Perfect Pancakes - Gluten Free

Perfect Pancakes

I have always wondered at the popularity of pancake stalls since they are so simple to make and most purchased ones look so insipid and pale. For me the perfect pancake has a burnt look and is crispy on the edges. Gluten free pancakes are not as thin as they are much more delicate and not as elastic. They are great with any type of filling and are a good option if you want to take a break from added sugar.   

This recipe has more liquid then traditional recipes due to the relative thirst of the flours used. Gluten free flour mixes are much more thirsty and need more liquid to have the runny consistency required to make a pancake. 

Be careful not to make the pancake too large as it might make is difficult to flip over. I as a guide use 4/5ths of a ladle and leave enough of a gap between the pancake and the side of the pan to fit the top of a spatula underneath the edge of the pancake. 

Ingredients:

120g gluten free plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

400ml rice milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

30g butter/dairy free margarine plus extra for frying

Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the eggs and whisk. Gradually add the rice milk whilst whisking to avoid any lumps. Mix in the vanilla extract. Melt the butter/dairy free margarine in a small pan over a medium heat and pour into the pancake mixture whilst whisking.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and then add a knob of butter/dairy free margarine and a drop of oil. When the butter/dairy free margarine has melted swirl around the pan to ensure it is evenly coated.

Pour in 4/5ths of a ladle of the pancake mixture in the centre of the pan and gently tilt the pan to allow the mixture to spread a little. Cook over a medium/high heat for about 90 seconds on each side or until golden brown in patches. Repeat until all of the pancake mixture is used up.

Enjoy the pancakes with your choice of filling such as ice cream, fresh fruit, honey and lemon, jam or chocolate spread. 

  

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is a wonderful Malaysian recipe which has an Indian influence but utilises ingredients common to Malaysian towns. It ought to be more readily available though since it is essentially simple but great comfort food with elements that work so well together: the spiciness of the anchovies sambal, the saltiness of the roasted peanuts, the refreshing relief of the cucumber and the salty sweetness of the coconut rice. I enjoy this dish almost every week now with good reason. 

This dish is also great since it is naturally gluten and dairy free. Asian cooking has the advantage of not being tied to wheat and so generations have learnt to create dishes which are rice based. A real bonus for those with an intolerance to gluten. 

Ingredients:

Anchovies sambal

12 dry red chillis

1 tablespoon belacan

1 white onion
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons seedless tamarind
600ml water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons palm sugar
140g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
1 red onion

Coconut rice

1 cup white rice
1/2 cup coconut cream
2 cups water

Accompaniments

Handful peanuts with skins left on
1 teaspoon oil

1 cucumber

1 egg per person

Wash the rice thoroughly by placing in a sieve and running water over it under a tap. When the water runs clear this is a sign that the starch has been removed. Place the rice in a large pan and add the coconut cream and water and a pinch of salt. Stir briefly and place over a low/medium heat with the lid on top. Cook over a low heat until the liquid has been absorbed - about 15-20 minutes. Check occasionally but be careful not to leave the lid open for too long as this slows the cooking process. 

When the liquid has been absorbed, leave the lid on and allow the cooking process to continue for 15 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 150C and place the peanuts onto a baking tray. Add the oil and stir the nuts to ensure they are all oiled. Pop into the oven and leave to roast for about 15 minutes or until light brown. Add some salt to taste and leave to one side to cool. 

To prepare the sambal, first place the tamarind in a saucepan over a medium heat together with the water and bring to the boil. Stir occasionally and leave to simmer for 15 minutes or until the tamarind has dissolved. Pour the water into a cup through a sieve. Go through the tamarind that is left in the sieve discarding any pieces of shell. Add the tamarind solids to the tamarind water and leave to one side. 

Rinse the anchovies briefly in some water. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil to a large frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the anchovies and fry for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Spoon the anchovies into a bowl and leave to one side.

Add the chillies, belacan, garlic and coriander to a food processor. Roughly chop the white onion and add to the processor. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of oil and process together for 4 minutes. 

In the same frying pan, add 2 more tablespoons of oil over a medium heat and pour in the onion paste. Fry stirring for about 5 minutes, adding a little water if the onions start to catch and get too dry. 

Roughly chop the red onion and add to the onion paste together with another tablespoon of oil. Stir occasionally over a medium heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes. 

Stir in the fried anchovies and allow to cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the tamarind water and add the salt and finely chopped palm sugar. Bring to the boil before lowering the heat and allowing to simmer for 20 minutes. 

To assemble the nasi lemak, fry one egg for each person and roughly chop the cucumber. 

Place some of the coconut rice in the middle of the plates. Place the fried egg on top, Arrange the anchovies sambal, roasted peanuts and cucumber around the rice. Enjoy!

Passion Fruit Tunis Cake

Passion Fruit Tunis Cake

Tunis cake is a wonderfully indulgent cake which also goes well with passion fruit. This recipe has been tried and tested to produce a cake which is not overly sweet. The crumb on the cake is nice and light which goes well with the bitterness of the ganache and the tartness of the passion fruit. 

Ingredients:

Madeira Cake

225g softened butter/dairy free margarine

160g golden caster sugar

225g self-raising gluten free flour

70g ground almonds

4 eggs

1 lemon zest

Passion Fruit Curd 

8 passion fruit
1 lemon juice
100g golden caster sugar
100g butter/dairy free margarine
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

Chocolate Ganache 200ml coconut cream
280g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C and grease and line the base of a 10 inch loose-bottomed tin. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter/margarine together with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the lemon zest, flour and ground almonds and mix until combined. 

Pour into the prepared tin and pop into the oven for 45 minutes. Place a piece of greaseproof paper on top of the cake after 30 minutes to prevent the surface over browning.

Leave in the tin whilst you prepare the chocolate ganache. Pour the coconut cream in a saucepan over a medium heat until it is warm. Add the chocolate pieces and stir for a while before leaving for the chocolate to melt. Stir after a couple of minutes until all the chocolate has melted. Pop the saucepan back onto the heat if it is not melting but do not overheat. 

Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the cake in the tin and smooth the top. Leave to one side in a cool place to set for at least 2 hours. Once set carefully remove the side of the tin so that the chocolate ganache sits nicely on top.  

This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. You can take out a piece of cake every day in advance to allow the ganache to come back to room temperature. 

The passion fruit curd can be made in advance as it needs at least 4 hours in the fridge to set. 

Scoop the flesh from seven of the passion fruit into a bowl. Whisk the seeds to loosen the juices. Spoon into a sieve placed over a bowl and press down with a spoon until all the juices have been extracted. Squeeze the lemon through the sieve to collect any seeds.

Heat the butter/margarine in a saucepan over a low heat. Whilst this is melting, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together in another bowl and add in the passion fruit and lemon juices. 

When the butter has melted, pour in the egg and juice mixture and whisk over a low heat until the curd thickens to the consistency of double cream. Make sure you keep stirring to avoid any curdling. 

Take the thickened curd off the heat and scoop in to the pulp from the remaining passion fruit. Stir into the curd and pour into a container before popping into the fridge for at least 4 hours. The curd can be enjoyed with other delights as well and keeps in the fridge for over a week. Unless finished before hand of course! 

Enjoy a slice of the cake with a scoop of passion fruit curd on the side.  

Gluten free pizza

Gluten Free Pizza

Anyone who has tried some gluten free pizza bases offered know what a disappointment they can be especially when they resemble dried cardboard! This recipe provides a quick and easy make at home pizza base together with an easy tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour

2/3 cup potato flour

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon fast action yeast

1 teaspoon xanthum gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil
215 ml hand hot water

Cornflour for dusting

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 handful fresh oregano 
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Choice of toppings:
Lactose free cheese, prawns, roasted potatoes, olives, fresh tomatoes, chargrilled aubergine, chargrilled peppers, anchovies. 

Grease a baking tray or pizza tray. Dust a large surface/wooden board with cornflour.  

In a large food mixer with the dough paddle attached, combine the flours, yeast, xanthum gum, salt, sugar and olive oil. Turn on the mixer on the first setting and gradually pour in the water. Allow to mix for one minute whilst a dough forms. If there are sections which are not being mixed, feel free to scrape the sides and continue mixing. Alternatively this can easily be done by hand in a large mixing bowl. 

Roll the dough out onto the prepared surface, occasionally turning over until the dough is to the desired thickness between 3 to 5 millimetres. 

Carefully place the dough onto the prepared tin. Lay an oiled sheet of cling film over the dough. Place in a warm place and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes or until the dough puffs up slightly. If you are making this ahead you can place in the fridge after proving for 20 minutes. 

You can prepare the tomato base in advance as well by heating a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste along with a 1/4 can of water and the oregano. Leave to simmer for at least 30 minutes stirring every once and a while until the sauce is very thick. Add the salt and pepper and leave to one side. 

To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C and simply spread some of the tomato sauce on top of the prepared pizza base being careful not to press down too much on the dough. Arrange your choice of toppings and drizzle with a little olive oil and pepper. 

Pop into the oven for 15-18 minutes and enjoy wonderful gluten free pizza that does not resemble cardboard! 

 

Here follows the birth of a pizza in pictures:

Mexican mackerel tortilla sauce

Mexican Mackerel Tortilla Sauce 

Mexican food ought to be a safe haven for those with intolerances since it is corn and vegetable based. Unfortunately you have to be alert for tortillas which also contains wheat flour. Having said that it is a fresh and healthy cuisine to try. I reluctantly call this sauce Mexican since I am not sure whether the ingredients are traditionally Mexican. It does go wonderfully well with tortilla shells though and incorporates a healthy element in the oily fish.

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 onion, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

2 cloves

1 can chopped tomatoes

3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 chilli, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can mackerel in tomato sauce
1 cup sweetcorn

10 tortilla shells

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bay leaves and clove and allow to fry in the oil for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, ginger and onion and fry, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. If the onions are catching, add a few tablespoons of water to moderate the heat. 

Add the chilli and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and half a can of water. Add half of the salt and pepper and bring to the boil stirring occasionally. 

Once the sauce has come to the boil add the coriander and cinnamon and allow the sauce to simmer over a low heat for 40 minutes stirring every so often. 

Add the mackerel, breaking the fish into chunks together with the sweetcorn and allow to simmer gently for a further 40 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to a thick consistency. 

Cook the tortilla shells according to the instructions on the packet. 

Fill the shells with the sauce and enjoy.  

Black banana and berries cake - gluten free and dairy free

Black Banana and Berries Cake

This recipe came about by circumstance - three black bananas in the fridge, a broken measuring scale, some mixed berries in the freezer and no butter in the fridge! What to do? The solution also used up some of the buckwheat flour that had been lying dormant for too long in the pantry.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup self-raising gluten free flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup light muscovado (raw) sugar

3 black (over-ripe) bananas

2 eggs lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable (canola) oil

1/5 cup rice milk

1/2 cup mixed berries (frozen)

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C and grease and line the base of a 10 inch loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper. 

A tip to grease a cake tin easily is to use a 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil on the base, spreading evenly over the rest of the base and sides of the tin. Tear a square of greaseproof paper larger than the diameter of the tin. Place the paper on the greased base and press down to ensure the paper is greased. Turn the paper over and place over the base in the exact same position from before. Carefully attach the side of the tin to the base ensuring the greaseproof paper is sticking out from underneath. Et voilà the tin is prepared. 

In a large mixing bowl, sieve the flours, bicarb and cinnamon and mix with the sugar. In another bowl, mash the bananas until you have a lumpy purée. Mix in the beaten eggs, oil and milk. 

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir the ingredients together. Take the frozen berries and place in a bowl. Pour over some lukewarm water and wait for the berries to come apart. Drain the water and add the berries to the mix. Gently stir in the berries and pour the mixture into the tin. 

Pop into the oven and after about 30 minutes place a piece of greaseproof paper or wrapping foil on top of the cake to stop it burning on top. After 50 minutes check to see if the cake is ready by inserting a knife in the middle and seeing if it comes out dry. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out on a wire tray. 

This cake can be kept for about three days in an airtight container.    

Cafe style cookies

Cafe Style Cookies

How many times have you craved for a $4 cookie but without the hefty price tag and extra sugar? This recipe is not set in stone though so feel free to use different combinations of seeds and nuts depending on your taste buds and availability.

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter at room temperature

120g golden caster sugar

100g ground almonds

2 tsp vanilla extract

125g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 egg beaten

60g shredded coconut

80g roasted roughly chopped cashew nuts

40g pumpkin seeds

40g sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar together until pale and soft. Measure in the rest of the ingredients and combine until mixed together. 

Roll heaped tablespoons of the mixture into balls and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Place onto the trays leaving space for the mixture to expand during cooking and pop into the oven for 25 minutes or golden brown. If you prefer flatter biscuits you can press them down a bit before putting in the oven. 

Leave to cool on the trays before storing in an airtight container. These biscuits last for a week if stored in a cool and dark place. 

Polenta lemon cake dairy free and gluten free

Polenta Lemon Cake

Polenta always seems to crop up when looking for a gluten free option in a café in the form of an orange polenta cake. However, nice as they might be it is let down by its predictability. Also the texture can sometimes be too gritty so I offer you this recipe as a gluten free and dairy free alternative which is akin to a lemon drizzle cake in its moistness.

Ingredients:

160g polenta

80g ground almonds

180g gluten free self raising flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

140g golden caster sugar

2 lemons grated zest

400ml coconut cream

100ml oil

3 eggs

30g honey

2 lemons juice

Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C and grease and line the base of a 10 inch loose bottomed cake tin. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the polenta, almonds, flour, bicarb, sugar and zest and mix together. In another bowl or jug, mix together the cream, eggs and oil.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and mix until combined. This should take about 30 seconds. 

Pour the mixture in the prepared tin and pop in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top. 

About 5 minutes before the cake is ready, prepare the lemon syrup by mixing the honey and lemon juice in a small pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. 

Once the cake is ready and you have tested it by inserting a knife in the middle to check it comes out clean and dry, poke the cake a few more times evenly around the cake and pour the lemon syrup evenly over the cake whilst still in the tin. 

Allow to cool in the tin before carefully taking it out of the tin. This cake tastes better the next day and will keep for 3 days in a cool, dry place. 

Gluten free hobnobs

Hobnobs are a childhood favourite of mine which I long lamented their absence after the realisation of my intolerance. Having seen though the emergence of gluten free oats, I have had the joy of revisiting this childhood favourite. I do though have to hold back from my prior indulgences of scoffing down half a packet in one sitting accompanied by a nice cup of tea. Age does have a habit of creeping up on you even if your mind can return to childhood!

This recipe is super quick and super easy so there are no excuses for not whipping it up in the kitchen. 

Gluten free hobnobs

160g unsalted butter/dairy free margarine

15g golden syrup

125g gluten free self-raising flour

125g gluten free oats

90g soft brown sugar

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g dark chocolate

Preheat an oven to 180C/fan 160C and place greaseproof paper on two baking trays. 

In a small pan over a low heat, melt the butter and golden syrup, stirring until melted and mixed. Leave to one side to cool slightly. 

Combine the flour, oats, sugar and bicarb in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour in the melted butter. Stir to combine so that all of the butter has been mixed with the flour. 

Using your hands take a tablespoon of mixture and roll into balls. Add the balls to another bowl and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the mixture to cool down. This is important because we do not have the benefit of gluten to bind the mixture.

Once cooled, divide the balls between the two trays and lightly press the balls onto the greaseproof paper allowing enough space between the balls. 

Pop into the oven for about 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Take out of the oven to cool. 

In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate in a bowl and spoon teaspoons of chocolate on the top of each biscuit and spread. Allow to cool before popping into a biscuit tin or other airtight container. The hobnobs keep for at least a week (unless consumed beforehand) if stored in a cool dry place. 

Directions for use: Enjoy the hobnobs dunked in a cup of tea. Dunk for a moment only in the hot liquid though to avoid 'dunking collapse' or other dunking related collateral damage. 

Tuum Zaap

Tuum Zaap offers great country style Thai  food at great prices and with home cooked love. 

If you want authentic tasting Thai food this is a great place to get an introduction. Although you are likely to fall in love with the food so the introduction will probably lead to a long term relationship!

Take the time to get to know the chefs and other staff and you will be rewarded with a warm welcome when you return. 

The menu is large enough to offer an option for everyone and has the advantage of catering for vegetarians, pescetarians and carnivores alike for most dishes.

Today we started off with a som tum which is a traditional Thai green papaya salad that showcases the balance between sweet, sour and spicy. 

Enjoyed with sticky rice the large portion can even be enjoyed as a light lunch between two people. The spiciness can be adjusted to taste when ordered. In our opinion the som tum offered up is comparable to the well established Chat Thai som tum. Since coming to Tum Zaap we have not missed Chat Thai.

Tum Zaap appreciate the subtle balance required for som tum and consistently deliver the tasty dishes.

We ventured out of our comfort zone to try the BBQ fish with chilli and tamarind sauce. This is the first time we ordered a Thai BBQ and we enjoyed the succulent fish even though it had to be made on the hop since the catfish was out of stock. 

The sauce was perhaps a bit of a let down though as we were perhaps expecting more of a sourness from the tamarind. The tilapia was tasty though even though the chefs were apologetic about their efforts. 

Tuum Zaap is a relatively new restaurant and is highly recommended for a visit and is well worthy of your support in an area with a wealth of Thai restaurants.