Eggless Chocolate Yogurt Cake

Last week of March, I had my neice and nephew here for a week's vacation. My 10 year old nephew had his list of things he wanted me to make during their stay. He is a great fan of Naan and Paneer Butter Masala that he can have it for all 3 meals and not get bored by it. Without him telling, I knew that top the list. As with all kids, he too is a chocoholic. I was thinking of  using the zebra cake recipe and make a chocolate cake. I was surprised when he asked me if I could bake using the recipe given on the Cadbury's cocoa tin. Though I have seen it, I have not bothered to try it. I told him I haven't tried it so I can't guarantee the result. He was confident of my baking skills and told I can't go wrong. Hearing his innocent reply, I could not say no and all credit goes to him that I baked my best chocolate cake so far. The recipe was eggless so I needn't make any changes. Few measurements were given in grams which I converted to cups with help of online converter.  The measurements may not be exact and that didnot affect the cake at all. Mava was also in the ingredient list and I didnot add it. May be the addition of mava would have resulted in a rich cake.

You need

Curd - 1 cup

Rawa/semolina- 1/4 cup (50 gm)

Cooking soda- 1/2 tspn

Butter - 1/2 cup (100 gm)

Powdered sugar - 1 2/3 cup (200 gm)

Mava - 50 gm (I didnot use it)

Maida - 1 2/3 cup (200 gm)

Baking powder - 1 teaspoon

Cocoa powder - 3 tablespoon

Milk - 1 cup


Method

Mix 1 cup curd with rawa and cooking soda. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Beat butter amd powdered sugar. Add soaked curd-rava mixture. Mix well. In a bowl, sift maida, baking powder and cocoa powder until well combined. Add the flour mix to wet mixture. Add 1 cup of milk. Mix gently. Take care not to overmix.

Pour the prepared batter into a greased and dusted tim. Bake at 180 C for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.


Fudge Icing

Butter - 1/2 cup
Icing sugar - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 3 tblspn
Milk - few drops

Mix all the ingredients till light and fluffy. Add few drops of milk to get a spreadable consistency. Spread it on the cake.

My niece wanted to add her bit to the cake. So sprinkled some powdered sugar on top of the icing and aranged some tutty fruity.

YELLOW PUMPKIN APPAM

பரங்கி அப்பம்
This is a tasty appam. I have learnt this from my mother’s cookery book. It is very easy to prepare!

Ingredients:
Raw rice- half cup
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Shredded yellow pumpkin-half cup
Shredded coconut- half cup
Cashew nuts-8
Powdered jagerry- half cup
Cardamom powder- half sp
Enough oil to fry


Procedure:


Soak the raw rice in enough water for an hour.
Heat a pan and pour the ghee.
Add the shredded pumpkin and fry it on a slow fire until it turns in to soft.
Let it cool down for a few minutes.
Grind these with the other ingredients.
1 or 2 tbsp of water is enough to grind them to a thick paste.
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Take a tbsp of the batter and pour it on the oil.
When one side is cooked in to golden brown colour, cook the other side.
Thus finish all the batter.
The delicious sweet pumpkin appam is ready!

Tomato Chutney

My Hubby dear needs 2/3 condiments with Idly/dosa, so this tomato chutney is a definite one, coz it is very easy to make and taste great.

Ingredients
4 large Tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 Onions, roughly chopped
3-4 nos green chillies
1 or 2 cloves garlic
ginger a small piece
curry leaves 2 springs
Salt to taste

Method
Grind  all the above ingredients well with little water. Heat Oil, splutter mustard seeds, add hing and add the grinded mixture. Add salt and let it cook in a low flame for 15 minutes. Once rawness escapes put it off the flame.

A great combo for South-Indian Breakfast Menu