Diamond Cuts

Ingredients

• Maida - 1 cup
• Soda powder - A pinch
• Water - (1/8 - 1/4) cup 
• Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
• Salt - As required

For sugar syrup :

• Sugar - 3/4 cup
• Water - 2 cups

Method

1. Mix maida, soda powder, cardamom powder and salt with enough water to make a smooth dough.Knead very well to incorporate all the ingredients.
2. Leave the dough for around 15-30 mts.
3. Divide the dough into equal parts and start working on one ball at a time.
4. Flatten the dough ball and cut out equal strands of ribbons.
5. Now make slanted cuts in one ribbon and you get diamond shaped cuts. Repeat the steps for all the dough balls.
6. Heat a pan with enough oil and fry the cuts out (few at a time).
7. The cuts will puff up and ends will start browning up. 
8. Drain them and keep aside.
9. Mix water and sugar and heat it until you get a threadlike consistency.
10. Dip the diamond cuts in the sugar syrup and drain them. Keep them aside for cooling down.
11. Once the cuts are cooled, store them in an airtight container.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• Maida - 1 cup
• Egg - 3 nos
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - (1/2 -3/4) cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
• Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• Cashews - 25 gm

Method

1. Powder the sugar finely.
2. Beat together the egg and sugar for 2 minutes and add vanilla essence.
3. Sift the cocoa powder, maida and baking powder.
4. Combine the beaten egg mixture, the mixed powders and ghee together in a bowl and mix well.
5. Grease the baking pan with ghee and pour the prepared mixture into it.
6. Bake in an oven at 900°C for 3 minutes and then at 600°C for 1 minute. 
7. Remove the baking pan from the oven and then preheat for 3 mins (microwave + grill).
8. Bake again at 900°C for 1 minute. (You can check if the cake is cooked by inserting a knife into the cake. If it comes out clean, then its done)
9. Remove it from the oven and cool it.