BAGELS !!!

I feel like I've majorly leveled up my baking game today. Bagels are the ultimate for me haha. I can't believe I've never even looked up how to make them until recently. I was never a huge baker, but after all of this I can't imagine myself buying bagels again, bc this recipe IS THE BOMB ! Here's a link to the recipe I used. I pretty much followed it to the T .. only difference is I don't try to hard to make things too perfect because I find that's when I'll mess up. You'll need:

2 tsp active dry yeast

4 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 cup warm water

3 1/2 cups bread flour (has to be bread flour to get the right consistency)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

Optional toppings - I used everything seasoning, but you can use dried onion, garlic, sesame.. etc.

THIS.. JUST THIS is what I used to make these bagels. AMAZING. I love tasty science

First quickly stir warm water, sugar, & yeast together. Let proof for about 5 min til frothy

While you're waiting for that to happen mix flour & salt together in a large bowl. Make a lil well in the middle & by then the yeast should be proofed. Pour that in along with 1/3 cup water. Stir til a ball starts to form, then use your hands to pull the excess flour in the bowl up. I kept an extra 1/2 cup of slightly warm water on hand and added a little slowly until I got a ball together.

Place onto a floured surface and start kneading. Make sure you have about 1/2 cup on bread flour on the side to keep adding to the board, because as you knead it'll get sticky. Now massage the crap out of it for 10 minutes ! Don't slack on this step, set a timer & get it done. You want a nice chewy bagel riiiight. The photo on the right is the end result. You want a soft, easy to handle lil dough ball.

Lightly oil a large bowl (I used canola) and roll ball to coat. Then cover with plastic wrap & towel. Let rest for one hour.

Boom ! Big boi. After 1 hour punch down & let rest for 10 more minutes. After the 10 minutes is up portion into 8 pieces. I just eyeballed & divided with a knife. Then take each ball and round on the tops on a cutting board. I used a cupped hand and rolled em around.

Then stick yr finger in the flour in the side & poke holes in the center of each ball. Pull the edges out until they're about a 1/2 inch wide. Cover for 10 minutes.

 As those are covered, boil a large pot of water on the stove & preheat oven to 425 degrees. Once it's at a rolling boil lower temp to md/high then carefully drop as many as will fit in & boil for 2 min. Flip & boil 2 minutes on the other side as well. I removed each of them from the water carefully with a spatula.

After all are removed, get an egg wash ready. Just beat one egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush each bagel, then add toppings ! Loved this part. SO CLOSE TO BAGEL HEAVEN.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes.

AHHHH !!! Yus. Cool on a rack if you have one. If you don't like me use a large colander !

I of course could not wait for them to cool before slicing one open & shmearin some cream cheez on it. Wow.. SO SO SO SO good. I haven't had a fresh bagel since I worked at a bagel shop in high school and I don't even remember that to be as good as this one. Definitely the best bagel I've ever had. : )

ENJOY ! Tag me @cheltron on insta if you try dis. I wanna see !

Whole wheat naan !

Naan is my faaaavorite flatbread. So I was VERY excited when I found an easy, tasty recipe. I actually prefer wheat over AP flour. You'll need:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1.5 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

2 tablespoon whole milk greek yogurt

1 tsp salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder (optional)

Everything spice - to sprinkle while rolling

First proof the yeast a lil - disolve 1 tsp of sugar a with warm water - then sprinkle yeast on top. Cover & let proof for 5 minutes or until a little frothy. Then add your flour, salt, & garlic powder (optional) I love garlic tho. Add yogurt & stir with silicone spatula (or whatever, that's just what I prefer.. easy to clean)

Once the dough has started to come together (you may need to add a little more water if it's dry) You can feel when it's ready - it'll be easy to handle & not too sticky. Knead for 5 minutes. Roll into a cute dough ball & cover for 2 hours.

IT BIGGER !

PUNCH THAT MOFO (lightly haha)

Then portion into 8 pieces, round them out and place back in pot & cover for 10 more minutes. They'll rise a lil bit.

Heat a pan on medium high - then start rolling your naan out ! The original recipe said to not make them too thin.. but I like em like that + they still come out good. I sprinkled this everything spice on top after rolled out & pressed it in with the rolling pin. Place on pan & heat on both sides for 30-60 seconds, you'll see when it starts to puff up some when to flip em. Repeat with each one &...

 TA DA ! 

the one on the end is plan (obv) just so you can see the pure naan beauty ! :D 

Chili oil

I inhale chili oil whenever I get chinese food. Obsessed with it. So good.. on everything. Figured I might as well learn how to make it. Can't take credit for this recipe, got it from here. This was fun to make : ) Ingredients are: 

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (I used organic H.E.B.)

5 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

3 tablespoon sichuan peppercorns

3/4 cup chili flakes (sichuan ones are best for this)

1.5 tsp salt

Here's what I used

First place anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, peppercorns in a small bowl, then add that to oil & heat stove to medium high for 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on it - if it starts bubbling too much - turn the heat down. Then back up. You want the spices to darken but not burn. I ended up taking mine off at 20 minutes. Take off heat and let cool

Scoop chili flakes & salt into a heat safe bowl or pot , then strain oil into pot ! Let cool & transfer to a jar. Will keep in the fridge for 6 months ! 

Salmon Jamaican Patties

One things I miss so much about living in Bed Stuy is being able to walk a couple blocks & grab some bangin patties for lunch. They are pretty much non existent here in Texas.. soooo I make my own ! We'll start off with the filling first. I don't eat beef - so I made a salmon filling. It's best to start with the filling first to get that out of the way. You'll need:

1 lb salmon

1/2 chopped yellow onion

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp curry

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp dried thyme

3 stalks chopped green onion

2 tblpn chopped parsley

couple dashes cayenne

2 tsp  ground black pepper

2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

First cook & flake the salmon into a food processor - cook onion & add as well - then add all spices & parsley. Pulse a couple times to get it nice & integrated, but don't blend too much. Then add to a mixing bowl - add 1 egg, chives, & bread crumbs. Fold in well. Cover & place in fridge while you work on the dough.

Now onto the dough ! 

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup wheat flour (you can do 2 cups AP flour if you don't have wheat)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tblspn curry powder

1/2 tblspn turmeric powder

1/4 cup cold shortening

1/2 cup ice cold unsalted butter diced into cubes (i put mine in the freezer for about 15/20 min)

1 1/2 cups or less of water - i needed a little more because of the dry wheat flour

First mix your dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter & shortening - I used a fork and stabbed at it haha. Then add water until a nice ball of dough forms - DO NOT KNEAD ! Cover w/ plastic and put in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Once that's up divide into 8 pieces, then roll each into 6" round circles on a well floured surface to prevent sticking - keep the ones you're rolling covered in the fridge to keep the butter/shortening cold

 Then add about 2 tablespoons of filling to each one or however much will fit ! Then press the edges with a fork. Put on a parchment lined baking tray - then in the freezer for about 2 hours before putting into a ziploc bag with as much air pressed out as possible.

Then when you're ready to eat - preheat oven to 425 degrees & cook for 20-25 minutes, until edges are golden. I douse these in scotch bonnet hot sauce. I used THIS recipe - it's super easy & straightforward. My sauce is a little brown because I used dried chilies.. fresh are better of course !

yummMMmm !!  Way less fattening than most too : )