Applesauce Carrot Cake- Celebrating the 100K milestone

I used to dream about it. Yes!! finally I touched the 100,000 page views and 25,000 viewers. For this achievement my buddy husband gifted me the Kitchen-aid stand mixer.  To celebrate , I made this Applesauce Carrot cake.

This egg less cake is excellent with the cream cheese frosting or by itself. I adapted this recipe from “Bakin’ without Eggs” by RoseMarie Emro’s. I made small changes, it turned out very well. Applesauce adds moisture to this carrot cake. Good baking for people with allergies

Ingredients:

Light Brown sugar     -                                ¼ cup+ 1 tbsp.

 Lightly sweetened Apple sauce                  , 1 ¼ cups

Vegetable Oil                                              ¼ cup

Plain yogurt                                                 3 tbsp.

Grated carrot                                              1 ¼ cup

Whole Wheat flour                                       1 cup

 Unbleached all-purpose flour                        ½ cup

Rolled oats                                                   1 cup

Cinnamon powder                                        1 tsp.

Baking Powder                                              2 tsp.

Baking soda                                                  1 tsp.

Frosting:

Low fat cream cheese                                  1 packet (8 oz)(room temperature)

 Grated Lemon rind                                     1 ½ tsp.

Orange juice Concentrated                           2 tbsp.

Vanilla extract                                             1 ¼ tsp.

Icing sugar                                                   1 tbsp.

 For Decoration

Almond flakes                                               1 tbsp.

coconut flakes                                                1 tbsp.

Fresh strawberry                                            1 no.

Method:

•  Preheat 350 F. Butter a 9 inch pan. Keep aside.
• Take a large pan; add all above ingredients except carrot.
• With a handheld electric mixer (I used my new Kitchen aid stand mixer), set on medium speed, beat for 3 minutes, until well mixed.
• Now with wooden spoon, fold in carrots until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into a greased pan and spread the batter evenly.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes.
• The cake is ready, when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springly to touch.
• When ready, remove from the oven and leave it for cool. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.
• Cool before frosting.

To prepare Frosting: 

• In a small bowl with a handheld electric mixer set on medium speed, beat cream cheese with icing sugar until smooth , approximately 1 minute.
• Now add at once lemon rind, orange concentrate and vanilla essence.
• Blend for 3 minutes until creamy.
• Spread over top of cake.
• Decorate the cake with  almond and coconut flakes. 
• Enjoy this lovely cake with Masala chai,

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Rumali Roti

A chef preparing Rumali roti.

Rumali Roti is a thin bread popular in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern part of India.. A large thin roti folded like a handkerchief or roomal, from which it get its name.  The roti is extremely thin. The roti is usually made with a combination of whole and white wheat flours and best cooked on top of an inverted Indian griddle (kadai).

Ingredients

All-purpose flour (Maida)            1 cup

Whole wheat flour                       1 cup

Oil                                               1 tbsp.

Salt                                          to taste

Water                                       for kneading                 

Method

• Take a mixing bowl and add Atta , Maida and salt. Make very soft dough like smooth elastic dough. Spray oil on it and cover and set aside for one hour in an airtight container.
• Knead again and, make small balls of the dough and roll it like thin Chapatti of about 12 inches diameter circle. ( roti should be almost translucent ).

• The dough should be rolled to a paper thin thickness (whatever practically can be achieved), You can use a little dry  rice flour to help you rolling it.
• The griddle (tawa) is to be kept inverted, convex side up, on the heat.
• Place the Rumali roti carefully over it and cook till done. Once the roti is placed the cooking takes seconds to complete because the roti is very thin.
• Rumali roti is served folded in half and then quarter.
• Serve with Dhal,Paneer Tikka Masala

Note:

• You can cook it over the tawa .The tawa should be in very hot. Place the Rumali roti carefully over it and cook till they puff up . Fold it like a handkerchief.
• Though best had hot, in case it is to be served later the rotis should be steamed or the container placed in an oven on medium heat for 5-minutes.

Punjabi mango pickle

Punjabi mango pickle is a spiced mango pickle. Popular in the Punjab region of India. The combination of fennel seeds, nigella seeds (Karu Jeera) with mustard and other pickling spices used in this pickle

This is a very simple recipe to follow. . If you are a pickle lover like me, you are going to love this pickle. Just keep in mind the basics of pickle making - use a clean sterilized jar, see that there is no moisture and ensure that oil forms a covering layer over the ingredients in the jar. You can Storage this up to 1 year in a cool dry place.

Ingredients:

Raw mangoes                      4 cups

Fennel seeds                      ¼ cup   (coarsely grounded)

Fenugreek seeds                 4 tbsp.

Kalonji (Karum jeeragam)   3tbsp.

Mustard seeds                    2 tbsp.

Asafetida powder               1tsp.

 Red chili powder             acc. to taste

Salt                                to taste

Mustard oil (OR)Gingili oil   - ¼ cup (Mustard oil gives the pungent flavor)

Method:

• Wash and wipe the mangoes well with a kitchen towel. Cut the mangoes into 1’’ pieces and add them in a bowl.
• Combine the mangoes, turmeric powder and salt and toss well.
• Cover and keep it under the sun for 4 to 6 hours.
• Grind coarsely the 1 tbsp. mustard seeds, 2 tbsp. fenugreek sees, 1/8 cup of fennel seeds in a mixer.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. .
• Add the mangoes and toss well. pour the entire mango mixture in a jar.
• If you are using gingili oil, heat the oil and pour to the jar. If you are using mustard oil, you can directly add to the jar.
• The pickle stays good for a year even without refrigeration.

Note:

• You can choose to add more red chili powder if you want a spicy and hot pickle.
• Keep the jar and the plates everything clean.
  
  
  
  

  

  Punjabi Mango Pickle

  
  

Almond Shrikhand

A Shrikhand is and Indian dessert made by mixing thick and creamy strained yogurt with sugar, cardamom and saffron. . It is one of the main desserts in Maharashtra cuisine. It is very easy to make. Here I used low fat Greek yogurt for this shirkand.

Ingredients:

 Whole Milk                                            2 cup        

 Plain Greek yogurt (Or) thick plain curd   -    1 pound

Sugar                                                      3 tbsp.

 Smashed Almond                                    4 tbsp.

Saffron                                                 a pinch 

Elachi Powder                                          1 tsp.

Method

• In a thick pan, add saffron and milk. Boil them.
• In a bowl, add Greek yogurt/ curd, sugar and add half the infused milk. Mix them well.
• Now add the remaining milk and mix them well.
• Add chopped almond. Fold them together.
• Set them in a glass bowl and garnish it with chopped almonds.
• Keep it in the fridge for 5-6 hours.
• Serve cold.

Bharwan Bhindi /Stuffed Okra

Ladies finger, stuffed with a delicious mixture of spices.  This Marwari style Stuffed okra is an excellent side veggie dish for chapattis and Rice.

Learn how to make Rajasthan style stuffed Bhindi by following this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

Tender Ladyfinger/Okra/Bhindi -                30 no.

Oil                                                       6 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Water for mixing masala powder

For Stuffing Masala  Powder:

Bengal gram powder/Besan                      ¼ -1/2 cup

Red chili powder                                     1 tbsp.   

Coriander powder                                    1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder                                     1/2 teaspoon

Roasted cumin powder                               1tbsp.

 Crushed fennel seed                               1tbsp.

Amchur powder                                        1 tsp.

 Salt                                                      1 /8tsp.

Method:

• Wash and wipe the bhindi with paper towel.
• Trim the lady fingers and make a slit on one side without cutting through.
•  Take a bowl, add all above stuffed masala powder ingredients and mix with little water & oil.

• Stuff this mixture into the slits.  And keep aside for 10 minutes.

• Heat the oil in a nonstick tawa, add stuffed bhindis, and shallow fry for a minute.
• Lower the heat, and cover and cook, stirring occasionally till bhindis get cooked.
• Uncover and stir fry until the ladyfingers are crunchy.
• Serve hot with chapattis, Rice.
• Bharwan bhindi can also be served as starters.

Arachu vitta Sambhar

Make a delicious Arachu Vitta Sambar using this simple recipe from my Madappalli.

Ingredients:

Tovar Dhal                              1 cup

 Tamarind extract                   ½ cup

Red chili powder                      1 tsp.

Sambhar Powder                      1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder                        ¼ tsp.

Salt                                                to taste

Hing                                               ¼ tsp.

Vegetables:

Chopped white pumpkins      ½ cup

Chopped carrots                       ½ cup

Tomatoes                                  2 no.

Curry leaves                              1 stem

Dry ingredients:  

Chenna Dhal (Bengal gram)     - ½ cup

Whole red chilies                          8 no.

Shredded Coconut                        ½ cup

Coriander seeds                            1 tsp.

Fenugreek seeds                             ½ tsp.

Oil                                                    1 tsp.

For Seasoning:

Coconut oil                                   2 tsp.

Mustard seeds                             1 tsp.

Broken Red chilies                       2 no.

Methi seeds                                 ½ tsp.

Method:

• Boil the Tovar dal in a pressure cooker. Mash it and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai; fry all the dry ingredients for 3 minutes.
• Then grind together red chili powder, Sāmbhar powder, with some water. Grind like a paste. Keep aside.
• Cook the vegetables (pumpkins, carrots) with a turmeric powder in a little water.  Remove from the fire, when soft.
• Heats the coconut oil in a pan, add tomatoes, saute for a minute. Now add the ground Sāmbhar masala. Stir well. Add the cooked vegetables, mashed Tovar dhal and tamarind extract. Mix well and add   2 cups of water. Let it cook 20 minutes on low medium heat.
• In a small kadai, heat 2 tsp. of coconut oil and add all seasonings. Let it simmer till they begin to crackle.
• Add to the Sāmbhar and serve hot with rice. 

Pongal

Pongal is a harvest festival - the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving. In an agriculture based civilization the harvest plays an important part. The farmer cultivating his land depends on cattle, timely rain and the Sun. Once a year, he expresses his gratitude to these during the harvest festival. With the end of the wet month of Margazhi (mid- December to mid-January) the new Tamil month of Thai heralds a series of festivals. The first day of this month is a festival day known as "Pongal Day".

According to the calendar based on the solar system the year is divided into two halves following the apparent movement of the Sun northwards and Southwards. The farmer is termed Uttarayanam and the latter is Dakshinayanam. On the first day of the Thai, the Sun leaves the zodiac sign of Sagittarius and enters that of Capricorn, the latter is known as Makaram. The event thus is celebrated as Pongal.

Pongal 

 Pongal is a four-day affair. The first day, Bhogi.  That day when people discard old things and focus on new belongings (பைழயன கழிதலும் புதியன புகுதலும்). The disposal of derelict things is similar to Holika in North India. The people assemble at dawn in Tamil Nadu and Andhra to light a bonfire to discard old used possessions. Indra Vizha was celebrated in honor of Lord Indra, also called Bhogi, the God of thunder and rain. Apart from regular Thaligai, we prepare Paruppu Boli ,  Venpongal - and Sweet Pongal with vadai - thirukkannanamuthu. After   thiruvaradhanam all family members eat together.

The second day is Perum Pongal, the most important. It is also called Surya Pongal because people worship Surya. A sage named Hema prayed to Lord Vishnu on the banks of the Pottramarai tank in Kumbakonam. On Perum Pongal day, the lord is believed to have taken the form of Sarangapani and blessed the sage.

The third day is Mattu Pongal, celebrated to glorify cattle that help farmers in a myriad ways. On this day, the cows are bathed and decorated with vermilion and garlands and fed. In certain villages in southern Tamil Nadu especially in Alanganallur (Madurai district) a bullfight called manji-virattu is held in the evening.

Mattu Pongal has little significance to city folks. In most urban homes, the day is celebrated as Kannu Pongal. Special prayers are offered by women for the well-being of their brothers.

 Kolams:

Pongal festivals are not only famous for Pongal and also very famous for Kolams. The Kolam is much more than just an aesthetic art. "Kolam" refers to ornamental artwork drawn on the floor in front of deities in puja rooms or in front of houses in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil language, the word kolam means beauty; The Kolam and the bright red border or kaavi enclosing it are also believed to prevent evil and undesirable elements from entering the houses.

 Let’s celebrate the Pongal, welfare to spread and delight to sunshine in our lives.

Pongal Recipes are

Sarkarai Pongal   
                                                                          Venn Pongal

                                                                         

Thaalatha Kuzhambhu

Vadai                                                                                     Thirukanaamuthu

                                          


MoreKuzhambhu,                                                       Avial, 

                                         


Sathuamuthu,                                                       Paruppu usli                                  

                                                                         


Pachadi,                                                                      Pickle
                                            


Mango Pachadi                                                                    Ezhu Kari Kootu