Vangi bath masala powder recipe

• Purple Brinjal - 1/2 kg
• Basmati / Long Grain Rice - 1 cup / 100grams
• Onion - 1(optional)
• Dessicated dry coconut - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Vangi bath masala powder - 3 tsp

• 3 tbsp of sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp of mustard
• 1/2 tsp of chana dal
• 1/2 tsp of urad dal
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1 tbsp of roasted peanuts (without skin)
• 3 cahesws
• 1 sprig curry leaves

1. Soak the basmati rice for about 20 minutes in sufficient water, drain the water and cook basmati rice with 1 and half cup's of water. i used my microwave and cooked in 1 and half cup's of water for about 12 minutes at 900w. rice and water ratio is 1: 1 and 1/2. you can cook the rice on stove top with the same ratio. cool the cooked basmati rice in a wide bowl. mix 1 tsp of sesame oil to the rice and give a soft stir with the spoon, so that the grains are separate.
2. Chop Brinjal's into big chunks and let them be in a cup of water, to avoid darkening.
3. In a pan, start for tempering, heat 3 tbsp's of oil, add mustard and let it splutter, add chana dal, urad dal, cashews, peanuts, dry red chillies one by one and roast them all till they turn into light golden in color. add curry leaves.
4. Add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent. then add chopped brinjal and fry it in medium flame. add salt and turmeric powder and roast the brinjal. add little oil, if they start sticking to the pan.
5. Now add vangi bath masala powder to the brinjal's and give a good mix. turn the flame to slow and close the pan with a lid, and let the brinjal's get cooked along with the masala.
6. Brinjal gets cooked within 10 minutes. remove from the flame and transfer to the bowl of cooled basmati rice. slowly mix the masal's  with the rice.
7. Garnish with chopped corriander leaves and 1 tsp of dessicated dry coconut.

Yields - 16 pieces

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 brown sugar
• 1 cup sunflower oil / olive oil
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour / all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups of grated carrot
• 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp of grated nutmeg

• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp grated orange rind

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190c/375F.  I greased my 6*4 inch rectangular cake pan with little butter and lined with parchment paper.


2. Now coming to dry ingredients, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder and nutmeg.  sift them all at least twice.


3. For wet ingredients, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. then add brown sugar and sunflower oil. beat them all together. now add the grated carrot and mix with a spatula.


4. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until well incorporated.


5. Spread the mixed mixture into the greased cake pan and place in the center wrack of the pre-heated oven.


6. Bake the cake for about 45-50 minutes until the cake is nicely risen, firm to touch and has begun to shrink away slightly from the edge of the pan. or insert a toothpick to the center of the cake and check whether it comes out clean.


7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15-20 mins, then turn to a wire wrack.


8. Slice the top bulged part of the cake, if you are planning to frost the cake.


9. To make the frosting, put all the ingredients mentioned under topping in a mixing bowl and beat together for about 2 minutes until they become super smooth.


10. When the cake is completely cold, spread the the cream cheese frosting. smooth over with a knife. sprinkle some orange rind over the top and leave up the cake to firm for few minutes till the frosting is set before you cut into pieces.


11. Store the cake in an air tight container in fridge. it will make up to a week.

• Milk - 1/2 litre / 500 ml
• Vinegar - 3 tbsp  (or)  lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Curd - 2 tbsp

1. Boil the milk and remove from flame. add vinegar or lemon juice to the hot milk and give a stir. you would see the the whey separating from the milk.


2. In a muslin cloth, drain the cottage cheese and squeeze away the whey.


3. Now in a mixer-grinder, add the cottage cheese, curd and grind into a smooth one.


4. Take a muslin cloth and pass the smoothly grounded cottage cheese and bring all the corners of the muslin cloth together and tie with a rubber band.


5. Put the tied muslin cloth in fridge for overnight, till it firms up.


6. Next day, bring the cottage cream cheese to room temperature before you start to prepare for frosting.