Eggless Vannila Sponge Cake

I wanted to try baking a cake for quite a long time. Though I owned a microwave, I was not so sure of the recipe the consistency and method I need to make it. But atlast, got a heart and mind to try it out and here is my first cake baking experience. But this time, I didnot actually get discouraged and started browsing through the various recipes over the net. Found a lot of method to make eggless cakes, but none told that it could be made in Microwave. Atlast found a recipe in NDTV Cook Books by Niru Gupta and followed it leaving out an ingredient or two which I was told by another friend of mine who bakes a lot. 

Ingredients:

Flour - Multipurpose flour or Maida - 2 cups

Baking powder - 2 tsp

Butter - 1/2 cup

Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup (I used icing sugar)

Milk - 1/2 cu

Vinegar - 2 tsp (I avoided it completely)

Vannila Essence - 1 tsp

Microwavable baking pan

Method

In a shallow mixing bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, butter and sugar. Add the vannila essence and mix well. Add the vinegar and milk little by little and beat the batter to a smooth paste. (I used hand held beater to beat the batter smooth). Transfer it to the greased baking pan and bake for a total of 8 mins (the baking time strictly depends upon the individual microwave). So before setting the baking time, check the user manual thoroughly.

Once done, let it set for another 2 mins. Slowly turn it upside down on a serving plate. You can decorate it as and how you like. 

Rice Kheer in Microwave

Ingredients:
Milk - 2 1/2 cups
Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts - 6 to 8 nos

Method:
Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 mins. Drain completely. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the rice in medium flame till all the grains are coated with ghee.

In a microwave safe bowl add the milk and microwave it high for about 8 mins stirring it constantly in between. Add the rice and keep it in high for another 12 minutes. By this time the rice will also have got cooked and the milk would also have reduced to 3/4th. Remove and transfer it to a serving bowl. Garnish it with nuts fried in ghee.

Recipe for Apple Jam in Microwave

It is very easy to make Apple Jam in microwave.

Ingredients:
Apple - 2 nos medium
Sugar - 1/4 cups
Cinnamon Powder - 1 Pinch

Method:
Peel and chop the apples. In a microwave safe bowl add the chopped apples and sugar and microwave high for 2 mins. Remove and mash the apple slightly. Add the cinnamon powder and microwave it high again for about 2 1/2 mins on micro high.

Remove and store in airtight container and refregirate it.

How to make Thirattupal in Microwave

Ingredients:

Condensed Milk - 1 tin (500 ml)

Curd - 1 tsp

Sugar or Jaggery - 1 cup

Method:

In a deep microwave vessel, add the condensed milk (donot add water). Add the curd and mix well. 

Keep the container in micro high for 2 mins. Remove and stir well. Repeat the process twice. By this time, the milk would have thickened even more, keep it for one more minute in microwave and if it is thick enough, add sugar or jaggery, if not keep it again for a min. By this time, the mixture would have become pink in colour. 

Now add the sugar or jaggery and mix thoroughly and microwave it for one more min in micro high. Remove and let it cool and store it.

Rice Coconut Kheer in Microwave

It is very easy to make Rice Coconut Kheer in Microwave than the conventional method.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1/5th cup
Freshly grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 8 nos
Cardamom powder - 1 tbsp


Method to cook this payasam in microwave:

Soak the rice for 15 to 20 mins and grind it to a fine paste along with grated coconut and cardamom powder. In a microwave glass bowl, add the ground paste and 1/2 cup of water mix well and cook it for 4 mins in micro high. Remove from the oven and mash the ingredients with the back of the laddle to avoid forming lumps. Add one more cup of water and microwave it for another 2 mins.

Add the jaggery to the bowl and mix well. Keep it in microwave for another 2 mins. Remove from flame and add milk. Mix everything thoroughly and keep it in micro high for another min.

In a frying laddle add ghee and fry the cashew nuts till they become golden brown. Add it to the kheer. It really tasted yummy and I made the whole payasam in just about 10 mins.

How to make Kashmiri Dum Aloo in Microwave

Kashmiri Dum Aloo can also be made in microwave. 

Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes - 18 to 20

Kashmiri Chillies - 5 to 6 nos or 1 tsp of Kashmiri Chilly Powder.
Curd - 2 cups unsour.
Oil to deep fry
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Powder - 2 tbsp
Gingely oil - 1/4 cup (Mustard oil can also be used, if taste and smell can be tolerated)
Clove - 2 nos
Asafodeita - a pinch
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method to make Kashmiri Dum Aloo in Microwave:
Wash and pierce the potatoes with fork. Micro high the potatoes for about 5 to 7 mins by placing the potatoes directly on the turn table.

Make a paste of Kashmiri chillies and whip it with the curd.

In a microwave glass shallow container add 1 tsbp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee for about a min. Add the curd paste and cover it with a lid and cook in microwave high for 3 mins and medium high for 4 mins. Add the potatoes and cook in micro high for about 4 to 5 minutes.

What to purchase - OTG or Microwave to bake cake at home

Whenever talk about home made cookies and cakes come, me and my friends discuss about OTGs and Microwaves. Still many of my friends prefer OTGs to bake those delicacies inspite of having convection microwaves. Not that they dont know to bake a cake in that but they fear of hardening it or cooking it much more than required than the needed. Many of my relatives who own a microwave still use it to reheat, or to cook dishes like oats etc and have never tried out many dishes. But before I purchased my LG Convection microwave, I decided to check out the difference between OTG and Microwaves and whether I should go for convection or for a solo microwave and a OTG.

Eventually, I ended up purchasing a microwave oven as I got convinced from various websites that a cake can be baked in convection mode of microwave. Microwaves normally comes in 3 types,
   
         Basic or Solo which can be used for basic cooking and reheating.
         Microwave with grill helps in grilling, baking cokies and cakes.
         Microwave with convection which also include grill - which is a all in one cooking gadget. You can cook, reheat, bake grill all with equal ease.

How is a microwave different from OTG
    OTG have heating elements on the top and bottom and either one or both the coils can are used while cooking in OTG. That is for grilling the dishes only the top coil is heated and for baking cakes or cookies both the coils are heated. An OTG can be used to reheat frozen dishes, barbecue, keep the baked or grilled dish warm, grill dishes and can bake cakes and cookies. The OTGs cook pretty slowly when compared to Microwaves.

In general, to bake cake in OTGs one need to pre heat it and use the right recipe and spend some quality time to bring out the recipe the right way.

OTGs are available from Rs. 2000.00; Solo Microwaves are available as low as Rs. 3000.00. But if anyone decides to go for just one gadget, it is better to go for any of the convection microwave models.

How to make Carrot Halwa in Microwave

One of my most favourite sweet is Carrot Halwa. When we got our new microwave, I tried this and it really turned out well. 

Ingredients:
Carrot - 2 cups grated
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12
Cardomom Powder - From 4 to 6 pieces
Ghee - 2 Tbsp

Method:
In a deep Microwave bowl, add milk and carrot. The mixture should reach only half of the vessel. The vessel should be that deep. Keep it in micro high for 10 mins. Give a standing time of 5 to 6 mins and then remove from oven and add sugar to it. Mix well and micro high for another 8 mins. Remove from oven after a standing time of 3 mins. In a small microwave glass bowl, add a spoon of ghee and broken cashewnut pieces. Keep for 2 mins and bring it to golden brown. Remove from oven and add it to the Carrot Halwa. Add cardomom powder. Serve hot or cold. A great dessert.

To get this recipe in Tamil

Semiya Payasam in Microwave

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 ltr
Vermicili - 1/2 cup (Roasted)
Sugar - 1/2 cup (If you want it a bit more sweet add 2 to 4 tspns more)
Cardomom Powder - made from 4 to 6 cardomoms
Cashewnuts - broken into small pieces 8 pieces
Raisins - 10 to 12 (optional)
Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method:
In a micro bowl put 1 tbsp ghee and add raisins and cashew nuts and microwave it for 1 min. If they are not roasted golden brown, keep it for another 30 seconds. In a flat bowl, add a tbspn of ghee and semiya(vermicili) and micro high for 1 min stirring in between. Boil milk in a microwave container. Add vermicili to it and mix well. Micro high for 15 mins stirring every few mins inbetween. Remove from microwave and add sugar. Again microwave it for 5 mins. Remove from the oven and add the fried nuts and raisins, cardomom powder and another tbsp of ghee to it.

It is good to eat this either hot or cold.

காரட் அல்வா - மைக்ரோவேவ்

துருவிய காரட் - இரண்டு கப்
பால் - ஒன்றரை கப்
சர்க்கரை - ஒரு கப்
வறுத்த முந்திரி - இரண்டு ஸ்பூன்
நெய் - இரண்டு ஸ்பூன்

காரட் பால் இரண்டையும், ஆழமான மைக்ரோவேவ் பத்திரத்தில் போட்டு நன்கு கலக்கி விடவும். இரண்டும் சேர்ந்து அரை பாத்திர அளவே இருக்க வேண்டும். அதனால் நல்ல ஆழமான பத்திரமாக எடுத்து கொள்ளவும். மைக்ரோ ஹையில் எட்டு நிமிடங்கள் வைக்கவும். ஐந்து நிமிடங்கள் ஸ்டாண்டிங் டைம் குடுத்து வெளியில் எடுக்கவும். அதில் சர்க்கரை சேர்த்து மீண்டும் எட்டு நிமிடம் வைக்கவும். மூன்று நிமிடம் ஸ்டாண்டிங் டைம் குடுத்து பின்னர் அதில் நெய், முந்திரி, ஏலக்காய் சேர்த்து ஒரு நிமிடம் வைக்கவும்.

இதை சூடாகும் சாபிடலாம், சில் என சாபிடாலும் நன்றாக இருக்கும்.

How to make Mango Halwa (Using Microwave)

Here comes the summer and also comes the Mango Season. Let me start my recipie list with one of my favourites.
The time taken to prepare and cook this Halwa is 45 minutes. The quantity that I have given here will serve 12 people. Increase the quantity proportionately for more people.

Ingredients:
Ripe mango peel skin and cut into small pieces or mashed into a pulp - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 Cup
Ghee - 1 Tbsp

Method:
Take the mango pulp and sugar in a micro proof casselore or a shallow glass dish and cook in a micro high for 4 mins. The bowl should not be closed. Remove from the oven, mix well and cook in micro medium for 16 mins. Keep stirring in between. Let it cool for 2 mins and mix it well and micro high for another 3 mins. This will help the halwa to thicken. Add the ghee and mix well and let it stand for another 2 mins.

Recipe for Microwave Paneer stuffed Lady's finger

Lady's finger, Okra, Bhindi, whatever name you call it, it is a big hit in any house hold if cooked properly. My This is a special method of cooking Lady's finger to make even those who dont like it. Combined with Paneer and  Tomato Puree, this dish, turned out to be an extremely mouth watering side dish for Chappati, though the kids might finish it  off as a starter dish.

Ingredients:

Very tender, fresh ladies’ finger - 250 gms
Paneer - 200 gms ( grate)
Oil - 1 tsp
Tomato puree - ½ cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt and sugar to taste

Method to make stuffed Lady's finger:
Wash and wipe dry the Lady's finger. Cut the top and bottom end and slit it lengthwise (care should be taken, so as not to cut it into two halves). Microwave on low for just 30 seconds. Remove and spread it on a plate.

Mix grated paneer with chlli powder, salt and oil. Stuff the lady's finger with Paneer mixture. In a flat bottom shallow micro bowl, spread the stuffed Lady's fingers and micro wave it for 30 seconds on medium. Mix tomato puree, salt and sugar (alteratively tomato ketchup can also be used). Pour on top of the spread bhindis. Cover the bowl and micro medium for 10 mins. Let it be in room temperature for 2 mins. Open the lid and microwave it in high for about 2 mins.

Serve with hot  Parathas, Rotis, Naan and Veg Pulav.

Recipe for Tandoori Potato/Tandoori Aloo

Ingredients
Baby Potatoes - 1 cup or 12 to 15 nos
Cream - 1 tbsp (optional)
Kasuri Methi - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Red Chillies - 4 nos
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Tandoori Masala - 2 tsp

Method:
Grind red chillies, ginger, coriander-cumin powder and Tandoori Masala powder. Wash potatoes nicely and pierce it with fork. Place the  potatoes on a microwave turn table. Arrange them in circle leaving place for water in the middle. Keep a cup of water in the center to prevent the potatoes from getting wrinkled. Microwave the potatoes in high for 5 minutes.

In a microwave bowl add oil and heat it for about 30 seconds. Add the grind paste and salt to the hot oil and mix thoroughly. Microwave high again for 1 min. Add the potatoes and mix well with the paste and microwave it high for about a min. Add cream and methi leaves and microwave it again for 1 minute.

Serve it as starter or as a side dish for Chappati.

How to make baby corn masala in microwave

Ingredients:
Baby Corn - 1 cup
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 1 no
Onion - 1 no
Onion - 1 big
Jeera - 1 tsp

Method to make Baby Corn Masala in Microwave
Grind coriander leaves, ginger, green chilly, onion and jeera to a fine paste.


In a microwave bowl add the oil and the ground paste and heat it in microwave high for 1`min. Add babycorn, salt and 2 tbsp of water and mix everything well. Cover the bowl with lid and cook for about 6 mins on micro high.

Remove from microwave and add lemon juice. (Add sugar if you like it). Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.