Condensed Milk Cake

It was my brother in law's birthday and i wanted to make a Cake for him. The challenge was to make it without BUTTER, SUGAR AND OVEN!! Utilizing my experience and bit of google research, i came up with this recipe.

Cooker Cake

Prep Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time: 40-45 mins

Dry Ingredients

Maida - 11/4th Cup

Corn Flour - 1/4th cup

Baking Powder - 11/2 Tsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 Tsp
Coco Powder - 1/4th cup

Salt - pinch 

Wet Ingredients

Vanila essense - 2-3 drops

Cooking Oil - 1/3rd Cup

Condensed Milk - 200gm or half tin

Chopped Almonds/Pistachios - for decoration 

Salt /sand for heating

Take a Cooker and place it on the stove. Spread sand or salt at the bottom and start heating at medium speed.

Grease cake tin that will easily fit in the cooker.

Mix all the Dry Ingredients. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve twice.

In another bowl mix condensed Milk and Oil. Add few drops of Vanilla Essence. Now, slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl. Mix well to form cake batter. Do not over Mix.

Pour the batter into already greased tin. Sprinkle the chopped almonds and pistachios on the top.

Put a  stand in the cooker. Place the cake tin on the stand inside the cooker.

Reduce the heating level to low.
Remove gasket ring and whistle from the cooker cover and place the cover on the cooker.

Allow the cake to cook for around 40-45 minutes on low heat. After 40-45 minutes, open the cover and using a knife test whether the cake is done or not. If the knife comes out clean, then the cake is done.

Remove the cake tin from the cooker and allow it to cool. Once cool, flip the tin on a plate and the cake will come out easily. Enjoy !!!

Cauliflower Tahini

Cauliflower Tahini is one of the quickest and simplest dinner recipe. Tahini is basically Sesame seeds paste. My husband's stay in Cyprus has resulted in Middle Eastern dishes' regular presence in our Menu. Cauliflower Tahini is one of them. Its a very simple and quick recipe.

Cauliflower Tahini

Prep. Time - 2 mins
Cooking Time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients
1 cup Cauliflower florets
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4th cup Tahini Paste
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp Chopped Parsley
1 tsp Chopped Basil

Preheat the oven at 400 F /204 C.

Toss the cauliflower florets with little olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper and place them in the preheated oven for cooking. Cauliflower would be nice and crispy within 10-12 minutes. If they are not crispy, broil them for 1 minute.
Meanwhile put a small pan on medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil. Add Tahini, lemon juice, black pepper, salt and stir continuously. Adding lemon juice gives a nice foamy texture to tahini. Remove from heat. Add chopped Parsley and Basil.

Mix this with the baked crispy cauliflower florets and Cauliflower tahini is ready to eat :)

Quick and Easy Pongal with coconut chutney!!

I dread of Saturday mornings thinking what to cook! It was one of those Saturday mornings and while I was talking to my aunt over phone back home in India she told me that she has made Pongal and coconut chutney! Didn't miss this golden opportunity to take the recipe from her and in no time Pongal was ready for our Saturday brunch :D

Ingredients:

Rice                   - 1 Cup

Moong Dal        - 1 Cup

Peppercorns       - 1 Tbsp

Green Chillies    -  To taste

Ginger                - A small piece
                            (optional)

Salt                     - To Taste

Curry leaves       - 4-5 

Coriander leaves - 1-2 strands

Oil                       - 2 Tsp 

Ghee                    - 1 Tsp

Mustard seeds      - 1 Tsp

Cashew nuts        - To Taste

Turmeric              -  A pinch

Water                   - 4 cups

Instructions:

• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, once hot add mustard seeds, let it crackle then add turmeric, green chillies, peppercorns, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, salt and add 4 cups of water.
• Now wash rice and moong dal nicely and pressure cook everything for 4-5 whistles. 
• Open the cooker once it cools down. Mix everything well. Add more water if needed. 
• In a small pan, heat ghee and fry cashew nuts till golden brown and add it to pongal.

• Serve hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney of your choice. 

Khandvi

We miss Gujarati snacks (farshan) every now and then. Few days earlier, I was watching Masterchef India and in the elimination round contestants had to prepare Khandvi. That was enough to tempt me to make Khandvis. I am sharing with you all simpler version of Authentic Gujarati Khandvi recipe.

Khandvi

Prep. Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - 10 -15 mins
Ingredients
For Batter
1 cup Chickpea Flour
1 cup thick Yogurt
2 cups water
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Ginger chilli Paste
Salt to taste
Pinch of Asafoetida
For Tempering
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp chopped Green chilies
few curry leaves
pinch  of Asafoetida
2 tsp Sesame seeds
Grated coconut -for garnish

The tricky part for Khandvi is the batter consistency.  Mix all the ingredients for batter and mix well to get a lump free batter.Grease back part of the plates or your cooking surface. You can even spread out an aluminium foil on a flat surface and grease it.

Start cooking the batter in a pan on medium low heat. Stir occasionally, to make sure no lumps are being formed and the batter is not sticking at the bottom of the pan.When the batter is thick (in around 8-10 mins) pour the hot batter on the greased surface and quickly spread the batter, with the help of a spatula. Spread the batter thin and evenly. Allow it to cool.   You need to spread the batter when its hot. If its cooled, the batter will not spread.

When cooled, cut the Khandvi length wise with around 1 1/2 inch width. Roll up gently starting from the smaller side. Repeat this for all other Khandvi's. Place the rolls in the plate.
For Tempering, heat oil in a small pan. Add Mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start crackling, add Asafoetida, Green chillis and curry leaves. Turn off the gas. Add Sesame seeds and pour the tempering over the khandvis.

Garnish with grated coconut. You may also use dessicated coconut.
Delicious, Mouthwatering Khandvis are ready for eating !! :)

Try this at your home and let me know how it turns out. I read somewhere, that it can be made in Microwave also. If you try, please share your experience !!