KAKKADA PURPLE MAGIC: MADD THOPPU CAKE

Nagachettira Smitha Kaverappa is a fashion designer turned Montessori trained teacher and now a cake artist. Married to Pravin Kaverappa, Smitha is mom to three sons. She shares the recipe of Madd Thoppu cake made out of the medicinal leaves (belonging to Justicia Wynaadensis Heyne of the Acanthaeceae family).

Preparations made out of Madd Thoppu are relished on the 18^th day of the Kodava (Coorg) month of Kakkada when it is believed the leaves will have 18 varieties of herbal medicine.

 Ingredients:

 . APF/ Maida –                         150 grams

. Unsalted Butter (melted) –   60 grms

. Vegetable oil –                       2 tsp

. Powdered Sugar –                  100 grams

. Salt                       –                   ¼ tsp

. Baking Powder –                    1 tsp

. Baking soda –                         ½ tsp

. Vanilla extract –                      1 tsp (optional)

. Purple food color –               2 drops (optional)

. Yoghurt / thick curd –           150 grams

. Madd Thoppu rasa (juice) –  100 ml reduced to 50 ml

 Method:

 . Grease a 7 inches square tin or a loaf tin.

. Sieve the dry ingredients together twice.

. Mix Maida, baking powder baking soda, salt together and set aside.

. In a bowl take the butter, oil and sugar and whisk to a smooth paste.

. Add the set curd/ yoghurt and whisk to combine.

. Add the madd rasa and combine gently. Now add the dry ingredients in three additions and gently combine. Do not over mix.

. Add the vanilla extract if using after the first addition of the dry ingredients.

. Bake in a preheated oven@180-degree Celsius for about 25 to 27 minutes or until the skewer inserted                 in the Centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

 Notes:

 . Keep all the ingredients at room temperature.

. Preheat the owen before mixing in the cake batter.

. Grease the cake tin with butter / oil or use a parchment paper to line the bottom of the tin and gently brush some butter or oil on top.

. Vanilla is optional. I did not use as I wanted to retain the natural flavour of the madd rasa. Food colour is also optional. I used it to give a marble effect.

. Butter can be substituted entirely with vegetable oil. Butter is more flavorful though.

. I used mini loaf tins 4.5/2 inches – 3 tins.

. Can add slivers of almond on top of the cake batter and then bake it. It will enhance the taste and also the beauty of the cake.