Red Velvet Cupcake

Ingredients: 

1 cup soy milk

1tsp apple cider vinegar

1¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 ounce red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Add vinegar to soy milk, and set aside to curdle.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add vegetable oil, food coloring, and vanilla extract to the curdled soy milk, and mix.
Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix.
Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.
Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes or until done.

Paneer Tikka Masala

Ingredients

¼ cup chopped onions

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup tomato puree

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

½ cup heavy cream or milk

1tsp. grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp.coriander powder

1/2tsp cumin powder

1tsp All-purpose flour

1 tsp. chili powder

1tsp garam masala powder

salt to taste

 Marinate:

250g paneer cut into cubes.

Bell peppers 1” square cut

5 tsp. lemon juice

3-4 tbsp. thick yogurt

 Take a bowl add thick curd, red chilli powder, lime juice and add a little oil and add the paneer & bell peppers & mix well. Cover and leave to marinate for an hour. After they are marinated add a tsp of oil on a flat pan & sauté the paneer & bell peppers. Fry them until they are slightly golden brown in color. Keep Aside

 Directions for gravy: 

Heat oil in a pan and cook onions, ginger, garlic for 3-4 minutes on low flame till transparent.  Add the all-purpose flour & stir it well for a little thickness of the gravy.

 Add coriander powder, chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder & salt. Next add the tomato puree & fry until the oil starts to come out.  Add the garam masala powder now. Later add heavy cream or milk. Stir for a few minutes till the sauce thickens.

Add the sautéed paneer mixture in the sauce and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame. Adjust the seasoning. Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander with your choice of Indian bread or rice.

Tip:

Yogurt should be really thick if not hang the curd & drain the water out of the yogurt.

Milk can be substituted instead of heavy cream.

Broccoli and Cheese Balls

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
½  tsp red chilli powder
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
2 tbsp corn flour
3/4 cup boiled , peeled and mashed potatoes
salt to taste
¼ “ cubes of  mozzarella cheese
bread crumbs for rolling
oil for deep-frying

Method

Heat oil in a pan; add the onions, garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes till the broccoli is almost cooked. Remove from the flame, add the corn flour, mashed potatoes and salt, red chilly powder and mix well & cool it down. Divide the mixture into 15 equal portions and shape each portion into a flat round. Press a little in the center of each round to make a depression. Place a mozzarella cheese cube in the center of each round and roll again to form a ball. Roll each ball in bread crumbs in such a way that the balls are evenly coated from all sides. Heat the oil in pan on a medium flame and deep-fry the balls, till they are golden brown in color from all sides. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Sweet & Sour baby Corn

Ingredients:

1 cup Baby Corn sliced; I used tin
1/2 onion, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 bell pepper (red or green), cut into 1 inch squares
1tsp crushed garlic

½ tsp ginger grated
2 spring onions, chopped with greens
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar / plain vinegar
1 tsp cornflour, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
Method

1.    Heat oil in a saucepan, add the baby corn in batches and brown them on both sides and cook completely. Remove from pan and keep aside.

2.    Heat more oil in the same pan, add garlic, ginger, onions and bell peppers, cook for 5 mins they should be crisp. Add the baby corn.

3.    Add Ketchup, soya sauce, vinegar and cook for 1 min.

4.    Add the corn flour mixture, salt and pepper, bring it to a boil.

5.    Add the green onions. Mix well.

6.    Serve immediately.

Bottle Guard Kootu

Ingredients :

Bottle guard 1 big one

Toor dal /split yellow moong dal 1/4 cup

Chana dal  ¼ cup 

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Sambar Powder 1/4 tsp

Oil -2 tsp

For the grinding

Urad dal 1 tsp

Coriander seeds  1 1/2 tsp

Red chillies  2

Whole black pepper  5 to 6 pieces

Grated Coconut 1/4 cup

Heat a tsp of oil and fry the above ingredients, adding coconut at the end. Grind it to a smooth paste adding very little water.

For the seasoning 

Mustard 1 tsp

Urad dal 1/2 tsp

Hing/asafoetida   a pinch

1/4 cup chopped onions

Curry leaves few leaves

Step 1: 

First cut bottle gourd vertically and scoop out the seeds. Then

cut them into small square pieces. Do not cut it finely. Cook bottle gourd in water with some turmeric powder till soft. Do not overcook.

Cook the toor dal, moong dal till soft in a pressure cooker and mash it well. Keep it aside. Pressure cook the chanadal separately till they are soft but don’t mash them. 

Step 2:

Now add the cooked dals and the grounded paste and bring it to boil.

Season the kootu with the ingredients for seasoning. (ie heat oil, add mustard seeds ,when it splutters, add urad dal, hing, curry leaves and fry the onions  and add it to the kootu.)