Eggless Bournvita banana cake

I read about this cake @http://www.egglesscooking.com/2011/05/03/chocolate-banana-bread/.I made some changes & the cake turned out quite well.

Ingredients : 1/2 cup  whole wheat flour,1/2 cup ragi flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda,3/4 tsp baking powder,1/2 tbsp Bournvita powder ( I did not have cocoa & so I used Bournvita ),salt to taste.

3 medium sized ripe bananas-all mashed  & pureed,1/2 cup jaggery sugar( this is almost chocolate colour - ordinary white sugar can be used),1/4 cup yoghurt,2 tbsp oil,1 tbsp vinegar.

Method :In a bowl,mix  banana puree,oil,sugar & yoghurt nicely till sugar dissolves.Add vinegar & mix nicely.Keep aside.

In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients by sifting the flours ,Bournvita powder baking powder & baking soda.Make a well in the dry ingredient mix & slowly pour the banana puree oil-vinegar-sugar mix .Mix nicely into a batter so that no lumps remain.Add water, if batter is too thick.It must have drop down consistency.Keep aside.

Take a  microwaveavble vessel & line the bottom with butter paper.Pour  the cake batter into this vessel.Microwave for 7-8 minutes till a toothpik inserted comes out clean.

Let the vessel be in microwave for 10 minutes.Then take it out from microwave.Cool outside the microwave for another 10 minutes.Put the vessel upside down on to a plate.It will take some time before the cake drops down on to the plate.Then cut it into desired shapes & serve.

My cake turned out very moist & the wonderful aroma of bananas.Sugar content was just right.Jaggery sugar is very sweet -hence I used only 1/2 cup.It can be increased if more sweetness is needed.

Eggless mango cake.

I have been wanting to bake a mango cake this mango season.I did try it & it did not come up that well.I tried it again today & it has turned out okay.So ,I am posting this now.The original recipe is from http://www.sharmispassions.com/2011/06/eggless-mango-cake-mango-loaf-bread.html

I have made some changes.

Ingredients : 1 cup whole wheat flour,1/2 tsp baking powder,1/2 tsp baking soda ,a pinch of salt,1/4 tsp cardamom powder.
3/4 cup mango puree ( I used Dussehari mango ),1/4 cup curd malai,1/4 cup oil,1/2 cup jaggery sugar ( this is dark brownish black sugar from jaggery -it is unrefined & available at Rajkamal Tea centre,Chembur).I use this sugar as it is healthy . Ordinary sugar can be used.My cake has got a dark colour due to this jaggery sugar.

Method : Mix all dry ingredients together - the flour,baking powder,soda & cardamom.

Mix mnago puree,curd malai ( or curd ),oil & sugar.Jaggery sugar is lumpy & if mixed in dry mix does not mix properly.Hence ,I mix jaggery sugar in liquid ingredients.

Make a well in the dry mix & pour the liquid mix.Mix nicely till no lumps remain.One can add water or curds or chaas to get drop down consistency batter.Curd,chaas should not be sour to avoid sour taste.

Line a baking dish with butter paper.Pour the batter onto the butter paper in the dish.Bake in microwave for 7-8 minutes.Leave for 5-10 minutes.Remove from microwave & insert a knife to check if it comes out clean.If knife is clean ,cake is done.Otherwise,bake for 1-2 minutes more.Leave it for 5-10 minutes.

Then cool it outside the microwave for 15-20 minutes.Then put it upside down on a plate.Cool it for 5-10 minutes.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

Eggless Strawberry upside down cake

I had brought some strawberries & thought about making a strawberry cake .I wanted to make use of strawberry milk which was lying in the refrigerator.I came across this eggless version @http://www.funandfoodcafe.com/2010/05/buttermilk-cake-easy-recipe.html

I made some changes & here's my recipe :

Ingredients :1/2 cup multigrain flour(I used Pillsbury),1/4 cup sugar,1heaped tsp unsalted butter,1/4 tsp baking powder,1/4 tsp baking soda,a pinch of salt,1/4 tsp vanilla essence,4-5tsp dahi (curds),strawberry milk (optional),1 cup frsesh strawberries cut lengthwise( they can also be cut in other shapes depending on preference & liking )

In the original recipe ,1/2 cup curds is used.I used 4-5 tsp as I wanted to make use of leftover strawberry milk.I also reduced amount of sugar as strawberry milk has sugar-it had  too much sugar.

Method : Take a microwaveable vessel & line bottom with butter paper.Now spread the chopped strawberries on to the bottom -above the butter paper in any  pattern.My daughter did this for me.She covered the bottom fully with chopped strawberries.

Mix sugar & butter till it becomes fluffy.Keep aside.

In a bowl ,sieve flour,baking soda & baking powder together.In another bowl ,mix curds,vanilla essence & 1/4 cup strawberry milk.

Mix butter sugar mixture with flour ,baking soda,baking powder .Now make a well in the centre of this mixture & pour the strawberry milk-curd-vanilla essence mixture.Mix lightly.If you feel that batter has yet to attain drop down consistency,add more strawberry milk or  diluted curds.

Pour the batter into microwaveable vessel.I added some strawberries on the top of the cake batter .As the cake rose ,the fruit pieces got scattered.One can add some pieces into the flour batter.Better ,one can puree some strawberries along with buttermilk & use that instead of plain buttermilk or curds.

Bake in microwave for 4-5 minutes.After microwave is put off,let the cake remain inside for 5-10 minutes.Then prick the cake with toothpik.If it comes out clean, cake is done.Otherwise ,bake for 1 more minute.

After cake is removed from microwave,keep it to cool for 20-30 minutes.Then turn it upside down on to a plate.Cut into desired shapes & serve.

Shrikhand

Ingredients : Dahi made from 1/2 litre milk,2 cups sugar, 5-6 elaichi ,kesar( optional).

Method : Take a big sieve ( just like the one used to filter tea ) & pour dahi into that sieve.Leave the sieve with dahi,  suspended, to the edges of a vessel ( patela ).Leave it overnight.Cover the dahi in the sieve with a plate or lid.This is done, so that, all water keeps trickling down.By morning ,there will be a semi solid mass of dahi  left  in the sieve.

Another method is to put dahi on to a thin cotton cloth & tie up the cloth with knot & suspend it from a stand.This helps the  water in the dahi , to get separated from the dahi.

12 hours suspension is enough to drain water -hence keep it overnight.

The water along with a little dahi which has collected in the vessel below the sieve can be consumed  as chaas.

Take this dahi mass & add sugar to it.Mix this nicely.Now add powdered cardamom to it.Take kesar strands & soak   them in milk  & add the kesar also to this mixture.

The shrikhand is ready.Amount of sugar can be adjusted -one may add more or less depending on how much sweetness is needed.Also ,powdered sugar can be used to make mixing easy.

Avial

This recipe is from an ex-colleague who is from Kerela.I love avial & make it whenever I have, even a little amount of fresh coconut, at home.

Ingredients : 10 beans,1 big carrot,1-2 drum sticks,1-2 raw bananas,150-200gm yam( suran ),150-200gm red pumpkin,150-200gm white pumpkin,2-3 hari mirchi,1 cup dahi,1 cup fresh grated coconut,a few kaddipatta leaves ,1tbsp jeera ( cumin ),1/2 tsp haldi,salt to taste.

Method : Keep 1 cup water to boil in a pot.Now start cutting vegetables.Cut 1 inch pieces of drumsticks & put them in the pot of boiling water.Next cut the carrots - thin 1 inch pieces.Add carrots to the pot.Next cut the beans in to 1 inch pieces- this can be managed by fingers - no need to use knife.The beans also added to the pot.Add more water to the pot -the water must be just enough to drown the vegetables,not more.No standing water on the veggies.

Remove skin from bananas,yam ,red & white pumpkin.Now cut bananas similarly & put them in the pot.Next goes the yam ,followed by white & red pumpkin. All must be sliced into thin 1 inch pieces & put in the pot.Add water if level goes below that of the veggies.Add haldi & hing.Also add salt to taste.

Take grated coconut ,mirchi,kadipattas & jeera & grind them nicely in mixture.Add this ground mixture to the pot after the veggies are cooked.Let this ground mixture & veggies simmer for 4-5 minutes.Put off the gas.After it cools down to room temperature,add beaten curds to the mixture.Mix nicely.Salt can be added if needed.

Another method is to keep all the cut veggies ( except drumsticks which get overcooked in pressure cooker)   in a cooker by adding salt & haldi to washed & diced veggie pieces. Pressure cook for  cooking for 2 whistles..Cook drumsticks in water with haldi n salt. Cook in water sufficient enough to drown diced drumsticks.

After drumsticks are cooked, add pressure cooked veggies to cooked drumsticks in vessel .

.Then add the coconut mixture & simmer for 4-5 minutes.Lastly, add dahi after veggie coconut mix has cooled down.

If there is need for watery avial ,one can add water or chaas.As you get the hang of it ,you can reduce the amount of coconut also.One can use sour curds to make this dish tangy.I make avial with sometimes 3 veggies only -like banans,red & white pumpkin.Also the proportion of veggies can change depending on what suits your taste & availability.

I added lots of curry leaves while grinding & got this green avial another time when I made it ! More nutritious !

Palak ki dandiyon ka raita ( Raita of palak leaf stalks)

This recipe was taught by my mom.It is healthy & fat free !


Ingredients

One bunch of palak-cut the stalks of the palak leaves.

Two tablespoons of thick dahi ( please drain out the water ).

One teaspoon roasted jeera & lightly crushed.

Salt to taste.

Method

Clean the palak stalks thoroughly in water & drain out all the water.Cut the palak stalks into one inch pieces & steam cook them in a vessel.

Let the steamed palak stalks cool.Now crush them slightly with your fingers.Beat the dahi & pour over the palak stalks.Add salt to taste & mix it in the dahi.Your raita is ready.Garnish with the roasted jeera & serve.