Ghee Rice

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                This is a perfect dish when your pressed for time and you also have a  side dish to go with it like a meat based curry like achari chicken or paneer curries.

Ingredients:
Basmati or any long grained rice - 2 cups, washed and drained
Ghee - 4 tbsp.
Cashew nuts - 12 broken in small pieces
Raisins - 15
Onion - 1, large, finely sliced
Green chillies - 3, slit length wise
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 3
Cinnamon stick - 2" stick 
Bay leaf - 2
Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp.
Coriander leaves - a few, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a heavy bottom vessel and saute the cashew nuts and raisins in 3tbsp. of ghee   until golden brown and keep aside.
2. Caramelize the sliced onions in the same vessel and keep aside.
3.  Add another tablespoon of ghee and splutter cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Add the green chillies and saute for a minute or two.
4. Now add the drained rice and saute for 4 to 5 mins.(Take care not to break the rice)(Do not omit this step)
5. Add 3¾ cup of hot water, garam masala and required salt to the rice.
6. Once it starts boiling reduce the flame to low setting and cover and cook till the rice is cooked.
7. Switch of flame and mix well.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves, fried nut and raisins and the caramelized onions and serve.
9. Goes well with any meat based curries.

Vegetable Stew

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                    This is a Kerala style dish which is a combination of vegetables cooked in coconut milk  and spices served as a side dish for various appams.
Ingredients:
Combination of your choice of vegies cubed (small)   -   2  cups
( I used potatoes,peas,corn, green beans,carrot and cauliflower florets)
Ginger Garlic paste     -      1 heaped tablespoon
Onion finely sliced      -     1 medium sized
Green Chilli                 -     4 to 5 no.
Cardamom                   -     3 pods
Cinnamon                    -     3 or 4 inch piece
Cloves                          -     3 
Black Pepper               -     5
Thin Coconut Milk      -   1½ cup  
Thick Coconut Milk    -    ¾  cup
Curry leaves                 - a few sprigs
Oil (Pref. coconut)       -  2 tbsp.
Salt as required


Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and splutter the spices and sauté for 3 minutes or so.
2. Add the curry leaves, sliced onion, ginger garlic paste and green chillies and sauté till onions turns transparent.
3. Combine the mixed vegetables and mix well and add salt to it.
4. Add the thin coconut milk and bring to boil. 
5. Lower the flame and allow to simmer until all the veggies are cooked.
6. Once all the vegetables are cooked add the thick coconut milk and simmer for few more minutes(say 4 to 5 min.).
7. Remove from flame and serve. Goes well with palappam and vellayappam.

One Bowl Yellow Cake

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    This is a very  basic cake with the  ingredients  available at home. There is no separation of eggs n stuffs like that and there's no need for frosting as well.  This is a super moist cake. If needed you can slather on some butter cream or whipped cream frosting.

Ingredients:
all-purpose flour leveled  -   2 cups 
Powdered sugar                -   1 + 1/4 cup
butter, softened                 -  1/2 cup  
baking powder                  -  1 Tsp.
eggs                                    -  2 no.
milk                                   -  1 cup 
vanilla extract                    -  1 tsp.
salt                                    -  1 Tsp.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C . Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans.
2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl at least 3 times.
3. Add butter, milk and vanilla and beat the mixture in medium speed for 4 minutes, beat in the eggs. The mixture will be creamy and of dropping consistency.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally among both. Bake 30  or until toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool the cake in pans over a wire rack for 10 mins. Turn out and cool thoroughly on wire racks.
6. If using  whipped cream frosting refrigerate the cake for an hour or two and then apply.

Carrot Cake

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Ingredients:
Grated Carrot       -    2 cup full
Powdered Sugar   -    1 + 1/2 cup
Eggs                     -     3
Dates,chopped     -    1/2  cup
Raisins,chopped                 -    1/2  cup
Cashew, coarsely ground  -   1/2 cup
Vegetable Oil (or Ghee or equal parts of both)     -     1 + 1/2 cup
Baking Soda             -   1 tsp.
Cinnamon Powder   -    1 tsp.
Salt                           -    a pinch
All Purpose Flour     -    2 cup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to a 180 C. Lightly grease a 9 inch pan with oil or butter and line it with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda at least thrice.
3. Beat the eggs using a beater for 3 mins.
4. Add the sugar to the beaten eggs and combine well.
5. Combine slowly the sifted dry ingredients and oil alternately starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
6. To the above batter add Cinnamon Powder, dates, raisins and cashew nuts and combine well.
7. Finally add the grated carrot to the batter and combine well.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smooth out the top lightly and place the tin in the center of the oven and bake for an hour.
9. Check if the cake is cooked by inserting a tooth pick  or a sharp knife.(The cake is cooked if it comes out clean if not small crumbs will be stuck to the knife).
10. Give it another 10 mins. if not cooked.
11. Remove from oven and leave it out to cool. Then Serve.