Simple and easy Corn halwa

Corn flour - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 11/2 cup

Food color - 1tsp

Elachi - 1 tsp

Ghee  3 tsp

Cashews - 8 nos.

Water - 2 cups

Method

Add all ingredients except cashews and ghee to a microwave safe bowl and mix well without lumps.

Keep in microwave for 9 min in total, taking out and stiring every 3 min.

At this stage you can see that the consistency is getting thicker. Now add cashews fried in ghee.

Keep in microwave again for 6 min, stirring in between at 3min.

Grease a plate with ghee, pour the mixture into it and let it rest for 30 min.

Halwa is ready to slice and eat.

DryFruit/Christmas Cake. (No Alcohol) - Celebration time!

This is my 50th post and I am super excited. Usually I don't write anything other than ingredients and method .  But when I thought of doing something special, decided to do a rich Dry Fruit cake or commonly called as Christmas cake.

You might be thinking why Christmas cake, as there is 2 more months for Christmas! Well, my 50th post is dedicated to my father Mr.M. Padmanabhan whose birthday is on October 21st and his favorite cake.

 Never thought this cake could be made at home this easy.This is super simple and very easy recipe which I learnt it from the recipe section of a newsletter. Few alterations with my touch to it. This cake tastes better the next day. Better to do it well in advance.

Usually this cake is made/brushed with rum for richness and long storage. I did not use rum in the recipe, also for the brushing i used Grape Cranberry juice which was there in my fridge. You could use any juice available or could omit.So here we go..

Ingredients :-

Candied fruits pieces Assorted - 1 1/2 cup ( tutti fruity,apricot or could use almonds, walnuts too)

Raisins - 11/2 cup

Light brown sugar - 1 cup

Cinnamon powder - 2 tsp

All purpose flour - 11/2 cup

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Vanilla ess - 1 tsp

Butter - 1/4 cup

Eggs -2 (room temp)
lukewarm water - 1 cup 

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method

In a pan add brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon powder, butter, water. Mix everything and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely.

Once its cooled down,add the assorted candied fruits. Mix them well.
Preheat the oven to 325 degree F.
 Add 2 beaten eggs, vanilla ess and mix.
Now add the dry ingredients (Flour, baking soda, salt). Mix them well until everything is incorporated well.

Grease a cake tin. I used loaf pan (9*5*3 inch) . Pour the batter in it and bake it for 60 to 65 min, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow it to cool before you flip it from the cake tin.Once removed, cool it in wire rack.

Note :

Could serve the same day but tastes better the next day.Cover it with cheesecloth and store it in cool, dry place.Do not refrigerate.
If you are preparing the cake well in advance and storing for long you, cover the cake with a cheesecloth dipped in any juice (apple/cranberry/orange/grape). Wrap it well with aluminium or plastic cover and keep it in cool dry place. Brush the cake with juice once in 2 days until you consume. This helps the cake to stay moist and also enhances the richness of the cake.

Carrot Payasam

Ingredients

Carrots( roughly chopped in big pieces) - 6

Cashews - 5 to 6

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 4 tablespoon

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee- 2 tbsp

Raisins - 8

Method

In a cooker add the carrots, cashews along with little water and cook it for 2 whistles.Let it cool down.

In a blender or mixer, add the cooked carrots, cashews along with milk and sugar. Blend it until smooth.

Now take a pan add ghee and saute they raisins and keep aside.

Add the blended carrot paste to the pan and bring it to boil.This might take 5 to 8 min. Finally add raisins and cardamom powder.

You could serve this hot or cold. Super yummy and healthy dish.

Note:

If you feel the consistency is too thick , you could add milk while boiling.