Angelin's Plum Cake

What you need:

• Dates – 3 cups
• Raisins- 2 cups
• Cherries (From Indian Stores)- - 2 cups
• Broken Nuts-2 cups
• Orange & Lemon Peel- 1/2 cup
• Tutti Frutti or other candied fruits (Optional)- 1 cup
• Brandy or Rum – 1/2 cup
• All Purpose Flour/Maida – 2 cups
• Powdered Sugar – 3 cups(1 cup for caramelizing the sugar)
• Butter – 250 gm
• Baking powder – 2 tsp
• Eggs – 6
• Vanilla Essence – 2 tsp
• Salt – a pinch
• Powdered Spices – 3 tsp (Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, dry ginger)
• Orange juice – 2 tbsp.

What you do:

• Chop the fruits fine.
• Soak them in the alcohol along with nuts and peels 
• Keep in an air tight container for a couple of weeks.
• Caramelize 1 cup of Sugar.
• It can be done by heating a medium sauce pan with 1 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp. of water. 
• Stir in continuously and use only medium heat.
• The sugar will melt first, then gradually becomes a molten syrup. 
• As it gets hotter, it will turn into a dark colored caramel syrup.
• Now slowly add 1/2 cup of water and stir well immediately before it crystalizes back.(Be careful while doing it, for it can splash and may cause severe burns.).
• Stir it well to dissolve completely and allow it to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
• Sift the baking powder and flour few times.
• Now mix the powdered spices and the soaked fruits to the flour
• Note: Before you add the soaked fruits to the batter, toss them in a little flour. This will prevent them from sinking and evenly disperse through cake. 
• Mix well with a spatula and keep aside.
• Beat butter and powdered sugar till light and fluffy.
• Now add the eggs one at a time to the beaten sugar butter mixture with a teaspoon of flour after each egg; beating well.
• Add the flour mixture alternatively with the cooled caramel and fold in.
• Remember do not use a whisk, this can break the fruits.
• Lastly add vanilla essence ,orange juice and 1 tsp of brandy.
• Mix everything well using a wooden spatula preferably in one direction.
• Pour it into a baking pan.(lined with parchment paper).
• Bake it in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Check by inserting a tooth pick and if it comes out clean ,the cake is done.
• If its not done reduce the heat to 250 F and bake for another 10- 15 min or until done.
• When the cake is baked, remove and immediately sprinkle 1 tbsp. of brandy over it - this can enhance the flavor and increases its life span.
• Let it cool.
• Serve with some tea or just by itself.

P.S: If storing, remember to keep it in refrigerator in an air tight container.

Akila's Palkova

What you need: 

• Sweetened Condensed milk-1 tin
• Yogurt 2 spoon
• Ghee 1 spoon
• Microwave safe bowl- tall one

What you do:

• Mix all 3 ingredients (condensed milk, ghee and 1 spoon yogurt only) in microwave safe bowl
• Cook it in the microwave for 3 minutes.
• Take it out and add 1 spoon yogurt and mix well.
• Then keep it again in microwave for 2 minutes.
• Mix well again and keep for a minute.
• Mostly you will get palkova consistency
• otherwise keep for 1 more minute.
• That’s all folks! How sweet!

Hephzibah's Paruppu Vadai

What you need:

• Chana dal split - 2 cups
• Red chilies - 5
• Green chilies - 5
• Onion - 1 large
• Curry leaves - plenty
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves - a bunch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - to fry

What you do:

• Wash and soak the dhal for 3 hours along with the red chilies in the same bowl
• Cut onion and green chilies into small cubes
• First grind the cumin seeds, red chilies, half the curry leaves
• Add in the dal and grind in coarsely with no water
• It's okay if the top half of dal is not ground at all.
• Take it out in a mixing bowl
• Add the cut onion, green chilies, remaining curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves
• Add in the fennel seeds and mix well
• Taste for salt and add more if necessary
• Heat up oil in a pan
• Cup the dal/masala mix in between your hands, being careful not to press it hard
• Put it in the hot oil and fry it until golden brown.
• Best with hot tea!

Seema's Vettu Cake (aka, Muttaicose)

What you need:

• Egg - 1 large
• Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• All purpose flour - 1 cup + few tables spoons used while spreading
• cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - for deep frying

What you do:

• In a large bowl beat the egg and powdered sugar until combined
• Add bakiing soda, all purpose flour and cardamom powder
• Mix well until combined
• Knead gently to form a smooth dough
• If the dough is sticky add 1 or 2 tbsp more all purpose flour
• Keep aside for 5 - 10 minutes
• Divide the dough into two parts
• Form each part into a narrow rectangular log
• Cut the log into small cubes
• With the knife draw a X mark on each piece
• Deep fry it in oil
• That's it folks! Choodaa muttaikose!
• Serve it with tea for best experience!

Esther's Ribbon Pakoda

What you need:

• 2cups rice flour
• 1cup besan flour
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• pinch of hing
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp hot oil or melted butter
• 1 cup water, or as required
• oil for deep frying

What you do:

• In a large mixing bowl take 2 cups rice flour and 1 cup besan.
• Add 1 tsp sesame seeds,1 tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, pinch of hing and ½ tsp salt.
• Combine all the ingredients well.
• Then pour 2 tbsp of hot oil or melted butter then mix well and add water to the mix and form the dough.
• Dough must be soft and non sticky.
• Grease the mould with some oil.
• Place the dough in to the muruku achu then tighten the lid and heat oil.
• Directly press the ribbon murukku into hot oil moving hand in circular motion.
• Flip the murukku and fry till they turn light golden brown from both sides.
• Ribbon pakoda is ready 😋