CAKE

BUTTER CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

• Stoke Margarine (for cakes) 8 Oz
• Sugar 8oz
• Eggs   4 to 5
• Self-Rising Flour 8 Oz
• Vanilla
• Baking Powder ½ teaspoon

 METHOD:

• In a bowl beat eggs well.
• Add margarine, sugar, flour, baking powder and Vanilla and beat well to form a homogeneous mixture.
• Bake in a baking tray in a moderate oven - 170 C
• Nuts and fruits can be added - If added will need more time to bake.

EGG-LESS FRUIT CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

• Butter (unsalted) 8 Oz
• Condensed Milk (Nestles) 1 Big tin
• Cold water 3/4 by the big condensed milk empty can
• Sugar 8 Oz
• Dates Sugar coated - Chopped       8 Oz
• Cashew nuts (Chopped) 8 Oz
• Semolina slightly roasted in butter   8 Oz
• Self-rising Flour      8 Oz
• Vanilla 2 teaspoon
• Bicarbonate of Soda ½ teaspoons
• Fruits 24 Oz (Candied Peel, Cherries, Mixed Fruits (12 Oz)), (Raisins (4 Oz), Sultanas (8 Oz))
• Fruits are extra and are optional, can be omitted.

 METHOD:

• In a bowl add half cup of boiling water and add the bicarbonate of soda and mix. Add dates, fruits and Cashew nuts to this and let it soak for 24 hours.
• Next day,
• In a bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together.
• Mix the condensed milk with cold water (as specified above - three fourths by large empty condensed milk can) and add this to this mixture and beat together.
• Add to this mixture little of the semolina and little of the soaked fruits alternatively and mix well until all this is exhausted.
• Bake this in a baking tray for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
• If you added fruits this will need more time to bake. 

BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (115 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
• 1 3/4 cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 ripe large bananas (approximately 1 pound or 454 grams), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position.
•  Butter and flour (or spray with a non-stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. 
• Set aside. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. 
• Let cool and then chop coarsely.  In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. 
• Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl combines the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. 
• With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. 
• You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.) Scrape batter into prepared pan.
•  Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes.
•  Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. This bread can be frozen. 

CHOCOLATE CUP CAKES

INGREDIENTS:

• All-purpose flour – 1 cup
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Cocoa powder – 1 tbsp
• Eggs - 2
• Butter – 1 cup
• Castor sugar – 1 cup
• Lemon essence – ½ tsp
• For the topping:
• Cashew pieces – 1 tbsp

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 200 C. Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa together.
• Beat the eggs.  Cream the butter and sugar well.
• When the mixture is slight and creamy, add a little beaten egg and go on beating.
•  If the mixture curdles while adding the eggs, add a little flour before adding the egg. 
• Finally fold in the flour and a little milk to get dropping consistency. 
• Add the lemon essence and mix well.
• Spoon in the mixture up to three fourths in tiny paper cups.
• Sprinkle the cashew pieces on top of the mixture and bake for 20 minutes at 200 C. 

SPICES

                 POINT PEDRO VADAI

INGREDIENTS:

• Urdu dhal skinned and split1 cup
• Roasted rice flour 1 cup
• Dried chilies 10
• Onions 1 medium
• Bicarbonate of soda pinch
• Fennel seeds ½ teaspoons
• Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves 10
• Oil for frying

METHOD:

• Soak Urdu dhal for about 6 hours, wash, drain and dry without water.
• Grind onion, chilies and salt, separately. It is better to soak dry chillies in water prior to grinding.
• Mix rice flour, Urdu dhal, chili onion paste, turmeric powder, bicarbonate of soda, chopped curry leaves, fennel seeds and add boiling water and mix to thick dough.
• Check salt and if necessary add more.
• On a piece of tin foil smear oil and place a small amount of mixture and flatten to a thin disc and deep fry in hot oil until crisp.

URAD DAL VADAI/ULUNTHU VADAI

INGREDIENTS:

• Black gram dhal 1 cup
• Onion 1 medium
• Green chilies 3
• Fennel seeds ½ teaspoons
• Curry leaves 8
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

METHOD:

• Soak black gram dhal in water for three to four hours, wash and remove the husk if present.
• It is much easier to use the clean or husked gram.
• Drain and grind to a paste. Do not add water.
• Leave about one table spoon full of gram without grinding - this gives a different taste when bitten.
• Dice the onion, cut green chilies to small pieces.
• Fry fennel seeds, the onions, curry leaves and chilies gently in little oil before adding to the paste.
• Add salt and mix well. In some homes onions and green chilies are not fried, they just add them fresh.
• Heat oil in a pan and when ready place a ball of dough on to a tin foil paper moistened with water, and flatten and make a round hole in the middle to a shape of a doughnut.
• Gently lift it off the foil and drop it into the hot oil and fry until golden, turning to cook on both sides evenly.
• Add 2 tablespoons of soaked cooked rice ground to a paste,  to the vadai mixture before frying and this gives a softer vadai.

CURD VADAI/THAYIR VADAI

VARIATION:

• Beat 4 cups of curd or yogurt and add about ½ teaspoon of chilly powder, salt and mix.
• When vadai is have been made, squeeze each with kitchen tissue to remove excess water and oil.
• Place these vadai is in a bowl and pour the yogurt over until the vadai is are fully covered and set aside for about half hour.
• In a little oil fry some mustard seed s until they pop and add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and chopped curry leaves and add this mixture to the curd vadai is before serving.

SPINACH VADAI/KEERAI VADAI 

 INGREDIENTS:

• In addition to above for Black gram vadai,
• Spinach leaves - tender 1 cup
• Ginger 1 inch piece

METHOD:

• Chop the spinach leaves finely and chop ginger finely and add these to the fried onion and green chilies and fry further the leaves are cooked.
• Add this to the ground gram paste and mix well. 
• As before, make doughnut shaped dough and fry in oil until it turns golden.

KADALAI VADAI

INGREDIENTS:

• Gram dhal split 1 cup
• Green chilies 3
• Chili powder 1 teaspoon
• Dry chilies 3 optional
• Onions 1 medium
• Fennel seeds 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves 6
• Turmeric powder ½ teaspoons
• Baking powder 1 pinch
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

METHOD:

• Soak gram dhal for 2 hours in water, drain and grind to a coarse paste.
• Cut green chilies and dry chilies into small pieces.
• Dice the onion. Fry fennel seeds until brown and add diced onion and fry until brown. Add the curry leaves and green chilies and fry further until soft.
• Drain well and add this to the ground gram paste, turmeric powder, salt and mix well with hand.
• Adding the baking powder to this mix will make this crispier.
• If you like it hotter then adds chopped dry chilies to the mix.
•  Take lemon sized mixture and make into balls and slightly flatten it on a tin foil paper to look like a flying saucer. Deep fry in boiling oil until both sides have turned golden brown. Drain and Remove.

PAGODA

PAGODA:

• Ingredients and method to make the gram mixture is as for gram vadai.
• Take some paste in your hand and gently squeeze through your fingers in the form of small irregular pieces directly into the hot oil and fry until they turn golden and crispy.
• Drain and remove.

MUTTON/LAMB CUTLET

INGREDIENTS:

• Minced mutton or lamb 200 g - very lean meat is preferred
• Potato 100 Grams
• Eggs 3
• Onions 2 medium
• Green chilies 4
• Black pepper coarse powder 3 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying

 METHOD:

• Wash and peel the potato and cut into pieces. Boil them in water, drain and mash finely.
• In a hot pan add one tablespoon of oil, fry diced onions until they turn golden brown.
•  Add minced mutton, salt, chopped green chilies stir, cover and cook on low fire.
• While this is cooking, separate the egg yolk from the white and save both.
• When meat is cooked, add the pepper powder to your taste and mix and let it cook for two more minutes constantly stirring.
• Add the yolk of the eggs and stir the mixture further until the egg yolk has been cooked.
• Taste the meat and adjust the salt and pepper and make sure all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Reduce the heat and add the mashed potato and mix well to form a big ball.
• Let it cool.
• Beat the white of the eggs until it froths.
• Make lime sized balls from the meat mixture and compress firmly, soak it in the white of the egg and coat with bread cramps.

RAVAI PONGAL

INGREDIENTS:

•  Rava - 1 cup
• Moong dal - 1/2 cup
• Green chilli -1
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Whole black pepper - 1tsp
• Ginger pieces - 10
• Curry leaves - a twig
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 6 tsp
• Ghee - 2tsp

METHOD:

•  Add 1 cup of water to 1/2 cup Moong dal and boil it in the pressure cooker until it becomes very soft.
•  Roast Rava in 4 tsps of oil.
•  Add two cups of boiling water and stir until the rava is fully cooked.
•  Mash the cooked Moong dal and add it to the rava.
•  Add salt and mix well.
•  In 2 tsp of oil roast pepper .
•  Add turmeric powder and asafoetida.
•  After this add cumin seeds, cashews and Roast.
•  cashews should not become too red.
• Add the finely chopped chillis and ginger pieces to the mix.
•  Add the mix to the pongal and mix well.
•  Add 2 tsp of melted ghee to the pongal.

VERMICELLI UPMA

INGREDIENTS:

• Vermicelli - 1 cup
• Onion - 1
• Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Red chilies - 2
• Oil - 5 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - a bunch

 METHOD:

• Roast vermicelli in ghee/oil for 2 min until it becomes slightly white in color.
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds.
• When it pops, add red chilies, urud dal, gram dal and asafoetida.
• Add curry leaves and finely chopped onions.
• Add the roasted vermicelli .
• Now add 2 cups water and leave it covered in low heat.
• Stir occasionally and cook until it becomes soft.
• Roast cashews in little ghee and add it to the upma.
• Serve hot

VEGETABLE RAVAI UPMA

INGREDIENTS:

•  Vegetables - onions, carrot, peas, potatoes, bell pepper,
• beans, and cauliflower washed and chopped
• Ravai 2 cup
• Green Chilies 3
• Ginger a small piece
• Hing a small pinch
• Curry leaves a few washed
• Ghee 1 t-spoon
• Cooking oil 3 t-spoons
• Mustard 1/4 t-spoon
• Urad dhal 1/2 t-spoon
• Channa dhal 1/2 t-spoon
• Salt 3/4 t-spoon

 METHOD:

•  Dry roast ravai in a pan for a 5 minutes and keep it aside.
• Boil all the vegetables with 1/2 t-spoon salt.
• Boil 3 1/2 cups of water.
• Fry mustard, Urad dhall, channa dhall, hing, green chilies, ginger, and curry leaves in oil.
• Add the boiling water to the above, and let it boil.
• Now add vegetables, salt, ghee, and 1 t-spoon cooking oil.
• After a few minutes add the roasted ravai, and stir it continuously until the rava gets cooked (approx.
• 5-10 minutes).

KULI PANIYAARAM

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Onion -1 medium onion
• Finely chopped Green Chilies - 4
• Finely chopped Curry and Coriander Leaves - 1 1/2tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 3/4tsp
• Urad dhal - 1tsp

 METHOD:

• Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and allow it to crackle
• Then add the chillies and onions and sauté for a few minutes.
•  Add this sautéed mixture to the idli batter and mix well.
• Heat the Kuli Paniyaram Chatti and add little oil in each hole and pour 1 spoon
• Of batter in each hole.
• Cook them on both the sides.

FRIED GRAM CHUTNEY:

• Fried Gram - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 4-5
• Garlic - 3-4 pods
• Tamarind - a small grape sized
• Salt - To taste
•  

FOR TADAKA:

• Oil- 1tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp
• Curry leaves - 5-6leaves
• Urad dal - 1/4tsp
• Hing - a pinch

METHOD:

• Grind together all the ingredients for the chutney to a smooth paste along with the salt.
• Do the tadaka and add it to the chutney.