Carrot Cake with an Indian Flavor - Madhur Jaffrey
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts Madhur Jaffrey
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 ts Vegetable oil
1 c Unbleached white flour
-- plus extra for dusting
1 t Baking soda
1/4 ts Salt
2 lg Eggs
1/4 ts Ground cardamom seeds
1 c Granulated sugar
1/4 c Softened clarified butter
-- (ghee)
1 1/2 c Grated carrots
-- firmly packed
2 tb Chopped pistachios
2 tb Chopped blanched almonds
2 tb Raisins
Edible silver foil (opt.)
"A characteristic sweet of southern India is carrot halvah, a rich, sweet
reduction of carrots and spices that is almost fudgelike in consistency.
This cake falls somewhere between this traditional treat and the popular
American carrot cake. It has a dense texture and the unexpected flavor of
cardamom, yet doesn't require the tedious cooking and stirring of a halvah.
"Special Indian dishes are often decorated with silver foil -- a
microscopic thin sheet of edible, flavorless real silver, available in
Indian groceries. We have cut edible foil into decorative shapes -- a
tedious business that must be done in a completely draftless room -- but
more manageable solid toppings are customary. "Serve this nontraditonal
ending to your Indian meal with coffee that has been brewed with a few
cardamom seeds." Rub a round cake pan that is 9 inches in diameter and
1-1/2 inches in height with the vegetable oil and then dust it very lightly
with flour. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift 1 cup flour with the
baking soda and salt. Beat the eggs well in a large bowl. Add the
cardamom, sugar, and clarified butter. Keep beating until all the
ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add the sifted flour mixture to the
ingredients in the large bowl and fold it in gently with a spatula. Add
the carrots, pistachios, almonds, and raisins. Fold them in gently as
well. Turn the cake batter into the oiled and floured cake pan and bake
for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes
out clean and the top is golden red. Decorate top iwth edible silver foil.
* Source: World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking - by Madhur Jaffrey *
Published in: The Herb Companion - February/March 1993 * Typed for you by
Karen Mintzias
