Banana - Wheat - Rava - Gulkand Cake

Banana - Wheat - Rava Gulkand Cake is the special cake prepared for my dear hubby's Birthday. We had planned for family lunch get-together.

The cake has come out very nicely with excellent flavour of home made healthy Gulkand, soft and fluffy. No egg is used here and it is very simple.
It is always a pleasure to prepare some special dish for people who are near to your heart.
I have used wheat flour ( Ashirvaad ), chiroti rava /thin variety of semolina, banana, gulkand which is done using organic jaggery, normally jaggery, curd, milk, cooking soda and baking powder.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Wheat flour : 1 1/2 Cup
Chiroti Rava / Thin variety of semolina : 1/2 Cup
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Well ripe banana : 1 ( Small  Elakki banana).
Baking soda : 1/4 Teaspoon ( Two pinches)
Baking powder : 1 Teaspoon
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Gulkand : 2 Teaspoons ( Optional)
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Sieve wheat flour, chiroti rava, salt,baking powder and cooking soda. ( 2 to 3 times.)

 2. Put curd, milk, butter and jaggery, banana to a mixi jar . Grind it nicely till it starts to get small bubbles. /Use egg beater and mix all the ingredients nicely.
3. Add two tablespoons of gulkand/any essence of your choice. Grind for another 2 minutes.

4. Remove from the mixi jar to a big bowl.

5. Add sieved wheat, rava, baking powder, salt and cooking soda.
6. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Move your hand on one direction while mixing the batter.

7. Heat the oven for 5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle some wheat flour in the baking tray.
9. Put ready cake mixture to the tray and tap the tray. Let the cake batter spread it equally.

10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes with 180 degree celsius.

11. Take out the cake and keep it on the oven for 5 minutes.

12. Cut and serve or decorate once it is cooled.

Note :

Egg is not used in this Banana - Wheat  - Rava - Gulkand Cake. Use of jaggery and the rest of the ingredients are healthy ingredients.  You can use sugar instead of jaggey. Use of curd has turned the cake very soft and fluffy. Use less cooking soda. I have topped dates and they look like as if they have burnt. No they haven't burnt. Brown and black baked dates taste awesome. I do not like topping the cake with sugar and butter. So I left it as it is. Instead of butter you can use ghee or normal cooking oil. But butter taste the best. Add only very little butter. It gives nice aroma and is healthy too. You can use egg beater or any other modern equipment to mix, instead of grinding. I like it because you will not have that energy. I have added some dates on the top. (Optional).
Time : 40 Minutes. ( All included , sieving, mixing, grinding and baking.
Serves : 8 to 10.
Some pictures of family gathering .  Birthday Boy Mr. Jayarama Somayaji and His family ..

COLOCASIA STEM CURRY .( ಕೆಸುವಿನ ದಂಟಿನ ಹುಳಿ ).

ಕೆಸುವಿನ ಎಲೆ / Colocasia leaves grow nicely during the rainy days. These leaves are used for Patrode, and chutney, dry curry or even spicy dosas, The stem of the leaf is also so good to use in cooking. We do prepare chutney, saasive  (Curry using mustard seeds) and curry. Here is one such curry which is very traditional and healthy to have at any time of the day.

I have used colocasia stems, some spices and coconut.
Let us see the benefits of Colocasia stems.
Colocasia stems are rich with numerous health benefits. It  can help, treat and prevent different types of diseases. It is good for reducing high blood pressure, controls blood sugar levels, protect the skin and good for digestion and improve the vision. It helps in preventing heart diseases, boost our immune system and strengthen our muscles and nerves.
They contain good amount of dietary fiber and good for constipation, excess gas and over all health of our body. These colocasia leaves are from our native Udupi. I used the leaves for patrode and these stems for curry. Colocasia leaves, stems are good to use during rainy season because they grow nicely with rainy water, they are fresh. They also helps to keep our body warm.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :These

To Cook :
Colocasia Stems : 1 Big bowl
Tamarind Pulp : 1 small bowl. (Big marble size tamarind).
Jaggery :  Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
To Fry  spices :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Red byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Jeera/cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A little
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
To grind :
Fried spices
Grated fresh coconut : 1 Small cup
To Add : 
Ground masala
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves
Mustard seeds seasoning

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of the stem (hard part around the stem).

2. Now cut the stem into small pieces.

3. Soak a big marble size of tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp.
4. Grate/ cut coconut and keep it aside.

5. Put pieces of colocasia stems in a pressure cooker, add tamarind pulp, required salt.
6. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and a tablespoon of jaggery. Cook all these for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat.
8. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil, methi seeds and fry till golden brown. Add urid dal and fry till it turns golden brown.

9. Add coriander seeds and fry for 20 seconds. Add byadagi chilli and fry little.
10. Put off the fire and add Jeera/cumin seeds, curry leaves and ingh. Let it cool.

11. Grind coconut and fried spices with required water. Remove from the mixi jar to a bowl.
12. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked colocasia stems. Let it boil. Add salt if required .
13. Add ground coconut and fried spices mixture. Mix it well and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

14. Shift Colocasia Stem Curry to a serving dish.

15. Prepare mustard  seeds, ingh, curry leaves seasoning with coconut oil. Add this seasoning to a serving dish. Serve Colocasia Stem curry with the main dish.

Note : 

You should use right amount of tamarind while cooking stems or it may start itching the tongue while eating the curry. Adding more jaggery is optional. Adding any sambar /Rasam powder to the curry instead of fresh fried spices. Use of fresh fried spices adds to the taste.
Time : 25 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4.

Quick Mango Fruit Gojju

Mango season is here and its time to make maximum use of Mango Fruit. Mango fruit is known as King of fruits and as the name says it is the best fruit and many of us do like to have it again and again.

Mango fruits in our place/South Canara/Malenadu/ Karavali, people do have mango trees in most of  the houses and they do make use of the fruits in curries and other side dishes It is a fun eating mango dishes during rainy season.
Here is such one recipe and we do call it as Mango Fruit Gojju.
In this Mango gojju We don't have to cook any thing except the seasoning. It is yummy. You can not stop eating this gojju with hot rice. ( Boiled rice/Red rice/raw rice).
I have used mango fruits, which are available here/Bengaluru, green chilly, salt, ingh.etc
I have not seen this variety of mango in our home town Udupi. The mango fruits available there is bit savoury with sweetness. The Sakkare Maavu what they call this particular mango fruit, taste so sweet and it is full of fiber. The pulp is so sweet and no need to add jaggery to it.(Optional).
The beauty of this Mango Fruit Gojju is no need to cook this gojju. 
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Mango Fruits : 5 to 6
Green chilly : 2
Ingh : A pinch
Salt : As required
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves.

Method :

1. Wash and clean the fruits and squeeze out its pulp completely. Add little water to its peel and squeeze out the pulp from it. Put it a bowl.
2. Wash and cut green chilly into small pieces and add it to Mango Pulp.
3. Add required salt .
4. Keep a small pan and put oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
5. Add ingh and curry leaves and put off the fire. Add this seasoning to Mango pulp.
6. Mix all the ingredients nicely and serve with hot plain rice or as one of the side dish with dosas, idli. chapati or roti.

Note : 

You can add little jaggery when the mango fruit is sour. ( Optional ). Use very little water to take out the pulp from mango peel. Adding more green chilly is optional.
10 Minutes
2 to 3 Serves.

Bottle Gorud-Banana Sweet Rava Rotti.

We are sweet people. (we do love to have some sweet taste in our food ). I am saying this here I am preparing Bottle Gourd Banana Rava Sweet Rotti. Is not that I am saying this for this purpose, we udupians /Karnataka's southern part, prepare food that is bit sweet. Whether it is a curry or solid food there are varieties of food that have sweet taste with them.

Adding jaggery to the curry or any edible is one of the healthy point to note. Spice adds acidity and jaggery helps to reduce the acidity. Such a wonderful quality that jaggery has. They are good for quenching thirst, adding iron content to our body, helping to reduce the acidity in the food.
We visited Cambodia last December and I got two small tins of Palm Jaggery on the way to the capital city of Cambodia Phnom Penn. Lots of Palm trees in that country and preparing Jaggery from Palm fruit in traditional way.
Let us see some benefits of using PALM JAGGERY in our diet.
Palm Jaggery is an excellent substitute for white sugar. It is healthy and natural sweetener. It is the most beneficial and nutrient rich variety of raw jaggery. It is prepared from palm tree extract and is loaded with minerals and vitamins. It is loaded with medicinal properties.
Palm Jaggery is rich in iron, increases hemoglobin level when you eat regularly. It is good for treating anemia. It is a rich source of magnesium and regulates the nervous system. It is rich source of antioxidant, calcium,potassium and phosphorus. It is good remedy for constipation and helps in easy digestion. It is a good energy booster.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Bananas : 2 ( Small size)
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Rava/Semolina : 2 Cups
Bottle gourd : 1 Bowl ( 1/2 of 1 bottle gourd medium size)
Palm Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : A little
Coconut : 1 Cup
Ondelaga leaves : 1 Handful ( Optional)
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash bottle gourd and peel off the outer layer. Grate it and keep it aside.

2. Peel off banana skin and smash banana in 1/2 cup of milk. Add palm jaggery and mix it well.

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash Ondelaga / Gotu kola leaves and cut it into thin pieces.
4. Take a big bowl and put, cut ondelaga leaves, rava/semolina, salt, grated bottle gourd, coconut and banana - jaggery mix.

5. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Add water if required and mix it nicely. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Keep a dosa pan on the fire and heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and spread it nicely around the pan.

7. Wet your hands with water and take a handful of rotti batter and spread it slowly on the hot tava. Let the flame be very low while you spreading the batter.

8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil on the top and cook on medium heat. ( You can use your spatula to spread the batter evenly, once you put oil on the top). cook for a minute.
9.Turn the other side and cook for another 2 minutes.

10. Now the bottle gourd - banana Rava sweet rotti is ready to serve.
11. Serve with your choice of side dish.  Add a teaspoon of ghee on the top and serve.

12. Repeat the same with remaining batter and prepare Sweet Rava rotti.

Note :

Use of Ondelaga leaves is purely optional. Use of palm jaggery is good for health. You can use normal jaggery instead. Use of milk and banana adds taste to rotti. Use of ghee instead of oil to cook rotti is optional. More / Less jaggery is optional. Use of bottle gourd is good for health. Use of medium rava is better. ( I used medium sized rava).
 Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .