4 Minute Vanilla Sponge Cake - Microwave recipe

Use the following recipe to make an array of cakes.
I have made Star-fruit Gateau, White gateau with berries like the Cranberry cake (pic above) with this basic sponge cake recipe.
Re-make this recipe 2 or 3 times for the number of layers you need upto a day or 2 in advance. Cool and store well covered in the fridge.

This cake is baked in the microwave. It requires just 4 minutes on high. But follow the recipe well. Total time required is 15 minutes to make 1 cake.
If you plan on making 2 or 3 layers, then please wash, clean and dry all your vessels before repeating the making process.
Give 15 minutes before you re-start making your recipe batter for the next layer, or the cake will never rise.

If you want to make a Black forest or any other layered Chocolate cake, follow the link for the 4 minute Chocolate sponge cake.

Ingredients:
Flour - 1/2 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 2
Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup

Method:
Sieve the flour and baking powder and keep aside
Beat the eggs with the sugar.
Add the oil and continue beating.
Add the vanilla essence and mix well.
Add the milk and flour alternately in batches and beat well.
Transfer into a microwaveable greased vessel immediately.
The batter must be only half way up.
Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Leave in the microwave for a further 5 minutes.
Invert after 10 minutes.

If baking in oven , then preheat oven at 200C and bake for 15 minutes.

Cool, decorate and serve.

White sauce (or) Bechamel sauce

This is one of the most used sauces in European / American cuisine (I know it is sweeping statement, but it is used only in Non-Asian recipes!). Mac and cheese and many other pasta recipes like Lasagne, Cannelloni use this sauce.

I have reached the following measurements after much trial and error. My sauce is not too thick. If you wish to use it as a dip, then reduce milk.
The original recipe uses ONLY butter. But since my husband is VERY health concious, I substitute it with olive oil and sometimes a mix of both.
And French chefs swear by Nutmeg as the spice to be used. But me, being an Indian,add an array of spices!!
Cheese can be added to the sauce, if you wish. Just remember to keep aside some of the cheese for decoration.
Similarly the flour can be fried in the butter till it loses it's raw smell or till golden brown or till it turns caramel brown. And depending on the color of the fried flour, your sauces color changes and so does it's name! (Dark brown is Roux.)

Ingredients:
Butter / Olive oil -  5 tbsp
Flour - 5 tbsp
Milk - 2 and 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cheese - 1/2 cup grated (optional)
(So the ratio is something like this.... for 1 tablespoon of butter, use 1 tbsp flour  and 1/2 cup milk)

Various spices which may be used:
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Chilly flakes - 1 pinch
Thyme - 1 pinch
Rosemary - 1 pinch
Nutmeg - 1 pinch

Heat butter  in a thick bottomed pan on a low flame, till it melts and add the flour.
If you are using olive oil, just add in the flour.
Stir constantly.
The raw smell of the flour must go (around 2 minutes on very low flame).
Add the milk slowly while stirring constantly.
No lumps must form. If lumps occur, turn off flame and sieve.
When the mixture starts to boil / thicken, add the salt and rest of the spices you wish to use.
Keep stirring until mixed well and turn off flame.
Add cheese now, if using and stir well.

Tomato Chutney

Tomato - 2 large
Red chilli - 5 or more (depending on spice level)
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 1 pod (opt)
Onion - 1 medium
Coriander leaf - 3 tbsp
Mint leaf - 2 tbsp (opt)
Curry leaf - 5
Oil - 1 tbsp
salt

Heat oil and fry the red chillies and keep aside.
Now fry the rest of the ingredients , except salt.
Cool and grind into a fine paste.
Serve with dosa.

We do not add spluttered mustard to this, but you can if you wish.

Coconut Icecream

Basic Ice Cream - 1 recipe
Coconut Milk powder - 50 gms
(mixed with 1 cup water)
Thick cream - 1 cup
Tender coconut pulp - 3 cups (minced)

Beat the basic ice cream mixture while placing the container on top of ice.
Once beaten add the cream and continue to beat until light and volume doubles.
Add the coconut milk and beat for another 2 minutes.
Transfer to a freezer-proof container and when half set add the tender coconut pulp.
Mix well and set again.

Garnish:
Toasted dry coconut - 1 tbsp for each scoop
Honey - 1 tbsp for each scoop
Toasted groundnuts - 5 per scoop

Paneer Curry with ground almonds

This recipe was adapted from a recipe given to me by my dear friend , Sheena Abdul.

Paneer - 200 gms, cut into small cubes
Onion - 1 large
Garlic - 1pod
Green chilli - 3, chopped  + 1 slit
Salt
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 large
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Almonds or Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2tbsp

Grind the onion and garlic into a fine paste.
Grind the coconut and nuts into a fine paste and keep aside for later.
Heat the oil and add the onion paste. Fry till raw smell goes.
Add the green chilli and the all the powders.
After a minute add the tomato and fry on a low flame till the tomato turns pulpy.
Add 1/2 cup of water and the diced paneer.
Cook on a low flame covered for 5 minutes.
Add the coconut paste and add another cup of water if necessary.
Boil and decorate with coriander leaf.
Serve with ghee rice.

Ghee Rice

Basmati rice - 3 cups, washed and soaked in water for 1/2 hour
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt
(opt) Mint leaves - 2 tsp
Cloves - 4
Jeera - 1tsp
Cinnamon stick- 4* 1inch pieces
Pepper - 10
(opt) Cardamom - 2 pods
Onion - 1 medium, sliced thin
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Almond or Cashewnuts - 2tbsp

Heat the ghee and oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and once hot add all the spices.
Add 5 1/2 cups of water, salt and mint leaves.
Once it boils add the rice and cook covered on a low flame for 10 minutes. Do not open pan for a further 10 minutes.
The rice will not stick to each other and all the water must be absorbed by then. Fluff with a fork.
Garnish with fried onions, raisins and nuts.
Serve with Paneer curry.

Raita

This is basically an accompaniment served with hot spicy food to tone down the effect of the main dish.

Cucumber - 1 , chopped or grated
(or)
Carrot - 1 large , grated

Onion - 1 small, minced
Tomato - 1/2 medium, chopped
Curd (chilled)  - 2 cups
Salt
Green chilli - 1, chopped fine
Coriander leaf - 1 tbsp
Jeera powder (opt) - 1 pinch
Chilli powder (opt) - for decoration

If grating the cucumber, you might have to squeeze it to remove its juice.
Mix the vegetables, salt and curd.
Decorate with the coriander leaf and jeera powder/ chilli powder.
Serve chilled.