Eggless Mango Cupcakes

Eggless Mango Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Dry:

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cardamom Powder

Sift all the ingredients into a bowl and set aside.

Wet:

In another bowl, beat together until well-mixed:

1 1/2 cups Mango Pulp or Puree(store bought works too) check the sugar content though..

1/3 cup Canola Oil

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

¼ chopped pecans or walnuts ur call....coat with flour so that they don't sink in batter

Kitchen Equipment/Utensils:

Mixing Bowls, Whisk, Spatula, Knife, Oven safe muffin pan.

Cooking Method:

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a whisk just until you have a smooth batter. Do not over mix or over beat. fold in the nuts. 

Divide the batter equally among 12 cups of a standard-sized muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. 

Pat the pan on a kitchen towel to remove air bubbles. 

Bake in a preheated 180 C/ 350 F oven about 25 minutes + 2-3 minutes give or take or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out 

Tips:

Serve Prefer fresh homemade mango puree. 

If using store bought puree reduce sugar content. 

You can replace with any sweet pulpy fruit. 

Mango butter cream: 2/3 Cup Heavy cream, 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract, 2 Tbsps Sugar, 1/3 Mango puree.

Eggless Dates and Walnut Cake....healthier version

Eggless Dates and Walnut Cake

I improvised the version shown in show me the curry....

Ingredients:

Dry:
Baking Soda – 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
All-purpose Flour – 1 1/4 cups (183 g)

Wet:
Water – approx 1/2 cup, for soaking
Walnuts – 1/4 cup (30 g), toasted chopped coarsely
Sweetened Condensed Milk – 14oz can (396gms) (Replace with evaporated milk with 2 Tbsps honey for healthy option)
Unsalted Butter – 1 stick (4oz or 113gms) 
Star Addition:
Dates – 13 (5oz or 150gms) (pitted medhjool dates Costco)
Strawberries and orange wedges for decoration.

Kitchen equipment/Utensils:

2 Mixing bowls, Blender, Whisk, runber Spatula, Knife, oven safe 9" baking pan.

Cooking Method:

1. Soak the Dates in warm water for about 30 minutes just to soften them.
2. Sift the All Purpose Flour along with the Baking Powder and the Baking Soda.
3. Press down on any lumps.
4. Make a paste of the Dates using as little water as possible either in a blender or a food processor.
5. Melt the butter so it is soft and mix it to the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda & baking powder).
6. Mix in the Dates paste and the Sweetened Condensed/Evaporated Milk. Mix well.
7. Fold in the Walnuts as well.
8. Spray/Grease a baking pan and pour the batter into it.
9. Bake in a pre-heated oven (180 degrees C/350 degrees F) for 40 minutes in the center of the oven.
10. Once done, take the cake out and allow it to stand for 5 minutes before taking it out of the pan.
11. Loosen the edges, cover with a palte and flip the cake.
12. Serve hot or cold.

Tips:

• Replace the dates with any pulpy sweet fruits as we are not using any sweeteners when evaporated milk is used!
• If you are planning to frost the cake, allow it to cool all the way through.
• Frosting: Whip 1 Cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 Tbsps sugar until soft peaks,
• If the oven door is open in-between according to the temperature some oven will need 50 min to bake.
• If too much water is added to dates while grinding, the cake tends to sink.

Banana Walnut Bread....

Banana Walnut Bread 

Ingredients:

Dry:

2 cups all-purpose flour (replace half with whole wheat bread flour for healthy version)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (replace with canola oil for healthy version)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extracts (not essence)

Star additions:

4 overripe bananas  about medium to long size

1 cup sugar (replace half with honey for healthy version)

1/3 cup pecans roughly chopped or walnuts whichever u prefer

¼ cup dates roughly chopped

Kitchen Equipment/Utensils:

Oven, Mixing bowls, Knife, Electric Whisk or mixer, oven safe bread loaf pan about 9 by 5-inch

Cooking method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift Dry ingredients and set aside.
3. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture and set aside.
4. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar/honey together for 3 minutes to make a light and fluffy banana cream. Should be airy
5. Add the melted butter/oil, eggs and vanilla in installments and beat well.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so that all are well incorporated
7. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated - no need to overly blend.
8. Fold in the nuts, dates and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
10. Give the pan a good tap on the counter to get any air bubbles out and rest for 20 mins
11. Bake for about 1 hour check and go for another 15 minutes if needed, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
12. Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even baking. use middle rack.
13. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely from all sides before slicing and store in air tight container or fridge for longer shelf life.

Tips:

• Baking is science hence sue exact US metric while measuring
• Can be eaten toasted or as is.
• Goes well with coffee or hot milk
• Can be doubled as dessert by dusting some powdered sugar or whip cream and fruits.

Carrot Upma....Heathy Breakfast

Carrot Upma

Ingredients:

 2 Cups Sooji Coarse dry roasted 

 1 Cup Grated Carrot about 2 table carrots

1 Onion medioum onion diced

5-6 thai chillies
1 Inch Ginger(finely chopped)

Seasoning:{1 Tbsp Extra Light Olive Oil

1 Tsp mustard seeds

1 Tsp cumin seeds

1 Tsp chana dal

1 Tsp urad dal

1 Tbsp chopped cashew}

1 sprig curry leaves

1 Tbsp Coriander chopped 

salt to taste

Option:1 faster cook version

4 Cups Hot Water (I used electric kettle)

Option 2 slow cook version

4 1/4 Cups normal water

Ingredients

Sauteing

Kitchen Equipment/ Utensils:

2 Quart Sauce pan

Cooking Method:

1. In a sauce pan add oil, add all seasoning ingredients in the sam eorder listed and saute until light golden color.
2. Add chilies, onion, curry leaves, chopped ginger and salt.
3. If using hot water add roasted sooji first, mix well then add hot water while stirring make sure no lumps are formed.
4. If using regular water, add water bring it to boil and then add sooji and stir so that no lumps are formed.
5. Cover with lid on low medium Flame. Let it cook for 10 mins.
6. Add coriander and switch off stove.

Tips:

• To Dry roast sooji, heat a pan on low flame add sooji and saute with no oil until the raw flavor goes away.
• I have a electric handy hence prefer hot water as it fastens the cooking time.

Greek Mango Yogalicious

Mango Yogalicious

Ingredients:

2 Cups Hung Yogurt 

1/2 Mango Puree

1/2 Fresh Mango pieces

2 Tsps Pistachios 

1 Tbsp Honey.

Kitchen Equipment/Utensils  :

2 Glass Tumbles

1 Whisk

Cling Wrap

Cooking Method:  

Whisk yogurt, honey until well mixed.

Layer a scoop of mango puree, then fill up yogurt mixture and top it with mango Slices and pistachios

Wrap it with cling wrap and freeze away for 8-9 hrs. Serve Chill 

Tips:

Hung regular yogurt for 3-4 hrs until all the whey drains out.

Use a muslin cloth or tissue paper towels by lining in a strainer.

Keep the strainer and residual whey catching vessel  arrangement in the fridge this will be keep it from getting sour. 

Kajjikayalu

Ingredients:

For Shell:

2 Cups maida

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour(Atta)

1 Tbsp ghee(Clarified Butter)

Water as needed

For Filling: 

4 Cups grated coconut

1 ½ Cup mawa dry

1 Cup cane white sugar

1 tsp Cardamom powder

1/2 Cup Ghee Roasted cashews crushed

Oil for Deep Frying.

Kitchen Equipment/Utensils  :

Kajjikaayalu mould

Deep vessel for frying

Chapati rolling pin 

Cooking Method:

For dough, mix all ingredients for the shell with enough water, and make a stiff dough as we do for samosa and rest for 30 mins

Mix all the ingredients for the filling and do a taste test, add the sugar as needed.

Make small dough balls, roll out into chapati, fill a dollop of filling and seal using kajjikaayalu presser. 

Repeat for the rest of the dough.

Make sure all the dumplings are sealed

Fry in oil until golden color over medium flame.

Let them cool completely before storing in air tight container

Tips:

Do not fill up the mould with the filling leave enough space for them to puff.

Shelf life in air tight container for 2 weeks