turn off heat and set aside. If you desire to throw in spinach or another leafy green, add now and stir until wilted.

Sauce: In medium pan, add another tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium-high setting. Add the rest of the minced garlic and a few shakes salt and cook until garlic is fragrant but not browning. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring constantly 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, plus broth. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 15-20 minutes. Flavors will develop during this time. Add salt and pepper as necessary.

Filling Part 2: Add 1/2 cup sauce, cilantro, and 1 cup shredded cheese to the bean and corn mixture. Stir until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Assembly:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. During this time, fan tortillas on a large baking sheet and spray both sides with a bit of cooking spray. Bake until soft (about 3 minutes).  Evenly coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with a thin layer of sauce (about 1/2 cup). Working one at a time, spread about 1/3 cup filling mixture down the center, roll tightly, and set it (seem side down) into the baking dish. Repeat until the pan is full (or until you use up all tortillas or filling). Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and spread to coat each evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and jalapenos (optional) over the tortillas. Cover the dish loosely with foil.

Baking: Bake on the upper rack of the oven until cheese is melted (about 15 minutes), then uncover and cook another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbling and slightly crispy. 

Finishing touches: Serve enchiladas sprinkled with fresh cilantro or as is. Garnish with your favorite enchilada accessory. Napkins come highly recommended. 

Optional garnishes:

Lime wedges, sliced radishes, avocado, jalapenos, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and/or hot sauce, baby!