Ginger Scones

Ginger scones can be taken for breakfast or for tea.These have a special flavour of the spicy ginger.T his recipe has been taken from a book and tried at home.

Serves six scones.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour	1 ½ cups
Powdered Sugar	a little less than ½ cup
Baking Soda	½ tsp
Baking Powder	¼ tsp
Salt	a pinch
Candied Ginger (if available)	¼ cup
Lemon Zest	½ tbsp
Grated Fresh Ginger	½ tbsp
Buttermilk	a little less than ½ cup
Unsalted Butter (melted)	5 tbsp
Coarse Sugar (for sprinkling)	1 tbsp

If buttermilk is not available,then substitute with ½ tbsp lemon juice and ½ cup or less of regular milk.
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.


2. In a large bowl whisk vigourously flour,sugar,baking soda,baking powder and salt. Then stir in the candied ginger,lemon jest and fresh ginger until evenly mixed.


3. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour in melted butter and buttermilk. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until the flour mixture is just moistened.Do not over mix it. The mixture should look shaggy.


4. Divide the mixture into a large ball and flatten on a floured board into one inch thick and six inches wide circle.Cut this into six wedges and transfer them to the baking sheet carefully spacing atleast an inch apart. Sprinkle coarse sugar on them.


5. Bake in a preheated oven at 400degrees F for 18 to 20mins.Cool them on a rack before serving.

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Almond Cookies: Gluten Free

The other day I came across this gluten free recipe for cookies, so I made them and thought this is a good substitute for the normal cookies. Try it and find the difference!

These are made with common ingredients found in the kitchen. This recipe makes about ten medium sized cookies.

Ingredients	Quantity
Margarine (Vegetable Fat)	8 tbsps or 85 gms
Powdered Sugar	¼ cup or 20 gms
Rice Flour	⅜ cup or 70 gms
Gram Flour (Besan)	1½ tbsps or 20 gms
Ground Almonds	1 tbsp
Almond Essence)	¼ tsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.Lay a parchment paper on the baking tray or flour the tray.


2. Take a pan and add the margarine and sugar and heat it gently until the margarine melted and sugar dissolved. Bring it to boil and then simmer for four to five minutes until the mixture has become slightly caramelized and becomes syrupy.


3. Sift the flours in a large mixing bowl.Pour the sugar syrup mixture into this and also add the almond powder and stir thoroughly.


4. Take one tablespoon of the mixture and put it on the baking tray and press the cookies with the back of the spoon and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or till light brown in colour. Cool them and serve them with tea.


5. Instead of almonds other nuts or a mixture of nuts like almonds,walnuts and cashew nuts can be used.

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Corn Discs

Corn discs are a fried snack made with corn flour (makki ka atta or mokka jonna flour) which is easily available in the market, rice and plain flour or maida. These are easy to prepare and are nutritious but they are fried. These discs after frying can be used as tortilla chips as a base to serve any filling on them. They can be served with salsa also.

Makes a big bowl of corn discs.

Ingredients	Quantity
Corn Flour (Makki ka Atta)	1 cup
Rice Flour	½ cup
Plain Flour (Maida)	¼ cup
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Hot Oil or Hot Ghee	2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp or more
Celery Seeds (Ajwain)	1 ½ tsp
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Take a bowl and add all the three flours,salt,red chilly powder,turmeric powder, ajwain seeds and mix well.


2. Heat two tablespoons of oil or ghee and add it to the flour mixture.



3. Add enough water and make a pliable dough.



4. Divide the dough into equal balls.



5. Roll out each ball into flat thin chappatis or circles and cut small circles or triangles with a cutter or with a sharp lid.When all the dough has been cut into circles,keep them aside.



6. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.Add these corn discs a few at a time slowly and fry them till golden brown and crisp.Drain them on a kitchen towel to remove the excess oil.



7. Serve hot or cold as a snack.It can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.



8. To make it gluten free,you can use rajghira powder{amaranth flour} instead of plain flour or maida.

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Spicy Cornmeal Idlis

Usually idlis are made from black gram dhal (urad dhal) and rice, or only semolina (suji). Here, I tried with cornmeal (corn rava) which is easily available in the market. Corn, as you all know is low in calories and has other nutrients. In this recipe very little oil is used and it is steamed. The steaming process is a little longer than other idlis because corn takes a longer time to cook. Here, normal size idlis and cocktail idlis have been made. These cocktail idlis or button idlis can be used as appetizers or given to kids who will enjoy them a lot.

This recipe serves eight normal size idlis or thirty six or more cocktail idlis. Enjoy it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Corn Meal or Corn Rava	1 cup
Sweet Corn	1 ½ cups
Curd	½ cup
Chopped Green Chillies	1 tsp or more
Curry Leaves	a few
Chopped Ginger	1 tsp
Chopped Cashenuts (Optional)	1 tbsp
Gram Dhal (Channa Dhal)	½ tbsp
Black Gram Dhal	½ tbsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 ½ tbsp
Water	to mix the batter

Method

1. Take a pan and add oil.When the oil is heated add to it channa dhal,urad dhal,mustard seeds,cumin seeds and fry.When the mustard seeds splutter,add cashew nuts,curry leaves,green chillies,ginger and corn meal and fry lightly for a minute.


2. Remove from the heat and transfer it to a bowl and add curds,sweet corn,salt and enough water to make a not very thick batter and mix it well.Keep it covered for about ten minutes.Unlike semolina, this mix will not become more in quantity after soaking.


3. Take an idly steamer and grease the moulds with a little oil and place a little more than a table spoon of the batter into these moulds and steam it on heat for about ten minutes or more.


4. After steaming, serve hot with coconut chutney.


5. Chopped vegetables can also be added to increase the nutritive value further.

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Suji Vadas (Semolina Vadas)

I happened to eat this tasty snack in my friend's house and thought this is very good for diabetics. It is easy to prepare too. Also it is lighter than other lentil vadas. It is a quick snack for children.

Serves ten vadas.

Ingredients	Quantity
Roasted Suji (Semolina)	1 cup
Rice Flour	2 tbsps
Sliced Onions	½ cup
Chopped Green Chillies	1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	1 tbsp
Chopped Ginger or Ginger Paste	1 tbsp
Grated Carrot	2 tbsps
Finely Chopped Cabbage	2 tbsps
Thick Butter Milk	½ cup
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep fry

Method

1. Take the roasted semolina in a bowl and add sliced onions,green chillies,chopped coriander leaves,ginger,salt,grated carrots,chopped cabbage and mix them well.


2. Then add enough buttermilk or curds and mix into the semolina till it is thick like vada consistency.


3. Heat oil in a pan and shape the semolina mixture into round discs in your palm or on a small polythene sheet and drop them in to the hot oil and fry in medium heat till they are golden brown.


4. When all the vadas are fried, serve them hot with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup in a serving plate.

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Mangalore Buns (Fried Banana Buns)

These buns I tasted when we were on a trip to Mangalore and other nearby places. On the way we stopped at a restaurant for tea and snacks. Here we ordered for a typical Mangalorean dish and these buns were served to us. They were in the shape of puris and slightly sweet. The combination they served with these buns was excellent. Coconut chutney and vegetable kurma were the accompaniments. We enjoyed them and the restaurant manager even gave us the recipe! Kids will relish it.

This recipe makes about three to four buns.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	1 cup
Ripe Banana	1
Curd	½ Cup
Powdered Sugar	4 - 5 tbsps
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Baking Soda	½ to ¾ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Mash the ripe banana very well.


2. Mix this banana with maida and other ingredients except oil in a bowl till it forms a soft and firm dough.Here instead of water, curds have been used. Use only required amount of curds to make the dough.


3. Cover the bowl and keep it overnight for four to five hours to ferment.


4. Heat oil in a pan.


5. Make equal sized balls of the dough and keep it aside.


6. Take one ball at a time and flatten it on our greased palm and then and roll it on a floured surface into a circle like a puri.


7. Drop this into the hot oil and fry on both the sides till golden brown in colour.Repeat this procss with the rest of the balls.


8. Serve these Mangalore buns with coconut chutney anf vegetable kurma.

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Stuffed Snake Gourd

Snake gourd is a vegetable native to sub-tropical and tropical regions of South Asia, South-East Asia and Australasia and features in cuisines of the region. It belongs to the cucumber family. Hence, it has a very high content of water and many vitamins. It is low in calories and so good for health especially good for heart patients, diabetics and also helps in reducing fever. It is also said to have hepatoprotective attributes.

A varietiy of curries are made from this, especially in South India. It is also used in making raita - a dish which uses curds or yoghurt. Here I have made a fancy variety which can be served as party dish too.

This recipe serves four to five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Snake Gourd Pieces (2 to 3 inches long)	6
Mashed Potato	½ cup
Boiled Carrot Pieces	2 tbsps
Boiled Beans Pieces	2 tbsps
Chopped Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Cumin (Jeera) Powder	1 tsp
Coriander (Dhania) Powder	1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Gram Flour (Besan)	½ cup
Water	Enough to boil Snake Gourd and make batter
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Boil the snake gourd pieces with seeds removed in salt water in a pan till cooked but not very soft.


2. Remove the pieces from the water and let the water drain well on a kitchen towel.


3. The cooked water can be used later onfor making the batter.


4. Take mashed potato in a bowl and add the carrots, beans, salt, chopped coriander leaves, red chilly powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, gram masala powder and mix well. This is the stuffing.


5. Stuff each snake gourd piece with the potato stuffing.


6. Make a thick batter with gram flour, salt, red chilly powder and water. Heat the oil for deep frying.


7. Dip each of these stuffed snake gourd in this gram flour batter and drop it in the hot oil and fry on medium heat till all the sides are fried and is golden brown in colour.


8. Serve hot as a snack or with chappatis or rice.

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Baby Potatoes In Spicy Tomato Sauce

This recipe is nearly oil free and also gluten free. Baby potatoes are boiled, skins removed and served dipped in spicy tomato sauce. These can be eaten as snack or served as an appetizer. Ten baby potatoes have been used which serves about four to five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Baby Potatoes	10
Salt	to taste
Water	to boil potatoes

Method

1. Boil the baby potatoes in enough water with salt added.Do not overcook them.


2. Cool them and peel the skins and keep them aside.

Ingredients For Tomato Sauce	Quantity
Blanched Tomatoes	5
Finely Chopped Onions	1 tbsp
Finely Chopped Garlic	1 tsp
Finely Chopped Green Pepper or Capsicum	1 tbsp
Finely Chopped Green Chilli	1 tsp
Finely Chopped Cilantro (Coriander) Leaves	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Oregano Flakes (Optional)	½ tsp
Black Pepper Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tsp

Method to make the Sauce

1. Puree the blanched tomatoes.


2. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and garlic and fry. Do not brown them.



3. Then add the chopped green chillies, green peppers, salt,chilly powder, oregano and the pureed tomatoes and cook till the consistency is thick but not too thin. Instead of oregano any other herb of your choice can be added.



4. Add the chopped cilantro leaves and mix.

To Serve
Place the tomato sauce in a deep dish plate and place the boiled potatoes with a tooth pick and serve.

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Bitter Gourd Pakodas (Fritters)

Bittergourd (Karela) is a very nutritious vegetable but because of its bitter taste, many people do not relish it. Here an attempt has been made to reduce the bitteress by steaming the thinly sliced bittergourd pieces. Bittergourd is good for diabetics. This preparation can be taken as a snack or as a side dish with rice or chappatis. Try it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Thinly Sliced Bittergourd	10 pieces
Gram Flour (Besan)	¼ cup
Rice Flour	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	½ tsp
Cumin Powder (Jeera)	½ tsp
Coriander Powder (Dhania)	½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves	1 tbsp
Onion Rings	a few
Water	to make the batter
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Steam the bittergourd slices in little salt water till the are cooked but not too soft.


2. Drain the pieces and save the water if any is left to be added in dhals or soups.



3. In a bowl, make a batter with gram flour,rice flour,salt red chilly powder,cumin powder,coriander powder,garam masala powder,water and a few chopped coriander leaves.



4. Heat oil in a pan for frying.



5. When the oil is hot,dip each piece of the bittergourd into the batter and drop it carefully into the hot oil.Do the same with the rest of the pieces of bittergourd.



6. Fry them till they are golden brown.



7. Remove from the oil and drain them on a paper towel to soak the extra oil.



8. Serve them in a plate garished with onion rings and chopped coriander leaves.

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Sweet Semolina Parathas

Parathas with a difference in taste will be most welcome especially if they are sweet to taste! The filling used in this preparation is sweet semolina ( Suji ) halwa. This is very easy and quick to make. You may either follow the link to the post on Semolina Halwa or follow the recipe which I repeat below. This recipe can be prepared during festivals like Dussehra or Diwali.

Makes about four parathas.

Ingredients for Semolina (Suji) Halwa	Quantity
Semolina	½ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Water	2 cup
Cardamom Powder	1 tsp
Shredded Nuts	2 tbsps
Kismis (Raisins)	1 tbsp
Saffron Soaked in Hot Milk	1 tbsp
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	1 ½ rbsps

Method

1. Take a pan and add sugar and water and heatit till it boils and the sugar dissolves completely.Add the cardamom powder ad soaked saffron and keep it hot.


2. take a pan ad add ghee ad heat it. Add the raisins and one table spoon of shredded nuts and fry them lightly.



3. Then add the semolina and fry for about 3 minutes.



4. Add the hot sugar syrup and stir till all the water evaporates and the semolina is cooked. The mixture should not be runny.



5. Remove from the heat and cool it. Make four balls and keep it aside.

Ingredients For Parathas	Quantity
Wheat Flour	1 cup
Water	enough to make dough
Salt	a pinch

Method to prepare dough

1. Make a dough with the wheat flour,salt and water in a bowl.If desired,a teaspoon of clarified butter can be added. Keep it aside for an hour.


2. Make four balls.

Method to make the Parathas

1. To roll the parathas rice flour is needed and ghee is also required to cook them.


2. Take a flat iron tava or a flat nonstick pan and heat it.



3. Take a ball of the dough,sprinkle some rice flour on the rolling board ad roll with a rolling pin into a flat circle.



4. Then place a ball of the semolina ball in the center and bring all the sides together so that the filling is covered.



5. Place it again on the board and sprinkle some more of the rice flour and roll it into a circle carefully so that the filling is intact.



6. Place this on the hot tava and turn the heat to medium heat.



7. After half a minute turn the side of the paratha and pour a teaspoon of ghee on all the sides and on the top of the paratha and fry till both the sides become slightly brown and cooked.
   
   Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.



8. Serve hot, sprinkled with shredded nuts and honey.



9. Here rice flour was used to roll the dough because it does not stick to the dough and gives slight crispness to the paratha.

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Chocolate Dipped Dates

Sponge cake pieces or cookies or fruits like strawberries, apple or cherries dipped in chocolate sauce are not only tasty but a quick dessert to prepare. For a change, Dates can be used instead. In this recipe, seedless dates have been stuffed with pistachios and then dipped in cholate sauce. Other nuts can also be used instead of pistas. This is an easy to make and light dessert and is good for the kids.

Ingredients	Quantity
De-seeded Dates	12
Pistachios	¼ cup
icing Sugar	1 tsp
Chocolate Chips	½ cup
Butter	1 tbsp
Water	as required

Method

1. Boil the pistas in water for three minutes in a pan and remove the skin and keep them aside.


2. Dry the pistas in the folds of a kitchen towel and remove the skin. Grind the pistas coarsely with icing sugar and keep it aside.


3. Take one date at a time and make a slit in the center to place the stuffing.


4. Stuff the dates with half a teaspoon of the pista mixture.


5. Take a microwave bowl and add the chocolate chips and butter and melt in the microwave for about 30seconds. Stir in between. If a microwave is not available, can the chocolate chips can be put in a glass or metal bowl and placed over boiling water to melt the chocolate. See that no water gets into the chocolate.


6. Remove the chocolate from the heat and dip each stuffed date into this chocolate sauce till three fourths and place them in a plate till the chocolate cools and solidifies.


7. These dates can be served immediately or kept in the fridge and served later.

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Buttery Coriander Corn On Cob

Come rains and the season for corn in India begins! Corn is a cereal which is consumed by many people all over the world. It has carbohydrates, viamins and minerals like calcium. A variety of dishes can be made with it. Or can be eaten just like that either by roasting it on live coals or by boiling it. Nowadays it can also be microwaved.

Salt and lime juice can be smeared on it and eaten, which gives it the zing! In this recipe, a mixture of butter, salt and coriander leaves (cilantro) has been used to apply on the cooked corn which gives it an exotic taste. This is a variety which can be eaten and relished by kids and adults on a wet rainy day.

The corn also be cut into pieces and served in small portions too.

Ingredients	Quantity
Corn Cobs	2
Finely Chopped Coriander (Cilantro)	½ cup
Butter (at room temperature)	1 tbsp
Chopped Garlic (optional)	2 cloves
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Remove the covering of the two corns and wash them. Boil them in water or microwave them for four minutes. To microwave the corn, leave one layer of the covering intact and keep it on an plate and microwave it for four minutes depending on your microwave, turning it once in a while in between so that it is cooked all over.


2. Take butter in a small dish and beat it a little and add the chopped cilantro, garlic and salt and mix it well.


3. Apply this cilantro butter on the warm corn on all the sides and serve.


4. For children, the corn can be cut into pieces and served as smaller portions.

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Puffed Rice and Peanut Balls

Puffed rice is available in the stores and is widely used in India. It is also called "murmur" or in Telugu,"maramarallu". This recipe is an old one very commonly made in Indian houses espicially for children. It is fat free and gluten free too!

Maramarallu are made with only puffed rice and jaggery, or puffed rice with peanuts, roasted Bengal gram dhal{Channa dhal} and jaggery. This is a healthy snack to munch and gives energy and provides iron from jaggery.

This recipe makes about 25 balls or more.

Ingredients	Quantity
Puffed Rice	3 to 4 cups
Shredded Jaggery	¼ cup
Roasted Peanuts	½ cup
Roasted Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)	½ cup
Sesame Seeds	3 tbsps
Liquid Glucose (Optional)	2 tbsps
Cardamom Powder	½ tsp
Water	½ cup

Method

1. Take water in a thick bottomed pan or a nonstick pan and heat it.Add the jaggery and stir it.


2. Cook the jaggery till it dissolves and bubbles.


3. Add the liquid glucose which gives a sort of shine and crispness.


4. Add the puffed rice,peanuts,channa,sesame seeds and mix well.If more puffed rice is required ,it can be added because no syrup should be left over.


5. Remove from the heat and cool it for a minute and make balls with wet hands. Even if the mixture becomes hard while making the balls do not panic. You can always heat the mixture on low heat for half or one minute and resume making the balls.


6. These puffed rice balls can be stored in an air tight tin for many days.

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Sweet Indian Pancakes

This simple Indian sweet does not take much time to prepare. This can be served as a dessert or as a snack.It is nutritious, as milk and nuts are used and very less fat is used. This recipe makes about six pancakes.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Milk	1½ cup
Powdered Sugar	½ cup
Semolina (Suji)	2 tbsps
Cardamom Powder	½ tsp
Chopped Mixed Dry Fruits/Nuts	2 tbsps
Honey	3 tbsps
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	3 tsps

Method

1. Take a bowl and mix flour,powdered sugar,cardamom powder,semolina with milk to a smooth batter. The batter should not be very thin.


2. Heat a flat nonstick pan and add half a teaspoon of ghee and spread it.


3. Add two table spoons of the batter in the center and with the back of the spoon spread it into a circle of three to four inches in diameter.


4. On medium heat or slow heat,let it become slightly brown on all the sides.Turn it and cook the other side too.


5. Remove from the pan and make the next one till the batter is finished.


6. To serve, place all the pancakes on a serving plate and drizzle honey on each one of them and sprinkle chopped nuts on them.Fold them into half and serve.

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Cocktail Beetroot Samosas

Normally in samosas, boiled potato is used as a filling but in this recipe, grated beetroot has been used along with sprouted green gram. To make the filling, only half a teaspoon of oil has been used. So, this filling is nearly fat free and more nutritious than the potato filling. When served as a starter,it is light to eat.You can make them into different shapes also. Its good to give children this nutrients loaded little samosas!Makes about fifteen of them.

Ingredients For The Filling	Quantity
Grated Beet Root	¾ cup
Green Gram Sprouts	2 tbsps
Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	½ tsp
Cumin Powder	½ tsp
Coriander Powder	½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder	½ tsp
Lime Juice	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying

Ingredients For The Covering	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	¾ cup
Oil	1 tbsp (optional)
Salt	to taste
Water	to make the dough

Method for the filling

1. Take a pan and add half a teaspoon of oil and add the cumin powder,coriander powder,red chilly powder,garam masala powder and the grated beet root and mix.


2. Add the salt and cover it.Add the sprouts and a table spoon of coriander leaves and cook till it is done and nearly dry.Add the lime juice and mix it.


3. Take it off from the heat and cool it.

Method for the Covering

1. Take the plain flour,salt and oil in container and mix them with enough water to make a firm but smooth dough and keep it covered for an hour.

Method to make the samosas

1. Divide the dough into small balls.


2. Take each ball and roll them thinly into circles.


3. Place a spoonful of the beetroot filling in the center of the circle and fold it into half. Then again fold it to form a triangle. Wet the edges of the covering with water and seal it.To finish it, press the edges with the back of a fork to form a design.The folding can be done in a different way too. Roll out the covering to form a circle. Place the filling on one side of the circle and roll the circle like a spring roll. Seal the edges with water and press it with the back of the fork.


4. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.


5. When all the dough has been used up, deep fry them in hot oil till they are golden brown. Garnish them with chopped coriander leaves and sprouts.


6. Serve them hot with tomato ketchup or tomato garlic dip or green chutney.

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Assortment of Cup Cakes

There are a number of recipes for making cup cakes/muffins. Some of them use butter,some oil and some are egg less too.Here the recipe which is given has eggs and is made with butter.When the basic cake batter is made, ou can make an assortment of cakes like fruit muffins,chocolate muffins or banana muffins.If it is your kid's birthday party,you can put the initials of each child you have invited on the cupcakes with icing or jelly and it becomes fun when they choose their muffins with their respective initials. This recipe makes about forty eight small cup cakes. Try it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour	4 ½ cups
Sugar	3 cups
Butter	12 tbps
Eggs	8 medium
Baking Powder	2 tsps
Salt	a pinch
Vanilla Essence	1 tsp

Note: To make chocolate cake, use half a cup of semisweet chocochips melted with a little milk in the microwave and a teaspoon of instant coffee powder.Cocoa powder can also be used.
To make fruit cake you can use differnt coloured candied friuts chopped into small pieces.Tutti fruiti can be used
To make banana cake, use mashed ripe banana and mix it in the batter jut before baking.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to about 250 degrees Centigrade.Sieve the flour with baking powder and salt atleast three times.


2. Take butter in a large vessel and beat it with a hand grinder or a wooden spoon till it is light and stands in peaks.


3. Add the sugar which is powdered and mix it with the butter till it is light.


4. Add the eggs one by one to the butter sugar mixture and vanilla essence and mix them lightly.


5. Add the flour mixture and mix very lightly so that the batter is mixed well.


6. Divide this batter into three portions.


7. In the first portion, add the fruit pieces to make the fruit cup cakes.In the second portion add the choclate mixture to make chocolate cakes. To the third portion add the mashed banana and mix to make banana cupcakes.


8. Take a muffin tray, and place the paper cups and add the required batter and bake it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.Check it if it is done by placing a sharp knife or butter knife into the cake and when taken out it should come out clean.The top of the cup cakes will also become slightly brown in colour.


9. Serve them on a plate.These can be had with tea or coffee too.

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Semolina ( Suji ) Halwa

Semolina is made from wheat and is easily digestable.In South India, semolina is used in making breakfast foods like "upma" or "rava dosa".It is also used to make,a sweet dish called "suji halwa" which is popular in North India.Suji halwa is soft and is quick to make and is easily digestable.Makes a big bowl of halwa.

Ingredients	Quantity
Semolina (Suji)	1 cup
Sugar	1 ½ cups
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	¼ cups
Water	2 cups
Cashewnuts	10
Raisins	1 tbsps
Tutti Fruiti Pieces	1 tbsp
Cardamom	1 tsp
Saffron (optional)	½ tsp
Milk	2 tbsp

Method

1. Soak saffron in two tablespoons of warm milk and keep it aside.


2. Take sugar and water in a pan and heat it till the water boils and sugar dissolves completely.Add the saffron soaked in warm milk.Keep it warm.


3. Take another pan and add the clarified butter{ghee} and fry cashewnuts till light brown and then add the raisins and fry for a second.Keep a few fried cashewnuts and raisins aside for garnishing.


4. Now, add the semolina and fry in the ghee lightly.


5. Add the warm sugar syrup and stir. Lower the heat.


6. Cover the pan, and cook till the water evaporates.Turn off the heat.


7. Serve hot or cold in a serving bowl and garnish it with fried cashews,raisins and coloured tutti fruiti pieces.

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Spicy Buttermilk Cookies

Cookies made without sugar and with a little spice can be enjoyed by diabetics as well.Green chillies,coriander leaves and cumin powder have been added to spice up the cookies.Makes about 10 to 12 cookies.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Cold Unsalted Butter	½ cup
Buttermilk	1 tbsp
Green Chillies	2
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	1 small bunch
Cumin Powder	1 tsp
Baking Powder	½ tsp
Baking Soda	¼ tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Milk	2 tbsps

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degres C.


2. Make a paste with green chillies and coriander leaves and keep it aside.


3. Take a bowl and crumble the butter into the flour so that it resembles bread crumbs. Do not knead.


4. Add all the other ingredients and mix it into a dough and wrap the dough in a cellophane wrapper and keep it aside for an hour. The dough will be soft.


5. After one hour, roll the dough lightly on a floured board and cut it with a cookie cutter or into any shape and brush them on the top with milk and bake for nearly thirty minutes at 250degres C.


6. Serve them with tea or coffee.

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Oatmeal Cookies

This nutritious oatmeal cookies are made generally by many people.It has become popular because people have become aware of the nutritive value of oats in their diets. In India, people are trying to incorporate oats in their local cusine like breakfast foods like upma,pulav,raita{with yoghurt} or vadas. These cookies are crunchy and to enhance the flavour,chocolate chips can be added too.This recipe makes about twelve delicious ccokies.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Brown Sugar	¼ cup
Unsalted Butter	½ tbsps
Oats	½ tbsps
Thick Buttermilk	½ cup
Baking Powder	½ tsp
Baking Soda	½ tsp
Plain Flour	to sprinkle on baking tray

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.


2. Take a bowl and add the flour and cold butter and cut it into it.Mix it with fingers so that it resembles bread crumbs.


3. Add the brown sugar,baking powder, baking soda,oats,buttermilk and brown sugar and lightly mix them.


4. Make balls and place them on the floured tray and bake them till they turn brown in colour. The dough will be slightly soft.The buttermilk can be reduced if necessary.


5. Serve them for breakfast or with tea or coffee.

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Custard Powder Cookies

Custard powder is used to make dessert or pour over cakes to make trifle pudding.Here in this recipe, an attempt has been made to use custard in powder form in cookies as one of the ingredients.Kids and grown ups will enjoy these as it has a different flavour.Serves about fifteen cookies.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Custrad Powder	¼ cup
Powdered Sugar)	¼ cup
Unsalted Butter	2 ½ tbsps
Baking Powder	⅛ tsp
Vanilla Essence	½ tsp
Water	1 tbsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.


2. Take a bowl and add the flour,baking powder,custard powder and butter and mix with the fingers so that the flour resembles bread crumbs.


3. Add the sugar, vanilla essence and a little water and mix lightly to form a soft dough.


4. Grease the baking tray and make about fifteen balls and place them on the greased tray and press them lightly in the center.


5. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about fifteen minutes or till they are slightly brown in colour. Do not over bake them ,they will become hard.Cookies in general, when you bake them should be removed from the oven when they are still slightly soft.


6. Serve them with tea or coffee.

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