Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:
1 big tomato (9.20oz or 260g or 1 cup canned)
1/2 cup masoor dal (lentil without skin or toor dal)
2 green chilies or to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon rasam powder (recipe here)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon ghee
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/8 teaspoon or a pinch of asafoetida
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups water or as needed per thickness

Preparation: To a pressure cooker on medium heat add the washed masoor dal, green chillies, turmeric powder, chopped tomato,  and 1 cup water cover and cook for about 4 whistles or 10 minutes until the dal is cooked.

After the dal is cooked add rasam powder, salt and some additional water and cook till it comes to a boil.  Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes and turn the burner off.  Add lemon juice or tamarind juice(if you are adding tamarind juice let it cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to get the raw tamarind smell out) and chopped cilantro leaves.
The rasam is now ready for seasoning.

Season:  To a pan on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop turn the burner off add the black pepper powder and asafoetida and add it to the rasam.  The rasam is now ready to serve.

Serves 4

Cheesecake Recipe - eggless

9 (5.10 oz or 144g) graham cracker 
3 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 all purpose flour
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese at room temperature
1 (12 oz)can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

Break the graham cracker and powder it in the food processor.  Add 3 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar to it and mix.  Press the mixture to the bottom of a spring form and a little over the edge, keep it aside.  To prepare the pan wrap the bottom with aluminum wrap and place it on the baking tray.

Make the filling in 2 steps.
First step: In a small mixing bowl add the 1/4 cup all purpose flour, yogurt add vanilla and mix.  Mix until the lumps are removed do not beat or over mix. 

Second step: To a larger bowl add cream cheese at room temperature, sugar and mix until sugar is well incorporated.  Next, add the evaporated milk and mix.  Lastly add the corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest and mix until the ingredients are incorporated do not over mix or beat.  To this mixture add the flour-yogurt mixture made earlier and mix again.

Pour it over the already prepared graham cracker crust.

Bake at 330F(165C) degrees for 2 hour.  Allow it to cool.  After it is nicely cooled run a knife over the edge to dislodge the cake from the sides.

Before serving top with any fruit filling.  I like to use cherry pie filling.

Naan Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour(maida)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yogurt (dahi)
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 cup water or as per need

Preparation:  To the all purpose flour add the salt and mix. Next, add the yogurt and yeast and mix.
Add water as needed and form a smooth and pliable dough.  Cover the dough and keep it in a warm place for 4 to 8 hours to ferment.  I usually make the dough in the evening and keep it overnight for fermenting.

After 4 to 8 hours and after the dough has nicely fermented.  Move it to a work surface with some flour spread over it.  Knead it lightly and divide it into 6 parts.  Roll each part into a round or oval shape.

To cook it on a gas burner, place the rolled naan on a griddle(tawa) and let it warm up until bubbles start showing.  Turn it over and let it cook on the other side, when more bubbles appear remove it from the griddle and place it on the gas flame to puff up.  After it puffs up turn it over and let it cook on the other side.  Remove it from the flame and it is ready.

To bake it in the oven, preheat the oven on high-broil.  Place the rolled naan on a broiler tray lined with aluminum foil and place the tray on the third rack close to the heating coil giving the naan enough room to puff up.  Let it cook for a minute or so until it puffs up.  When the naan puffs up turn it over and let it cook on the other side.  Let it cook for 30 seconds or so and remove, and it is ready.  Makes 6 naan.

Pumpkin Pie Eggless Recipe

Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter refrigerated and cut into bits

4 tablespoon ice cold water

Filling:
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
1 12 oz can of evaporated milk

3 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Make pie crust manually:  To a bowl add flour, salt and mix.  Cut the butter with a knife into bits, add it to the four and with a fork mix till it forms little balls the size of peas.  Slowly add water and continue to mix till the flour comes together.  Use your hands to make a ball.  Press the ball on a floured work surface and roll it till it fits the pie plate(about 12" diameter).  Press the dough on the pie dish and shape the edges.

To make pie crust in food processor:  Fit the food processor with the dough attachment.  Add flour and salt and pulse it a couple of times.  Add the cut butter and pulse it until the flour and butter are mixed and form pea size balls.  Slowly add the water and pulse until the dough comes together to form a ball.  Remove the dough to a work surface and roll it into pie to fit the pie dish.

To make filling:  To a mixing bowl add the pumpkin, milk, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt using a whisk beat the ingredients well.  Pour it into the prepared pie crust.  

Baking:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees(177 C), bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely before serving.

Whipped cream topping:
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
3 tablespoon sugar

Beat at high with an electric mixer until cream topping is formed.