Narthangai Sadam / Citron Rice

Narthangai (some people call as kichilikai) is a member of the citrus family. Now in the markets, you get these fresh, and oh yeah! I am a little busy making pickles with this. Narthangai is very famous for the salted pickle called as uppu narthangai. Rice flavored with this juice, is equally tasty. Trust me....it is very much like lemon rice. Those who like chitrannam (mixed variety rice) will definitely love this. Its very simple to make.

Ingredients

Rice - 3/4 cup

Water

Salt

Narthangai juice - 1/3 cup

To season

Oil - 2 tsp

Dried red chillies - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Split urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp

Turmeric - 1/8 tsp

Green chillies - 2, chopped

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Peanuts - optional

Method

Wash the rice and cook with water (1:3 ratio).  Let it cool. In the meantime, squeeze a couple of citrons to obtain 1/3 cup juice. Heat oil in a pan. Add the seasoning and when it all splutters and done, pour it on the rice.

 Add salt and the reserved juice. Mix well and eat.

Tips

The flavor is just like lemon rice. It is very very delicious if the rice is left to absorb the juice. Just leaving it, helps in the flavor enhancement.

Eggless Christmas Plum Cake

Merry Christmas to everyone! For Christmas, we made this rich eggless plum cake and I am sharing here the recipe for the same to spread the joy in your families too. You will definitely enjoy making this with your family. 

Ingredients

APF / Maida - 1 and 1/2 cups

Baking powder - 2 tsp

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup

Butter - 100g (room temperature)

Tea masala spice powder - 1 tsp

Milk - 1/2 cup

Water - 2/3 cup

Apple cider vinegar - 1 tsp

Vanilla - 1 tap

Honey - 2 tbsp

Candied peel - 2 tbsp

Dried Apricots, dates, prunes - 1/4 cup each, chopped

Sultanas, golden raisins and Thompson raisins, tutti-fruity- 1/4 cup each

Candied cherries - 1/4 cup, chopped

Toasted walnuts - 1/3 cup, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C

Bring the water to boil in a pan and add the nuts, dry fruits (reserve the tutti fruity), and the brown sugar. Simmer for about 7-10 mins until the dried fruits have softened yet don’t turn mushy. Remove the pan from the flame and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, add the butter, vanilla, and honey. 

In a bowl add the dry ingredients - APF, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and tea masala and mix well. Add the dry ingredients, 2 spoons at a time to the fruit butter mixture and fold well. Once all the flour is incorporated, add the tutti-fruity. It will be thick. Then add milk and beat well.

Add the apple cider vinegar, mix well and pour into a 12 cup bundt pan (grease it well ahead). Gently tap and bake for 48 - 50 min in a preheated oven (just check with a toothpick that comes out clean after inserting in). 

Cool on a wire rack. Then invert on to a serving plate. Its all ready to be served and packed to friends and family.

 Devour the rich taste of the cake and enjoy your Christmas! But make sure to give your feedback.

Tips

I used tea masala (spice powder) in the place of all the spices. This is a simple substitution but the flavor is great. It will be available in most Indian grocery shops.

Light or dark brown sugar can be used. The color of the cake varies but the flavor remains the same (I have made using both the type of sugar). The cake batter tends to be dark when dark brown sugar is used.

You can also try by creaming butter and sugar first. Then add milk, water, vanilla, and honey and mix. the mixture will become curdled. But once you add the dry ingredients and mix, it will come out as a regular cake batter. Then add the dried fruits and nuts and fold well, followed by apple cider vinegar. I have tried this method too and works fine.

One flax egg can also be added.

Cut the cake with care. It may crumble a little. Rest the cake well before cutting.