Easy Eggless Chocolate Cake

Quite a few readers have written in asking me for a simple chocolate cake recipe (which is already there on my blog) but eggless! Some people don't eat eggs and others don't like the eggy smell in baked goods. So whatever be your reason, this is the perfect recipe for you. Not too tough to remember the ingredients either, once you've tried it a couple of times. All ingredients used in this cake are everyday baking ingredients easily found in your kitchen. So the next time your kid (or friend) says "I want a chocolate cake" - you don't have to look around in despair. So here's my sweet treat for you to end the year on a sweet note.

While this is a basic chocolate cake, there are several ways to dress it up. Cut it half and spread whipped cream between the two layers. Top with more whipped cream and scatter strawberries, for a sensational cake for special occasions. Or for that matter any seasonal fruit. You could pour a simple chocolate ganache over the top and then sprinkle the top with coloured sprinkles if you're baking this for a kid's birthday. As it is, it makes the perfect cake with tea or coffee. You can also use this recipe to make eggless chocolate cupcakes and then cover with icing of your choice.

Easy Eggless Chocolate Cake
Makes around 15 servings


Ingredients
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder (Cadbury's is fine. Don't use Drinking Chocolate though)
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup yogurt (dahi/curds-not too sour)
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp malt vinegar or regular vinegar

Directions
Ensure that all ingredients are at room temperature.
Butter and flour a 9" round baking tin or a loaf tin + 2-3 other smaller tins.
Preheat the oven at 180°C.
Over a large paper, sieve the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, instant coffee and salt until combined and airy.
In a large bowl, combined the melted butter and sugar by mixing together with a spatula. Whisk in the yogurt well. To this, add the flour in 3 batches, mixing well after each addition along with some of the milk to aid in mixing. At the end of this all the flour and milk should be incorporated into the batter.
Add vanilla extract and 1 tsp vinegar and give it a final mix with the spatula. Using the spatula scrape out the batter into the loaf tin plus two other smaller tins. The loaf will bake for 35-40 mins (until tester comes out clean) - reduce baking time for smaller cakes.
Remove on a cooling rack and after 5-10 minutes, unmould cakes and let them cool further before slicing or decorating.

2013 - The Year that was. A recap.

Over a slice of rum-soaked fruitcake and steaming hot chai, I realise that 2013 was a reasonably productive year for me. But memory fails me the details and I don't have a 'dear diary' to fall back on, so this is an attempt to capture all that I remember.

The year started with a surprise birthday party thrown well a week ahead of my birthday. I guess this was my first surprise birthday party ever and it was such a fun thing to happen. I often gloat over my very keen and sharp sixth sense and what not, but yes, this one took me completely by surprise.

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know how big a fan I've been of Masterchef Australia (well, who isn't?!). When I got to know Kate Bracks (the winner of season 3) was going to be in Bangalore, and I would get to meet her one on one, I was obviously over the moon. In fact, the interview with her that I wrote for Mint and later published on my blog is the most popular post of 2013. 

Check out the top 5 posts on Saffron Trail at the end of the post

2013 was the year of two big family weddings. My cousin got married in March in Mysore. At her wedding, the husband got friendly with the head caterer who would make sure we were the first to taste any food that came out of the kitchen. A few meals, tiffins, ghee dripping sweets later, I was starting to regret the friendship with the caterer. Everything was so good, that I'm pretty darn sure I put on a few kilos in those 3 days. And that wasn't a very good thing to happen, because I had to fit into the blouses and look good in the pics of my sister's wedding in May. Chennai wedding and peak summer, one might think our appetites wouldn't want to be awakened. But we were proven wrong once again. The caterers prepared some of the most delectable traditional tambrahm food. As a result I had to get back to the gym with a vengeance to atone for the multiple banana leaf meals and tiffins that were consumed over these couple of days.

September onwards, Saturdays turned extremely busy as I started Saffron Trail Kitchen. My fond dream of teaching healthy cooking and baking finally grew wings and took off in Aug/Sep this year. All thanks to my neighbour and friend, who pushed me to take a couple of classes for a bunch of neighbours and herself, before she left for the US. It made me realise how much I enjoyed this and the kind of satisfaction and high it gave me after a class, not to mention bone aching tiredness was quite something. But the former always made up for the latter. As someone who is not used to talking so much, I'm still learning how to talk for 3-4 hours at a stretch while cooking / directing/baking simultaneously. I even picked the courage to conduct classes at two unfamiliar locations - one in Chennai at Ashvita Bistro and the other at a friend's place. So much of a learning experience this was! I've conducted 13 workshops in a span of 4 months and that makes me proud. This has set the tone for 2014 where I'll be doing a lot more culinary training and workshops.

In November, we started shooting for my Youtube channel that you'll see launching in 2014. This is for all of you, my readers and those who'd love to see me cook and learn from me, but cannot attend my workshops. From simple to (a little) complex, healthy to decadent, traditional Tambrahm to modern, I hope to cover a little bit of everything. I wish to have your support and encouragement in this venture. Of course I am nervous about putting myself in video, out there in the public domain, but I have a great team behind me who are keeping my confidence levels propped up higher than they would be left alone to myself.

It is a delight to close the year on a high, hoping that the same go-get-them spirit will continue into the new year and December pulled out all the stops for me. I conducted an off site Zesty Salads class, an Xmas special baking class and then on a whim (again prodded by a dear friend-gosh, this is getting repetitive), I took part in the Godrej Nature's Basket 'Celebrate Australia' contest and ended up being the winner from Bangalore. The prize is a trip to Australia - which includes a meal at one of my favourite Masterchef Australia people - Gary Mehigan. I haven't heard back on the details about this win, but fingers crossed I will be starting 2014 with a trip to the gorgeous AUSTRALIAAAA! 

December also had me shooting with a wonderfully talented and yet equally humble chef, Vikas Khanna for a food channel and series, that I shall announce shortly. I went into this hardly knowing much about him and coming back awed by his gentle personality and knowledge. Although, last year, I did a couple of episodes for Twist of Taste (Fox Traveller) with Chef Vineet Bhatia and a street food walk with Saransh Goila (Food Food), this studio, lights, action routine and actually cooking on the show with Chef Vikas Khanna was a memorable experience.

2014 - this year I pray sees me getting down to working on my first cookbook in earnest, something I have been dreaming, writing and again putting on the back burner for over 6 years. I'm praying that I just pick up this project and run with it and that publishers will do the same. While that happens, I have my youtube channel to look forward to. I've hardly traveled anywhere in 2013, so I hope the coming year rectifies that. I also look forward to nurturing my culinary workshops further in 2014. Meeting more inspiring chefs, doing pop-up cafes, having my own cooking show, there are a plenty of food dreams to pursue and I hope I have a fair bit to write about when 2014 ends.

I leave you with my most popular posts of 2013:

1. My interview with Kate Bracks
2. Recipe for basic whole wheat bread
3. Recipe for foxtail millet salad
4. Recipe for easy chocolate cake
5. Recipe for Mango Moar Kozhambu

{Eating out in Bangalore} Xmas lunch and dinner at Novotel, Bangalore

{this is a review / sharing of the Xmas brunch I was invited to at Novotel, Bangalore}
The chocolate Santa made using 50kg of dark chocolate was there to welcome us into the cafe. I liked the fact that this was a brown skinned Santa looking more like an Indian rishi than St. Nicholas :)

The lunch started with a glass of mulled wine, with cinnamon, citrus zest and other spices, hit the right notes.

The amuse-bouche was a round of smoked goat's cheese with a beet crisp and balsamic glaze. This was my favourite dish of the lunch session.

I do love pumpkin soup, but this one was made extra special by the addition of truffle oil. This soup is the perfect antidote for cold Bangalore days. Roasting the pumpkins does bring an additional dimension to the taste of this soup. The dark rye bread served in the bread platter made a delightful addition to dip into this hot soup.

I'm a salad-loving girl and everything about this salad hit the right notes - the blue cheese, the fresh lettuce and the poached pears on the side, except for the green beans which were somewhat stringy. 

  

A pineapple and black pepper sorbet was served in between courses as a palate cleanser. The portion size is just right without being over filling.

I went with the vegetarian main course of Mille feuille of crisp potato, cottage cheese & vegetables with herb cream sauce, which was indeed as good to taste as it was to look. There is a turkey option and a fillet mignon option, do check the complete menu link given at the end of the post.

The dessert was served on a two tiered platter and it was quite a spread -Slice of Christmas cake, gently warmed stollen, mince pie, plum pudding with brandy sauce & a scoop of vanilla bean gelato. My favourite here was the vanilla bean gelato and the plum pudding.

The brunch ends with a selection of cookies and your choice of tea / coffee. 

This is a good spread, with vegetarian options specially taken care of. Given that it's INR 999+taxes, I'd say it's reasonably VFM.

Complete details of the menu uploaded here 

Special Christmas 4 Course menu

To be served  for Lunch & Dinner on 25th Dec at The Square, Novotel, Price: Rs 999 + taxes (includes one glass of Mulled Wine

Ibis & Novotel Bengaluru Techpark, Opposite RMZ Ecospace Business Park, Marthahalli - Sarjapur Outer Ring Road, Bengaluru – 560103, Karnataka, India, 

Tel.: +91 (80) 66700600 - Mobile: +91 9538897341

The secrets to a super healthy pav bhaji

Pav Bhaji Galli - A glimpse

There's a whole street in the suburb where my parents live that's nicknamed 'pav bhaji galli'. Come evening and the street iron chefs pull out the huge iron tava (which i'm sure weighs a ton) loaded with mixed mashed vegetables around its circumference. There are packets of freshly baked bread (pao / pav) and of course several stacks of butter on the side. When customers start pouring in, they move a small quantity of the veggie pile to the center of the tava, add some spicy masala paste, some butter, bring this to a simmer and then load it on a plate. The square chunks of bread (pav) are sliced in half, smothered with butter and lightly toasted on the same tava until the butter has seeped into every bit of the spongy bread and served with the hot bhaji. A handful of finely chopped onions, a quick squeeze of lemon and a final garnish of coriander and this is possibly the most mouthwatering Mumbai street food there is. 

While it's perfectly okay to indulge in this street version of pav bhaji once in a while, let me tell you my secrets for making this healthier at home. The problem with this dish is that it's loaded with carbs and there's hardly any protein. There's too much potato in the mash plus it is served with white bread that's soaked in butter, the last bit of course can be easily remedied by using only as much butter as your conscience permits :)

It's winter now and the red carrots, cauliflower and fresh green peas have flooded the markets. Use them along with potatoes and not just potatoes as the main part of the mash, so you get a mix of seasonal vegetables. I like to use a beet as well for a brilliant red colour. The freshly prepared chili garlic paste adds a ton of flavour and contributes to the bright red colour too. In the mash, I use a healthy dose of mashed rehydrated soy chunks that adds considerable protein to the dish without altering the taste. Serve it with multigrain rolls or bread and you've cut out most of the refined flour as well. Here's my recipe, which if you try once, you'll realise comes very close to the street food version, despite being an extremely healthy dish.

Recipe for Healthy Pav Bhaji
Serves 6

Equipment required:
Stainless Steel masher 


Ingredients
70 g soya chunks (or roughly 1.5 cups)
8-12 dried red chillies (depending on how spicy the chilli is-I use a mix of Kashmiri & Bedgi))
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
½ cup hot water
4 medium potatoes
200 g cauliflower florets
400 ml tomato puree
1 medium beetroot
½ cup frozen or fresh peas, boiled and kept aside
2 tbsp oil
2 medium sized green capsicum, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp pav bhaji masala
2 tsp salt or to taste
Handful of chopped fresh coriander
Finely chopped onions, lemon wedges, pav or whole wheat bread to serve 

Directions

1. In a bowl, place the dried red chillies and garlic-cover with ½ cup hot water and keep aside for 15 minutes. Once the chillies have rehydrated, grind them with the garlic to a fine paste, using some water. Keep aside.
2. Bring 4 cups water to boil with 1 tsp salt and the soy chunks. When the water is boiling, lower the flame and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the soya chunks are cooked.  
3. Drain the water using a sieve, and press out all the extra water from the chunks using the back of a cup. Grind coarsely (use the pulse function so that you don't make it into a fine paste) and keep aside.
4. Peel and roughly chop the beet, potatoes. Wash and clean the cauliflower florets. Place them all together in a small pressure cooker with ½ tsp salt, 1 cup water and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Open when cool enough and mash with steel masher until you get a coarse puree. Keep aside.
5. In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the finely chopped onion and capsicum and sauté on medium flame for 7-8 mins until the onion are soft. Add the chilli-garlic paste, pav bhaji masala and sauté for 3-4 mins on low flame. Add the coarsely ground soya chunks, sauté until the seasonings are absorbed by this. Then add the mashed cooked vegetables, tomato puree, salt and bring to a simmer.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander- serve with toasted pav, with a sprinkling of finely chopped onions and a lemon wedge. Since we have made this so much healthier, you can go ahead and add a sprinkling of grated cheese to the bhaji before tucking in.

If you prefer this to be a smooth puree, then run all the mashed veggies and soya mash in a blender until smooth and then use in recipe. My recipe gives you a chunky bhaji. If you find that it's too dry, you can thin it down with some water and bring it to a simmer.
This bhaji can also be used to add a twist to a Masala Dosa by smearing the bhaji inside of a dosa and folding it over.

This dish is a perfect crowd pleaser, you can easily double the quantities and prepare this for a large party along with some other mumbai chaats like bhel puri, pani puri, added to the menu. 

Easy Strawberry-Blueberry Tea Cake

Yesterday, I had the 3rd edition of my bread baking workshop - Breaking Bread. We made a rocket-basil-yellow cherry tomato pizza from scratch. Fluffy golden Mumbai pav was served with bhaaji. The cinnamon rolls we made today were turned extra special by adding raisins and orange zest soaked in brandy to the cinnamon-sugar mix. To add to the party we also made a little pull apart loaf using the left over dough spread with chocolate paste- which came out all ooey, gooey and chocolatey and made all the ladies go OOOOH The last one in the bread party was a braided bread dressed with sesame seeds.

Facebook Album: Photos from Breaking Bread -2 

 The best part of the afternoon for me was one of the participants telling me that the pizza was as good as the Toscano pizza and I'm a big fan of Toscano, they serve the best pizza in Whitefield. Photos of Breaking Bread-3 After 4 hours of talking, kneading, baking and walking to and from the oven - I'm invariably wrung-out tired and want to retire into a cave and snooze the whole of Sunday. But rarely does that happen.

Today, I ended up waking earlier than usual. Early coffee, early breakfast, early lunch and suddenly the day loomed in front of me as though telling me 'do something useful now'. After 3 rounds of doing dishes, cleaning up the kitchen, crazy people like me add another chore to the routine like baking, messing up 3 bowls and adding to the washing up. But fact is, baking rarely feels like a chore. Strawberries are in season. And have I told you, I've found the perfect brand of frozen blueberries (see resource section in the end). And since the cake is mostly sweetened using organic powdered jaggery, I don't feel too guilty about my son coming to the kitchen for multiple servings as a Sunday treat.Try this while the strawberries are in season. If you don't find blueberries, use any other mushy fruit like figs, which are also very much in season. It makes the perfect little bite along with tea or coffee. Simple, rustic and  beautiful. 

And hello! December workshops at Saffron Trail Kitchen are going to be dedicated to a round of Xmas goodies, except for a Salad workshop for a bunch of salad-loving girls. Stay updated by following Saffron Trail on Facebook.

Recipe for Strawberry-Blueberry Tea Cake
Makes 8-10 servings


Ingredients
1/2 cup maida
1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp cooking oil (neutral tasting like sunflower oil)
1/2 cup powdered jaggery
1/4 cup sugar
2 drops orange oil extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp milk
1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Icing sugar to dust over the top (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven at 180°C. Line a 9X7" baking sheet (to make a sheet cake) or a 6" round tin with baking paper or grease well and keep aside.
Into a large bowl, sieve the dry ingredients. Keep aside.
In another bowl, whisk the egg, yogurt, oil, powdered jaggery and sugar for 3-4 minutes till well combined and frothy.
To this, slowly add the dry ingredients and combine with a whisk or fork. Add 3-4 tbsp of milk as it will be quite thick at this stage and whisk into the batter. Into this mix in gently the chopped strawberries and frozen blueberries.
Scrape out the batter into the lined baking tin. 
Bake for 20 mins in case of 9X7 tin or for 30 mins in case of 6" round tin, in both cases, testing with a skewer if it comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes after which you can cut as desired and serve hot with a dusting of icing sugar using a small sieve.
Refrigerate the leftovers - they make excellent reasonably healthy treats for kids' lunchboxes.

Shopping guide:
Organic powdered jaggery: Namdhari's
Frozen blueberries: Delissh brand from Auchan (formerly Spar)