Mocha Island In Banana Cream Sea

That is what I named this dessert.

Hey but did you know that Mocha was a port famed for it's coffee market on the Red sea coast of Yemen. In my recipe it is an island though! The Mocha beans had a coffee and chocolaty flavor no wonder everything with those flavors is called Mocha though it may not have the Mocha coffee bean.

I think most coffee lovers start off on Mocha or Latte and then move on to may be Espresso and then Irish coffee and I want to taste Melya. Oh well but let me stop here else this might turn into a port on coffee....err post I mean.

Well I chose the coffee flavor for this cake to bring in the New year with a freshness. A promise to live a happy life. Bulldoze all those hurdles that seem to challenge once in a while.

So don't just sit and read go whip up the dessert right away!

You will need:

For the Mocha Island

1.5 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons fine semolina
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup ghee
3/4 cup powder sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon raspberry essence
1/2 cup Decoction of Arabicaah
OR
3 teaspoons instant coffee (Stay warned the taste will differ distinctly)

In a large bowl beat together ghee and sugar till light. Sift together all the dry items to make the flour airy. Now fold in this flour into the fluffy ghee n sugar. Now slowly add the milk and raspberry essence to thin out the batter. Last of all add the decoction and mix gently. The batter should fall in folds. Now dust the raisin with little flour and add them into the batter. Mix to distribute them.

Preheat oven for 10 mins at 180 deg celcius . I use electrical one.

Now while the oven gets warm. Prepare the tray. Coat the cake tray with butter and dust with flour. Just invert the tray and tap on the bottom to remove excess flour.

Pour the batter into it and spread with a spatula and level it to avoid a dome.

Bake for 20 mins at 180 degrees celcius till knife inserted comes out clean.

Let it cool completely. Cut up into squares of the size you like and that fits in the bowl you will use to serve.

This is a crumbly cake with the divine smell of ghee liberally used in it and the freshest of flavors.


For the Banana Cream Sea (for each bowl)

1 banana
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon sugar

Whip together in the mixie to smoothness.

Putting together the final bowl

In a bowl spoon in the banana cream. With a light hand place the Mocha square afloat in the centre. Sprinkle some crushed nuts on it. I used walnuts.

I bet this is a light dessert compared to the rich creamy cakes that are in season. I love to use fruit suaces and puree with my cakes.

Enjoy the dessert! Wipe that drool off will you ;)

Note: The Banana Cream Sea should always be fresh. It gets oxidized if stored. Make it just before serving.

And before we say goodbye to the very exciting year that was 2008 am sharing here with you my favoritest jingle till date no not the jingle that reminds you of Santa.

Lovely lyrics and lovely picturization but could not find the Indian version. It was such a captivating ad.

That is my message to you... Open Up~ Open UP~~~welcome the unknown promises of the new with open arms.

Happy New Year !!

Visit Number: 100,000

I started using Sitemeter from 11/15/2006 almost a month after 10/09/2006 when I posted for the first time. It took me 2 yrs 2 month and 7 days to reach Visit Number : 100,000 !!

It is your love for this crazy woman that keeps it going. No pretensions just simple emotions that I go through and share with you all. This woman just pours her heart out here on the blog and you guys love to actually read it? Sometimes I am not so kind to people and you tolerate it. Sorry guys I am not known to take things easy.

I have received enormous amount of love from different parts of the world. I am amused by this special person who remains anonymous. I would like to think there are 2 of them (love multiplied with blessings is a big WOW!). I think I know who it is ;) !! You make my day!!

I have a special connection with NC, USA P will agree so is it mere coincidence that my Visit Number: 100,000 is from NC what does your astrology say W? I would like to know who it was from NC to hit that magic number.


A Big Hug to you :D my Visitor Number: 100,000

The love from my Koli people is invaluable to me. I just wish all my sisters also get to read all of my posts and more often. This year the blog promises to offer an orientation to the new member/s coming into the family.

Keep visiting all you readers. I need your love, support and blessings just like you have been doing this far.

Gondavalekar Maharaj Punyatithi at Blr

This picture was taken at the 12.00 noon aarti in the Blr mandir yesterday. While the Punyathithi was celebrated in Maharashtra yesterday here in Karnataka it is celebrated today. Just attended the Gulal ceremony and am off to work. Will go to the temple in the evening again.

Darshan at 7.30 pm today

Mess free Baigan Bharta

I love the smoky taste of Baigan bharta but at times you are just not in the mood to do all the roasting, peeling the charred skin and then cleaning the mess. Thats when this easy way makes it so cook friendly.

I had made it a while ago for my lunch box. You know by now about my Telugu neighbor Durga Rani yeah the same one who served us treats when we came back tired from college. She would make a baigan chutney by simply frying the baigans and grinding with green chilies and cilantro. This dish is inspired by that chutney but made like a bharta with raw onions in it along with a few other things.

Also the best thing is this bharta is made with any sized baigans/ eggplants. You don't have to go in search of a big royal purple eggplant.

So here you go.

Ingredients

250 gms chopped eggplants/ baigan/ vangi
1 large onion shredded fine.
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2-3 green chilies chopped fine.
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
some chopped cilantro for garnish
salt to taste

Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add the asafoetida. Fry the the chopped eggplants. Cover and cook till soft.

Now in a chutney grinder make a paste of the cooked and seasoned baigans. Remove to a big bowl and mix in the chopped raw onions, tomatoes, green chilies and salt. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

It goes well with tandoori rotis and phulkas. Sometimes I use this bharta as a dip with papads and crackers.

When I Went Home...& Papad Rolls

Papad rolls with Maggi hot and sweet sauce.

I still feel disoriented after a week in Blr. The 16 days in Mumbai went very slowly unlike my usual trips.

The first 2 days I went shopping at the new Inorbit Mall along with Sangita. Then it was time to visit my sisters and brothers. A couple of days at Gondavale enroute pulled over at Joshi Vadewale for a bite. We had misal pav but I did not get Kharvas this time.

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Bonding time with bros and sisters. Pulled over at Joshi Vadewale @ Pune

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Dad met his German friend, Heinz Gerstner after 4 yrs in Gondavale. Laxmi my bai who thinks it is time for her to go on holidays when I am in Mumbai!! Thank god atleast she fed me with Chavlachi Roti for a few days.

Lonavala Valley shot from the expressway

Then finally went to see MJ Kaka and Aruna Kaki. She made these Papad rolls for evening tea. Kaki works so hard at home and takes such good care of Uncle in his condition with the stroke yet she never misses a chance to pamper us. I just pray that my Uncle gets better. I know life will not be normal but atleast he becomes independent. It's been 2 long years. M J kaka and me are going to go together on a trek to the Himalayas. He promised me.


Ingredients

10 papads for the cover

For the stuffing

4 boiled potatoes
1/2 cup paneer crushed
5-6 green chilies fine chopped
salt to taste

Oil to fry

Mash the bolied potatoes and paneer together. Mix the salt and chopped green chilies. Divide into 10 parts. Save

Lightly apply water on the papad on both sides. Place one ball of stuffing on the papad. Make a packet. Deep fry in hot oil. Drain on a paper napkin. Though the roll is deep fried it is not so oily as just the papad requires frying. Similarly make all the rolls and fry. Serve hot with your favorite sauce.

A Wednesday

Watch this movie. I am not a movie buff but when I recommend you must. Go get a DVD now.

Me Mumbaikar

I was in Mumbai when the terror attacks happened. I was with my near and dear ones in my suburban home. On that night I had dinner at Sangita's and was catching up on all the gossip when one of her social worker friend called and asked us to watch the news. We were shocked!!

My Colaba was under attack. My Palva bunder (Gateway of India) where I went for evening walks when I was little was battle ground. It was unbelievable to see a safe area like Colaba market turn to a hideout. My relatives and friends were holed up at home for 3 days. Even after the Operation Cyclone we did not venture out to go see them. We are too shaken.

As Mumbaikars we all got back to normal life but we now look at everyone with suspicion and that is going to stay for a long time. We will be more alert.

Many of my Blr friends called to check on me and family. Thank you dear friends for your concern.

I did not feel like posting anything from Mumbai, some feelings are too personal. Couple of people showed their concern on this blog so this post.

Yesterday I walked through the same CST station where the bloodshed was carried out and past the parcel office where the bomb was found after a week of planting. Don't expect me to express my feelings here. I am going to hold those negative feelings inside and transform them to be a better citizen and an active assertive one. I am now back in Blr.

Mumbai was attacked, terror attacks can happen anywhere be alert and inform authorities if you find anything suspicious.