Batata Kaap (Kapa) Recipe | Vangi Kaap Recipe | Potato and Brijal Rava Fry | Batatyache Fodi Recipe [Video]

Batata Kaap Recipe with step by step video instructions. Batata Kaap or Vangi Kaap are pan fried slices of potato and eggplant (brinjal) that are served as an accompaniment in a Goan vegetarian meal. This Potato Semolina Fry is vegan and suits a plant based diet. Gluten free and Jain diet option available.

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Do you have that one dish, that really simple dish, that you love above all other dishes? That you could alone wipe out an entire plate of, or two? These potato kaap are just that for me. And I'm not partial, I can kinda do that with the brinjal kaap and so many other kaap.

These are my feel good fries. I mean they aren't the healthiest fries out there in the fry world, but they are pan fried and that has to make them at least slightly more healthy, don't you agree?

What are Potato Kaap / Kapa / Fodi / Podi ....

These are really, just delicious bits of heaven. Okay, literally they are just slices of potato and brinjal or eggplant that are tossed in salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder, dipped in fine semolina or cream of wheat and then pan fried with sufficient oil. These fries are cooked on low to medium heat until the potato or brinjal are soft on the inside aka cooked and the semolina on the outside is crisp (not burnt).

Batata Kaap are a common side to a rice meal in Goa and Maharashtra and in some places along coastal Karnataka. In some regions, they replace the semolina with rice flour, but in Goa, it is mostly rava or semolina. Both versions taste equally good. So if you are looking for a gluten free option, use the rice flour.

Batata or Vangi Kaap are a replacement to fish fry in most Goan households on days when non vegetarian food is avoided, like Mondays. 

Vegetables you can use

Generally, high starch veggies work best for kaap. Some of the commonly used vegetables for it:

• Potato
• Brinjal or Eggplant
• Sweet Potato
• Breadfruit
• Raw Banana

And then there are the uncommon ones like

• Okra
• Yam (Requires prior parboiling)
• Ridge gourd
• Cauliflower
• Bitter gourd

Blah blah blah and details....

So... there was a reason I didn't post this earlier, because I thought it was too simple for the blog. I mean there is really no recipe as such, more of guidelines. But then I made this for friends at some time and they kept asking me for the recipe. They would call me up each time they planned to make it and I would be dictating the 3-4 steps to them. I also had the same experience with a few colleagues several years ago. They tried it from my lunch box at work and couldn't get enough of it. So after years of doubting myself, I decided to go ahead and post the recipe, even if it got the least number of views. Just cause I love eating these and I can assure you, once you have eaten one, you really cannot stop eating them. It's almost the Lays ad.

To make these golden beauties, you need nice firm veggies. And you don't have to make a mixed vegetable one, you can make with just one veggie or go wild with the above list and make a mixed plate. Each vegetable is treated differently, be aware. 

You can choose to peel the potatoes or not. I personally love potatoes with their skin and hence decided to keep them on. Slice the potatoes and brinjals into round slices. They shouldn't be very thin. I like to keep the thickness around 3 to 5 millimeters (mm). I recommend using at least 1 medium potato per person. 

One more tip is regarding the oil. Don't skimp on it. Eat fewer if you want, but use enough oil to cook them. They mostly require 1-1.5 tsp per slice. 

Like all fries, they lose their crispness if stored for too long, hence, I recommend making them fresh. However, you can slice in advance and leave the potato and brinjal soaked in room temperature water until you are ready to cook them.

Serve Batata Kaap / Vangi Kaap as an appetizer or as a side with rice and solkadi or dal.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Batata Kaap (Kapa) Recipe | Vangi Kaap Recipe | Potato and Brijal Rava Fry | Batatyache Fodi Recipe

Batata Kaap or Vangi Kaap are pan fried slices of potato and eggplant (brinjal) that are served as an accompaniment in a Goan vegetarian meal. Potato or eggplant are sliced and then spiced with salt, turmeric powder (haldi) and red chilli powder, coated in fine rava (chiroti rava) or cream of wheat or fine semolina and then pan fried on a tava.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Goan
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Total time:     30 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

1 medium Potato
1 medium Brinjal (eggplant)
3 Tbsp fine Semolina (chiroti rava)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:

1. Wash the potato and brinja thoroughly.
2. Peel the potato if desired. Else the skin can be left on.
3. Slice the potato and brinjal to slices of 3 to 5 mm thickness.
4. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well until all slices are coated.
5. Take the semolina in a plate.
6. Dip the slices into the semolina until both sides are coated with a thin layer of semolina.
7. Heat a tava and grease it.
8. Place the slices in one layer on the tava and spoon a little oil on each slice.
9. Once one side is cooked, flip the slice and spoon some more oil on it.
10. Cook until the vegetable is soft and the semolina is crispy.
11. Serve immediately as a accompaniment with Dal Rice or Solkadi Rice.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Kelyache Kaap

Neerphanas Kapa

Solkadi

Read more ...

Tavsali Recipe | Goan Steamed Cucumber Cake Recipe | Eggless Cucumber Cake Recipe

Tavsali is an eggless steamed cucumber cake from Goa. Tavsali is made with a handful of ingredients in a steamer. It has the delicate taste of cucumbers and is mildly sweet from the jaggery. Tavsali is refined sugar free. Tavsali suits a Jain diet and can be adapted to a vegan or plant based diet by just replacing the ghee with oil.

In a hurry? Jump to Recipe

Tavsali always takes me back to my childhood. When I think of Tavsali, a scene is formed in my mind and I would give anything to go back to it. It is afternoon in my mom's kitchen, stormy dark grey clouds outside and my mom has just removed this fragrant cake from the steamer while the whole house is having their Sunday afternoon siesta.

My mom loved to cook for us when we were little. She'd learn new recipes from friends, colleagues, and neighbors and try it out on Sunday afternoon when we all slept after a good heavy lunch. And this Tavsali is one of those things that she made for us. I don't think it was a dish she grew up with, but learned it later in life and made it several times for us. It was also something she liked, it had all the flavors of her home, Mangalore, for her in it. cucumber, coconut, and jaggery. 

When it started raining this last month, I'd been craving for this. I don't know why but that scene I wrote before was evoked and I just had to have it. So although I got very lukewarm responses to "I'm going to finally make Tavsali", I went ahead and made a small batch. It didn't take much for the lukewarm to turn to favorable response though. One little half piece from the edge of the cake was all it took, frankly speaking. Even the people I thought would not enjoy it, like my brother in law, seemed to take on a liking for it.

All my recent recipes have been a video, but I was unable to shoot one for this. Reason? It was raining cats and dogs and cows and horses when I started cooking this and the stormy winds caused a blackout and I really had the poorest lighting possible. Luckily, I did take a few pics on my phone, so I added those in the step by step photos.

What is Tavsali?

Tavsali is an eggless steamed cake that is made with coarse rava or semolina/cream of wheat, grated cucumbers, fresh coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and some cashew nuts. It is a very delicate dessert. The mild flavors of cucumber actually shine. The cardamom just adds to the aroma without being overpowering. Tavsali is also not one of those desserts that is cloyingly sweet. It is just mildly sweet. But you can definitely increase the sweetness as required. It is also a very moist cake because of the cucumbers which soften when cooked.

More details...

To make Tavsali, we use the thicker rava not the chiroti rava. Rava used to make upma or uppit or Bansi rava can be used. You can also use Dalia or broken wheat partially. While one can use the yellow cucumber, I used the regular green cucumber to make this.

Firstly, the rava is roasted in a little bit of ghee until it is slightly browned or you get a toasty aroma from it. For a plant based alternative, replace the ghee with coconut oil or any flavorless oil. Allow it to cool, while you grate the cucumbers and coconut. Mix together the rava, grated coconut and the grated cucumber along with the water. Add in powdered or grated jaggery, crushed cardamom seeds, a pinch of salt and broken cashew nuts. Mix until the jaggery is dissolved.

Prepare your steamer, you can use an idli steamer or a pressure cooker without the whistle or just place a kadhai or large vessel with water in it and allow it to come to a boil. Place a stand in your steamer or any vessel just to give the cake tin some height. Grease your cake tin or any vessel in which you are going to make the cake with ghee or coconut oil and pour in the cake mix.

The cake mix is not very thin like regular cakes, it is on the thicker side. But if your cucumbers were on the drier side and you did not get enough juice from them, add a little milk or coconut milk to loosen the batter.

Steam for 30-40 minutes on medium heat. A wet knife inserted into the cake should come out clean.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before demoulding the cake. Wait at least 20-30 minutes before cutting it.

Tavsali can serve as a dessert or as a mildly sweet breakfast too. It lasts well for at least one week in the fridge.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Tavsali Recipe | Goan steamed Cucumber Cake Recipe | Eggless Cucumber Cake

Tavsali is a traditional Goan steamed cucumber cake made with rava or semolina, grated cucumber, coconut and jaggery. It is a mildly sweet dessert with an option to make it vegan.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Goan
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Total time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 4-5

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

1 cup Coarse Rava (Semolina)
2 Cucumbers
0.5 cup grated Coconut
1 cup powdered Jaggery
0.25 cup broken Cashewnuts
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tsp Ghee or Coconut Oil
1-2 Tbsp Milk (Optional)

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of ghee or coconut oil in a pan and add the rava. Roast on low-medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
2. Peel and grate the cucumbers and add to the rava, once cooled.
3. Add the grated coconut, cashewnuts and cardamom powder.
4. Add jaggery powder to taste. I used the full 1 cup, you can add more or less as per your taste.
5. You can either shape the cookie dough as a log before chilling or as a ball of dough.
6. Keep water in a steamer to heat or in a pressure cooker. If using a cooker, don't close the lid.
7. Grease a tin with ghee or coconut oil and add the cake batter to it.
8. Place the tin in the cooker or steamer and close the lid. If using a cooker, do not put the whistle.
9. Steam on medium heat for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes clean.
10. Allow to cool slightly and then demould. Cool completely before cutting.
11. Store in the fridge if not eating the same day.

Step by step photo instructions:

If you liked this, you may also like:

Patoli

Puran Poli

Mango Saasav

Read more ...

Instant Oats Idli Recipe [Video]

Oats Idli is a steamed cake made of oats and semolina. It is a healthy take on the popular South Indian breakfast of rice idli.

So what have you guys been up to? I know I missed posting last week, but I won't make any excuses. I'm just happy I managed to get a post this week.

But in between we got a lot of new additions to the house. 

In came some mango wood wall shelves that helped us drag out all our travel memoirs. I'm so happy I now get to display all the souvenirs we've collected over the years. If you've missed reading about our recent travels, you can now read them here. 

We also finally got a dining table!!! Since we never ate at the table, I never missed having one. But now that I have one, I love it. We had so many discussions and measurements until we finalized on a teak rectangle four seater. I cannot believe we contradicted each other on pretty much everything about the table - the size, the color, the shape. I wonder how we ever buy anything!! Now all I have to ensure is that the table is clutter free.

Straying back to our recipe of the day - Oats Idli. If you've ever been around a South Indian, you have to know how much we love our idlis. Idlis are light fluffy steamed rice cakes made by steaming a batter made from fermenting ground rice and black lentils. While that is healthy too, I now have a healthier version for you, and on the plus side, a quicker version too. 

Raise your hand if you hate oats but still want to include them in your diet for all the health benefits it gives you. That is exactly what inspired me to make these idlis. Raj hates oats, he'll only eat them if he doesn't know it is in the dish. So these oat idlis were the perfect place to hide them. These idlis are made with oats and semolina (cream of wheat) instead of the rice and lentils. Sour yogurt or curd is used to give it the slightly fermented taste. 

To make the idlis light and fluffy, I used Fruit Salt or Eno. To ensure that you don't end up with hard idlis, always have the steamer hot and ready for steaming before adding in the fruit salt to the batter. Once you add the fruit salt, don't over mix, just make sure it is combined and add it to the plate or bowl you want to steam the idlis in.

While I used rolled oats this time, I have made it in the past with oat meal too. Use either one of them to get the same results - Soft fluffy healthy Oats idlis. Serve them with traditional coconut chutney and piping hot sambar for best results.

Psst... All the pics in this photo are clicked on our new table :)


If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Oats Idli Recipe

Oats idli is a steamed cake made from oats and semolina. It is a healthier version of the popular south Indian breakfast of rice idli. This is an instant recipe and does not require any fermenting.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     15 minutes
Total time:     45 minutes
Yield:                10 idlis

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled Oats or Oat meal
0.5 cup fine Semolina (chiroti rava) or cream of wheat
1 cup sour Yogurt or curd
0.75 cup grated Carrot
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves
10-12 Cashewnuts
1.5 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 finely chopped Green Chilli
1 Tbsp Chana Dal
1.5 tsp Fruit Salt or Eno
1 Tbsp chopped Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Powder the oats until smooth.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. Once they splutter, add in chopped curry leaves and chana dal. Saute for 30-45 seconds.
4. Add in split cashew nuts and fry until the cashews brown slightly.
5. Add the semolina and saute for 4-5 minutes until the semolina is fragrant.
6. Add in the powdered oats and fry for 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
8. Add grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves, salt and whisked yogurt to the dry ingredients.
9. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. If the batter feels very dry, add a little water. The consistency of the batter is slightly thicker than usual idli batter.
10. Heat up the steamer and grease the idli plate or small bowls.
11. Add the fruit salt and a little water and mix well until combined.
12. Pour spoonful of batter onto the greased idli plate or bowls.
13. Steam for 10-12 minutes.
14. Demould and serve hot with chutney or sambhar.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Paddu

Rava Idli

Battalu Kadabu

Read more ...

10 Savory Vegetarian/Vegan Breakfasts ready in under 30 minutes

A compilation of ten easy to make vegetarian / vegan breakfasts that can be made in under 30 minutes from scratch!

Do you love breakfast? Or are you one of those people who just wants to be done with it cause every scientific article calls it the most important meal of the day? 

I am definitely the breakfast lover category. If you are in the same category, welcome my friend!! 

If not, why is it that you would rather skip this meal - crunched for time? not hungry in the morning? don't have good breakfast options? I'm here to solve some of these problems for you through this teeny weeny post. I am also forever crunched for time, you see while I love breakfast, I am not an early riser and most of my morning is spent scrambling to get ready to catch my bus to office. I give myself exactly 60 minutes from wake up to run for bus. Also, I am absolutely against cereal for breakfast, I believe it is just sugar. So it is always a savory breakfast for me. I have hence, compiled a short list of 10 breakfasts that you can make in under 30 minutes for those busy mornings. Also, a few of them can be prepped the previous night or even, prepared the previous night. Just reheat and enjoy in the morning.

1) Churmuri Soosla [Vegan]

Churmuri Soosla is a stir fry made from salted puffed rice (not the cereal), onions, tomatoes and turmeric.  It is then topped with lime juice and roasted gram powder. This makes for a very good after school snack or evening tea time snack too.

2)  Bread Upma [Vegan]

My favorite way to use up old bread is to stir fry it with spices, onion and tomato. You can make this bread upma with fresh bread as well. Quick and easy recipe.

3) Tomato Omelet [Vegan] 

Omelet always means Eggs, except in this case. Tomato omelet is made from chickpea flour or besan. Add lots of tomato to it and some spices for taste. Pour them onto a hot pan and cook them just like you would cook an omelet. Serve it with bread or eat it just like that, the choice is yours.

4) Wheat Dosa | Savory Wholewheat Pancakes [Vegan]

This one is very similar to the Tomato Omelet above, but this Dosa is made with whole wheat flour or atta instead of chickpea flour. Serve this with some coconut chutney or sambar in pure South Indian style.

5) Breakfast Bruschetta [Vegan]

If you love bread for breakfast, you will love this bruschetta. One is a classic bruschetta with onions and tomatoes while the other is a take on avocado toast with avocados and green olives.

6) Chutney Sandwich [Vegan Option Available]

My favorite picnic breakfast of all times - bread with one slice smeared with butter and another with a simple coriander-coconut chutney. Use vegan butter to make it vegan or just skip the butter. The chutney can be prepared the previous night if you want to cut down on time in the morning. Make the sandwiches when you plan to eat them to avoid a soggy mess.

7) Vegan Zucchini Frittata [Vegan]

Frittatas can be vegan too! Try out this vegan frittata made with chickpea flour or besan and baby zucchinis for added health. Load it up with your favorite veggies to make it healthier.

8) Beetroot Chickpea Pancake [Vegan]

This is just a different take on the tomato omelet mentioned above. Here the tart tomatoes are replaced with sweet grated beet roots that add that wonderful pink hue to the pancakes. For a quicker breakfast prep in the morning, grate the beet root the previous night and save time.

9) Instant Ragi Dosa  [Vegan Option Available]

Instant Ragi Dosa is a very healthy breakfast option as it uses finger millet or ragi flour. Ragi is rich in nutrients and very good for healthy. Ragi flour is mixed with fine semolina or cream of wheat with spices, onions and herbs to make a very runny batter. he only dairy element in there is yogurt to add a little sourness to the dosa, you can either skip it or replace it with vegan yogurt to make this recipe vegan. 

10) Instant Rava Dosa [Vegan Option Available] 

Again, this is very similar to the Instant Ragi Dosa, but made with rice flour. A popular breakfast in Bangalore, this recipe will teach you how to make it at home with a lot less oil. The only dairy element in there is yogurt to add a little sourness to the dosa, you can either skip it or replace it with vegan yogurt to make this recipe vegan.

If you tried these recipes, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like these recipes, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Battalu Kadabu Recipe | Steamed Rice Cups [Video Recipe]

Steamed bowl shaped dumplings made from rice semolina. Vegan and gluten free!

Does Breakfast excite you? Are you a cereal from a box person or someone who likes to cook an elaborate first meal of the day? Or a mix of both?

I believe I am a mix of both. There are days when I prefer just bread butter or a simple Coriander Chutney Sandwich, and there are others where I like to put in my love and effort into my favorite meal of the day. Especially on weekends. And this "Battalu Kadabu" has usually been on my weekend breakfast menu, because I believed it took time to make it, until now. I made this on a weekday and actually timed it. And it took me 50 minutes from start to finish to make this and it fed 4 people. And I believe I even ended up taking 50 minutes because I attempted to shoot a video while cooking it. But I don't believe I will make this on a weekday again because I never have that much time to spare on a regular weekday morning, but I definitely don't mind eating them.

So what is this Battalu Kadabu. "Battalu" means bowl in Kannada and "Kadabu" is usually a steamed dumpling. So this dumpling is called so cause it is shaped like a bowl. I learnt this recipe from my mother in law.  It took me a few tries to get it right. 

This dumpling is made with rice semolina. It can also be made with rice flour, but I prefer the rice semolina version that I am sharing. Rice semolina is cooked in boiling water to make the dough. The dough should be slightly sticky and pliable. It should not crumble, if you want to shape the kadabus. If you are struggling to shape it like a bowl, just shape them like little discs. The taste will not differ with the shape.

I love this Battalu Kadabu because it is light. It does not fill me up to the brim and make me sluggish all day. It is vegan and gluten free. Serve it warm with a good spicy coconut chutney like this tondekai chutney made from ivy gourds or heerekai sippe chutney made from ridge gourd. If you are not vegan, fill up these rice cups with some golden ghee, it is delicious.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Battalu Kadabu

Steamed dumpling made of rice semolina (rava), eaten as a breakfast in Mangalore along with Ghee and coconut Chutney.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:          South Indian / Mangalorean
Prep Time:     5 minutes
Cook time:     50 minutes
Yield:              28-30

Ingredients:

2 cups Rice Semolina (Akki Tari)
4 cups Water
0.5 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp desiccated Coconut
2 tsp Oil (to grease steamer)

Method:

1. Heat the water in a kadhai or deep pan.
2. Add the salt and coconut. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
3. Slowly add the rice semolina while stirring continuously to avoid forming lumps.
4. Keep stirring and cook it until everything comes together as one mass. This may take 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove from heat onto a dry plate and allow it to cool slightly.
6. Knead it for 3-4 mins, if it feels dry, add a little water and knead.
7. Pull out a small lemon sized ball and flatten it. Using your fingers make a small depression in the center and continue to gently press the edges to make a bowl shape. See video for reference.
8. If you are struggling to make the shape, just flatten them into little discs.
9. Grease the steamer plate.
10. Place them in a steamer and steam for 5-7 mins
11. Enjoy it while its hot with some spicy coconut chutney.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Paddu

Rava Idli

Rava Dosa

Read more ...

Valentine's Day Persian Love Cake Recipe | Almond Semolina Cake (Eggless) [Video]

Rose and Cardamom flavored cake made to celebrate LOVE!!
In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

Happy Valentine's Day people!!!

Okay, I know it isn't Valentine's Day yet, but I'm sure you have already started planning something special for your special someone. Right?

A lot of people shrug away Valentine's day thinking it is only for those newly crazily in love who can't keep their hands of each other types.

But with 10 years of relationship under my belt, I  can tell you it does matter even for those who have quietly slipped away into a routine. And maybe more than the newfound lovers.

When Raj and I started out, we had so much to talk to each other about, we did special things for each other, we strived to remember each other likes and dislikes. Roses were given, chocolates too. Gifts and cards and plushy toys. Now 10 years later, the conversation usually revolves around what happened in the day or what is happening around the world. We already know so much about each other, nothing is new. In a strange way that is comforting, but there is a lack of surprise. We don't strive to remember the likes and dislikes, because it is now etched away in the subconscious mind. Gifts have less whimsy and more practicality. A lot of people call it the boring married life, I too sometimes. But there is comfort in this "boredom", in knowing there is someone who cares for you. Someone who will be there for you when you need it.

But comfort tends to make one complacent and we miss out appreciating each other as often as we probably should. Hence, days like Valentine's day are required along with anniversaries and birthdays, just to celebrate the love you have for each other.

So, I made this Persian Love Cake, a while ago just to celebrate love. I thought it was perfect to share right around this time. It is a delicious cake made with almond flour and flavored with middle eastern flavors like cardamom and rose. This is then topped with citrus syrup and nuts. You can use nuts like pistachios or almonds. Hazelnuts or cashews may be delicious too. I also added saffron to the citrus syrup to give a more orange hue.

This cake is one of the simplest I have ever made. No whipping, no creaming. Just mix all the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Allow it to rest. Then bake it. Prepare the syrup while the cake bakes. Brush brush brush and top with nuts. It is a simple yet flavorful cake. My family loved it, and I hope yours does too.

I substituted half the almonds with semolina considering the cost of almonds. To get a richer and gluten-free cake, just use almonds.

You can serve this cake with whipped cream or Greek yogurt or your favorite vanilla ice cream. Or just plain, like I did.

P.S. Not all our gifts are practical. The man got me this little fella from Thailand cause I always wanted a tiger cub!! Isn't he adorable?

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

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Persian Love Cake | Almond Semolina Cake

Persian love cake is an eggless rose and cardamom flavored cake made with almond flour and semolina. Brushed with orange syrup and topped with chopped nuts. Persian love cake is an eggless rose and cardamom flavored cake made with almond flour and semolina. Brushed with orange syrup and topped with chopped nuts. 

Recipe Type:  Dessert

Cuisine:            Middle Eastern

Prep Time:     40 minutes

Cook time:     40 minutes

Yield:                Serves 4-5  

Ingredients:

0.75 cup Yogurt (thick Curd)

4 Tbsp Oil

3 Tbsp Rose Water

1 tsp Cardamom Powder

0.75 cups Fine semolina (Chiroti Rava)

0.5 cups Whole Almonds or 0.75 cups Almond Flour

0.75 cup Powdered Sugar

0.25 tsp Baking Soda

0.75 tsp Baking Powder

0.75 tsp Baking Powder

1-2 Tbsp granulated Sugar

1-2 Tbsp Water

Few Saffron strands

Oil to grease the cake tin

Flour to dust the cake tin

Chopped pistachios for decoration

Dried rose petals for decoration

Method:

1. In a large bowl, whisk oil, yogurt and rose water until combined.
2. Add in the cardamom powder, semolina and powdered almonds.
3. Add 3-4 Tbsp of the powdered sugar and mix well until combined. Add more sugar if required.
4. Mix well. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celcius.
6. Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix well.
7. Spray the cake tin with oil or rub oil in it using paper towel or your fingers.
8. Dust it with flour.
9. Pour in the cake batter and bake for 30-40 minutes.
10. Remove from the tin after 2-3 minutes and keep aside to cool.
11. Juice the orange.
12. Add sugar and 1-2 Tbsp water to a pan on stove and cook until the sugar dissolves.
13. Add the orange juice and saffron.
14. Boil for 3-5 minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
15. Brush the cake with the syrup.
16. Decorate with chopped pistachios or almonds and serve.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Eggless Chocolate Cake

Vegan Date Walnut Cake

Honey Cake

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