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.