Karanji (Karchikai, Kajjikayalu)

•  Cook time: Under 15 min
 
•  Prep time: 30 min to 1 hour
 
•  Serves: 8+ people
•  Yields: Makes around 25-30 Karanjis depending upon the size

Ingredients

For the Cover
• 1 cup (abt 5 oz/150 grams) All purpose flour (Maida)
• 1/4 cup (abt 1.5 oz/40 grams) Semolina (Sooji)
• 1 tbsp melted Ghee, see Tips
• Pinch of Salt
• Warm milk to knead, as needed, see Tips

For the Filling/Stuffing
• 1 cup (abt 3 oz/80 grams) dry Coconut
• 1 cup (abt 3.8 oz/110 grams) powdered Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
• 2 tsp Poppy Seeds, white colored
• 2 tbsp mixed nuts, finely chopped (and raisins), see Tips

Tips

1. Ghee: To make it less rich, you can add oil instead
2. Milk: You would need somewhere 1/3-1/2 cup of milk. I used 2% milk but you can use whole milk instead. If you are vegan, use water instead.
3. Mixed Nuts: I used a mixture of Pistachios, Almonds and Cashews. I added around 6-7 raisins

Method

1. First prepare the cover since it needs sitting time. Add the semolina to all purpose flour along with salt. Combine well.

2. Add the ghee

3. and rub it into the flour to form breadcrumbs.

4. Slowly stir in the warm milk to the dough.  .

5. Knead the dough

6. until pliable. Should be of medium consistency - neither tight nor very soft.

7. Cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.

8. While that's happening, dry toast the coconut - for around 20-30 seconds

9. No need to brown, just warm it until aromatic

10. In the same pan, dry roast the poppy seeds - another 20-30 seconds

11. Add it to the coconut.

12. Now mix in the mixed nuts and raisins, cardamom

13. and the powdered sugar. Combine well and set aside.

14. Now pinch a small piece of the dough

15. and roll it out into a circle - I think mine was about 5-6" in diameter

16. Add around 2 tsp (or as much as you can fit in!) of the filling in the center.

17. Smear some milk around the corner

18. Bring one end of the circle over the top, to the other end

19. to make a semi circle. Press it well with your fingertips. Its crucial to avoid the stuffing from coming out during frying.

20. Press it down with a fork for a beautiful pattern. If you have empanada maker/mould, you can use it too.

21. Repeat with rest of the dough.

22. Drop 1 or as many you can in your fryer (make sure of the temperature of the oil. Adding too many will bring the temperature down making it soggy with oil and not crispy)

23. You will find them puff up a bit.

24. Ladle in some hot oil on surface now and then (just like you would do for making poori)

25. Turn it for the other side to cook.

26. Its done when its golden brown. Drop it on a paper towel.

Crispy Karanjis  ready!  Cool them completely before storing them in an air tight container. Will keep well for weeks.The crispy outer layer with a sweet and chewy coconut layer inside is a perfect foil to all your diet plans - but hey! Its the festive season after all :) :) All's fair in food and festival - they go hand in hand.

Double Chocolate Banana Cake

•  Cook time: 30 min to 1 hour
 
•  Prep time: Under 15 min
 
•  Serves: Makes 12+ servings
•  Yields: Makes an 8x8-inch Square Cake or 12+ cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup pureed Banana (about 3 medium)
• 3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 large Egg (No eggs or Vegan? See Tips)
• 1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or use all purpose)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, see Tips
• 1/8 cup Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate chips

Tips

1. Eggs: For a Vegan or Eggless Version, try one of these options from my Egg Substitution Chart 

2. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: I have used Mega Chunk Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips in this recipe since that is what I had on hand for this post.

Method

1. In a bowl  mix the bananas (or puree) and brown sugar until the bananas are mashed and the sugar is dissolved.

2. Add the applesauce, vanilla, and egg until

3. well blended.

4. In another  bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda along with salt.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.

6. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips. I used coarsely chopped Mega Chunks Semi Sweet Chips. See Tips.

7. Pour batter into a greased 8x8-inch baking dish.

8. Sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips.

9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick to determine doneness.

Best eaten warm. The family loved it even more when combined with homemade Vanilla Icecream. (Or tryEggless Vanilla Icecream)

South Indian Lemon Rice

•  Cook time: Under 15 min
 
•  Prep time: Under 15 min
 
•  Serves: 2 people

Ingredients

• 3 cups medium grained rice, cooked (or leftovers work too)
• 1 large lemon
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp split black lentil
• 3-5 dried red chillies (or as per taste)
• 1 tbsp bengal gram (channa dal), presoaked in warm water for 20-30 min.
• 1/4-1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
• a generous pinch of turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp of asafoetida
• few sprigs of curry leaves
• 2-3 tsp of sesame oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Make sure your rice is not mushy and the grains are separate. If cooking fresh, cook with 2 cups of water instead of 3 for 1 cup rice. Spread this rice on a plate to cool. Add turmeric along with 1 tsp of sesame oil (or more if you like) and mix it along with the rice.

2. Meanwhile in a skillet 1 tsp of sesame oil and when hot, add mustard seeds. When it starts popping, add the lentils, red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.

3. Now add these to the rice along with the lemon juice. Toss well until mixed well. Add salt as needed.

(optional step) For the aromatics, my mother sometimes, dry roasts  1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, powders it well and then adds it to the rice at the end. It gives a wonderful taste to the rice but make sure you are careful with this powder since even a wee bit excess of it can give a bitter taste to the rice. Serve warm with some papad. We enjoyed it with some Oven roasted potatoes.

Masoor dal Pulao (Red Lentil Rice)

•  Cook time: Under 30 min
 
•  Prep time: Under 30 min
 
•  Serves: 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati or any long grained rice, soaked in water for 10-15 minutes
• 1/2 cup red lentil (masoor dal - you can use more if you don't mind the final texture mushy. Tastes great though!)
• 1 tsp cumin / fennel seeds
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium tomato
• 2-3 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 each of cloves and cardamom
• pinch of turmeric
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
• 1-2 green chillies, thinly sliced (or as per taste)
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2-1/2 cups coconut milk (optional. Just replace it with vegetable stock/water instead)
• salt to taste
• few sprigs of cilantro for garnish
• fresh lemon juice to taste (optional)

Method

1. In a skillet in 1 tsp oil (or butter) saute the cumin, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, garlic, chillies, ginger along with onion and salt.

2. Once the onions get soft add the tomato along with turmeric and garam masala. Saute for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the lentils and rice. Give it a mix and saute for another min or two until the rice gets aromatic/translucent.

4. Add the coconut milk/water/stock. Mix well.

5. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

6. Fluff it gently. I sometimes add frozen peas to this mix too towards the end of cooking. You can add more vegetables if you want to.

7. Now to add some color and more flavor. Garnish it with spring onions and cilantro. Even mint leaves go v well with this.  I squeeze some lemon to this rice for couple of reasons. Of course for the flavor. It also helps to reduce the sodium level and third - most importantly - the citrus helps to absorb the iron present in the lentils. So whenever I cook with lentils, I add lemon juice to the dish.

Serve hot with any side dish of your choice. A few drops of ghee optionally adds amazing flavor to this rice.