Eggless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Butter - 50g/4tblspn/ 1/2 stick   in room temperature

Condensed milk - 1/2 Can (200g)

All purpose Flour - 1 cup

Baking powder - 1/2 tspn

Cocoa powder - 3 tblspn

Baking soda - 1/2 tspn

Vanilla Extract - 2 tspn

Coco cola - 1 can ( or hot water)

Preparation

1.Sieve all purpose flour (maida), baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder twice. (dry ingredients). Keep it aside.

2.Take butter and condensed milk in a mixing bowl.Beat it in a low speed .Add vanilla extract and mix well.

3.Take all the dry ingredients All purpose flour,baking powder,cocoa powder,baking soda in an another bowl and combine well.

4.Add the wet  ingredients (butter + condensed milk + vanilla essence) with the dry ingredients (ie flour + baking pwd + cocoa pwd + baking soda) and mix both until well combined.Add coco cola little by little and blend it until required consistency .

5.Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Pour the batter into a greased baking tray and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean..

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

Eggless chocolate Cake - 2 (for 2 layer cake )

Whipped cream - 300 ml

Cherries - 1 cup

A bar of milk chocolate – Make chocolate shavings out of the bar and keep refrigerated till use.

Orange Juice - 1 cup

Preparation
1.Keep one layer of the cake on the serving plate.
2.Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of orange juice on it.
3.Now spread 2-3 tablespoons of whipped cream on top of the cake.
4.Add the chopped cherries on top.
{Repeat with other layers if you want to make 3 layer cake)
5.Cover the cake completely with whipped cream on all sides and the top.
6.Level the top and sides with a broad spatula dipped in chilled water.
7.Decorate the top with chocolate shavings and cherries. Keep chilled in the fridge till use.

Vatha kulambu - Tamilnadu Recipe

Ingredients

Sundakkai Vathal (Turkey Berry) - 1 1/2 tblspn

Manathakkali (black nightshade) - 1 1/2 tblspn 

                                               { You can prepare this with Either  Manathakkali (black nightshade) or sudakkai (Turkey Berry) Vathal  }

Tamarind - lemon sized ball

Vatha kulambu powder - 2 tbsp
Sesame seed oil - 3 tbsp 
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 2 (broken into two)
Asafoetida/Hing- 1/4 tsp

Preparation

1.Soak tamarind in approximately 3 1/2 cups of warm water and extract thick juice.

2.Heat sesame oil  in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, dry red chilli , curry leaves and sundakkai vathal & Manathakkali.

3.Saute for a few minutes, then add tamarind extract, vatha kulambu powder,turmeric powder and salt required .

4.Let it boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes and the gravy reaches a saucy consistency.

Serve with Rice and pappadam.

Cherupayar/Moong Dal Payasam (Kerala Parippu Payasam)

Ingredients

Cheru payar / pasi paruppu / moong dal -1/4 cup

Grated jaggery  -3/4 cup
Ghee - 3 tblspn
Unsalted cashew nuts -10
Raisins - A few
Thick coconut milk (onnaam paal) -1cup
Thin coconut milk (rendaam paal) - 3/4 cup
Cardamom, crushed - 4 or 5

Preparation

1.Roast the parippu in a dry pan until it turns golden brown. 

2.Add the thin coconut milk (rendaam paal) and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles .

3.Add some water to the grated jaggery and heat it on medium flame until it begins to melt. Stir well until the jaggery fully melts, strain, and mix in with the cooked dal. 

4.Bring to boil and add the thick coconut milk.Do not boil after adding the thick coconut milk.

5.Add the crushed cardamom and remove from stove.

6.Heat ghee in an another pan and add the cashew nuts and raisins. When the nuts turn golden brown and the raisins have puffed up, remove and add to the payasam. Mix well.