Pizza from Scratch

Ingredients:

Flour: 300 gms
Olive oil or other oil 2-3 tbsps
Salt 1 tsp
Dry yeast 1.25 tsp
Cheese: 100 gms - grate
Mixed Italian herbs
Milled Pepper
Warm water to mix
Sliced tomatoes, onions, capsicums, olives etc for topping.

Method:

Add salt and yeast to the flour and oil. Mix well. Add warm water little by little and knead into a soft dough. Put it in a deep bowl and cover loosely with a damp cloth and place in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours. Let it rise to double the size.

Take the dough and spread (do not grease) it into desired shapes- either individual mini pizzas or large one. You can oil your fingers if needed. Prick with the fork in several places. Spread tomato sauce (Recipe below). Sprinkle cheese and layer the vegetables on top. Sprinkle pepper and mixed Italian herbs like Oregano, rosemary. Dot with oil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 250 degrees C. Take care not to brown the crust. Cool and cut.

Tomato Sauce:

Tomatoes- 4 large

Onion- 1 small

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

Capsicum-1/2 chopped

Olive or other oil

sugar, salt to taste

Dried oregano- 1 tsp

Milled pepper- 1 tsp

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water. Peel and grate the pulp or chop fine. Heat oil and saute the onion, garlic and capsicum for a few minutes. Add the tomato pulp and simmer until the sauce thickens a little. Add sugar, salt, pepper powder and simmer a little longer. Add the oregano and cool.

Brownie

Ingredients:

Flour- 100 gms
Castor sugar or powdered sugar- 100 gms
Butter- 100 gms
Walnuts- 100 gms
Eggs- 2
Cocoa- 3 tbsps
Baking powder- 3/4 tsp
Salt- a large pinch

Method:

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Shell and chop walnuts into medium sized pieces. Beat the eggs and keep aside. Melt butter in a pan and stir in the cocoa powder. Add sugar and eggs and mix well. Stir in the flour gradually and blend well. Mix in half of the walnuts. Pour batter into a buttered baking tray and sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25- 30 minutes at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cool and cut into pieces.

Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients:

200 ml paneer crumbled
100 ml chopped onions
100 ml chopped tomatoes
100 ml capsicum chopped (can include coloured capsicum)
1 green chilli- deseeded and chopped
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste

For the toast:
6 bread slices
For garnish:
2 tbsp chopped coriander

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, add onions; stir fry, add capsicum, add tomatoes, add ginger, fry. Add green chillies, chilli powder, salt, paneer and mix well. Place the toasts on a plate, top with paneer bhurji and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

Alternatively, can serve with chappathis.

Moong Dal Halwa

Ingredients:
Moong Dal: 60 ml Sugar: 75 ml Ghee: 60 – 75 ml Khoya: 60 ml Milk: 2 tbsp Saffron- a few strands Almonds for garnishing

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal till golden and soak in water for atleast two hours. Drain and grind with very little water to a coarse consistency. Mix saffron in milk and keep aside. Make a one-string consistency syrup with the sugar and keep aside. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed kadai and fry the ground paste on medium heat until golden in colour. The mixture should not be lumpy. Keep stirring to avoid burning. This is a slow process and should be done slowly to get perfect result.
When done, add the milk and sugar syrup and mix till the mixture becomes homogeneous. Now add the khoya and mix well. The halwa should not stick to the kadai. That is the correct consistency. Transfer to a dish and garnish with sliced almonds. Serve warm.

Eggless Banana Cake

Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour- 140 gms 
Baking Powder- 2 tsp 
Baking Soda- 1/2 tsp
Condensed Milk (sweetened)- 200 gms 
Melted Butter- 70 gms 
Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp (optional) 
Very Ripe Bananas- 2 (Peeled weight 200 gms) 
Water- 60 ml Almonds- 10- chop into small pieces 

Baking pan 7″ x 5″ x 2″

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 Degrees Centigrade. Peel and mash the bananas with a fork and keep aside. DO NOT use mixer to mash.
Sift together flour and baking soda and powder. Add the chopped nuts and mix well. Add melted butter, condensed milk, Vanilla essence and mashed bananas. Mix well. Add water little by little to form an uniform batter.
Transfer to greased pan and tap to level. Bake at 200 degrees C for about 50 minutes. The cake is done when it begins to leave the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and leave in pan for 5 minutes. Then separate from pan and turn on to a cooling rack. Slice with a serrated knife when completely cool. Slices better if chilled in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes.
ENJOY!!!
Tip: Make sure your baking soda and powder are fresh and active.