Red pumpkin & whole wheat flour cake

We usually make sweet puris with red pumpkin, called gharge. I tried this simple recipe as a cake with the same ingredients, and it turned out so delicious! No frying, very tasty and healthy!

Ingredients

• Wheat flour: 1 cup
• Semolina (fine rava): 1/4 cup
• Grated red pumpkin: 1 cup
• Jaggery: 1/2 cup (add more if you have a very sweet tooth)
• Poppy seeds (khaskhas): 2 tsp
• Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp
• Desi ghee or unsalted butter: 2 tbsp
• Warm milk: 3/4 cup, or as needed
• Dry fruits, to taste (I used almonds, walnuts and seedless black raisins)
• Cashew nuts: 4–5 halves, for decoration
• Elaichi (green cardamom) or jaiphal (nutmeg), to taste
• Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
• Baking powder: 1/2 tsp
• A small pinch of salt

Method

1. In a heavy-bottomed vessel, mix the jaggery with 3–4 tbsp of water. Heat on medium for 5 minutes, until the jaggery melts.
2. Add the grated pumpkin. Cover and cook on low heat for 5–10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is a little soft. Let it cool for a while.
3. Add the wheat flour, semolina, poppy seeds, salt, vegetable oil, and elaichi or jaiphal powder. Add warm milk until the batter is a little thicker than idli batter. Set it aside for 5 minutes.
4. Add the dry fruits.
5. Add the baking soda and baking powder.
6. Grease a non-stick pan with ghee or unsalted butter. Arrange the cashew halves in the pan, then pour in the batter and spread it evenly. Add a few drops of ghee on top so the cake won't stick when you flip it. When you flip the cake, the cashews will be on top.
7. Place the pan on a hot tawa (griddle), cover with a lid and cook on low heat.
8. Check the cake with a knife or toothpick after 10–15 minutes. You should smell its sweet aroma by now, and it should be golden brown underneath. Flip it in the pan.
9. Turn off the heat after 2 minutes, as the tawa is already hot. Leave it for a few minutes until the other side is golden brown too.
10. Cut into pieces and enjoy this delicious recipe!

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

Fenugreek (Methi) seeds & Tuvar Dal usal

A simple, healthy usal made with sprouted fenugreek (methi) seeds and tuvar dal.

Ingredients

• Sprouted fenugreek (methi) seeds: 1 cup
• Tuvar dal: 1/2 cup
• Finely chopped onion: 1 cup
• Chopped tomato: 1/2 cup
• Ginger paste: 1 tsp
• Chilli paste: 1 tsp
• Chopped garlic or garlic paste: 1 tsp
• A handful of finely chopped coriander
• Salt: as needed
• Jaggery: 2 tsp
• Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup
• Goda masala: 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Oil: 3 tsp
• Cumin (jeera): 1 tsp
• Mustard (mohri) seeds: 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing): 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder (haldi): 1/2 tsp

Preparation (before making the usal)

1. Soak the fenugreek seeds overnight in 2 cups of water.
2. The next morning, drain the water and keep the fenugreek seeds covered in a sieve for a day.
3. The seeds should sprout. In winter, it may take up to 2 days.
4. On the day you cook, soak the tuvar dal for 4 hours and drain the water.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a vessel.
2. When the oil is hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds.
3. Add the hing and turmeric powder.
4. Add the ginger, chilli and garlic pastes and the red chilli powder.
5. Add the chopped onion and tomato and stir well.
6. When the onions turn translucent, add the fenugreek sprouts and tuvar dal.
7. Add the grated fresh coconut and goda masala.
8. Cover and cook until everything is soft.
9. Add the jaggery and salt and cook for another 5 minutes.
10. Transfer the usal to a serving bowl and sprinkle generously with chopped coriander.

Try this simple, healthy recipe with hot phulkas and enjoy!

Microwave Masala Peanuts

Peanuts are a healthy snack, and to make them more interesting, I tried this quick, healthy and tasty microwave masala peanuts recipe, with no frying!

Masala peanuts (sing bhujia) are a popular snack that is traditionally deep fried, which makes it unhealthy. Here is a healthy version for guilt-free snacking: amazingly tasty, easy to make, and no frying required. It's a wish come true!

Ingredients

• Peanuts: 1 cup
• Gram flour (besan): 1/3 cup
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Chaat masala: 1 tsp
• Dried mango powder (amchur): 1 tsp
• Cumin powder (jeera powder): 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder (dhania powder): 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing): a pinch
• Water: as needed
• Oil: 2 tsp, or cooking spray

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the gram flour, red chilli powder, garam masala, amchur, cumin powder, coriander powder and hing. Do not add the chaat masala yet. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, cover the peanuts with water, then pour them into a sieve. This makes the peanuts wet and drains off the excess water.
3. Add the moist peanuts to the dry mixture and mix thoroughly. If the peanuts seem too dry, add 1–2 spoons of water and mix. All the peanuts should be nicely coated with the gram flour mixture.
4. Grease a microwave-safe dish with oil or cooking spray.
5. Spread the peanuts evenly in the dish.
6. Microwave for 3 minutes.
7. Take the dish out and stir the peanuts, separating them with a spoon, and spread them out evenly again.
8. Microwave for another 2 minutes and repeat the stirring.
9. Microwave once more for 1–2 minutes, or until the peanuts are crispy.
10. Take the dish out, sprinkle the chaat masala over the peanuts and let them cool.

The peanuts become crispy as they cool. Store them in an airtight container and enjoy!