EASY MARBLE CAKE (EGGLESS) AND HOW TO MAKE CAKE IN PRESSURE COOKER WITH STEP BY STEP PICTURES

When I went to supermarket yesterday for our weekend purchase, I saw an attractive packet pictured a beautiful cake named pressure  cooker cake mix. Then I wondered is there any particular cake recipe that to be made in pressure cooker???My answer is absolutely NO!!Before I get my electric oven I used to make different kinds of cakes in cooker. I could not find any taste or texture difference .When I googled about pressure cooker baking,I could see many posts about this using sand and some  using crystal salt to maintain or to control the heat inside the cooker.You don’t need any of these stuffs for making a humble cake. You just require 3 things, a pressure cooker WITHOUT RUBBER GASKETAND WEIGHT ,a cooker separator and a cake tin that fits well inside the cooker.iam promising you that your cooker will not explode or damage in any way(before that instructions should be read thoroughly). You don’t have to follow any particular recipe for making cakes in cooker.Any type of cakes can be made in cooker .But if you are novice in baking start with an easy recipe. This post is for all who desperately want to bake a cake without using oven.

Coming to the cake recipe..This is a fool proof recipe. I have made this cake number of times and every time it was a hit. This is a super easy and a delicious cake..

Ingredients

1.      All purpose flour(maida)-3/4cup

2.      Curd-1/2 cup(room temperature)

3.      Oil-1/4cup(any flavorless oil like sunflower or canola)

4.      Sugar-1/2cup

5.      Baking powder-little less than ¾ tsp

6.      Baking soda-1/4 tsp

7.      Vanilla essence -1tsp

8.      Cocoa powder-2 n ½ tsp

9.      water-2tsp

Method of preparation

1.      Prepared a cake tin. For that, apply oil or butter along the sides and bottom of the tin. Sprinkle little flour all over. Invert the pan and tap to remove excess flour

2.      Take a bowl. Start by beating curd well.Add in baking powder and baking soda. Beat well. When the curd turns frothy add oil and essence and sugar. Beat well till sugar dissolves. Add flour in 2 batches and mix well without any lumps.

3.      Mix cocoa powder with water to form a paste. Add a ladle full of prepared batter in to this and mix well.this is the chocolate batter.

4.      Pour the white batter into the tin. Take a spoon full  ofchocolate batter and pour on the top of this. Using the tip of a pointed knife make some designs. Repeat this until both batter used up.

5.      Now take the cooker, keep the cooker separator. DO NOT POUR WATER OR OIL. The cake is going to cook under dry heat the same way  which is cooked up in oven. Close with the lid.         DO NOT PUT RUBBER GASKET AND WEIGHT. Keep in high flame for 2 minutes,then in medium flame for 5 minutes then reduce the flame to lower and cook for 40-45 minutes.Check in between by inserting a tooth pick or knife. Once it has cooked the knife comes out clean.

6.      When the cake is cooked, remove the cake tin from the cooker. Let it cool completely. Run a knife all along the edges the pan .Invert the pan on to plate and tap the bottom of the pan to get the cake out.Slice and serve

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preparing the cake tin

making the batter

making the chocolate batter

mixing and creating designs

keep the tin in  cooker and cooked until inserted knife comes out clean.Let the cake cooled,inverted  onto a plate ..Enjoy delicious Marble cake with your loved ones :)

VARUTHARACHA CHICKEN CURRY

This is one of Authentic Kerala curry.’VARUTHARACHATHU’ means nothing complicated ,anything cooked in roasted coconut gravy called varutharathu. Here also grated coconut are dry roasted with all other condiments  and spices ,then grinded to make  the base for the curry. It taste quite different from the usual chicken masala.This curry reflects the real taste of Kerala.

Ingredients

1.      Chicken-500gm,cut into medium sized pieces

2.      Onion-1big,thinly sliced

3.      Tomatoe-1 medium, cubed or sliced

4.      Grated coconut-1/2 of one

5.      Coriander powder-2tsp,heaped

6.      Kashmiri chilly powder-2tsp,levelled

7.      Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

8.      Whole black pepper-3/4 tblsp

9.      Ginger-1”piece,chopped

10.  Garlic-1 small bulb, chopped

11.  Salt

12.  Water-1 cup or more

13.  Coconut oil-2tblsp

For seasoning

Dry red chilly-2nos

Pearl onions-3 nos,thinly sliced

Curry leaves-a few

Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp

Coconut oil-1tblsp

Method of preparation

1.      Heat a pan preferably a non stick pan. Add grated coconut, chopped ginger and garlic.Stir this until coconut turns brown. Add in all powders and pepper stir again till coconut  -spice mix turns dark brown in color. Switch off the flame. Once this mix has cooled, grind it into smooth paste by adding required water

2.      In another pan heat coconut oil. Sauté onion till golden brown. Add tomatoes and cook until it turns mushy. Add grinded coconut mix, water and salt into this. Once the gravy boils, add chicken pieces in. Lower the flame. Cover the pan and cook till chicken has done and gravy thickens.

3.      Lastly do the seasoning-For that heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add pearl onions,curry leaves and dry red chillies.Stir for few seconds. Pour this over the prepared curry. Keep it closed for some time.

Enjoy this delicious curry with rice,rotis ,bread…it goes well with anything.

EGGLESS WHOLE WHEAT ORANGE CAKE

Craving for some yummy cake? Then try this guilt free delicious cake full of orange flavor.. 

Ingredients

1.      Whole wheat flour-1 cup

2.      Orange juice-1 cup (1/2 cup of  pure juice +1/2 cup of water)

3.      Orange zest-1tblsp

4.      Baking powder-1/2tsp

5.      Baking soda-1/2tsp

6.      Salt-a pinch

7.      Oil-1/2 cup

8.      Jaggery-1/2 or more cup,grated

9.      Corn flour-1tblsp

Method of preparation

1.      Prepare an 8” cake tin. Preheat the oven at 180◦ for 10 minutes.

2.      Take a bowl. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda salt and corn flour using a whisk or fork or swift all the dry ingredients together.

3.      In another bowl mix jiggery and oil till the jiggery melts. Add orange juice and zest, give a stir. Now add all the dry ingredients in and gently mix to combine all the ingredients without forming any lumps.

4.      Pour this into prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Notes: Remove the seeds before taking juice or your cake will taste bitter.If you want your cake to be really sweet increase the  jaggery quantity to ¾ cup.Jaggery can be substitutes with granulated sugar.

LOW FAT QUICK CHICKEN BIRIYANI

Making biriyani is a time consuming process for many (not for all).i know many ladies who cook biriyani faster than any other dish. This recipe is for those who lacks time and patience ( like me :)).This recipe uses very less  oil and can be done within 30 minutes. It tastes great too. Do try this and surprise your spouse and kids.

Ingredients

1.      Rice-1 cup(any long grain rice or jeera rice)

2.      Whole spices-4cardamom,4 cloves,1 cinnamon stick,1 bay leaf

3.      Carrot –half of one thinly sliced

4.      Pineapple-2tblsp,chopped

5.      Lemon juice-1tblsp

6.      Salt

7.      Chicken-150gm,cut into medium sized pieces.

8.      Onion-2nos,thinly sliced

9.      Ginger-1 inch piece, crushed

10.  Garlic-10 pods, crushed

11.  Green chilly-6nos,desseded and crushed

12.  Mint leaves and corinder leaves-a hand full of each, crushed

13.  Biriyani masala-1 tblsp,1 tblsp

14.  Turmeric powder-1/2tsp

15.  Salt

16.  Curd-1/4 cup

17.  Water-1/2cup

18.  Tomato-1 no chopped

19.  Oil-2tbslp

20.  Rose water –a tsp

21.  A pinch of saffron dissolved in ¼ cup of milk(purely optional

22.  Chopped pineapple,chopped mint n coriander leaves -a few)

Method of preparation

1.      Cook rice by adding ingredients 2-6.When the rice has cooked to 3/4^th drain and keep it aside.

2.      Mix ingredients 8 -16.marinate chicken pieces well with this.Cook chicken by adding ½ cup of water.

3.      Mean time heat oil in another pan .add chopped tomatoes in and cook till it turns mushy. Add cooked chicken along with the masala into this. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes or till the gravy thicken and coated well with the pieces.

4.      Now the layering part-take thick bottomed vessel or a pressure cooker. Keep the chicken masala in. Add the cooked rice over the top. Add chopped leaves and pineapple. Sprinkle saffron milk and rose water. Cover the pot and cook on low flame for 15 minutes. Open the pot and serve hot with any raitha.

If you are in hurry just skip the layering part just mix everything gently.Since i was in hurry i  did mix everything and served :)