Category Archives: Yogurt

Traditional Indian Raita

November 10, 2020

Here’s the fresh and cool cucumber raita I made to serve with that amazing and easy Indian butter chicken. Raita is creamy combination of yogurt, cucumber, and fresh herbs like cilantro and chives. I also added a bit lemon, jalapeno (for some heat if you want it) and some earthy coriander and cumin.

Traditional Indian Raita

INGREDIENTS

1 cup plain full-fat yogurt (I used Greek yogurt and thinned it with a bit of milk)
1 cup finely diced seeded cucumber (I removed about half of the peel)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (or a combination of cilantro and mint)
2 tsp. lemon juice
4 tsp. finely chopped green onion or chives (I used chives)
1 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper (optional, or more to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
pinch freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Chill raita, covered, until ready to serve.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Epicurious and Feasting at Home)

Blueberry Dutch Baby (Puff Pancake)

June 5, 2020

We’ve been making this sweet blueberry Dutch baby on repeat the last few months. Since it’s not blueberry season in Washington yet (it’s coming… and it’s my favorite time of the year here!), I’ve also used frozen blueberries- the tiny wild ones are the best. We usually top our puff pancakes with Ellenos Greek Yogurt. Ellenos is another one of my favorite things about living near Seattle- it’s the most amazing Greek yogurt you’ll ever taste! It’s comes in so many flavors, but vanilla, lemon, Marionberry, and honey are all great choices here. They’ve started selling select flavors at some stores nationwide- hooray!- and when you’re visiting Pike Place Market you must stop and experience it yourself (the crumbles can’t be missed)!

This blueberry dutch baby can also be served with maple syrup, powdered sugar, a squeeze of lemon, fruit, jam, whipped cream, or even ice cream! It’s best made in a cast iron skillet but if you don’t have one, use a 9×13 baking dish (preheat in the oven to melt the butter as directed, being careful to not touch the hot pan as you’re pouring the batter in). The pancake will deflate once it’s removed from the oven but keep its crisp edges and ruffled center.

Blueberry Dutch Baby (Puff Pancake)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. maple syrup (or light brown sugar)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, sliced
3/4 cup blueberries (I’ve used both fresh blueberries and wild frozen blueberries)
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a bowl whisk together the whole milk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and whisk in until there is no dry flour. Set aside.
  2. Heat the oven to 425 F. Place a 12 inch cast iron skillet in the oven as it heats.
    Add the butter and blueberries to the skillet and put it back in the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter is fully melted. Swirl the skillet to make sure the whole bottom is coated with butter.
  3. Pour the batter into the skillet and give it a stir to distribute the berries.
  4. Bake the Dutch baby for about 15 minutes, until it has puffed, the edges are golden, and the center is set.
  5. Remove from the oven and dust with powdered sugar (optional). Other toppings can include blueberry (or other) jam, whipped cream, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, even ice cream!

Makes 1 large (12 inch round) puff pancake.

Adapted from Just a Little Bit of Bacon

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

July 24, 2011

I had no idea that making my own frozen yogurt would be so easy! OK, it does require an ice cream maker. That’s the only catch. But everyone should own an ice cream machine. Homemade ice cream- and now frozen yogurt- is unbelievable. And it’s sad that I only figured this out so recently. But we’ll talk about ice cream another day. This moment belongs to yogurt.

I adore yogurt. I just don’t care for the thin runny stuff. (Or all the sugary flavored varieties.) I love pure unadulterated thick and luscious plain Greek yogurt. It’s marvelous paired with fruit and a drizzle of honey. I eat it almost daily. And that’s what’s used in this recipe. The original source suggested using whole milk yogurt for the creamiest result. And while I agree that whole milk yogurt would make this wonderful, I didn’t want my fro-yo to be as calorie dense as ice cream. So I went with 2%. I also reduced the amount of sugar. I wanted my frozen yogurt to be pleasantly sweet, with a bit of tartness sneaking through. And that’s just what I got. A creamy and simultaneously tart and sweet frozen treat. I served it straight out of the ice cream machine topped with sliced kiwi and fresh berries.

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

INGREDIENTS

4 cups plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage 2%)
1/2 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate at least one hour.

2. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Mine took about 20 minutes to churn.)

Several notes: This frozen yogurt is best enjoyed immediately after churning. It eventually loses its creaminess and solidifies in the freezer. Also, this recipe can be scaled down to make fewer servings. Just reduce the sugar and vanilla accordingly.

Makes slightly more than a quart.

(Adapted from David Lebovitz via 101 Cookbooks)

Fruit Dip

February 7, 2009

Thanks to Jackie for this recipe! Preparing the dip required considerable discipline, which I apparently lack. You MUST taste for sweetness, so you know how much sugar to add. Well, one taste was not enough and I lost track of how many spoonfuls I had snuck before it was served! And that was before the fruit came out. Anyway, I ate a lot of fruit dip on Saturday morning. I used Greek yogurt, so my dip had a thicker consistency. Regular yogurt will give you a lighter and fluffier result. You could experiment with different flavors of yogurt (vanilla or lemon, etc.) but be sure to reduce or omit the sugar, as flavored yogurt is often very sweet already. Serve with a vast array of plump, ripe, juicy fruits.

Fruit Dip 

INGREDIENTS
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
8 oz. plain yogurt (or you can use vanilla and reduce the sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
lemon zest, to taste
sugar or honey, to taste (I used 3 Tbsp.)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, blend all ingredients until creamy and serve with fruit.

(Recipe courtesy of Jackie Shafer)