Tag Archives: My Basmati Bat Mitzvah

Cranberry hamentashen, just like the pilgrims never ate

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The cranberry madness has begun #hamentashen

A photo posted by Paula J Freedman (@pjfreedman) on Nov 25, 2015 at 3:56pm PST

 

Posting this for that nice Tara Dairman, who asked for the recipe 🙂

3 eggs
1-1/4 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tsp baking powder
5-1/2 cups flour

Mix all liquids. Sift dry ingredients and add to liquid.  Roll out on floured board to 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into circles and fill with [whatever you want].

Crimp or fold edges to sort of form a triangle

Bake at 350 F (about 175 C) for 20 minutes.

Filling
For the cranberry filling, I use the Frugal Gourmet’s Spiced Cranberries recipe from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American. I’ve seen the recipe on the interwebs, but I don’t know if it was used with permission, so please Google it yourself. If you don’t like that one, any thick, whole-cranberry recipe will do, though canned sauce is probably too thin and runny (I haven’t tried it).

BTW, the mango-filled version of this recipe is included in the paperback edition of My Basmati Bat Mitzvah. The original recipe, calling for apricot, prune, or chocolate filling, is my mom’s.

Tip: don’t overfill. A little filling goes a long way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

21st Annual Garden State Teen Book Awards

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Here’s some nice news! Just learned that My Basmati Bat Mitzvah is on the ballot for the 21st Annual Garden State Teen Book Award (GSTBA). New Jersey students in grades 6 through 12 are eligible to vote until December 31, 2015. I mean, you certainly don’t have to vote for Basmati–but you should vote! For whichever book is your favorite! And if that happens to be Basmati, well–cool, thanks! 🙂

New Jersey Library Association NJLA

For more information, online voting, or a downloadable ballot, visit:
Direct links:

Not your mother’s matzoh ball soup

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Adventures in the test kitchen

Remember I was telling you about the Indian- and Jewish-inspired recipes that are featured in the paperback*? Well, feast your eyes on these pictures from our test kitchen. We must have been having some serious beginner’s luck because everything came out AMAZING the very first time. Take a look!

*Get the complete recipes in the paperback edition of My Basmati Bat Mitzvah, available April 21, 2015.

Matzoh Balls and Sambhar

Turmeric matzoh balls and sambhar... they're mm-mmm good.

Turmeric matzoh balls and sambhar… they’re mm-mmm good.
Warning: this recipe is NOT kosher l’pesach.

Not bad for my first attempt.

Not bad for my first attempt. This one was somewhat round, even.

Step up your soup game, and yes, those are red chilies.

Step up your soup game, and yes, those are red chilies. Oy!

Aloo Latkes Chaat

It’s a latke, it’s a tikki… it’s basically the same thing. Whichever way you shred it, it tastes great.

It’s a latke, it’s a tikki… it’s basically the same thing. Whichever way you shred it, it tastes great.

Desi-fied Mandel Toast

My mom's mandel toast recipe, but with chopped pistachios (top) and candied fennel seeds (bottom).

My mom’s mandel toast recipe, but with chopped pistachios (top) and candied fennel seeds (bottom).

Mango-Ginger Hamantaschen

Mango-ginger hamantaschen. Why in the world wouldn't you?

Mango-ginger hamantaschen. Because why in the world wouldn’t you?

Masala Popcorn

popcorn + chaat masala = simply amazing

popcorn + chaat masala = simply amazing

Secret Ingredient

That which makes everything taste delicious

That which makes everything taste delicious (because MANGO POWDER).

Get the complete recipes in the paperback edition of My Basmati Bat Mitzvah, available April 21, 2015.

Good things come to those who wait

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Okay, so… maybe you never got around to buying the hardcover. We’re still friends. Maybe you feel paperbacks are a better value. I hear you, I do. Maybe you’ve been invited to 47 bajillion bar mitzvahs this spring and you’re looking for just the perfect gift-check holder. Well, your patience has paid off handsomely because the new paperback edition of My Basmati Bat Mitzvah contains an exclusive feature you won’t find in the hardcover or the e-book: five-ish drool-inducing, Joshua “Daddy” Feinstein-worthy, my-mom’s-recipe-based, Jewish-and-Indian-inspired original recipes by yours truly! Learn to make matzoh ball sambhar, aloo latkes chaat, candied fennel seed mandel toast, mango-ginger hamantaschen and Tara’s favorite, easy-peasy masala popcorn. The official paperback release date is April 21, 2015. If you can’t wait that long, don’t worry, it’s available for pre-order at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But really, you’ve shown yourself to be a champion procrastinator (erm, I mean, you’ve been very patient so far…) so just mark your calendars and set your alarms for the crack of noon on April 21 and get yourself a copy at your local bookshop. It’ll be your mitzvah for the day. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to remind you. xxx