Eggless apple cake in Microwave

I wanted to bake another cake to see if my carrot cake texture was a fluke .As I had apples,I googled for an apple cake recipe & decided to follow the recipe @ http://seduceyourtastebuds.blogspot.in/2010/12/microwave-eggless-apple-cake.html

I made some changes like substituted maida with wheat flour etc.

Ingredients : 1/2 cup whole wheat flour ( used Pillsbury brand ),1/4 cup powdered oats ( 1/4 cup oats which was powdered in mixer ) ,1/4 cup corn meal & powdered dry fruits ( 6 pistas,6 almonds & 6 hazelnuts- actually one can substitute other dry fruits ),heaped 1/2 cup jaggery sugar( Ishan brand available in Rajkamal tea Chembur ,Mumbai ) ,1/4 tsp cinnamon powder,1/2 tsp baking soda,1 tsp baking powder,1 /4 tsp salt,1/4 cup dahi or yoghurt,1/4 cup oil,1 apple grated.

Method : Take a bowl & mix atta,corn meal-dry fruit mix & powdered oats nicely.This flour mix can be sieved to get a good mix.I used jaggery sugar as I got it locally here.It is healthier than sugar.Ordinary sugar can be used.Mix sugar with the flour mix.Add baking soda,baking powder,cinnamon powder & salt to the flour -sugar mix.Mix all dry powders nicely.Keep aside.

Mix oil & yoghurt nicely in another bowl.Grate the apple & keep in a plate.

Make a well into the dry mixture & pour the yoghurt oil mix into it.Mix nicely.Now add grated apple to this mixture.Mix so that no lumps remain.If it does not have drop down consistency, add water to the dry-wet -apple mix to get drop down consistency.Wait for 5 minutes so that all dry mix is saturated.

Line a microwaveable vessel with butter paper.Pour the cake mix into the vessel, on  to, the butter paper lining.Microwave for 7-8 minutes.After microwave is witched off test with toothpick.If it comes clean ,cake is ready.If not ,microwave  for another minute.Let it remain in microwave for 5-7 minute after switching off.Then take out the cake container & cool outside the microwave for 15-20 minutes.After it is cooled to room temperature,turn the vessel upside down on to a plate.Let it cool for 5-10 minutes.Then cut the cake into desired shapes.

Cake texture was same as carrot cake texture.This only happened as cake batter  was left aside for five minutes after mixing .Only after 5 minutes,cake batter was poured into cake vessel & baked.

The cake colour is dark as jaggery sugar is brown powder.The black specks seen in the cake is the garted apple peel.The apple used was quite small.Next time ,I will use a bigger apple.

Lapsi upma

Lapsi is being increasingly used nowadays as it is more healthy than Bombay rava or semolina .I make upma from lapsi rava of finer variety.I buy lapsi rava & lightly dry roast till it changes colour slightly.Then I let it cool & put it away in air tight box.Whenever I have to make upma,I use this roasted lapsi so that I need not dry roast it at that time.It saves my time.

Ingredients :1 cup lapsi rava,3 cups  water , 1/4 -1/3 cup finely chopped cabbage ,1 capsicum- diced,1 carrot finely diced,2 tbsp peas,1-2 hari mirchi diced,1tsp grated ginger,1 red chilly,1 sprig kadi patta leaves,1 tsp urad dal,1tsp mustard seeds,1/4 tsp hing,2 tbsp oil,salt to taste.Fresh corainder & fresh dessicated coconut for garnish.

Method :Keep water for boiling, on gas in a container.On another gas burner ,take a kadhai with  oil & as it warms up ,put mustard seeds.When they splutter, add urad dal.They will turn golden brown.Add red chill & then all the veggies including hari mirchi & grated ginger .Roast in oil for 2-3 minutes.Then add lapsi rava.Roast it for 2 minutes along with veggies.Add the boiling water to this lapsi veggie mix .Add salt & mix everything.Cover with lid & cook .After 5 minutes,check, to see if all water has been absorbed.Mix with ladle .If the water has been fully absorbed,please put off gas.If not, keep cooking, covered with lid, till water is absorbed.

Garnish with fresh coriander & coconut when you serve.

Tips : Upma is my hubby's favorite breakfast & as he is off onions,I use only capsicums,carrots, cabbage  & peas in season.Only 2 vegetables or even 1 vegetable can be used as per ease, convenience or availability.One can add potatoes also.

Peas can be seperately boiled in water so that they are nicely cooked before adding to upma.One can also use diluted chaas to upma to give tanginess.Accordingly ,reduce the amount of water to be added.Alternatively, a piece of lemon, can be squeezed just before serving.

Eggless Carrot cake in Microwave .

I tried this cake 2 times earlier .They came out fine.This time, though ,it turned out superbly !

I have tried this carrot cake recipe from http://www.foodtale.com/2010/02/01/eggless-cinnamon-carrot-cake/
I made a few changes & my recipe is as under.

Ingredients : 1/2  cup whole wheat flour ( I used Pillsbury brand ),1/4 cup quick oats,2 tbsp corn flour,5 pistachios,5 almonds,5 hazelnuts,1/2 cup sugar,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/4 tsp baking soda,1/2 cup grated carrots,a pinch of salt,1/2 tsp vanilla essence,1/4 cup oil,1/4 cup curds or dahi ,water to adjust consistency of batter.The dry fruits are optional.

Method : My small jar of mixer is quite big & so I took the oats & the dry fruits ( pistas,hazelnuts & almonds ) & powdered them at one go.I used dry fruits as my daughter does not eat them otherwise.Even adding them whole or big pieces to the cake batter will make her avoid the cake.One can add them whole if it is fine to consume cake pieces with whole dry fruits.I forgot to add a piece of cinnamon while powdering this oats -dry fruit mixture & hence my cake is without cinnamon.

Sieve the whole wheat flour ,corn flour,oat flour ,dry fruit mix along with sugar,baking soda & baking powder.Keep aside.

In another vessel ,take oil ,add vanilla essence & dahi .Mix.Pour this mix, into a well, made in the dry ingredient mix.Mix till no lumps remain.Now add carrot & mix again. .Add water to adjust the cake batter consistency.The consistency has to be just a little more than drop down consistency as I bake in microwave.

Take a microwaveable vessel & line the bottom with butter paper.Now pour the cake batter into the vessel -on to  the butter paper lining the bottom of the vessel.Tap the vessel sides ,after the batter has been poured to release any air bubbles.

Bake in microwave for 8 minutes.Let the vessel be standing in the microwave for 5 minutes after it is switched off as the cooking continues.Take out the vessel using cotton padded gloves .Use a toothpick or knife to check .If the toothpick or knife comes out clean after poking it into the cake ,then cake is ready.Allow the cake to cool.After 15-20 minutes,put the vessel upside down on a plate. The cake will drop down on the plate.Allow it to cool further.Then remove the butter paper sticking to the cake bottom.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

My neighbour complimented, "This is the best cake, made by you, so far ."

Tendli bhaath

I love tendli bhaath & make it whenever I have got tendli.I feel, it is easy, to make tendli bhaath rather than a sabzi, as it takes ages to cook .

Ingredients : 1/2  cup basmati rice,8-10  tendlis chopped lengthwise ( 1 tendli into four pieces )  ,1 carrot peeled & roughly chopped,,8-10 beans  roughly chopped 1/4 cup peas( optional ),1 onion ( optional),1 green chilly,1/2 tsp grated ginger, few curry leaves,1 tej pattas,1 inch cinnamon  stick,1  clove,3-4 peppercorns,1/2 tsp cumin ,1 tsp  Mazeedar Maharashtra masala ( or goda masala, a Maharashtrian spice powder mix   )   1/4 tsp haldi,1/4 tsp hing,1  tbsp oil,2 tbsp dahi or cream ( optional),salt to taste.

Method : Wash rice & keep aside.Make a grounfd paste of green chillies, kadipattas & grated ginger. Keep aside.

Take oil in the pressure pan & heat it.Now as the oil warms ,put cinnamon stick, slightly pounded pepper corns, clove & cumin.Add a paste of green chillies, ginger & kadipattas. Let it be nicely sauteed. Next, add the tendlis ,carrots ,beans & peas.Add haldi & hing.Mix all nicely.After 3-4 minutes,add the rice & fry it for 4-5 minutes.Add 1 cups water .Add salt & mix .

After a minute ,add the ground garam masala or masala bhaath masala & mix.Now add the dahi or cream to the rice mix & mix nicely.This will give a creamy texture to the tendli pulao.Now close the pressure pan lid & pressure cook on high  for 2 whistles.After 2 whistles ,lower the heat & pressure cook on slow, for 5 minutes or till it whistles again, whichever, is earlier.

After the pressure pan has cooled ,remove the whistle. 5 minutes after removing whistle ,take off the lid .Squeeze some lemon juice on the rice & mix.Alternatively,the tendli pulao can be served with lemon pieces as some may want to add lemon juice as per their need.

Garnish tendli pulao with fresh dhania & freshly grated  coconut.