How to make Gluten free Eggless Vanilla Cake

Winter time is Christmas time which means a lot of cakes, cookies and bread. In my blog these recipes were missing as I should confess that I am not an expert on baking. So this winter I wanted to overcome my shortcomings and somehow wanted to bake a good cake and tell my readers about it. I tried to make an eggless cake since in Bangalore a lot of people are vegetarian. In addition, I also wanted to make it gluten free so that it appeals to all kinds of people.  

Preparation Time: - 20 min

Cooking Time: - 25~30 min

Servings: - 4 persons (2 pieces per person)

Ingredients:-

1. 1 cup or approx. 150 gm Rice flour ( I used rice flour instead of all-purpose flour to make the cake Gluten-free)
2. 150 gm. Refined sugar
3. 100 ml. Fresh Curd / Yogurt (this makes the cake moist)
4. 150 ml Milk
5. 50 gm. Butter
6. 1 tsp Baking Powder
7. ½ tsp Baking soda
8. ¼ tsp Salt
9. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 

Preparation:-

1.   Pre-heat your Oven at 180 degree Celsius or 350 degree Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Most ovens should get the temperature on all walls and floor by 20 min. Some newer ones may have a express pre-heat function which takes 10 min or so.

2.     Take a small frying pan and melt the butter to liquid form.

3.     In a bowl mix Milk, Curd, Butter, Vanilla Essence, and Sugar.

4.     Take another bowl and mix Salt, Flour, Baking Soda and Baking Powder altogether.

5.     Use a strainer to keep any lumps out of this mixture.

6.     Now mix both the mixtures.

7. Use hand blender to make a smooth thick batter.
   
8. Please take a baking tin and grease with little Butter and Flour. I used an 8 inch one. You may take any size depending on your oven size.
9. Pour the batter in the baking tin and put that inside the pre-heated oven.
   
10. Place the timer for 25 minutes and keep the same temperature.
11. Check after 25 min by inserting a toothpick inside the cake. If the baking is done properly then the toothpick will come out clean.
12. Once done please keep the baking tin outside to cool it little bit say for 5 minutes.
13. Now extract the cake carefully from the baking tin and enjoy the freshly baked gluten free egg less vanilla cake.

Serve hot or cold as per your choice as breakfast or snacks in evening. This item goes well with a cup of hot tea /coffee.

Please note that you can use pressure cooker with stand instead of using the oven. In that case please remember to remove the waiter on top of the cooker and it may take 35 minutes to bake with a steel cooker.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.

Poha or Powa - A Gluten free Vegan Breakfast dish

Poha is a popular dish in western India and is made from flattened rice. It is a super quick dish and useful for kids tiffin. It is considered nutritious without adding much calorie. Since Poha/ flattened Rice Flakes are gluten free, it can be consumed by those allergic to wheat products. You get iron, vitamin B, carbohydrates and proteins from this mix. You get carbs from poha and vegetables, a little bit of protein from peas and plenty of minerals and vitamins. I consider this as an ideal recipe for our super busy super moms who are concerned about the health of their little ones as well as that of every member of the family.

Preparation Time: - 15 min

Cooking Time: - 15~20 min

Servings: - 3~4 persons

Ingredients:

1. 2 cup White Flatten rice (Indian rice flakes)
2. 1 Large potato cut in small cubes
3. 1 large onion chopped
4. 1 green chili chopped ( You can use more no. according to your taste)
5. ½ tsp Mustard seeds
6. ½ tsp Cumin seeds
7. Pinch of Turmeric Powder
8. Pinch of asafetida (Hing)
9. Handful of peanuts
10. 2 tsp Sugar
11. 1 tbsp Lemon juice
12. ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
13. 10~12 curry leaves
14. 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil ( I used Sunflower oil but you can use any vegetable oil )
15. Salt to taste

Preparation:-

1. Wash the flatten rice under water and then drain the water in strainer.
2. Sprinkle salt onto it, Mix well and keep aside
3. Cut the potato in cubes, chop the onion and keep aside.
4. In a kadai or frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil in high heat. Turn the burner in medium and fry the peanuts. Peel them and keep aside.
5. Now add the potato cubes and a pinch of turmeric powder. Shallow fry the potato until they turn into golden brown. Drain the oil in tissue paper and keep aside.
6. Add the rest of oil and heat it again.
7. Now put mustard seeds into it.
8. When it spluttered add cumin seeds, curry leaves, pinch of asafetida and chopped green chili.
9. Sauté for a minute and when they crackle add sugar.
10. When the sugar caramelizes add chopped onion. Continue cooking until the onion pieces turn translucent.
11. Now add the poha / chire /flatten rice and mix together.
12. Adjust the salt level according to taste and then add the potato cubes. Optionally you can add little bit of turmeric powder. Please note that if the potatoes are not cut into small cubes you need to add potatoes first and then add poha.
13. Mix everything and add the peanuts.
14. Now stir and put the cover.
15. Continue cooking till the potatoes become tender. Occasionally you have to stir so that the mixture does not get sticky. It should take about 5 minutes.
16. Add coriander leaves and switch off the burner.
17. Sprinkle the lemon juice and mix again.
    

Put the lid again and keep it for a minute to preserve the moisture. Your dish is ready to serve.

Serve hot and consume as breakfast or snacks in evening. This item goes well with a cup of hot tea /coffee.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.

Chingri Posto - A Bengali Prawn Curry in Poppy Seeds paste

In traditional Bengali cuisine there are a lot of preparations with poppy seeds paste. This one is a yummy prawn preparation with poppy seeds paste and mustard paste. The relatively bland taste of poppy seeds paste is nicely blended with the strong taste of mustard paste and the gravy becomes thick with coconut paste. This is not a recipe which takes a large amount of time. You and your family will like this for sure.

Preparation Time: - 10 min

Cooking Time: - 30 min

Servings: - 2~3 persons

Ingredients:-

• 8 pieces Large prawn (approx. 300 gm.)
  
  
  
  
• 1 large Onion
• 4~5 tbsp Poppy seed paste
• 4 tbsp Coconut powder
• ½ tbsp mustard paste ( I used readymade paste from Sunrise mustard powder but you may grind mustard seeds to make mustard paste )
• 2 whole Green chilli ( you can give red chili also)
• 2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds (whole black Jeera)
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 5~6 tbsp Mustard oil as it is authentic Bengali preparation but you can use any vegetable oil if you do not like the smell.
• Salt according to taste. You can add little bit sugar if you have a sweet tooth.
• ½ cup Water

Preparation:-

1. First remove the shell, remove the central vein of the prawn and clean thoroughly. In case you used the frozen prawns then no need to do this as they are already peeled and deveined.
2. Apply salt and turmeric powder – marinate the prawn for about 15 minutes.
   
3. Chop the onion and keep aside
4. Make a poppy seed paste by grinding.
5. Sprinkle some water to the coconut powder to make a thick paste.
6. Heat oil in a Skillet / frying pan in high flame.
7. When sufficiently heated, turn the burner to medium and add cumin seeds and a green chilli to it.
   
8. When the spices spluttered add the marinated prawn and shallow fry them. Please be careful not to overcook it as it will release the water and will make the prawn pieces hard. Keep them aside.
   
   
   
   
9. In the same vessel and with same oil add the chopped onion.
   
10. Sauté for few minutes till they turn light brown and transparent.
11. Add a little bit of sugar if you prefer.
    
12. When sugar is caramelized add the already fried prawn.
    
13. Mix together well
14. Add Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder and salt as per taste.
    
15. Sauté for couple of minutes
16. Add water, place the lid and keep boiling for 8~10 minutes in low flame.
    
17. When the prawn is almost done pour the coconut paste, mustard paste and poppy seeds paste in that order. Please stir continuously so that the pastes are mixed properly
    
18. Cook for another 2~3 minutes
19. This preparation needs the gravy to be thick – so adjust your cooking time accordingly.
20. Turn the burner off. Your dish is ready.
    

Serve hot with steamed rice or any form of flavored rice.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.