Extra Schmaltz!

This recipe comes from the illustrious and Finnish-American Natalie Johnson of Twin City Barbell. While protein is important for building muscle, carbs are essential for powering your workout--so what better than some tasty, home-made bread? This is essentially challah, a rich egg bread, with the added deliciousness of cardamom. Don't fret about the braiding--it will look and taste delicious no matter what. Well, except if you accidentally use salt instead of sugar, which Natalie can tell you all about ;) The best flavor is achieved by using whole cardamom pods. Remove the green husks and save the brown, irregularly shaped seeds from inside. Crush with a mortar and pestle (or in a ziploc with something heavy). 4 ½ to 5 ½ cups unsifted flour ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds 1 package active dry yeast 2/3 cup milk ¼ cup water ½ cup (1 stick) butter 4 eggs (reserve the white of one egg for egg wash later) 2 Tbsp mi...

My original tonkatsu recipe has been tested many times, and I've learned a few things. Mainly I have improved the salad dressing. Also I include a more detailed description of how to make the cutlet. Not pictured: mochi ice cream. Ganbatte! Improved Salad Dressing The key to the improved salad dressing is the miso. Hint: even if you are using the pre-packaged instant miso soup, you can repurpose one of the packets for the salad dressing. 2 Tbsp. white miso 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 1 dash roasted sesame oil 1 Tbsp. roasted sesame seeds Combine all ingredients and toss with lettuce and finely julienned carrots, daikon, and red onion. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. I like to let it rest while I'm cooking the other things so that the veggies marinate a bit. Grated Daikon This forms the bed for the cutlet. I have found that if you grate the daikon, then squeeze out the water, sprinkle...

To be honest, I was inspired to make this based on a menu item I didn't actually order at an Afghani restaurant - something called a Kaddo Bouarani, sweetened pumpkin with Afghani meat sauce. Since Lillian already has a wonderful recipe for the latter , I decided to try making the pumpkin half, especially since pie pumpkins are easy to find in the store these days (and cheap - my 3# pumpkin was $1). There are various recipes online - some call for more of a candying process , but I wanted something a little faster and less indulgent, so I based my recipe on the one here . The actual cooking of the pumpkin is easy, but skinning is kind of a PITA, so you might save this for company. However, the flavors mix fabulously well, so it is worth it to make, and I think that the pumpkin might also go well with a more Italian meaty marinara sauce. Afghani Pumpkin 1 medium pie pumpkin 2 Tsp oil 1/3 c. sugar A couple pinches/shakes cinnamon Preheat oven to 350. Remove ...