HONEY LEMON STEAMED RICE CAKE

This was a decision made yesterday afternoon and the mission was completed by 5:30 pm. You can see, I got the pictures clicked by 6 pm in natural light and did not require any filter. I know photography or not, this makes me happy. Ever since I learnt doing steamed cake falling in love with the typical South East Asian snacks, I do them at home the simplest way. I do them with whatever is available at home without spending few dollars to buy ingredients for the cake or the snack to be made. I made this steamed cake with everything I had at home; rice flour, baking powder, coconut milk, dried coconut flakes, honey, lemon juice, lemon jest, sunflower seeds. What we get is a super soft, fluffy, vegan, gluten-free, steamed rice cake with a refreshing touch of lemon. I named it HONEY LEMON STEAMED RICE CAKE.

Thursday mornings are usually busy. I visit the wet market to get the weekly produce of raw materials. If you say so, Saturday & Sunday mornings are the best time to buy fish, meat, vegetables. I do not avail that opportunity. I find myself very awkward in the crowd. Back in Kolkata, I used to avoid the weekend wet markets specifically for two reasons; one was the exorbitant price hike over the weekends; second was the fear of some who consider the female body as taken for granted to practice their touch therapy. With two bags in two hands and the hand purse tightly clipped in one of the underarm, I could not even kick tight at the back of these rascals; I am pretty sure such kinds have a full fledged family back home.

A private tutor in my teens who was trying to make my body a safe medium for his hand practises has a beautiful daughter now and a highly qualified wife who I have heard is a good souled woman. Ahh! how my mother saved me from these predators each time. Each time I was in distress, I found a friend in her who I could complain to freely and get justice. As a chubby child too, I was not spared in trains, buses. I did not understand anything, I could not protect myself complaining about the touch to the accompanying father. Once in college, I learnt how to retaliate; some of my friends know how I kicked out people from a moving bus, beaten people with an umbrella at the DumDum station. I pity the families of such predators; they do not know who they live with; even if they know, they perhaps are forced to and the wrong continues.

We are having breakfast with a cheese-macaroni bake and the lovely, fluffy steamed cake; if not you, I will thank myself.

What I keep trying to convey to the son is that he never should disrespect a woman touching her inappropriately, neither should he be too friendly with outwardly smart girls; make friendship online with unknown people. As a boy's mother, I have both kinds of fear. Before leaving home, I will tell him that for any personal need, there are certified places; he need not get into nasty acts, need not get trapped in wrong plans; he must meticulously choose his friends; learn to avoid any complication to remain safe. Mumma will be at far is the problem. Anyway, here in this island, I am spared of  touch therapy; I will not hesitate to say I do not find the eyes of the men here uncomfortable. I can wear body hugging clothes and go for sweaty walks, no one is bothered. So, the problem is not with the male fraternity; it is with the society. A society that cannot educate properly it's members will continue to breed predators.

A majority of the women folks in the roads of India have to handle this big problem. "ichhey holo ektu ghete dilam" has to stop. I urge the mothers to be a little careful who they are letting in to their kids' lives. Our mother was very careful. When my son started going to school, I asked him everyday if anyone touched his specific body parts. This mumma used to touch all day and the daddy stopped her after coming to this island. Listen folks, while talking to anyone, refrain from touching; even if your intents are not wrong, it may seem uncomfortable to the other person.

All of a sudden the above thoughts popped on my mind. I feel so secured and safe in this island in few ways that I do not have to think much on certain matters. I do not show my love as often to this island as I should. The problem is one has to do a vivid study of the culture one is not part of before attempting an entry into it. I always admit I am too lethargic to do any research study. Moreover, I am against buying a couple of ingredients for one single dish. Mine is not a boutique blog, may be because keeping a track of every details is so difficult for me. Let my blog flow my way and I keep gifting you such simple, rustic ideas as this egg free, oil free, sugar free HONEY LEMON STEAMED RICE CAKE. Okay, I had a satisfying lunch yesterday with Bhola Maach er Jhol, Beulir Dal, Bhangachora Shukto with half & half Millet & Rice; you can see Indian Jew fish curry, urad dal, fish head veggie on my yesterday's lunch platter. Thereafter, some sweet, fleshy litchi made a blissful ending.

INGREDIENTS :

RICE FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG
BAKING POWDER : 1/2 TSP
COCONUT MILK : 200 ML
COCONUT FLAKE : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP
HONEY : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP
LEMON JUICE : 4-5 TBSP
LEMON ZEST : 1/2 TSP
SUNFLOWER SEED : 2 TSP
SALT : 2-3 PINCH


PROCEDURE : 

I have used the following to prepare the egg free, oil free, steamed rice cake. Okay, I forgot to take in the salt pot.

I have taken the rice flour, salt, baking powder, coconut flakes  in a bowl and mixed together well.

I added the coconut milk and roughly folded in. 

I added the honey and mixed  well.

Then, I added the lemon zest and thereafter the lemon juice.

The batter  has to be beaten well with a hand beater.

I added the sunflower seeds now and mixed well.

I had greased a cake tin with few drops of oil and dusted it with rice flour. 

I had poured the rice flour batter into it and tapped it lightly on the kitchen counter. We have to keep it at rest for about 20 minutes.

You can top it with more of dried coconut flakes & sunflower seeds.

We need to half fill a standard sized vessel with water and put for boil on gas top. We have to cover it.

When the water boils, we have to place a steel colander atop and on top of it the batter filled bowl. 

I have tied a heavy lid with a towel and covered the entire thing. This makes the steam to lock and cook a soft, fluffy cake.

It takes 12-14 minutes for the cake to be done. 

Keep it at rest for few minutes before serving.

Because there is coconut milk in the cake, it is recommended to have it within 36 hours. It has to be refrigerated if so, but has to be taken out at least an hour before eating it.