Saju's Tastes.......: Cakes

Showing posts with label Cakes. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Athishaya Pathiri with Beef / Malabar Lasagna (Celebrating 1 year of Blogging !!)

It's gonna be 1 year since Im blogging....Crossed 1 lakh views by now...Last Ramadan did I enter this wonderful world of blogging, when we Muslims do give a try to many new dishes...A lot has changed with this 1 year...If you see my earlier posts, you can see a gradual change in my pics (I suppose). At first, the major drawback of my blog was that my pics weren't really eye catching or pleasing enough..Even though the recipe was good, that didn't seem to have any use...I used to admire the photography skills of other bloggers..How do they do it??? [I still do admire many bloggers]...I have tried changing my photography methods, & I think i have succeeded to an extent..There is a lot more to explore...But Im loving the clicks & posting..Getting no time nowadays as my little one seems to be very naughty.....

I have SO enjoyed sharing recipes, conducting events & being connected to people from all over.... When I started this little blog, I never thought it would give me such pleasure... It's been amazing to have readers contact me with question and comments ...Getting response from our followers & readers was the other best thing in blogging....Got a new friends circle.....If someone prepares my dish & sends me the feedback, thats something which really highlightens my day....Thanks to all those who have supported me till now & hoping more in future too..Expecting new friends also....I love helping out beginners, as its lovely to see them expressing their happiness when they succeed in preparing something from my blog & all in their family were happy..

So lets come to our post...Athishaya Pathiri...'Athishayam' means wonder or surprise....This dish is actually baked pancakes with a non-veg filling that turns out to be a cake...May be thats the wonder here...Anyhow this 'surprise cake' is really mouth watering...I never thought of preparing this, as I had a bad feeling about it complications...But thanks to Rafeeda AR, owner of the page The Big Sweet Tooth, whose writings made me feel easy on this 'Athishaya Pathiri'...

I have reduced the amount of egg used, since I didnt want so much of eggs to go into my tummy...Seeing the number of eggs increased my heart ache...Also I should have used a more smaller saucepan...& thats the reason why my wonder cake turned a bit small & flattened, instead of towering..But there was no compromise for the taste..It was just awesome..

I used to make these pancakes, cooking both sides called as 'Paalada' , mostly at my house...Using thick coconut milk gives it a special taste..Its my favourite along with most spicy curries...& something really easy to prepare too...

Ususally athishaya pathiri is made with chicken i suppose, but i gave it a try with beef...This is a very traditional Malabar spicy delicacy which is a real tummy filler to have at Iftar ... Malabar food is so much an excitement for any cook...... I'm not hailing from Malabar, so if there is a mistake, kindly forgive...This is indeed a good recipe with a very impressive outcome !!

Ingredients (for masala)

1. Beef/Chicken - 250 gm

2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

3. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

4. Coriander powder -1/2 tbsp

5. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

6. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

7. Ginger - 1/2 tsp (grated/paste)

8. Garlic - 1/2 tsp (grated/paste)

9. Salt-1/2 tsp

10. Onion - 1 large (sliced)

11. Green chillies - 2 (chopped)

12. Coconut oil/Oil - 1 tsp

Ingredients (for pancakes)

13. All purpose flour (maida) - 1 cup
14. Egg - 1

15. Thick Coconut Milk / Milk - 1 cup

16. Water - Enough to make the batter loose.

17. Salt - 1/2 tsp

Ingredients (extra)

18. Ghee - 1 tbsp

19. Cashewnuts -6-7 (optional)

20 . Raisins/kismis - 5 (optional)

21. Eggs -4 (I used only 2 ..thats why my athishya pathiri is little small..)

22. Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation (of masala)

~Cook the cleaned beef in the pressure cooker along with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, pepper, ginger, garlic & salt (6-7 whistles...until cooked)

~ Once the pressure goes on its own, keep the chicken/ beef on high flame till the stocks dry up and coat on the meat.

~Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil and saute the onions and green chilies with a pinch of salt till well cooked.

~Grind little the cooked beef in a grinder.

~Add this grinded beef to the onion and mix well & cook for 1 min in medium flame.

~Keep the masala aside.

Preparation (of pancakes)

~Add eggs, coconut milk, maida, salt & blend well.

~To make the batter thin use sufficient water.

~Heat a fry pan and make the crepes/pancakes without using any oil.

~Ensure that the pancakes are really thin.

~Only cook one side, you do not need to flip over.

~The quantity mentioned gives around 10 pancakes.

~Keep them aside.

Preparation (of extras)

~In a small saucepan, heat the ghee & fry the cashews & then the raisins & keep aside. (optional)

~Heat up a saucepan (the one that you use for making your curries!) till dry.

~Pour this ghee in the saucepan and nicely brush all over the pan. We will use this pan for the layering.

~Beat the eggs along with the salt and pepper well with a spoon.

Preparation (of athishaya pathiri)

~Dip one pancake both the sides in the egg mix and place it in the saucepan.

~Sprinkle some beef masala on the top of the pancake.

~Do not stuff masala too much, sprinkle sparingly.

~(Else you can place the pancake in the saucepan & sprinkle beef masala & then pour little egg mix on top with a spoon as I did, to reduce the egg usage)

~Dip the next pancake into the egg and lay on the top, again sprinkle the beef masala.

~Keep repeating the process till the last pancake is layered on the top.
~Pour the remaining egg mixture on the top and ensure that the egg mixture onto the sides of the towered pancakes.

~This will ensure that the sides are locked.

~Keep the saucepan with the lid tightly closed on the lowest flame for around 15 minutes.
~Now slowly flip the pathiri onto a flat plate, and then flip it again on another plate and back into the saucepan for cooking the top portion properly. [care required]

~Keep for another 15 minutes.

~Ensure the flame is low so that the outers don't get burned.

~You can bake this as well for 15-20 mins.
~For serving, flip it onto a flat plate & sprinkle the roasted nuts & raisins & cut it just like a cake.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Savoury Semolina Cake (Eggless)

A perfect breakfast or a tea time snack...Really healthy with veggies without any frying or even eggs...Having semolina in a slightly different way rather than the traditional upma.....Good for diabetic patients, kids (can avoid the green chilly for them) & I suppose all...since we love having this as an evening snack along with a hot cup of tea..My baby too loves it..

I actually got the idea of baking such a healthy cake from a wonderful blog called Tickling Palates of Radhika Subramanian .... May be the photo that was captured in that blog was what caught my attention...Thanks to Radhika...

Thinking of a diet, this food would definitely suit you....It will keep your tummy filled for a longer time too...Give it a try & let me know...

Ingredients

1. Rava/ Semolina/ Sooji - 1 cup
2. Yoghurt - 1 cup
3. Carrot (grated) - 5 tbsp (1 carrot)
4. Green Peas - 1/4 cup
5. Beans - 5-6
6. Ginger (grated) - 1 tsp
7. Green chilly - 1 (slit into two & finely chopped)
8. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
9. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
10. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
12. White Sesame seeds (white ellu) - 1 tsp
13. Salt - 1 tsp
14. Vegetable/ Coconut oil - 3 to 4 tbsp

Preparation

~Chop beans & green chilly.

~In a large bowl mix rava & beaten yoghurt.

~Add chopped beans & green chilly, grated carrots & ginger, peas, chilly powder & combine well.
~The mix might be a bit hard. (Do not add water)

~Heat oil in a small pan & pop mustard & then cumin seeds.

~Add this mustard cumin tempering to the prepared rava mix & combine well, which will make the batter smooth.
~Try tasting a little bit & adjust salt & chilly powder according to your taste.
~Now add baking soda & mix well (add baking soda just before baking)

~Grease your baking pan & pour the batter into it.
~Can bake in a loaf tin or bundt pan.
~Bake for 30 mins. (can pressure cook too.)
~Unmould the cake & cool for 5 minutes.
~Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the cake.

Here you have a wonderful wholly packed tummy filling snack ....

Linking to : Soumya's FR - Eggless Baking - Sweet or Savory & Swathi's FR Event

Linking to : Kalyani's Healthy Me, Healthy Us

Linking to : Nupur's Whats with my Cuppa 2

Linking to : Sameena's Breakfast Recipes

Monday, April 22, 2013

Fresh Plums in a Cake !! (Plum Cake)

This is a quick and easy recipe for a cake which makes a good use of fresh fruits like plums/ grapes/ peaches/ apples/pineapples/mangoes or it can be made with canned fruit too..I have used plums here...I made the second time plums along with black grapes...It just melts in your mouth..So easy as there is no pureeing of the fruit...Just prepare the cake batter & press the cut fruits on top of it...The cake top is then garnished with cinnamon , sugar & butter which just lightens up the whole house with its aroma.....

This is not a plum cake...which we usually have at Christmas...Here we have plums infused a cake...which just soaks its juice through the soft & spongy cake....Yes !!! It meltss.........A Tasty Treat !!!

Ingredients

1.All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 cup
2.Baking powder - 2 tsp
3.Salt - 1/2 tsp
4.Sugar - 3/4 cup
5.Egg - 1
6.Oil - 1/4 cup
7.Milk - 1/2 cup

Ingredients (on cake top)

8.Plums - 2
9.Sugar-1 tsp
10.Cinnamon powder-1 tsp
11.Butter (melted) - 2 tbsp

Preparation

~Powder the sugar measured.
~Mix all the dry ingredients together (maida, baking powder, salt, sugar)
~Beat all the wet ingredients together in another bowl (egg, oil, milk)
~Now incorporate both well.
~Pour the cake into the greased cake pan. (Need not be a bundt pan..It would be better if you use a pan in which you can loosen the bottom)
~Powder the 1 tsp sugar & mix with cinnamon powder.
~Slice the plums & remove the seeds (Should be thick slices...5 pieces per plum)
~Now place the plums on top of the cake batter, pressing them a little bit with your fingers.