Red Velvet Cake

I made this cake exclusively as a Valentines day special treat. It came out even better than expected and my husband said that it was my best ever home baked cakes. What more should I ask for!!

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely. Enjoy.

Dhokla

Last week we went to desi treat, which is a veg restaurant here in kuwait and was going through the menu when I heard my husband excitedly calling the waiter and asked him whether some neatly kept steaming cake like pieces of food kept on the snack counter was dhokla.The bearer said yes and he immediately asked for two servings. I had never tasted a dhokla in my life so my husband was super excited to describe it in detail. Seeing his excitement, I made a mental note then and there that I am definitely going to try it at home very soon.. Yesterday, I surprised him with my own dhokla preparation. He said that it was even more tastier than desi treat's dhoklas.. And I'm blushing even as I write this!!!

Ingredients

For Batter:
Bengal Gram flour / Besan/ Chickpea flour - 250 gms (1 & 1/2 cup)
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup (not very sour)
Water - 1/2 cup
Cooking/Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
For seasoning to be mixed to the batter (to be added just before cooking)

Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric a pinch
Green Chili paste - 1 - 2 (or as per taste)
Sugar - 1 tsp
Citric acid - quarter tsp (or lemon juice)
Eno - 1 packet (green colour fruit lime) + some more for sprinkling on the plate
(note: I dint know how much a sachet contains since I have a bottle so I assumed 1-1/4 tsp of Eno fruit salt)
salt to taste
For tempering
Mustard Seeds
Curry leaves
Grated coconut
Coriander leaves
Little water + Oil to be topped on dhoklas

Method

Mix first 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water.
To this add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter, the consistency should be of idli batter, more of dropping not pouring consistency.
Slowly add more water if needed else, add the soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour. If you are using a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate for steaming the dhoklas. Thali plate can be used for steaming. To the batter mix in the citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate.
Meanwhile have the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water reaches the rolling stage, you can mix the eno to the batter (Save little of eno for dusting on the plate), mix gently, you will see bubbles coming out.
Dust or sprinkle the plate with eno. Then immediately pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 5 -7 minutes. The batter should be filled to only 1/2 as it is going to rise
After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.
In a bowl, mix 3 tsp of water along with a tsp of oil. Remove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top. For seasoning, heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla. Enjoy.