KERALA PLUM CAKE / RICH FRUIT CAKE / CHRISTMAS RUM FRUIT CAKE / SPICED RUM FRUIT CAKE

Kerala Plum cake / Christmas Rum fruit cake / Spiced rum fruit cake

How to make Christmas / Xmas Fruit Cake/ Kerala Plum Cake at Home?

Recipe Source : Mias Kitchen, Soaking the dry fruits : 7 to 14 days, Baking Time : 45 min to 60 min, Makes : two 8" cakes, four 6" cakes

Step 1 : Soaking dry fruits

Assorted dry fruits : 2 Cup to 3 Cups

I used Raisins-1/2 cup, Tutti Fruity : 1/2 Cup, Dried apricots chopped- 12,  Prunes : 1/2 Cup, Almonds and Cashews : 1/2 Cup - Total 2  Cups

Rum : 1/2 cup (i used Spiced Rum)

Add all the ingredients and mix well ,keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks. The more you soak the dry fruits, the better the flavor of the cake. I have soaked for 1 year this time :) . 

Kerala Plum cake / Christmas Rum fruit cake / Spiced rum fruit cake

Step 2 : Making caramel

Sugar : 1 cup( You can use 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 Cup granulated sugar to make the caramel easily)
Water : 1/2 cup hot water

Butter : 1 tbsp

Heat a heavy bottom vessel and add sugar mixed with 1 tbsp water on medium heat. Shake/stir the sugar once in a while and wait patiently until it slowly melts without any lumps. Keep stirring now and allow it to continue heating until the caramel syrup looks almost dark brown or black in color. Take it off the stove and add the 1/2 Cup hot water and stir well. The sugar syrup will splash out while adding the hot water, so its best to stand away. Wear mittens and carefully pour the water. Now add the butter and stir well.

Kerala Plum cake / Christmas Rum fruit cake / Spiced rum fruit cake

Step 3 : Ingredients for the cake

All purpose flour : 2 1/2 cup
Baking powder : 2 Tsp(In original recipe, Mia used 2tbsp baking powder)
Sugar : 1 cup
Butter : 1 cup
Eggs : 5, at room temperature
Cinnamon : 1/4 tsp

Nutmeg powder :1/4 tsp
Cloves :1/4 tsp

Dried Ginger Powder : 1/4 tsp
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp

Directions : Kerala Plum Cake / Rich fruit cake/  Christmas Spiced rum Fruit Cake Recipe – a delicious and moist cake recipe for fruit cake or Kerala plum cake, that’s perfect for Christmas or really, all year round.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Grease and line the bottom of the pan with parchment/ wax paper.  
2. Sift the flour with baking powder and other spice powders. 
3. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and orange rind and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Add vanilla essence and  slightly cooled caramel , continue beating.
4. Add flour, half a cup or less at a time, and gently mix in. 
5. Add 3 tbsp flour in a wide vessel and add the soaked nuts. Shake well to coat the dry fruits with flour to prevent the nuts to sink from the bottom. Stir in soaked dry fruit mixture to the cake batter.
6. Pour the spiced rum fruit cake batter into the prepared pan and bake at 375 degree F for approximately 45 minutes for four 6' cake tin or 55 min for two 8' cake pan. Check using a toothpick and when it is done remove from the oven but leave in the tin.
7. Cool on a wire rack for 10 min and then unmould. 

Similar Recipes :

• Traditional Apple cake
• Moist orange cake
• Best Chocolate Butter cake Ever

Merry Christmas!!

Lena

KOOTTU CURRY - Kerala Sadhya Recipes

Koottu curry or Kootucurry is a prominent dish in Kerala Sadhya. As the name itself says its a "koottu" - combination of different ingredients from veggies, pulses , coconut, chillies and Jaggery.

Kerala Sadhya Koottu curry / Kootu curry

Recipe for Kerala Sadhya style koottu curry/ kootucurry / kootu curry- Thrissure style

Cooking time : 30min, Serves : 4

Ingredients :

Pumpkin (mathanga ): 1 Cup, Cubed 

Carrot : 1, diced

Yam (Chena) : 1 Cup, Cubed or Raw Banana : 1, Cubed(Refer Notes*)

Black chickpeas / Kadala :1/2 Cup

Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp

Chilli powder : 1/2tsp

Jaggery : 1 1/2 Cubes (to taste)

Salt

For Grinding : 

Shredded Coconut : 1/2Cup

Cumin seeds : 1/2tsp

Green Chillies : 3

Turmeric Powder : a pinch

For Seasoning : 

Coconut Oil : 2tsp

Shredded coconut : 1/2Cup

Mustard Seeds : 3/4tsp

Dried red chillies : 3

Curry leaves : 2 springs

Kerala Sadhya Koottu curry / Kootu curry

Directions for Kerala Sadhya Style Koottu Curry / Kootucurry

1. Soak and cook Black Chick peas. Soak Black chickpeas(kadala) overnight. Wash it  and pressure cook with enough water and salt.

2. Make the ground coconut paste : Grind together all the ingredients listed under ' for grinding ' to form a coarse paste.Keep aside..

3. Cook the vegetables in medium flame : In a pan combine the cubed pumpkin, raw banana, carrot pieces, turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt and water. Cook until the vegetables are tender and water is 90% absorbed. 

4. Add Jaggery, coconut mixture and Chick peas to the vegetables and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Prepare the seasoning : In another pan,  heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters add dried red chillies and curry leaves. On a low flame add the grated coconut and dry roast till it becomes golden brown.

6. Pour the seasoning over the koottu curry and mix well.

7. Delicious Kerala Koottu curry / Kootu curry is ready to serve :)

Notes :

1.It is very hard to find fresh yam in California. So i always replace it with raw banana. 2. Make sure you are not using too much water to cook the vegetables. make sure water is almost absorbed before adding the ground coconut mixture.

Similar Recipes :

• Mathanga Vanpayaru Erissery
• Aviyal
• Pazham Pulissery
• Kaalan

Happy Cooking,

Lena