EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 150 gm unsalted butter
• 120 gms milk
• 200 gms milkmaid
• 1/2 tsp chocolate essence

FOR GANACHE

• 150 gms cream 
• 150 of dark chocolate finely chopped

FOR THE MOUSE

• 250 ml whipped cream
• 125 gm chopped chocolate 

METHOD

1. In a bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, soda and cocoa powder.
2. Add the granulated sugar to it.
3. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and milk and let it come to a luke warm temperature.
4. Now add the dry ingredients to it and mix together in one direction.
5. To this, add the milkmaid and mix well.
6. Add the chocolate essence and mix again.
7. You can add a little more milk if you feel the matter is too thick. We need the batter to be in running consistency.
8. Grease the tin and sprinkle some flour over it. Take away the excess flour.
9. Pour the batter in the tin and bake in a pre heated oven for 25 mins.
10. When it is bake, let it come to room temperature and place it n the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours.

GANACHE

1. In a silver pan add the cream and heat it till it starts to bubble on medium heat.
2. Switch off the flame and add the chocolate pcs to it and soak them in cream properly. Leave for a min and start whisking it. When mixed properly, place it in a refrigerator for a minimum of an hour.

MOUSE

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and add a little cream to the melted chocolate and then add it to the entire whipped cream.

ICING 

1. Whip the cooled ganache with some whipped cream.
2. Take the cake off the tin, level it from the top and cut it in two layers.
3. On the first layer pour the ganache and place the other layer on it.
4. Over it, apply the mouse and also cover the sides with the mouse.
5. You can use the chocolate shavings and chocolate shads to decorate the cake.
6. Refrigerate it for a couple of hours before you actually serve it.

A desert loved by almot everyone.. It would simply melt in you mouth.

YAM KOORAM

INGREDIENTS

200 gms Yam washed and diced
1 cup tomato puree
1 onion chopped
2 tsp ginger garlic green chilli paste
Few curry leaves
1 cup curd 
Spices : red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala
1 tsp kasuri methi
A small bunch of fresh coriander washed and chopped.


METHOD

1. Deep fry the diced yam pieces till they turn pink and drain away the excess oil on a kitchen towel. Poke them with a fork. This would help them soak the gravy well enough.
2. In a skillet, heat a tbsp oil, add cumin, curry leaves, chopped onion. Cook till they turn translucent.
3. Now add the ginger garlic green chilli paste and cook till the onions turn golden.
4. Now add the tomato puree. Cook till its water evaporates.
5. Beat the curd till smooth and add it to the curry.
6. Now add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, a little garam masala. Add the Yam pieces and cook till the oil separates.
7. Garnish with coriander and kasuri methi.
8. Cover it for 10 mins and mix well before serving.

This makes the curry look and taste very much like a panner curry attracting the kids. My daughter loves it. Absolutely mouth watering.

TENDER COCONUT SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1tbsp sugar
• 1 cup tender coconut
• 1 tbsp strawberry crush
• 1 tbsp dry fruit powder

METHOD

1. In a sauce pan, pour milk and coconut milk and bring it to boil. Now add dry fruit powder and sugar, mix well enough and let it cool.
2. In a juicer, add tender coconut, strawberry crush, the milk mixture and blend.
3. Refrigerate for half an hour and serve chilled.

A very healthy, nutritional and tasty smoothie for kids.

RUM-PLUM CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup All purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 100 gms unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 200 gms Milkmaid
• 2 tbsp sugar caramel 
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 15 ml Rum
• Handful of Almonds, Raisins, Cashews, Apricots and Tutti frutti each.
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of garam masala
• 1 tbsp mix fruit jam

METHOD

1. Chop all the nuts and soak 80% of them in 15 ml rum leaving the rest for garnishing.
2. In a bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder and sodium bicarbonate
3. Add the granulated sugar to it.
4. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter and add milk to it.
5. While the butter is melting, prepare sugar caramel.
6. Add the sugar caramel to the milk and mix well.
7. Now add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture.
8. Next add milkmaid to it. Make sure you are mixing in one direction only.
9. Now add 1/2 tsp vanilla essence, a pinch of salt, a pinch of garam masala, mix fruit jam and 80% of the chopped nuts to it.
10. Grease the tin and sprinkle some flour over it.
11. Now pour the batter and top with the left over nuts and tutti frutti and bake in a preheated oven for 25 mins.

NOTES :

• Leave the cake for a day after baking and store in an air tight jar. Plum cake tastes best after a day or more.
• If u do not wish to use rum, you can omit the first step and add the nuts to the batter after u add salt and garam masala.
• Do not beat the batter much once you have added the nuts to it.
• The cups measurement mentioned above is 200 ml a cup.

BASIC SPONGE

INGREDIENTS

• 100 gms Unsalted butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour (Maida)
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sodium  bicarbonate
• 100 ml Milk
• 200 ml Milkmaid
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD

1. Seive together the all purpose flour, baking powder and sodium bicarbonate
2. Heat a sauce pan, melt butter and add milk.
3. When the milk is Luke warm, add the dry ingredients to it and mix in one direction only.
4. Now add 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.
5. Next, add the milk maid and mix well. The batter should be of smooth running consistency.
6. Preheat the oven for 10 mins, meanwhile grease the cake tin with butter and line it wid some flour. Take away the extra flour from the tin.
7. Pour the batter into the tin and bake at 220 C for about 25 mins.

Notes :

• Do not add dry ingredients in hot milk. That will harden the cake.
• You can add a little milk if u feel the batter is too thick.

GINGER HONEY LIME SHOT

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
• Ice cubes

METHOD

1. Bring 1 cup water, honey, sugar, and ginger to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. 
2. Boil 5 minutes. Cool. Strain syrup into pitcher. 
3. Mix in lemon juice and remaining 2 cups water. 
4. Fill pitcher with ice. Let stand 5 minutes. 
5. Fill 4 to 6 tall glasses with ice. Add lemonade.
6. You can use some fresh mint leaves and a lemon slice to decorate the glass.

A COMPLETELY REFRESHING DRINK

VERMICELLI / SEVIYAN REMIX

INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups milk (full fat milk)
• 3 cups vermicelli 
• 2 tsp ghee
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 75 gms milkmaid
• 4-5 small green cardamom
• 1 pinch good quality saffron 
• 10-15 raisins
• Handful Pistachio chopped 
• Hand full of finely chopped almonds
• A spoon of strawberry crush

METHOD

1. Boil milk in a stewpot. Meanwhile, In a skillet heat the ghee and roast the vermicelli until golden brown. Take out on a tissue so that the excess ghee is soaked. Add it to the milk. 
2. Meanwhile, dry roast all the chopped dryfruits. Again use a tissue paper to drain the excess ghee.
3. Cook the kheer until the vermicelli cooks and the milk reduces to less than half.
4. Add saffron and cardamom (ilaichi) powder to it.
5. Add sugar and about 75 gms of milkmaid.
6. Now add 80% of the roasted dry fruits and cook till the sugar is properly dissolved.
7. In a pudding glass slide some strawberry crush and let it rest at the bottom, then pour in the  vermicelli   kheer.
8. Top with some dry fruits and serve.

A dish inspired by the Hyderabadi SheerKorma & A perfect treat in a festive season. 

SAB ACHARI

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Carrot
• 15 French Beans
• 2 Boiled Potatoes
• 3 Onions
• 3-4 tomatoes pureed
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp green chilli paste
• Laung, ilichai, dalchini, tejpatta, dry kashmiri lal mirchi 1 each
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp dhaniya powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1 cup Mango pickle grinded to paste.

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera, Laung, ilichai, dalchini, tejpatta, dry kashmiri lal mirchi and curry patta leaves. Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste and fry for 30 secs.
2. Now add the grinded onions and cook till its colour changes to golden.
3. Add tomato puree and cook till the water in it evaporates.
4. Next add the pickle paste and then all the spices. Cook well.
5. Meanwhile boil all the vegetables seperately in different pan. Make sure the vegetables are not over cooked.
6. At the point, add the vegetables to the gravy. at the end add the boiled potatoes.
7. Garnish wid chopped coriander and serve hot.

*You can add milk if you feel the gravy is too thick.

LASAGNE

INGREDIENT

• 2 Large red onions
• 2 Large carrots
• 2 Large courgettes 
• 2 Red bell peppers desedded
• 1 Medium aubergine
• 2 Yellow bell peppers deseeded
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemarry
• 2 Garlic cloves crushed
• Salt and black pepper
• 400 gms chopped tomato
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• 6-7 dried lasagne sheets

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven at 220 C. Cut the onions into wedges and chop all the other vegetables into chunks.
2. In a roasting tin, mix the oil, rosemary, garlic with the vegetables and season. Roast it for 30 min, shaking the tin occasionally.
3. Gently warm through the tomatoes and tomato puree in a large sauce pan. Take the pan off the flame and carefully stir in the roasted vegetables. 
4. On low heat, melt the butter in the pan, Stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min. Whisk in the milk. Stir until thickened. Add half the cheese and season.
5. Set the oven at 190 C. Spoon in 1/3 portions of the vegetables into a lasagne dish and top with 3 lasagne sheets.
6. Add another 1/3 of the vegetables. Top with another layer of lasagne sheets. Pour over half the sauce, then the remaining vegetables.
7. Lay on the remaining lasagne sheets and drizzle over the sauce. sprinkle the cheese and bake for 35 mins or until the golden and bubbling.

Coupling it with some Garlic bread would enhance the flavour.

PANEER PASANDA

INGREDIENT

• 500 gms Cottage cheese (cut into cubes)
• 6 Onions (finely chopped)
• 400 hms Tomato (pureed)
• 1 long pc ginger and 2-3 Green chillies ground into paste
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup curd
• 100 gms butter
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp dried pudina leaves
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 cup milk

METHOD

1. Heat butter in a pan and saute onions till pink.
2. Now add tomato puree to it. Continue to cook till the butter separates.
3. Turn off the flame. Now add cottage chese, cream, curd salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, dried pudina leaves and mix well.
4. Keep it aside for an hour.
5. Put it back on flame and now add milk to the mixture. 
6. Simmer for 5 mins and then put off the gas.
7. Garnish with finely chopped coriander and cream and serve hot.

A dish loved by everyone. Rich and tasty.
Best served with NAAN. 

CHAI BLOSSOM

INGREDENT

• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 200 ml club soda
• 4 whole star anise pods
• 4 lemon twists
• 2 tbsp chai patti
• 1/2 glass water

METHOD

1. In a pan, boil water and add the chai patti and bring it to boil.
2. Drain the liquid into another pitcher, add sugar to it and let it cool.
3. Add the lime juice and stir the chai syrup so that its properly mixed.
4. Divide among 4 rock glasses filled with ice and add about 50-60 ml soda to each glass
5. Add one lemon twist to each glass. Garnish with star anise pods and serve chilled.

• To maintain the coolness of a drink, make sure u refrigerate the glasses for a min in the refrigerator before pouring in the mocktail.

A perfect refreshing drink to beat the heat...

PAN SHOTS

INGREDIENTS

• 20-25 calcatta meenakshi pan leaves (betel leaves)
• 1tbs saunf (fennel)
• 2-3 tb spoons gulkand (rose petal jam)
• 1 tsp meethi supari (sweet supari)
• 3 tbs dry coconut powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• A pinch of ilaichi powder (cardamom)
• Water as required.

Method:


1 Wash and clean the betel leaves and cut away the top stem.

2 In a grinder, cut these leaves into pieces and add all the other ingredients and blend 

until smooth.

3 using a muslin cloth, drain the liquid into another bowl. Add additional water if

 needed.

4 refrigerate it for 15-20 mins.


5 Serve in chilled shot glasses.

Best Served after Dinner.