Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp cornflour
8 tbsp sugar
4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cream
2 tbsp sweetened whipped cream (chilled)
3 tsp gelatine
6 cherries (glaced, blanched, canned, fresh, any)

Method
1. Put 3 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatine over it. Do not stir. Keep aside.
2. Mix coco and cornflour in 1/2 cup milk. Boil remaining milk with sugar, for 5 minutes.
3. Add cocoa paste gradually, stirring continuously. Cool for 3-4 minutes. Cool a little.
4. Warm the soaked gelatine over very low flame, stirring. Do not boil. Mix into the milk and stir. 5. Chill till thick but not set.
6. Beat with hand beater till smooth. Gently mix in cream. Pour in individual mousse cups. Set in freezer.
7. Once set transfer to fridge compartment. 15 minutes prior to serving, ice a swirl of whipped cream on each with an icing gun. Sprinkle a pinch of cocoa powder.
8. Top with a cherry. Transfer to freezer.

Sweet Sour Dal

Ingredients
1 cup toor dal
1 tbsp. mint leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tbsp. broken jaggery
3 tbsp. tamarind water
3 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder 1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander seed)
powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala
2 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. each cumin &
mustard seeds
2 tbsp. ghee
5 cups rice starch water or water

Method
1. Wash and pressure cook dal in two cups water. Cool, remove, drain and keep aside the top water of dal.
2. Remove two tbsp. Thick dal and keep aside. Beat the remaining dal with a hand whipper, adding the water that was kept aside.
3. Crush the green chilli and ginger together. Make a paste of all the dry powders in 1/4 cup water.Keep aside.
4. Heat ghee in a saucepan and add the seeds. Add ginger garlic and stir. Add asafoetida, mint, masala paste and stir for a minute. Add jaggery, tamarind water and stir. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add beaten dal. Boil for 6-7 minutes. Check taste for salt and spiciness.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander.
7. To be served with hot steamed rice. Toserve, place one serving of rice on a plate. Top with one tsp. Of thick dal kept aside. Lace with 1/2 tsp. Desi ghee. Serve along with a serving of the dal.

Pineapple Cake

Ingredients
Eggless Sponge Cake (using 1/2 tsp pineapple
instead of vanilla essence)
3-4 slices canned pineapple (or fresh)
8-10 canned or glaced cherries
3-4 tbsp butter icing white
4 tbsp butter icing yellow
2 tbsp whipped cream
1 tbsp powdered sugar

Method
1. Slice the cake horizontally into 2 halves. Keep on a mesh, soft part up. Sprinkle both the parts with the syrup from canned pineapple (about 1 tbsp each half).
2. If you are using fresh pineapple, place the pineapple slices in 2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp sugar. Boil it covered for 5 mins. Cool. Use as for canned.
3. Chop pineapple into tiny pieces. Drain syrup. Whip the sugar and cream over a tray of icecubes, till it forms soft peaks. Do not over beat. Fold in pineapple.
4. Save a tablespoon for decoration. Layer it over the lower half cake. Place other half on top spread the yellow icing all over top and sides. Smoothen out with a knife dipped in hot water.
5. Decorate with white icing, cherries and saved pineapple bits. Chill for 1/2 hour before serving.

Toor Dal

Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. coriander seed powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. garam masala (optional)
2 pinches asafoetida
1 tsp. chopped tamarind
1 tsp. jaggery crushed
1 tbsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds
1 stalk curry leaves
1/2 tomato chopped fine
1 tbsp. chopped coriander

Method
1. Wash and pressure cook dal till done. (Approx. 4 whistles will do). Cool cooker and remove dal. 2. Beat the dal with a hand beater till smooth. Keep aside.
3, Make a thin paste of the dry spice powders and salt and 1/2 cup water.
4. Heat ghee in a saucepan, add the seeds to splutter.add tomatoes and curry leaves. Fry for a minute. Add masala paste. Fry for a minute.Add the chopped tamarind and jaggery. Stir for a minute more. Add dal and stir. Add water. Bring to boil and simmer on low for 7-8 minutes. 5. Garnish withchopped coriander. Serve piping hot with steamed rice and papads

Fudgy Brownie Cookies

Ingredients
100 gms unsweetened chocolate
(chopped)
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Method
1. Preheat over to 350 F. Sift flour, baking powder & salt together. Melt the butter. Add
unsweetened chocolate to melted butter, stir in sugar vanilla & eggs.
2. Add flour mix & chocolate chips. Blend well. Bake for 20-25 mins & cool. Cut into christmas shapes with cookie cutters.
3. And decorate with coloured frosting(optional).