green peas usal - 1

We get frequent requests from our readers to post some very simple recipes that even beginners can cook. We normally cook many such dishes every day, but when it comes to blogging, we start thinking if it is really worth posting?. But now we are going to make a conscious effort to post such recipes here. This is a very simple green peas usal(usli) that my sister prepares frequently.

Green peas is very seasonal here. Frozen peas are not available in market in our place. So when we visited our daughter, this was one of the dishes I made frequently. It is a simple dish where every ingredient gives a nice taste to the dish. When frozen peas are used, it gets ready within few minutes.

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Pictorial: Add mustard, cumin seeds, green chillies/red chilli powder, turmeric to hot oil. Add green peas, little water, salt, cover and cook till peas are done. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves

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Green Peas Usal (Usli)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh/frozen green peas
  • 1 tea spn cumin seeds
  • 1 tea spn mustard seeds
  • 3-4 green chillies or 1/2 tea spn chili powder
  • A pinch turmeric
  • 1 tbl spn coriander leaves
  • 1 tbl spn fresh/frozen coconut
  • Oil
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. When they start popping, add green chillies or chilli powder, turmeric.
  • Add green peas, a little water, salt, cover and cook till peas are done.
  • Take off heat, now sprinkle coconut, coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapatis.
green peas usal - 13

Green Peas Usal (Usli)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh/frozen green peas
  • 1 tea spn cumin seeds
  • 1 tea spn mustard seeds
  • 3-4 green chillies or 1/2 tea spn chili powder
  • A pinch turmeric
  • 1 tbl spn coriander leaves
  • 1 tbl spn fresh/frozen coconut
  • Oil
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. When they start popping, add green chillies or chilli powder, turmeric.
  • Add green peas, a little water, salt, cover and cook till peas are done.
  • Take off heat, now sprinkle coconut, coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapatis.
eggless cardamom cake - 14

Some of my friends surprised us on our anniversary last month with a cake. It is such a great thing to take out some time from our busy schedule and have fun with friends, at the same time making someone feel very special. One of my friends had her birthday last week. We decided to surprise her by showing up at her place with a cake and food. Since she is a vegetarian, I decided to bake an eggless cardamom cake.

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I used cream cheese – butter frosting to decorate the cake. Instead of using the whole milk, I added cream. I also added a pinch of cardamom powder to the frosting. The frosting tasted so great and went well with the cake. I made the chocolate flowers and leaves using modeling chocolate. The recipe and method to make the modeling chocolate and roses can be found at Veena’s art of cake . (OMG, I am in love with that site, just check out all her tutorials!. I have learned so much from her in last few weeks). I mixed some of that melted modeling chocolate and mixed with frosting to write Happy Birthday on the cake.

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My friends loved the cake. My efforts paid off. A big hats off to my 4 month old to let me work on the cake!.

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Pictorial : Peel and powder cardamom. Sieve together all purpose flour, corn flour, baking soda and baking powder. Take butter, orange juice, condensed milk and cardamom. Beat well to mix. (It is a good idea to beat butter first and then add other things to avoid splattering!). Then slowly add the flour mix a little at a time and mix well. Add the batter in a greased pan. The batter is pretty thick, but it will bake beautifully. Bake in preheated oven. Let the cake cool and then cut horizontally. Spread some strawberry jam in between(optional). Keep the top layer. Make the icing and decorate the cake (optional step).

eggless cardamom cake - 39

Eggless Cardamom Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/2 cups cake flour see notes below
  • 2 tea spns baking powder
  • 1 tea spn baking soda
  • 1 can 14oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/8 tea spn freshly ground cardamom powder
  • 1 cup butter I used salted butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 350F for about 10mins.
  • Grease a baking dish with butter and flour, keep aside.
  • Sieve together dry ingredients - cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and keep aside.
  • Take condensed milk, orange juice, cardamom powder, butter in a bowl and beat till mixed.
  • Add the flour mixture a little at a time and mix till combined.
  • Bake at 350F for about 40-45mins till a tooth pick inserted in the center comes clean.

Notes

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