Squash Casserole in Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 cups squash, cut into 1” strips
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 5-10 fresh green chili, to taste
• ½ cup yogurt, whisked
• ½ tsp corn starch or rice flour
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 1-2 cayenne pepper to taste
• Curry leaves, to taste
• 1¼ cup water
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Cook squash in ¾ cup water with turmeric powder and salt.
2. Coarsely grind coconut, cumin seeds and green chili with ½ cup water.  Add to the cooked squash and simmer for 5 min.
3. Make a paste of corn starch with water and add to squash mixture and let boil.
4. Add yogurt, continue heating for 5 min and when the mixture starts to boil, turn off heat.
5. Heat oil in a sauce pan, add mustard seeds and cover the pan.  When the seeds are done popping, add cayenne pepper and curry leaves, stir for 15 sec. and pour into the squash mixture.
6. Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Serves 8

Carrot Cake (Oven/Microwave/Crock pot)

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ⅔  cup oil
• 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1¼ cup grated carrots
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream or yogurt (for crock pot baking only)
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

1. Beat together eggs, sugar and oil in a large bowl.
2. Sift flour, soda, salt and cinnamon powder, add to sugar mixture and beat well.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
4. Pour into greased and floured 8” round cake pan.
5. Bake in a preheated 325 deg oven for 40-50 min.
6. Allow to cool and serve with ice cream.

Serves 8

TIC
Microwave baking: Pour half the mixture into a greased and floured 8” - 9” round microwave safe dish, and microwave at high for 7-10 min. Allow to cool sightly and transfer to a plate.  Repeat. Cooking times may vary depending on the microwave. Place the cake dish up on another dish or on a microwave safe rack if you have difficulty getting the bottom of the cake done. Avoid filling the baking dish more than half full of batter.
Optional: Place a thin layer of honey or your favorite jam on one cake and place the other cake on top.

TIC
Crock pot baking: Add ½ cup sour cream to the mixture, stir well and pour into a greased and floured 2-4 quart crock pot.  Cover with 3-4 layers of paper towel,  place the lid and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.  Cooking times may vary depending on the size of crock pot.

Spicy Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp red chili powder to taste
• ¼ cup water
• Salt to taste
• Mint (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan and saute onion until lightly browned.
2. Add potatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Stir for 1 min.
3. Add water and cook covered on medium heat until potatoes are well cooked.
4. Remove cover and continue cooking on low heat for about 15 min, or until dry.
5. Garnish with mint.

Serves 4

Baked Ada With Mint/Cilantro Chutney (Lentil Loaf)

Ingredients for ada

• ¼ cup toor dal
• ¼ cup chana dal
• ⅛ cup urad dal
• ¼ cup long grain rice
• ¼  tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
• 1 medium onion, chopped  (approx. 1 cup)
• 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
• 8-10 green chili, finely chopped (to taste)
• 2-3 sprigs curry leaves, finely chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp, vegetable oil
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup cilantro (coriander leaves), finely chopped

Directions

1. Soak toor, chana and urad dal, rice and fenugreek seeds in 8 cups of water for 6-8 hours.  Drain water and grind coarsely with approx. ½ cup water to get a thick dough.
2. Mix all remaining ingredients with the dough.
3. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 1 hour at 375 deg, in a loaf pan slightly greased, both bottom and sides or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Ingredients for chutney

• 1 cup chopped mint
• 1 cup chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
• 2 tsp chopped ginger
• 4-5 green chili
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste

Directions

Grind all ingredients to a fine paste.

Serves 4

TAC
Omit the last five ingredients (oil, cornmeal, egg, carrots and cilantro) and mix the remaining with the ground dal to get a dough with spreading consistency, by adding extra water, if necessary. Spread 1/4 cup dough on a hot griddle on stove-top or on an electric griddle at 350 deg C, add 2 tsp oil around the ada and cook until medium brown on both sides.