Eggless Banana Muffins

Ingredients

All purpose floor - 2 cups

Baking soda - 1 1/2 tspn

Granulated sugar - 1 cup (200g)

Canola oil - 1/3 cup (80ml)

Ripe bananas (mashed) - 4

Water - 1/4 cup(60ml)

Vanilla extract - 1 tspn

Walnuts - 1 cup (optional)

Preparation

1.Preheat the oven to 350degree.

2.Lightly grease your muffin tins.

3.In a medium size bowl,mix the flour,baking soda,and salt together.

4.In a large bowl,beat the sugar and oil together,then add mashed bananas.stir in the water and vanilla and mix thoroughly.Add the flour mixture and stir well.

5.Fill each muffin tin halfway with the batter.Bake for 20 to 30 minutes,until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Koon Ulli Theeyal / Mushroom Theeyal - Kerala Recipe

Ingredients
Mushroom-10
Grated coconut-1cup
Pearl onion/shallots-10 to 15 nos
Red chilly powder-1 tblsp
Coriander powder-1 tblsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Fenugreek powder-a pinch
Oil-2tbsp
Tamarind paste(thick)-2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coconut oil - 2 tspn (for seasoning) / optional
Curry leaves for seasoning
Preparation
1.In a pan dry roast coconut and 2 shallots until they are evenly browned.
2.Add chilly & coriander powders and fry until they lose their raw smell. Cool it and then make a fine paste. Keep it aside.
3.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a vessel and saute thinly sliced mushroom and shallots along with turmeric powder until soft..
4.Add the ground masala paste, fenugreek powder, enough water and salt to taste.Bring to boil  and simmer in low heat.
5.Add the tamarind paste and cook for about 15 mins in medium heat.
6.For seasoning add coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.Add curry leaves and add this to theeyal.
Serve with Rice.

Yellow Bell Pepper Stir Fry

Ingredients
Olive oil - 2 tspn
Onion(medium size) - 1 (chopped)
Ginger minced - 1 tblspn
Yellow Bell pepper - 2 (chopped)
Tomato(medium size) - 1 (chopped)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Black pepper to taste
A few coriander leaves
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pan.
2.Add onions and ginger.Fry it until the onions turn golden colour.
3.Add Yellow bell pepper, turmeric powder and salt.fry it for 5 mins.(bell pepper should be crunchy)
4.Add tomatoes and fry it for another 3 mins.
5.Garnish with coriander leaves.
Sprinkle lemon juice and black pepperas needed
Serve with rotis,tortillas and rice.

Puliyinji / Inji puli (Tamarind Ginger curry) - Kerala Recipe

Ingredients
Freshly Minced ginger -3/4 cup
Green chillies - 8 (chopped)
Coconut oil / olive oil - 1 tblspn
Mustard seeds- 1 tspn
curry leaves - 2 springs
Fenugreek powder -1/2 tspn
Tamarind - lemon size (soak in water and take out the extract - about 1 cup)
Chilli powder - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Jaggery to taste(optional)
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
2.Add minced ginger and green chillies anf fry it until the ginger is golden brown.
3.Add chilli powder and tamarind extract.
4.Add salt and bring to boil.
5.Simmer it for about 10-15 minutes until the raw smell of tamarind disappears and the curry is thick.
6.Add jaggery (optional)and fenugreek powder.Bring to boil and turn off stove.

Serve with rice.This is served in small amount like pickle.

Fruit Cake

Ingredients
Dried Fruits - 1 cup (Chop the big ones into small pieces)
Nuts - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup(for caramelizing)
Baking powder - 1 tspn
salt - 1/2 tspn
Baking Soda - 1/4 tspn
Cinnamon powder,clove powder,nutmeg powder - 1/4 tspn each
Grated orange zest - 1/2 tspn
Pure Vanilla extract - 1 tspn
Sugar - 1 cup
Butter -1 stick ( 1/4 lb)
Eggs - 3 ( For vegetarians use Egg replacer or Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup)
Preparation
1.Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature.
2.Coat the chopped dried fruits in one tblspn flour and soak them in orange juice/Rum/Brandy for few hours.
3.Heat 1/4 cup sugar in a sauce pan with 1/2 tblspn water.
4.When the sugar begin to caramelize gently stir with a spooon.Keep stirring slowly untill all the sugar caramelize and turn to a dark syrup.
5.Remove the pan from the stove and pour 1/4 cup of warm water to the syrup.This may splash so stay away from the pan.
6.Stir the syrup water and let it cool.
7.Add vanilla to this and set aside.
8.Preheat the oven to 350 degree.
9.In a mixing bowl,whisk 1 cup of sugar and butter to a creamy consistency.Add the eggs one by one.
10.In another bowl mix the flour with salt ,baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon,ginger and clove powder.
11.Add nuts and fruits to this mixture.
12.Add the orange zest.Mix with a spoon.
13.Add the caramel vanilla water and mix well.
14.Now add the sugar/butter/egg mixture and mix again.
15.Pour this batter to a greased baking pan up to 3/4 .( Do not fill the pan completely)
16.Bake it for an hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
 The baking time varies depending on your oven and the type of paking pan you use.

Happy New year 2012

Wish you all a very Happy New year..
Have a VICTORIOUS '2012'