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.

Okra cooked in Yoghurt

DAHI BHINDI
OKRA COOKED IN YOGHURT
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 2

15-20 fresh okra, diced into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup plain yoghurt, beaten
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch dried ginger powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste

HEAT oil in a non-stick pan and saute cumin seeds till they begin to sizzle. Add onions and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat till transparent. Add in okra and cover cook for a few minutes till done, tossing occasionally.

ADD red chilli powder, turmeric, ginger powder and salt, and stir-fry for a few minutes. Slowly stir in beaten curd forming a smooth gravy base.

SPRINKLE garam masala and cook covered for another minute or two. Serve warm with a side of Dal and Rotis.

Curried Cabbage with Peas

Curried Cabbage with Peas
Ingredients:
2 cups sliced cabbage
1 cup frozen peas
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp cumin seeds
salt, to taste
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and saute cumin seeds till it starts to sizzle.
Add onions and fry for a few minutes till it turns transparent. Add cabbage and fry for a few minutes till it tenderizes and gives out water.
Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala and fry for a few minutes till spices all blend in.
Add chopped tomatoes and cover cook for 5-6 minutes. Stir in peas and let cook for another couple of minutes.
Serve hot with warm rotis, or over a bed of rice with some Dal.

Potato Curry

Alu Bhaaji (Potato Curry)

Ingredients:
3-4 mid-size potatoes, boiled and broken into bite-size pieces (Don’t cut the potatoes, instead break them by hand to get a more rustic look)
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
salt, to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil
water as needed
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish

Add mustard seeds to hot oil in a deep pan. Once it begins to sizzle, add in sliced onions and green chillies.

Let onions tenderize and brown slightly, and then add tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes pulp and form a saucy texture.

Add salt, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, and tomato paste, and cook for a minute to blend in spices. Add about a cup of water and allow it to come to a boil. Throw in potato chunks, check curry consistency, adding more water if desired; and cover cook for 5-6 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve warm with hot, fluffy puris and a side of mango pickle!