Eggless maida-wholewheat-ragi fruit cake.

I was feeling so lazy to bake a cake, then came my darling daughter asked me Amma shall we bake a cake for Christmas..I was so excited since this is the first time my 3.5yr darling have asked me something. 

 I remember during my childhood days my dad's friend used to bring cake for Christmas, and my dad usually gets me authentic plum cake..as days passed, wherever I am, I used to buy the plum cake and relish..you can say my love for baking and cake was associated a lot with this cake because we just used to get this cake only once in a year. Since I usually bake eggless cake, I baked this cake by soaking the fruits in Orange juice yesterday and baked it now...Of course how can one keep quiet when you are a member in this hbg..thanks to all..Merry Christmas all..

I figured out there was little butter in my pantry. So I customized my recipe according to my pantry. Since I didn't do much preparations work, this is what I did.

Soaking of fruits- a day before event. The measurements can vary according to ones taste. I eyeballed most of them.

 Orange juice - 1 cup.

 Raisins (both black and brown)- 1/4 cup.

 Apricots -4-5 nos.

 Prunes - 4 nos.

 Glazed cherries- 4-5 nos.

 Fig- 3-4 nos.

 Please add candied orange peels if you have.

 Nutmeg powder- 1 tsp.

 Cinnamon powder-1 tsp.

 Elaichi powder- 1 tsp.

 Clove powder- 1 tsp.

 Aniseed powder (crushed)- 1 tsp.

 Ginger powder- 1 tsp.  

 Doesn't it smell heavenly....yes, try to put it in glass jar by giving a quick mix.

Chop all the nut required according to your wish and slightly toast then and dust with some flour.

Okay now comes the cake recipe...

Maida- 50 gm ( I added maida, just to get soft kind cake)

Ragi- -50 gm.

Whole wheat- 100gm.

Cocoa powder- 1 tbl sp.

Milk powder- 90 gm

Butter- 38 gm

Oil (I used rice bran)- 50ml

Brown sugar- 150 gm (u can increase by 20-30 gm)

Thick butter milk- 3/4th cup.

Milk- 1 cup

Baking powder- 1.5 tsp.

Baking soda- 1 tsp.

Vanilla essence- 1 tsp

Method.

Prepare a cake tin using butter and lining with parchment paper.

Sieve all the flours, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda 2-3 times.

Take a mixing bowl and beat butter oil mixture with sugar until fluffy. Add buttermilk then milk powder simultaneously. Please add milk mixture with flour and fold the mixture. Finally fold the fruit mixture and nuts in the batter. Preheat the oven 180 degree Celsius. Pop the cake with batter with 3/4th tin filled inside oven. Bake for an hour or until the toothpick or skewer comes out clean.Cover with aluminum foil after 20 min such that the top won't get burnt. Enjoy the smell...happy baking.

KOOZHU/MORKALI

I love this dish like anything and is very simple to make.I learnt this dish when i was a small girl,but i never tried it,i remember writing a letter to my grandpas sister(lakshmi athai) which was narrated by my grandma.I even draw pictures how to slice it.It is very easy to make this dish when there is leftover verumarissi mavu and when it becomes sour.

I made this recently for my in laws,i literally saw the happiness in my father in laws face when he had it and he was telling he loved it.

So the recipe goes like this:

Ingredients

Idly rice-2 cups

Sour  buttermilk-1cup

Salt

Seasoning

Sesame oil is best for its taste

Mustard

Chana dhal

Curd chillies or thayir molakai

Greenchillies

Curry leaves

Method

Soak the idly rice for 2-3 hrs and grind nicely.Add salt and this can be used for verumarissi dosa.

For koozhu,add th

e sour buttermilk and mix nicely.Now take a pan and add mustard,chana dhal curd chillies ,greenchillies curry leaves and add to the mixed rice and buttermilk.

Now take a wide kadai or pan add little oil to it and add the above mixture and keep it in medium flame.Let the water in it go completely and let it thicken.Add oil little by little when it  becomes dry.Wet ur hands and pat the  mixture if it doesnt stick to your hands and if it is not sticking in vessal then you can switch off the flame.

Take a tray or plate.grease it with oil and put the mixture it and flatten with spatula.After 10 minutes u can cut them with knife into cubes,and relish your morkali.

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

Paneer is all time favourite in my home. We all love to have it, ofcourse you can make various dishes with this ingredient as it merges with anything.Paneer butter masala has  got a royal position in between dishes..

Paneer butter masala goes well with any rice and indian bread...

Ingredients

Tomatoes -3

Onion-2

Paneer-1 pack(i used nanak)

Cashew paste/Badam paste-3-4tbsp

Bay leaves-2

Cloves-4

Ginger and garlic paste -2tbsp

Red chilli powder-1-2 tsp(acc to ur spice)

Turmeric pow-1tsp

Dania powder-2tsp

fenugreek powder-less than a pinch

Garam masala-1.5tsp

Tandoori masala/a pinch of red colour(optional)

Ghee-1tbsp

Butter-3 tbsp

Cream-3tbsp or milk-1tbsp

Corriander leaves-few

Salt to taste

Method :

1. Peel the skin of onions and cut into cubes and blanch it in hot boiling water  for few mins,once they cools ,puree them.
   
2. Cut tomatoes into cubes and similarly blanch it in  hot boiling water  and peel the skin and puree them too.
3. Cut the paneer into cubes and heat a pan with  ghee and fry the paneer cubes nicely and immerse them in hot water with little turmeric and salt.Remove them and put it in a tissue paper fo 15 minutes.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in the pan add bay leaves ,cloves and the onion paste and fry them till light brown.
5. Add ginger garlic paste,saute it for few min,add the chilli powder then the  cashew paste(i used badam paste as i didnt have cashew)for 5 minutes.
6. Add tomato puree,fenugreek powder(be cautious while putting this,more make it bitter)/kasuri methi,dania powder/corriander powder,turmeric powder,garam masala and salt.
7. Keep it sim for few minutes.
8. Add paneer cubes and add lil water mixed with red colour or tandoori masala and let it sit for some time in low flame,until desired consistency is reached.
9. Once it forms a gravy switch off the flame ,add remaining 1 tbsp butter and very little milk(or fresh cream).
10. Garnish with corriander leaves.
11. Yummy!!! Paneer Butter Masala is ready....enjoy.