Fare Exchange: Indian specialties needed, primo pork chops provided

Welcome to (almost) June, esteemed foodies. We move into the month with a request for tikka masala, doctored-up basmati rice and naan bread, for monster cookies and for creamy (not dry) deviled eggs.

Margaret McNeil wrote, “While away at college, my son started frequenting an Indian restaurant near the campus. He really liked the chicken tikka masala and naan bread. Hopefully, your readers have some tried-and-true recipes for those dishes, plus recipes for doctored-up basmati rice.”

The other requests came from a Knoxville event and a discussion of the Best Deviled Eggs and the Biggest Monster Cookies. Can you provide the best of each category for the people in this conversation?

PRIMO PORK CHOPS

Marty Vaughn tried this pork chop recipe for the first time recently. She served it to her husband “and his remark was, ‘Don’t lose this recipe.’ I call that high praise because sometimes he tells me to lose a recipe. Today you were calling for simple, low-calorie recipes, so I offer you this one I got from Skinnytaste.com.”

Skinny Oven-Fried Pork Chops

6 (3/4-inch thick) center cut boneless pork chops, fat trimmed (about 5 ounces each)

Kosher salt

1/2 cup panko crumbs

13 cup crushed cornflakes

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic power

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

Heat oven to 425 degrees, and spray a large nonstick baking sheet lightly with Pam.

Season pork chops on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Combine panko, cornflake crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and pepper in a shallow bowl.

Place the beaten egg in another bowl, and dip the pork into the egg, then into the crumb mixture.

Place on the baking sheet, and spray lightly with a little more Pam. Bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings. Each serving is 7 Weight Watchers Smart Points, 378 calories, 13 grams saturated fat, 33 grams protein.

BAKE-OFF MUFFINS

The muffin recipe that follows is, according to Leda Roberts, “quick and easy, a 1960s [Pillsbury] Bake-Off recipe.”

Ice Cream Muffins

3 cups very soft ice cream, any flavor

2 1/4 cups self-rising flour

Allow ice cream to become soft enough to stir but not completely melted. (For a richer muffin, add 1 beaten egg and 2 tablespoons oil to stirred ice cream.)

Stir ice cream and flour together until all dry particles are moistened.

Grease 12 muffin cups (or use paper liners sprayed with Pam) and fill 3/4 full.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Variations: Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar, or add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, nuts or fruit to batter.

PRETZEL ROLLS

Clifford Burdette here tells us how to make pretzel rolls, a soft and salty alternative to other sandwich breads. Pretzel rolls are sometimes, but not predictably, available in local stores. He credited the Food Network with this answer to your request; if mastered in your kitchen, there’s the desired predictability.

Pretzel Rolls

1 cup milk

1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Cooking spray

1/2 cup baking soda

1/4 cup coarse sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Warm the milk in a small saucepan until a thermometer registers 110 degrees. Pour into a medium bowl; sprinkle with the yeast, and let soften, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar, and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Combine the flour and fine salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the yeast mixture and butter, and mix until the dough is slightly smooth and soft but still sticky, about 2 minutes.

Coat a large bowl with cooking spray; add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Generously coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Stretch into a 16-inch-long log, about 2 inches wide; cut into 8 even pieces. Roll and stretch each piece into a 6-inch-long rope, then wind into a coil; tuck the end underneath. Transfer the rolls to the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature 15 minutes, then refrigerate until slightly puffed, about 2 hours. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

For the water bath, fill a large pot or deep skillet with 3 inches of water. Add the baking soda and 1/4 cup coarse salt, and bring to a boil. Add half of the rolls, and cook until slightly puffed, about 1 minute, flipping halfway through with a slotted spoon. Recoat the baking sheet with cooking spray, and return the rolls to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Brush the rolls lightly with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with coarse salt. Transfer to the oven and bake until the rolls are deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes on the pan, then remove the rolls to the rack to cool completely.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When there is an important life event, as described by the requester at the first of this column, food becomes both the medium and the message of joy or sorrow shared. In the Knoxville event, one person arrived with an entire barbecue dinner. Another sent quiches, both crustless and meatless, and crusty and bacon-laced. “These are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.” Big bowls of fresh fruit also adapted to any meal, and hot homemade bread provided both aroma and sustenance. If you either gave or received food that was a bright idea on such an occasion, we want to know.

And come back next week, you hear?