Vanilla Cake ( In pressure Cooker)

I usually avoid trying to make cake, mainly because it is almost impossible to resist the temptation of eating them !  When you dont make it, you dont get to eat it and thats how I have been concentrating on my cooking by trying other more healthy recipes. But my son, started craving for cake recently and keep asking me  to make one for him. I tried a simple and easy cake to start with. White, spongy vanilla cake that can be made in pressure cooker !

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Maida or All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cup
Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup ( Not cold milk)
Oil - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 1/4 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - a pinch
Vanilla essence - 2 teaspoon
Vinegar - 1 1/4 tablespoon( or lemon juice)

VANILLA BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:

Butter - 1/4 cup ( Place the butter outside for atleast an hour, to bring it to a room temperature)
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 2 teaspoon
Whipped Cream - 1 tablespoon


METHOD:

1. I used a 5.5 liter hindalium pressure cooker for this. 5 liter pressure cooker also ok. Your cooker should have a heavy bottom base to withstand the heat. Spread atleast 1.5 cups of salt on the cooker. On the top of it , place any plate. Above the plate , place a stand. Remove the gasket and whistle of the pressure cooker lid. Cover the lid and keep the flame in medium, for the inside of cooker to get hot and resemble an preheated oven . In the meantime, you can prepare the cake batter.

2.  In a large bowl, take maida, baking powder, baking soda, salt , powdered sugar. Mix all the dry ingredients well.

3. Now add  milk( room temperature - neither cold nor hot milk) , oil, vinegar, vanilla essence . Mix the contents well without any lumps. Do not keep mixing the batter for too long .

4. I used a 6  inch aluminium baking bowl. Apply some oil on the bottom and sides of the aluminium bowl. Also, place a baking paper in the bottom.

5. Pour the batter in to the pan.

6. Place it carefully on the pressure cooker, which is already been heating and hot inside. Cover with lid. Reduce the flame to low and let the cake get baked for another 50 -60 minutes. After 50 minutes, you can use a toothpick to insert and see. If the batter sticks to the tooth pick, then the cake is not done. When the cake is cooked well, the top of the cake will be dry and not wet. Also, the sides of the cake would not stick to the pan. Also, if you insert a toothpick and take it out, you cannot see the cake batter on the tooth pick.

7. Allow it to cool down for another 10 to 15 minutes. Now transfer the cake in to the rack and let it rest for another 5 minutes, until it is completely cool.

8. Your vanilla cake is ready ! You can eat it as such !But  my son asked for extra decorations on that. So I made a vanilla butter cream frosting above it and adorned with black chocolate sprinkles. It is purely optional and I would suggest you for a frosting, only if you are sweet tooth ! . If you ask me, I dont like frosting at all,  mainly because it has too much sugar content and doesnt suit me .  

9. In a bowl, take 1/2  cup of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of  unsalted butter, 2 teaspoon of vanilla essence, 1 tablespoon of whipped cream . whisk the contents well using a manual whisker, until it turns creamy and thick. 

10. Now spread it over the cake. Also sprinkle some chocolate sprinkles. It may be wet and sticky, but when you refrigerate , it turns hard and gives a frosty look !

11. After preparation, refrigerate the cake. You can take it out, when you want to serve. This cake will stay good for atleast 2 days . 

Chocolate Mug Cake( In Microwave Oven)

Chocolate mug cake is a very easy recipe that can be made in microwave oven in just two minutes .! 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 - 3 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Maida or All purpose flour - 6 tablespoon

Full Cream milk - 6 tablespoon

Powdered Sugar -4 tablespoon

Salt - a pinch

Coco powder - 4 tablespoon

Olive oil or any refined oil - 5 tablespoon

Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Vanilla Essence - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a large bowl, take maida, coco powder ,powdered sugar, baking powder , pinch of salt. Mix the contents well.

2. Now add olive oil, vanilla essence, milk. Mix the contents very well , without any lumps. The cake batter should be smooth. 

3. Take a microwave safe porcelain mug. Apply some oil in the bottom of the mug and also on the sides inside. Pour the cake batter into the mug. Do not pour until the rim of the mug, because when the cake gets baked , it increases in size and might over flow. Pour just half or 3/4 th of the cup .

4. Microwave in high heat for 2 minutes . Take the cake out and use a tooth pick to insert inside the cake and check whether it is cooked well. If there is any cake batter on the tooth pick, cook for another 30 seconds . Your chocolate mug cake is ready !!!Kids will definitely love this recipe a lot ! 

 

Peanut Idli/Dosa Podi

Here is another variation of podi , that can be used as a side dish for dosa or idli or chapathi. It has a flavor of peanuts in it and will be loved by a kids a lot !

Preparation Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Yields - 2 cups ( 1 cup = 240 ml)

INGREDIENTS:

Channa Dal/Bengal gram - 1/2 cup

Urad dal - 1/2 cup

Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 11 to 12 no.s( I used 11 no of dry chilli and my podi was very mild in spice. If you want more spicy, add some more dry red chilli)

Salt - as required( Approx  1 tsp and a bit more)

Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

Dry curry leaves - a fistful( If you dont have dry curry leaves, wash fresh curry leaves and dry them in sun. )

METHOD:

1. Sun dry all the ingredients and also the mixie jar. If there is any moist , then the powder would get spoiled.

2. In a pan, dry roast channa dal, until they turn golden brown. You have to use a low to medium flame when you dry roast it, Else, the dal would turn dark. You can see the below picture for reference. 

3. Now keep the channa dal aside. Dry roast urad dal, till they turn golden brown.

3. Now dry roast dry red chilli for 2 to 3 minutes and set it aside.

4. Now dry roast the curry leaves for 2 minutes and set it aside. I have used already washed and dried curry leaves. If you dont have dry curry leaves, wash fresh curry leaves and sun dry them for a day. Later, you can use it for this recipe. 

5. Now dry roast cumin seeds for 1 to 2 minutes .

6. Also dry roast peanuts, till they change colour. 

7. Allow all the items to cool down completely. First, in the mixer, add dry red chilli, cumin seeds and curry leaves and grind them in to fine powder. To that, add urad dal and channa dal and grind again to a fine powder. Now add roasted peanuts and salt and grind it little coarse. Because, if you try to grind the peanut to a fine powder, it will start letting out oil and the powder turns sticky. So do not grind peanut to fine powder. Store the powder in an airtight container. Serve it with dosa or idly or rotti ! 

Foxtail Millet Brinji

Brinji Rice is a tasty flavorful food made using rice ,veggies, spices,mint and coriander !. Today I tried this recipe using foxtail millet ( Thinai/ Kangni) instead of white rice . It tasted yummy ! Please do try and leave your comments !

Preparation Time:  25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

FOR MASALA PASTE:

Cinnamon - 1 inch sized

Clove - 4 no.

Cardamom - 2 no.s

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coriander leaves - handful

Mint leaves - handful

Water - as required

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

Foxtail Millet - 3/4 cup

Water - 1 cup

Coconut milk ( thin) - 3/4 cup

Carrot - 1/2 no. chopped little big in size

Potato- 1/2 chopped little big in size

Beans - 4 to 5 no.s chopped little big in size

Green peas - 1/8 th cup 

Tomato - 1/2 no. chopped fine

Onion - 1/2 cup sliced

Ginger, garlic , green chilli paste - 1 tablespoon( I used 1/2 chilli, 4 pods of garlic and 1 inch ginger)

SEASONING:

Ghee - 2 tablespoon

Cardamom - 2 pods

Star anise - 1

Bay leaf - 4 no.s

METHOD:

1. Dry roast foxtail millet, for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are hot to touch. 

2. In a mixer, add the items mentioned in the "MASALA PASTE" section and add less water and grind it into a smooth paste. 

3. Now, in a pressure cooker, add 2 table spoon of ghee. Add the items mentioned in the "SEASONING" section.

4. Now add sliced onion, ginger , garlic and green chilli paste. If you want less spice, then just make ginger and garlic paste and add sliced green chilies as such. Grinding green chilli with ginger and garlic will add more spiciness to the dish. 

5. Now add tomatoes and fry till they turn soft. Also add the other vegetables ( carrot, peas,potato and beans) and fry for 2 to 3 minutes .

6. Now add the masala paste , which you prepared in step 2. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, till the raw smell of  masala paste is gone.

7. Now add 1 cup of water, 3/4 cup of thin coconut milk. Also add required salt.

8. Now add foxtail millet. When it starts to boil, cover the lid. Keep the flame in medium. Let it cook in medium flame for 3 whistles. Then switch off the stove. Let the pressure settle by itself.

9. Allow it to cool down completely. Serve with carrot onion raita or any side dish of your choice !.

NOTES:

1. If you feel the foxtail millet , needs to be cooked more, after the brinji cools down completely, keep it in microwave oven for 2 minutes before serving. 

2. For coconut milk, I used coconut cream powder dissolved in water. You can also use fresh coconut milk. 

3. The same method can be used for kodo millet brinji also . 

Baingan Bharta

Brinjal is loved by everyone in my family. Many times I was thinking to make baingan bharta .. But in Taiwan, we usually get the long brinjals and it is difficult to roast it on the stove. This time, I got the  shorter brinjals . I tried smokey flavoured baingan bharta and it was yummy :) . 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal - 5 no.s medium sized 

Onion - 1/2 cup chopped fine 

Tomato - 1 no. chopped fine

Green chilli - 1 no. chopped fine

Garlic pods - 3 no.s

Ginger - 1 inch sized chopped fine

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Kashmiri chilli powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Oil - 2 tablespoon

METHOD:

1.  Wash brinjals and pat dry. Apply oil on it. Slit the brinjal on the top and keep a garlic inside the brinjal . Roast it in direct flame for 10 minutes. Use two big spoons, and turn it to all the sides, till the outer skin of the brinjal turns dark. 

2. Allow the brinjals to cool down. Peel of the skin and mash it well , using the back of a ladle. Inside of the brinjal will be soft and easier to mash. Now in a pan, add some oil. Add garlic( which you roasted along with brinjal), ginger and green chilli. 

3. Now add finely chopped onions and fry for sometime, till they turn translucent. 

4. Now add chopped tomatoes, pinch of salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder , kashmiri chilli powder . Sprinkle some water and fry till the tomatoes turn soft . 

5. Now add the mashed brinjal, 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala and required salt. Add required water and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes in medium flame. Baingan Bharta is ready !. Serve with rotti or rice ! 

Cabbage Soup

Tasty and Healthy Cabbage Soup Recipe ! 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3 people

INGREDIENTS:

Cabbage - 2 cups shredded

Carrot - 1/2 no chopped

Capsicum- 1 cup chopped

Baby corn - 5 to 6 no.s chopped

Spring Onion - 1/2 cup chopped

Ginger - 1 inch sized chopped fine

Garlic - 3 to 4 pods

Water - 4 cups

Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Vinegar - 1 tablespoon

Salt - as required

Mint and coriander leaves - as required

Olive oil - 2 tablespoon

Wheat Flour - 2 tablespoon

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add 2 tablespoon of oil. Now add ginger, garlic and fry for some time. Now add spring onion and fry for sometime. Now add chopped cabbage, carrot,baby corn and capsicum. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the veggies shrinks in size.

2. Now add 4 cups of water, required salt. Allow it to boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Dissolve 2 tablespoon of  wheat flour in water and add it to the soup. It helps to thicken the soup. Allow it to boil again for another 2 minutes.

4. Now add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of pepper powder and boil for another 2 minutes.

5. Now add some more chopped spring onions, mint and coriander leaves. Boil for a minute and then switch off the stove. Cabbage soup is ready!