Hearty Spices

1¾ cup All Purpose Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder ¼ tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Salt ¾ cup Brown Sugar 2/3 cup Chocolate chips 3-4 Bananas (overripe), peeled 1/3 cup Oil 2 Eggs Oil and flour for lining and dusting Heat the oven to 350F. Grease and dust a loaf tin. Sift the dry ingredients together. Combine the bananas, eggs, oil and brown sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend all these to a rough paste. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and add the chocolate chips. Mix well and pour into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean). Cool on a rack for a few minutes. Note: Can use 1/3 cup of chocolate chips + 1/3 cup toasted walnuts also.

Batter - Soak 2 cups of Moong Dal and 3 tbsp of Raw Rice (optional) overnight in water in a bowl. Next day,  drain the water, add 8 Green Chillies, 1 inch Ginger, 2 tbsp of Salt and grind into smooth paste adding little water. Remove the batter into a bowl, add 2 tsp of Cumin Seeds and set aside. Pesarattu - Heat an iron pan till hot. Pour a spoonful of batter in the center of the pan and spread into round in shape. Add few finely chopped Onions and finely chopped Green Chilies pieces for topping. Add 1 tsp of Oil on the edges of pesarattu. Lower the heat for 2 minutes and then turn to high. Allow the pesarattu to turn on golden brown color at the bottom, fold into two halves and serve hot with upma and ginger chutney. Upma - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil and a tbsp of Ghee in a pan; saute 2 tbsp of Channa Dal, 1 tbsp of Urad Dal, 1 tsp of Mustard Seeds, few Curry Leaves for 3 minutes. Add and saute 2 slit Onions, ½ inch chopped Ginger, 6-8 slit Green Chilli...

Heat 1 tbsp of Oil in a pan; add ½ tsp of Mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add 5-6 crushed Garlic Cloves, 8-10 Curry Leaves and stir fry for few seconds. Add a large chopped onion and 2-3 Green Chillis split  and sauté till the onions turn pink. Peel, wash and chop the 3 Ridge Gourds (Beerakaya ) into small pieces. Add them to the pan, combine and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cover with lid and cook further for another 7-8 minutes. Add 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, ¼ tsp of Coriander Powder, Salt to taste  and combine. Add 2 cups of Water , bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with lid and cook till all the water evaporates. On medium flame, slowly add 1 small cup of Milk to the curry, while stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes or till you get the desired curry consistency.  Garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves and serve with hot rotis or steamed white rice.

Dry roast a tsp of Coriander Seeds,   ½ tsp of Cumin seeds,  ¼ tsp of Black Peppercorn   in a small cast iron skillet and grind into a coarse powder.  Heat a tsp of Oil in a saucepan, splutter a sprig of Curry Leaves, pinch of Mustard Seeds and Asafoetida . Sauté for few seconds until leaves start to brown. Add a tbsp of Tamarind Pulp, a tbsp of crushed Jaggery and ground rasam powder. Add Salt to taste and 2 cups of Water bringing to boil. Add a cup of finely chopped Cilantro Leaves while simmering for few minutes until leaves wilt. Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice. 

Wash a cup of beaten Rice (Poha), drain well and set aside. Heat  2 cups of Milk on medium heat until warm enough, add the beaten rice and a tsp of crushed Cardamom . Cook for 10-15  minutes and stir ½ cup of Sugar and ½ cup of Condensed Milk (optional). Remove from heat. Heat a tbsp of Ghee and saute a tbsp of Cashewnuts, a tbsp of Raisins till golden brown. Garnish the payasam with the sauteed nuts,  few Saffron strands and serve warm.

1 Cabbage, shredded 1 small Onion, sliced ½ cup Peas 4 Green Chillies 1 tbsp Coriander Powder 1 tbsp Cumin Powder 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder 2 pods Garlic Salt ½ tsp Mustard Seeds ½ tsp Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Urad Dal 1 tsp Chana Dal 2 Dry Red Chillies 1 tsp Turmeric Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, chana dal, cumin seds, urad dal and sauté till they are slightly brown. Add red chillies and fry them for a while. Now add onions, garlic and green chillies. Now take a small bowl and mix all the powders together and mix in the onion mixture. After 2 mins, add the shredded cabbage and close the lid. When the cabbage becomes soft, add the peas and cook for 12 mins with the lid closed. Then when the cabbage looks cooked, remove the lid and cook for 5 mins on high heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Press 'Saute' on the Instantpot. Add 2 tbsp of Ghee and heat for 10 seconds. Add and saute a tsp of Cumin Seeds, a Bay Leaf for 30 seconds. Press 'Cancel' on the Instantpot. Add a pinch of Turmeric, a cup of Rice, 1/2 cup of Moong Dal, 6 cups of Water and Salt as Needed . Mix well and close the lid with sealing position on.  Press 'Manual' on the Instantpot and pressure cook for 12 minutes. Naturally release the pressure after 20 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of Ghee.