Eggless Carrot & Walnuts cake

This eggless carrot cake is my family and friends favorite dessert.  This delicious and healthy cake has the combination taste of Orange and carrot.  My elder son likes cream cheese frosting on top of the cake.  In this recipe I have used Flax seed meal and Yogurt as an egg substitutes.

Ingredients:

o   1 a 2/3^rd cup of All- purpose flour  (You could also use 1 cup All-purpose flour and 2/3^rd cup wheat flour)

o   2 cups grated carrot

o   1 cup of Brown sugar (If you’re not doing frosting then add ¼ cup more Brown sugar)

o   2/3 cup Canola oil

o   1 tbsp. Flax seed meal

o   ¼ cup Orange juice

o   ½ cup Plain Yogurt (I used homemade yogurt)

o   ½ tsp. salt

o   1 and ½ tsp. baking powder

o   1 and ½ tsp. baking soda

o   ¼ tsp. of Cinnamon powder

o   1 tsp. Vanilla extract

o   ¼ cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

o   ¼ cup raisins (Optional)

Wet mixture, Dry mixture, grated carrot and nuts.

 

Procedure

o   Preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit heat (or 176 ^o c).

o   Place a parchment paper in two small round cake pans. (Because it is easy to remove the cake from the pan if you use them)

o   Blend Flax seed meal and ¼ cup of water until well mixed; keep this mixture aside.

o   Sieve All-purpose flour, Baking soda, salt and Baking powder.  Then add cinnamon powder to this mix.

o   Using the electrical hand blender gradually blend the wet ingredients one at a time (oil, flax seed meal mix, Yogurt, Orange juice and Vanilla essences).

o   Now add Brown sugar to wet mixture;  Blend it well.

o   After that slowly add All-purpose mixture into wet mixture; Blend it well.

o   Now add the grated carrot in the batter and blend the mixture (At this time don’t blend it in a high speed, blend it 2 to 3 times by pausing it).

o   Add Walnuts and Raisins to the batter and mix them with spatula.

o   Now pour equal amount of this batter into two round cake pans and put the pans in a preheated oven.

o   Now bake them for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it is well cooked.

o   Once done, remove the pans from oven and keep it for cool down.  After the pan cools down reverse the pan and remove the cake from the pan and then remove the parchment paper on the cake.

 

Frosting ingredients:

o   ¼ cup unsalted butter (should be at room temperature).

o   8 oz. cream cheese (should be at room temperature).

o   1 and ½ cup powdered sugar/icing sugar

o   ½ tsp. vanilla essence

o   1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (grate outer skin of lemon and this is an optional ingredient)

Procedure for making Frosting

o   With a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at a low speed until well blended with no lumps.

o   Now gradually add powdered sugar and blend the mixture at a low speed, then add lemon zest and vanilla essence to the mixture.  Blend this mixture until it becomes fluffy.

 

Two baked cakes and cream cheese frosting

 

Assembling process:

 

o   Place one cake on a placing plate upside down then spread the ¼ part of the frosting on top of the cake .  Now place the other cake upside down on top of it, then spread the remaining frosting on top and the surroundings of the cakes.  If desire you can decorate the cake with your own designs.

 

Enjoy this delicious carrot cake with your family and friends.

Red Bell pepper/Red Capsicum Chutney/Dip

I love the taste of Red Bell Pepper.  This Red Bell Pepper chutney is my favorite chutney.  Moreover it has a good source of rich Vitamin C and Vitamin E.  You can eat this chutney with Dosa, Idly, Chapathi, plain cooked rice or great dip with sliced Cucumber.  You can store this chutney in a refrigerator up to 6 days.

 

Ingredients:

§  1 medium size Red Bell pepper

§  2 tbsp. chopped Onion pieces

§  2 tbsp. chopped Tomato pieces

§  1 tsp. Urad dal

§  ½ tsp. Fenugreek seeds

§  ½ tsp. Mustard seeds

§  1 tsp. Coriander seeds (Optional)

§  2 small Red dry chilies

§  1 tbsp. Tamarind paste

§  Salt to taste

§  1 tsp cooking oil

            Tempering/Seasoning Ingredients:

§  ½ tsp. cooking oil

§  ½ tsp. Mustard seeds

§  2 pinches of Hing

§  Few curry leaves

Procedure:

§       Wash and cut the Red bell Pepper/Capsicum vertically into half and remove the seeds.  Then chop red bell pepper into small pieces.

§      In a skillet dry roast Urad dal, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds, Coriander seeds and Red dry chilies; once they are dry roasted then let it cool down.

§      In a skillet slightly sauté the Red Bell pepper, Onions and tomato pieces one item at a time with few drops of oil; and let the mixture cool down after sautéing it.

 

§       First grind already dry roasted ingredients then add sautéed Red Bell pepper, Onion, Tomato pieces, tamarind paste and required amount of salt and grind them like a fine paste.  Don’t add water while grinding them and then take the chutney in a serving container.

§      Now prepare the seasoning with oil, Mustard seeds, Hing and curry leaves and     put this seasoning on top of the Chutney.

§      Enjoy this Chutney/Dip with your meal.

Yogurt Vermicelli

Vermicelli is one of the thin noodle (pasta) used in Indian dishes.  Using Vermicelli we can make Upma, Lemon Vermicelli, Idly, Kheer and Yogurt Vermicelli.  I have learnt this dish from my mom.  This dish is very easy to make and everybody will love its amazing creamy and yogurt taste. You could serve this as neivedyam or one of the items at Lunch or Dinner time. 

 

Ingredients

§  1 cup Vermicelli

§  4 cups water

§  Salt to taste

§  1/2tsp. turmeric powder

§  1 cup homemade Yogurt

§  ½ cup milk

§  One green chilly

§  1/2 tsp. Mustard seeds

§  1 tsp. Chana dal

§  Few curry leaves

§  One pinch Hing

§  1 tsp. cooking oil/ghee

§  Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Preparation:

§     Boil water in a wide vessel.  Add turmeric powder and salt in the boiling water.

§     Then add Vermicelli in the Boiling water and cook it for a while (10 – 12 minutes).

§      Once the Vermicelli is well cooked then immediately drains the water from vermicelli using the strainer and pour the cold water on top of it so that the vermicelli cooking process stops.

 

§      In a separate vessel whisk Yogurt and little bit salt.

§     Then add cooked Vermicelli and mix it well,  after that add warm milk in it.

§     prepare a Tempering/Tadaka with oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, curry leaves, green chili and Hing; fry it for a while and pour the tempering immediately on Yogurt Vermicelli mix.

§      Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve it.

Raw Banana (Plantain) curry with sesame seeds

Telugu name for this curry is “Aritikaya Ava koora”.  Raw Banana (Plantain) is one of the vegetable which is available throughout the year.  Using Plantains we can make many varieties of dishes.  I learnt this curry from my mom.  What I liked about this dish is its simplicity.  In this dish I didn’t use Onion or garlic.  You can eat this curry with hot rice or Chapathi.

 

 

Ingredients:

·         2 Medium sizes Raw Banana/Plantain

·         ½ tsp. turmeric powder

·         1 tsp. of salt

·         1 tbsp. cooking oil

·         1 tsp. Mustard seeds

·         1 tsp. Urad dal

·         1 tsp. Cumin seeds

·         2 pinches of Hing

·         Few curry leaves

    Masala Ingredients:

·         3 tbsp. Sesame seeds

·         ½ tsp mustard seeds

·         2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut

·         3 green chilies

·         1 tsp. rice flour

·         1 tsp. salt

Preparation:

o   Wash and scrap the skin of Raw Banana (Plantain) and dice them like small cubes and soak them in salt water about 5 minutes.

 

o   In a blender grind all masala ingredients with water like a paste.

 

 

o   Boil plantain cubes with sufficient water in a wide skillet.

o   Add little bit of salt and turmeric powder While boiling the banana pieces.

o   Once Raw Banana (Plantain) is 100% cooked then strain the water completely. 

 

 

o   Take a skillet and prepare the tempering with oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Urad dal, Hing and curry leaves. 

o   Now add ground masala and already boiled raw banana pieces and stir them well.

o   Cook until all masala is well incorporated with cooked raw banana pieces.  This process will take at least 5-8 minutes.

o   Once everything is done then transfer the curry in a serving bowl and enjoy with hot rice with plain dal or Chapathi. 

 

Dates & Nuts roll

This is very healthy dessert and easy to make also.  Dates provide essential vitamins and minerals - such as B-complex vitamins, Potassium, Magnesium and Iron.    Some kids are fussy eaters; for them this is a very good healthy snack.

 

 

Ingredients:

• 5 cups pitted and chopped Dates

• 1 cup finely chopped Almonds

• 1 cup finely chopped Walnuts

• ½ cup finely chopped Cashew nuts

• ½ cup finely chopped Pistachios

• 1 cup milk

• 8 tbsp. Condensed milk

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 2 tbsp. dry coconut powder

 

Procedure:

• Slightly fry all chopped nuts one variety at a time in a wide skillet for avoiding raw smell.

• Cook chopped Dates with ½ cup of milk in a Microwave/stovetop till the Dates become soft.  It will take approximately 12 minutes to cook.

• Once the Dates mixture completely cools down, then blend the mixture with the remaining ½ cup of milk in a blender.

• Now melt the butter in non-stick skillet and then pour the ground Dates mixture in it.   Stir the mixture continuously to avoid burning.

• Now add the condensed milk and sugar; cook the mixture until it becomes thick.  (The mixture should not stick to the hands. Please view the below picture)

 

• At this stage add the fried chopped nuts one variety at a time to the mixture and stir it well at the low heat.  (The final mixture looks shown in the below picture)

•         Switch of the heat and leave the Dates & Nuts mixture to cool down.
• Once the mixture completely cools down then follow the below procedure to roll them.
• Sprinkle some dry coconut powder on a plastic wrap and then put some Dates & Nuts mixture on it; fold the wrap and then slowly roll it like a log.  This way the dry coconut will equally spread on the roll.  (Please see the below picture)

 

 

• Keep these rolls in a refrigerator for at least 6 hours. 
• After that unwrap the plastic wrap and slice the rolls.
• Store them in an air tight container. 

 

 

Chayote Squash/Cho-Cho (Bengaluru Vankaya) Gravy Curry

                                                  
Chayote squash/Cho-Cho (Bengaluru Vankaya) is an edible vegetable and belongs to gourd family.  This vegetable is widely used in South American cuisines.  This vegetable is available in American produce stores and Asian produce stores as well.  Using this vegetable you can make very easy delicious dishes.  This curry gravy is white in color and it has coconut. You can eat this curry with boiled Rice or Roti.

 Ingredients:

• 2 medium size Chayote Squash
• 1 small onion
• Few curry leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp.  Cooking oil

      Masala ingredients:

•  1 tbsp. Kus-Kus/poppy seeds
•  Few cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp. Soump/Fennel seeds
•  2 green Chillies
•  2 tbsp. Fresh coconut

Masala Ingredients

Procedure:

• Wash and peel the Chayote/Cho-Cho’s.  Remove the seed and chop the Chayote into small pieces.

 

• Cook these Chayote squash pieces in a pressure cooker till 3-4 pressures.
• Dice the onions; keep it aside.
• Ground all masala ingredients with little bit water; like a fine paste.
• Warm the oil in a non-stick skillet.
• Then add cumin seeds, curry leaves, bay leaf and diced onions.
• Once everything is fried then add ground masala; stir it thoroughly.
• Once oil separates from masala then add cooked Chayote/Cho-Cho pieces in it.
• Add some salt and mix it well.  Cook this mixture for a while by covering the pan.
• Now add 1 cup of water and boil the mixture for a while.
• Once it reaches the required consistency then garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve this curry with hot boiled rice or Chapathi or Roti.

Note:  For extra flavour you could add coconut milk while boiling the curry.