Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake

This is a slight variation to the eggless chocolate cake I bake regularly. I used dutch processed cocoa in this cake, which made it look very dark and tasted delicious. Another difference was that I used vinegar in this cake, I was skeptical about using vinegar but the cake tasted very good. 

Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake

All-purpose flour - 3/4 cup

Whole-wheat flour - 3/4 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Dutch processed cocoa powder - 2 tbsp

Canola Oil - 1/4 cup

Cold milk - 1 cup

Baking soda - 1tsp

Vanilla extract - 1tsp

White vinegar - 1 tbsp

Salt - a pinch

Preheat oven to 350F and grease the baking pan with oil. 

Mix sugar with oil and milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. 

In a separate bowl, mix flours, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Gently mix this dry mixture into the wet ingredients in 3-4 batches. Gently mix, make sure you don't over mix. 

Pour the cake mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. Insert a tooth pick in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean your cake is ready. 

Note: For vegan cake, you can replace milk with water. 

Chana Pindi (Chickpeas Cooked in Onion and Tomato based Gravy)

I found this recipe at Sanjeev Kapoor's website and trust me I have become famous among my friends for this. Everything about this recipe is too good to be true. The best thing is the chana masala, it does take a little bit time to dry roast your own masala but it is totally worth the taste. 

Chana Pindi

Chickpeas (White Chana) - 1.5 cup (soaked overnight)

Tea Bags - 2

Pomegranate powder (Anardana) - 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 4 Tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Dry Mange Powder (Amchur) - 1/ tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2-3 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Onion, chopped - 2 medium

Tomato, chopped - 2 medium

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 Tbsp

Green chillies, slit - 3-4

Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Take soaked chana in a pressure cooker. Add tea bags and salt and cook until chana becomes soft. Once cooked remove the tea bags. 

Dry roast anardana, half coriander powder, half the turmeric powder, half the red chilli powder, and amchur. This is the chana masala. 

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and sauté until it changes colour. Add onions and sauté until it turn translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and continue to sauté. To this add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and cook until mixture reduces to a pulp.

Add boiled chana to this mixture along with chana masala and garam masala. Stir to mix well and let it simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes. 

Serve hot with white rice or naan.