Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Eggless Coconut Cake - Baking Eggless Challenge, February 2012

Finally, i got my post up today. Baking Eggless,  a New Group of Enthusiastic Bakers, Started by Gayathri, Where every month we take up a Egg-based Baking Recipe and try to convert it to an Eggless Bake. It is Adventurous, i say!!!! Coz, the first recipe of baking an Eggless Coconut Cake, turned out DISASTROUS!!!! yes, the whole cake turned bitter and My Weekend Morning Effort all gone to trash!!!! i was in the verge of crying, thanx to harini, she helped to find out the Villain (made by me) in my recipe. I have added way too much Baking powder for the amount of flour used!!! Lesson Learnt, the hard way!!!! :)
I gave it a break for 2 days and tried it again, this time using Milk and yoghurt. Voila!!!! Success!!!! Loved the end result, fluffy, flavorful Cake!!!! We enjoyed every bite of it!!!! lets hop on to recipe

Recipe Source : Versatile Kitchen
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 Cups All purpose flour 
1 tsp Baking Powder 
1/2 tsp Baking Soda 
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Unsweetened dessicated coconut
Little more than 3/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Yogurt
1/3 Cup Butter
1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder

Method
  •  Preheat the Oven to 160C. Line a Cake Pan with parchment
  • Sift Flour, Baking powder, Baking Soda, Salt, cinnamon together.
  • Add Sugar and Dessicated coconut to the flour mix.
  • Mix the Wet ingredients together.
  • Add Dry to Wet ingredients and Whisk together slowly.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared Cake tin.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a tooth-pick inserted comes out clean.
Sending this to Bake Fest, Happening @ Sizzling Tastebuds, Event by Vardhini of Zesty Palette and  also to Kids Delight - Eggless Bakes/Vegan Bakes. hosted b y Priya, Event by Srivalli

Note:
  • Baking Time differs from Oven to Oven.So Bake Accordingly.
  • i got tempted @ the end, so increased the temp to 170 for the last 10 minutes, may be that is why i got a bit crispy top. 

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Sewer Camera & Video Recording Capabilities

A plumbing video may not get Hollywood's attention. It can however help pinpoint trouble spots and visually confirm a problem in a pipe and /or plumbing system.

Klasinski Plumbing can use a digital camera that is "snaked" down a home or commercial buildings drain pipes and threaded into the sewer system allowing for the visualization of a problem (clog, failing pipe, etc.). This technology allows Klasinski Plumbing to quickly and efficiently diagnose any problems within the plumbing system. This procedure can save our customers time and money. Not to mention, maybe even finding that lost wedding ring down the kitchen sink!


Monday, March 05, 2012

Elaneer Payasam - Tender Coconut Cooler!

Elaneer Payasam
- A delightful mildly sweet tender coconut cooler!

A Facebook foodie friend’s ‘status’ yesterday was that she had made yummy Elaneer (Tender Coconut) Payasam. This is only the second or third time I’ve heard of this, although regular coconut based payasams are well known! She went on to tell me that Elaneer is suddenly the "in" ingredient, in India. Elaneer payasam is making it in wedding reception menus,  and she had in the past few months  tasted Elaneer souffle, Elaneer cheesecake and even Elaneer Halwa!!

Tender Coconut water or Elaneer!
For me Elaneer screams HOLIDAY TIME! In our school days, every trip between Bangalore and Mysore would never be complete without the mandatory stop near the road-side  Channapatna vendors. I remember Dad, Grandad and Uncles insisting with the vendor to ensure that we got the Elaneer’s with the maximum water, and most tender vazhukkai (tender coconut flesh).
Tender Coconut Flesh or Vazhukkai scraped with a 'coconut spoon'!
Elaneer’s are also the welcome drink in our native village Seeplaputhur. The size of the Elaneers in our village are very tiny, almost like an orange! However, the water is very very sweet, and the vazhukkai most delicate – although just a teaspoon per coconut! You can easily have 4 or 5 of these at one go!

Flash forward – Sydney supermarkets selling Fijian Elaneers with a colourful label promoting weightloss through this nature’s miracle drink!!! These don’t taste quite as great, but better than canned stuff anyday!!

My friend's post was timely last night, as I was left with some fresh home made coconut milk, after making some yummy Thai Green Curry for dinner, and I decided to make this quickie dish asap!
I now understand why it’s a party dish, and yet so simple to make.

Ingredients
Full Cream Milk – 2 cups
Thick Coconut milk  – ½ cup  (This post contains the method for extracting coconut milk)
Condensed Milk – 1.5 Tbsp
Elaneer with flesh – Puree in a mixer. It need not be smooth, as its nice to have some vazhukkai bits in the payasam
Optional Flavourings and Garnish
Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp
Saffron – few strands
Few raisins and cashews fried in ghee.
Elaneer Payasam, ready to be chilled!

Method1. Boil milk, until it has reduced to half the quantity.
2. Add in condensed milk (you can add more if you like it sweet, however this tastes best if its mildly sweet), cardamom and saffron.
3. Add coconut milk. Stir and simmer for few minutes.
4. Switch off the flame and allow mixture to cool
5. Mix in the Elaneer water and pulp mixture, and chill.
6. Serve chilled, garnished with fried raisins and cashews.

Note: The dish tastes great even without the optional flavours, as you simply get yummy Elaneer flavour.