Ingredients:

• Mint leaves – 1/2 bunch or 1 cup full
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Urid dal – 3 tbsp
• Chana dal – 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind paste – 1/4 tsp (if using the dry tamarind then use a small piece or about marble sized ball)
• Salt to taste
• Dry red chillies – 4 to 5 (according to the spice level of the  chillies)
• Curry leaves – 4 to 5 leaves
• Jaggery – 4 tbsp
• Water to adjust consistency

Procedure:

• Clean and wash the mint leaves and keep them aside.
• Take a wok or kadai and heat it to medium high, to that add oil.
• To the hot oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splatter.
• Now add urid dal, chana dal, fenugreek seeds and dry red chillies and let the brown a little until the leave aroma.
• Now, add asafoetida and let it cook for a few seconds.
• To the above add curry leaves and tamarind dry whole(if you do not prefer tamarind paste) wait till it splutters.
• Now add washed and drained mint leaves and cook them for a few seconds, and remove the wok from flame/heat.
• Let the whole mixture cool down.
• Once , the mixture is cool to grind transfer it into a grinding jar and grind till fine powder
• To the above powder add jaggery, salt, tamarind paste (if you have not added dry whole tamarind in the above step) and a little water to bring the consistency to a paste.
• Serve to Perumal with hot rice or dosa or idli and enjoy His prasadam.

How to prepare Apple cake ?

Ingredients:

• Apples – 3 sliced
• Juice of a lemon
• Self raising flour – 1 1/2 cups
• Baking powder – 2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp
• Soft demerara sugar – 3/4 cup
• Milk /plant based milk – 1/4 cup
• Flavourless oil (rapeseed oil /sunflower seed oil) – 1/3 cup
• Apples – 2 chopped
• Cinnamon sugar – 1 tsp refined sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp of
  ground cinnamon

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 180 C /350 F/ gas mark 4
• In a small mixing bowl, toss the sliced apple with lemon juice and keep aside.
• In a larger mixing bowl, sift the flour , cinnamon powder and baking powder. Now, add sugar and mix well.
• To the above add milk and oil gradually and mix well.
• Stir the chopped apples to the above cake mixture.
• Pour or spoon the mixture into a greased and floured rectangular/square cake tin.
• Place the apple slices on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake the cake for 25- 30 minutes.
• Let it cool in the tin and cut into squares.
• Serve Perumal with whipped cream or with hot fruit tea and
  enjoy His prasadam.

Makes about 10 – 12 scones

Ingredients:

• Plain flour – 1 1/2 cups
• Baking powder – 2 tsp
• Caster sugar – 1/4 cup
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Cold butter(can use plant based butter like peanut or almond butter) – 2 tbsp
• Yogurt /curd (can use plant based yogurt)- 2/3 cup
• Milk/plant based milk – 2 tbsp (for brushing)

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 190C /375 F / gas mark 5
• In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. To this add sugar
• Rub the butter into the flour with you finger tips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs
• Add the yogurt and mix with your finger until the mixture comes together. Gently form the pastry into a shape about 2 cm thick and cut into 4cm circles using a cookie cutter
• Place these circles onto the baking tray lined with parchment paper
• Brush top of the circles with milk and place them in the preheated oven and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes
• Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting open
• Serve warm with clotted cream or butter and jam or fresh strawberries to Perumal and enjoy His prasadam

Ingredients

• Ghee – 1 cup
• Caster Suger – 1 cup
• Maida – 1/2 cup
• Whole Wheat Flour – 1/2 cup
• Semolina – 1/4 cup
• Chickpea Flour – 1/4 cup
• Baking Powder – 1⁄2 tsp
• Baking Soda – 1⁄4 tsp
• Cardamom Powder – 1⁄4 tsp
• A pinch of Salt

Procedure

• In a bowl beat ghee and caster sugar until light and fluffy and pale in colour.
• In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients together.
• Now mix the wet and dry ingredients together and form a smooth dough.
• Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes.
• Roll the dough into ball-like shapes and place them on lightly greased cookie sheet and press in lightly to flatten a little.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 15-17 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set it outside for a few minutes to cool
• Serve the nankatai biscuits to Perumal and enjoy His prasadam.

Ingredients

• Strawberries – 250 gms
• Lemon juice – 1/2 lemon
• Caster or any unrefined sugar – 200 gms

Procedure

• If the strawberries are large, cut them in halves or quarters. Put the strawberries and lemon juice into a large pan.
• Heat for a few minutes to soften, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• Once, the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear, boil steadily for about 6 minutes, or until at setting point. (To test if the jam is at setting point, spoon a little onto a cold plate, leave for a minute and then push the jam with your finger. If the jam crinkles and separates without flooding back, setting point has been reached)
• Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Spoon into sterilised jars, label and seal with wax paper and a lid.
• Serve this to Perumal and enjoy His prasadam.