Banana ChocoChip Cake

Ingredients:

All purpose flour                     1 & 1/2 cup

Sugar                                      2/3 cup

Baking Powder                        1&1/2 tsp

Salt                                          1/4 tsp

Mashed Banana                       1 cup

Egg                                          1 

Unsalted Butter                        1/2 cup

Chocochips                             3/4

Milk                                         1/4 cup

Procedure:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients first( Flour, sugar, Baking Powder and salt) in a large bowl.

2.In a separate bowl combine banana melted butter, egg and milk.Whisk it for few minutes) 

3. Stir banana mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Be careful not to over-mix it.

4. Stir in chocochips.

5. Bake at 175 degree C for 30-35 min approximately.

6. Insert a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

7. Let it cool down completely on wire rack before cutting into pieces

Alsi laddoo (Flax Seed laddoo)

Alsi K Laddoo (Flaxseeds laddoo)

Ingredients:

Alsi(Flax seeds)                            1 cup
Atta(Whole wheat flour)                1cup
Sugar(Powdered)                          1cup
Gond(edible gum)                         1/2 cup
Dry Dates(powdered)                   1/4cup
Almonds & Cashewnuts                1/4 cup
Magaz(watermelon seeds)             2tbsp
Ghee                                             1/2 cup

Procedure:
1. Dry roast flaxseeds in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Grinde Almonds and cashews.
3. Grinde gond(edible gum) to fine powder.
4. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Add Flour to it. cook it on medium flame till the flour colour changes to nice brown. Add gond and mix well. Add dry dates,magaz, almonds and cashewnuts and mix well. cook it for another 5 minutes stirring continously.
5. Remove from flame and let it cool down.
6. Add sugar and and make lemon size balls of the mixture. Store in an airtight container.

Besan ke Ladoo

Ingredients:

Besan                             1 cup
Powdered Sugar             1/2 cup
Ghee                               1/4th cup
crushed nuts                     1/2 cup
Almonds(Thinly Sliced for Garnishing)


Procedure:

1. Heat ghee in a Thick bottom pan.
2. Add besan and Roast it on low flame till nice aroma comes out and besan changes its colour and ghee starts separating.
3. Add crushed nuts and let the mixture cool slightly.
4. Add Sugar and make ladoos.
5. Garnish with sliced almonds.

Note: Use coarsely ground besan for ladoos.You you want more rich ladoos u can add 1/2 cup ghee instead of 1/4th cup.
I used 1/4th cup. Ladoos were perfect.

Kheru

Ingredients:

Beaten curd         - 2 Cups

Cumin Seed         - 1/2 Tbs

Coriander Seed     -1/2 Tbs

Whole Red Chilli  - 4 Pieces

Turmeric Powder  - 1/2 Tbs

Salt                      -To Taste

Mustard Oil          - 1 Tbs

Finely Chopped Cilantro( For Garnishing)

Procedure: 

1. Heat oil in a Pan.


2. Add cumin seed, coriander seed and whole red chilli. Fry it till golden brown.


3. Add turmeric powder and salt.


4. Add little water to it to lower the temperature.


5. Add beaten curd while stirring continuously. Immediately switch off the gas.

6. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Note:
Don't  boil the curd. switch off the gas when mixture is warm.
You can also add thinly sliced onion and curry leaves to this after frying spices.

Madra

  

Ingredients:

Chickpea                                        1 cups 

Yogurt                                             2 cups

Ghee                                               4 tbs

Almonds                                          5-6

Cashew                                           5-6

Raisins                                            8-10

Grated Coconut                              1 tbs

Aniseed                                          1 

Cardamom Black                            2 pieces

Cardamom Green                           2 pieces

Cinnamon                                       1 small piece

Bay Leaf Indian                              1-2 leaf

Whole Red Chilli                             3-4

Turmeric Powder                            1 tbs
Degi Mirch/Red Chilli powder         1 tsp

Salt                                                 According to taste

cilantro(hara dhania) for garnishing  

Procedure:
1. Soak Chickpeas overnight in water. 


2. Next day boil chickpeas in pressure cooker for 30 min with salt. Drain the water and keep them aside.

3. Let the chickpeas cool down. Mix curd with chickpeas. 


4. Heat Ghee in a thick bottom pan. Fry almonds and cashew in it. keep the aside.


5. Add aniseed, black cardamom, green cardamom, bay leaf, whole red chilli and cinnamon     into ghee. Fry till golden brown.


5. Add turmeric powder.


6. Add Yogurt and chickpea mixture to it and stir it continuously until yogurt leaves oil. It will take around 10-20 minutes.


7. Finally add chickpeas, cashew, almonds, raisins and coconut  to the curry. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.


8. Garnish with chopped cilantro.




Note:
Stirring continuously  is very important to avoid the curdling of yogurt. 

Arsa

Ingredients:

1             Cup Rice

1/2          Cup Sugar(powdered)

1/2 tbs     Curd                                                    

1tbs         Poppy seeds(khuskhus)

Oil           For Deep frying

Method:

1. Soak rice for at least 4-5 hours.

2. Drain all the water and pat dry on a kitchen towel and cover it. Don't leave it in open.

3. Grind it to a fine powder.

4. Heat oil in a wok.

4. Now take a mixing bowl and mix sugar powder and rice powder and curd.

5. Spread poppy seeds in a plate.

6. Make small balls of this and flatten them. roll one side on poppy seeds.

7. Deepfry arsa in the wok keeping poppyseed side upside until golden brown.

Note:

1. Rice should be dry before grinding 

2. If the mixture is sticky after mixing rice and sugar then don't add curd.

Kitchen Essential spices For Beginners

English Name	Indian / Hindi Name
Aniseed	Saunf
Asafoetida	Heeng
Basil	Tulsi
Bay leaf	Tejpatta
Black Cumin seeds	Shah Jeera
Black Pepper	Kali Mirch
Black Salt	Kala Namak
Cardamom	Elaichi
Caraway seeds	Shah Jeera
Carom seeds	Ajwain
Cinnamon	Dalchini
Clove	Laung
Coriander seeds	Dhania
Cumin seeds	Jeera
Dry Fenugreek Leaves	Kasoori Methi
Dry Ginger	Saunth
Dry Mango powder	Amchoor
Dried Pumpkin / Water Melon seeds	Magaz
Fennel seeds	Saunf
Fenugreek seeds	Methi
Jaggery	Gur
Nigella	Kalonji
Mace	Javitri
Mustard seeds	Rai / Sarson
Nutmeg	Jaiphal
Onion seeds	Kalonji
Pomegranate seeds	Anardana
Poppy seeds	Khus Khus
Salt	Namak
Saffron	Kesar
Sesame seeds	Til
Sugar	Shakkar / Cheeni
Tamarind	Imli
Thymol seeds	Ajwain
Turmeric	Haldi
Vinegar	Sirka