Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This is a recipe I have been planning to try for almost two years. Somehow I never got around to doing it until a couple of weeks back. It was my father in law's birthday and he loves cakes, infact both my in laws are foodies, so I thought it's the perfect time to try it. Turned out to be so moist, fragrant and pleasingly sweet. Real comfort food! Give it a try if you love pineapples, warm cakes or just want to give yourself a cuddle.

For this you will need -

Butter - 50gms + 120 gms
Brown Sugar - 160 gms
Canned Pineapple or Fresh - 7 Slices ( I used canned)
Flour - 200 gms
White Sugar - 200 gms
Eggs - 2 large, separated
Milk - 120 ml
Baking Powder - 2 Tspn
Vanilla Extract - 1 Tspn
Salt - a pinch

Method -

Prepare a 9inch round cake pan by smearing butter and sprinkling a little flour.

Take the 50gm butter and brown sugar in a think bottom pan and allow to melt and dissolve. Now let it cook without stirring till bubbles just begin to appear along the edges. Turn off the heat and pour into the cake dish. Arrange the pineapple slices as shown. If using canned make sure to drain all the liquid.

Pre heat the oven to 350 degF.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt (if using unsalted butter). In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Scrape down the sides once in a while. Now add the vanilla extract, egg yolks and beat well. Add the flour mixture and milk alternatingly and fold into the batter.
In a third bowl, beat the egg whites till soft peaks formed and fold it into the batter. Pour this over the pineapple and bake for 45 - 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean. Let it cool for 5 - 10 minutes and run a knife along the edge of the pan. Turn upside down and voila the cake is ready!

 

Palak Paratha with Cauliflower-Potato Sabji and Lima Bean Gravy

This is one of my favorites! The green in the paratha is so inviting and the spicy curries on the side served with a cup full of yoghurt and I'm in my sacred place.

For the Palak Paratha, you will need -

2 Cups - Whole wheat flour (Atta)
2-3 Handful - Spinach, washed and cleaned
Water as required
1 tspn - Salt
A pinch of sugar
1 tspn - Red Chili Powder (optional)
1 tspn - Turmeric Powder (optional)
1 tspn - Cumin - Coriander Powder (optional)
Ghee

Method -

Cook the spinach with as little water as possible. Add a pinch of sugar so it retains it color. After a couple of minutes turn the heat off and blanch the spinach. Drain the excess water but keep the water, don't throw it away. Grind the spinach to a fine paste.
In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, turmeric powder, cumin - coriander powder, red chili powder and salt. To this add the ground spinach and make it into a dough as shown. While making the dough, if required use the spinach water little by little, so as to not end up with excess water in your flour!

Make small balls and roll them out.

Heat a tava or a flat pan. Once hot put the paratha and cook evenly on both sides. Smear ghee on the cooked paratha for added flavor.

Cauliflower - Potato Sabji -

For this you will need -

1 Cauliflower cut into big florets
1 Medium Sized Potato cut into big chunks
1 Tomato quartered
2 tbspn Oil
A tspn cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
Salt
1 tspn turmeric powder

To grind -

A tspn cumin seeds
2 tspns coriander seeds
2 inches ginger root
2 garlic cloves
1/2 of a medium sized onion
1/2 inch cinnamon or 1 tspn cinnamon powder
3 cloves
1 pod cardamom
 
Method -

Keep the ground paste ready before starting.
Heat oil in a deep dish. Add the cumin seeds and once they splutter, add the bay leaf and the cauliflower florets. Fry till the florets turn slightly brown. Then add the ground paste and mix well. After a couple of minutes add the tomato, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for a few minutes.

Now add a glass of hot water, cover and simmer for a few minutes. That is till everything is cooked and the flavors have blended well.

 

 

Great Lima Bean Gravy

 

For this you will need -

 

About 100gms lima beans soaked overnight

 

 



1/2 an Onion
3-4 Dried red chilies
2 tspn ginger - garlic paste
2 cloves
1 tspn cinnamon powder
1 cardamom
2 tspn coriander seeds
1 tspn turmeric powder
Salt
1 tbspn Tomato Ketchup

Method -

Pressure cook the soaked lima beans till well cooked. In the meantime, lightly fry the rest of the ingredients that is onion, chilies, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and coriander seeds. Once cool, grind to a fine paste with ginger garlic paste. Fry this mixture in a couple of teaspoons of oil nicely, like really well. Add this, salt, turmeric powder to the cooked beans. Add the ketchup and give another whistle in the pressure cooker so the flavors are well blended. Garnish with coriander leaves.