Eggless Dates and Cashew Olive Oil Cake - Day 1, Blogging Marathon #4

Time for another Blogging Marathon. This Group is growing with every season, this time Srivalli had to divide us into 3 groups. The 3rd Group Start their Marathon from today and this fun goes on till 24th of this month.  My Theme for this season is 7 Days of Cakes. yeah, i have lot of bookmarked Cake recipes, some of them waiting in my draft for some days. So, Lets get our Oven Mitts ready and do some Baking!!!!!

This Recipe is from Anushruti's Divine Taste : Date and Cashew Olive Oil Cake. The taste was awesome, with chopped dates and cashews popping here and there and the mild taste of Olive Oil. My Photo's aren't as awesome as the taste, Please bare with me!!!! 

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1 ½ cup Dark Brown sugar (Jaggery can also be used)
150 gm seedless dates, chopped
100 gm cashew nuts
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup milk 
2 tbsp molasses (Date Syrup can also be used)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Method:

Grease a loaf pan/Round (8")Cake pan with butter/oil. I baked as a Loaf in my 26cm Pyrex Loaf Pan.Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda, in a Large Mixing Bowl.In another bowl add the yoghurt, oil,Brown sugar,molases and milk and beat with a wire whisk or a spoon. 

Mix in the sifted flour mixture and beat with a spoon or a wire whisk until there are no lumps.Stir in the dates, cashews, cinnamon powder and vanilla and mix well.Transfer the contents to the greased and lined tin and bake in a preheated oven at 150 degree centigrade for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

Check out my Blogging Marathoners doing Group 3 BM#4 along with me
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha, Suma 
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e) 
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh 
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani 
Seven Days of Cakes:  Me
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali 
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

Pyaaz Makki Ki Roti

Srivalli has been organising blogging marathon for some time. This is the fourth edition, where the marathoners are divided into 3 groups and I decided to join the third group and this is my first in running a marathon. I opted to run along since the duration was 7 days only. My attempt to post continuously on my own for a week has never been successful. So wanted to test the waters and when you have a group to motivate you, I'm sure I will cross the finishing line. I will be blogging recipes on the theme- Indian Bread. So for the next seven days you will see varieties of Indian breads here.

The first on the series is Makki ki roti with the addition of onions added to the dough.

You need

• Makki ki atta- 1.5 cups
• Medium sized onion - 1, grated
• Green chilly - 1 no
• Hot water - about 1 cup
• Salt -1/2 tspn
• Wheat flour/atta for dabbing

  

You need

Mix all the ingredients except water, in a bowl.  Add hot water in parts to the flour mixture. Mix with a spatula. When the dough is warm to handle with your hand, knead it to a smooth dough. Add more water if required. The dough should be smooth and soft.

  

I used wheat flour to dab the rotis while rolling. Pinch a lemon sized dough.  Oil the rolling board or use a zip lock cover to roll the rotis. Pat the rotis using your fingers. Optionally can give a gentle roll with the rolling pin towards the end, for making it even.

Heat a cast iron tawa. Smear the tawa with little oil. When the tawa is moderately hot, place a roti.  When one side is cooked. Drizzle oil along the sides, flip and cook other side too. Serve hot. Usually its served along side with Sarson ka saag. I have served with fresh beans in palak gravy. Shall blog that recipe later.

Check out my Blogging Marathoners doing Group 3 BM#4 along with me

Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha, Suma
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)

Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

Kumbakonam Kadappa - A Flavoursome Vegetable And Lentil Dish

KUMBAKONAM  KADAPPA

The temple towns of Tamil Nadu especially in Tanjore District, are famous for their exotic dishes with their queer names. Kumbakonam Kadappa is one such dish conjured up with vegetables, lentils and super flavoursome spices. As you travel through the busy lanes of the town the aroma from the small and big eating hubs tickles your taste buds and activates the digestive juices. The fire is satiated only when doused with the awesome kadappa served with idlies and dosas !

INGREDIENTS

Green gram dal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Potato - 1 big
Carrots - 2 ( chopped )
String beans - a handful ( chopped )
Tomato - 1 big ( Chopped )
Onion - 1 ( sliced )
Green chilly - 2 ( Cut into big pieces )
Fresh ginger - 1'' piece ( Finely chopped )
Curry leaves - a few
Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
Chopped fresh coriander leaves - for garnishing
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cooking oil - 2 tbsps
salt - 1 1/2 tsps

INGREDIENTS FOR GRINDING

Fresh coconut gratings - 2 tbsps
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
Cardamoms - 3
Cinnamon - 1'' stick
Cloves - 6
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp ( I use my home made sambar powder )

METHOD

1. Pressure cook green gram dal adding turmeric powder .
2. Pressure cook potato along with the dal in a different separator.
3. Cook chopped carrots and chopped beans separately to avoid them becoming mushy.
4. Grind all the INGREDIENTS FOR GRINDING adding little water into a slightly coarse paste.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
6. Add sliced onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.
7. Saute till onions become transparent .
8. Stir in the ground paste and cook for 2 minutes.


                                      


9. Add chopped tomatoes and cooked carrots and beans.
10. Add peeled and crumbled potatoes and stir well.


                                      


11. Add the pressure cooked mushy dal and salt.
12 . Simmer for a few more minutes till you get a pleasant aroma.


                                        

13. Garnish with roasted cashewnuts and fresh coriander leaves.


                                       


Enjoy the mouthwatering flavoursome Kumbakonam Kadappa with idlies or dosas. We relished it with pudina paratas. The aroma of the dish filled the entire house though I had omitted garlic and fennel seeds, since my family did not prefer a strong flavour.

Sending this to Breakfast Mela on Srivalli's Blog!