Let me share with you the winter vegetable scene in Bombay. Unlike most parts of the world, winters are when we get the freshest produce at the best prices. Markets and supermarket shelves are brimming with tomatoes, cauliflowers, apples, oranges and fresh green peas. Green peas that generally cost around Rs.50 a kg in the summers are at 20 Rs a kilo (over 2 pounds). If you have a few bored kids at home or a house help you can use, it’s great to have fresh green peas on hand. Use them in Pilafs, Alu-Mutter, Savoury bakes, Peas soup or eat them just like that. I use frozen peas the rest of the year, not only because of the prices but also because, being off-season, the produce may just not be fresh.
Along with cluster beans, French beans and Haricot beans, tomatoes, bell peppers and herbs, I wonder what made me pick up a large wedge of red pumpkin as I was shopping for vegetables in our nearby supermarket yesterday. I had blogged about this one for From my rasoi – Pumpkin in September. This red pumpkin was cooked and mashed into a batch of lentils, greens and spices to make a Parsee Dhansak.
It’s a replay for Pumpkin on Saffron trail. Today we’ve had a kind of cool afternoon (around 25 degrees celcius) Saturdays are my favourite day of the week. It’s a day to laze, catch up on friends, watch some perfectly useless movies running on TV or just catch up with the hubby. Since we have a beautiful concert lined up for the evening (Remember Shakti – see youtube video below), I knew I wouldn’t be cooking dinner. Also since I haven’t baked anything in a while, this beautiful Saturday afternoon felt like the perfect time to raise up some warm, enticing aromas in the kitchen. After scouring through the FMR pumpkin round up and a whole lot of blogs that featured pumpkin recipes all through Thanksgiving, I shortlisted the following:
Steamed pumpkin cake – Recipezaar
Pumpkin bread pudding – Spicyana
Pumpkin Coffee cake – Cook’s hideout
Pumpkin Raisin bread – Fivestarrecipes
Finally decided on the pumpkin raisin bread because it was low on fat and low on sugar too. Red pumpkin is rich in carotenoids, ginger and cinnamon are great spices to warm you up for the winter while jaggery is rich in irons and essential minerals.
The result was a DELICIOUS, bursting with tastes, soft, brown cake. All without the guilt of having used sugar or butter. This one is a keeper. I might do experiements with the recipe using other vegetables / fruits.
I almost followed the recipe except for using a tbsp of finely grated ginger. But here is the recap for you.
Spicy Pumpkin Coffee cake
Time taken – 1 hr 10 minutes including baking time
Category – Low fat/cal baking, Healthy dessert, Diabetic dessert
Source-www.Fivestarrecipes.com
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- 1/3 cup vegetable oil rd (I used soybean oil rich in Vitamin E)
- half Packed jaggery powdered (Can substitute with brown sugar) cup
- 2 eggs
- 1 packed pumpkin Grated and steamed cup -
- 1 tbsp ginger finely grated
- 2 tbsps Zero cook and bake (sugar substitute)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup wheat flour (atta)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup raisins ( I used organic Greek black currants)
- 1/2 cup milk skimmed (can use orange juice too)
Ingredients
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- Preparation - Take a large wedge of red pumpkin. Peel of the skin with a strong handled peeler. Using a fine grater, grate the peeled pumpkin chunk. Microwave / steam the grated pumpkin for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Keep aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the oil, jaggery, sugar substitute, eggs, ginger and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
- Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt,cinnamon and raisins in a bowl. Stir into the egg mixture with the milk.
- Pour into an oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 F / 175 C for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the loaf pan and cool on a wire rack. Cut into thick slices and serve with your favourite coffee or tea.
A slice of this Spicy Pumpkin Coffeecake goes to WHB hosted by Swank Caterers at What's cooking in Carolina?
Notes:
~You may adjust the jaggery / sugar used depending on the sweetness of the pumpkin. I used more than what the recipe asked for because the pumpkin was pretty bland.
~If you'd like to use this as an after dinner cake, you can soak some dark rum into the cake once it is cooled. Rum makes this cake real exotic. Don't ask me how I know.
~If you'll be sharing it with kids, use 1/4th cup of orange juice to soak into the cake to make it softer and richer in flavour.
~This a wonderful dessert for diabetics and weight watchers alike.
Fusion food and fusion music. Great work, Nandita.
Ooo looks really good. Have bookmarked the bread pudding recipe as well 🙂 nice to know someone else appreciates the value of rum in a recipe 😉 how cold do your winters get? 🙂
Lovely song below. And love the way u pick ut low cal recipes. I can always count on u. I remeber shelling for my mom during winter back home and today I was shelling edamame!times change!Ur cake looks good. Wanted to ask u how the no knead bread tasted.
Very delicious-looking!Paz
Yes, what a beautiful veg scene in winter! ANd your coffee cake is really lovely!
Hi Nandita,Lovely picture and recipe. Can this be prepared eggless? Ranjani
Nandita, how fun to see your photo. You are just gorgeous! I was never a pumpkin fan until recently, and now I’m loving it. This sounds just great.
Thanks for liking this one dear friends. I’m not much of a pumpkin fan either Kalyn, except in special stuff like this or the other lentil recipe.Ranjini – Im sure it can be made eggless. Just substitute the two eggs with half cup milk / orange juice or soy milk and add a little extra baking powder.
I’m really enjoying all the new ways of using pumpkin… earlier, it was dry sabji, sambar or pumpkin pie… now I see how versatile this veggie can be 🙂
hi, ur cake looks delicious. i am planning to buy an otg, can u pls tell me the brand and model of the one u use. waiting for ur reply.many thanks,swathi
HiAfter parsi dhansak I made this. Turned out very yummy, just right sweetness to my liking.Will be definitely making this again. Thnx for posting such simple recipe.
It is my first time I visit here. The way you create a website very thorough and good.
For the use of brown sugar will one cup be okay to use
Guess it should be fine!