Eggless Sponge Cake and a Reminder for the Fundraiser

As many of you already know, Srivalli has started a fund raiser for the cause of Anita Lakshmi, 26 , who is a mother of two kids aged 6 and 3. Lakshmi is suffering from a serious heart problem which requires immediate surgery. After trying all possible sources, for some kind of monetary assistance for the surgery and not getting any favorable response, Valli has started this fundraiser. So far only 13% of the target amount of $15,000 is raised.

This is an opportunity for all of us to come together and give Lakshmi a life and to give back those two kids, their mother. So, dear readers, please chip in your donation securely through Paypal using the Chip in widget at Valli's blog. The donated amount goes directly to Laskhmi's account. Valli has also mentioned that the amount will be paid to the hospital directly and will not be given to Lakshmi or her relatives. If you wish to send your donation through cheques/DD in Indian Rupees, please mail at lakshmi.fundraising@gmail.com to get the details. I also request my readers to kindly spread the word and also to inform Valli of any charitable organisations which will be ready to contribute for Lakshmi's cause.

Now coming to the recipe, this is adapted from Tarla Dalal's.

All purpose flour/Maida - 1 1/4 cup

Baking powder - 2 tspn

Baking soda - 1/2 tspn

salt - 1/4 tspn

Milkmaid - 1/2 tin

Melted butter - 1/4 cup

Vanilla essence - 1 tspn

water/soda - 1/4 cup

Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix flour mixture, milkmaid, melted butter, vanilla essence and water/soda. Pour into a greased and dusted cake tin. Preheat the oven and bake at 180 C for 15 minutes and at 150 C for 15 minutes.

The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. When ready, take out from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.
The cake was very moist and fluffy.

I am sending this sponge cake to Hima, who has started the Sunday Snacks event and has selected the theme Bake It for the current edition.

Illatharasi has passed me "Just Nice Photos - Beautiful Site" & "2008 Best Blog Darts Thinker" awards. Thank you Illatharasi for your thoughtfulness.

P.S. With this post, I have hit a century. Thank you all for your support.

Homemade Kaya

I've been using this recipe for years and now I would like to share with you. I suppose many of you might have your own recipe already but just a sharing. I used 2/5 of the ingredients from the original recipe just for both of us.

I like this recipe because it don't need to be stirred all the time so that I can continue with other stuffs while cooking it. With the double boiling cooking method I always got a very smooth kaya. I reduced some sugar from the original recipe as I found it's too sweet for me. But it's very depends on you.

The Sixties, Sobre Las Olas and Raja's Special!

The Sixties, Sobre las Olas and Raja's Special

It was the early sixties. Father took us on long drives almost every day, inspite of his multifarious activities. His blue coloured Companion van was perfect for our family. The four of us brothers and sisters fitted well in the long back seat, while father drove with mother by his side. My brothers monkeyed around by jumping back into the open boot and hopped back to the back seat as and when they liked.

A picnic dinner at the grand Lalitha Mahal Palace (it was not a hotel at that point of time!)which stood at the foot of Chamundi hills was a frequent agenda. Mother packed our favourite sambar rice and curd rice, with vadams (rice crispies) and pickles for the much awaited dinner. But the high light of the dinner was the special parcel and a crate of Fanta Orange which we picked up from the Sports club on our way.

There was a sprawling lawn and a grand fountain in front of the palace. On the opposite side huge flights of steps landed us in different levels of gardens. The domes on the lamp posts at frequent intervals shed cool dim light like the moon. We parked our Companion Van in front of the stairs and carried all our paraphernalia to one of the landing which again had a huge fountain in the center.

Father took out the gramophone from the boot and turned the handle to play our favourite records. We loved to dance to “Chinkey Butterfly” which was a fast number, and “Over the Waves or Sobre Las Olas” which was a waltz. Father joined us in the fun while mother filled up our dinner plates. The lone watch man or the occasional wild wolves which came down the hill did not interrupt our merriment. The cool breeze and the privacy in the expanse of nature, under the star lit sky is most unforgettable.

And then it was time to open the parcel ! All of us pounced on it to take a big helping of the Raja's Special and Peas on Toast. Raja's Special of yore is masala nuts of the present day. It seems this was the Raja’s favourite dish prepared at the Sports club, and hence goes by the name Raja's Special.


INGREDIENTS:
Peanuts – 500 gms
Onion – 2
Green chillies -3
Salt – 1 tsp
Lime – 1
Cooking oil- 1tsp
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Fresh chopped coriander leaves -1/2 cup
METHOD:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. When it splutters add finely chopped green chillies.
3. Add peanuts and roast till they crack, and allow to cool.
4. Add finely chopped onions, salt and the juice of lime.
5. Shake all ingredients in a vessel covered with a lid to blend well.
6. Top it with coriander leaves.

Munch along as you watch your favourite movie, or as you watch this quaint version of Over the Waves or Sobre Las Olas!