Flour less fruit and nut cake

This time last year, I was on a strict elimination diet which meant I could not eat gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts etc. However, even though I am back to a normal diet now, a few habits I developed during the elimination diet have stayed with me and I often make gluten free cakes. Plus, I also wanted to create a festive recipe that people with food intolerances could also enjoy. The result is my flour less fruit and nut cake. It is #gluten free and #dairy free, uses minimal sugar and can easily be converted into a #vegan version. And as far as fruit and nut cakes go, this one is pretty extravagant, which is fitting for this time of the year.

Ingredients:

Fruit mix
1 cup of mixed dried fruit (I used sultans, currants, cranberries, figs, prunes and dates)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 heaped teaspoon of ground ginger
1 heaped teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of cognac (brandy, sherry or rum can also be used, alternatively replace with orange juice for an alcohol free version)

Nut mix
1 cup of  chopped nuts (I used almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and pistachios)

Cake batter
1 cup of almond meal
2 eggs (or two heaped teaspoons of egg replacer powder mixed in water for a vegan version)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup of soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons of rice bran oil (or any other light cooking oil)
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Glaze and topping
3 heaped tablespoons of apricot jam
1 tablespoon of water
Handful of nuts and cranberries to decorate

Method

I prefer to make the fruit mixture in advance so that the spices and alcohol can infuse into the fruit. Simply place all the ingredients (dried, fruit, spices, cognac, zest and juice) together in a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Cover with cling wrap and set aside for at least 20 minutes or overnight of time permits.

To make the cake batter combine the almond meal, brown sugar and baking powder and mix well with a spatula to ensure there are no lumps. Add the chopped nuts and mix. In a separate mixing bowl, lightly beat two eggs, add the oil and juice and zest of an orange followed by the dry fruit mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine. Pour the cake batter into a lined loaf or small cake tin. Bake in a 180 C fan forced oven for 55-60 minutes.

Remove from in the oven, cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

To make the glaze, place the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan and heat over a low flame for 2-3 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear around the edges. Brush on the warm glaze on to the cool cake. Decorate with nuts and dried fruit of your choice and place some of the remaining glaze on to the nuts and fruit to give them a beautiful sheen.

The cake is delicious on its own, but any left over cake can be served with custard or ice cream.

I hope you enjoy this moist and rich cake with your family and friends or give it as a beautiful edible christmas present. You do not have to be on a gluten free diet to enjoy this lovely cake, but if by any chance you have someone with a food intolerance in your circle of family and friends, they will feel completely spoilt when you make this for them.

Bounty from my garden - fresh and organic

This is what my garden looks like right now, unfortunately due to the mild spring and summer so far this year, there have been no ripe tomatoes or cucumbers so far, but I have been harvesting plenty of spinach, radishes, cauliflower, cabbages, broccoli, carrots, spring onions and garlic etc. And my herb and fruit garden is flourishing. Small eggplants and capsicums have finally appeared so I hope the harvest is not too far away and going by the green tomatoes,  a few hot days and I will also have bucket loads of tomatoes.

Mince pie - Gluten free and vegan

This pie is #gluten free, #dairy free, # nut free, # vegetarian, #vegan.

The pastry is made with amaranth flour, which is gluten free and a healthier substitute to flour and results in a crispy yet chewy pastry. To make one large pie or 12 small ones you will need:

1 cup of amaranth flour
1/4 cup of pure icing sugar (sifted)
1/4 cup of rice bran oil
2 tablespoons of cold water

I make a large batch of the fruit mince mixture and use it for regular as well as gluten free pies. The fruit mix quantity mentioned catered for 1 dozen small, 1 dozen medium and 1 large pie.  Depending on the number of pies you make, you may have some extra mixture left over, which can be refrigerated for use later.

Fruit mix

1 cup of chopped sultanas

1 cup of currants

1/2 cup of chopped cranberries

Zest and juice of 1 orange

2 tablespoons of brandy

1 heaped teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 heaped teaspoon of ground ginger

1/4 cup of maple syrup or honey

For the dry fruit mixture, mix all the ingredients together and allow to stand for a minimum of 20 minutes or overnight if time permits.

Make the pastry by mixing the flour, sugar and oil. Use the cold water to bring the dough together. Because there is no gluten the dough does not need to be worked, you just need to ensure the ingredients are mixed through and come together. Wrap in cling wrap and chill for 20 minutes. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of grease proof paper. The pastry is very fragile, so it is easier to make smaller pies, alternatively, do what I do and place the pastry in the pie tin and spread it with your fingers, just like you would for the base of a cheese cake, taking care that the sides are pushed all the way up to give the pie crispy edges.  Reserve some pastry for the pie tops. The pastry scraps can be brought together and rolled out. This pastry does not need to be blind baked as the sugar and oil ensure you get a crispy pastry, so you can add the fruit mince mixture, place the pastry tops and bake in a 180 C oven for 30-40 minutes. I have opted to put little star cutouts, but you can add strips of pastry to make a lattice, add slivered almonds or leave it open just as with a tart, though take care not to burn the fruit.

Dust with icing sugar and enjoy warm or cold.

Palak wali dal - lentils with spinach

Given that I have an absolute abundance of spinach in my garden right now, I have been using it in absolutely everything from quiches, pies, curries, soups, sauteed with eggs and now with dal. I remember my mum used to make something similar and I have tried to recreate the dish from memory. I have used split Urad dal but I am sure other lentils will also work. You can eat it Indian style with flat bread or rice or enjoy it like a thick, chunky soup with some crusty bread.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Urad dal (rinsed and soaked for at least 20 minutes)

4 cloves of garlic

1 inch piece of ginger

1 large onion chopped finely

1 tomato finely chopped

1 large bunch of spinach -  washed and roughly chopped

Salt and chilli powder to taste

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon of Garam masala powder

2 tablespoons of cooking oil (I use rice bran oil)

Coriander springs for garnish

Method:

I precook the dal and cook the spinach with tarka  (tempering) to avoid overcooking the spinach. I pressure cook the dal but you can also cook it in a saucepan until tender.

Cook the washed and soaked dal in about six cups of water with the chopped onion, garlic and turmeric powder until tender.  A pressure cooker will speed up the cooking time. Allow the pressure cooker to come to pressure on high flame, then turn down the gas and allow it to come to pressure two more times. Turn off the gas, set aside and allow the pressure to dissipate on its own.

Fot the tarka, heat up a skillet and add the the cooking oil. Add the chopped onions and fry on a medium heat until the onions are golden brown in colour. Add the chopped tomato and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the salt and chilli powder followed by the chopped spinach. Cook on a low heat until the spinach wilts and is tender. Add the garam masala powder and add the tarka (the spinach, onion tomato mixture) to the cooked dal or add the cooked dal to the tarka (depending on the size of your utensils, the idea is to combine the two). Bring the dal to a boil (adding more water if required to achieve the desired consistency), add the chopped coriander. Serve hot and enjoy.

Chicken and potato curry

This dish is inspired by meat curries made in Bengal, where potatoes are often added to chicken or mutton curries. The potatoes not only bulk up the meal, which makes it go further but also absorb all the flavours while cooking and as a result taste delicious. I have also cooked this dish in mustard oil, which is also commonly used in Bengal and it provides another dimension to the dish, but vegetable or olive oil can also be used if preferred.

I have used boneless thigh fillets, but a whole chicken or skinless drumsticks can also be used, though the cooking time will vary.

Ingredients
500 gms chicken thigh fillets, cubed
6 medium sized potatoes cut in 8 pieces
2 large onions minced
1 tomato pureed
1 inch piece of ginger minced
6 cloves of garlic minced
Salt and chilli powder to taste
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 dried red chillies
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup chopped corriander
2 tablespoons of mustard oil
1 cup water

In a large wok or skillet, heat the mustard oil and add the dried chillies and fenugreek seeds. Wait about 30 seconds before adding the minced onion, ginger and garlic ( I mince them together in a food processor, and in the past would have added at least 2 green chillies as well but since I am cooking toddler friendly meals, I have cut down on the chilli quotient). Brown the onion mixture ( get this step right and all your curries will taste delicious, so take the time, stir frequently and allow the onions to caramelise) before adding the pureed tomato. Add the salt, chilli powder and turmeric and mix well. Then add the cubed chicken pieces and stir to ensure the chicken pieces are well coated. Next add the cubed potatoes and mix well. Add the curry powder mixed in one cup of water. Bring the curry to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes,  giving it a stir now and then to ensure the bottom does not catch. You may add extra water to achieve the preferred consistency. Add the chopped corriander and serve warm with plain rice or chappati and a simple salad.

Enjoy!