Vegan Beet Bundt

Since I took the vegan challenge I had not made any dessert or sweet as most of the Indian sweets I make are made with ghee and milk. But when I saw this vegan bundt cake at Food Librarian's space I was amazed at it's texture and since I had all the ingredients handy, I immediately put on my baking gloves.

The cake turned out to be super moist and had rich flavour. Beetroot gives this cake a wonderful red colour and softness. 

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour- 1 Cup

Beetroot Puree- 1 Cup ( Steam 2 medium beets and purée in a blender)

Canola Oil- 1/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder- 4 tbsp

Vanilla Extract- 1/2 tsp

Packed Brown Sugar- 3/4 Cup

Baking Powder- 1 tsp

Salt- 1/8 tsp

Confectioner's Sugar- For dusting (optional)

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven at 190 degrees C and grease the bundt pan and keep aside.
• In a bowl cream together oil and brown sugar. Add in the beet purée, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and mix together.
• In another bowl sieve all purpose flour, salt and baking powder together.
• Add this dry mixture to the wet beet mixture and mix everything together just until combined.
• Pour the mixture in the prepared bundt pan and bake for 35- 40 minutes or till done. If a screwer inserted in the centre of the bundt comes out clean, the bundt is done.
• Wait for the bundt cake to cool and then invert in a plate.

My husband and daughter liked their cake with generous dusting of confectioner's sugar and I enjoyed mine plain.

Note-Instead of cocoa powder 1/4 cup of any non dairy choco chip can be substituted .And dairy choco chip can be substituted for a non vegan version.

Sending this bundt to National Bundt day at Mary- The Food Librarian's space.

Also linking this to Srivalli's Kid's Delight Event hosted at Cooks Hideout space.

Daal Banjari

I am completing first week of my Vegan challenge and till now have been successful in sticking to the vegan diet. I have replaced my milk tea to soy milk masala tea and now loving it. The breakfast is mostly semolina upma or oats with a dash of soy milk and some fruits or brown rice poha and even Vegan french toasts.

Lunch comprises of lentils with roti or any tofu dish with rotis/ parathas and dinner is mostly dosas/ idlis/ roti subzi. I made these lentils for our lunch and it was super good. This daal belongs from Indian State of Rajasthan. The recipe is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's tasty eating for healthy living book, earlier I have tried this Daal Lucknowi from that book.

Ingredients:

Whole Black Gram with Skin( Urad daal)- 2/3 Cup (soaked)

Split Bengal Gram- 1/3 Cup (soaked)

Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Onions- 2 Small chopped

Cloves- 2

Cinnamon Stick- 1 Inch

Dry Red Chillies- 2

Ginger- 1 Inch Piece (crushed in mortar)

Garlic- 2 cloves (crushed in mortar)

Coriander Powder- 1 tsp

Green Chilly- 1

Black Pepper Powder- 1/4 tsp

Coriander Leaves- to garnish

Oil- 1 tbsp

Procedure:

• Pressure cook both grams together with turmeric powder, salt and 3 cups of water till 4-5 whistles.
• Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cinnamon, onions, crushed ginger and garlic with dried red chillies and green chilly and sautè till onions turn golden brown.
• Add the cooked grams, black pepper powder and coriander powder. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Check seasoning.
• Transfer to a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.