Eggless Dates Cake

My Kids don't eat Dates . I was searching for some cake recipes and found this one. I baked this cake and my kids did'nt know that it was made out of dates. They loved to eat the cake till the last bite. 

Ingredients
1 cup Flour or Maida
18 Dates 
3/4 cup Milk
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar 
1/2 cup Oil 
1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp walnuts

Method
Soak dates with litttle milk and  set aside to make it soft. 
In a mixing bowl , add sugar, milk and oil, stir until sugar completely dissolves. Keep aside.
Sieve flour with baking soda twice so that baking soda is evenly distributed and keep aside.
Grind the dates to a fine paste. Add the dates paste to milk sugar mixture and mix well.
Now add flour and mix well so the flour blends well with the dates mixture.
Add the chopped walnuts and give a quick stir.
Preheat oven at 350 F (170 deg C) for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile grease the pan with oil and little flour then add the prepared batter.
Bake the cake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes (check after 30 minutes then proceed accordingly)
Check by inserting a knife or fork at the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean the your cake is done.
Cool down the cake completely on a wire rack and then cut into slices.
Enjoy the cake!

Notes

You can reduce the oil quantity to 1/4 cup for low cal version,I have even tried like that and the cake was still moist and yummy.

You can even sprinkle some chopped walnuts or cashew nuts over the batter before baking which gives the look of a brownie.

The colour of the cake depends on the quality of dates you use,if you use regular ones it might be brown in colour and if you add good quality dark dates it would come extreme dark chocolate colour.

You can even use regular dates with seeds but for that you need to soak the dates in milk overnight in the refrigerator.Remove the seeds and proceed with the same recipe.

BEETROOT WITH MOONG DAL

Ingredients

2 tbsp moong dal cooked

1 beetroot cut into small cubes

1 onion finely chopped

1 tomato chopped

pinch turmeric powder

1tsp mustard seed

1 tsp urad dal

3 curry leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 clove garlic

2 nos green chilli

2 tsp scraped coconut

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp coconut oil

salt as per taste

Method

Heat a frying pan, add oil . When the oil is hot add mustard seed, urad dal and curry leaves. 

After it splutters add chopped onion ,fry then  add tomato fry it . 

Now add chopped beetroot , turmeric and fry. 

Grind pepper, cumin, coconut, coriander , garlic, green chilli, into fine paste.

Add the ground paste into the beetroot and cook on low flame. 

Once beet is almost cooked add the boiled moong dal .

Mix well and cook on low flame for 10 mins. 

Add lemon juice and serve it with rice or chapati.

SALMON WITH COCONUT SAUCE

Ingredients

4 Salmon Fillets
1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cardamom seeds (elaichi)
1 tsp mustard seeds
11/2tbsp coriander powder
1/2 cup tomato finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
salt as per taste
1 tsp pepper powder
4 tbsp coconut oil

Method
For the sauce
Heat a frying pan  over low heat. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil and add chopped ginger.
Saute it and add mustard seeds, fennel seeds , cardamom seeds, 1 tsp coriander powder , cook for 10 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Pour the coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes until sauce is thickened.
Add salt and pepper as per taste.

For the Salmon
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
When it is hot, season salmon fillets  with 1/2 tsp coriander powder , pinch of salt and pepper.
Fry them on each side for 8-10 minutes, until they are cooked through.
Put the cooked salmon on plate and pour the above sauce over it.

MATAR PANEER MASALA

Matar paneer is a very popular North Indian dish prepared with paneer and peas. It is usually served with naan, roti, chapati and paratha but goes very well with rice and pulao too. This is my sons's favourite dish. 

Ingredients

1 cup paneer cubes
1 cup peas
1 big onion sliced
1/4 cup tomato puree
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp kasuri methi
3/4 cup milk
salt as per taste
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp butter

Method

Heat a kadhai , add 1 tsp  butter.
Add sliced onions and saute until soft and light brown. Remove it aside and cool completely.
Grind these onions in blender into a fine paste.
Now in the same kadhai, add remaining butter and add onion paste alongwith ginger-garlic paste.
Saute till raw smell of gingergarlic goes off.
Now add turmeric powder and chilli powder, saute .
Add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 mins on low heat.
Add peas , salt and add some water and allow it to boil until peas are cooked .
Add kasuri methi and 3/4 cup milk .
Cook it along with the peas mixture .
Add paneer pieces and cook on slow flame till done.
You can adjust the consistency of the gravy according to your preferences.
Enjoy this most popualar Indian (Punjabi) dish with any Indian bread or rice or pulao.

BABY POTATO N BABY SPINACH SALAD

Ingredients

1/2kg baby potatoes boiled
1 cup baby spinach

Dressing

2 tbsp sour cream
1tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp horseradish
1 Thai red chilli optional

Method

Combine the warm potatoes n spinach together.
In a small bowl add all the dressing ingredients and mix well.
Pour the dressing on the potato n spinach and mix well until the dressing gets coated on it.
Enjoy this delicious salad.
I have not peeled potatoes because the skin provides fibre  and potassium .