Mood Cakes

 And the rain continues.....☔

                    Beautiful rains!!  Getting so many Jokes and forwards about how people here are enjoying even when lashing rains had submerged parts of Mumbai. But today it’s bright n sunny!! 

                    That’s the Mumbai spirit.  I have always seen “keep the spirits high” magic mantra during any crisis. I was part of the 26th July 2005 Mumbai deluge. It was heart warming to see, during the rain floods, how people came out and helped each other.

                  I remember how my colleague and I were stuck up at the wee hours of morning besides the road. It was the 26th July rain's after effects. Somehow office management had arranged for a bus, to drop people off to the nearest possible locations of their houses. After spending the entire day and night (26th July) at the office, everyone wanted to go back home at the earliest. So, I too boarded the bus at around 3 am (27th July), which dropped me and one more colleague near L&T (Seepz to L&T). There was massive water logging everywhere. There was no one at home - my spouse was stuck in Delhi and I was 5 months pregnant. My colleague and I , were standing and thinking which side should we go to, it had to be a walk all the way to home (Marol) from there. Distance was not that much of an issue, but the water had not completely receded, and at some places it was waist deep. Then we saw this car coming and the 2 guys in it stopped and offered us a lift. One of the guys had come out, with his car (and anyone, who was here in Mumbai that day, would understand, that coming out with your car that very night was a mission impossible), in search of his wife. He told us, that his wife was somewhere at the Malad railway station. He spoke to her around 5 pm in the evening, and after that there had been no contact. The other guy who was with him was his neighbour. They both had come out, to search for her near the Malad station. Then they had seen us, and offered to drop us further, at a point that was nearer to my house. From that point it took me a half an hour walk to reach home. Wading through the knee deep water at some places, finally managed to reach home. I took a deep breath, changed and slept like a log. I was home alone like this for 3 days, with all phone lines down and no network. Rain water had receded by 27th noon, but all the taps were running with deep muddy water and no shops were open. Thankfully I was safe at home, and had enough supplies for next few days.

                 It occurred to me much later,  that I should have taken his number, to check on if he found his wife........ 

          So many years have passed by, I sometimes remember the incident, and I miss thanking two of them for helping us, even in their hour of distress. I remember how they were discussing the route, from where they could drop us safely at the nearest point to our house, and then head back towards Malad station.

            

            Now witnessing this pandemic, I see how people though all confused, still ready to help others in whatever way possible. And the spirits are always high!! These are the times, when you remember your such stories - your ray of hope!! Your rainbow!! 

           Even during this pandemic and lock down, amidst all the unfortunate stories we are coming across, there is a small thriving ray of hope....in form of people, who are  keeping things going for us. And yes, Doctors being on the top of this grid, here I am talking about people who kept delivering things at doorstep - so we could manage staying indoors!! 

Groceries, Medicines, Naariyal paani, Baked goodies, Dairy products, Exotic food, Rakhi, Farsaan, Fast food, Oximeter, Green plants, Alphonso mangoes(till the season was in), Vegetable baskets(and amazing ones!!), Home made Masalas and Pickles, Lunch dabbas, Jewellery, Robomop, Online yoga classes, Exotic food, Clothes, Ganesh Chaturthi pooja thaals.......you name it and it’s there on your doorstep!! Groups were made, and we all had everything delivered to our doors. Worth praising, that, even with total lock down, all was taken care of in a neat and organised way. So, things kept moving and we all kept sane.  I am just wondering what would have happened, if, this support system was not there!! 

                      .....Now just praying it stays safe for all of us .... though in a way, we have conquered, the Corona virus, its time that it vanishes away forever!! 🤞 

During such times, back at home, trying to keep my "mojo" up and running . Latest in my list “to please the kids” at home are these tea cakes. Don’t ask how much they were pleased - 😄😝. That was my idea, not very well supported by them, but since I loved these ones after quite sometime - so sharing it here. 

This is simple easy to whip recipe - variations can be added in the last step. 

350 gms - All purpose flour 

2.5 tsp - Baking powder

4  - Eggs room temperature

170 gms - Unsalted butter 

3 tbsp - Olive oil 

315 gms - Sugar 

1/2 tsp - Salt 

310 ml - Milk 

1 tbsp - Vanilla extract 

(Toppings - raisins, walnuts, blueberries, brown sugar crumbs, chocolate chips. Anything you want as topping.) 

                First, separate yellows,  beat eggs well and keep aside. Now mix sugar n butter well. Add vanilla extract, olive oil and Egg yellow.  Beat everything together. Keep egg whites aside. 

       Now take the cake flour, add salt and baking powder to it. Add these dry ingredients to sugar butter mix we made. Keep adding milk - till all measured milk is done. 

      In the last add the beaten egg white. Use a big spoon to fold it into the cake batter. Keep mixing slowly till all the egg white is gone into the cake batter - in a folding manner. 

       This is basic vanilla batter  - use any kind of mould for your mood cakes. I used square ones!! Drizzle with your choice of toppings - walnuts, blueberries, raisins, cherry mix, chocolate chips, brown sugar crumps. 

         I have used raisins, blue berries and chocolate chips for these mood cakes!! Raisins n blueberries mood changer for the “Mukhiyaaa😈” of the house 😁 and chocolate chips mood changer for the “alwaysinsearchofsnakkgroup” of the house 😆. 

        Bake this at 180 for 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick - when done,  tooth pick comes out clean from the baked cake.  

And the yummy mood cakes are ready to be devoured!! 😋