EGGLESS COOKER CAKE

Ingredients

Maida: 2 cups
Powdered Sugar: 1 cup
Butter: 100 gms
Curd: 1/2 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence: 1/4 tsp

Preparation

1. Take cooker, add 2 cups of sand, spread and keep a stand on it. Close the lid without gasket, heat in low flame(pre heating) and then start making the batter
2. Sieve maida, baking powder, baking soda together twice and keep aside.
3. Take mixing bowl  add butter, powdered sugar and blend it properly with a blender or beater.
4. When butter sugar mixture turns fluffy then add curd and beat again till mixed properly (for 4-5 minutes).
5. Add maida mixture, vanilla essence and mix properly.
6. Add milk little by little and keep mixing. Bring the batter to a consistency similar to that of idli batter.
7. After mixing pour in a greased aluminum vessel, keep in the cooker(pre heated), close and bake for 50 minutes.
8. You can check once done by poking the cake in the middle with a tooth pick or a knife, if it comes out clean then its done, if not keep for 10 minutes more. 
9. Once done let the cake rest on a rake for 3 to 4 hours or till it has cooled completely.
10. Now unmould the cake  from the baking tray and is ready to serve.

Notes 

• Crystallized salt can be used instead of sand.
• All ingredients should be at room temperatur.

SAKKARE PONGAL

Yields: 5 cups

Ingredients

Rice: ½ cup
Moong dal/Hesarubele: ¼ cup
Jaggery/Gud/Bella: 2 cups
Milk: 1 cup
Badam/Almond: 8 nos
Fresh grated coconut: 1 cup
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Saffron: 3-4 strings(soaked in 2 tbsp hot milk)
Khas khas/Poppy seeds: 1 tsp
Cashewnuts/Kaju: 1 tbsp
Raisins/Draksh: 1 tsp
Edible camphor: a pinch
Ghee: 4 tbsp

Preparation

1. Roast lightly both rice and dal (just warm it) and pressure cook it together by adding 2¼ cups of water.
2. Soak almond and remove skin.
3. Now make jaggery syrup by adding ¼ cup of water to jaggery dissolve and remove impurities. Boil it till you get one string paka.
4. Grind soaked almond, khas khas, grated coconut, saffron, camphor, cardamom powder in a mixer.
5. Take a big pan(with thick bottom) or pressure cooker and add 1 tbsp ghee, fry cashewnuts, raisins and transfer to a bowl.
6. Now add cooked rice-dal mixer, milk, grinded almond mix.
7. Mix and cook in a low flame for 15-20 minutes till it thickens.
8. Switch off the flame, add jaggery syrup and mix it properly. Switching off the flame and adding the jaggery syrup will help the milk not getting cuddled.
9. Switch on the flame, cook for 15-20 minutes by adding 1 tbsp ghee in between.
10. Keep stirring continuously so that it doesn't stick the pan.
11. Once the pongal thickens, switch off the flame and garnish with fried dry fruits.