Banana Bread

Unsalted butter

AP Flour - 1 1/2 cup

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Egg - 2

Oil - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Banana - 2

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs with oil (or butter), sugar and mashed bananas. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then turn bread out onto rack and let cool completely. Dust top with confectioners' sugar, cut into slices and serve.

Almond Croissants

Almond - 1 ½ cups, sliced

Almond paste - 8 oz

Sugar - ⅓ cup

Egg - 1

Butter - 3 tbsp.

Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Salt

Croissant - 8

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1 cup of the sliced almonds in an even layer on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through cook time. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Pulse cooled toasted almonds in a food processor until finely ground, about 12 pulses. Add almond paste and sugar; process until mixture resembles fine meal, about 15 seconds. Add egg, butter, vanilla, and salt; process until mixture is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Transfer mixture to an airtight container. Cover and chill until mixture is firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days. (If refrigerating more than 30 minutes, uncover and let stand at room temperature 15 to 30 minutes before using.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 2 tablespoons almond paste mixture onto cut side of each croissant bottom. Sandwich with croissant tops. Spread 1 tablespoon almond paste mixture onto top of each assembled croissant. Sprinkle croissants evenly with remaining 1/2 cup sliced almonds (about 1 tablespoon each), pressing gently to adhere.

Arrange croissants on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until sliced almonds on top turn light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Let croissants cool on baking sheet 15 minutes. Garnish with powdered sugar. Almond croissants are best eaten the day they are baked.

Palak Curry

Spinach – 2 bunches, finely chopped

Onions – 3, finely chopped

Water – ½ litre

For the masala paste:

Fresh coconut – ½ coconut

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – ¾ tsp

Red chilli powder – 2 tbsp

Tamarind – lemon-sized piece

Other ingredients:

Boiled toor dal – 2 katoris

Water – 1 cup

Salt to taste

For tadka

Coconut oil – 3 tbsp

Garlic – 7 cloves

Cook spinach with onions and water till soft.

Grind coconut, coriander seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, and tamarind into a fine paste.

Add paste and boiled dal to spinach. Add water and salt. Simmer well.

Prepare garlic tadka in coconut oil and pour over. Cover and rest 5 minutes.