THREE RECIPES IN ONE POST

THREE RECIPES IN ONE POST
I have not posted anything for almost 2 weeks. Though I was taking photographs of any new dishes I made, I hardly had time to post them. Maybe my New Year resolution should be to be post as many recipes as I can and be in touch with my friends’ blogs. I have a recipe with fava bean, a cabbage soup, and the recipe for the banana nut cake which I had posted previously. Now for the dishes:

FAVA BEAN CURRY WITH METHI LEAVES
I have been trying all varieties of beans available in the supermarkets and I like the taste and texture of some beans. Fava beans are one such. It has a mild buttery taste that is perfect for gravies and dry curries. Any amount of spices can be added while cooking them as its taste balances quite well with the heat level. I have made a dry curry here to go with rice. The same curry can also be made into a gravy, just switch off the stove before the curry becomes dry and you have an excellent side dish for rotis.

INGREDIENTS:
Fava beans, 1 cup, soaked overnight, even canned beans can be used here.
Methi leaves, 1 big bunch.
Onion, medium-sized ones, 1.
Chili powder, 2 teaspoons.
Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon.
Garam masala, 1 teaspoon (optional).
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Cook the soaked beans until they are tender. The beans can be cooked over stove top for an hour or with a pressure cooker for up to 4-5 whistles. Wash the methi leaves and chop them finely. Dice the onions. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the chopped onions and sauté for a minute until it turns brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute. Now add chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, fennel seeds and fry everything well under low flame for a minute. Add 1 cup of water to the mixture along with the cooked beans and salt as per taste. Cook closed for 8-10 minutes until the curry is dry. Now add the chopped methi leaves and cook for 2 more minutes and switch off the stove. Serve hot with rotis and rice.

SAVOY CABBAGE SOUP
This is a soup that I make sometimes for dinner to go with dinner rolls or garlic bread. I love the texture of savoy cabbage in soups. It gives a delicate flavor to soups than regular cabbages. I have used only the cabbage in this soup. If needed, any vegetables like carrots, green beans, or zucchini can be here added. While making soups, I add sea salt instead of regular table salt. The taste of sea salt takes the soup to a whole different level. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Savoy cabbage, 1/2 of a big head.
Red onion, medium-sized, 1.
Canned tomatoes, ½ cup.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Chili powder, ¼ teaspoon.
Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon, (optional).
Sea salt, as per taste.
Chicken broth or vegetable broth or water, 3 cups.

PREPARATION:
Chop the onion and savoy cabbage into small, fine pieces and keep aside. Crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pot with some olive oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the chopped onion and cabbage and sauté for a minute. Then add the crushed garlic and sauté for a few more minutes until the cabbage is well cooked. Add 3 cups of water or broth along with the canned tomatoes, chili powder, seasonings, salt and cooked closed under medium flame for 5-7 minutes until the soup turns thick. Serve hot with any types of bread.

BANANA NUT CAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
Bananas, 3.
Sugar, 1 ¼ cup.
Butter, ¼ stick.
Egg, 1.
Half and half, 1 cup.
All-purpose flour, 1 ½ cup.
Baking soda, 1 teaspoon.
Almonds, ½ cup.
Dry fruits like apricots, prunes, and raisins, ½ cup.

PREPARATION:
Mash the bananas into a fine pulp. Chop the almonds and dry fruits into fine pieces and keep aside. Take a bowl and add the melted butter and mashed bananas into the bowl. Break an egg to the bowl and add the sugar. Mix everything well until the sugar has melted along with the egg and butter. Add the half and half and mix everything well. Sift the baking soda along with the all-purpose flour and add it slowly to the mixture and mix everything. Now add the chopped almonds and dry fruits and fold it together. Grease a baking dish and pour the mixture into the dish. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes and let it cool for 20 minutes and enjoy.