Pat A Cake , Pat A Cake...

Baking from fellow Bloggers - Banana Cake

Baking - I dreaded that very word for a long time. Recently though, after reading all the blogspots and after being around with friends who love baking, I find myself getting the motivation to try it more often. I should also give credit to my 20 month old daughter. She loves cakes and I didn't want her to eat the ones we get outside that are loaded with sugar. So, I had to find alternate ways of giving her that in a more healthy, home made form.

I came across this "Banana Cake" in the "Aayi's Recipes" website. I love the blogger's way of cooking. The only modification I did was to decrease the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup and substitute it with an extra 3/4th of banana. The outcome is a moist, oh so soft cake that you can sink your teeth into. Kiddo and hubby dearest loved it. Its a very easy to make recipe, serves as a quick snack for your toddler.

Vatral Kuzambu

Copy Cat... My girl acquired this new talent recently, copying whatever other kids do and remembering that for a very long time. Although it tests my limits when she learns the "not so good stuff", I should admit that it’s pretty darn funny most of the times. Well, at least it helped in her swim class yesterday, when the only way we could get her to kick her legs was by having her look at the other kids doing it ;)

Coming to food.. Vathakozambu, a very traditional South Indian recipe, which has taken many versions along the way. My mom tells stories about how this is prepared in proper earthen pots in her native place, using just garlic and spices, stored away to be used for days. It was a staple food in our native village, not only because it didn't require a refrigerator to stay fresh but also developed a very unique taste as days passed. I remember as a little girl, its undoubted presence in every single household when we visited my numerous aunts and grandmas at our native place. I will definitely be posting my mom's version as soon as I get the proportion for making the spice powder from her. The one that I am giving here was given to me by my dear friend Laksh years ago. This is one spicy dish that is sure to please your palate.

Ingredients:

Pearl Onions - 10-12 nos, Cut into four lengthwise
Garlic - 2 cloves, Cut into two lengthwise
Sambar powder - 2 tbsp
Gingelly Oil - 2 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Jagerry - 1/2 tbsp


Method:

• Dissolve tamarind, hing and turmeric powder in 2 cups water and set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a sauce pan.
• Add the mustard and curry leaves.
• Once the mustard pops, add the pearl onions and garlic and cook them for 2 minutes on medium heat.
• Add the sambar powder and fry in oil for another minute.
• Now add the tamarind water and let boil for 5 minutes on low heat.
• Add the required amount of salt and the powdered jaggery.
• Continue boiling for another 5-10 minutes until the kozambu thickens a little.
• Serve with rice and papad.

This will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Katharikkai-Verkkadalai poriyal

We have an amazing group of friends, and weekends are most likely spent with them entirely. So, weekend cooking, if we are eating at our place and not at A&K's, which is very rare, is mostly done in a blur, trying to put things together when our stomachs are really growling. This is one such recipe that occured out of nowhere. Just kept adding the ingredients and voila ! ended up with something that tastes good both as a poriyal and as a stand-alone curry. I was in such a hurry when making it the first time that I had to think hard to recreate it the next time. Now for the recipe...

Ingredients:

Katharikkai (Long eggplant) - 2 nos.
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Toor dal - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Dhania - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
Red chilles - 3-4 nos.
Dry coconut - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Tadka:

Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 4-5 nos.


Preparation:

• Cut eggplant into long slits, about 2 inches each.
• Roast channa dal, urad dal, toor dal, cumin, dhania, pepper and red chillies. Set aside.
• Roast coconut seperately. Set aside.
• Grind all the above ingredients to a coarse powder, without adding water.
• Heat half of the oil in kadai and do thadka with mustard, urad dal and curry leaves.
• Add peanuts and fry them till golden brown.
• Now add the eggplants. Cook them on low heat for about 5-7 minutes keeping lid closed.
• When eggplants are almost done, add the powder, turmeric, salt and the rest of the oil.
• Roast the eggplants stirring once or twice on medium heat with lid open for about 5 minutes.
• Garnish with some fresh coconut if desired.
• This can be served with ghee rice or roti.

Banana Fritters

The banana fritters at PF Chang's is one of my favourite desserts. The warm rolls served with cold vanilla icecream.. hmm now if that can't lift your spirits, what can ?? This recipe is the continuation from my trial with Thai cooking. The dessert was an instant hit with my friends V & G. One of the recipes that hardly takes any time to make, but tastes amazing.

Ingredients:

Banana - 2 (slightly firm)
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tbsps
Dessicated Coconut - 1 cup
Oil for deep frying



Method:

• Mix sugar with coconut milk and set aside.
• Spread the dessicated coconut on a big plate
• Peel the bananas and cut them into 1 inch rounds.
• Cut the wonton wrappers into strips, one inch width (~Equal to the banana width, so that it can be rolled in the wrapper)
• Using a fork, pick a banana piece and dip it in the coconut milk mixture.
• Then roll them on the dessicated coconut to coat all over.
• Place the coated banana on a wonton wrapper strip and roll. Seal the ends with coconut milk and set aside.
• Repeat for the remaining banana pieces.
• Heat oil in a wide skillet. Deep fry the bananas till they are golden brown, turning half way through.
• Serve warm with cold vanilla icecream.

Sesame Eggplant

This is the continuation of the Thai recipes that I cooked over the weekend. It is remarkable how most of the recipes in Asian culture use the same known ingredients, yet carry an entirely different taste. In my opinion, recipes in which vegetables are cooked in chunks rather than pureed or chopped leave a very fulfilling feel with the taste buds. The sesame eggplant is one such. It is amazing that something that takes less than 20 minutes to cook can taste this awesome. I got the idea for the recipe from the Appon's Thai food recipes website. My modification was to brush the aubergines with a little bit of peanut soy sauce before roasting them. Also, I roasted them directly in a deep pan instead of using the tin foil.

Ingredients:

Chinese eggplants - 2 medium ones
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Peanut Soy sauce - 2 tbsp (I used the store bought one. You can use any Thai sauce you like)
Salt - for taste

Method:

• Cut eggplants length wise into half. Cut each piece breadth wise into half again.
  
• Mix the salt and the peanut sauce together. Brush the eggplants with the mixture.
• Melt the butter in a pan and toss the sesame seeds in them for a minute on low flame.
• Pour this mixture over the eggplant and coat it evenly.
• Now add oil to the same pan. When it is hot place the eggplants in them. Cover with lid.
  
• On a low flame let the eggplants sit for a couple of minutes or till the skin starts shrinking.
• Flip them over and let sit for another couple of minutes till it turns light brown and cooked.
• Serve hot with rice.