Semolina Cucumber Cake#SundayFunday

I have already posted a cucumber cake recipe, that is eggless and made with idly rava, this one is totally different and unique. This cucumber that I got is directly from the framers field again that is the big yellow cucumber if you see the early recipe you'll get the information about that cucumber.

This cucumber had hardly any seeds, was so cool and had a sweet taste. I grated 3/4 of the cucumber and the remaining we sliced and enjoyed.

Ingredients
3 Cups Packed Cucumber - see notes
2 Cups Jaggery
2 Cups Fine Semolina/Rawa
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
3 Eggs
100 Grams Butter
3 Tablespoons heaped Ghee
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking soda
A few drops of Vanilla essence

Method

Wash and peel the cucumbers and cut them vertically, scoop out the pith (seeds). Grate the cucumber and then lightly squeeze out the juice.

In a big vessel add the semolina, jaggery, cucumber, coconut, and stir well till there are no lumps. Finally add the ghee and butter stir again till well incorporated and keep it for soaking minimum for an hour. 
Grease cake tin with ghee or butter.
Preheat oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix it properly. 
Beat the eggs and pour it into the batter and whisk it well then add the flour and and fold it into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin bake it for an hour.

Perfectly baked Semolina Cucumber Cake. 
My Notes
Taste the cucumber before you grate it, if it's bitter do not use it.
Do not squeeze the cucumber of all the juice then the semolina/rawa will not get enough moisture to soften.

Depending on the size of the tin, moisture in the cake batter and oven used the baking time may vary between 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.

You can't unmold this cake, so cut the desired pieces in the pan itself and gently lift it.
If you want a brown surface you can change the oven settings to the 'Broil/Grill' mode for the last 3 minutes (I did it), brown crust adds to the taste.
Adjust the jaggery to your taste.

Labels: Cake, Cucumber, Healthy, Semolina, Coconut, Jaggery, Sunday Funday,

• Cucumber and Avocado Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cucumber Raita from Cook with Renu
• Cucumber Rosettes from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Roasted Apricots, Cucumber, and Tomato Gazpacho with Alioli from Culinary Cam
• Semolina Cucumber Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Sesame Cucumber Radish Salad from Food Lust People Love

Khabeesa- Oman#EatTheWorld

Khabeesa is a traditional sweet dish popular in Arab States of the Persian Gulf, and common in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It's commonly served during Eid as it's packed with flavor to make the day extra special. Some used all purpose flour and some use semolina to make this dish.

This dish is similar to what we make in India and called it kesari rawa. They add condensed milk, caramelize the sugar and use lot of flavorings like, rose water, saffron and ground cardamom. It is a very flavorful dessert that takes hardly any time to put together. Made this for high tea for friends they enjoyed it!

Ingredients
1 Cup Semolina/ Rawa
2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
3½ Cups Milk
1 Cup Condensed Milk
50 Grams Butter or Desi Ghee- I used butter
½ Teaspoon Cardamom Ground
1 Tablespoon Rose Water
A Large Pinch Saffron

Method

In a pan, add the sugar and occasionally swirl the pan to mix the sugar and help it caramelize evenly. Then pour three cups of milk into the pan. Add the saffron and condensed milk, rose water, cardamom powder & butter stir let it come to a boil on medium heat. 

In a large pan, add the semolina/rawa and roast it until the color changes to just light pink color. Add two cups of the caramel mixture to it and mix for a minute. Next, add the remaining milk mixture and mix very well, so that no lumps are formed. Now cover and let is cook covered for 7 minutes on medium low flame. Keep a check and give it a stir after every 2 minutes so that it does not burn at the bottom of the pan.

The Khabeesa mixture will look like big wet clumps but within seven minutes, it will turn to a lighter texture and more like wet fluffy crumbs. 

Your delicious Khabeesa is ready to be served. Fluff it with a fork. When you serve the Khabeesa, garnish it with chopped nuts or shredded coconut.

Labels: Rawa, Semolina, Middle Eastern, Oman, Eat the World, Sweets & Desserts, Condensed Milk, Saffron, Cardamom Powder, Rose Water 

Join us as we Eat the World!!!

Check out all the wonderful Omani dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

 Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Omani Bread (Khubz Ragag) 

Culinary Cam: Squid Mishkak and Majboos 

Sneha’s Recipe: Khabeesa- Oman 

Kitchen Frau: Rosewater Lemonade 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken Mishkak 

Instant White Dhokla#Alphabet Challenge

Homemade Instant White Dhokla is breakfast/snack item of the state of Gujarat in India. Since dhokla goes through a steaming process, it is healthy. It is a perfect addition to your weight loss plan because it is rich in protein, fiber, and other nutrients. It is ideal for breakfast or an evening snack option.

Cup Measurement 1 Cup = 200Ml
Ingredients
1 Cup Raw Rice
½ Cup Poha
½ Cup Yogurt
¼ Cup Fine Rawa / Semolina
½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1 Sachet Eno Fruit Salt or 1 Teaspoon
For The Tadka
2 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
2 Green Chillies - slit
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Chopped Coriander - optional
1 Teaspoon Sugar
½ Cup Water 
Method

Wash the rice well. Soak the rice and poha for an hour or maximum 3 hours. After that drain all the water. Grind the rice and poha with the yogurt to a fine paste. Remove this into a bowl, mix the fine rawa and keep it aside for 15 to 20 minutes. 

In the meantime grease an 8 inch plate well with oil. Keep a steamer ready with enough water to steam the dhokla. When the water begins to boil place the plate on the stand.

After 20 minutes add the salt and eno and whisk it well till it turns frothy. Pour this into the plate. Sprinkle a bit of chilly powder on top. Cover the lid with a clean cloth so that the water does not fall on the dhokla and make it soggy. 

Steam on medium high flame for 15 to 20 minutes or until a knife or tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Switch off the flame. Let the dhokla cool. When it cools cut into pieces.
To Make The Tadka

Heat oil in a pan add the mustard seed, when they splutter add in green chillies and fry for a minute add the water and sugar bring this to a rolling boil add the coriander leaves, sesame seeds. Pour this evenly on the cut dhokla. Let is soak for few minutes. Serve hot with chutney. 
My Notes

If you do not have fine semolina then use the regular one only pulse it for 2 or 3 times in the mixer.
If you are making a double batch and do not have a dhokla stand wherein you can steam 2 -3 plates at a time. Then divide the batter in two parts. Add the eno to one batch at time and steam when that is steamed then add the eno to the second batch. You have to be quick once you add the eno or else the dhokla will not be fluffy.
This white dhokla is a thin layer. So do not add too much batter in the plate.

Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Ready/Instant Mixes, Dhokla, Gujarat, Breakfast, Kids delight, Rice, Rawa, Steamed, Healthy 

• Sneha’s Recipe: Instant White Dhokla 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Iceberg Wedge Salad 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Instant Pot Bean and Smoked Pork Soup 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Italian Beef Sandwiches 
• Culinary Cam: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Saffron-Cardamom Ice Cream 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Italian Pane di Genzano 
• Magical Ingredients: Instant Aloo Paratha 
• Palatable Pastime: Indonesian Bami Goreng 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Orange & Feta Italian Orzo Pasta Salad
• Blogghetti: Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe 

Sourdough Banana Appe#SundayFunday

This is a sumptuous breakfast which is eggless & vegan will serve 3 to 4 persons and it goes well with a cup of tea, coffee or as a snack.  In the South these are call paniyaram or unniyappam and in Maharashtra we all it appe. In the other countires it's called aebleskiver. Traditional snack made with sourdough starter, jaggery, semolina and banana with touch of cardamom.

I used 100% sourdough starter which is made with 50: 50 ratios of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, you can use any flour starter.
I fed the starter at 4.30pm by 7.30 pm it was active. Add the semolina, jaggery and cardamon powder to the starter and extra ¼ cup water Kept it again at room temperature for 30 minutes then refrigerate it . Next morning added the mashed the banana and baking soda, added another ¼ cup water mix it well since this batter slightly thinner than a pancake batter. Poured this in a soft squeeze bottle or a piping bag, since it is less messy and you can control the amount the batter required in to each hole.

Make sure to cook to only golden-brown color as it tends to cook while it cools down.

To reduce the amount of batter sticking on to the ‘pan’, let the pan heat up a bit before adding the oil. Let the Oil heat again before adding the batter.

Ingredients 
220g Sourdough Starter
¾ Cup Jaggery
¾ Cup Semolina Rava
1 Banana - mashed
¼ Teaspoon Cardamom powder
¼ Cup+ ¼ Cup Water
1/8 Teaspoon Baking soda
Oil/ Clarified Butter - as required for frying
¼ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut - optional

Method

Melt Jaggery with ¼ cup of water and sieve with a strainer, to remove impurities if any are present.
In a bowl mash the banana into a puree with a masher and set aside.
In a large bowl add active starter, melted and strained jaggery, semolina flour, baking soda, cardamom powder and extra ¼ cup water, mix it well to make a thick pancake batter. Kept it again at room temperature for 30 minutes then refrigerate it . Next morning added the mashed the banana and baking soda, added another ¼ cup water mix it well since this batter slightly thinner than a pancake batter. Poured this in a soft squeeze bottle or a piping bag, since it is less messy and you can control the amount the batter required in to each hole.Keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in appe pan add batter to the mold/each hole. Cover with a lid and let it cook till the bottom side is golden.

As soon as one side ready, turn and cook the other side also . Remove it from the appe pan when a skewer comes out clean. You can also use a spoon to transfer them. 

Transfer to kitchen towel to remove excess of oil. Repeat the process until the entire batter is finished. 

Enjoy!!

Labels: Eggless, Sourdough, Rawa, Semolina, Banana, Appe Pan, Snack, Kids delight, Sunday Funday, Vegan, Overnight

• Banana Chip Cookies with Melted Caramel from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Banana Mousse from Culinary Cam
• Banana Pecan Caramel Sauce from Food Lust People Love
• Banana Zucchini Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Coated Banana from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Double Chocolate Whole Wheat Banana Bread from Cook with Renu
• Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pretzel Bites from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Sourdough Banana Appe from Sneha’s Recipe  

Crispy Crunchy Vegan Cheat Fries#SundayFunday

There is a saying.. looks can be deceptive! French fries? No these are cheat fries made from mashed potatoes a & fine semolina!! This is my take on the trending cheats version of French fries.

Ingredients
½ Cup Heaped boiled and mashed Potatoes
1 Cup Fine Rawa / Semolina
1¼ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ Teaspoon Black pepper powder

Method

Heat the water in a pan, when it comes to a boil, add the rawa, keep stirring till it gathers together and becomes a thick mass. Switch off the flame. Leave it to cool.
Add the mashed potatoes to the cooled mixture in it along with seasonings. This is a sticky dough so slightly wet your hand and knead it to a smooth dough. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 15 to 20 minutes, for it to chill and set well.

Now roll it on an oiled platform and cut into finger sized pieces.

Roll them in rice flour, dust all the excess flour.

Heat oil in for shallow frying broad pan . Shallow fry in hot oil till golden on all sides.

Serve hot with ketchup.

Enjoy these great crispy, crunchy party pleasers.

My Notes 

You can prepare these fries well in advance and refrigerate them for 3 -4 days. When required, do not defrost, fry them in hot oil on medium high flame. These can also be frozen. They freeze well.

Labels: French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Rawa, Fine Semolina, Starters, Kids delight, Sunday Funday, Savory Snacks

Sunday Funday

Salty-Sweet for Valentines Day

• Pretzel & Caramel Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Crispy Crunchy Vegan Cheat Fries by Sneha’s Recipe
• Potato Chip-Crusted Chocolate Tart by Culinary Cam
• Oven Roasted Honey Chilli Nuts by The Mad Scientist Kitchen
• Peanut Butter and Pretzel Crispy Treats by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Gluten-Free Sweet & Salty Baked Spicy Rice Chex by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice   

Kesari Semolina Sheera / Kesari Rawa Sheera#SundayFunday

This is my family's all time favorite breakfast. It is a must try recipe as I can guarantee everyone in your family will love it. 

If you do not have Kesari color then omit it.

Serves 2 - 3
Ingredients
1 Cup Heaped Semolina / Rawa - lightly roasted
½ Cup Level Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Each Golden Raisins & Cashewnuts
¼ Teaspoon Saffron Strands
¼ Teaspoon Kesar Color - optional
1/3 Cup Desi Ghee

Method

In a another pan add  ½ teaspoon ghee add the cashew nuts and raisins and fry a little. Remove and keep aside.
In a sauce pan bring the milk and water to a boil. Add the kesari color and saffron strands.  

In the same pan add another 1 to 2 tablespoons ghee and fry the rawa/semolina till you get an aroma. Add the boiling milk  and mix well on medium low flame till the semolina absorbs all the liquid. Add the sugar, remaining desi ghee and cardamom powder, mix well. Cover and let the sugar dissolve, keep stirring in between. Once the sugar melts, mix well, add the fried raisins and cashewnuts.

Serve hot, Enjoy with your cup of tea or coffee!!

Check this delicious Caramel Semolina Sheera recipe

Labels: Rawa, Semolina, Breakfast, Saffron, Sunday Funday,

• • Breakfast Martinis from Food Lust People Love
  • Breakfast Quesadilla from A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Cinnamon Sugar Dutch Baby Pancake from Our Good Life
  • Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Palatable Pastime
  • Egg-Free Wheat Pancakes from Mayuri’s Jikoni
  • Millet Set Dosa from Sizzling Tastebuds
  • Mini Cinnamon Rolls from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
  • Kesari Semolina Sheera / Kesari Rawa Sheera from Sneha’s Recipe
  • Maple-Sweetened Overnight Oats from Culinary Cam
  • Quick Kande Pohe from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen 

Eggless Tutti Fruity Rawa/Semolina Bundt Cake#BundtBakers

This cake is butter/oil/flour free, yet this is so soft, moist and delicious. Try this cake so simple, just 3 steps, no fancy gadget like an electric hand mixer is needed, only hand whisk and a spatula and mix mix, cake is ready to bake. 

For this you require chiroti rawa/fine semolina. If you have the thicker rawa/semolina that we use to make upma then just pulse it once or twice in the mixer jar and it's ready to use.

1 Cup Measurement = 200Ml
Ingredients
1½ Cups Fine Rava/Semolina
½ Cup Fresh Yogurt - I used home set yogurt
½ Cup Fresh Cream/Single Cream
½ Cup Milk
½ Cup Heaped Chopped Tutti Fruity + Cherries
1 Cup Caster Sugar
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Pineapple Essence
For Garnishing
2 Tablespoons Slivered Pistachios
2 Tablespoons Slivered Almonds
Method

In a bowl add the milk, cream, yogurt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and mix well. 

It will start to froth, cover it and keep aside for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes this mixture will become frothy. 

Now add the rawa/semolina and mix it well. Again cover and keep it aside for 10 - 12 minutes. 

After 12 minutes the rawa/semolina will absorb most the moisture and swell, the batter will become thick.

Add the essence and chopped tutti frutiy and mix well.

Pour this into a greased 7" bundt pan, tap it on counter to remove any air bubbles, sprinkle silvered almonds and pistachios. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 35 - 40 minutes or till a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Keep it to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then un mold it 

let it cool completely. 

When it's completely cooled 

then only slice it or else it will crumble since this is a soft and moist cake.

This delicious soft and moist Tutti Fruity Rawa/Semolina Bundt Cake.

Enjoy!!

Labels: Semolina, Rawa, Eggless, No Butter, No Oil, Bundt, Cakes, Tutti Fruity, Cherries, Pistachios, Almonds, Fresh Cream

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page

This month my Bundt Baker we are sharing Bundts baked with nostalgic flavors from our childhoods, our host is Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla , thank you for this wonderful theme. Check out the nostalgic flavors from our childhoods Bundts below:

• All Too Sweet Mini Bundts by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Apple Bundt Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cookies and Cream Mini Bundts by Food Lust People Love
• Eggless Tutti Fruity Rawa/Semolina Bundt Cake by Sneha's Recipe
• Honey Cake Inspired Bundt Cake by Magical Ingredients
• Monster B'zert Bundt Cake by Making Miracles
• Strawberry Bundt Cake with Marshmallow Cream Filling by Patyco Candybar
• Sweet Potato Bundt with Cream Cheese Glaze by Sweet Sensations