Marble Loaf Cake

A marble cake is a cake with a streaked appearance like marble, prepared by swirling chocolate batter into vanilla batter. Every bite is so light, moist and oozing chocolate goodness, which goes perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. So go ahead and try this cake, you will not be disappointed. Thanks to Roxana for this wonderful recipe. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups All purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup Sugar

5 Eggs, separated

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 pinch Salt

3-4 tbsp Water

How to:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and keep aside.
• Separate the egg whites into stand mixer bowl and egg yolks into a small bowl.

• Sift the flour along with baking powder and keep aside.

• In a small bowl, add the cocoa powder and water, mix until smooth.

• Fit the stand mixer and beat the egg whites along with a pinch of salt at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

• Beat the egg yolks along with the canola oil and vanilla extract.
• Now gently fold the egg yolks mixture to the egg whites mixture.

• Once it is completely incorporated, add the flour mixture little at a time to the egg mixture making sure not to deflate the beaten egg whites.

• Then add the cocoa into the prepared batter and mix gently making swirls.

• Pour the swirled batter into the greased pan and bake for 45-50 mins.

• Cool the baked loaf cake completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

• Serve the slice drizzled with good old chocolate syrup. 

Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Hot Drumsticks Gravy)

After years of using frozen drumsticks, I laid my hands on fresh ones at the Indian store yesterday.  Immediately, i planned on cooking kara kuzhambu which i normally prepare with Indian eggplants (brinjal). It is a south indian dish served with cooked rice. This spicy and tangy kuzhambu is a variation from your usual sambar or rasam. So, go ahead and give this kuzhambu a try, i am sure you will love it. Here goes the recipe, 

Ingredients:

2 Drumsticks (14-16 pieces)

14-16 Red Pearl Onions

2 small Tomatoes

10-12 Garlic pods

6-8 Curry leaves

1 1/2 tbsp dried Tamarind

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp Sesame oil

Salt, to taste

 To grind:

2 tbsp shredded Coconut (frozen & thawed)

1 tbsp Sambar powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds

How to:

• Chop the drumsticks to 3" pieces and mince the tomatoes and onions.

• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and keep the juice aside.
• Grind the 'to grind' ingredients with 1/4 cup water and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a deep pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and turmeric powder.

• Add the onions, little salt and saute until it turns translucent.

• Then add the tomatoes and cook with lid closed for 4-5 mins.

• Now add the drumsticks, garlic and curry leaves, mix well and cook for a min.

• Pour 1 1/2 cups of water along with tamarind juice and cook with lid closed until the drumsticks cook.

• Add the ground coconut mixture and cook until desired consistency. 

• Check salt for taste and switch off.

• Serve hot with rice.