Raspberry Lemon Flower Cupcake

It's been a long time since I wanted to try these lemon flavored cup cakes. Since this is the first time I am trying lemon flavored cup cakes, I just played safe.

 I got a lemon cake mix which also had a lemon glaze which really popped with a shine and more addition to the lemon flavor.

 So I wanted to keep the raspberry very clean. 

I stuffed the raspberry in between cake batter individually and as desired created this beautiful looking cup cake when cut into half. The flavor combo and as well as the color combination worked well. This is a start for me to experiment more on lemon flavor in desserts. :) 

Method:

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1. Preheat oven according to the boxed instructions. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, make the lemon cake batter as per boxed instructions.

3. Wash and dry out the raspberries on a paper towel.

4. Line the cup cake baking tray with your choice of cup cake liner, I chose a beautiful flower shaped lined with matched the color of the ingredients am using.

5. Fill 2/3rd's way with the prepared batter.

6. Insert one raspberry each into the cup cake batter right in the middle of each cup cake battered liner.

7. Bake the cup cakes according to the boxed instructions, or until a wooden tooth pick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake.

8. After you  remove the cup cake from oven, let it cook a bit, then again, warm up the glaze a little bit from the package and spread it on top of the cup cakes and garnish with fresh raspberries. 

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Drumstick Leaves Stir Fry / Munagaku Talimpu / Murungai Keera Poriyal / Muringayila Thoran / Nugge Yele Palya

It was so exciting and kinda shocking to see drumstick leaves in US. I could not resist myself from grabbing two bunches from the store. :) Back in India we used have a big huge tree of drumstick right in front of our house. I never thought that I would be in a situation where It was hard even to see the leaves for years. We used to leave the drumsticks on the tree which were too high to pick and they would get wasted. Most of the times Dad would pick the drumsticks and the leaves from the branches that would out grow and give them to our neighbors and as well as to our employers. Well after so many years they had to cut it down as it was kinda growing too big and was coming in between a electric pole. Miss those days a lot.

Mom used to make this simple recipe and this would bring out the real flavor of the drumstick leaves and I used to love to eat with just simple steamed rice. The other recipe she used to make it was vada with it. But I didn't have enough to try both. Hopefully I will find it next time I go to the store. :) 

How to separate Drumstick Leaves from it's stem:
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I should say Mom's always have a easier way to do things and lot of simple techniques of the old times that they followed to minimize their time.
1. First damp a towel, this should be a cotton towel. Squeeze extra water out of it.
2. Place the drumstick stems and roll it with the towel and make sure it is not too tight or too loose but all the stems should be covered.

3. Leave it overnight on the counter.
4. Next day the towel will be almost dry, carefully unroll it.
5. Place a large news paper or clean kitchen towel and few bunches at a time and holding the stems, shake a little bit and all the leaves will fall off the stem.
6. There will be small stems still attached to the leaves, you can remove the ones that are too big and hard.
7. There you go...so simple right? instead of sitting for hours to remove each and every leaf from the stems. :)

Method:
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1. In a kadai add oil, when it's hot enough add the mustard seeds and when they start to sputter add asafoetida and dry red chilies.
2. Now add the garlic and onions and saute it until translucent.
3. Add the drumstick leaves and sprinkle some water and cover and cook for about 7-10 mins or until the leaves are cooked 3/4 th.

4. Make sure that you stir or mix occasionally.
5. Now add enough salt, mix again and cook for a minute more.
6. You can add grated coconut or split roasted chick pea powder and serve with steamed rice. or serve it as a side dish with a sambar or curry.

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Masoor Patli Daal / Red Lentil Indian Soup

I always like to pair spicy non-veg recipe with simple daal if I decide to serve the whole dish with rice. I made Spicy Red Chili Goat Masala (Click the link to view the recipe) to go with the daal and rice.

To talk about daal with masoor daal or red lentil...it's awesome and very flavorful and feels so creamy and get my desired texture. I always make this lite and liquidy daal so that it balances the heavy and spicy meal. If you are a vegetarian you can substitute with any fry like spicy potato fry or with your choice of vegetable or just eat just with rice and daal. Nothing can beat the taste of simple food.

Method:

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1. In a pressure cooker wash the lentils/daal and add enough water, turmeric powder, ginger, chilies, tomatoes and pressure cook it on medium high heat for one whistle. Let it cool and release the pressure on it's own.

2. Meanwhile in a pan, add oil/ghee and when it's hot enough add the cumin seeds and saute it for a min until it turns golden brown.

3. Add onions and saute it until translucent.

4. Now open the pressure cooker and stir the daal and mash the tomatoes if they are not automatically, add salt to it and stir again.

5. Bring it over the flame again, preferably in low flame, add the seasoning and stir.

6. Off the flame after few mins, garnish with cilantro and serve over steamed rice. I served it also with Spicy Red Chili Goat Masala.

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Banana Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Breakfast on weekdays sometimes sounds like a challenge to me. Most of the times I end up eating something sweet. I don't mean I eat it really sweet...but end up making pancakes, muffins, scones.....where a minimum amount of sweetness in the form of sugar is added to bring up the flavor. So since when I am making these kind of breakfast on the go's I need to substitute other ingredients with a wholesome healthy ingredients. So this muffin is one of the kind. I added almost all healthy ingredients, other than the sugar. Well even now I don't mean to say is sugar is completely bad for us...but it was under the recommended quantity, because the quantity mentioned below yields 12 muffins and I eat just one for breakfast, so this amount of sugar is not bad at all.

Wow....after writing and reading the above part of the post I feel lot better now. :) and I am happy that I incorporated ingredients like banana and oats (which I usually don't like to eat it as it is) into something healthy and would definitely make it again. :)

Note: Substitute 1/3 cup of Oil with Unsweetened Apple Sauce - I didn't have it so had to use oil instead. :(

Method:

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1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. In a mixing bowl add flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

3. In another bowl mix in oil/applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, grated carrot, and mashed bananas, mix just until blended.

4. Combine dry and wet ingredients and fill greased muffin cups to make muffins or a loaf pan to make a bread.

5. Bake it for about 20 - 22 mins or until the top of the muffin/bread turns golden brown.

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