Carrot Cake

sugar - 2/3 cup
flour - 2/3 cup
carrot - 1 cup
yogurt - 1/3 cup
oil - 1/3 cup
vanilla extract - 1tbsp
cinnamon powder -1/4 tsp
baking pwdr - 1/4 tsp
ginger pwdr -1/4 tsp
baking soda - 1/2 tsp
raisins & walnuts - 1/4 cup

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:

MTR Gulab Jamun Mix - 200g
Sugar - 600g

I simply followed the instructions on the package and end result was soft and tasty gulab jamuns.

Mushroom Curry

Ingredients:

1lb - mushrooms
1 - onion, finely chopped
1 - tomato, diced
2 tsp - ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp - chili powder
1/2 tsp - garam masala
1/2 tsp - cumin seeds
2 tbsp - oil
salt to taste


Method:
Clean, wash & cut the mushrooms into medium pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
When the cumin splutters, add the onions and saute till translucent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone.
Add the tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
Add chilli powder & garam masala powder. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the mushroom pieces and salt.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook till the mushrooms are done(no need to add water).
Remove the lid and stir fry on high flame until all the excess water is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Lemon Sevai

Ingredients:
2 spirals(8 0z) of dried rice noodles
1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
2 tsp of channa dal
1 tsp of urad dal
1 tbsp of groundnuts
1 tbsp of cashewnuts
juice of one large lemon
2 green chillies, slit
1 red chilli
a sprig of curry leaves
1/4 tsp of hing
1/4 tsp of tumeric powder
coriander leaves to garnish
salt to taste
2 tsp of oil

Method:

1. Bring about 3 quarts of water to a rapid boil and add salt.
2. Drop the rice noodles in boiling water and cook until they turn soft and white in color.

3. Transfer to a strainer, drain well and keep it aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, channa dhal, groundnuts, cashews and urad dhal. 5. When these ingredients are well fried, add the green chillies, red chillies and curry leaves.
6. Add hing and tumeric powder.
7. Turn off the stove and add the lemon juice.
8. Toss the cooked noodles over this and mix gently. Adjust salt if required.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Cauliflower Pepper Masala

Ingredients:
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
1 - onion, chopped finely
1 - tomato, diced
1 tbsp - ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp - chili powder
1/2 tsp - cumin powder
1/2 tsp - garam masala
1/2 tsp - cumin seeds
1/4 tsp - tumeric powder
1/2 tsp - black pepper powder
2 tbsp - oil
salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
When the cumin splutters, add the onions and saute till translucent.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone.
Add the tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
Add chilli, cumin, tumeric & garam masala powders. Saute for a minute.
Add the cauliflower florets and salt.
Add 1/2 a cup of water, cover and cook till the cauliflower is just done.
Finally turn off the heat and add pepper powder.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

This goes well with hot rotis. It can also be used as the stuffing while preparing cauliflower masala dosas.

Manathakkali vatral kulambu

Ingredients:

manathakkali vatral (sun dried wonderberries) - 3 tbsp

tamarind - lemon size

sambar powder - 3 tbsp

hing - a small pinch

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

bengal gram - 1 tsp

red chillies - 2

methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

curry leaves - a small sprig

sesame oil - 3 tbsp

salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water for 1/2 an hour and extract its juice.

2. Shallow fry the vatral in 1 tsp of oil and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add the bengal gram and mustard seeds.

4. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the red chillies, methi seeds, hing and curry leaves.

5. Add the sambar powder and saute for a minute.

6. Add the tamarind juice and salt.

7. Boil on medium flame for 10 minutes.

8. Add the fried vatral and boil till the kulambu thickens and oil floats on top.

(To thicken the kulambu, you may mix 1 tsp of rice flour with 3 tsp of water & add to the kulambu before turning off the stove.)

Serve with hot rice and appalam.

Rainbow Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1 large mango, peeled and diced

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 bananas, sliced

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

2 cups seedless grapes

2 nectarines, unpeeled and sliced

1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Honey-orange sauce

1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp honey

¼ tsp ground ginger

a dash of nutmeg

Method:

1. Prepare and combine the fruit.

2. Combine all ingredients for the sauce and mix them together.

3. Just before serving, pour the sauce over the fruit.

I got this recipe from a health magazine which was circulated in our neighborhood. I think we can substitute or add in fruits by what is in season. I did not use blueberries and mango but added peaches and papaya. I must say that the salad was a treat not only to the eyes but to tummy too.