Coconut cake

I had to make a surprise cake for my daughter’s birthday. I really make a wide variety of cakes, so what should I make??? The coconut was lying in front of me, the idea clicked. Let me bake a coconut cake. And here is the recipe for this delicious cake. The sweetness is just enough. If you want a really sweet cake, remember to increase the sugar quantity.

Ingredients:

Maida  - 2cups

Baking powder     - 2 tsps

Sugar   - 1 1/2cups

Refined oil        - 1 cup

Eggs     - 3

Water   -1/2 cup

Grated coconut - 1 ½ cups

Cashew nuts, Kismis     - 1 tbsp each

Cinnamon powder        - 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg powder           - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom powder      1/2 tsp

Method:

- Preheat oven to 180 degrees

- Sieve together maida and baking powder

- In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar

- Add eggs one by one and mix well

- Keep adding tablespoonfuls of maida and keep mixing

- Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom powders

- Fold in the scraped coconut and cashews and kismis.

- Put in a greased container and bake for about one hour, or when a tooth pick that goes into the cake comes out clean.

Peanut, moth beans sabzi

Your Heart Will Go Nuts for Peanuts. Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. Those who have pea nuts allergy, however, should not be having this sabzi.

Ingredients:

Raw groundnuts            - ¼ cup soak overnight

Moth beans sprouted                - 1 cup

Oil        - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds              -1/3 tsp

Onion   - 1 finely cut

Curry leaves     - a few

Garlic   - 5, 6 flakes crushed

Tomatoes         - 2 finely cut

Turmeric powder          -1/3 tsp

Chilli powder    - ½ tsp

Coriander powder        - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder              - ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Water   - 1 cup

Method:

- Heat the oil in the pressure cooker, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the cut onion and curry leaves.

- Sauté for some time, add the garlic and cut tomatoes. Lower the flame and keep stirring, allowing the tomatoes to cook.

- Add all the masala powders and salt, mix well and add the sprouted moth beans and ground nuts.

- Stir well, add salt and water, keep the flame high and close the pressure cooker. When the whistle comes, lower the flame and cook for two minutes.

Cool, open the cooker and simmer for two minutes. Serve with rotis or rice.

Vazhakkai podi (Raw banana sabzi)

Banana is a store house of minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates. It contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc etc. Vitamins A, B, C, B-6 etc are also available in plenty.

Presence of iron in banana helps to boost the production of haemoglobin. This helps persons who suffer from anemia.

The ancient Chinese and Vedic writings include details of healing properties of Banana consumed either as a vegetable or as a fruit. Most beneficial uses of banana include its uses as a mild laxative, healer of the intestine lesions, and destroyer of worms.

This preparation with raw banana (plantain , actually) is a delicious accompaniment for rice.

Ingredients:

Raw banana     - 1

Mustard (or any other ) oil        -1 tbsp

Mustard seeds  - ½ tsp

Asafoetida        - a pinch

Curry leaves     - a few

Turmeric powder          - 1/3 tsp

Chilli powder    - ½ tsp

Coriander powder        -1 tsp

Dry mango powder       - ½ tsp

Garam masala powder  -1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coconut scrapings (optional)     - 1 tbsp

Method:

-         Pressure cook the raw banana for 2 minutes.

-         Cool, open the cooker, peel and grate the banana.

-         Add salt and all the masala powders to the grated banana and mix well.

-         Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add asafoetida and curry leaves.

-         Put the banana into the pan and mix well for a few seconds. Remove from the fire and garnish with coconut scrapings.

Sabudana (sago) khichdi

This is considered to be a dish during fasting days, so I don’t add onion, though I make another version with onion too.

Ingredients:

Sabudana         - 1 cup

Warter  - 1 cup

Potato  - 1, peel and cut into thin squares (optional)

Oil        - 2 tbsps

Mustard seeds  - 1/ tsp

Peanut powdered roughly   - 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Sugar   - 2 tsps

Moth bean sprouts (optional)   - 2 tbsps

Coconut scrapings        - 2 tbsps

Method:

-      Take the sabudana in a pan, pour one cup water along the sides and over it. Leave it undisturbed overnight. In the morning, all the water will be absorbed and the sabudana will be bigger in size.

-         Heat oil in  a pan, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the potato pieces and let them cook, stirring in between.

-         Add the sprouts and let it cook for a while.

-         Now add the soaked sabudana ,salt, sugar, and peanut powder. Stir. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

-         Add the coconut scrapings, mix and serve.

Courtesy: To Dr. Anisha Goel for giving me the exact proportion and method to soak sabudana for consistent result.

Lemon Sweet pickle

This pickle is very easy to make, a boon for the working wife. It is ready to be consumed in a month’s time. 

Ingredients: 

Lemons            - 1 kg

Fenugreek seeds, lightly roasted and powdered             - 1 heaped tbsp

Turmeric powder          - 1 tbsp

Chilli powder    - 1 tbsp

Salt      - 1 ½ tbsps

Sugar   - 1 cup ( 250 gms)

Method:

-         Wash the lemons, dry them thoroughly and cut into eight pieces.

-         The fenugreek seeds should be roughly ground, don’t make it into a fine powder.

-         Mix all the ingredients with the cut lemon and put in a dry bottle. Keep in a cool dry place.

-         After two days stir the contents or shake thoroughly.

-         It is ready to be eaten after one month

Corn (Maize) pulao

 This is a nice dish to cook up for friends during the season when corn is available. You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen so that you can spend time with them too!

Ingredients:

Rice     - 1 cup

Corn    - ¾ cup

Water   - 2 1/2cups

Salt to taste

Oil        - 1 tbsp

Jeera    - 1/ tsp

Onion cut         - 2 tbsps

Ginger cut fine  - ½ tsp -

Turmeric powder          - 1/3 tsp

Chilli powder    - ½ tsp

Coriander powder        - 1 tsp

Garam masala   - ½ tsp

Method:

- Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add jeera, then the cut onion, ginger and sauté them.

- Keep the flame low and add the corn, keep stirring. After half a inute, add all the masala powders and washed rice (if you can soak the rice for ten minutes, it is good), and salt.

- Pressure cook for 5 minutes. Cool and open the cooker.

-Serve with raita, papad and pickle.

Vermicelli (Semiya) Upma

I love having different breakfast items day after day. Even as a working mom, I could make a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, evening snack and dinner for my family. It gave me immense satisfaction to see my kids’ gleaming faces on being served dishes from all over the world.

Vermicelli upma is easy and fast to make and can be taken with or without plantain. Vermicelli is made out of maida (refined flour)

Ingredients:

Vermicelli (Semiya)       - 1 cup

Ghee    - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds  - ½ tsp

Udad dal          - ½ tsp

Cashew nuts     - 1  tbsp

Onion cut- 1 tbsp

Green chilli cut  - 1/tsp

Ginger cut fine - ½ tsp

Curry leaves a few

Salt to taste

Hot or boiling water      - 1 cup

Coconut scrapings (optional) – 2 tbsps

Method:

Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the udad dal and cashew nuts. When they brown a bit, add the cut onion, green chilli, ginger, and curry leaves. Saute for some time and add the vermicelli and roast till they change color a bit.

 Now add the salt and hot water, cover and cook.

Open in between and check whether the vermicelli is cooked. Add the coconut scrapings, close with a lid and remove from fire. You need to allow it to sit for at least fie minutes so that the vermicelli swells up and stay separated. Then open, mix well and serve hot.

21February 2020
Today I made Ragi semiya upma, which was also delicious. It needs less water than needed for vermicelli upma.

25 March 2020
This is Rice semiya upma. This needs boiling water to completely cover the semiya.

Matar Palak with gravy (Spinach, green peas in gravy)

Ingredients:

Spinach leaves cleaned and cut - 6 cups

Green peas       - 1 cup

Onion   - 1 large sliced

Garlic   - 6 flakes

Tomatoes         - 2 chopped

Salt to taste

Oil        - 2 tbsps

Cumin  - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder          - 1/3 tsp

Chilli powder    -1/2 tsp

Coriander powder        - 1 tsp

Cloves  - 4

Cinnamon         - 2 small pieces

Method:

- Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan and add ½ teaspoon cumin when the oil is hot. Add the cut onion and sauté for a while. Add the cut garlic and then the tomatoes. Stir and let it cook for a while.

- Add all the masala powders, stir well and add the spinach leaves and salt. Stir, add about ½ cup water and cover, let it cook for ten minutes.

- Cook the green peas

- When the spinach is cooled, grind it in mixi. Add the cooked peas to this.

- Heat one tablespoon of oil in the pan, add ½ tsp cumin, cloves and cinnamon pieces and stir. Add the spinach green peas mix into this and simmer for a few seconds. Serve with the Yorkshire pudding.

Yorkshire pudding

Yorkshire Pudding, also known as batter pudding, is an English dish made from batter and usually served with roast meat and gravy. The Yorkshire pudding is a staple of the British Sunday lunch and in some cases, is eaten as a separate course prior to the main meat dish. Traditionally, though less so now, the Yorkshire Pudding could be served as a sweet, with sugar or even with orange juice as a sauce.

I always make the salty version, and it has been part of my menu since about 1988. My kids used to look forward to the ‘Palak paneer and Yorkshire pudding’ dinners so eagerly!

Ingredients:

Wheat flour      - 150 gms

Milk     - 200 ml

Water   - ½ cup

Egg      - 1

Salt to taste

Butter or ghee   - 2 tbsps

Method:

- Take the flour into a large bowl with the salt. Combine the milk and water.

- Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg. Beat the egg and combine with some flour around it.

- Pour in a little milk and water, and then whisk the lot together to make a smooth batter. - Mix in the rest of the liquid, until you have a batter the consistency of pan cake batter.

-  Leave at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C and keep a baking pan with 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee in it.

- When the ghee starts smoking, take the pan out and carefully pour in the batter.

- Keep the pan with the batter in the oven and after 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 200 degrees C. Bake for another 20 minutes when the top looks golden brown.

- Serve immediately with palak paneer or matar palak.

14 April 2020
Today with aloo palak (Spinach potato) I wanted to have Yorkshire pudding and my husband wanted makke ki roti (Maize flat bread). I went for a short cut to make the Yorkshire pudding in a kadai, and was surprised to see that there was no compromise on taste! I used 40 gms of wheat flour, 1/3 of an egg after beating it (fried the remaining portion separately), salt, 70 ml milk and 1 tbsp ghee. The kadai should be on high flame while pouring the batter, then keep it on lowest flame and cover the batter. After about five minutes, turn it upside down and cover again. In five minutes, it is ready.