Easy Eggless Mawa Suji Cake

I discovered Mawa Cake after moving to Mumbai. Once you eat Mawa Cake, you will realize you never had anything like this before. Soft, crumbly and aromatic, a Mawa cake is the perfect accompaniment for teatime. While initially I pampered myself to the Mawa Cake from the local Bangalore Iyenger Bakery nearby, once I discovered this recipe on Gayathri's blog, I decided to give it a try albeit tweaking the measurements a bit. The cake came out great and was happily finished the same day by my family.

This is how I made Eggless Mawa Suji Cake

Ingredients

Fine Rawa - 2 Cups

Mawa - 3/4 Cup

Curd - 1/4 Cup

Milk - 1/3 Cup or to taste

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Cardamom Powder - 1.5 tsp

Butter - 1/2 Cup

Powdered Sugar - 1 Cup, or to taste

Chopped Nuts - 1/3 Cup

Method 

1. Cream melted butter and sugar until light and frothy.

2. Add the mawa and mix well. 

3. Add curd and cardamom powder and mix well.

3. Add the Rawa and baking powder and mix well. The mixture should neither be too tight nor runny. Slightly dense is how I would describe it.

5. Transfer to a baked cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees for about 45-50 minutes.

I cannot describe the heavenly aroma in my kitchen when the Cake came out of the oven. The cake was yummy and soft.

60 seconds of sisterhood

At the busy BKC-CST Road signal, when I was sulking over how each day traffic multiplies
I caught gazing at me from the adjacent Auto, a pair of eyes.

This was no eveteaser, the gaze didn't have an uncomfortable feel,
This was a pair of beautiful Kohled eyes, gazing at me from behind a veil.

Perhaps my blue sleeveless blouse and green saree caught her attention,
The narrowing corners of her eyes hinted at a complimenting smile and I smiled in reciprocation.

A mixed bag of emotions behind those eyes could be seen.
Sadly, the sisterhood lasted 60 seconds and the signal went green.

Just then, her gaze signalled me to look down,
The sight would have surely made her mother frown!

She pulled up her Burqa for a moment & I spotted chic red pencil heels,
But the trendy pair of jeans covering her calfs was the real fashion steal!

My curious look turned into a look of awe at once.
I smiled at her, signalling "Ja Simran, Jee le Apni Zindagi" coz you only live once!

(Inspired by a true incident)

Easy Eggless Bournvita Cake

Mr. Hubby has a habit of picking up stuff on impulse which, if he doesn't like is left to my mercy to be either thrown out or remixed. Few months ago, while shopping at D Mart, he picked up two packets of Amul Pro (Amul's counterpart of Bournvita. I will refer to it as Bournvita still as people are more familiar with that brand). As expected, the Bournvita fever lasted for few days and one day he said "I realise this has too much sugar and calories. I would rather have plain milk." While a part of me was happy for his health consciousness, the other part went in the thinking mode. Now what to do with a packet and half of Bournvita left with me? I am not fond of it in my milk either. 

The baker in me then put on her thinking cap and came to the leftover Bournvita's rescue and prepared a cake!

Ironically, Mr. Hubby called the next afternoon from office, telling me that the cake was a hit with his friends and you had to see his face in the evening when I told him about the Bournvita secret! 

So, presenting my version of easy, eggless and healthy Bournvita cake!

Ingredients

Whole Wheat flour/atta - 1 1/2 Cup

Bournvita/Amul Pro - 7 heaped tablespoons

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp

Melted Butter (i used salted) - 1/2 Cup

Condensed Milk - 1/2 Cup

Jaggery Powder - 3/4 Cup or to taste

Bananas - 3 no. overripe, mashed

Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Lukewarm milk - 1/4 cup or as required

Chopped Walnuts - 1/2 Cup

Method - 

1. Blend together the bananas, Bournvita and Jaggery Powder into a smooth puree.

2. In a mixing bowl, take the melted butter. Add the condensed milk, vanilla essence and mix well.

3. Add the banana-Bournvita-Jaggery Powder mix and mix well to form a uniform mixture. Wet mixture is ready.

4. Grease and dust the cake tin. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

5. Sieve together the wheat flour, baking soda and baking powder.

6. Add in the cinnamon powder and mix well. Dry mixture are ready.

7. Add the dry mixture (step 6) to the wet mixture (step 3) and gently fold in using cut and fold method till the mixture achieves a batter consistency. You may add in lukewarm milk only if the batter feels very stiff. I didn't require.

8. Add the chopped walnuts and fold into the batter.

9. Transfer the batter to the greased cake tin. Level the batter and tap the tin slightly to evenly spread the batter across and remove any air. Bake at 180 degree Celcius for about 45 minutes.

10. Cool on a wire rack.

11. Once cool, cut and enjoy!

The cake lasts for 5-6 days if stored in refrigerator. But it turns out so yummy that I assure you it won't last beyond two days!

Instant Vegetable Rawa Idli

There are days when you want to eat something good and healthy, sitting in the comfort of your house, but feeling too lazy too prepare something elaborate. Then, what to do? Of course, you may say order food or prepare something ready to eat. But, as my awareness about food quality is increasing, I am increasingly getting skeptical about eating outside, unless it is a trusted outlet. So, I still prefer to cook rather than eating out.

Come change in season and viral fever comes knocking on the door, especially if you have children in the family. Few days back MIL & I wanted to eat something light and different, but as the children were not well, we couldn't go for anything elaborate. 

So, prepared this yummy, instant veggie rawa idli n enjoyed with freshly prepared coconut chutney. Surprisingly my elder one too relished this as he too wanted some change in taste.

There are other such quick fix recipes on my blog too which save my day. 

Easy and Healthy Sattu Sandwich

Healthy Methi Mathris

Pahadi style urad dal khichdi

Easy instant dhokla

Wholewheat flour eggless pancakes

5 minute papad in gravy

Easy eggless Carrot Omelette for kids

Veggie Vermicelli

The lazy chef's quick Misal Pao

Ingredients (Makes approx 15 Idlis)

Thick Rawa/Sooji/Semolina - 1 Cup

Curd - 3/4 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp + for greasing the Idli mould

Onion - 1 small, chopped

Garlic - 3-4 pods, chopped

Carrot - 1 small, chopped

Chana Dal - 2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3 small chopped + 3-4 whole for garnishing

Curry Leaves - 5-6 no.

Ginger - 1 small piece, chopped

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Green Coriander - 1/2 Cup, chopped

Water - 1 Cup, or as required

Eno - 1 sachet

Brown Raisins - 2-3 per idli

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the asafoetida and mustard seeds.

2. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the chana dal.

3. Add the curry leaves and let them splutter.

4. Add turmeric powder and mix well.

5. Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, carrot and green chillies. Mix well. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.

6. Next add the rawa and mix well. Reduce the flame to low and bhuno/saute well till nice aroma starts coming as the rawa gets cooked.

7. Turn off the flame and cool the mixture.

8. Add the curd, salt and chopped coriander and mix well. You may adjust the consistency with water in case the mixture appears thick. It should be like a batter consistency.

9. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

10. Grease the idli moulds and add 2-3 raisins to each cavity. I also added whole green chillies to few cavities but it is completely optional.

11. Add the Eno sachet to the mix and fold gently. Immediately Transfer to the greased idli moulds and steam on high flame for about 15-20 minutes.

12. To check if the idlis are done, poke a knife in the idli. If the knife comes out clean, the idli is done.

13. Remove and serve hot with coconut chutney.

P.S. Since we had some extra batter which we couldn't keep for long as Eno was already added, my MIL used it to prepare yummy Dhokla by adding sweet water and tempering. You may refer to my Dhokla recipe for tempering details.