HappyTummy              

I love Friday nights. I love that it’s the end of the work week, and that you have not only the whole night ahead of you but also the promise of two full days of freedom to come. I rarely make plans for Friday nights. Instead, I make my Friday nights “me” time—sometimes I’ll curl up with a good book, other times I’ll watch my favorite TV shows (the Food Network, the Discovery Channel and NatGeo are my faves) and of course still other times I’ll whip something up in the kitchen (my friend at Conspicuous Consumptions had it right).

Which is exactly what I did this past Friday. I wanted to make myself a quick snack—something I could munch on without feeling guilty. I found another gem in the Bob’s Red Mill Baking Book—these are called Kamut Cumin Crackers, but I found these crispy delights more like the addictive pita chips I get from the grocery store. In fact, some of the crackers even bubbled up while baking, and ended up with those lovely air pockets (which probably had to do with the fact that I didn’t roll the dough out thin enough). These crackers had an amazing crunch—the really hearty, satisfying kind.

Have you used Kamut flour before? “Kamut” is actually the trademarked name for a type of ancient wheat called khorasan. Kamut flour is growing in popularity because some people with sensitivities to wheat have no problems digesting Kamut. Kamut is also higher in protein and vitamin content than other types of wheat. The Kamut flour gave these crackers a very subtle nutty flavor which, paired with the hint of cumin, made for a delicious combination.

I wanted a very light dip to go with these crackers, since they were on the hearty side. Enter the lovely Greek yogurt—mixed with a little minced garlic, cumin and dill, this Mark Bittman invention tasted cool, tangy and fresh, and was a perfect compliment to the smoky, crunchy Kamut Cumin Crackers.

Recipe: Kamut Cumin Crackers
Adapted from Bob’s Red Mill Baking Book

• 1 cup Kamut grain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 1/2 tablesppons canola oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. 

In a large bowl, sift or whisk the flour with the baking powder, slat and cumin. Add the oil, water and lime juice, and stir to make a dough.

Knead the dough for one minute, then divide it into 3 pieces. Reserve two pieces of the dough under a clean dish towel and roll the third piece very thin. Cut the dough into squares or whatever shape you’d like, so that each cracker is about 2 inches in size.

Place the dough on the preparked baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until just starting to brown. Repeat with remaining dough. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe: Spicy Yogurt Sauce
Adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

• 1 cup yogurt, preferably whole milk
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of ground cumin
• Pinch of dried dill

Combine the yogurt with the garlic, a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Add cumin and dill to your tastes. Adjust the seasonings, adding the lime juice if necessary.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a few hours; bring back to near room temperature before serving.