Eggless Vanilla Cake

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

There are two dishes that I can brag about having the perfect recipes. One is the Veg. Biryani( recipe to come soon) and the second is this vanilla cake. And I have a very faithful following of friends and acquaintances who can testify (at least they say that to me) that it's the best they have ever had. This cake is soft, moist, not-too-sweet perfect vanilla cake. The secret? Club soda. It gives the cake a wonderful rise and keeps the cake soft too. You can use this batter to make cupcakes, decorative  and 3D cakes too as shown in the image below. I insist that you try this recipe once. You won't be disappointed.

Serves: 14-15(though in my home, six of us do finish the cake)
Prep time:15 min Bake time: 36-40 min
Difficulty: Medium

Veg. Spring Rolls

Recipe contributed by: Rinkal Thakkar, Virginia, USA

The Chinese food that we eat in India is aptly named Indo-Chinese. Why? Because there is no such thing as Manchurian or Hakka noodles in actual Chinese food. Yup, all these items are creation of Indians by adding our touch to it. If you meet a Chinese and go on and on about how much you love Manchurian, he/she will stare at you and question "Are you sure you are talking about Chinese food?" Really, first-hand experience of my bestie :)

But the appetizer veg. Spring Rolls do exist in the Chinese menu and they have pretty much the same preparation. This is yet another recipe from my friend, Rinkal. We all share our liking of Indo-Chinese/Chinese and whenever we eat it, it's a treat. These rolls are easy and quick to make. Just make sure you roll them tightly.



Image contributed by Rinkal Thakkar

 

Kulfi (Indian icecream)

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

With summer fast approaching, I can think of just one Indian dessert that would make everyone delighted and happy. Actually summer or not, I have seen nobody who can resist this Indian ice cream called Kulfi. While the traditional recipe calls for boiling milk for a long time, the results are not satisfactory as this quick recipe. You ask what's the difference? The one and major difference is the content of ice when frozen. If the kulfi is prepared in traditional way, after frozen, you will taste lots of small ice chips in between. I don't find it very appetizing.

This recipe here is devoid of any ice chips and it is very creamy. If I have made kulfi (which I did last week), my freezer door gets opened so many times by my son waiting and making sure he has a good share of it. :) And it is so common that friends always like to have second helpings. Yup! It's that good. Now, Kulfis are prepared in various flavors. The favorites in our home are Kesar(Saffron), Kaju-Badam(Roasted cashews and almonds) and Pista(Pistachios). If you have sweet kesar or alphanso mango, cut small pieces and add them to the basic kulfi mixture and you have fresh mango kulfi. Again, you can have other flavors too as long as the ingredients don't have/negligible water content.

Image contributed by Dhara Balwa

Dudhi Kofta Curry

Recipe contributed by: Shilpa Balwani, Gujarat, India

I consider Kofta curries as one of the feast dishes as they have a very elaborate process. They are the special occasions food. Kofta can be prepared in different ways. This recipe calls for dudhi/lauki which is such a summer vegetable. It has cooling properties and contains lots of water. Enjoy this Shahi recipe contributed by my cousin, Shilpa, who creates such tasty and good looking food.

 

 

 Image contributed by Shilpa Balwani

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Recipe contributed by: Rinkal Thakkar, Virginia, USA

I have some friends who are fans of anything chocolate when it comes to desserts. My friend, Rinkal, who has contributed this recipe is one of them. So, there is no doubt that this recipe has to be one of the bests. Oh so chocolaty! What's more interesting are the facts that the recipe calls for Khoya(Indian much?) and so quick and easy. I can't wait to try it.

Image contributed by Rinkal Thakkar

Baby Bok choy and tofu stirfry

Recipe contributed by: Rashmi Sampat

 

Tofu is a must ingredient in my household. For vegetarians tofu is a great source of Protein and my husband loves it. So I have to try every good recipe I come across. A tofu recipe always begins with trial and error. Couple of week ago, I came across this recipe and it turned out great. I have used just bok choy, but you can use any vegetables in this recipe. Bok choy is a little bitter, but we loved the taste. It is a type of Chinese cabbage and is a good source of many vital phyto-nutrients, vitamins, minerals and health-benefiting anti-oxidants. With so many benefits, a little bitterness is acceptable, right?

Spicy Basil Fried Rice

Recipe contributed by: Kruti Verma, Virginia, USA.

Thai food is one of the favorite cuisines here in the DC area. And why not? The dishes are so flavorful. This delicious Thai recipe is the vegetarian version of the traditional Spicy basil chicken fried rice that does not use fish sauce/oyster sauce and of course the chicken itself. Please note that the spice level can be adjusted according to your taste. Note you can also use left-over rice for this dish.

Image contributed by Kruti Verma

Serves heartily: 3
Prep time: 15-20 min Cooking time: 30 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Recreating IHOP's Grain n Nut Harvest Pancakes

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa
Most of the people love pancakes. We have a IHOP very close to our home and my son consistently requests to go there for their yummy pancakes. Our favorite on the menu is the Grain n Nut Harvest pancakes. It has that earthy, nutty flavor that makes it special. So, I took up the challenge of recreating them at home. I have used pretty healthy ingredients and they do taste the same as IHOP's. So, give it a try.

Serves:14-15 Nos.
Difficulty level: Easy
Prep time: 10 min Cooking time: 15 min