CURRY AND SPICE: LITCHI OATS CHOCO FLAVOURED CAKE

IT FELT LET US HAVE A SLICE OF CAKE EACH; NO MATTER IF IT IS VIRTUALLY!

Our friends left this morning! In Cristine's absence, it seems a bit empty! We wanted the son to study abroad, learn to be independent is true but the void that is created in our life at times get too visible! We are not party goers, neither fond of crowds, not that we get bored at home; just that it seems too empty & silent with both Cristine & the son at far! In such a scenario, the friends' visit was like a fresh air, specially if they are like family! T considers Dibyendu his brother from a different mother; us wives had been the right accompaniment to this friendship, the Chattopadhay family hosting a get-together beside the river last Saturday evening was an icing on the cake! At home & outside of home we chatted & only chatted! I wish to share the album in public, it would take few days to arrange it! Smita makes amazing cheese cakes, kebab, kochuri; yet says she hates cooking! Dibyendu is an occasional cook & developed a love for aquarium; I wish to share their hobbies, creations with everyone around after the Saraswati Puja is over, until then I am extremely busy! These are the friends who stood strong beside T when he needed that help!

AFTER FIVE LONG DAYS, I WENT FOR A WALK TODAY, DID A 5.9KM BRISK WALK!

We actually walked everyday; on the very first day of their arrival we went for a cable car ride! On Thursday & Friday day time, I took Smita for shopping, that was a bit of walking but I do not consider such walks constructive, given my eating pattern! Friday evening we went to the East Coast Park & Saturday evening to the Clarke Quay area with the Chattopadhay family, there was no walk but over eating! Sunday, I declared they must eat the rustic Bengali Food at every meal throughout the day! I would share all of them with my readers in public! Today morning they left and would reach their home sooner! They stayed in Chennai for twelve years & shifted to Mumbai last April! I am happy about this development, their daughter is studying Fashion Designing in another city! The girl of the Chottopadhay home would leave the island to study computer science sooner!

WHAT IS THIS LITCHI OATS CHOCO FLAVOURED CAKE?

I cooked this cake last July, thought of sharing it a couple of times, did not happen! Because it is a special day in the family with a birthday & an anniversary; I felt let us get it to the blog! There is still a little bit of Hershey's syrup left I got for the son on December, 2022! July is the season of the super sweet Litchi, a love since my childhood! We get here all of the fruits we have grown up eating! I try various combinations in my cakes, that the ace bakers may not choose to! At times my experiments fail & those that turn out well go to the blog! This day is associated with an Indian nationalist leader who played an important role in the country's freedom movement! But I think all these mentions on a particular day do not add any value! Neither I like talking about the family events in public, I would just touch the events in the post that I document on this good day! If you go through the steps next, get to know this LITCHI OATS CHOCO FLAVOURED CAKE is done with few ingredients; is gluten-free & vegetarian! You just skip the plain yogurt, add mashed banana or a non-dairy milk to make it vegan! I simply enjoy baking cakes on the stovetop! I must mention today is the second day of the CNY celebrations!

INGREDIENTS :

OAT FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

RICE FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

CORN FLOUR : 2 TBSP

BAKING POWDER : 1 TSP

BAKING SODA : 1/2 TSP

LITCHI [DE-SEEDED] : A BOWLFUL

PLAIN YOGURT : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

HERSHEY CHOCOLATE SYRUP : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

SUGAR : 2 TBSP

VANILLA ESSENCE : 1 TSP

OIL : 3-4 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Grind the oats to a powder & take in a bowl! Add the rice flour, corn flour, baking powder & soda to it & mix together well!

Blend together the Hershey Chocolate Syrup, plain yogurt, sugar, oil, vanilla essence to a paste and add to the flour mix!

Fold in well to a paste like consistently! Add the seedless, washed flesh bits of the litchis! Fold in well & keep aside for 15-20 minutes!

Grease a cake tin with oil at first & then dust with some rice flour or oats flour! Put a butter paper at the centre to take out the cooked cake easily!