Red pumpkin & whole wheat flour cake

We use to prepare sweet puris with red pumpkeen . we call these sweet puris as Gharge. I tried this   simple recipe in the form of cake using same ingredients  & it turned out soo yummy!! No frying, very delicious & healthy !!

Ingredients :

Wheat flour : 1 cup

Semolina ( fine Rava ): 1/4 cup
Red Pumpkin grated : 1 cup
Jaggery : 1/2 cup. If you have very sweet tooth then add more.
Poppy seeds (khaskhas):  2 tsp
Vegetable oil : 3 tb sp
Desi Ghee or unsalted Butter 2 tb sp
Warm Milk  : 3/4 cup or (as required)
Dry fruits as per individual taste. ( I used  Almonds, Walnut & seedless Black Raisins.)
Cashew nuts : 4-5 halves for decoration

Elaichi (Green Cardamom) or Jayphal (Nutmeg) flavor as per taste.

Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder : 1/2 tsp

Small pinch of Salt.

Recipe :

1. In a  heavy bottom vessel add 3-4 tb sp of water and jaggary  & mix well. Heat for 5 min. on medium flame till jaggery melts.
2. Add grated pumpkin in that mixture. Keep on low flame with lid  for 5-10 min. or till pumpkin becomes little soft. Let it cool for some time .
3. Add wheat flour , semolina , Vegetable oil, Elaichi or Jayphal (Nutmeg) powder & warm Milk till the consistency becomes little thicker than Idli batter. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes.
4. Add dry fruits. ( Almonds, Walnut & seedless Black Raisins.)
5. Add baking soda & baking powder. 
6. Grease the non-stick pan with ghee/unsalted butter. Keep the cashew halves in the pan & pour the mixture into the pan and spread it evenly. Add a few drops of Ghee on top so the cake won't stick to the Tava when you flip it. When you flip the cake the cashews will come on upper side.
7. Keep the pan  on Tava (Griddle) & cover it with lid . Keep on low flame.
8. Check on the cake with a knife or tooth pick after 10-15 min.  You should smell sweet goodness by this time! The cake should be golden brown by now. At that time flip it on the Tava (Griddle) which is kept below.
9. Turn off the flame after 2 mins as the Tava (Griddle) is already hot. Keep it for a few minutes until the lower side of the cake becomes golden brown .
10. Cut into pieces as you like & enjoy this yummy recipe !!!

   You can bake this cake in oven at 180 C for 40 minutes.
           

Fenugreek (Methi) seeds & Tuvar Dal usal

Ingredients :
1. Sprouted Fenugreek (Methi) seeds : 1 cup
2. Tuvar dal : 1/2 cup
3. Onion finely chopped:  1 cup 
4. Tomato chopped 1/2 cup
5. Ginger : 1 tsp 
6. Chilli paste:  1tsp
7. Garlic chopped or paste  : 1 tsp
8. Handful of coriander finely chopped
9. Salt as required
10. Jaggery : 2 tsp
11. Fresh coconut : 1/2 cup
12. Goda masala : 2 tsp
13. Red Chilli powder : 1 tsp
14. Oil : 3 tsp
15. Cumin ( jeera):  : 1 tsp
16. Mustard (mohri) seeds : 1 tsp
17. Asatefida  :1/2 tsp
18. Turmeric powder (haldi): 1/2 tsp
     

Prepping (prior to preparing the usal):
1. Soak Fenugreek seeds overnight in 2 cups of water
2. Next morning, drain excess water and keep the Fenugreek seeds covered in a sieve for one day
3. Fenugreek seeds should have sprouted. In winter, it may take upto 2 days for the seeds to sprout
4. The day of preparation, soak Tuvar dal for 4 hours. Drain excess water
                     



Recipe:
1. Heat oil in a vessel
2. Add mustard & cumin seeds once the oil gets hot
3. Add asatefida & turmeric powder
4. Add ginger,chilli & garlic paste and red chilli powder.
5. Add chopped onion, tomato and give a good stirr.
6. Add fenugreek seeds & Tuvar dal once the onions become translucent
7. Add shredded fresh coconut & goda masala.
8. Cook covered till all the ingredients become soft.
9. Add jaggery & salt and cook for another 5 minutes 
10. Transfer usal in a serving bowl, sprinkle generously with chopped coriander 
          Try this simple & healthy recipe with hot phulkas & enjoy !!!

Microwave Masala Peanuts

Peanuts are a healthy snack, to make it more interesting I tried a quick, healthy and tasty Microwave Masala peanuts recipe without frying!

Masala peanuts or Sing bhujia is a popular snack which is traditionally fried, making it unhealthy. But here is a healthy version for guilt free snacking!  Amazingly tasty, easy to make and no frying required. This is truly a wish come true.

Ingredients :

Peanuts : 1 Cup
Gram floor (Besan ) : 1/3 Cup
Red chilli Powder : 1 tea spoon
Garam Masala     :   1 tea spoon
Chat Masala        : 1 tea spoon
Dried Mango Powder ( Amchoor ) : 1 tea spoon
Cumin powder ( Jeera Powder ): 1/2  tea spoon
Coriander Powder ( Dhana powder) : 1/2 tea spoon
Asafoetida ( Hing ) : 1 pinch
Water : As needed
Oil : 2 tea spoons or Pam spray

Recipe :

1. Mix gram flour, red chilli powder, garam masala, dried mango powder, cumin & coriander powder in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Do not add chat masala .
3. In another bowl, add peanuts  and water until the peanuts are covered with water. Then pour the water along with peanuts in a sieve. This step is required so that peanuts get wet and excess water gets drained
4. Add the moist peanuts to the dry mixture in the first bowl. Mix the peanuts thoroughly in the gram floor mixture. If you feel the peanuts are very dry then add 1-2 spoons of water & mix . All the peanuts should be coated nicely with the gram flour mixture.
5. Grease the microwave safe dish with 1 tb spoon of oil or Pam spray .
6. Pour the peanuts into the dish & spread evenly.
7. Keep the dish in microwave oven for 3 minutes.
8. Remove the dish & stir the peanuts. Separate them with the help of spoon & again spread evenly.
9. Keep the dish  in microwave oven for another 2 minutes. Follow the step  again.
10. Repeat the procedure for one more time for 1 or 2 minutes or till the peanuts become crispy.
11. Remove the dish from oven. Sprinkle the chat masala on peanuts & let them cool.
12. Upon cooling peanuts will be crispy. Store in a air tight container & enjoy !!!