Eggless Choco Cup Cake

Cup cakes are easy to make as they require less time. Besides, it can be served directly in a cup without having to cut it. 

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 cup (200 gm)

Cocoa powder - 4 tbsp

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Powdered sugar - 1 cup   

Melted butter or oil - 1/2 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup

Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp 

Salt - one pinch

Method:

Set the oven and preheat at 180 C. In the meantime, let us prepare the batter for cake. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Sieve it twice.

In a mixing bowl add the sugar, butter and curd. Mix well till the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the dry ingredients and gently mix. Add the vanilla essence. Pour in greased cups and bake for 25 mins at 200 C. 

Grilled vegetable kebabs

Vegetable kebabs are grilled vegetables that are arranged in a skewer sticks. Vegetables are usually marinated with mustard sauce, tomato sauce or chilli sauce before grilling. It is served as starter or as an alternative to salad.

Vegetables used to prepare kebabs include onion, all colour capsicum, tomatoes, cottage cheese besides fruits like pineapple and raw mango.

 

Ingredients:

Onions - 1

Cottage cheese - 50 gm

Capsicum - 1

Tomatoes - 1

Bamboo skewer sticks - 8 to 10

For marination:

Hung curd - 1 cup

Chat masala - 2 tsp

Green chilli paste - 2 tsp

Yellow mustard paste - 1 tsp (optional)

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for marination. Check for salt and consistency. It should be thick like idli batter. 

Wash and cut the vegetables and cottage cheese into big chunks. Separate the layers of onions.  Marinate all the vegetables including the cottage cheese. Rest it for half an hour. 

Then, arrange one piece of each item in the skewer sticks. Grill it in a preheated oven at 200 c for 20 minutes. Keep turning the skewer every 5 minutes. Once everything is cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle some chat masala over it before serving.

Note: 

This can also be grilled over gas stove. Then steel skewers have to be used.    

Vegetable makhanwala

This is a creamy gravy with lot of vegetables. It can be prepared with pink gravy or yellow gravy. I have made this gravy with fresh cream and select vegetables. This is one of my favourite gravies that I often prepare at home. In fact, it is very much like one made in restaurants. Though, it goes well with all flat breads it is best had with lachha parathas. 

Ingredients:

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Diced carrots - 1/2 cup

Chopped beans - 1/2 cup

Cauliflower - 1/2 cup

Cottage cheese - 50 gm

Capsicum - 1

Green chilly - 1

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Garlic - 10 to 15 pods

Onion - 3

Tomatoes - 2

Cashew nut - 2 tsp

Fresh cream - 1 cup

Chopped coriander leaves - 1/ 2 cup

Kitchen king masala powder - 5 tsp

Turmeric powder - 2 tsp

Sambhar powder - 1 tsp

Dried fenugreek leaves - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil as required

Method:

Toast the cottage cheese in little oil. Cool and cut into cubes. Set aside.

Blanch the carrots, cauliflower, green peas and beans. Set aside.

Chop the onion, ginger, green chilly and tomatoes finely.

Place the chopped onion, ginger, green chilly and garlic in a fry pan. Add little oil and fry them. When the onions turn translucent, add the tomatoes, salt and sugar. Cook for few seconds till the tomatoes become mushy. Add the cashew nuts and remove from the flame. Once it is cooled completely, grind them to a smooth paste.

In another frying pan, heat some oil. Add the dried fenugreek leaves. When it changes colour, remove from fire and add all the powders. Stir fry for few seconds. Then, add the blanched vegetables, cottage cheese, capsicum, ground paste and fresh cream. Adjust the salt and cook on medium flame till everything is blended well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

        Note: I have not added potatoes. However, it can also be added if you want. 

Custard powder halwa

Custard powder halwa is the easiest halwa that can be made in a very short time. It can be made with just few ingredients that are already there in your kitchen. It also tastes very much similar to wheat halwa.  

Ingredients:
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Custard powder - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 7 to 10
Ghee - 3 tb ls
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Combine sugar, custard powder and water. Stir well till the sugar dissolves. Keep it aside.
Heat a kadai or thick bottom fry pan. Add little ghee and fry the cashew nuts till golden brown. Remove and keep it aside. In the same pan slowly empty the mixed ingredients. Cook it stirring continuously on a very low flame. When it becomes a mass add the balance ghee. Keep stirring and cook on low flame till it leaves the sides of the pan. Switch off the flame. Stir in the cardamom powder and the fried cashew nuts. Pour it in a greased plate. Cool and cut into desired shape. 

 

Tava Pulao

This is a street food of Mumbai. It is made with pav bahaji masala powder, select vegetables and long rice. As the name suggests, it is made in a tava or big iron griddle that is used to make pav bhajis. Loads of butter and pav bhaji masala powder are the key ingredients that bring flavour to this rice.

However, I have substituted the butter with oil. I have used the one pot method to make this recipe instead of tava or griddle. 

 

Ingredients:

Cubed potatoes - 1/2 cup 

Cubed carrots - 1/2 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Chopped beans - 1/4 cup

Tomatoes puree - 2 cup

Chopped capsicum - 1/4 cup

Chopped onion - 1 cup

Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Pav bhaji masala powder - 3 tsp

Chilli powder -1 tsp

Pepper powder -1/2 tsp

Asafoetida -1/4 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

Long rice - 2 cups

Oil and Salt - as required

Method:

Wash the rice once and soak it in four cups of water.Keep aside.

In a non stick cooker, heat few teaspoons of oil. Add the chopped onions. Stir fry till it turns translucent. Add the garlic and ginger paste. Stir cook for few seconds till the raw smell goes away. Then, add the asfoetida powder, chilli powder and pepper powder. Stir for few seconds. Then, stir in the turmeric powder and pav bhaji masala powder. Add the tomato puree, sugar and salt. Cook for few seconds. Next, add the vegetables except the capsicum and coriander leaves. Stir for few seconds. Then, add the soaked rice along with the water. When the water begins to boil, close the cooker and put the weight. Cook for just two whistles. Allow the pressure to come down. Garnish with capsicum and coriander leaves.

Serve with sliced raw onion and lemon wedges.

Strawberry Halwa/Kesari

Plain Kesari or semolina halwa is flavoured with kesar or cardamom. Sometimes it is also flavoured with different fruits. It is usually flavoured with ripe bananas when it is an offering to god. In restaurants it is flavoured with fresh pineapples or Sapota/chikoo. Here, I have tried with strawberries and the outcome has been excellent.

Ingredients:
1 cup - Semolina
1 cup - Sugar
2.5 - Cups water
1 cup - Chopped strawberries
1 cup - Clarified butter
Few Cashew nuts for garnishing

Method:
In a frying pan, toast the cashew nuts in little clarified butter. Remove in a plate. In the same pan, roast the Semolina with few teaspoons of clarified butter. Add the straw berries. Stir cook for few seconds. Switch off the flame. Then, in another pan keep the water to boil. When it begins to boil, reduce the flame and add the roasted semolina and strawberries. Cook stirring continuously, till everything becomes a mass. Then, add the sugar. It will become little loose and diluted. Then, add the clarified butter and continue to cook on low flame. When it leaves the sides of the pan, remove from heat. Garnish with fried cashew nuts.
No need to add cardamom or colour.

Shahi paneer masala

Shahi paneer masala is a creamy rich gravy made with cottage cheese. It has a distinct flavour of the select Indian spices and is eaten with flat breads.

Here, I have simplified its making without compromising the taste.  

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese/paneer - 100 gm

Chopped onions - 2 cup

Green chillies - 1

Garlic pods - 7 to 8

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup

Fresh curd - 1 cup

Fresh cream - 1 tbsp (optional)

Dried frenugreek leaves - 1 tsp

Kitchen king masala powder - 2 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Oil and salt to taste

Method:

Heat a griddle or tava. Grease it with little oil. Toast the paneer on both the sides. Cool and cut into small rectangle pieces. keep it aside.

In a frying pan, fry the cashew nuts. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan fry half the onions, green chillies and garlic till it is well cooked. Need not brown them. Cool and grind them along with the fried cashew nuts to fine paste. Keep it aside.

In the same pan, add little oil and fry the cardamom and cloves. When it emits sweet flavour, add the balance onion. Fry the onions till it turns translucent. Then, add the turmeric powder, salt and dried fenugreek leaves. Fry for few seconds. Take care not to burn the leaves. Next, add the kitchen king masala and curd in quick succession. Finally, add the toasted paneer pieces. Cook for a minute. Stir in the fresh cream. Switch off the flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

P.S. Butter can also be used instead of oil to make the gravy rich.