Carrot Cake with Strawberry Sauce (Eggless and butterless)

This carrot cake is simple, moist, less sweet, yummy and flavorful with grated carrots. Ideal for kids as the carrots are blended with cake and it is topped with strawberry sauce. So moist, so delicious, it is sure to become a family favorite!

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter, for the pan
• 1 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 5-6 carrots
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup canola/vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup chopped walnut
• 2 tablespoon raisins
• Strawberry Sauce and Fresh Strawberry pieces for serving

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
5. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, condensed milk, oil and yogurt and beat until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 30-35 minutes or until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely.
9. Topped with Strawberry Sauce on cake slice, garnish with strawberry and serve.

Note: You can do the frosting of your choice for the cake.

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Baby-corn Cashew Curry

Looking for something simple, rich and easy main dish? Try this creamy Baby-corn cashew curry!

Baby-corn and cashews in Onion-tomato and spicy cashew gravy make a delicious main dish. This is rich, filling and delicious curry with cashews. Cashews and heavy cream add a creamy and rich texture to the dish. this is a quick recipe. Fantastic over steamed rice or with Naan, chapati / flat bread.

Ingredients:   
For Grinding: 

• 1 onion cut in quarters
• 1 big tomato cut in quarters
• 2-3 green chili
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1"  ginger piece
• 1/2 " Fresh turmeric Piece (optional)
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 2 tablespoon yogurt
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander

For Gravy:

• 2 tablespoon oil/ butter
• 1" piece Cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder (jeera powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder   
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1/3 cup Thick heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi (optional)

Other ingredients:

• 7-8 baby corn cut in two pieces
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 tablespoon oil

Method:

1) Soak the cashews in water for at least 30 minutes. Boil baby-corn pieces. Drain the water  from cashews and baby-corn and stir fry in 1 tablespoon of oil for a minute and keep aside.
2) Take all the ingredients for grinding into a blender and grind them to a fine paste.
3) For Gravy, Heat oil or butter in a pan, Add cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods.
Then add grinded paste and sauté it for few minutes.
4) When Gravy starts to leave oil/butter and reduce in half quantity, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, black pepper powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt and again sauté it for a minute.
5) Then add thick cream to the gravy and sauté for few minutes.
6) Next add Milk and bring gravy to boil. Crush Kasuri methi by hands and add to gravy and saute it for a while. Lower the heat and let cook the gravy few minutes till thicken as a consistency of thick soup. Stir in between.
7) To serve, pour gravy in a bowl and add stir-fried cashews and baby-corn. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

Related recipes:
Cheese baby corn and cabbage pulao
Grapes- Cashew curry
Paneer baby corn stir fry

Notes:

You can make this curry with only cashews or you can also replace baby-corn with sweet-corn or mutter.

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Beetroot, Raddish and Carrot Paratha (Root Vegetables Indian Flat Bread)

This Paratha is innovative Paratha, very simple and easy, a very healthy recipe, Packed with nutrients and high in fiber and potassium and at the same time, super delicious for meal. This paratha is made by using root vegetables (beetroot, radish and carrot) which are rich in nutrients, low in fat, calories and cholesterol and usually available throughout the year.  Beyond that, they have widely varying characteristics. Radishes are pungent, carrots are sweets and beets are earthy. 

Radish is rich in folate (folic acid), calcium, potassium, dietary fiber and moderately high in Vitamin C. Beetroots and Carrots are anti-bacterial, anti-oxidants, high in vitamin A and potassium and help in preventing constipation. They have cleansing effect on the lever and digestive system. As my daughter has chronic constipation, I always look for adding radish, beetroots and carrots into my cooking. I add it into my salad, rotis or parathas like Beetroot Poori, Paneer Stuffed Beetroot Paratha, Beetroot and Carrot halwa , Beetroot and Carrot relish, Carrot and Dates Relish and radish pancake.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
makes: 10-12 Parathas
Ingredients:

•     1 cup shredded carrot
•     1 cup shredded radish
•     1 cup shredded beetroot
•     2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (add accordingly)
•     1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
•     1 tablespoon oil for moyan
•     2 green chili, chopped (optional)
•     1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
•     1/4 teaspoon asafetida
•     1 tablespoon roasted cumin seed powder (Jeera Powder)
•     1 tablespoon fennel seeds
•     salt to taste (1 teaspoon)
•     little wheat flour for dusting   
•     oil for cooking

Method:

1. Mix the wheat flour , besan (gram flour) and 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add jeera powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafetida, chopped green chili and fennel seeds to it.
3. Add shredded vegetables (carrot, radish, beetroot) into the flour mixture.
4. Mix well to incorporate and form a medium stiff dough (not dry). If needed add more or less wheat flour to the dough. Knead the dough well using warm water as needed.
5. Apply little oil on top of dough, cover and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 8-10 equal portions depending upon your desired paratha size.
7. Now heat the skillet on medium flame.
8. Take a dough ball, flatten it with palm, dust it with wheat flour and roll out each dough ball thinly into a circle.
9. Drop the rolled paratha gently on hot skillet, Cook on both sides, using little oil till the parathas are golden brown.
10. Spread butter on parathas and serve hot with curd, chutney or pickle.

Notes:

• In the same way, you can make parathas with your favorite vegetables.
• You can use red chili powder instead of green chili.

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Thick Poha Salad / Flattened Rice and vegetable Salad

Poha salad is Absolutely delicious and scrumptious recipe which is somewhat similar to Gopal Kala prepared on the festival of Janmashtami (Lord Krishna's Birthday). Gopalkala is made with Poha (beaten rice), curd, green chilies, cucumber, freshly grated coconut and mild spices.

This Poha Salad is healthy, nutritious, appetizing and filling dish prepared by soaking poha in coconut water, spiced with green chilies and ginger, added vegetables, few spices and lime juice.

 

Ingredients:             
   

• 1 cup thick Poha  (flattened / beaten rice )
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1 small bell pepper / Capsicum(red/green/yellow)
• 1 medium cucumber
• 10-12 Indian Ivy gourd / Tindora
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 boiled green peas
• 1/2 cup fresh Pomegranate arils
• 2 tablespoon coriander chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chili
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1-2 tablespoon lime juice
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black salt

Method:
 

1) Soak Poha in Coconut water for 10 minutes

2) Chop finely yellow bell pepper, tomatoes, ivy ground and cucumber. 

3) Now add chopped vegetables, green peas, pomegranate arils, chopped green chili, grated ginger,

    lime juice, salt, black pepper, black salt and sugar into the soaked poha.

4) Mix well and Chill for an hour. Ready to serve.

 

Notes: You can do the variations with the vegetables as per your need.

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Drumstick Curry

A spicy and tangy drumstick / Mungna curry made in Onion-tomato gravy. This curry has a garlic flavor and tastes great with steamed rice or parathas. Drumstick is a 'yard stick' for health, as it is known to be beneficial for the human health in one way or the other. This vegetable provides all kind of nutritional benefits and also cures many ailments. Drumstick, from its stems, leaves and seeds are known to have medicinal properties. 
Drumsticks are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, protein, minerals and potassium.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Drumsticks (scrap and cut into 2" pieces)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• pinch of asafetida
• 5-6 Garlic pods, chopped
• 1 tablespoon green chili, chopped
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder     
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder        
• 2  teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon jeera (cumin) powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon chopped Coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• Jaggery to taste (about 1 tbsp.)

Method:

1) Boil one cup of water, add a little salt and add drumstick pieces and Cook till soft. Drain the extra water from drumsticks and Keep aside for later use.

 

 

2) Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add mustard, cumin seeds and pinch of asafetida. Add chopped green chili and garlic, saute for a while.

 

3) Now add chopped onion and saute again until they turn translucent. Add chopped Tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes until it becomes mushy and starts to leave oil.

4) Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and garam masala and saute for a while.

 

 

 

5) Now add cooked drumsticks. Mix well.  Add nearabout 1/2 cup of water (drained). Add salt and jaggery and cook for 2 mins. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

 

6) Serve it hot with hot steamed Rice or chapati/parathas.

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Modak

 

Today is the last day of Ganesh Chathurthi so I made "Modak" for Prasad. It is a Maharastrian sweet which is served as naivedyam on Ganesh Chaturti.

 

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Makes : 30-35

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour / Maida
• 1 tablespoon oil for moyan
• Oil for deep frying

For Filling

• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 3/4 cup grated jaggery  (adjust according to your taste)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

1. Combine all purpose flour(Maida), oil for moyan and enough warm water

    and knead into a soft dough.

2. Cover and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. For the filling, combine all the ingredients and mix well.

4. Take the dough and make lemon size balls from it.

5. Roll them into small circle, put the filling and then give modak shape.

6. Heat the oil in fry pan and deep fry the modak till they become golden-brown

    in color. Drain on an absorbent paper.

7. Modak is ready to serve.

 
Note: you can also use whole wheat flour instead of Maida...
 
 
 

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Mooli ke thalipeeth / Radish Pancake

Savory Thalipeeth / Pancake is a maharashtrian recipe, made by mixing flours and spices, Popular in Maharashtra. It is the easiest, delicious breakfast or snack you can make. Jowar is the Indian name for sorghum, a cereal grain native to Africa, Also known as white millet. It is a gluten-free, high-protein, cholesterol-free source of a variety of essential nutrients, including dietary fiber, iron, phosphorus and thiamine. High-fiber foods like jowar may lower your risk of heart disease. Radishes are rich in nutrients, low in fat, calories and cholesterol. Radishes work as a good appetizer, mouth and breath freshener, laxative, and metabolism regulator and also are a good treatment for headaches, acidity, constipation, nausea, obesity, sore throat, whooping cough, gastric problems, gall stones, and dyspepsia.

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time      : 10-15 mins for each pancake
Makes                  : 4

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup grated radish
• 2 teaspoon green chilli chopped
• 1 1/2 cup jowar atta / sorghum flour
• 2 tablespoon rice flour
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon asafetida
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander
• 1 tablespoon oil for moyan
• oil for cooking  

Method:

1) Mix grated radish, chopped green chili, jowar atta, rice flour, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, asafetida, salt, coriander together in a large bowl.

 

 

 

2) Add water as required to make a thick batter.

3) Take a non-stick pan, lightly spread the oil around so that it coats the entire surface of the pan. (Pan should not be heated)

4) Pour the batter on it and spread it in circular motion to make a 6" thick pancake.
 

 

 

5) Make 4-5 holes on the pancake by using the finger.

6) Now, heat the pan on a low flame and Pour 1-2 teaspoon oil in between the holes and over the pancake.

7) Cover the pan and let it cook on the low flame till the bottom side of pancake  is brown.

8) Turn over and cook on the other side till it turns light brown in color.

 

 

9) Repeat with the remaining batter to make 3 more pancakes.

10) Serve immediately with ketchup and green chutney.

Note: Do not add much water as batter should be thick.
 

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Microwave Chocolate Pecan Fudge

Microwave Chocolate Fudge is an easy and delicious recipe made with Semisweet Chocolate chips, Sweetened condensed milk and nuts.

 

Preparation Time: 2 minutes

cooking time      : 2-3 minute

Total Time         : 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14-oz)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/4 cup chopped walnut (optional)

Method:

1. Prepare an 8x8 square pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and condensed milk. Microwave for one-minute, add vanilla extract, mix well and again Microwave in one-minute increments until melted.
3. Stir vigorously. Add chopped pecans and walnuts, Stir well until mixed.
4. Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer.
5. Place the fudge in the refrigerator to set for at least 1-2 hours.
6. Once set, cut into 1-inch squares and serve at room temperature.
7. Store excess fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 Variation: You can use Walnut instead of Pecans.

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Churma laddoo ( Whole wheat flour balls)

A Rajasthani speciality - deep fried wheat flour dough balls in ghee and mix with  jaggery /Sugar and shaped into laddoos. It is a sweet made in Rajasthan during specially festivals. Churma is an authentic sweet of Rajasthan served along with Dal and Baati and it is the powdered form which is also made into laddoos.

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time    :  30-35 minutes
Yield                 : 12-15 Laddoos

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat flour
• ½ cup fine semolina
• 1/4 cup ghee for moyan (melted and warm)
• warm water as needed for kneading
• 1 cup ghee for Frying
• 1 cup powdered Sugar / shredded jaggery
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• Cashews, almonds for garnishing

Method:

1. Take wheat flour and semolina in a large bowl and add hot ghee into it for moyan and mix till it resembles bread crumbs.
2. Add warm water as needed and make a stiff dough and knead well. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 8 -10 round or elongated shapes.
4. Heat ghee in a large kadhai / fry pan and deep fry these on a very low flame for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and crisp.
5. Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
6. Coarsely grind them into a fine powder (churma) and transfer into a bowl.
7. Heat 3 tablespoon ghee in a non stick pan, add jaggery and stir till it melts.  Cool slightly. (If you are adding sugar then no need to melt sugar, add directly to grind powder and make laddoo)
8. Add the melted jaggery to the ground mixture in the bowl. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
9. You can also add nutmeg powder or powdered nuts if you wish.
10. Divide the mixture into to equal portions and shape them into laddoos (balls). (If need add more melted ghee)
11. Garnish them with cashews and almond and store them in an airtight container.

 

 

  

 

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