STOVETOP HUMBLE CAKE

 Each month there has Full Moon Day [Purnima], New Moon Day [Amavasya], significant in our culture! I saw parents, family elderlies observing these days having chapati instead of rice, vegetarian meals. I can't remember rituals, don't observe them every month, man, son ain't interested. Full moon day is held auspicious, new moon day isn't, they say Amavasya attracts negative energy. Science may not agree. Certain Full Moon days are more auspicious; Buddha Purnima, Guru Purnima, Guru Purab, Rakhi Purnima. Today is Rakhi Purnima, sisters tie sacred thread on their brothers' wrists. Tagore called it Harmony Day, urged all irrespective of caste, creed, religion to tie sacred thread of bond! You may consider it Friendship Day too.

I am feeling tired! I happily talked to my brother, had late breakfast as usual, then started feeling lethargic.

"May I sleep on the couch" kind of vive is there, as if I fought lot with mind to keep in track, not cross boundaries! How come one imprison soul? I am going to share recipe of cake above in short while, before that I would do talks. This space is meant to express my thoughts, although I don't take the full liberty anymore; I say something, people understand something else. I wouldn't apologise, I am honest about my feelings, actions, I can't fake!

Not understanding this world, I better stay quiet. Why let people point finger. I love sitting, brooding, watching people, food be there. I don't know if it's okay or not to buy maki from outside store, occupy seat for an hour in food court buying a cup of kopi-o-kosong. I can't have big meals in afternoons.

That pizza like bread was at basement of Paya Lebar Square, slice with curry spread, spring onions, I couldn't finish the huge slice. I am "cha-ruti", "cha-biskut" kind.

Exciting it was to discover food court at 4th floor of SingPost building. I keep visiting PayaLebar MRT area, never checked with 4th floor, SingPost building. It's different from rest, that attracts me, would sit there alone with food, drink, worth it. Singapore's history isn't ancient! Their history they restore beautifully in museums, keeping hand pulled rickshaws, through paintings depicting their past. My greatest hurt was visiting highest peak in Manali, 2008. On reaching top, we found solo toilet was dilapidated, where hundreds of tourists would discharge no one had concern, but we fight on trivial issues. What's development? To maintain current infrastructure, to build new! We make too much of noise we don't require to. A janitor appointed there could feed an entire family.

I definitely love India but wish to live outside, I prefer everything well done, be it home or surroundings. 

I have ability to cook, follow my culture wherever I am. Kolkata lives on biryani, pizza, chaat, momo; do people eat their own food? Inter-cultural mingling is necessity, I wouldn't have sustained in Singapore for 15 years, if not welcomed. I would force man to leave decade back. When I hum Bollywood numbers, Singaporeans would frown, smile next moment. I move body, bus captains would wave, smile. I must say, Singaporeans at times need to keep aside rules, laugh out loud. During Covid, amount of rebuke I received was enough reason to flee. I understood their concern for themselves, for me, a foreigner! Being rule bound is good, I think I survived Covid for rules. But you must breathe at times, laugh out loud in public, whats the issue? 

Thats me. My brother, son were thin as man, now they all have put on weight, even man's sister. My brother's girl was perfect, lost it. As long as son's single, mumma would warn him to stay fit. I was obese, don't want to be again. It's me who went crazy after Cristine to get back to her slimmer self. She listened. Maintaining ourselves is necessity. 

Baking, having vegan, gluten-free, dairy free STOVETOP HUMBLE CAKE isn't sin, we have to control the frequency, amount of intake. I had been baking vegetarian, also with egg, basic cakes, biscuits since teen. We love plain cakes, I fear decorating cakes. Son left home, man isn't foodie, we don't need exotic food. On this auspicious occasion, I wanted cake top to look different. The date palm jaggery / patali gur, a slice of pear helped, also rice flour, cornflour, tapioca flour, isabgul, banana, brown sugar, baking powder & soda, oil, coconut, walnut, vanilla essence. I enjoy baking humble cakes. I am satisfied with look, taste of this cake.

INGREDIENTS :

RICE FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG

TAPIOCA FLOUR : 1 TBSP

CORN FLOUR : 1 TBSP

BAKING POWDER : 1 TSP

BAKING SODA : 1/2 TSP

COCONUT MILK : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

SHREDDED COCONUT : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

BANANA : 1

PEAR : A THICK SLICE FROM MIDDLE

PSYLLIUM HUSK : 1 TBSP

BROWN SUGAR : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP [YOU MAY USE WHITE SUGAR]

WALNUT : 2-3 [YOU MAY USE ALMOND, CHERRY]

OIL : 4-5 TBSP

VANILLA ESSENCE : 1TSP

PROCEDURE :

Mix together rice+tapioca+corn flours+psyllium husk in large bowl. 

Blend together sugar, banana, coconut milk, oil, shredded coconut into fine paste. I forgot to add coconut milk, added later.

Beat together dry & wet ingredients for 3-4 minutes. Keep covered for half an hour.

Cut thick slice from middle of pear. Take off skin. Discard seeds.

You may caramelise sugar, I melted date palm jaggery sprinkling some water.

Grease cake tin with oil, dust with refined flour. Pour jaggery, spread.

Place pear slice in middle. Cover hole with walnuts.

To batter, add baking powder, baking soda, vanilla essence, beat for 1/2 a minute. Pour into cake tin.

Heat wok on stovetop for 5-6 minutes placing stand in middle.

Tap cake tin on kitchen counter, then place on stand. Cover with lid. Insert clove if lid has hole.

It took me 1 hour 20 minutes to bake at minimal heat. 

Once cool, turn over on plate. Cut thin at end for cake to set on plate.

Enjoy with choice of beverage!