Royal Icing

2 eggwhites
2 lb icing sugar sifted (Not all may be used)
1 tsp lemon juice

Step 1: Combine eggwhites and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add some of the sifted icing sugar to the mixture and start the mixer.

Step 2: Keep adding icing sugar a little at a time. When the mixture looks like thick whipped cream and makes soft peaks when you push down the hooks/paddle in it, you can use it for piping.

Step 3: When you have the soft peak icing, you start to only add 2 tbsp of icing sugar at a time because from now on the icing will get more and more stiff. When you can pull out small stif peaks the icing is ready. Cover the icing with cling film and a lid or wet cloth and store it in the fridge.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1(8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1.) Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy, about 30 seconds

2.) With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowls as necessary

3.) Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium. Blend until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute

Spelt Everything Crackers

Spelt Everything Crackers
Makes 1 large cracker sheet

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white spelt flour, plus more for flouring surface
Coarse sea salt, dried onion bits, poppy seeds and sesame seeds (for the everything bagel effect) or a seed combination of your choice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve the salt in 1/2 cup of cold water. Stir in the spelt flour until combined. Knead the dough a few turns until a ball forms.

2. Flour an overturned 12-by-17-inch cookie sheet and roll out the dough on top of it, using as much flour as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough covers the sheet from edge to edge. Do your best to get them as thin as possible, because the thicker parts become quite hard when baked. Using a spray bottle filled with water, spray the dough to give it a glossy finish. Prick the dough all over with a fork. If you choose, sprinkle with sea salt or seeds. For neat crackers, score the dough into grids.

3. Bake until the dough is crisp and golden and snaps apart, 15 to 25 minutes. (Check after 10 minutes to make sure it does not overcook.) Break into pieces and serve.

Moist Yellow Cake

Moist Yellow Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter (room temperature)
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
3 cups of sifted self-rising flour (Per cup of flour called for by your recipe, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt)
1 cup of whole milk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour (3) 8 inch cake pans.
Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and continue to cream for about 7 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added.
Add flour and milk (alternating to creamed mixture), beginning and ending with flour.
Add vanilla flavoring to mix; until just mixed.
Divide batter equally into three cake pans.
Hold each layer about 3 inches above your counter and carefully drop the pans flat onto counter several times to ensure release of any air bubbles. This will help you have a more level cake.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until done.
Cool in pans for 5 - 10 minutes.
Remove and immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Cool completely on wire racks.
Once cooled, you are ready to assemble your cake.

Imelda's Dahl

Red split lentils with cumin seed - Masoor dal

200g red split lentils, picked over, washed an drained
1 liter water
2 thin slices of unpeeled ginger
1 small onion
1/2 teasp. turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
A pinch of ground asafetida, optional
1 teasp whole cumin seeds
1 teasp. ground coriander seeds
1/2 teasp. mustard seed
1/4 cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander

Bring washed lentils and 1 liter of water to a boil, simmer. Remove any scum that collects at top. Add the ginger and turmeric and whole onion. Stir to mix. cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, turn heat to low and simmer gently until lentils are tender - 30 mins to 1 hr. depends on lentils. Stir every 5 mins to prevent sticking. Add the salt and stir to mix. Remove ginger slices and the onion. (I usually blend the dal at this stage, but doesn't have to be done)

Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium flame, When hot, put in the mustard seed and asafetida. A second later, put in the cumin seeds. Let seeds sizzle for a few seconds. Now put in the ground coriander and cayenne. Stir once and then quickly pour the contents of the pan into the lentils. Stir to mix. Add salt and more tumeric, ground cumin, or cayenne to taste.

Sprinkle the fresh coriander over the top when serving.

Imelda's Raita

Kheere ka Raita - yogurt with cucumber and mint‏

2 1/2 cups plain yoghurt (try and get one that is not set)
1 med. sized cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely grated or chopped (make sure all the water is squeezed out before you place in yoghurt)
2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Put yoghurt in a bowl. Beat lightly with a fork until smooth and creamy. Add all the other ingredients and mix. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Spicy Potato-Stuffed Indian Bread

MASALA ALU PARATHAS
SPICY POTATO-STUFFED INDIAN BREAD
Prep time: 20 min, Cooking time: 30 min | Serves: 4

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1/4 tsp carom seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp light cooking oil
water, as needed

2 medium-sized potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 tsp fennel seeds
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves

MIX mashed potatoes with salt, coriander leaves, garam masala, and fennel seeds and set aside.

MIX flour with salt, carom seeds, red chilli powder, fenugreek leaves and oil and form into a smooth dough with necessary amount of water, and allow to rest for half an hour. Once the dough is set, separate it into golf-sized balls and set aside.

FOR each dough ball, roll out the dough into a small circle and put around one tbsp of potato mixture in the centre. Bring the ends of the circle together and seal the edges completely so that the stuffing does not come out.

ROLL out into a 6 inch circle. Fry on a heated pan adding a bit of gheeoil around the edges to crisp it up.