Tat (Parsi Sweet Fermented Cake)

Name: Tat (Parsi Sweet Fermented Cake)
Ingredients: 1 pound All-purpose flour (Maida) (Originally 'Home-ground wheat maida'.); 1 pound Sugar (Originally '1 Sher' (approx 1 lb).); 1 pound Ghee (Originally '1 Sher'. This creates a very rich, pound-cake-like batter. Can be reduced if desired, but 1:1:1 ratio is traditional.); 2 tablespoons Active dry yeast (Originally '4 tolas khamir' (approx 45g fresh yeast) or toddy. Substituted with active dry yeast.); 1 1/2 cups Warm milk (Quantity estimated for batter consistency. Originally 'milk as needed'.)

A rich and porous traditional Parsi cake made from a fermented batter of wheat flour, sugar, and ghee. This "Tat" is characterized by its honeycomb texture and deep, buttery flavor, achieved through yeast fermentation and slow baking. A comforting tea-time snack that balances sweetness with the unique tang of fermentation, similar to a dense, sweet bread or heavy cake.

Ingredients

1 pound All-purpose flour (Maida) (Originally 'Home-ground wheat maida'.)
1 pound Sugar (Originally '1 Sher' (approx 1 lb).)
1 pound Ghee (Originally '1 Sher'. This creates a very rich, pound-cake-like batter. Can be reduced if desired, but 1:1:1 ratio is traditional.)
2 tablespoons Active dry yeast (Originally '4 tolas khamir' (approx 45g fresh yeast) or toddy. Substituted with active dry yeast.)
1 1/2 cups Warm milk (Quantity estimated for batter consistency. Originally 'milk as needed'.)

Instructions

1In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
2In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Melt the ghee and mix it into the dry ingredients. Add the activated yeast mixture and the remaining warm milk gradually, stirring to form a thick, smooth batter (similar to a thick cake batter).
3Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and place it in a warm, draft-free area. Let the batter rise for about 3 to 4 hours, or until it is bubbly and has increased in volume.
4Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a deep baking dish or cake tin with ghee. Pour the fermented batter into the tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.