Kadu Ka Meetha - simply delicious :)

My moms recipe of yummy kadu ka meetha , made this for the very first time and it tasted heavenly but not as good as moms though :D

Ingredients:

• Kadu / lauki / doodhi / bottle guard - Peeled and garted - 750 gms
• Sugar - 1 n half cup
• Condensed milk - 1 cup
• Khova  - 1 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Almonds - Blanched, peeled and sliced - 3 tbsp
• Raisins - 1 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - half tsp

Method:

1. In a non stick pot, add grated bottle guard and saute this for 10 - 15 minutes.
2. Now add sugar, condensed milk , khova and cardamom powder, mix well.
3. let this cook on low flame for another 10 - 15 minutes.
4. Heat ghee in a separate pan , add almonds and fry them util they turn slightly golden in color then add raisins and turn off the stove, mix this with above meetha and its ready to relish.

Fruit Cake

The best cake i baked so far !!

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour / Maida -  one n half cup 
• Unsalted butter - half a cup / 150 gms
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Eggs - 3
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Pineapple essence - half tsp
• Milk - quarter cup
• Salt - a generous pinch
• Tutti fruti, cherry, black raisins and cashew nuts

Method:

1. In a large bowl, add butter and beat it with a hand mixer until its creamy. Now add sugar and beat it until its light and fluffy ( 3- 4 mins). Add eggs one by one and beat well at each addition.
2. Now add vanilla and pineapple essence and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl sieve the flour and baking powder and mix well until the baking powder is nicely combined with the flour. Also add salt.
4. Now add half of the flour to the egg mixture and beat it with the hand mixture for 2 mins, now add milk and beat again, add rest of the flour and beat again (keep beating  :P )
5. Add tutti frutti, cherry (chopped), black raisins and crushed cashew nuts and fold it in the above mixture using a spatula, do not over mix it.
6. Grease the loaf pan with butter and dust it with little flour, remove the excess flour and pour the cake mixture in to it .
7. Bake this in a pre heated oven of 180 deg Celsius for an hour (depends upon the oven you are using) 
8. Do a toothpick test, if the toothpick comes out clean then the cake is ready, if not bake it for another 5 - 10 minutes.

Cheezy Bun

1. Take a bun and make cuts on it.
2. In the cuts spread some pizza sauce using a knife.
3. Keep cheese strips in between and sprinkle some oregano and a little salt.
4. Preheat the oven at 200 degree C and bake it for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Dahi Ki Kadhi

My moms version of Dahi ki Kadhi... just love this!

Ingredients:

• Curd - half litre
• Onion - 2
• Garlic pods - 7 -8
• Coriander half bunch
• Cumin, Methi and Mustard seeds - half tsp each
• Split roasted gram dal powder - 3- 4 tsp
• Puree of 2 tomatoes
• Curry leaves
• Dry red chilies
• Red chili powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - half tsp
• Water - 1 cup
• Oil - 4 -5 tbsp

Method:

1. Dry roast and grind cumin, methi and mustard seeds.
2. In a blender add garlic, coriander, one onion, cumin - methi and mustard seeds powder ( 1 tsp), split roasted gram dal powder and blend it to a fine paste adding little water.
3. Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds and dry red chilies, curry leaves, as they splutter add 1 finely chopped onion and saute this for a minute.
4. Now add the above paste and fry well, keep stirring constantly or else it will get burnt, add turmeric powder, red chili powder and tomato paste, mix well and cover the vessel and keep it on low flame and let it cook for 6-7 minutes. (stir in between)
5. Now add 1 cup of water and once it boils add beaten curd, salt and mix well.
6. After adding curd do not boil the kadhi just cook this on low flame for 2 - 3 minutes and take it off.
7. Add hot hot Channa dal vadas to it and relish.

Note: Do not add water after adding curd.

Recipe for Channa dal vadas : http://heenazubair.blogspot.in/search?q=Channa+Dal+Vada