Eggless Pumpkin Spiced Muffins

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween

Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 1 2/3 cups
Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Ground Cinnamon - 1 tsp
Ground Nutmeg - 1 tsp
Ground Cloves - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Pumpkin Puree - 1 cup
Canola Oil - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Flax seed powder - 2 TBSP mixed with 6 TBSP of water
3/4 cup walnuts (Optional)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400C.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and all the spices.  Mix well.
3. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly.
4. Now add the pumpkin puree, oil, water, flax seed powder mixed with water and the chopped nuts.  Mix well.
5. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and spray with non stick cooking spray.
6. Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter (about 2/3 full).
7. Bake it in the pre-heated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted come out clean.

Broken Wheat / Godhumai Ravai Bisibelabhath

Ingredients:

Broken Wheat / Godhumai Ravai - 11/2 cups
Thoor Dal - 1/2 cup
Tamarind Paste - 2 tsp
Bisibelabhath Powder - 2 TBSP
Mixed Vegetables (fresh or frozen) - 2 cups~cut into small cubes ( I used frozen vegetables like Green pepper, Beans, Carrots, Cauliflower and Brocoli)
Onion - 1 diced
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Water - 5 cups
Cashews - 5
Ghee - 1 TBSP
Oil - 2 tsp
Few currry leaves

Method:

1. Cook broken wheat and toor dal together with 5 cups of water in a pressue cooker for 3 whistles.
2. Heat oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds. 
3. Add the diced onion and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables and cook till tender.
5. Add 2 cups of water and add the tamarind paste, turmeric powder, asafetida, salt and curry leaves.
6. Let it boil for 10 minutes.  Add the the bisibelabhath powder and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Now add the cooked broken wheat, dal mixture and combine well.  Cook for another 5 minutes.
8. In a small pan, roast the cashews in ghee.  Add it to the mixture.  Mix well.  Remove from heat.
9. Serve hot.

Quinoa - Sweet / Sarkari Pongal

Ingredients:
Quinoa - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Ghee - 3 TBSP
Cashews and Raisins - 5 each
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Skim Milk - 1 cup

Method:
Cook quinoa with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of skim milk in a pressure cooker or on a stove top (Just like you cook rice).
Heat jaggery with 1/4 cup of water till it dissolves.  Strain the dissolved syrup to remove impurities.
Heat 2 TBSP ghee in a pan and add the jaggery syrup and let it thickens for five minutes.
Now add the cooked quinoa and stir on a medium flame.  Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Mix in the cardamom powder.  Fry cashews and raisins in 1 TBSP of ghee and add it to the pongal.
Serve hot.

Sending this to CWF event hosted by Priya.