Whole wheat Banana Cake

Whole wheat Banana Cake (Microwave method)

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure flour and sugar.

4 well ripe bananas (130 g) mash well

1 ½ cup whole wheat flour (Aashirvaad atta) Please measure in Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / ½ cup / 4 oz capacity)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg, beat well

2 tablespoon butter @ normal temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

½ teaspoon baking soda (cooking soda)

3 – 4 tablespoon milk

½ teaspoon oil to grease microwave safe dish

1 tablespoon cashew nuts or raisins (to decorate cake)

Method

In a bowl, mix well mashed bananas with flour, sugar, egg, butter, vanilla essence and baking soda until a smooth mixture and without any lumps. Add 3 – 4 tablespoon milk and make a soft batter (normal cake batter of medium thick pouring consistency).

Grease a microwave safe bowl with ½ teaspoon oil. Pour this cake batter into it, spread it evenly with  flat spatula. Decorate with cashew nut splits  or raisins and microwave on high powder (750w) for 5 minutes. Keep aside to cool for half an hour and later cut it into desired shape and size).

Pumpkin Pachadi

Pumpkin Pachadi / Mathanga  Pachadi  - An easy and tasty side dish with rice in Kerala cuisine. No added coconut paste !!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

150 g pumpkin (mathanga / dudhi), gently peel off the outer skin and cut into ½ - inch thin slices

2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

¾ cup water (Indian standard measuring cup of 1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

1 cup / 200 ml curd, beat well

Method

In a bowl, boil pumpkin pieces with slit green chillies, salt and water (water level should be ½ - inch above pumpkin. Once it fully cooked, level of water decreased to 3/4^th or ½ - depending upon the cooking time of the pumpkin). Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until pumpkin well cooked. Please do not allow to overcook pumpkin). Switch off the heat and keep aside to cool for half an hour. Once it reaches normal temperature, add 1 cup curd and mix well.

For seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

4 curry leaves

1 red chilli, halved

Method

Heat oil in a small pan (tadka pan). Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add jeera, curry leaves and halved red chilli. Stir on a low heat 1 – 2 minutes until  it crisp and fragrant. Pour this seasoning over pumpkin pachadi and serve  as a side dish with rice and other accompaniments.

Biscuit Ambado

Biscuit Ambado – A delicious deep fried snack in Mangalorean cuisine !!

Soaking time: 2 hours

Makes: 16 - 20

Ingredients

200 ml /  1 cup  urad dal (Indian standard measuring cup of 1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

2 1/2 cup water ( for soaking )

2 green chillies. finely chopped

1 - inch piece ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon thin coconut bits (katli)

6 nos curry leaves , roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

250 ml oil for frying

Method

Wash and soak urad dal for 2 hours. Drain out water completely.

Grind urad dal into a thick and smooth paste in a mixer in  2 batches. Add / sprinkle 2 tablespoons water during grinding. It should be a thick batter.

Transfer the vada batter into another flat bowl and mix it with chopped green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, coconut bits  and salt to taste (Finally add salt). Mix all the ingredients well with thick tablespoon until all the ingredients well combined  evenly with urad dal batter 

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan. Reduce heat to medium  and wait for 1 minute. Do not fry on high heat. It will brown immediately.  Drop  teaspoons ( use  teaspoons which shape like ice cream scoop to get evenly round shape) of the ambado batter (8 ambados at a time ) and fry till puff /  golden color  on both the sides.

Drain and place on kitchen towel / paper towel to absorb excess oil. Please use 3 – 4 paper towel to absorb extra oil. Serve as an evening snack or with breakfast or serve with coconut chutney.

Chena Mezhukkupuratti

Chena Mezhukkupuratti (Pressure cooker method. No added onion and garlic) – A less spicy tasty side dish with rice in Kerala cuisine !!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For chena / yam:

150 g chena  (yam), gently peel off the outer skin, wash thoroughly and cut it into ¼ - inch cubes

3/4 cup water (Indian standard measuring cup of  1cup / 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

In a pressure boil chena cubes with water (just to cover chena) and salt to taste. Bring to pressure cooker on high heat for 2 quick whistles. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Open the cooker and check the texture of chena. If it’s cooked well, that’s fine. Or cook again for another 2 quick whistles (adjust water too).

For seasoning:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

Method

In a pan or karahi, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add boiled chena cubes and adjust salt to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until spices well coated on chena. Serve as a side dish with rice and other accompaniments.