Eggless Tutti Fruity Cake

Its' my turn to try and post this recipe. My toddler loved this delicious cake.

Dry Ingredients:
1¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon leveled baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Other Ingredients:
½ tin of condensed milk
¼ cup oil (I used olive oil)
¾ cup low fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup of tutti fruity

Method:
Sift all the dry ingredients and set aside. In a mixing bowl, add all other ingredients except tutti fruity and mix well. Add flour slowly so no lumps are formed and mixes into the wet ingredients to form a lumpy texture. Now add the tutti fruity (This is added in the end so that the fruits do not sink to the bottom of pan while placed for baking). Pour the mixture into a greased pan.

Pre-heat oven for 400F and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 385F and bake for 20 minutes until the cake is done. Keep checking by piercing a knife until it comes out clean. (I do this often, I am one of the most impatient freaks ;))

When done cool and then cut and serve.

Broccoli and Plantain Curry

Ingredients:
2 small plantains peeled and cubed to 1/2"inch pieces
1 medium sized broccoli chopped to 1/2"inch pieces
4 green chillies slit
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 tablespoons of grated coconut
Salt

For tempering:
1 teaspoon Channa daal
1 teaspoon urad daal
1/2 teaspoon mustard
pinch of asafoetida
1 teaspoon oil

Method:
(NOTE: Soak the cubed plantain in water to avoid oxidation)
In a thick bottom vessel add oil. When the oil is hot, add the tempering ingredients. Once the mustard splutters and daals turn golden, add the drained plantain and broccoli. Keep the vessel covered and mix once a while to avoid charring. Add green chillies, salt and cumin powder and mix until soft. Turn off heat when done and add coconut.
Serve curry with rotis or rice.

Red Bell Pepper Chutney

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper de-seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup peanuts
1 small onion diced
2 pods of garlic
4 red chillies
1/2 inch piece of tamarind
1 teaspoon cummin seeds
1/2 teaspoon oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Saute onions and all other ingredients until the onions turn red and peanuts are completely roasted.
(I used roasted peanuts)
Grind coarsely with salt. I did not temper this dish. But a tempering of mustard and urad daal may be added. This is a protein rich chutney tastes good with rotis and rice.

Potato Methi Curry

Ingredients:
6 medium sized potatoes - cubed
1 cup fresh cut methi leaves
1 medium sized onion sliced thinly length wise
4 green chillies slit
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
2 tablespoon amchur powder(dry mango powder)
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cummin seeds
salt

Method:
In a thick bottom vessel, heat oil and add cummin. After the cummin splutters, add onion and fry. When the onions turn soft, add potatoes. Keep the vessel covered and mix once in a while until the potatoes are half cooked. Add methi leaves, green chillies, garam masala, amchur and salt. Fry for a while until potatoes and methi leaves get cooked. Serve with rotis.

Roasted and Salted Cashews

Ingredients:
Raw Cashews split in half - 1 cup
Salt per taste
Timer ;)

Method:
In a oven safe pan spread the cashews. Bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently mix and toss the pan back to bake for 5 more minutes to roast evenly. Remove the pan when done and add salt while the cashews are hot. Mix gently. Enjoy this is a quick and easy recipe. Good for snacking or garnishing.