Black Bean Chili With Mushrooms and Toasted Spices

Spring is finally here, though in a rather cool manner, but warmer weather is coming soon and that means lighter meals for most of us. Usually more salads appear on the table, along with a greater selection of raw creations. Still, no matter the season, there is always a place on the table for a thick, steamy and spicy chili, unless of course it is blazing hot outside, but even then, you won't be slaving over a hot stove for this pot of comfort — besides, spicy foods do have a cooling effect for some relief from the heat as they raise your body temperature and induce sweating.

I've shared this recipe before, shortly after starting up Lisa's Kitchen, but revised it to include mushrooms, changed the spicing somewhat and updated the photos. Dry-toasted spices, along with the perhaps surprising addition of fennel, give this dish a unique and delicious smoky pungency. Best of all, one large bowl is a meal unto itself though it does goes well with a fresh lightly dressed green salad.

Black Bean Chili with Mushrooms and Toasted Spices

Recipe by Lisa Turner Originally published on December 9, 2007 Black bean and brown rice chili with mushrooms, dry toasted spices and fennel for a unique and delicious smoky pungency — a warming, filling and nourishing one-pot meal Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried black beans (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1/2 cup brown rice or millet 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon turmeric   4 to 6 sun-dried tomatoes 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon asafetida pinch of cayenne 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 large tomato, chopped finely 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste 8 oz (225 g) large white mushrooms, sliced generous handful of dried curry leaves 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds fresh ground black pepper to taste 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Rinse the brown rice or millet and soak in a separate small pan or bowl in 1 cup of water. Drain and rinse the beans, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the ginger, jalapeños, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro and the bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft but not falling apart. Meanwhile, bring the rice or millet to a boil in a small saucepan, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside. While the rice and beans are cooking, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop. In a small saucepan or frying pan, toast the cumin seeds for 2 to 3 minutes over medium-low heat until the seeds darken. Add the chili powder, ground coriander, asafetida, cayenne and oregano, and stir for 1 minute. Now stir in the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and salt. Turn the heat up slightly to bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. When the beans are cooked, remove from the heat and drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Return the beans to the stove and add 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir in the tomato sauce, rice or millet, mushrooms and salt, and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid or sun-dried tomato soaking liquid or water as necessary. Put the mustard seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat, cover with a lid, and toast, shaking the pan, until the seeds begin to pop. Quickly toss in the fennel seeds, cover again, and continue to toast until the mustard seeds stop popping. Pour into the beans, cover, and let sit for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season the chili with black pepper and more salt as desired. Serve hot, garnishing each serving with chopped cilantro. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Other vegetarian chili recipes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Black Bean and Quinoa Mexican-Style Chipotle Vegetarian Chili
Vegetarian Chili with Kidney Beans, Black Beans and Rye Berries
Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi

Audio Accompaniment: Marko Furstenberg

TOMATO RICE RECIPE ,THAKKALI SADAM| LUNCH BOX RECIPES

Tomato rice is my favourite variety rice recipe but Sendhil don’t like this as it has more spices.Even then I wanted to make him eat my tomato rice and praise me .. I tried many combinations and at last i settled with this recipe.. He liked it a lot and i got credits as i wished . In the beginning I used to add fennel seeds along with spices but he hate the taste of fennel seeds while eating. So i omitted fennel seeds  & other spices and i used garam masala powder , coriander & mint leaves which gave a nice flavour & taste to the rice..I have made this so many times for his lunch box and this has become a routine lunch box dish for me .. Check out my tomato pulao recipe if interested..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Basmati rice – 1/2 cup Water - 1 cup Ripe tomatoes – 4 nos (small sized, I used bangalore tomato) Big onion – 1 no Garlic cloves – 8 nos Green chillies – 1- 2 nos Red chilli powder – 1 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp Mint leaves & coriander leaves – few (chopped) To temper Cooking oil – 2 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp urad dal – 1 tsp Channa dal – 1 tsp Coriander leaves – to garnish Ghee  or gingely oil – to add while mixing with rice

METHOD

Cook the basmati rice adding 1:2 cups of water..Here i used 1 cup of water.. Add a drop of oil and little salt while rice is cooking. Pressure cook it and spread the rice in a plate to cool down.. Slice cut the onions , slit the green chillies , chop the mint & coriander leaves , peel the garlic cloves and roughly chop the tomatoes and set aside.. In a kadai , heat oil and splutter mustard , urad & channa dal.Then add the onions , green chillies and saute well. Now add the garlic cloves and mix well.. Then add the mint & coriander leaves and saute well.Finally add tomatoes and all the spice powders along with salt. Mix well till tomato turns to a paste.Add little water if necessary..Make sure tomato paste has some moisture content ..The paste should not be dry..Garnish with coriander leaves , paste is ready.. Now add the tomato paste to the rice adding gingely oil and mix well with a fork like ladle..Add a tsp of ghee before serving if u wish..Add more paste while mixing because the rice may absorb all the paste and it will taste bland after the rice cools down. So i have given more tomatoes to make the paste. Add the required paste , mix , give some setting time and then serve !

NOTE

For variations u can try adding fennel seeds while tempering which gives an additional flavour. U can also try adding 1/2 tsp of ginger garlic paste instead of whole garlic cloves ..

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Pottukadalai Chutney Recipe|Fried Gram Dal Chutney Recipe

This post was lying in my drafts for long time.As I dint prepare any new dishes , I thought of posting this simple and yummy chutney .My mom makes this chutney as a side dish for leftover dosa batter paniyaram..I think most of u would have seen this watery chutney in road side hotels. After tasting this chutney in a Kai yeandhi bhavan (road side hotels), my mom started making this at home. It tastes great for paniyaram , dosa and idli..This chutney can be made using fried gram dal without coconut but my mom adds coconut for getting white color and togetherness & adds more water at the end to make it runny. Do add more number of chillies otherwise the chutney will be bland after adding water..Try this pottukadalai thanni chutney also callled as Udacha kadalai chutney. U’ll like it for sure…For variations u can try adding fried gram dal alone or equal quantity of dal & coconut.Please adjust the quantity of water as u wish !

Pottukadalai chutney recipe

Watery chutney using fried gram dal & chutney - Road side hotel chutney

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Chutney

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp ( optional)  Fried gram dal / Pottukadalai – 1/2 cup Green chillies – 3 – 6 nos ( adjust based on the size of chilli) Garlic cloves - 3-4 nos Tamarind – A small piece Salt – As needed Water – 1/2 cup for grinding + 1 cups for mixing ( adjust as needed) To temper Cooking oil – 2 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Curry leaves – few Hing – A big pinch

METHOD

Take all the ingredients and grind to a smooth paste adding 1/2 cup of water. Add 1 cup or more of water to make it watery and temper at the end. Check for taste.Serve with paniyaram , idli , dosa ! Enjoy with hot idli,paniyaram !

Note

For variations,u can add little milk while grinding the chutney along with water to get white color.But adding milk will reduce the shelf life of chutney.so keep it refrigerated. Adjust the quantity of chillies as per your spice level.Generally my mom makes this chutney spicy. Also reduce the quantity of coconut to 1 tbsp or use fried gram dal alone if u wish & make chutney.It also tastes good. It tastes the best with hot idlis & paniyaram.

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Gigantes Bean Tomato Casserole

I never used to like lima beans, which is rather odd I suppose as I have quite a supply of different dried beans on hand at all times as they occupy such a central place in my diet. My first experience was less than pleasant, as I used beans from a can that had a slimy texture that just didn't work with a mixed bean salad, and another time I made a huge pot of "lucky bean" soup that lacked any real flair and seemed as if it could have fed five thousand men.

That was during my early days of exploring vegetarian food and cooking. Since then, my cooking skills have strengthened and my knowledge and palate are more refined, and this recipe certainly proved to me that often when we think we don't like certain foods, it is because of how they have been prepared and served. Lima beans or giant lima beans — gigantes — have joined the ranks with the other dried legumes in my kitchen.

I've shared this dish before on this space but made a few minor changes to the recipe and it's worth sharing again. It's a comforting casserole that you will want to serve on a regular basis. Easy to make, you can prepare the rest of your meal while it bakes in the oven. If this recipe doesn't convert lima bean skeptics, I don't know what will.

Gigantes Bean Tomato Casserole

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Greek Published on April 28, 2013 Simple, rich, tangy and flavorful Greek baked bean casserole with dried herbs Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups dried gigantes (giant lima) beans 1 bay leaf 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 celery stalk, diced 1 medium carrot, diced 2 jalapeños or green chilies, seeded and minced 1 heaping teaspoon hot paprika 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried dill 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the gigantes beans and soak overnight covered in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, and transfer to a medium saucepan. Cover with several inches of fresh water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside. Lightly grease a large casserole dish. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and fry until it begins to brown. Next add the garlic, celery, carrot and jalapeños or chilies and stir for a 2 to 3 minutes. Next add the paprika and dried herbs, stir for another minute, and then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, the reserved cooking liquid from the beans, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in the beans and transfer to the casserole dish. In a preheated 350° oven, bake the beans, uncovered, until the top of the casserole is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 50 to 60 minutes. Makes 6 servings

More Greek recipes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Quinoa Dolmadakia (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Fried Saganaki with Halloumi on a Greek Tomato Salad with Kalamata Olives
Greek Lentil Soup - Fakes
Skewered Greek Salad

KARUNAI KIZHANGU CHUTNEY | YAM GRAVY FOR LUNCH

I learnt this Karunai kilangu gravy from my MIL.We call this as "karunai kizhangu chutney". I made this chutney along with drumstick – mango poricha kuzhambu and banana stem pachadi for our lunch today..It can be called as masiyal too.This chutney tastes the best when mixed with white rice.We make this chutney with pumpkin , ridge gourd, brinjal and potato.. Procedure is the same but the quantity of tamarind and green chilies differ based on the vegetable..Do try this easy chutney recipe for lunch. U’ll like it.. .Pictures are taken in my mobile as I dint bring my camera. Soon I’ll update the pictures ..

INGREDIENTS

Yam / Pidi karunai kizhangu – 4 nos Tamarind – A big gooseberry size Big onion – 1 no Green chillies – 6 nos Salt & water – As needed To temper Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1/2 tsp Curry leaves – few Hing / Asafetida – 2-3 generous pinches Coriander leaves – few

METHOD

Chop the big onions finely and slit the green chillies into four halves.. Wash and pressure cook yam . Remove the skin and mash it well . Add the tamarind extract and set aside. In a kadai , temper mustard seeds , urad dal and hing. Then add the onions , green chillies and curry leaves. Saute well.. Now add the mashed yam with tamarind extract , salt and the required water,add 2-3 pinches of hing again. Let it boil for few minutes , garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice !!

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Indian-Spiced Chayote (Chow Chow) Rice

An enormous array of fresh exotic vegetables and fruits is something I've become accustomed to seeing in the big city supermarkets and ethnic grocery stores, but it's something that would have astonished me as a girl growing up in a small northern Ontario town where dinner produce consisted mostly of potatoes, onions, carrots, corn and peas with brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower occasionally making their appearance on the supper plate.

I like to take advantage of the abundance to be found in my urban centre and test produce that is completely new to me. I've discovered the delights of bottle gourds, bitter melons, mustard greens and plantains this way, and the exercise adds adventure to the kitchen and the dining experience.

This time around I've added a chayote to the basket and come up with a lightly spiced white rice dish to serve as a backdrop for it. Pronounced "chi-YOH-tee", the chayote or custard marrow is the fruit of a squash plant native to central America that looks like a green apple with a large wrinkled pleat tucked in at one end, with a firm white crispy and juicy flesh like an apple and a mild and slightly sweet flavor that resembles the tastes of apples, cucumber and summer squash. The chayote is widely used in Latin America and in the American South, where it is known as a mirliton or merleton. It's also used occasionally in India where it goes under the charming name of "chow chow" and where it's mild flavor makes it a perfect vehicle for the characteristic assertive spicing of Indian food.

Although paired here with cumin, coriander, cloves and cayenne, this chayote rice is really quite mild and serves as a delicious and palate-soothing accompaniment to a hot and zesty curry. Tender pieces of lightly cooked chayote add wonderful bursts of crisp, juicy and refreshing light sweetness that make a wonderful contrast in flavor and texture to the soft buttery rice and astringent spices. This is really a lovely dish to add to any Indian meal, and I quite plan to use chayote again soon … possibly just simmered in a little milk or cream with cinnamon and nutmeg for a simple palate-cleansing dessert.

The recipe below includes instructions for opening a chayote and removing its single seed. I must note that it's considered by some people desirable to peel a chayote with kitchen gloves or under running water to avoid an irritating stickiness from the raw vegetable (a stickiness that disappears when cooked), but I was not bothered myself. When buying a chayote, look for one that is firm but not too hard and with an unblemished skin.

Indian-Spiced Chayote (Chow Chow) Rice

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on April 26, 2013 Simple and lightly spiced basmati rice with tender pieces of crisp and juicy chayote — a great side for a spicy curry Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 chayote 1 cup basmati rice 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 2 tablespoons dried grated coconut 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional) 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil 1 tablespoon urad dal 1 tablespoon chana dal 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 3 whole cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pinch of asafetida fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Peel the chayote and run a knife gently through the fruit lengthwise until you can pry the two halves apart. Use a knife to gently pry the seed out of the center. Chop the fruit into small pieces and set aside. Rinse the rice and add to a medium saucepan. Add 1 3/4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and stir in the salt. Set aside. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a dry skillet or small saucepan over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes or until the coconut is lightly browned. Remove and set aside. If using, dissolve the tamarind paste in 1/2 cup of hot water. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the urad dal, chana dal, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and cloves, and stir for 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Add the ground coriander, cayenne and asafetida, stir once, then add the chopped chayote and the tamarind water. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook partially covered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chayote is just tender but still crisp. Add more water if the pan becomes too dry. Remove the chayote from the heat and discard the cloves. Gently fold the chayote and toasted coconut into the rice and season with black pepper. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Other Indian side rice dishes you will enjoy:
Yellow Lemon Rice with Fried Cashews
Tamarind and Coconut Pulao Rice
Sweet and Spicy Rice
Green Tea & Curry Rice

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Molasses Icing

I'm a savory gal, but sometimes I like a wee treat and I do like to bake. Most cakes are loaded with way more sugar than I can handle and the culprit is often the icing, so I came up with a mini cupcake recipe with reduced sugar content and one of the most mellow but pleasing toppings that I have enjoyed on a baked good. Cream cheese with a few dashes of molasses and powdered sugar really take the cake to the next level without overpowering the taste buds or spiking blood sugar to near lethal levels.

My husband and best friend Basil were most pleased with the result and I indulged in a few of these cute bites myself.

Notes: Eggs are easier to beat if left to sit for a while so they reach room temperature. You can choose to line your muffin tray with parchment liners though they will come out just as well if you grease your non-stick pan. I prefer them that way to avoid the paper mess that results in more crumbs than I care for. Another tip if you want a fancier presentation is to pipe the icing onto the tops of the cakes. I don't have a "proper" piping bag, but a cheap, disposable and less messy solution is to cut a small hole in a corner of a ziploc bag, scoop in the icing, and there you go.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Molasses Icing

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on April 23, 2013 Moist, cakey and not-too-sweet vanilla cupcakes with a delicious cream cheese and molasses icing Print this recipe Cupcakes: 1 cup spelt or unbleached white flour 1/3 cup cake flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup unsalted butter 2/3 cup whole milk 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla Icing: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature 2 to 3 teaspoons molasses, to taste 2 tablespoons powdered sugar Instructions: Grease 24 mini muffin cups or line with mini parchment paper cups. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, milk and lemon zest and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the butter and milk mixture until well combined. Now beat in the eggs and vanilla until well blended. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the cupcakes begin to lightly brown on top and a cake tester inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before adding the icing. For the icing, beat together the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl until well combined and creamy. Add the molasses and powdered sugar and stir well to combine. Spread the icing over the cupcakes or, if you want a fancier presentation, pipe the icing onto the tops. Makes 24 mini cupcakes

More cakes you may wish to try from Lisa's Kitchen:
Guinness Gingerbread Cake
Gluten-Free Honey, Lemon & Poppy Seed Cake
Ricotta Cheesecake with Mixed Berries and Balsamic Vinegar
Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake

On the top of the reading stack: Everyday Raw Express: Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less by Matthew Kenney

Audio Accompaniment: Robert Rich

Eggless Black Forest Cake Recipe

Black forest cake is my most favourite cake..Making black forest cake at home is like dream came true for me ..Yesterday we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary and  i made this cake for the celebration. It came out very well.We loved it. It was soft , juicy and i used whipping cream for the first time ever…The cream was delicious and light.. I must thank Valarmathi of Bake pipers for guiding me in how to make whipped cream with some useful tips.I thought of whipping the cream using my electric blender which i use for whipping curd but it pulled my leg .. The cream dint come out well with soft peaks as i expected . So i used my hand whisk after watching an you tube video and beaten it to the maximum to get soft n firm cream. I did for nearly 30 minutes with Sendhil’s help .He saw me struggling with the cream and he told “will buy a beater soon” , Yay . It was really tiring and painful but somehow i made the cream thick and frozen it till use. So electric beater is mandatory to make whipped cream at home. The recipe i have given here is perfect to make a delicious cream..Hope i can do the cream in correct consistency with beater and design the cake well in future.. . I used “ Tropolite”  heavy whipping cream to make the topping.I bought it from General food additives (GFA) at seshadripuram.
Coming to this cake  , i got this recipe from Aval vikatan magazine. It was the recipe given by Mrs. sundari of “Shilpa cookery” in T.nagar , Chennai..The cake came out very soft and spongy.. .. I dint use cherry syrup for layers instead i used Thums up drink and little sugar syrup to make the sponge soft and juicy.. Also i refrigerated the cake over night before cutting it. If u plan to make this cake for some celebration , its better to make it the previous day , refrigerate it over night and then use it for the best result.. The cake may taste hard as soon as u remove from fridge . So its good if u keep the cake outside for 30 minutes before having it..U can use this cake recipe for making eggless chocolate cake too.

INGREDIENTS
 1 cup = 250ml

For cake base Maida / All purpose flour – 1 cup  Sweetened condensed milk – 1/2 tin ( 200ml) Baking powder – 1 tsp Baking soda – 1/2 tsp Cocoa powder – 2 tsp Chocolate powder – 2 tsp Milk – 1/2 cup Water – 1/2 cup Butter – 1/4 cup ( 50gms) For sugar syrup Sugar – 1/4 cup Water – 1/4 cup Vanilla essence – 1/2 tsp Thumps up or pepsi or coke  – 4 tbsp  For whipping cream Heavy cream – 2 cups OR Fresh cream – 1 cup Icing sugar – 5 tbsp Vanilla essence – 1 tsp For decoration Cherries – 1/2 cup  ( Reserve few cherries for decoration and chop the remaining) Chocolate vermicelli – 1/2 cup Silver sprinkles – few Chocolate shard/gratings – 1/4 cup

METHOD

Refrigerate the heavy cream for 24 hours before using it..Keep ice cubes ready. Freeze the bowls ( which u r going to use for whipping) , paletted knife , beater blade for 1 hour.. Sieve maida , baking powder , baking soda , cocoa powder , chocolate powder in a bowl.In another bowl melt butter , add milk , water , condensed milk and mix well. Now add the maida mixing well in one hand.. Beat the mixture well for 5 minutes.The mixture thickens to ribbon consistency.Grease the baking pan with butter and sprinkle maida over it. Spread it well..Pat the pan for even spreading and pour the cake mixture to the baking pan..Pat it well.. Preheat the oven in 180c for 10 minutes and bake the cake for 20-25 mins in convection mode..Keep an eye after 15 minutes.. Remove the cake after 1 hour and let it cool down completely.. In the mean time , make the whipping cream. In  a wide bowl , take the ice cubes and keep another vessel over it. Then add 2 cups of whipping cream and beat it for 3 minutes. When it becomes slightly thick add the icing sugar , vanilla essence and mix well.Again beat it for 2-3 minutes till soft peaks form and the cream becomes thick. Freeze the cream for 30 minutes before applying..Do not over beat the cream. Over beating leads to cracking of cream while applying. Make the sugar syrup by mixing water and sugar. After the sugar is well dissolved , allow it to boil for few seconds , make a thin syrup , mix vanilla essence and keep it refrigerated.. Remove the extra dome in the cake and level it..Cut the cake horizontally and into two round shaped pieces. Sprinkle few tbsp of sugar syrup and thumps up all over the cake pieces. Make sure the cake should not be soggy. Then apply the whipped cream on the both pieces for 1 inch thickness and sprinkle chopped cherries. Then invert the cake one over the other and drizzle some more syrup on top of the cake .Then apply the remaining cream to cover the cake completely.. Use a piping bag and a star mould to decorate the cake and place some whole cherries on top of the cake. Sprinkle the vermicelli and sprinklers..Refrigerate it over night or minimum of 3-4 hours..Serve and enjoy!!

NOTE

Whipping cream doubles in quantity . So adjust as per u need. For this measurement u get approximately 4 cups.I still have some left over whipped cream and iam blinking what to do with it.. . U can store the left over whipped cream for 3-4 days in refrigerator. I have used thums up and sugar syrup for drizzling over the cake. U can also use cherry syrup instead of this.. As far as i heard rum is used to give a strength and flavour , but i wanted to make it alcohol free, So i used thums up here..U can also use pepsi or coco cola ..

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