Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 11/2 cups cake flour(not self-rising but I used normal flour), sifted
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs (Original recipe has 1tbsp distilled white vinegar )
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup water
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350C. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Sift together cake flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and the water until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until smooth , scraping down sides of the bowls as needed (batter will be very thin).
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full.
4. Bake , rotating tin halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Turmeric Rice

(Birinji)

• Boiled rice 400 grams
• onion (large) 1
• coriander seeds 2 tsp
• aniseed 2 tsp
• ghee or oil 2 tbsp
• turmeric powder 1 tsp
• salt to taste

Grind the coriander seeds, aniseed and turmeric powder to a smooth paste.

Slice the onion. 

Heat the ghee and fry the onion till lightly browned.

Add sufficient water to cook the rice.

Add the ground masala mixed with a little water and stir.

Add salt and let the water boil.

Clean and wash the rice, and add it to the water when it boils.

Cover and cook the rice till it is done and the water is absorbed .

Serve hot with mutton or fish curry.

Ghee Rice

(Neichoru)

Ghee rice is something I end up doing quite often when my daughter was small. Its quite easy and kids love to eat.  I also use oil instead of ghee for us.

• Pulao rice 500 grams
• Onions 1
• cloves 2
• cinnamon 4 cm piece
• cardamom 2 pods
• ghee 4 tbsp
• salt to taste

Clean, wash and drain the rice.

Slice the onion.

Heat the ghee.

Add the onion, cinnamon and cardamom.

Add the rice and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add boiling water (double the quantity of rice) and salt. 

Cook till the rice is soft and the water is absorbed .

Serve hot with mutton or chicken curry.

Jumbo chocolate chip cupcakes

Ingredients :

• 7 tbsp soft margarine
• 100 grams caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 100 grams self raising flour
• 100 grams plain chocolate chip

Method :

1. Put the muffin paper cases in a muffin pan.
2. Put the margarine, sugar, eggs and flour in a large bowl and , using an electric hand whisk, beat together until just smooth.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
4. Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven. 190C/375F, for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.