5 Minute Cake/ Instant Cake in a Mug

                                                                      Instant Cake

Ingredients

All purpose flour (Maida) - 4 tblsp
Sugar - 4 tblsp
Cocoa Powder - 2 tblsp
Egg - 1
Milk - 3 tblsp
Oil - 3 tblsp
Vanilla extract - 2 drops
Microwavable safe mug - 1
 
Optional Ingredients 
Chocolate chips - 2 tblsp
Dry shredded cocunut - 1 tblsp
Carrot (grated) - 1 tblsp

Method
1. Apply cooking spray in the coffee mug so that the cake wont stick.
2. Add flour(maida), sugar and cocoa to the mug and mix well.
3. Add the egg and mix nicely.
4. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Be careful to mix properly till the bottom.
5. Add vanilla extract and mix again nicely till all lumps are removed and you get a smooth batter.
6. Put mug into the microwave and cook for 3-5 minutes at high power (1000 watts). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed.
7. Allow to cool. Tip out onto a plate and enjoy.
 

 
Variations
       Instead of the 2 tblsp of coco powder, add maida itself and you have plain tea cake. Add strawberry syrup and you will get instant strawberry cake.
 

CARROT HALWA

                                                                         GAJAR KA HALVA


Ingredients
Carrots - 2 cups (app. 4 carrots)
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Nuts & Raisins - 1/4 cup (Almonds &/ Cashews)
Cardamon - 2 (crushed or use 1/4 tsp cardomom powder)

Method
1. Wash and peel the carrots and grate them or grind them. Grating leaves some texture to the carrot at the end but grinding is equally good too.
2. Heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the nuts and raisins in it. 
3. Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and add the carrot to it. 
4. Cover and cook it on medium flame, stirring occassionally to avoid sticking to the bottom. 
5. After about 15-20 minutes, when all the milk is absorbed by the carrot, add sugar and stir continuously.
6. After about 8 minutes the oil starts getting separated from the halwa. At this stage add cardomom powder, fried nuts and raisins and 1 tblsp of ghee.
7. Mix for another minute and switch off. 

Tips
      - To make cardomon powder, grind it with little sugar to get a fine powder. 

MOONG DAL HALWA- DESSERT

Moong Dal Halwa is a popular dessert from the state Rajasthan. The best part of this recipe is, it stores well in the refrigerator for upto a week. Just before serving heat it up a bit in microwave and serve it warm. SInfully delicious.

Serves – 4 to 6
Preparation time – 5 mins 
Waiting time – 4 hrs
Cooking time – 30 mins
Ingredients:

• Split Skinless Moong Dal(wash, drain and soak in water for 4 hrs) – 1/2 cup
• Water – 2 Cups
• Butter or Ghee (melted) – 1/2 Cup
• Sugar – 1/2 Cup to 2/3 cup
• Cardamom Powder (discard skin and pound the pods) – 2 pods
• Raisins – 1/2 Tbsp
• Cashews (chopped) – 1 Tbsp
• Almonds (chopped) – 1/2 Tbsp

Procedure:

• Make a thick coarse paste of the soaked discarding all the water in which the dal has been soaking in.You may use couple of Tbsp of water just to help the dal blend easily.
• Remove from the blender jar and set the paste aside.
• In a sauce pan add 2 cups of water, sugar, saffron, cardamom powder and bring to a rolling boil. TUrn off the heat.
• In a wide thick bottomed non stick pan add in 2 tsp of melted butter, cashews, aalmonds, raisins and turn on the heat to fry them till golden. Set them aside.
• Into the same pan add in the remaining butter, and dal paste and fry it for 15 mins or until the dal becomes crumbly and there should be a slight color change.
• Then add in the sugar water. Cover and cook the dal with the sugar water on low – med heat until the dal is cooked and water is absorbed by the dal.
• Open cover and cook for 5 more mins. Finally add in nuts and raisins for garnish. Serve warm.

Stuffed Bhindi – Indian Vegetarian Recipe

Stuffed Bhindi is a simple curry preparation in which the Okras are stuffed with Indian spices and cooked with seasoning and onions.

Serves – 2 – 3
Preparation time – 10 mins
Cooking time – 15 mins
Ingredients: 

• Okra/ Bhindi (trim the both ends and cut in 1 inch pieces) – 2 Cups
• Onion (Cubed) – 1/2 cup
• Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp
• TUrmeric Powder – 1/8 tsp
• Toasted Sesame Seed Powder – 1 Tbsp
• Red Chilli powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp or to taste
• Coriander Powder- 1/2 ts
• Cumin Powder – 1/4 tsp
• oil – 2 – 3 Tbsp

Procedure:

• Slit the Bhindi and set them aside.
• Mix in garam masala powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, dry mango powder, toasted sesame seed powder in a seperate bowl. Keep it ready.
• Stuff the Okra with the prepared spice powder.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add in turmeric powder, onion and fry for a min.
• Add in the stuffed bhindi to the pan and mix gently. Cover and cook them till they are cooked all the way through. Keep mixing Okra gently once in while to cook them evenly.
• Finish this off with 1/4 tsp of left over masala. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with roti or any Indian bread. Stuffed Bhindi also goes well with hot steamed rice.

Gutti Vankai – Andhra Eggplant Recipe

Gutti Vanakai is a popular andhra curry made with tender eggplants stuffed with spicy masala mix.

Serves 3
Preparation time – 5 mins
Cooking time – 30 hr
Ingredients:

For Masala

• Dry Red Chillies – 8 or to taste
• Dessicated Coconut – 1/4 Cup
• Curry Leaves – 1 Sprig
• Garlic – 3 big cloves
• Tamarind – 4 small flakes
• Clves -2
• Cinnamon stick – 1/2 inch piece
• Chanadal – 1 Tbsp
• Urid Dal – 1 Tbsp
• Jaggery – to taste
• Fenugreek Seeds – 5
• Coriander seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida(hing) – pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 1 Tbsp

For Frying Brinjals:

• Oil – for deep Frying
• Baby eggplants(brinjals, make crisscross cuts on top of the brinjals) – 6 no

For Curry:

• Oil – 1/2 Tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Red Chilli Powder – to taste
• Cilantro(coriander leaves) – 1 Tbsp

Procedure:

• Deep fry the eggplants in medium hot oil till they are just tender (do not overcook the eggplants)
• FOr masala turn on the pan, and heat 1 Tbsp of oil, add fenugreek seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, chanadala and fry for 30 secs, add in urid dal and fry for 30 more secs.Add dry red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt, tamarind, garlic cloves. fry for a while.Afinnaly turn off the heat add in coconut and jaggery. Let all the roasted ingredients cool completely then blend to a fine powder.
• Add about a Tbsp of water to the masala powder and stuff the brinjals with a Tbsp of masala in each eggplant.
• Heat a pan and add 1/2 Tbsp of oil and place the stuffed eggplants onto it gently one after other, add in red chilli powder, salt and then slowly cook them covered for 10 mins till they are cooked completely and all the flavors from the masala are absorbed by the eggplants.Finish this off with some chopped cilantro.Serve with rice or roti.

INDIA FOOD MAP

INDIAN FOOD HIRTORY

Once considered the shining jewel in the British Empire’s crown, India can today be easily deemed as the huge, 60-carat diamond in the World’s flavored cuisine ring. The large variety of dishes, appetizers, snacks, side dishes and desserts have found numerous fans on an international scale, as Indian restaurants spread at an incredible rate, with an enormous success in every possible culture and in every possible corner of the World. Combining all tastes possible, the Indian cuisine is bound to satisfy spice-lovers, “salty” people and persons with a sweet tooth alike (although the latter will feel right at home, since India is a “sweet” country). Some say that the Indian cuisine is almost as diverse as the entire European cuisine, because of the four different main regional styles: the North Indian cuisine (the regions Benaras, Kashmir, Mughlai, Punjab and Rajasthan), the South Indian cuisine (regions Andhra, Kannada, Kerala and Tamil), East Indian cuisine (regions Assamese and Bengali) and Western Indian cuisine (regions Gujarat, Maharashtrian and Malwani). The northern part of India is mostly rural, although it contains large cities such as Delphi or Calcutta, thus its cuisine is more agricultural than anything, wheat being a primary constituent of this region’s dishes. Southern regions however tend to be more exotic, more spicy in their dishes and rice is a constant ingredient in their food. To give the taste of their main dishes, North Indians use onions and coriander whilst southerners use a more exotic coconut base for their dishes. The history of Indian food tells us that during the reign of the British Empire in India (the British Raj), the local cuisine was considered by the Europeans closely to what Gods taught of ambrosia: a delightful, heavenly and delicate dish. Many times, we ask how the Indian cuisine grew to be so popular, so diverse and so delightful. In truth, the question is quite dim…from a population of one billion people, is it really that hard to believe some of them are great cooks?… But let’s take a closer look at what Indian dishes and snacks have to offer, providing a history of Indian food and a few related legends alongside. Ready your taste buds, because it’s going to be one juicy ride!

History of Indian Cuisine

Like in the American culture, food and special cuisine are very important in the Indian lifestyle. Families pride themselves on serving the best food when they visit with friends and family. There is also a wide variety of dishes and cooking techniques when making Indian food. Different spices are often utilized, so the food is extremely flavorful.

In a traditional meal, there are usually two or three main courses with many side dishes (like chutneys or roti) and desserts. Indian food is often divided into four sections by the region in which they are utilized: Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western.

The history of Indian cuisine goes all the way back to 7000 BCE when sesame, eggplant and cattle were introduced. Around 3000 BCE the spices turmeric, cardamom, pepper and mustard were first used (these spices are especially prevalent in Indian cooking today.) When invasions and new immigrants came later, tomatoes, chilies, and potatoes became staples in the Indians’ diet.

The most important parts of the Indian cuisine are rice, flour (also called atta), and an element called pulses. Pulses are masoor (red lentils), chana (Bengal ram), toor (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), and mung (green gram.)

Curries are also very important and are often fried in vegetable oil. In the Indian language, curries are often understood to mean ‘gravy’ because it accompanies other foods in the dishes.