Banana Pan Cake 2 Ways

Goli Baje/Mysore Bajji

Red Rice Sweet Poha (with sugar)

Strawberry & Lemon Loaf

 Strawberries are in season now and what better way than storing up on all the goodness on what they have to offer by making, jams, desserts or just eating them fresh. But of course who can refuse a good bowl of Strawberry and cream…are you a berry addict like me? then this dessert/bread is certainly for you. If you are not a fan of berries you shall become one after tasting this????.

This as always is a one bowl recipe and one of the simplest. I have used Whole wheat flour in this recipe, which can be easily swapped with Maida/refined flour if you prefer. A simple dish does not need much of a description I believe, therefore lest get to the recipe directly.

While you are here do check out my other bakes like-  Millet Cookies, Easy 2 way Muffins, Upside down Orange Vanilla cake, Oatmeal Cookies, Baked Samosa Pie, Apple Crumble, Pineapple Jam Tart, Blueberry Cheese cake and more…

 

Here is the recipe for Strawberry Loaf for you-

 

     PREP TIME: 10                                       COOK TIME: 50Mins
     TOTAL TIME:60 MINS                          COURSE:  DESSERT/BREAD
     CUISINE:  WORLD                               SERVINGS: 1 LOAF
     AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

 

 

 

 

 
Ingredients:
 
Fresh Strawberries 200 gm ( 12 to 15 pcs) chopped into cubes and a few lengthwise
Whole wheat flour 2 cups
Baking Soda 1 tsp
Lemon Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Zest of half a lemon
Egg 1 
Butter 100 gm melted
Milk 1 cup (+ 1/4 cup if required)
Salt a pinch
 
Lemon Glaze Ingredients:
 
Sugar 1/4 cup
Lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
Warm water 2 tbsp
 
Directions for Lemon glaze: Mix together all ingredients until sugar is dissolved and set aside. Do not exceed the water limit mentioned.
 
 

 

 
 
 
Directions for Loaf:
Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 minutes. In a bowl sieve the whole wheat flour along with the baking soda. To this add the sugar and the strawberries chopped to cubes and mix well. In another bowl take the melted butter ,lemon juice, lemon zest and egg and mix well. Add this to the flour and sugar mix, and combine well. Now start adding the milk little by little to make a thick batter. If batter looks very dry add 1/4 cup milk or even less to adjust consistency. Now arrange a loaf tin with parchment/butter paper. Pour the batter into the tin and tap to remove air gaps. Now arrange the reserved strawberries that were cur lengthwise,  on the batter and press gently with your finger. Bake in the oven at 200 C for 50 minutes. Check for doneness by piercing with a toothpick in the center. If undone bake for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the cake from oven, prick holes all over it and pour the prepared lemon glaze when hot. Allow to cool completely and then remove from loaf tin. The yummy Strawberry and lemon loaf is ready to serve with tea or as dessert.
 
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Preheat oven to 180 C for 10 minutes. In a bowl sieve the whole wheat flour along with the baking soda. 
 
 

 

 
2. To this add the sugar and the strawberries chopped to cubes, add a pinch of salt and mix well.
 
 

 

3. In another bowl take the melted butter, egg, add lemon juice and lemon zest and mix well. Add this to the flour and sugar mix, and combine well. 
 

 

 
 
4. Now start adding the milk little by little to make a thick batter. If batter looks very dry add 1/4 cup milk or even less to adjust consistency. Now arrange a loaf tin with parchment/butter paper. 
 

 

5. Pour the batter into the tin and tap to remove air gaps. Now arrange the reserved strawberries that were cur lengthwise,  on the batter and press gently with your finger. Bake in the oven at 200 C for 50 minutes.
 

 

 
 
6. Check for doneness by piercing with a toothpick in the center. If undone bake for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the cake from oven, prick holes all over it and pour the prepared lemon glaze when hot. Allow to cool completely and then remove from loaf tin.
 

 

 
NOTES:
1. I have used Fresh strawberries as they are in season now. Alternately dried ones can be used. If using frozen strawberries use without thawing.
2. Feel free to use refined flour if you prefer.
3. Egg may be swapped with flax egg, but I have not tried it for this recipe, therefore cannot comment now on the texture. When I make it with flax egg I shall update here.
 
If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.
 

Kuthiraivali (Barnyard Millet) Pongal

Pongal is a savory dish of rice and lentils in South India similar to the Khichdi in the North. I have supplemented the rice with Barnyard Millet, called Kuthiraivali in Tamilnadu. These millets are high in fibre and are gluten-free. So for all the health freaks,  here’s the recipe for you. This is a simple one-pot recipe. It makes a great breakfast option as compared to the rice Pongal, as it is lighter.

 

PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                           COOK TIME: 15 Mins
TOTAL TIME: 35 Mins                                        COURSE:  MAIN
CUISINE: NORTH INDIAN                                 SERVINGS: 4
                                                                               AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

 

Ingredients:
Kuthiraivali(Barnyard Millet) 1.5 cups
Moong dal/ split green gram 1/2 cup lightly roasted
Pepper-Cumin powder 2 tsp (dry roast in the ratio 2:1 cool and grind coarse)
Salt as per taste
Cashewnuts 6-7
Ghee 1 tbsp
Curry leaves a few
Ginger 1 tsp finely chopped
Asafoetida 1 tsp
Turmeric powder
Directions :
Roast the moong dal to a light brown. Put the Millet in a vessel add the roasted dal to it and wash them nicely. Now put them into a pressure cooker and add 4 cups water, the salt, and turmeric powder and cook for 5 whistles. Let the pressure release. Now open the lid and give a light mash to the millet- dal mixture. It would have absorbed all the water while cooking, so pour another 1 to 1.5 cups of water and stir nicely. Now in a small tadka kadai put in 1 tbsp of Ghee and heat. Put the Cashewnuts in and fry them to a light brown. Remove them from the ghee and set aside. Now to the same ghee add Cumin seeds, let them splutter add-in the ginger, pepper- cumin powder, asafoetida, and curry leaves and fry them well in the ghee. Transfer this into the cooker. The Kuthiraivali Pongal is ready. Serve with some coconut-coriander chutney.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Assemble all ingredients. Roast the moong dal and keep it ready.

 

2. Wash the Kuthiraivali/Barnyard millet and moong dal and transfer them to a small pressure cooker. If using big cooker follow pot in pot method( that is putting the contents into a vessel and putting that vessel into the cooker). Pour 4 cups water and pressure for 5 whistles. Once the pressure releases check if the mixture is well cooked. They should be quiet soft, If not put back in the cooker for another 2 whistles.

 

3. The mixture will be a little solid, add around 1 to  1.5 cups of water, and loosen up the mixture.

 

4. In a tadka, Kadai, or small tempering pan add the ghee and let it heat. Add the cashews and fry to a light brown. Remove from ghee. To the same ghee add the cumin. Once they splutter add in the ginger, pepper-cumin powder, curry leaves, and asafoetida. fry nicely for a minute and pour it into the dal-millet mixture. The Kuthiraivali Pongal is ready  

 

Notes:
1. If using pot in pot method then after pressure cooking, you can make the tempering in a bigger pan and add the rice dal mixture to the pan.
2. While adding water to the Pongal after pressure cooking to loosen it, you can add hot water instead of room temperature one.
3.Pepper -cumin powder  direction pictures below–
 

 

 If you tried this recipe and liked it please do comment below. I would love to hear from you.