Mohanthaal - Traditional Indian Gram Flour And Cardamom Fudge

Every year, come Diwali and you will see me scouring my mother's cookbooks looking for a traditional Indian sweet recipe to try my hand at. And of course, when I say every year I mean every year since I started writing this food blog. For every other time, I believe in the convenience and practicality of store-bought. 

Turns out that I have apparently tried all the easy stuff there is to make. So, this year, it was time to get a bit ambitious. So, with great enthusiasm, encouraged by Mama of course, I zeroed in on making Mohanthaal, a traditional besan (gram flour) and cardamom sweet from Gujarat that is then topped off with slivered pistachios and almonds.

But honestly, when the time arrived to make it, the only person enthusiastic about making it was Mama. Thankfully, she insisted and persisted and made this absolutely delectable Mohanthaal that I can share with you. All that yours truly did was to measure out the ingredients, read aloud the directions from the recipe book and cut the squares of the finished product, which as you can see are all crooked and uneven!

However, if you have the enthusiasm, it all seemed quite easy or at least that's how Mama made it look. And not too time-consuming either. And the end product was nothing short of professional and even better than the shop bought stuff and no, I am not being biased!

Each little cube of this Mohanthaal is packed with all that is right about Indian festive sweets. It is rich, indulgent, flavoured with cardamom, topped off with nuts and meant to be shared with as many people as you can this festive season!

This Diwali, amidst all your shopping, I hope you bought some traditional diyas to light up your homes.The potters who create them are a traditional, cottage industry that will face an unfortunate decline without all our collective support and patronage.

Wishing all you beautiful people and your families a very happy and blessed Diwali, from our home to yours!!  

Caramel Custard / Classic Crème caramel

What I enjoy when it comes to food are the memories and anecdotes that it evokes. And it gets even better when it comes from an era you were never a part of.

 

But, a little background first. Thanks to India's colonial past, the British left their mark on the Indian culinary scene. It was some of their beloved dishes that they improvised with the ingredients and spices that they found in India. Some of the popular dishes were Roast chicken, lamb stew, mulligatawny soup, meatloaf, fried fish with tartar sauce and for the desserts, there was trifle, bread and butter pudding, chilled lemon soufflé and caramel custard. And while this unique fusion cuisine is referred to as 'Anglo-Indian' cuisine, colloquially it was called 'English Khana'!

 

And much through the 50s, 60s and 70s, when very few Indians had the opportunity to experience the world outside, this English khana was all that we thought of as international cuisine. And I am told, in a distorted interpretation of modernity, it was considered 'modern' in those days, to say that you had English khana for dinner!!

My mother recounts how in the early 70s, a certain matriarch was on the lookout for a suitable match for her most eligible son. I am digressing but I have to state that I am yet to meet an Indian mother who does not think her son is most eligible. Anyhow, this particular lady rejected a whole host of young ladies because they admitted that they did not know how to make caramel custard!! Gasp!!! How did they ever think they would be suitable for her esteemed son if they did not even know how to make caramel custard, the epitome of English khana?!!?

It's such a random story but it makes Ma and me laugh every time someone mentions caramel custard!

 

I won't get into why I remembered this story but it did make me ask my mother for her very own caramel custard recipe. She's always insisted, it's extremely easy to make and I reckoned it must be, considering how often she churned it out when we were kids.

Looking at the recipe, there are only four ingredients and I have given a few tips from the dependable Mary Berry so that you just can't go wrong! Its all straightforward but it is preferable that you make it a day before you want to serve it.

The end result is perfect. The custard is smooth, light and not too sweet. It contrasts and compliments that dark, auburn caramel layer that is sweet with a hint of bitter that makes this dessert the classic it is. It is one of those desserts that isn't too heavy and helps finish off a meal on the right note.

Is there any food-related memory or anecdote that always has you in splits that you'd like to share??

Flourless Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake (Torta Gianduia)

It's that special time of the year .. Diwali is here!! Walk around any Indian city, town or village, you just can't miss the spirit of bonhomie and excitement that overtakes all of India. A time when all of India is lit up with lamps and lights to welcome the Goddess of prosperity in all aspects of our lives. A time when you reach out with the warmest wishes not only to your friends and family but even to random strangers that pass you by.

 

 

It is also a time when all kinds of deliciousness is being rustled up in kitchens across India, to be shared with family and friends. In the ideal world, you would want to make all that deliciousness in your kitchen. In the modern, practical world, you may outsource all that deliciousness, from people who are more adept than you. What remains important is that your home remains welcoming and warm to all!!

 

But that doesn't mean I can't bake a cake and share it with you this Diwali. And it's not just any cake, it is the most decadent and luscious chocolate cake that I've ever baked. Perfect for any celebration!!

 

 

This is a flour-less, chocolate and hazelnut cake that I had seen the 'Hairy Bikers' bake in Italy when they baked their way through Europe. I have never worked with hazelnuts before and wasn't sure how they tasted or for that matter, how they paired with chocolate. This cake explains and justifies why chocolate and hazelnuts are one of the most favoured and celebrated food pairings.

 

There is nothing complicated with the recipe. The cake will not rise much as there is no baking powder used. Instead it rises on account of the eggs used and how well you whisk those egg whites. Do be prepared for the top to sink a bit when you take it out of the oven.

 

 

The flavours of the toasted hazelnuts melded with the dark chocolate results in a dense, luscious chocolate cake where the taste and sensuality of chocolate is heightened without being overpowering. Even better, there is no cloying after taste and a small piece of this rich cake goes a long way.

 

The cake works well on its own but to finish it off for presentation, I added a small layer of my tried-and-tested frosting on the top of the cake. This is not an everyday cake but a cake for a celebration!!

 

 

This festive season, I wish you love, luck, happiness and prosperity in all aspects of your life. Wishing you a very happy and blessed Diwali, from my home to yours!! 

 

Handvo - Savoury Spiced Mixed Lentils Cake

They say you can spend an entire lifetime sampling India's vast and diverse cuisine and you still would not have sampled it all. Every state has its own distinctive cuisine, with further subtle nuances within the different regions of each state.

 

 

For me, diversity begins at home. My father hails from Gujarat on the west coast and my mother from Odisha on the east coast. Much like the people of the two states, their cuisine could not be more different. Odia food is simple and without too much spices, letting the beautiful produce from the generous land speak for itself. Gujarati food, on the other hand, is more robust in terms of spices and flavour. Since, the land is not as bountiful as that in Odisha, the cuisine has a more lentil-based flavour profile. Each cuisine so unique and yet, so delightful. No wonder then that my sister and I grew up with such adventurous palates!!

 

 

We are in the middle of the nine day, Navratri festival, where India worships and celebrates the divine power of its feminine deities. The Gujaratis wait all year for Navratri, where they unleash themselves and their dancing talent on the world. Every night is a night for family, friends and some insanely crazy traditional dancing of 'garba-dandiya'. The enthusiasm and the energy is simply put, heady and infectious.

 

 

So, in the spirit of the season, I bring you this savoury lentils cake, straight from the Gujju heartland. The recipe is from Tarla Dalal, a Gujarati herself, who's taken a traditional recipe and adapted it for the modern kitchen.

 

The recipe might seem a bit lengthy but that is only because you have to soak and ferment the rice and lentils overnight. Once that is done, it hardly takes any time to put it together.

 

 

The end result will impress even the purists. The cake sets beautifully with this crispy top, thanks to the tempering that we pour on the batter just before baking. That crispy topping that is flavoured with seeds is addictive. This is a very wholesome cake with enough spice and complexity to tantalise and excite the palate. If you are balking at the thought of the vegetable, rest assured, it is there for volume and texture, you don't really taste it.

 

Paired with some mint-coriander chutney, it is a meal by itself. Wash it down with some lassi, it doesn't get better!!

 

 

I believe Navratri is a timely reminder to society to treat its women with the same respect and devotion we accord our Goddesses. With that sentiment in mind, I wish you all a very Happy Navratri and Dasera.

Mini Pavlovas With Mangoes And Cream

I've been missing in action for the past few weeks. Blame it on the heat.. in fact, these days, I blame the summer heat for everything that doesn't go my way!! Summer is at its peak and if you've ever experienced the Indian summer then you know how the heat has this unique ability to sap you of all enthusiasm that you might have towards life. It induces a certain lassitude and inertia that reduces life to spending much of your days indoors, till the better part of the day is over.

And yet, like the proverbial silver lining, summer has its redeeming features. The first, for me, would be the fragrance of summer flowers that come alive in the evening. As the sun sets and the blinding heat of the day recedes, a gentle wind picks up. And it brings with it the sensual and seductive scent of flowers that are unique to the tropics. Mostly white in colour, these are flowers such as jasmine, mogra, tube roses, champa, raatrani and frangipani. Step out of your indoor confines and as the heady waft of these flowers washes over you, it brings a much-needed relief and calm that makes you understand why poets and writers alike, have waxed lyrically about summer evenings!!

 

The second redeeming feature of the summer is mangoes. I had written last year about India's love affair with the fruit. The fruit is best enjoyed on its own and if it used in any dessert, it deserves that it remains the star of the show. When I first made a pavlova back in January, not only did I fall in love with this Aussie classic but I remember saying to myself that mangoes would be a good fruit to pair with the pavlova.

 

So, I went with a miniature version of a pavlova and paired it with a simple combination of mangoes and cream. While I abhor going anywhere near an oven in this weather, the beauty of a pavlova is that it can be made in advance during the cooler part of the day. And it takes no more than fifteen minutes to prepare before you pop it in the oven. Once in the oven, it can be forgotten until the prescribed time tells you to switch off the oven and leave it to cool down.

Mangoes and cream is an unbeatable combination but the pavlova base elevates it to the level of an elegant dessert. The light, chewy base is perfect for the summer where a cake or tart base would have been a tad too heavy for the season. And most importantly, the mango remains the star!!

I reckon and hope that these are the last days of the Indian summer as we count down to the monsoons. As we reel under a heat wave, the rains can't come fast enough!! Till then, simple pleasures remain our last refuge!!

 

Chocolate Mousse

Watching a chef work with molecular gastronomy is a bit like watching a mad scientist at work. You see unheard of ingredients and never before seen techniques come together to create food that has textures and flavours, beyond anything you can imagine. It challenges and defies all conventional ideas and norms that one has come to accept when it comes to food. While there is a scientific rationale behind it all, to the lay person it is a bit like magic!

 

 

It is not only about creating new textures and new flavours, it is also about achieving a conventional result with an unconventional technique. So, while I believe molecular gastronomy is best left to the professionals, I couldn't resist giving this chocolate mousse recipe a shot. This recipe was invented by a French physical chemist, Herve This, also known as the 'Father of Molecular Gastronomy'. It turns on its head everything you know about making chocolate mousse as well as about working with chocolate and yet, results in the creamiest, silkiest and chocolatiest chocolate mousse you've ever had!!

 

 

The first rule when you work with chocolate is that it should never come in contact with water. This recipe breaks that rule irreverently by having only two ingredients, water and chocolate. The two are melted together and the resultant mixture is transferred to an ice bath. It is then whisked and as air is introduced into this mixture, it emulsifies like a mayonnaise and achieves the desired mousse like consistency. And you are done!!

 

It seems strange but that is all that there is to it! No cream, no yolks, no butter, no sugar.. just chocolate and water!! And yet, like I said, this mousse is creamy, satiny and luscious. You won't believe it, until you try it for yourself!! In fact, Monsieur This is said to have remarked, "I invented it — but it was so easy, I'm embarrassed!"

 

Just keep two things in mind. Use the best chocolate that you can lay yours hands on because that's what you will taste. There is nothing behind which the chocolate can hide itself. And secondly, be very precise with your measurements. If you want to introduce a liqueur, subtract the same amount of water as the amount of liqueur you are going to use and then introduce the liqueur.

 

This is a very intense, chocolate dessert and a small amount goes a long way! And since I didn't have the requisite serving ramekins, I dug into my shot glass collection. An unconventional dessert deservedly demands an unconventional showcase!!

 

 

As the original mad scientist, Einstein once said, "make things as simple as possible, not simpler"! This chocolate mousse is testament to the spirit of that statement.

 

Strawberries en Papillote

In my neck of the woods, we don't have a gradual thaw when it comes to Winter. It arrives unannounced one fine day in November, when you feel a certain nip in the air. And then just like that, Winter disappears. You wake up, one day in March, to find the sun has gotten harsh and the days, uncomfortable and you know Summer is round the corner. If you know how much I love to hate the torrid, unbearable Indian Summer, then you know how much I am looking forward to the next three months!

 

And the change of weather signals the end of the strawberry season. So, I wistfully bid adieu to Winter with a simple dessert that celebrates this beautiful berry as it gets ready to leave the Indian markets.

 

 

The recipe I turn to is from Beatrice Peltre's beautiful, award-winning blog, La Tartine Gourmande. If you are familiar with the food blogging world, you would be well-acquainted with Bea's blog. I remember the first time I landed up at her blog, it would be a long time before I left. I was completely mesmerised by her stunning photography and her holistic approach to food with an emphasis on seasonal and fresh produce. I was charmed!

 

Come summer and one can see Bea work her magic with berries and other summer fruit. Time and again, in her posts, I would see her lightly steaming fruit in its own juices in a pouch placed in the oven. The technique is known as "en papillote" and I have seen it being used to mainly steam fish or vegetables. Seeing it being employed with fruit was a first.

 

 

This dessert is simple and more importantly, it hardly takes any time and effort. The strawberries are tossed with sugar and vanilla and then placed in a secure parchment-paper parcel and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Allowed to rest for ten minutes, the fruit is then served with vanilla ice-cream. I told you it was simple!!

 

 

The best part is the gentle waft of vanilla that creeps into your home while the fruit cooks in the oven. Steaming the fruit in its own juices tends to accentuate its taste and is a beautiful way to celebrate the fruit. The flavour of the vanilla does not burst through but instead provides this dessert with a certain 'je ne sais quoi', a certain elusive, indefinable, but definitely pleasing flavour. And it does not disappoint with the visual. The strawberries leach out a sticky and vibrantly red syrup that not only catches your eye but also threatens to stain everything it comes in contact with.

 

Looking back, I could have added a herb, like some mint leaves, that would have gone well with the strawberries. You can adapt this dessert with the any other fruit or condiments of your liking.

 

 

This dessert will captivate and at the same time, soothe all your senses. It is so beautiful in its simplicity that it is lyrical. It would be a pity to give it a miss!!

 

Cranachan

Every year, on January 25th, Scots around the world remember their most celebrated cultural icon, the poet, Robert Burns. Burns' poetry ranges from the romantic to the satirical, from the patriotic to the liberal and from the idealistic to the egalitarian. Widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, his life and works are commemorated on his birth anniversary with a night of revelry, known as 'Burns Night'.

 

Burns Night is an institution of Scottish life. From traditionally formal to boisterously informal, it is a night that includes Scottish music, a traditional Scottish meal, recitation of Burns' work, all which is washed down with copious amounts of Scotch whisky.

 

I reckoned there was no better time than Burns Night, to try my hand at a traditional Scottish dessert, the cranachan. In it's most simplest version, it is cream flavoured with oatmeal, honey and whiskey and then, much like a trifle, layered with fresh fruit. Since, I have already anointed January as the month of strawberries in India, it would be my fruit of choice.

 

It doesn't get much easier or faster to whip up a dessert than a cranachan. It took me all of fifteen minutes to prepare it. The only cooking you do is to toast the oatmeal. And for the fruit layer, I pureed half of the strawberries and kept the rest as quartered pieces.

 

The dessert is simplicity at its best. Oatmeal gives the cream a certain amount of body to retain shape when it is layered. Flavoured with a touch of honey, the whisky imparts a certain warmth to the cream. And of course, you cannot go wrong with the pairing of strawberries and cream.

 

While this may look like a trifle, this is more like a posh version of strawberries and cream, without the messiness of an 'Eton Mess'. This is a dessert that delivers on simplicity, elegance, practicality, time and most importantly, taste.

 

I leave with you with a few words from one of Burns' most well-known poems, written in 1788, 'Auld Lang Syne'. Popular throughout the world and is sung usually at the stroke of midnight, to bring in the New Year. Burns claimed that he collected the song by writing it down from an old man's singing. The title can be loosely translated as "For (the sake of) old times".

 

Extremely nostalgic, it remembers the times gone by, with a call to remember long-standing friendships. A sentiment that will always find resonance, despite the strains of time and change!!

 

 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne!

 

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

 

Honey-Toasted Muesli

Read food blogs and you'll notice one thing - food bloggers have this common tendency to re-create a supermarket-bought product at home (think jams, sauces, vanilla extract) and then go on to write about how easy it was to make it. About how much better the home-made stuff tastes compared to the "awful" and "over-priced" versions in supermarkets and then invariably, the post will end with the words "make this once and you will never go back to the shop-bought version" or something along those lines!!! And without doubt, topping that list of products is home-made muesli and granola!!

 

Since, I now consider myself a bonafide food blogger, I thought I would let myself into this Martha Stewart-esque world to see what the fuss was all about. My first stop was going to be ...  why muesli, of course!!!

Scour the Internet and there are literally hundreds of muesli and granola recipes. The difference between muesli and granola is that while they both contain oats and dried fruits, granola has oil and honey added, making it more crisper and sweeter. I took the middle path and since, I still had some honey left over from when I made this bread, I went with this recipe of honey-toasted muesli that I had seen on Masterchef Australia!!

The recipe can't get any simpler .. weigh out all the ingredients in a baking tray, toss them around, drizzle some honey on it, in to the oven for 15 minutes and the aroma from the oven will tell you that you are done!!! You know that, more often than not, the recipes I blog about are fuss-free and hardly take any time. But even by my standards, this seemed a bit too simple ... I actually re-read the recipe twice to check if I had missed out any steps. Nope, it turns out.. that is all there is to it!!!

 

But, does it really taste any better than the shop-bought stuff. Here's the thing .. make muffins at home and then buy some from a supermarket (not some fancy bakery). There will be a difference, the home-made ones will feel and taste fresher, less greasier and you will taste flavours besides, just sugar!! It is the same deal with this muesli.

Personally, I have always found store-bought muesli a bit chalky and this is where the home-made stuff triumphs. You can discern each and every component - their texture, their flavour, their shape and their colour .. all of it!! In simple terms, it's all that much fresher!!!  

Make it at home and you can play around with the ingredients. Omit the stuff you can't stand and add in the stuff you love!! There are no rules. Search the Web for inspiration or make your own mix.

 

I do realise that while people see the benefits of making stuff at home, sometimes, with the pressures of work and life, it is just more convenient to buy stuff from the supermarket. It's just that much more practical!! But in this case, I'll make a case for this muesli a bit stronger... all it will take you is 20 minutes from start to finish to get a week's supply of breakfast!!! And this will sound cliched .. but it's 20 minutes well spent!!!

Personally, muesli is not so much for breakfast but for my 4 pm hunger cravings, that special time of the day when all my good diet behaviour of the day comes undone!! A bowl of this with some yoghurt is the option I highly recommend. 

 

And yes, I admit .. I've enjoyed this little foray of mine into the world of making home-made supermarket stuff. Next stop.... home-made vanilla extract!!!

Venetian Carrot Cake

I have been overwhelmed and touched with the messages of support and encouragement I have received over the past week!! The blog has put me in touch with friends whom I had lost touch with over the years despite the irony of all of us having each other on Facebook. And that's why this post is for one of my oldest and dearest friends - Deblina! She applauded the idea of the blog when I first floated it, thought of its name and when I had all but given up on it, prodded me along gently. Along with school friend, Mariam, she writes a blog - 'Made in Umami' - a definitive guide to Mumbai's (and post-marriage, London's) food landscape.

When I saw the recipe for this Venetian carrot cake, it just had her name written all over it. Carrot cake is her absolute favourite (she even served it at her wedding!). Its Venetian version, an ode to her plans for a honeymoon in Venice! Coincidence?? I'd say Serendipity!!

The recipe is from Nigella Lawson's latest offering, 'Nigella Kitchen'. I must confess, it was Nigella's cooking show that somewhere convinced me to enter the kitchen and try my hand. She made it look all so easy. Yes, the purists might frown at her techniques and she does overdo the cream and butter at times. But then, she also does cut everything from chicken to herbs with a pair of scissors!! She describes this cake as an earlier version to its American counterpart, made by Venetian Jews in their original ghettos.

The recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free. Before you rejoice, remember the flour is replaced by almond-meal and that makes the cake a bit on the richer side. The good news, however, is that a small wedge of it will satisfy you! And for those of you who hate their veggies, you don't taste the carrots but they do provide an added texture and a natural sweetness and moistness.

After baking, the cake turns a lovely, golden orangey - brown on the outside while the inside maintains a paleness owing to the almond meal. This is a lovely, moist and slightly crumbly cake which can be shared among a large group. The plumped-up raisins and the hint of that  zesty lemon (in taste and aroma) are the side acts that almost overshadow the main players! Try this cake while the carrots are in season and before their fresh, pinkish hue is bleached to an unappetising pale orange by the Indian summer!!