Jibe Goja - Fried Pastry in sugar syrup

Food events make the food blogging world a little more interesting. I love events, I do not have time to participate in most of them, but ever so often one of them catches my eye and I have stop by later to see what a variety of dishes are offered in the round-up even if I cannot participate. One event that I have been following since last year is RCI-Regional Cuisine of India. I think this event is such an amazing idea, just brilliant of Lakshmi to think of this.

This month RCI-Bengali is being hosted by Sandeepa at Bongmom's cookbook.



There are just so many interesting recipes, I finally settled for trying this sweet simple recipe. Jibe Goja is thinly rolled pastry dipped in a thick sugar syrup. Works wonderfully with tea and actually keeps fairly well for a few days in an air-tight container. The name is derived from the toungue shaped appearance, jib in bengali refers to tongue.

Jibe-Goja- Fried pastry in sugar syrup
Makes about 15 gojas

Ingredients
For the syrup

1 cup water
2 cups sugar

For the goja

2 cups flour
2 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
water to knead
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Make the syrup by boiling the water and sugar for 10 minutes. It should make a thick (1.5 strand consistency)
2. In the meantime, mix the ghee into the flour with the salt and sugar. This should be evenly mixed in with your hands.
3. Add the water to make a firm and smooth dough.
4. Let this sit for 30 minutes.
5. Break into small pieces and roll into long (toungue shaped) pieces.
6. Score well, to prevent this from puffing up while frying.
7. Fry till golden brown, drain the oil and dip into warm syrup for 1 minute.
9. Remove and set aside on a piece of parchment paper.
10. When this cools the Goja hardens just enough to make it flaky rather than soft.

Inspired Cooking!

Well, maybe its spring, maybe like most of us within the food universe it is this constant yen for doing different things, today's meal was something, that I needed to be different, creative and special. Why - well because I just felt like it!

Anyhow, most of the meal was inspired by other recipes on the web, goodness how did people ever cook prior to the www. Anyhow, what I had with me was some lovely orange roughy and some swiss chard, certainly enough basic components for a good meal. What I needed was something to mix and complete the meal.

To start with the swiss chard, this is what I looked at, what I developed was pretty close,

Sauteed Swiss Chard

Serve 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 shallots thinly slices

1 tomato, diced

3 cups chopped swiss chard

1 tsp seasoning salt

1/4 cup mirin (Japanese rice vinegar)

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the garlic, cook on high and brown.

2. Add the shallots and tomatoe and saute briefly.

3. Add in the chard and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add in the salt and mirin and cook till the chard is fairly soft.

Next to move onto the fish, I actually dredged this with lime juice, salt and pepper and seared this. I then topped the fish with some lovely chimmichurri sauce that I created from this whole foods recipe. I made some tiny modifications for convienience and practicality, - I used prepared almond meal that toasted up wonderfully and left out the lime juice and reduced the oil by half. Still a pretty rich sauce. Well, I have just started working with fresh oregano, that is my entry for this weeks WHB, that is being host by one of "my food blogger" (just the very few, that I have time to scan on a regular basis, simply because I do not have more time.) - Katie at a thyme for cooking.

Mixed Bean Chilli

I have to tell you, like most mother who juggle the 800 (ok that is an exageration!) but the multiple things that one has to fit in just gets crazier when one has to complete the list with -
800) Cook interesting, flavorful, food that works for both Mommy and Daddy and for the little tykes.

Well, the adapted version of Chilli that I make works pretty well for this and with some really inspired toppings and garnishes makes pretty interesting party food.

To make the process interesting, I use the beans in my pantry, that are a combination of all kinds of Indian beans and lentils - here I have whole dried peas, green chickpeas, black-eyed beans, black beans and small red beans. This time round, I decided to do something that I do not usually do - get some fresh oregano to liven this up!

Mixed Bean Chilli

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

1 cups of dried mixed beans as described above
2 tbsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 onions coarsely, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
3/4 cup ground chicken or turkey
3 cups canned or freshly chopped tomatoes
1 green chilli
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp oregano leaves

For Garnishing

Chopped Scallions
Chopped Green chilies
Chopped Cilantro
Lime Wedges
Tortilla Chips
Grated or Crumbled Cheese
Sour Cream


Method of Preparation

1. Soak the beans overnight and then cook under pressure for 25 minutes with 1 tsp salt. (The beans should be partially cooked.)
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and add the ginger, garlic and onion and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add the ground meat and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add the beans and remaining ingredients with 3 cups water, bring to a boil and simmer for 3 hours.
6. Serve over rice or with cornbread and garnish with the scallions, green chillies and cilantro.
7. Place a few tortilla chips and 1 tsp cheese.
8. Microwave for 40 seconds till the cheese is melted add 1 tsp sour cream and enjoy.

Ps. On a note on my favorite bevarage-red wine. I have recently noticed a fun trend amongst CA wine to have funny, homey labeling almost in an attempt to make wine more everyday. Well, I made the chilli for a Friday Night crowd and served it with a wine from the Doghouse Wines. Do not know much about the wine, the "Checkers Cab" in question was a fun down to earth wine that did appropriate justice to this dish.

Green Chickpea and Corn Kadhi

I found these really pretty daity pods at the local store. I had never used these green chickpeas before but wanted to do something with them. After I brought these home, I discovered some very tart yogurt that had been sitting in my fridge for a while.

I am a big fan of Kadhi - that nutrious yougurt based soupy concoction tempered with whole spices and curry leaves thickened with besan or chickpea flour. If you love kadhi as much as I do, you will be convinced that sour yogurt was made for Kadhi not the other way round. Well, I made kadhi mixed in with fresh corn and the results with rice was perfect for a cool day.

Green Chickpea and Corn Kadhi

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1.5 cups very tart yogurt

3 tbsp besan or chickpea flour

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

1/8 tsp asafetida

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 dried red chillies

1-2 green chillies

10 curry leaves

1/2 fresh green chickpeas

1/2 cup fresh corn

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Mix the yogurt, besan and salt with 2 cups water and set aside.

2. Heat the oil and add the ginger, cumin and mustard seeds.

3. When the seeds begin to pop add the red chillies.

4. Add in the green chillies and curry leaves and stir well.

5. Mix in the yogurt mixture, bring to a boil reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Add in the corn and chickpeas and cook for another 15 minutes.

7. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

This entry is sent out to this weeks - WHB that is being hosted by Jay and Bee at Jugalbandi.

This blog if you have not checked it out, is a treat for the senses, the photography is amazing, it makes food seem spiritual.