Zzaika

Ingredients:

Whole Fat Yogurt: 2 gallons;
Confectioner's Sugar: 5 cups;

For garnishing:

Powdered green cardamom: 1/2 tsp;
Powdered Nutmeg: 3 pinches;
Some saffron strands;
Milk: 1/2 cup;
Blanched and finely chopped almonds, pistachios,cashews;
Raisin : 1/2 tsp.

Method:

• Tie the yogurt is a thin muslin cloth at a high point in your kitchen/house, such that the water will drip from it. 
• Let all the water drip out of the yogurt, so that you get hung yogurt. This the fairly dense part of the yogurt. This process may take over-night or may be some hours more than that.
• Next day, take the hung yogurt in a bowl, and add all the rest of the ingredients.
• Care must be taken ,not to add too much of nutmeg,because it causes drowsiness.
• Also Saffron, add a lot of heat to the body, so add it sparingly.
• Mix all the ingredients well.

                                                EGGLESS SPONGE CAKE

• In a bowl, add all the ingredients except water and mix well.
• Now slowly keep adding water, till the batter becomes slightly light.
• Beat this batter using a spatula or a a hand mixture till it becomes light and fluffy.
• Now take an 8-inch baking tray and dust it with some butter and flour .Pour the cake batter in the baking tray.
• Pre-heat the over at 425 degrees F. 
• Bake the cake for 10-12 minutes on the lower rack at 425 degrees F and then on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• Check if the cake is done,by putting a knife in the cake. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done, else bake it for some more time.
• Enjoy this healthy cake at tea time!

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:
Cilantro ( finely chopped): 4 cups;
Green chillies ( chopped) :   3 ;
Poppy seeds :    1 tsp;
Oil                : 1 tsp;
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp;
Tumeric powder  : 1/2 tsp;
Salt to taste;

For the cover:
Bengal gram flour(Besan): 2 cups;
Regular Atta: 1/2 cup;
Cumin seed powder: 1/2 tsp;
Tumeric powder  : 1/2 tsp;
Salt to taste.

You will also need some more oil to deep fry the vadis.

Method:

• To prepare the stuffing, heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and when they begin to crackle, add the cut green chillies. When the chillies change colour, it means that they have given off their flavour, then add the finely chopped cilantro.

• Cover the pan with a lid and let the mixture cook on medium to low heat. Do not cook at high heat,we have to preserve the flavour of cilantro.
• After sometime, if you remove the lid, the colour of mixture has become more dense. This means that the cilantro is well cooked.
• Now add the poppy seeds to the mixture and mix well. Again cover it with a lid and let it cook further for 1-2 minutes.
• Many people add raisins at this stage, but I do not like mixing sweet with cilantro. I feel they do not marry well. :(
• After 2 mins, remove this pan from heat and keep it aside to cool.
• By the time the mixture is cooling, knead the ingredients mentioned for the cover into a soft dough.
• Now make an oval shaped roti ,using a rolling pin and place the cooled cilantro mixture at the centre as shown.

• Join the long edges and press against each other so that they are sealed properly. 
• Deep-fry these vadis in oil till they turn golden brown in colour.
• Serve them warm with tomato ketchup or tomato chutney.
• One of the readers of my blog has asked me mention the shelf life of each recipe, so I would like to tell you all that since this recipe contains fresh cilantro, I would not recommend to eat it for more than 2 days ( if refrigerated).