Banana Walnut Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 1.5 cup
2. Baking powder - 1 tsp
3. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
4. Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
5. Salt - 1/2 tsp
6. Banana - ripe - 3
7. Sugar - 1/2 cup
8. Brown sugar - 1/4 cup
9. Butter (melted) - 1/3 cup
10. Egg - 1
11. Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon
12. Walnuts - 1/4 cup chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F(180 deg C). Line muffin tray with muffin cups or grease with butter.
2. Sift all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder and salt and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mash the ripened bananas. Add sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla essence and combine them together.
4. Fold in flour mixture into wet ingredients in small quantities. 
5. Add in half of the chopped walnuts and mix well.
6. Equally distribute the batter in muffin cups.
7. Sprinkle little walnuts on top of the batter. 
8. Bake for 25 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Cool for couple of minutes and serve.

Vegetable Palav | Karnataka Style Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Palav is made for this month's "Shh Cooking Secretly" event. This month's theme is Karnataka Cuisine. I am paired with Sujata Roy who gave me rice and coconut as my secret ingredients. The first thing that came in my mind when I got the ingredients was this pulao. I gave Sujata, chana dal and ghee and she made a mouth watering sweet dish - Hayagreeva.

In Karnataka, Pulao is often referred to as Palav. It is an easy to make one-pot meal with rice, vegetables and few spices. It is usually made with Sona Masoori rice. Adding coconut while making the masala paste enhances the taste and I strongly recommend you don't skip it.

Do try this easy, healthy and delicious rice dish.

Serves - 2

Ingredients:

1. Rice (sona masoori) - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 no.
3. Tomato - 1 no.
4. Green peas - 1/2 cup
5. Carrots diced - 1/2 cup
6. Green peas - 1/2 cup
7. Potatoes diced - 1/2 cup
8. Coconut - 1/2 cup
9. Bay leaves - 2
10. Cardamom - 2
11. Cloves - 5-6
12. Cinnamon - 1 inch
13. Star anise - 1
14. Ginger - 1 inch
15. Garlic - 5-7 cloves
16. Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup + little more for garnishing
17. Mint leaves/Pudina - 1/2 cup
18. Green chilies - 2 or as per your spice level
19. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
20. Lemon juice - 1 tsp
21. Oil - 2 tbsp
22. Salt to taste

Method:
1. Take a mixer-grinder and grind the following ingredients into a fine paste:

•  Ginger
• Garlic
• Coriander leaves
• Pudina
• Coconut
• Green chilies 

2. Take a pressure cooker and heat 2 tbsp of oil. To hot oil add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, star anise and cinnamon and saute for a minute.

3. Add the sliced onion, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Saute until onions turn translucent. 

4. Add the ground paste and fry until oil separates. 

5. Add the diced tomatoes, cut vegetables, lemon juice and give it a good mix.

6. Add 2 cups of water and check for the salt and add it if required.

7. Finally add washed rice and cook for 2 whistles. 

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot palav with raitha. 

Sujata Roy blogs at "Batter Up With Sujata". Do check out her blog for a good collection of recipes.