Apricot and Prunes make a delicious combination for this light and simple Tea cake .The slight tangy taste of the dried fruits compliments the sweetness of the cake. Prunes and Apricots add a chewy texture to the cake and help to keep the cake moist. We loved the nutty walnut flavour which also added crunch to the cake.

I found the recipe here. I have followed the recipe except that I did not use the ½ tsp salt as suggested. Also I used almost ½ cup of milk instead of ¾ as recommended in the recipe and my baking time was 5-6 minutes over the specified baking time of 55 minutes.

I call it a tea cake instead of the Coffee cake as the original recipe suggests since I am sending it all the way to Goa for the High Tea Treats hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.

Thank you Aparna and Meeta for hosting this event; Loved your choice of theme for the Monthly Mingle.

 Apricot Prune Tea Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dried prunes, pitted

3/4 cup dried apricots (or mangos, pears, apples, raisins or other dried fruits)

Boiling water

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sifted flour, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup brown sugar (I used Demerara Sugar)

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/4 pound (~1/2 Cup) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 tablespoons melted butter

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1. Cover prunes and apricots (or other dried fruit) with boiling water. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain and chop finely.

2. In small bowl, sift 2 cups flour with baking powder.

3. In another small bowl, combine brown sugar with remaining tablespoon flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

4. Cream butter until fluffy. Add 3/4 cup sugar, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until light.

5. At low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with milk and vanilla until just blended.

6. Fold in chopped fruit.

7. Pour a third of batter into greased 9-inch tube pan. Spread evenly and sprinkle with a third of brown sugar mixture. Drizzle with a third of melted butter.

8.Repeat for 2 additional layers.
9.Top with chopped Walnuts.

10.Bake in a preheated 180 degree celcius oven for 55 minutes (I took ~60 minutes) or until inserted tester comes out clean.

11.Cool on rack for 10 minutes.

12.Remove cake from pan and return to rack to cool thoroughly.

I already have request from the family to repeat the Apricot Prune Tea cake and that means it was really good! My little one loved it and the DH, with an eternal sweet tooth was asking for more! Maybe I can glaze it the next time or maybe even top it with a Chocolate sauce! Will let you know.

                                                                       Cheers!

Our local Chaatwala serves these yummy dry Masala puris without any sauce or chutney. A Pani puri of sorts without the pani (water) . These are great party starters or snacks; less time consuming and use very simple ingredients.

Masala Puri recipe: for 6 puris

1. 6 Pani puri-puris
2. 2 small boiled Potatoes mashed
3. 2 small Onions chopped
4. 2 small red Tomatoes chopped
5. Chaat masala
6. Red chilly powder

For the garnish (optional)

• Chopped coriander leaves
• Nylon Sev

Mix salt and chaat masala with the mashed potatoes as per your taste.

Make a small hole on one side in each puri.

Add a little potato mixture to each puri.

Top them with the chopped onion and tomatoes.

Sprinkle little Chaat masala and red chilly powder.

Garnish with coriander leaves and Nylon sev.

Note: You can also add Green Mung beans to the Potato mixture.

Masala Puris for Express Indian cooking at Mad tea party. Thank you Anita for hosting the event.

  “It’s probably illegal to make soups, stews and casseroles without plenty of onions.” -Maggie Waldron

 It’s hard to imagine my food without Onion and Garlic. The flavor of Onions and Garlic being sautéed in the ‘tadka’ is simply irresistible. Especially in the evenings nearing dinnertime, you go for a walk and you are sure to get this irresistible aroma from someone’s kitchen window. Both onions and Garlic add the required ‘zing’ to my food.

Here’s a simple starter from Tarla Dalal. Very quick and easy to make; yummy to taste-family opinion. Baby onions (I used Madras onions) and mushrooms sautéed in butter and seasoned with Tabasco sauce and Oregano (I used the oregano seasoning you get with Dominos pizzas). This can be served as a starter or as a side dish. I served it as a side dish with Tomato- Basil Pasta.

Onion Mushroom with Oregano recipe as adapted from Tarla Dalal

Here’s some more Allium magic for Click: August 2009 (Allium).

                                 Allium Magic

Thanks Jai and Bee for hosting Click.

Best Wishes to all my readers on the auspicious occassion of Ganesh Chaturthi .

Flower Fest is being revived by Manisha and now it is ‘Flower Fest by Colour’. This month’s Colour is Purple.

Last date for the purplicious Flower fest is August 25, 2009.

My Purplicious entries for Flower fest.

With swine flu still dominating the news it has become difficult to distinguish between the regular flu (Influenza) and Swine Flu.  Lot of preventive advice is being given to keep the H1N1 at bay, adding to the confusion.

Here, meanwhile flu like diseases are at its peak. Cold, cough, sore throat, fever…you name it and we have it!

One of the home remedy traditionally used for Cough, cold, sore throat, bodyache and other such infections is this age old Kadha; a Marathi word for ‘Herbal Tea’.

Now I enjoy it as a ‘Herbal Tea’

For the Kadha you need: 

• Tulsi (Basil) :8-10 leaves washed
• Fennel Seeds:1 tsp 
• Lemon Grass: 1 leaf (Use dried lemon grass if you don’t have fresh )
• Cloves: 3-4
• Soonth (dry ginger powder): 1 pinch

• Jeshthimadh (Licorice): 1 pinch

Add all these ingredients to water and boil till the water reduces to half its original quantity.

Filter (if required) and drink hot.

Note: Jeshthimadh is a natural sweetner so I haven’t added honey. Use honey if not using Jeshthimadh.

                        Thank you for visiting My FoodCourt ..Cheers

    Happy Independence Day

Some White Flowers from our garden for Peace and Prosperity

Sontaka

Common name: Sontaka, White Ginger, Garland Lily

 Botanical Name: Hedychium coronarium

Chandni

Common name: Chandni, Pinwheel Jasmine, Crepe Jasmine

 Botanical Name: Ervatamia coronaria

Sadafuli

Common name: Sadafuli, Vinca, Periwinkle,

 Botanical Name: Vinca Major

Jaswandi

Common name: Jaswandi, Hibiscus, Shoeflower 

 Botanical Name: Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis

                        Happy Independence Day

 A very simple way to use leftover Rotis and curries: This is a hit with my little one and he doesn’t even know he is eating beans, cauliflower, carrots!  

Left over Rotis are stuffed with vegetable mixed with soya sauce, tomato ketchup, sprinkled with cheese, drizzled with oil, toasted and cut into triangle like Quesadillas.

 The Idea for sealing the Roti edges comes from Nupur’s Aayis samosa. Thanks Nupur and your Aai for this brilliant idea.

Roti Quesadilla Recipe:

 Leftover Chapatis (you need them in pairs)

Butter as required

Grated Cheese

Chickpea Flour paste in water (for sealing the edges)

Oil

For the Filling:

Cooked mixed Vegetables of your choice (I have added carrots,   cabbage, capsicum, Green beans, onion and tomatoes)

Tomato Ketchup 2 tbsp

Soya Sauce 2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste-1tsp

•  Heat 1 tsp oil/butter in a pan.
• Add ginger garlic paste.
• Add the cooked mixed vegetables. Fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add salt if not already added, tomato ketchup , soya sauce and mix well. Keep Aside.
• Spread butter on one side of the Roti.
• Add the vegetable filling and spread, leaving ½ inch space from the sides.
• Sprinkle cheese.
• Apply the Chickpea flour paste on the edge of the Roti.
• Cover with another Roti (you can apply the Chickpea paste to the edges of the 2^nd Roti too)
• Press edges using a spoon or fork.
• Heat a flat pan and drizzle some oil.
• Cook the Rotis on both sides till golden brown.
• Cut quarters of the Roti-Quesadilla using a pizza cutter.
• Serve Hot.

   Thank you for visiting My FoodCourt ..Cheers

This is one of my favourite soups. Simple and Easy to make…Simply delicious.

I have used :