Vegan Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
• 1 medium ripe banana mashed
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ cups grated carrots or 2 medium carrots
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup raisins (optional)

Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan or a loaf pan.
• In a large bowl mix oil, white sugar and vanilla essence and mashed bananas. Stir in carrots.
• Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Fold in pecans. Add this to the above mixture.
• Pour into the greased pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

• Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Juicy Corn Cob

Ingredients
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp grated ginger
• 1 or 2 corn on the cob, husks and silk removed
• 1tsp oil for frying

Method:

• Divide the corn in to 4 to 5 pieces equally.
• Pressure cook for 1 whistle with little water in it.
• Remove from the pressure cooker, by straining the water in a separate bowl & keep it aside. Don’t over cook them.
• In the same pressure cooker add 1 tsp oil & add the tamarind juice, salt, turmeric powder& chilli powder, garlic powder, ginger & fry for 5 mins.
• Don’t add too much water to the tamarind juice.
• Later add the corn cobs in to the tamarind gravy.
• Coat the corn cobs well in the tamarind gravy & pressures cook them again for another 3 whistles.
• Make sure the tamarind juice is well coated to the cobs.
• Serve them hot cold.

Spinach cheese crackers

Spinach crackers are crisp flavored with cheese and mildly spiced tasty snack. Wanted to try something new out of spinach & I came across this in one of the cooking blogs. It can be served with salsa or any kind of dip.

Ingredients
• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
• ½ cup semolina (fine sooji)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup spinach puree
• Oil to frying

Method
• Mix all purpose flour, semolina, salt, chili flakes, cumin seeds, and baking soda in a bowl together.
• Add the butter and cheese, mix well. It will be in the consistency of bread crumbs.
• Add the spinach puree and make firm dough.
• Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.
• Divide the dough in equal parts and make them into small balls. Roll the dough about into a 5-inch circle in a tortilla form. Make sure they are rolled thin.
• Slice the each tortilla in 4 pieces in triangle shape or any other shape you like.
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the chips until both sides are light golden in color. After chips come to room temperature they should become crisp.
• Don’t fry on high heat, it will become soft.
• Serve with any salsa or dip

Tomato Chaat

I just can’t resist thinking that every time I went to Bangalore I used to have this delicious chaat. It’s a street food famous in Bangalore & a must have spicy chaat. It’s mouthwatering & very light & healthy too.

Ingredients
Tomato 2 sliced in round shaped
Onion 1cup chopped
Carrot grated 1cup
Green chutney 2tbsp (recipe in the blog)
Jeera powder 1tsp
Chat masala 1tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
Sev for garnish
Puffed rice/ Murmura ¼ cup
Fried peanuts chopped ¼ cup
finely chopped cilantro 1tbsp
Lemon juice: 2-3 drops

Method:
•Powder mixture: Mix the jeera powder, red chilli powder, salt, chat masala and keep it aside.
•Cut the tomato into slices (round shaped). Place these slices next to each other on a serving plate. Apply green chutney on each tomatoes.
•Smear the powder mixture all over the tomato slices well. Put a tsp of chopped onions & grated carrot on each slice of the tomatoes.
•Sprinkle some lemon juice on each of the slices.
•Generously sprinkle roasted peanuts, sev & puffed rice.
•Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Kiwi Fruit Popsicle

I fear summer & I always think what’s the best way to enjoy summer. When you go to the store, you might want some Popsicles! But you don't have to buy them. All you have to do is get the ingredients and make them. Finally I made my first Popsicle with kiwi fruit. Well you can make Popsicle with any combination of fruits you like…..it taste delicious & yummy. My 2 year old son Archith enjoyed it today.


Ingredients:
4 kiwis
1/4 cup lemonade concentrate
2 cups water
Method:
Peel kiwis. Keep a few slices aside. Puree the rest in a blender or food processor just until smooth; do not crush seeds. Stir in lemonade concentrate and water. Pour mixture into Popsicle molds or paper cups or ice trays. Place cups in freezer until partially frozen. Place Popsicle sticks in center of cups and freeze again.
Serve:
Run the mold under running water or dip in basin/bowl with water for a few seconds to take out the popsicle easily from the mold.


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Gobi Paratha

Ingredients:
Wheat flour (Aata) 2 cups
Water for kneading
Salt 1 tsp.
Filling
Grated cauliflower 2 cups
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped 1 tbsp.
Red chilli powder 3/4 tsp.(according to taste)
Garam Masala powder 1/4 tsp.
Saunf (Fennel seeds) Crushed 1tsp
Salt 1tsp
Olive Oil for making the paratha
Method:
For Dough:
• Sieve flour, add salt & add water little at a time. Knead into medium soft dough.
• Cover and keep aside it 15 mins.
For Filling
• Grate Cauliflower & add coriander leaves & red chilli powder & all the rest of the spices except oil & mix well.
Final step
• Divide the dough into balls of equal portions & roll one ball at a time in the form of a small puri or size of a cookie.
• Put 1tsp of the filling mixture in the center of the puri, close it from all sides. Close it well to make sure the mixture doesn’t come out.
• Apply some dry wheat flour on both sides and roll it gently to the size of a tortilla.

• Now cook on a hot tava or pan, by applying 1/2 to 1 tsp oil on each side, until light brown & serve hot with pickle or sauce.
• Serve with Chutney or Pickle or Plain Curd.

Sweet Potato soup

Ingredients
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup milk
Salt as per taste
Sour cream & chives for garnish
Method:
• In a pot cook the flour and butter, on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture gets a light caramel color.
• Add little water and brown sugar, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer.
• Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes & the ginger, and cook for 5 mins more.
• Puree the soup in a blender & return to pour it back in the pot.
• Add the milk as needed, and reheat soup.
• Season with salt & pepper.
• Pour into soup bowls and garnish with chives or spring onions.

Sweet Tamarind chutney

Ingredients:
• Tamarind pulp 2 tsp
• Sugar/Jaggery 2&1/2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder 2 tsp
• Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
• little Salt
Method:
Mix all the ingredients with 1/4th cup water. Cook on a low flame stirring occasionally till the mixture becomes thick. Use as and when required. It can be preserved for a few days in the refrigerator.

Mint & Coriander chutney

Ingredients:
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• ½ bunch fresh coriander leaves
• 1" piece of ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 2tbsp dalia (vodchikala)
• 1tsp jeera
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lime juice
Method:
Cut off roots from the coriander and any thick stalks from the mint and discard. Wash the mint & coriander leaves thoroughly. Grind all the above ingredients (including the salt which you can add more of later to suit your taste) into a smooth paste.Store in an air tight container for a week.

Nacho Chaat

Ingredients:
• Green chana dal 2 cup
• Cinnamon stick small piece
• Cloves 2
• Bay leaves 1 small
• Jeera 1tsp
• Mustard seeds 1tsp
• Onions chopped 2tbsp
• Nacho’s 1 cup
• Onions chopped for garnish ½ cup
mint & coriander chutney 1cup (recipe below)
sweet tamarind chutney 1cup (recipe below)
Method:
• Pressure cook the chana dal with 3 cups water.
• Just take 2 whistles in the cooker & switch it off. Don’t over cook them (must not be mashed) don’t strain the extra water from the dal. Let it be as it is.
• Add oil in a pan & add the jeera, mustard seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves & onions & fry them.
• Later add the mint chutney (recipe below) & fry for 5 mins.
• Add the chana dal (including the water in it) to the above mixture & add salt as per taste. If it’s too thick add some water to make it in to a soup consistency. Boil for 5 mins.
• Serve hot or cold with nacho’s, sweet tamarind chutney (recipe below) & garnish with chopped onions.

Mint & Coriander chutney
Ingredients:
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• ½ bunch fresh coriander leaves
• 1" piece of ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 2tbsp dalia (vodchikala)
• 1tsp jeera
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lime juice
Method:
Cut off roots from the coriander and any thick stalks from the mint and discard. Wash the mint & coriander leaves thoroughly. Grind all the above ingredients (including the salt which you can add more of later to suit your taste) into a smooth paste.Store in an air tight container for a week.

Sweet Tamarind chutney
Ingredients:
• Tamarind pulp 2 tsp
• Sugar/Jaggery 2&1/2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder 2 tsp
• Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
• little Salt
Method:
Mix all the ingredients with 1/4th cup water. Cook on a low flame stirring occasionally till the mixture becomes thick. Use as and when required. It can be preserved for a few days in the refrigerator.