Pound Cake

A simple pound cake should be on all bakers list of recipes. A Pound Cake is a rich, finely textured yellow cake containing eggs, flour, butter, and sugar.A cake that is golden yellow, soft and moist. The way it derived its name is interesting. In olden days it used to be made with a pound each of sugar, butter and eggs. But over the years the recipe has changed.


I have done this as part of the 'Sweet Punch' recipe for the month of June. Really glad to be part of this as the Sweet Punch team consists of the ever passionate and famous bakers and bloggers Ria, Maria and Divya.

So here is my try at Pound Cake.

INGREDIENTS  
1 1/2 cup Cake Flour sifted
3/4 cup Sugar

3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons Milk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
13 Tablespoons/ 184 gm Unsalted Butter, softened 

METHOD

Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degree C.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds.

Lightly whisk the milk, eggs and vanilla in a separate small bowl.

Chop softened butter into small cubes.

Add the butter and half the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix till well moistened for about a minute on medium speed. This will aerate and develop the cake mixture. Keep mixing scraping down the sides.

Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches , beating for about 20 seconds each.

Grease the sides and bottom of a 8 x 4x 2.5 inch loaf pan or fluted tube pan.

Place parchment paper at the bottom and grease on top of it.

Pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the surface using a spatula. 

until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a rack in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a greased wire rack.

Tips:

For making Cake flour at home - Take one cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tbsp from it.Replace the 2 tbsp flour with cornflour and sift together 2-3 times.
I used the dough hooks of my mixer to mix this dough as it is difficult to do it using the egg beater.
Always use a parchment paper or butter paper to line the bottom of the pans to be on the safer side. It is easier to remove the cake from the pan.
If you have a real sweet tooth you can increase the sugar level a bit. 

Triple Layer Hummingbird Cake

July 4^th is a special day for all Americans and  it is for us too.. We celebrate the birth of our little prince who turns 2 on this day.

I have been thinking of which new cake to bake on this special day. Checked out a lot of cakes but was not able to decide which one and wanted to try something new which I have never heard of before. Being an amateur in baking I was quite apprehensive about choosing the cake recipe. Finally I decided on the Hummingbird Cake. Found it very interesting because of its ingredients and because it was quite hassle free compared to the rest. J

Just loved the flavors. It was amazing! Crunchy, at the same time could get the taste of pineapple and it just melts in your mouth. I don’t like the taste of banana cake but in this cake the taste of banana was not so evident so I loved it. It is truly a fruit and nut studded super moist cake.

The best part about this cake is that there is no beating, forming peaks, sifting and stuff. It is quite easy. This was my first trial with layered cakes and quite happy with the result.

INGREDIENTS

Recipe Source: Godairyfree.org

All Purpose Flour – 3 cups

Sugar – 2 cups

Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon

Ground Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Eggs – 3 large beaten

Vegetable Oil - 1 ½ cup

Crushed Pineapple – 227 gm (8 ounce)

Bananas – 2 Chopped

Almonds/Pecans – 1 cup chopped

Vanilla Extract – 1 ½ teaspoon

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Recipe Source: Joy of baking

Unsalted Butter – ¼ cup at room temperature

Cream Cheese – 227 gm at room temperature

Confectioners/Icing Sugar – 454 gm sifted

Vanilla Essence – 1 teaspoon

½ cup – Chopped Almonds/ Pecans

METHOD

Preheat oven 180 degree C.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Stir well with a ladle.

Beat the eggs slightly and add to the powder mixture.

Add the oil and mix again. Do not beat just mix well so as to combine all the ingredients.

Stir in the pineapple with the juice, banana, 1 cup of the nuts and vanilla.

Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter. Line the bottoms of the cake pans with parchment paper. Grease each pan with 1 tbsp. butter and dust with a little flour; shake pans so that flour evenly coats them. Invert pans and tap out excess flour.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 10 – 15 minutes. Invert pans and remove parchment paper and let cool on rack.

Frosting

The actual recipe for the frosting is given above. As I did not manage to get Cream Cheese I had to go for the butter icing. Just beat the butter (approx 400 gm) to make it soft and then keep adding the icing sugar as per your preference. The butter icing recipe calls for 1:2 ratio of butter and icing sugar but I find that too sweet. So keep adding till you get the right texture and stop adding icing sugar when the sweetness level is as per your palate.

Assembly

Place one layer of the cake on the cake stand.

Apply the icing evenly on the top. Place the second and third layer repeating the same process.

Spread the frosting on the sides. Decorate with the chopped Almonds/ Pecans.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Sending this recipe to Pari's  'Only Series' of events is hosted at Tamalapaku's  by Harini - Jaya 

Gobi Mussallam / Baked Cauliflower in Rich Gravy

Let's have some Nawabi Food...Gobi Mussallam is a Mughlai Style cauliflower recipe. A treat for the eyes and stomach. It seems to have originated from the Imperial Mughal Kitchens in India.

The thick and rich gravy is so delicious  and a sure try for all the curry lovers.

INGREDIENTS

1	180 gm/ 6 0z	Cauliflower cut into florets
2	Turmeric	¼ tsp
3	Salt	To taste
4	Water	As required
5	Bayleaves	4
6	Vegetable Oil	2 tbsp
7	Cardomoms	4
8	Cloves	4
9	Ginger garlic Paste	2 tsp
10	Butter	30 gm
11	Garam Masala	¼ tsp
12	Red Chilli Powder	½ tsp
13	Pepper	A pinch
14	Cashenut paste	3 tbsp
15	Yoghurt	2 tbsp
16	Tomato Puree	3tbsp
17	Brown onion paste	2 tbsp
18	Cream	¼ cup
19	Water	½ cup

METHOD

Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Soak in water along with a pinch of turmeric and salt. Let be for 2-3 minutes. Remove florets from water.

Boil water enough for the cauliflower florets to cook. Add cauliflower,turmeric, salt and bay leaves.                
Cook covered on medium heat till ¾ done.

Drain and transfer the cauliflower to an oven proof dish.

Chop the onions. Fry sliced onions on medium heat till brown. Let cool.Grind it into paste using as little water as possible. Keep aside.

Chop the tomatoes and puree it. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cardamom. Sauté till it crackles. Add ginger garlic paste dissolved in 2 tbsp water. Stir till the water dries up. Now add the butter and the spices.

Mix the cashew paste and yoghurt in ½ cup water and add to the pan. Cook on low heat till the mixture comes to a boil. Add the tomato puree and onion paste. Stir well and cook covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream.

Remove from heat and take away the bay leaves.
Pour the mixture over the cauliflower.

Preheat the oven for 10 minutes. Bake for 5- 10 minutes. Serve hot with rotis.

Tips:
Add chilly as per taste. Increase it to make it spicy.
Can add up to 3 tbsp/ 60 gm butter. 
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Naan in a Pressure Cooker

Naan is a leavened bread and belongs to the North Indian Cuisine. It is traditionally cooked in a clay oven/Tandoor. 

This is one thing that we order every time we eat out . It is kids favorite too. Their menu seems to be fixed. Butter Naan and Butter Chicken. They never seem to get bored of it. 

Like everyone I too was on the notion that Naans can be made only if I have a tandoor - until I bumped into this recipe. So now all the naan fans can surely try this at home..Even if you don't have an oven.Yes you heard me right. Convert a pressure cooker to a tandoor. :) Check it out..

INGREDIENTS

All Purpose Flour	500 gm
Curd	2 tbsp
Dry Yeast	2 tsp
Sugar	1 ½ tsp
Ghee	2 ½ tsp
Salt	1 tsp
Butter	To apply on the naans
Oil	1 tsp
Water	1 ¼ cup

METHOD

Warm 1 cup of water.

Mix the sugar and yeast in it. Stir well until the yeast dissolves. Cover and keep until its frothy. Takes about 5 minutes.

Sieve flour.

Add the yeast mixture along with curds, ghee and salt.

Mix well using little more warm water and make soft dough.

Knead the dough for 7 minutes.

Cover the dough with a wet cloth and let be for ½ hour.

Punch down the dough and knead the dough for another 1 minute.

Divide the dough into small balls and roll it into round shapes.

Take a wide, deep pressure cooker and grease it with little oil.

Heat it upside down for 2 minutes.

Place it upright and place on the stove on high flame.

Take each naan, apply little water on one side and stick the wet side on the walls of the cooker.

Let it cook and as brown spots appear it will fall off to the bottom of the cooker. Remove and grill the uncooked side for 10 seconds. It will puff up. Remove from grill.

Apply butter and serve hot.

Tips:


Tilt the cooker a bit to stick the naans to the sides of the cooker.


Grill on medium flame.


The naans fall off to the bottom of the oven when cooked on one side. You can cook the other side from the bottom of the cooker but be careful not to burn your hands. It is easier on the grill.


To give the right shape to the naans after rolling it, just pull it from the bottom to get the triangle shape. But make sure that size will fit into the cooker. Else just roll it round.

Vada Paav / Indian Vegetable Burger

The popular tea time snack of Maharashtra - the vada pav or I should say the famous Mumbai road side snack. The Mumbai Veggie Burger complete with toppings and a soft square bun (paav).

It is no more the 'poor man's food'.

Potoato Vada is sandwiched between the buns and topped with cilantro peanut sauce and roasted garlic spice blend.  Truly a mouthwatering snack !

It is a long process to prepare them but the end result is worthy of the effort, I should say. And didn't manage to get the real paav so managed it with buns :( . Anyways I am happy with the result. Enjoy!

So here is my first try at Maharashtrian Cuisine.

Vadaa Paav/ Fried Potato Sandwiches


Printable Recipe


INGREDIENTS


For the roasted garlic spice blend


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 medium cloves thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coarse / sea salt ( add as per your taste)


For the cilantro peanut sauce/ chutney


1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 tablespoon shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt( add as per taste)
3 green chillies ( the original recipe says 6-8 but I find that too hot so add as per your spice level)


For the garlic potatoes


450 gm potatoes boiled and mashed
1/2 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw it)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup curry leaves
3 green chillies
4 cloves
2 slice ginger(1 1/2 inch long)


For the batter


1/2 cup  chickpea flour
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tablespoon cornflour
1/2  teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt


10 small, paavs

METHOD


Roast the peanuts over medium heat in a small skillet for about 2 - 4 minutes. Roast till the nutty smell comes and the nuts turn reddish brown.Transfer half of the peanuts to a plate to cool. Put the other half in a blender jar and keep aside.

In the same skillet add the coriander, cumin, chillies and sesame seeds and roast. The spices have to turn reddish brown ( 1-3 minutes). Add this mixture to the peanuts on the plate.

Add the garlic to the remaining oil in the skillet and cook stirring occasionally until they are sunny brown in colour. Spread the garlic over the spices on the plate. Let it cool completely.

To make the cilantro sauce or chutney -  pile in the cilantro, coconut, salt, chillies, ¼ cup water to the peanuts in the blender . Blend well. Transfer to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoon water to the blender and swish it again to remove any remaining sauce. Stir well.

To make the roasted garlic spice blend transfer the spices on the plate to the blender and powder it. Make sure the spices are cooled well before powdering else it may become slightly cakey.

To prepare the patties combine the potatoes, peas, salt and turmeric in a bowl. Combine the cilantro, curry leaves, chillies, garlic, ginger in a food processor and mince. Add this to the potato mixture to make a slightly yellow green dough.

To make the batter, mix the two flours, corn flour, salt and turmeric in a bowl. Pour in warm water to make a smooth thick batter.  You will need about 3/4 - 1 cup water.

Divide the dough into 16 portions. Shape it into round balls and press a bit in between your palms to make ½ inch thick patty. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok.

Line a large plate with paper towels and keep ready.

When the oil is ready, dip a patty into the batter and carefully slide it into the oil. Fry them until they are golden brown. Fry 3-4 patties at a time and remove them with a slotted spatula.

For assembly of the sandwich slice open the paav, spread the cilantro sauce, place the patties, sprinkle the garlic spice blend and close the bun and serve.

 Tips:

The spice blend and cilantro sauce can be made even up to 2 days in advance.

The sauce can be refrigerated until ready to use.

The spice blend can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or room temperature up to a week.

A pinch of baking soda in the batter can make the patties more crisp.

If you are using iodized salt then reduce the quantity.