Ingredients

• 1/2 Large Red Onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp sambar powder
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp coconut powder or 1 small chunk fresh coconut
• 2 almonds
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• Your favorite vegetables
• Salt to taste

Blend 1/2 an onion, tomato, almonds, sambar powder, ginger & garlic pastes, poppy seeds and coconut to make the masala paste.

Begin tempering by heating oil and adding mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard starts to sputter add the remaining finely chopped onion. Add the masala paste and cook for a little while until the raw onion smell is gone. Add vegetables (peas/garbanzo beans/whatever) and fry in the mixture. Cook on medium/low flame until the vegetables are cooked.Optional: Transfer the mixture into a pressure cooker and cook until 1 whistle.

Thanks to my colleague, Clinton Heider, for sharing his family recipe.

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup soft butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup buttermilk

Cupcake

Prepare cupcake pans with paper liners.

Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix banana with vanilla and buttermilk.

Cream butter, then add sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and banana mixtures in parts, alternating and blending completely after each addition.

Fill baking cups with batter and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, chilled
1 stick butter at room temperature
½ cup caramel sauce
3 cups powdered sugar

Blend cold cream cheese with butter until well blended, then add caramel sauce and blend until incorporated. Slowly add powdered sugar, blending until incorporated.