Gulgule Pua

Ingredients

Setaphal-1/2 kg.(Use fully ripe orange pumpkin)

Sugar-1 bowl(which is about 1.5-2 cups )

Milk-1 cup

Ata/Maida-250 grams(2 cups)

Salt-1/2tsp

Baking Powder-1/2 tsp

Grated cocunut-1/2

Fennel seeds(sauf)-1 tbsp

Water-1 tbsp

1.Peel the setaphal and cut it into pieces. Fry it in cooker with a pinch of salt and once it leaves water. Add 1/2cup of water and close lid. Let it whistle for 2-3 times. On high flame drain off water.

2. Add sugar to it so that it dissolves completely in it.

3. In another bowl, take atta and salt.

4. Add the sitaphal mixture to it to form a batter of dropping consistency (adding more milk if required). Add grated cocunut to it. Keep it for some time so that pua turned nicely swelled. Add baking powder just 10 minutes before making. Add 1 tbsp of water if mixture needs to be thinner.

5. Heat oil and add equivalent to a tbsp of the batter over high heat. Lower the heat and let the pua cook over medium heat.

6. Remove the fried piece with a slotted spoon. Increase the heat and then drop as many lumps as come in comfortabley without touching each other. Lower the heat and cook, turning once or twice till brown. Repeat this process with the rest of the batter.

For gulgule

Take ghee in a pan and add raisins and cardomon seeds to it and a bowl of sugar with a cup of water. Let the mixture dissolve completely and cook it nicely then add pua to it.

Serve hot.

Variation

If sitaphal is not available, one can mix rest process and make pua. Use 1 cup sugar for 2 cup of ata.

One can put this batter on a tawa like a dosa and let it cook and then turn and cook on either side to make meeta chila.

Note

Setaphal mixture can be stored and one can add rest ingredients and cook pua next day too.

Pua are dry ingredient and can be stored in box like snacks.

For people in US, butternut squash tastes similar to indian pumpkin

Paneer Parantha

Ingredients Needed:

For the Dough

Atta - 2 cup
Salt to taste-1/2 tsp
Ajwain-1 tsp

For the stuffing

Paneer - 100 gms
Onions - 1 big
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste-1/4 tsp
Green Chillies - 2
Coriander leaves few
Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp(optional)

Method to prepare.

1.Mix the flour together with salt and Ajwain. Crumble well. Then add water as required to make a soft dough. Keep aside for some time. Keeping it aside for 30 minutes or in fridge makes it easier. Divide into 8 equal sized balls.

2.Meanwhile grate paneer. Chop onions as juliennes, this way it does not fall out. Finely chop green chillies and coriander leaves.

3.Mix grated paneer with chilli powder, salt, green chilly, Onion and Coriander leaves and Aamchur. Make 8 sized balls.

4.Flatten the dough by making the sides thin with the center portion thick. Make chappatis of it by rolling and then place the stuffing in middle and cover it well. Cover by picking sides like a flower and then pressing in middle. then pat it nicely by hands.

5.Dust with atta and roll out evenly.

6.Heat a tawa and fry the parathas on both sides with Oil.

Murgh Muntanjan

Ingredients:-

* Chicken —- 1 and 1/2 kg

* Rice —- 1 kg (Half boiled)

* Ghee —- 3 cups

* Sugar —- 4-5 cups ( 1 kg)

Chicken Fry

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Small Cardomom-1-2

Salt-3/4tsp

Chicken Broth

Some chicken pieces(Like legs and all which are hard)

Fennel seeds-1 tbsp

Coriander seeds-3/4 tbsp

Garlic-1 whole

Onion-1 whole(peeled)

Salt- a pinch

Water-1-2 cups

Oil-1 cooking spoon

Chicken Curry

Onions -2

Poppy seeds(khaskas)- grinded (optional)

Small Cardomom-1-2

Big Cardomom-1-2

Cloves-2-3

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Indian bay leaf-1

Cinnamon-1-2

Red chilly powder-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil

For Rice

Food colour —1/4 tsp

For sweet syrup

* Zafran —- ½ tsp

* Kewra —- 2 tbsp

* Almond —- 1 cup

* Raisins —- 1 cup

*Pistas, cocunut pieces, etc

*Ghee-1-2 tbsp

Recipe

1.Wash and cut chicken into pieces and add 1 cooking spoon oil and chicken fry ingredients and fry in a cooker. Cook for about 5-10 minutes till it leaves out oil and then remove.

2.In a muslin cloth add coriander and fennel tie these tighter in the muslin cloth like in yakhni.

Now add chicken pieces and some water(3 cups used for sugar syrup) and prepare chicken stock till 2 cup chicken stock left in the sauce pan. If one wants, can give 1-2 whistles.

3.Take oil in a cooker(2 cooking spoon) and add onion and fry them brown and then add all chicken curry masala and cook it nicely till leaves oil. Then add all chicken pieces and khaskas and fry it nicely and cook for 5 minutes till done.

4.In the sauce pan add ghee and raisins to swell and cardamoms seeds.After a while when they crackle add one layer of chicken pieces, one layer of rice and one layer of sugar to it and in end add chicken stock.Close lid and prepare sugar syrup.

5.When water evaporates add zafran and kewra essence. Also add almonds, cocunut , pista and all nuts during this time and serve.

Murgh Mussalam!

Ingredients

Chicken-1 kg

Chicken filling

Red Chilly powder-1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp
Khaskas paste-1 tbsp
Raw papaya paste-1-2 tbsp(Optional)
Blanched almonds( fewer)
Cashews
Cocunut pieces/shredded ones

Charo magaz (optional)
Salt -1/2 tsp

Masala
Onion-1-2(grinded)
Coriander powder-2 teaspoon (optional or use less if poppy seeds used)
2-3 Cloves
1-2 Cinnamon
1-2 big Cardamom
Indian bay leaf-1
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Khaskas( Poppy Seeds) paste-1 tbsp
Salt to taste-1 tsp

If poppy seeds used, coriander powder and tomatoes should not be used or else use both.

Recipe

1. Wash the chicken thoroughly a. Cut the middle part and remove everything from inside. Marinate chicken with ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder. Also add a paste of raw papaya. Add salt when about to cook or it leaves water.

2. Mix all the chicken filling ingredients in a blender(khaskas in sil batta) and fill it inside the chicken.

3. Take oil in a cooker . Add masala ingredients and add khaskas paste, and all curry ingredients to it and let it fry till smell goes off.

4. Add the marinated chicken and fry nicely for 4-5 minutes on either side.Add yoghurt at this time.

4. Add 1/2 cup water and let it to boil till the ghee appears on the sides and chicken pieces turn tender. Give it 2-3 whistles to tender the chicken. Evaporate off all water.

Musallam is ready to eat. Serve it hot.

Char Magaz is a combination of four seeds/nuts: Almonds, Pumpkin seeds, Cantaloupe Seeds and Water melon seeds

Meeti Tikki( sweet)

Ingredients

Sugar-1 cup

Milk-1-2 tablespoon

Ata/Maida-1/2-1 cup(I used Ata)

Salt-1/2tsp
Fennel seeds(Sauf)-1 tablespoon

Egg-1 (optional)

Recipe

1. Take sugar in a pan and add milk and then heat a bit to dissolve it. Sugar dissolves quickly in heated milk. Let the sugar solution dissolves completely.

2. Add atta, salt and egg to it and knead it firmly. Add more milk if it require more liquid.

3. Heat oil in a kadai and then lower the flame.

4. Make small round balls and then make small thick round puri type tikkis.

5 Slowly add them in the oil and then fry on both sides.

Meeti Tikki is ready!

Turkish Kebabs

Ingredients

500 grams - Thinly Minced meat(Kheema)

Pudina powder-2 tsp

Kali mirch powder-3/4 tsp

Red chilly powder-1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Salt-1 tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Dry bread-4( I use stale bread)

Grated onions-2

Recipe

1. Remove water from the kheema by pressing in hands and keep in a plate.

2. Grate (shred) onions and remove water by pressing in hands and mix with kheema

3. Soften breads in water and then remove from water and squench water from it and mix it with rest of the ingredients.

4. Add pudina, kali mirch, salt, chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, oil to it.

5. One can put kheema in fridge for some time so it becomes easier to make kebabs. Take oil in hand and make long and shorter version of seekh kababs.

6. Fry in oil and serve hot.

It tastes awesome with combination of long fried potatoes.

For potatoes

1. Take 2-3 potatoes and peel them.

2. Cut them into half and make long pieces from each half.

3. Mix about 1/2 tsp salt in it.

4. It will leave water. Remove that water and fry it in oil.

Seekh kabab

1. To make it into seekh kabab use oven, Oil the Seekhs of the oven and then grill them.

Shammi Kebab( Mutton)

Ingredients

For kheema

500 gm - Thinly Minced meat ( goat or lamb )(Barik Kheema)
1 cup - Bengal gram dal / chana dal

1 -Onion( cut into 4-5 parts)
1 pot -Garlic
1 inch piece - Ginger
1 - Green chili
4 - Red chilly
1/2 tbsp- Pepper corns
3 - Cloves
3 - Big Cardamoms(seeds)

1/2 tsp- Cumin seeds(optional)

1/4 -1/2 cup - Water
Salt to taste- 1 tsp
Oil to deep fry

Kebab ingredients

1 - onion( small pieces)
2 - Green chili
1/2 cup - Chopped coriander leaves
1 - Egg

Method

1 ) In a cooker, put minced meat, onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, red chili(with seeds) , pepper corns, cumin seeds, cloves and Break kheema it if its a refrigerated kheema and mix all ingredients. Let kheema leave out a bit of water. Once it leaves water then add chana dal and some water. Add water according to the water kheema leaves as more water will not be good.

2 )Pressure cook above mentioned ingredients. It will take about 2-3 whistles to cook. Open and if there is some water left then dry it. Don't pester it with spoon.

4 ) Grind the cooked ingredients to a fine paste on a mortal pestel(Sil bitta) so its fine. Grind chilly and all dry ingredients first and then mince rest of the ingredients. Mix paste with finely chopped onion, green chili and coriander leaves. If the kheema is very moist don't add egg inside but make kebabs and dip it in blended egg and fry. or else add egg in it.

5. Keep it in fridge for an hour or more so it becomes dry and thick and its easy to make kebab.

6. Oil the plate and your hands and Make small balls and flatten. Use water to make it so and beat nicely so it doesn't scatter.

7 ) Heat oil in a kadai. Deep fry till golden brown in color on both sides.

Serve hot with coriander chutney.

Tip

While frying if the kababs are breaking apart, then dip each kabab in beaten egg and fry.

Urad Methi Dal (chilka dal)

Ingredients

Urad Dal(black white)(Split Black gram with skin)-1 cup

Onion-1

Tomoto-1

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Hing-a pinch

Green chily-1

Some freshly cut ginger

Tumeric powder-1/2 tsp

Red Chilly powder-1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tsp

Dry Methi powder-1 tsp

Milk-1/2 cup

Ghee-1 tsp

Water

Tadka

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Garlic - 1 -2 small pieces

Ghee-1 tsp

Recipe

1. Take water according to consistency in a cooker and put it on High flame.

2. Add all the ingredients in it and add dal in end.

3. Let it boil and then let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Close the lid and let it whistle once and then put on low lid.

5. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes(About5-6 whistles)

6. Let steam releases and then mix it out.

Tadka

1. Take ghee in a pan and heat it.

2. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter and add garlic let garlic brown a bit.

3. Put this mixture in the dal and mix it and then add little dal in pan and put it in cooker again.

Dal is ready.

Note:

If ever the dal is cooked dry one can add boiled water to it and simmer for a minute for consistency.

Variations

One can add fresh methi leaves (100 grams) when its in season instead of methi powder.

One can also cook arhar methi dal in same way.

One can also add just fresh palak(1oo grams) with this dal and cook and also add 250 grams cooked meat/kheema to it. It tastes awesome.

Shaljam+methi+palak+meat is also cooked.

One can add 500 grams palak to it instead of methi and cook or add fresh methi too.

Masoor Mong Dal!

Ingredients

Masoor (Dhuli)Dal(Pink)(Split Red Lentil)-3/4 cup

Moong Dal(dhuli)Split Green gram)-1/4 cup( or a handful)

Onion-1

Tomoto-1

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp (

Green chily-1

Some freshly cut ginger

Tumeric powder-1/2 tsp

Red Chilly powder-1/2 tsp

Salt-3/4-1 tsp

Oil/Ghee-1 tbsp

Water

Tadka

Kadi Patta(Curry leaves)-7-8

Garlic - 1 -2 small pieces

Ghee-1/2 tbsp

Recipe

1. Take water according to consistency in a cooker and put it on High flame.

2. Add all the ingredients in it and add dal in end.

3. Let it boil and then let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Close the lid and let it whistle once and then put on low lid.

5. Let it cook for 2-5 minutes(About2-3 whistles)

6. Let steam releases and then mash it out.

Tadka

1. Take ghee in a pan and heat it.

2. Add garlic with curry leaves and let garlic brown a bit.

3. Put this mixture in the dal and mix it and then add little dal in pan and put it in cooker again.

Dal is ready.

Note:

If ever the dal is cooked dry one can add boiled water to it and simmer for a minute for consistency.

All dals are cooked in same ways

Dal variations

1. Arhar(yellow)(Split Red gram)- Masoor(split) Dal( 3/4-1/4 combo)- mash it

2. Urad(Split Black gram)(black white)-Chana Dal(dark yellow) (3/4-1/4 combo)- let is not to be mashed

3. Urad (whole ) (Dark black)/(Black gram) is cooked like makhani dal with ghee/butter and milk added.

4. Chana dal (Split Bengal gram)is cooked seperately and not mashed.

5. Masoor(Brownish black) (whole) is cooked seperately too and not mashed.

6. Urad (Washed)(White) is also cooked seperately.

For tadka

One can use just Jeera(cumin seeds), or garlic or curry leaves

All dals can be cooked seperately too.

Urad(whole) , Masur (whole), Arhar Dal and Chana Dal takes long to cook and should be soaked a bit before and should be cooked for about 15-20 minutes(4-5 whistles) and rest requires just 2-3 whistles.

Rajma!

Ingredients:

Rajma (Red Kidney beans ) - 1 cup

Urad Dal (Sabut)-1/3 cup(2 handful)

Onions-2

Tomatoes - 3-4

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste-1 tsp

Water

To garnish:

Finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak rajma and urad dal in water overnight or atleast 10 hrs.

2. Take oil in a cooker and brown the onions and then add rest of the masala and fry it till its done a bit and leaves oil and then add the drained rajma and fry and add dal.

3.Fry it nicely till it leaves oil and then add water according to consistency and then close lid and cook it for about 20-30 minutes(5-6 whistles).

4. Once steam escape, one can decorate with coriander and serve.If water consistency seems more, one can fry it more to reach consistency

Tip

Blanch the tomatoes: Boil water and add the tomatoes. After a few minutes the skin will peel off. Drain water and cool it. Remove the skin completely.

If the cooker evaporate too much water from rajma, dals or any curry item, one can always boil desired water and add in curry and give it to boil for 1-2 minutes and its done.

Lubia (black eyed beans)is cooked the same way as Rajma.

Gosht Kichdi!

Ingredients

Masala

Oil-3 cooking spoon

Ghee-1 cooking spoon

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Black pepper-1 tsp

Cloves-3

Big cardomon-1

Khichdi

Fresh pudina leaves

Mutton-500 grams (or one can use thick kheema)

Rice-3 cups

Urad(dhuli)/Split black gram-1 cup

Water-5 cup

Milk-1 cup

Fennel seeds(Sauf)-1 tablespoon

Mutton

Onion- 1

Tomatoes- 2

Coriandar Powder(Dhaniya)- 1 teaspoon

Red chilly powder- 1 teaspoon

Tumeric powder-1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp

Indian bay leaf (tej patta)-1

Cinnamon(Dalchini)-1-2

Green chilly-1-2

Fresh ginger-small pieces

Fresh coriander

Water-2 cups

Small cardomon-2

Salt-1 tsp

Recipe

1. Wash the urad dal and keep it soaked in water for some time

2. Simultaneously wash rice and keep aside.

3. Put oil in a cooker and add masala ingredients to it and then add mutton ingredients to it along with water and put the lid and let it cook for around 5 minutes/ 2-3 whistles so that it is done. (It will depend on meat used, if its a hard meat it can take 5-6 whistles)

4. Take out the steam if its soft meat and then add some ghee to it along with sauf and dal and fry it nicely. Add some green chilly and ginger and 1.5 tsp of salt at this time and fry nicely till meat and dal is cooked nicely. It will take about 5 minutes.

5. Add 5 cups of water and once it starts boiling add rice to it. Water should come just above the rice. Let rice soak a bit of water for a minute or two.

6. Once rice soaks water, add a cup of milk and freshly cut pudina leaves to it and mix it with a light hand. Check salt at this time and add if you feel its less.

7. Close the lid and cook for 5-7 minutes/1-2 whistles.

8. Once steam is released. Mix it nicely and serve.

Have this khichdi by sprinkling some desi ghee accompanied with onions and green chutney.

Note:-

The meat used for this khichdi is generally chest(sine ka) meat or else mota kheema.

Variation

1.If one wants to make mutton curry the process is same as that of mutton mentioned above, just avoid putting cloves, jeera and kali mirj to it and then fry it later with 2 potatoes to it. Fry till alit leaves oil and then add water according to consistency and then cook for 5 minutes by covering with a plate. Also add 2 tsp of dhaniya powder instead of 1.

2. Cooking of kheema requires same process as mutton. Don't add more onions like in usual kheema.

Chocolate Cake!

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2 1/4 cups white sugar(Make it 3 for the sweetness is bit less)
* 4 eggs(seperated)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 9 inch round cake pan. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I separated the eggs and whipped the whites separately with some of the sugar, then folded it all together to make is extra airy.Beat in egg yolks one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture and then fold and cut using the 8 shaped method. Spread batter evenly in the pan

3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

4. One can sift some powdered sugar on top to serve.


Note: I recipe could easily be flavored with coffee, juice, or buttermilk in place of the water.
Also if one want it little more chocolaty, use half cup of chocolate sauce and half cup of cocoa and it tastes heavenly.

Variations( spongey choclate cake)

Ingredients

* 4 eggs

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 1 (16 ounce) can chocolate syrup

* 2 cups vegetable oil

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 16 ounces white sugar (2 cups powdered)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Beat the eggs and the vanilla with a spoon. Blend in the chocolate syrup. Fill emptied chocolate syrup can with vegetable oil and add to bowl. Add the flour to bowl. Fill can with sugar and add to bowl. Stir well and pour into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan.

3. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Ice after cooling or leave plain.

Note: one can mix chocolate syrup (half) and half cup cocoa.

Mutton Kofta!

For koftas

Thinly minced mutton - 500 grams

Poppy seeds(khaskas) (made into paste on a sil batta by using water)-1 tbsp

Bhuna chana(raw bengal gram)- 2 tbsp paste(roast them , take out the outer black covering and then grind)

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder-1/4 tbsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp

Garam masala-1 tbsp

Egg-1
Pudina powder-1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves

For kofta filling

Raisins- 5-6 for each kofta

Eggs (boiled) - according to number of nargisi kofta one wants
Boiling eggs require around 10-15 minutes in some water and then cover with plate to steep.

Curry masala

Onion- 1

Tomoto-1

Dhaniya powder-2 tsp

Red chilly powder- 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Water

Curry

Onion-1/2-1 (thinly sliced)
Poppy seeds- 1 tbsp
Small cardomon-2(mouth open)
Big cardomon-1 (mouth open)

Tej patta-1-2

Dalchini-1-2
Potatoes-2
Salt-1/2 tsp
Water
Kevda-1 tsp

1. Drain out all excess water from koftas and keep in a bowl.

2. Add all the kofta ingredients and mix them nicely to remove any thick parts. Knead like a dough.

3. Oil a plate and then some water in a cup.

4. Cut some onions thinly and then mix them so they are separated. Also cut two potatoes into half each and then make four slices of each and keep in a water with some salt.

5. Take 3 cooking spoon oil in a cooker and add thin onions and let them be golden brown and then take it out and seperate so they harden.

6. Add small cardomons in the oil and then the kofta masala into it. Add tej patta, dalchinni and big cardomon along with salt at this time. Alow masala to cook. Do so by keep adding water once a while. This way it will take around 15 minutes. In meantime prepare koftas.

7. Wet your hand with water and take some kofta mixture and beat is nicely and then add egg or raisin in it and the close it nicely by beating softly. Keep using water and roll it out and keep aside. Make all koftas like that.

8. For nargisi kofta, one can use whole boiled egg or half / four pieces of it to fill inside kofta and for normal kofta one can use 4-5 kishmish. If one relishes ghee one can also put a drop of ghee with raisins inside kofta.

9. Once masala is done add about 1-2 cups of water to it and then slowly add koftas to it. Make distances and make place for all. Once they are added and water should be just at level of koftas and boiling, close the lid of cooker. Let cooker give about 5-6 whistles on slow flame.

10. Once steam releases, add khaskas to it and crush fried onions with some curry masala and kevda and add it to koftas masala and then add enough water to be made into curry. Water should be just little above the koftas.

11. Close the lid and give about 1-2 whistles.

12. Nargisi koftas are ready. One can decorate with cut fresh coriander leaves.

Note: if one wants curry and water gets evaporated in whistles one can boil water and add in curry and then boil the mixture for a minute and that works too.
Use about 4-5 tablespoon seeds to make khaskas paste and about 1/3 cup of channa for making that paste and one can save to use later. Don't add too much channa or it makes koftas hard.

Garam masala ingredients- roast a handful cumin deeds (jeera), black pepper (kali mirj), some cloves(laung), 1-2 cinnamon(dalchini) , some big and small cardomon(elaichi ) and then mix in a dry blender and store.

Mint (pudina) powder used was made by drying fresh pudina leaves in sun or in air for some days and then smashing them and storing.
One can also roast black pepper as well cumin seeds (seperately) and mix in blender and store for days.

Variation

1. One can use kofta mixture to make seekh kabab on a tandoor.

2. If raw papaya(kacha papita) is available, take a small piece and mix in a blender and add in the kofta mixture, it acts as a binding agent for making Gulati (shammi and seekh) kababs using raw kheema. Never add it in koftas or they will scatter.

3. Use thin kheema meat for koftas or else boil the mixture, for 5-6 whistles and grind using sil batta and then add in curry when curry is completely done.

Apple Nut Cake!

INGREDIENTS

* Granulated Sugar- 2 cups (Make it powdered by blending in a mixer and leave 1-2 tsp for sprinkling or one can use caster sugar)

* Butter-1/2 cup (melted)

* Eggs-3 eggs

* All-purpose flour(Maida)-1 1/2 cups

* Baking soda-1 teaspoon

* 1 pinch salt

* Ground cinnamon-1 1/2 teaspoons

* Vanilla extract-1 1/2 teaspoons

* Apple - peeled, cored and chopped -2 cups (5 small apples)

* Walnuts- 1/2 cup

*Almonds-3/4 cup(1/2 cups for cake and remaining for top)

* Raisins-1/4 cup

*Yogurt-1/2 cup

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch cast iron skillet(I used spring form cake maker). In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat well. Fold in the chopped apples and nuts.Also add 1/2 cup of yogurt for moistness Put some flaked almonds above the mixture.

3. Pour batter into a greased 9 inch cast iron skillet or cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.(It took around an hour for me).

4. Sieve some powdered sugar and serve.

P.S. I made some home variations in the original recipe and this recipe turned bit heavy but heavenly if you are a nut fan.