Nigella Lawson's Cumin Seed Cake

 

I've been wanting to make this cake for a while and I'm so glad I final did. I get many recipes filtered through my email and while researching ingredients, recipes do pop up. If you can't find orange blossom water then I suggest using the juice from the orange, it may not be as fragrant however still delicious all the same. This is one scrumptious cake, you must bake and have anytime of the year however the perfect time for me was right now.

Although I have shared the recipe here, this recipe and other Nigella Lawson recipes can be found by visiting her website: nigella.com

Nigella Lawson's Cumin Seed Cake - At My Table 

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Serves: 12 slices   

INGREDIENTS:  

4 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 1/3 cups (300 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 sticks (250 grams) unsalted butter (soft)

1 cup (200 grams) superfine sugar (plus 1 teaspoon)

1 orange (finely grated zest)

2 teaspoons orange blossom water

3 large eggs (at room temperature)

3 tablespoons (15 ml) whole milk   

METHOD:

You will need 1 x 2lb (900g) loaf tin, approx. 25 x 12 x 7cm / 10 x 5 x 3 inches.

1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry, hot pan, until their earthy aroma wafts up: keep watch over your pan, as you don’t want the seeds to burn. Transfer to a plate to cool. Mix the flour and baking powder together, then set that aside, too.
2. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F and pop a paper liner into your loaf tin, or line the base and sides with baking parchment.
3. Beat together the butter, the 200g of sugar and the orange zest until light and fluffy. Beat in the orange blossom water and then, at a slightly lower speed, about a third of the flour mixture. Once it is incorporated, beat in one of the eggs until it too is incorporated and continue in this vein until both flour and eggs are finished.
4. Give a good scrape down to mix in any flour clinging to the sides of the bowl then, still gently, beat in the milk and the cooled toasted cumin seeds. Finally, give everything a good stir with a wooden spoon, making sure there are no speckles of flour remaining, and gently dollop the stiff batter into the lined tin.
5. Smooth the top, sprinkle the teaspoon of superfine sugar over and bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake has a beautiful, golden-crackled top. Place on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before removing from its tin.

Jeera (Cumin) Rice

Jeera is the Hindi word for cumin seeds and Jeera Rice is an Indian dish that consists of rice and cumin seeds; which may or may not include peas, onions and coriander leaves. In Pakistan it is known as Zeera rice. This popular North India dish is quite fragrant and easy to prepare and would work well with any meal.

Jeera (Cumin) Rice
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup dry jasmine rice
1 3/4 cups water
1/3 cup frozen organic peas 
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan over medium-high heat. Drop int eh cumin seeds, and cook until they start to splutter. Do not allow the cumin seeds to burn or become really dark brown in colour. Add the rice and fry in the oil, with the cumin seeds, for about 1 minute. 

Add the water, frozen peas, and salt and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Cook the rice for approximately 15 minutes. Keep checking to ensure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the saucepan or burning. If the water is absorbed before the 15 minutes or the rice still feels too firm after the 15 minutes add a bit more water. Adding small amounts of water at a time will make sure that the rice does not become too sticky or mushy. Toss with a fork when ready. 

NOTES: If you are concerned about possibly burning the rice a trick that I have read many times over is too place the saucepan on flat pan or griddle which would then be directly on the heat source or flame. Therefore cooking times many change. I did not have to do this as I kept a close eye on the rice. I did have to add more water.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I am still trying to shake off a flu I came down with over the weekend. - JD