Eggless Blueberry Yogurt Cake ~ Day 150

A moist and fluffy yogurt cake loaded with antioxidant rich fresh blueberries.  This utterly delicious cake is super easy to whip up and makes a perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes to 1 hour

Yields: 1 loaf

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour - 2 cups plus 1 tsp
• Baking powder - 1 tbsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Sugar - 1 
• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Butter - 4 tbsp, room temperature
• Vegetable Oil - 1/4 cup
• Plain greek yogurt or low-fat plain yogurt - 1 cup
• Milk - 3/4 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Fresh blueberries - 1 cup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x12 loaf pan with butter and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cardamom powder, and salt.  Coat blueberries in 1 tsp of all-purpose flour and set aside.
3. In an another bowl, whisk the sugar, honey, butter, and oil until fluffy.  Add the vanilla extract.  Gradually add the yogurt and milk and mix well.  Stir in the cardamom powder
4. Gently fold in the flour mixture into the wet mixture.  Add the blueberries to the batter and mix well gently.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake come out clean.  
6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  Remove the cake and let it cool completely on wire rack.
7. Enjoy!!!

Recipe inspiration from here.

Kothamalli Podi / Spiced Cilantro Powder ~ Day 149

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preparation time: 10 minutes + drying time

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Yields:  1 to 1 and 1/2 cups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients:

• Fresh kothamalli / Cilantro - 3 cups, separated from the stem
• Whole white urad dal - 1/2 cup
• Chana dal - 1/4 cup
• Dried red chilies - 8 to 10 or to taste
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind - a small marble sized
• Sesame oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash the cilantro leaves thoroughly and drain the water completely.  I used the salad spinner to remove excess water.  Once drained, spread the cilantro on a clean kitchen towel and let it dry for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.  The leaves should be completely dry to the touch.  Collect the leaves and set aside.
2. Roast the dals, red chilies, and tamarind in a cast iron skillet, with 2 tsp oil, on a low flame,  until golden brown.  Remove from the heat and mix in the asafoetida.  Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool completely.  In the same skillet, saute the coriander leaves for 2 minutes.  Let it cool.
3. Grind the roasted ingredients in a blender along with salt to a coarse powder.  Add the dried cilantro leaves and pulse until well blended.  Cool completely.  Store in an airtight container. 
4. To serve:  Mix with steamed rice topped with ghee or sesame oil.

Cabbage Kootu ~ Day 148

Kootu is a comforting and healthy dish, where vegetables and dal cooked in freshly ground spices. You can make Kootu with any kind of vegetable and with some variation to the ground mixture.  This simple and delicious kootu goes well with rice and rasam or even with chapati.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients:

• Cabbage - 3 cups, chopped into medium chunks
• Split moong dal - 1/2 cup, soaked for 15 minutes
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - few, torn

To grind:

• Freshly grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Green chilies - 5
• Black peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Ginger - 1-inch piece

Method:

1. Place the cabbage, soaked dal, and turmeric powder in a pressure pan or stainless steel vessel.  Add water to cover the vegetable, about 2 cups.  Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.  Keeping for more than 3 whistles will result in a mushy vegetable.  
2. Meanwhile, place the ingredients in the to grind list in a blender and grind into a coarse paste.
3. Once the pressure goes down, open the cooker and add the ground paste along with salt.  Give it a stir and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
4. Heat oil in a small skillet.  Splutter mustard seeds.  Add urad dal and cumin seeds.  Fry until the dal turns golden brown.  Add the asafoetida and curry leaves.  Remove from the heat and pour over the kootu.  Mix well. 
5. Serve with steamed rice or chapati.