Almond Fudge (Badaam Paak)

Badaam paak is a North Indian sweet commonly served on auspicious occasions.  I made it recently for a Diwali celebration.

Most recipes include the following ingredients, though the proportions vary.  Some versions also include desiccated coconut (for additional sweetness and texture) and milk powder.

Makes 32 2-inch squares

Ingredients

16 ounces unsalted butter (4 sticks)

20 ounces semolina (sooji)

1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

2-3 generous pinches saffron

18 ounces almonds, coarsely chopped

20 ounces sweetened condensed milk

2 ounces pistachios, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon white poppy seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottom pot on medium heat.

2. Sauté semolina, cardamom, nutmeg and saffron until mixture is fragrant and light golden brown.  This will take 15-30 minutes depending on the pot and the heat.  Semolina can burn quickly so stir constantly and pay attention to the mixture closest to the bottom of the pot.
3. Add 16 ounces almonds and stir for 2 minutes.  Then add condensed milk and stir until well mixed.
4. Divide mixture into two 9x9 inch metal baking pans.  Use the back of a spoon to distribute the mixture evenly.

5. Sprinkle with remaining almonds, pistachios and poppy seeds.  Press with the back of a spoon to ensure that nuts and seeds adhere.

6. Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.  While still warm, use a sharp knife to cut into squares or diamonds.

7. Store in an airtight container lined with wax paper.  Will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and in the freezer for 6 months.

Rose-Flavored Wedding Drink (Sherbet)

We are well into the summer wedding season in North America.  In many cultures, weddings are associated with particular foods.  In Mexico, a spicy lamb stew called birria is the centerpiece of the traditional wedding meal.  The English serve fruitcake as their wedding dessert.  In Italy, five sugar-covered almonds known as Italian confetti or Jordan almonds are given to guests as favors.  The almonds symbolize happiness, longevity, health, prosperity, and fertility.

In my community, the traditional wedding dish is beef biryani.  The meal is finished with ladoos (sweet chickpea balls) and gathiya (savory deep fried chickpea dough).  In addition to food, sherbet (a rose-flavored milk drink) is traditionally served at weddings, engagements, and other celebratory events.  This sweet beverage is thought to augur a sweet marriage.  It is easy to make and keeps for several days (without the nut garnish).

Ingredients

6 cups whole milk

1/2 can (7oz) sweetened condensed milk

2-3 teaspoons rose water or a few drops of rose essence

2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-6 drops red food color

finely chopped almonds and pistachio for garnish

Directions

1.       In a large pitcher combine the first five ingredients.  Use a long spoon to mix well.  Adjust rose, vanilla, and food color as desired.

2.       Pour into 6 to 10 glasses.  Garnish with nuts and serve.

Shrimp Biryani

This is my first post in 2012 – it’s been a busy year so far!

While I continue to cook fairly regularly, my blogging has lagged as I’ve not been able to find the time to draft detailed and history-rich entries. I’ve decided that – in the interest of posting more often – I may limit the preludes to my recipes.

This is the second biryani I’ve featured on this blog. A chicken version, featured in a post which describes the history of biryani, is available here. While biryani is most commonly made with lamb, beef, and goat, this shrimp version provides an alternative for pescetarians. You can read more about shrimp in my post for Lime Shrimp Curry.


Ingredients
Shrimp
2 lbs shrimp
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Rice
3 1/2 cups Basmati rice
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 medium onion, diced (optional)
3 pieces cinnamon bark
5 cardamom pods
7 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Sauce
2 tablespoons oil
4 cardamom pods
3 pieces cinnamon bark
1 1/4 cup fried onions, ground in a mortar and pestle
3 tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)
3 green serrano peppers (optional - they are hot)
3/4 cup yogurt
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup water (as desired)
cilantro (optional)


Directions
Shrimp
1. Marinate shrimp in lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Rice
2. Wash rice and soak for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil on medium low, and sauté onion. Once translucent, sauté cinnamon bark and cardamom pods until bubbling. Add water (be careful as this will splatter). Then add salt and increase temperature to medium high.
4. When the water boils, add turmeric and then soaked rice. When the water boils again, cover (leaving room for steam to escape) and turn to low heat (not simmer).
5. After about 10 minutes when the majority of the water has evaporated, shake the pot and lower heat to simmer. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Alternately, place pot in an oven at 225 F to dry slowly which will produce fluffy rice.

Sauce
6. In a large pot, heat oil. Once warm add cardamom pods and cinnamon bark.
7. Then add fried onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.
8. Then add next nine ingredients and sauté for 5 minutes until you have a thick gravy. Add water as desired.
9. Add shrimp and stir until warm.
10. Serve on a large platter with rice as the base. Then spoon shrimp biryani on top. Garnish with cilantro.

Note: Do not eat the cooked cardamom pods and cinnamon bark. They add aroma and taste but should not be consumed.

Cracked Wheat Pudding (Lapsi)

Lapsi is a sweet North Indian pudding or porridge similar to the semolina pudding (siro or sooji halwa) I featured previously on this blog. It seems to be most common in Gujarat but is also made in nearby Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Lapsi is often prepared for Divali and other auspicious events such as birthdays, anniversaries, when opening a new business, or moving into a new home. In Hinduism, it is also made as prasad (Sanskrit for gracious gift), a religious offering to a deity which is then distributed and consumed.

Broken wheat is not refined, and as such maintains the nutrients that are present in whole wheat. It is a complex carbohydrate so particularly suitable for those with diabetes.

There is also a savory lapsi made with spices, chillis, and vegetables which I have never tried.

Serves 12-16

Ingredients
10 ounces unsalted butter ( 2 1/2 sticks)
2lb cracked wheat (also known as dalia, crushed raw wholewheat berry, broken wheat, bulgar)
1 cup fine sweetened dessicated coconut (if you can only find shredded coconut, pulse in a food processor until fine)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoons golden raisins
8-11 cups water
1/8 teaspoon orange color powder
3 pinches saffron
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
slivered almonds and/or chopped pistachios, for garnish

Directions
1. In a large pot, melt butter. Saute cracked wheat and coconut over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until fragrant. Do not increase heat as wheat may burn and become bitter.
2. Add fennel seeds and raisins and saute for a further two minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and add 8 cups of water. Be careful as the hot cracked wheat might splatter.
4. Add orange color and saffron and mix well. Cover pot and return to medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Taste the lapsi to see if it has cooked. It should be neither chewy or mushy. If uncooked, add 1 or 2 cups of water and cover. Cook for 10 more minutes.
6. Again taste the lapsi. If it has not cooked, add 1/2 to 1 cup water and cover. Lower the heat if necessary. Cook for 5 minutes. Repeat until the lapsi is cooked.
7. Add sugar, cardamom and nutmeg. Note that lapsi will not cook further once sugar is added.
8. Garnish with almonds and pistachios and serve warm.
9. Lapsi can be stored in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for three months. To defrost leave in the fridge overnight. To reheat, add a little water and microwave in a covered dish or heat on the stovetop.

Gram Flour Fudge (Monthar)

This is one of my favorite Indian mithais (literally ‘sweets’). It seems to be Gujarati in origin since most of my Indian friends have never heard of it. Like so many mithais, its basic ingredients are a combination of flour, sugar, butter and milk. While often too sweet and rich for the Western palate, mithais are widely enjoyed by South Asians in the homeland and diaspora.

They are traditionally eaten on special occasions, and are not really equivalent to daily desserts which have become a modern custom in North America. Often, families will make platters of various kinds of mithais and send them to neighbors and friends in anticipation of Divali, Eid or other festive occasions.

Growing up in Calgary, we had a family friend who was renowned for her monthar. She would make it in great slabs studded with nuts and saffron threads. While I was away at college and graduate school, this was a favorite treat for me to pick up on my trips home. I’d usually freeze the whole batch, and defrost one square at a time.

Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon orange food color powder
1 lb unsalted butter (4 sticks)
1lb gram flour (also called besan or chickpea flour)
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/2 cup almonds and pistachios, chopped (optional)

Directions
1. Boil sugar, water and food color until 240F on a candy thermometer. It can also be tested by dropping a small amount on a plate. It will form a soft ball when it is at the right temperature.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the butter and using a spoon carefully skim off as much of the foam as possible. Then decant the butter, discarding the milk solids that have settled on the bottom of the pan. Return butter to pan.
3. On medium heat, add flour and sauté until golden brown. This can take 10-20 minutes so be patient.
4. Increase the heat slightly and slowly add evaporated milk, stirring constantly.
5. Add the syrup mixture and remove from heat. Add nutmeg, cardamom and saffron and stir well.
6. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, and then stir the mixture until it thickens.
7. Spread in a 9 x 9 inch pan and sprinkle with nuts. Using the back of a spoon, pat down gently to ensure the nuts are properly attached.
8. When cool, cut into 1 inch squares.
9. Store in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or the freezer for 3 months.

Millet Flour Flatbread (Bajari Rotlo)

Millet is possibly the first domesticated cereal grain. Recent evidence suggests that it has been grown in East Asia since 8000 BC and was the staple grain before the popularization of rice. Its cultivation is mentioned in the Bible.

Today millet is the sixth most cultivated grain in the world, but is largely unknown in North America and Europe. India and Nigeria are the world’s largest producers, followed by China and several African countries. It is a hardy crop that grows well without fertilizer and in water-poor environments. As a result it is widely cultivated in the global South, especially among the poorest people in these regions. It is generally not traded in the international markets.

Millet is gluten-free and non-allergenic. It is high in protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and B-complex vitamins. It is popularly used to make porridge in Russia and China, and is an important alcohol grain in Nepal, China, Balkan countries and India.

In Gujarat and other parts of India, where my family has its roots, millet is used to make the traditional local staple flatbread (known as rotlo or bhakri). Rotlo is thicker, coarser and more rigid than chapati, with which it has now largely been replaced. This recipe is a spicy version, but rotlo is traditionally made only with both flours, salt, oil and water (one can make the recipe below with just those five ingredients). My mother tells me that as a baby, I loved to eat yogurt with crushed rotlo. I guess some things never change...

Ingredients
3 cups millet flour (also known as bajari)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger paste
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic paste
4 green onions, thinly chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons oil (olive or vegetable)
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups water

Directions
1. In a large bowl, use your hands to mix all the ingredients (except the water).
2. Add 1 cup of water to form a dough. Add additional water slowly until all the flour is incorporated and you have a soft but firm dough.
3. In the meantime, heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat.
4. Separate dough into four balls.
5. Place one ball on an unused J cloth or silicone baking mat on a flat surface.
6. Flatten the ball using your fingers to press dough towards the edge. Continue until the bread is about 1/4 inch thick and about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Make sure it is even in thickness.
7. Lift the J cloth or mat to transfer the bread onto one of your hands (flat side up) and run under a small stream of water until wet.
8. Place the bread (wet side down) on the skillet. Cook for two minutes.
9. Moisten the top of the bread and flip. Cook for an additional two minutes.
10. Flip back to original side and cook for one further minute. Using a flat spatula, remove to a plate. Eat warm and serve with yogurt or vegetable curry.

Semolina Pudding (Siro or Sooji Halwa)

In a previous posting I mentioned semolina pudding (also called siro or sooji halwa) which is a common treat in South Asia. This pudding can be served for breakfast, as an appetizer (sometimes with papadums), or as a dessert. I recently made this in celebration of Divali.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole milk (can substitute 1% or 2% milk)
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 pinches of orange food powder or several drops of orange food color
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup semolina
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup evaporated milk (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons chopped almonds

Directions
1. In a deep pot, bring milk, sugar and color to a boil over medium heat.
2. At the same time in another pot over medium heat, sauté semolina in butter until light golden brown. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove semolina from the heat. Wearing oven mitts, carefully add boiling water (the semolina will bubble and splatter). Stir well.

4. Quickly add nutmeg, cardamom and saffron to warm milk and mix well. Return semolina to heat and add warm milk mixture. Stir until the mixture thickens.

5. Add evaporated milk and continue to stir well until mixture is the consistency of pre-baked cornbread batter.
6. Garnish with nuts. You can also garnish with shredded coconut, white poppy seeds and/or raisins.
7. This dish can be frozen for up to two months. To defrost, place in fridge overnight. Reheat over low heat by adding several tablespoons of water and stirring well. Alternately, add water and reheat in the microwave.

Pistachio Shortbread

Pistachios are native to Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and the first archeological record of their consumption dates to 6760BC in what is present day Jordan. They were brought to Italy from Syria during the reign of Tiberius in the first century. The word derives from Persian and comes to English via Latin.

While Iran still leads in international pistachio production, the United States is a close second. Until the 1970s, most pistachio consumed in the U.S. were imported from Iran. After relations between the two countries deteriorated starting in the 1970s, Americans started growing these nuts on plantations in California.

Pistachios are often eaten whole – salted or roasted - and are a popular flavoring in sweets such as ice cream, cookies and puddings. They are even more common in confections from the Middle East and South Asia including baklava and burfi among many others. These nuts are also traditionally used to make mortadella, an Italian pork sausage flavored with spices, nuts and herbs, and widely used in savory dishes from India, Iran and North Africa.

Research shows that pistachios significantly reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase antioxidant level in humans. In rats, they increase HDL (good) cholesterol without decreasing bad cholesterol.

This recipe is my adaptation of nan khatai, an Ismaili shortbread previously featured on this site.

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

3/4 cups white sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup semolina

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

1-2 tablespoons milk
pistachios, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 F. Grease or line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, semolina, baking powder, cardamom, nutmeg and pistachios. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add egg and mix well.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. It may take a few minutes to incorporate all the flour. Add milk to soften the dough.
5. To form cookies, roll 2 tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hands to form a circular disk (thicker in the middle than at the edges). Place on a baking sheet and flatten slightly.

6. To decorate, gently press a pistachio into the center of each cookie.
7. Bake for 20-22 minutes until you see a hint of color. Do not bake until golden brown. Remove immediately to a wire rack to prevent further baking. Once cool, cookies should break easily but not be crumbly. If the cookies are crisp, then they were over-baked.

Vegetable Samosas

Samosas are wildly popular among Indians and are commonly served as appetizers or snacks. They are also loved by non-Indians, which makes them a good item to serve in mixed crowds, even with relatively unadventurous eaters. Who doesn't like deep fried stuffed pastry?

In the Ismaili community, we make samosas that are relatively small (3-4 inches on the edge), flat and have a medium-thick pastry. Those of you living in North America are probably more familiar with the baseball sized, thick-pastry variety which are served in Indian restaurants. When I was young my mom would make meat and vegetable samosas from scratch. Later on, we would buy uncooked versions and fry them up for our guests. My mom, who is a health nut, started to bake them, which was much healthier and prevented a 'deep fried smell' in the house. While the recipe below is not hers, I take insipiration from her artery-friendly methods.

Although most commonly associated with India, samosas originated in Central Asia before the 10th century, and were introduced into the Indian subcontinent by traders in the 13th and 14th centuries. The word can be traced to the Persian word sanbosag. Other names include sanbusak in Arab countries, samsa in Turkik languages, sambosa in Afghanistan, sambusa in Iran and chamuça in Goa and Portugal. Due to migration and globalization samosas are now popular in Southeast Asia, East Africa, United Kingdom, North America and the former Portuguese colonies of Africa.

Samosas are usually triangle-shaped pastry shells stuffed with vegetables, potatoes or beef. Variations abound including chicken, fish, lamb, pork, pumpkin, paneer or cheese. Apparently, sweet versions are also produced in some places. In addition to different fillings, the pastry varies significantly from delicate phyllo dough to thick pastry crusts.

Traditionally samosas are deep fried, though in many Western countries they are now baked. I would not recommend frying this phyllo version due to the delicacy of the pastry. If you want deep fried samosas, use commercially available samosa wrappers (you can also use spring roll pastry or wonton wrappers) which are made from a thicker dough. Samosa are usually served with chutney. I prepared a tamarind version but mint or coconut/cilantro chutneys are also popular.

Makes 36 small samosas

Ingredients

Tamarind Chutney
2 cups hot water

2 1/2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon cumin

Samosas
3/4 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons oil (canola or corn)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
5-8 curry leaves
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn and carrots), defrosted to room temperature
2 teaspoons garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon lemon juice
handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
1 to 2 sticks (1/2 cup to 1 cup) unsalted butter, melted (butter substitute or olive oil for vegans)
8 ounces phyllo pastry dough (9 x 14 inch sheets), thawed overnight in the fridge

Directions
1. To make the tamarind chutney place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl or large lidded jar. Mix or shake well. The chutney can be prepared ahead and will last in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for three months. To defrost, thaw overnight in the fridge.
2. To make the samosas, boil potatoes until almost cooked. Cool to room temperature. Can be done a day in advance but make sure potatoes are at room temperature for this recipe.
3. In a large pot, heat oil on medium. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When mustard seeds pop, add onions, potatoes and vegetables. Cook on low heat until tender.
4. Add the next eight ingredients and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add cilantro and mix well. Set aside samosa filling.
6. Melt one stick of butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Once melted, unpack and unroll the phyllo sheets. Cover the sheets with a damp (not wet) towel to keep them from drying out. You will have to work quickly once the phyllo is unwrapped.
7. Place one sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface (a cutting board works well) and brush liberally with butter. Place another sheet on top and brush with butter. Cut the sheets into strips that are approximately 3 inches wide and 9 inches long.
8. Make sure the strips are laid out vertically. At the end of one strip place 1 to 2 tablespoons of samosa filling. Fold one corner in to fully cover the filling (thus forming a triangle tip). Now fold over the section containing the filling twice, making sure to keep it from falling out. Brush all visible surfaces with butter before folding once more. Fold the remaining phyllo over and use additional butter/oil to seal the samosa. Melt more butter if necessary. Click on this recipe for Spanakopita Triangles to see photos of the process step-by-step.
9. Place samosas (seal on the bottom) on two parchment or foil-lined baking sheets. Cover with a damp towel until ready to bake. [see second image above]
10. Repeat with other strips of phyllo and then with all phyllo sheets.
11. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
12. Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in a toaster oven or oven (do not use a microwave as samosas will become soggy). Alternately, unbaked samosas can be frozen immediately and baked when needed (bake from frozen, do not thaw first).

Spicy Indian Cake (Ondhwo)

Ondhwo is one of my comfort foods. It’s a flavorful Gujarati cake often served as an appetizer or tea-time snack. Although baked, it involves the addition of a vagaar, tempered spices, which I wrote about in a previous post. The cabbage is relatively unnoticeable but provides moisture that creates a dense cake. Ondhwo is similar to the more well-known dhokla – a lighter, steamed cake.

This is another recipe from my mom’s repertoire, although the chutney is my bastardized version of the original.


Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Savory Cake
1 1/4 cups chickpea flour (also known as besan, gram or chana flour)
2 1/2 cups semolina (also known as sooji)
3 cups cabbage, grated
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
3 teaspoons garlic paste
3 teaspoons ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 3/4 teaspoons citric acid
3 3/4 cups water
2 medium onions, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen carrots
3/4 cups vegetable oil (canola or corn)
3 teaspoons Eno’s fruit salt
10 dried whole red chillies, for garnish
2 to 3 sesame seeds, for garnish

Vagaar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (canola or corn)
1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
15-20 dried curry leaves (also known as limro)
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

Tomato Chutney
2 cups spicy or garlicky bottled red pasta sauce
1 teaspoon hot chilli garlic sauce (“rooster sauce”) or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 lemon, juiced

Directions
1. If possible, make the chutney a day or two in advance. To do this, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Add more chilli sauce or salt to taste. Store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Oil a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
3. To make the savory cake, mix chickpea flour and semolina. Add cabbage and mix well.
4. Add sugar, yogurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, chilli powder and citric acid. Mix well.
5. Add water, onions, peas and carrots. Then add oil and mix well. Set aside.
6. To make the vagaar, heat oil on low to medium heat for 3 minutes in a small skillet. Then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and sesame seeds and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove skillet from the heat.
7. Add the hot vagaar to the savory cake mixture. Add Eno’s fruit salt and mix well.
8. Pour batter into springform pan. Sprinkle top with dried chillies and sesame seeds. Bake for 60-75 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. To make individual ondhwos pour batter into aluminium muffin liners and bake for 20-30 minutes or until done.
9. Slice and serve warm with tomato chutney. Store in an airtight container for up to one week in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer.

Rose Milk Fudge (Burfi)

I made this burfi (as well as the treat featured last week) in celebration of Divali, the Hindu New Year or Festival of Lights. According to Hindu belief, followers of Lord Rama honoured his return to Ayodhya with rows of lamps (deepavali in Sanskrit) after a fourteen-year exile during which he triumphed over King Ravana who had kidnapped his wife Sita. Divali is the shortened form of the word deepavali.

There are many other significant events associated with Divali in Hinduism as well as Jainism and Sikhism. Divali is observed as a celebration of the victory of good over evil and the uplifting of spiritual darkness. It also marks the end of the harvest season, and is associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Traditionally, Divali marked the end of the fiscal year.

During Divali people light candles, set off fireworks, eat sweets and dried fruit, and give gifts (especially new clothes) to children. Many families create a rangoli at the entrance to their house.

I’ve been celebrating Divali for many years now. I usually invite friends over for dessert. This year I also made some savory treats which I will feature on this blog in the coming weeks.


Makes 30 pieces

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick or 1/4 pound) unsalted butter
1 lb (roughly 500g) ricotta cheese (full fat or partly skimmed)
1 cup granulated sugar
5 drops of red food color (add more for a deeper pink)
1-2 teaspoons of rose water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
2 ounces almonds, chopped
2 ounces pistachios, chopped

Directions
1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add ricotta cheese and cook for 8 minutes.
2. Add sugar, food color, rose water, nutmeg and cardamom. Stir for a further 6 minutes.
3. Add powdered milk and mix for a further 4 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into a metal brownie pan (6 x 10 inches). Sprinkle with nuts and press them into the mixture.
5. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.
6. Cut into rectangular pieces before serving. Will last for two or more weeks in the refrigerator.

Tree Sap Fudge (Goondh Paak)

Before you dismiss this recipe, remember that maple sugar is also tree sap.

This recipe uses one of the most unusual ingredients that I’ve featured on this blog – gum arabic. Also known as gum acacia or meska, this is the hardened tree sap from two species of the Acacia tree. Although cultivated in Arabia and West Asia since antiquity, European colonialism saw a strong rise in gum arabic production in West Africa. It is been highly prized for its properties as a binding agent and emulsifier, and one that is not toxic to humans. After African independence, it also became cultivated in East Africa - between the 1950s and 1990s Sudan accounted for 80% of world production. Today Chad, Nigeria and Sudan produce over 95% of worldwide exports.

Gum arabic has been used for many industrial applications including photographic gum printing; watercolour paint production; and production of pyrotechnics, shoe polish, and lickable adhesives. It is also a common ingredient in processed food – just check the ingredient lists on marshmallows, gum drops, chewing gum, soft drinks, M&Ms, confections, syrups and ice cream. Some readers may remember the contention that Osama bin Laden controlled significant gum arabic production in Sudan, and that the West should boycott the item. This claim was later refuted by the U.S. State Department.

Gund paak is a rich, though not cloyingly sweet, dessert. Although it uses whole wheat flour, it also contains a generous amount of butter and is thus best consumed in moderation.


Makes 64 pieces

Ingredients
10 ounces almonds, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 pounds (8 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces of gum arabic (also known as gum acacia) or gum substitute in small pieces
5 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon powdered orange food color (optional), available in South Asian food stores
1 pound jaggery, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 ounces pistachios, coarsely chopped

Directions
1. In a small bowl mix 8 ounces of almonds, cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. In a large cooking pot, melt butter on medium. Test temperature by placing one piece of gum arabic into the butter. It should bubble and float to the surface as a white popped form. If it doesn’t pop, then the butter is not hot enough; if it becomes browns, then the butter is too hot.
3. Once the temperature is correct, fry the gum arabic in 6-10 small batches . Remove with a slotted spoon and dry and cool on paper towels. When cool, mix with the almond mixture. Set aside. [See above photo of friend gum arabic]
4. Add flour to the same butter. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture becomes golden brown in color. If you stop stirring, it will splatter as hot air bursts through the flour mixture. You may also burn it.
5. Add food color and jaggery, and keep cooking until the jaggery melts.
6. Add the evaporated milk and the almond/gum mixture and continue to cook for 5-7 more minutes.
7. Transfer to a deep, large baking sheet (11x16) and spread evenly using the back of a metal spoon. Sprinkle with pistachios and remaining almonds, and use the spoon to embed the nuts into the mixture.
8. Cool to room temperature and then cut into 64pieces using a pizza cutter. Store in fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for several months.

Three Vegetable and Potato Curry

Although I’ve featured over one hundred recipes on this blog, this is one of the few that resembles what I grew up eating for dinner on a regular basis. In Gujarati Ismaili cuisine, there are two basic types of curry – a brown curry made with onions and tomatoes that features meat and a red curry made with tomatoes only that features vegetables. Of course, there are many dishes that don’t fit into this nomenclature including the coconut chicken curry and others that are actually inspired by the Swahili people of the East African coast, and not an adaptation of Gujarati food from India.

One of the key features of Indian cooking is what I grew up calling vagaar (but is more commonly known as chhaunk or tadka in the rest of South Asia) which refers to the ‘tempering’ of spices. This involves frying whole spices in oil or ghee to release essential oils that result in a more flavourful dish. The process is also said to aid in digestion and release the healing powers of spices such as carotene found in curry leaves. In this recipe, the vagaar is made at the beginning and tomatoes and other spices are added to the vagaar to form a paste. In other recipes, a vagaar is added at the end to a cooked dish such as a lentil or stew.

This technique is common in other types of cooking as well. To cook vegetables or meat, we often temper garlic and/or onions in oil or butter before adding the main ingredient. Does anyone know if the vagaar technique diffused to Europe and North America or if it developed independently in the West?


Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3/4 lb red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (preferably canola)
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
pinch cumin seeds
5 curry leaves (optional)
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic, paste or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon hot chilli powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2/3 lb French beans or string beans, ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 lb small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup peas (frozen is acceptable)
1/2 cup water
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
Serve with flatbread (rice, chapatis, parathas, puris, tortillas, wraps or whole wheat Pita)
Serve with lime pickle (optional)


Directions
1. Boil potatoes until almost cooked. Cool to room temperature. Can be done a day in advance but make sure potatoes are at room temperature for this recipe.
2. In a large pot, heat oil on medium. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When mustard seeds pop, add the next nine ingredients (tomatoes and spices). Cook for 3-4 minutes – until you have a rich red puree [see above photo].
3. Add in the beans and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add eggplant and 1/2 cilantro and continue to cook until all vegetables are just tender.
4. Add cooked potatoes, peas and water (to provide the consistency you prefer). Cook for 1-2 minutes until warm. Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve.
5. This curry is best eaten with flatbread. Click here to find out the technique. Also, serve with some type of spicy pickle. I recommend Patak’s lime pickle, which is divine. The curry can be eaten for up to 5 days, and often tastes better on the second or third day.

Peanut Biscotti (Jugu Cake)

This is a recipe from my father’s childhood. It comes from the Nanwalla Mithai shop, a store that sold Indian sweets in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The shop was owned by members of the Bohra community, an Indian Muslim immigrant community that had settled in East Africa. Jugu cake is similar to Italian biscotti, except that it is not double-baked.

Jugu is the Swahili word for peanut. Contrary to popular belief, peanuts are legumes and are not technically nuts. They are native to South and Central America and were domesticated in Peru almost 8,000 years old. The cultivation of peanuts spread through European colonialism. The Portuguese were responsible for introducing them to China and Africa, and they were brought to the United States through African slaves. Dothan, Alabama is responsible for fifty percent of all peanuts grown in the United States.

In addition to consumption of whole peanuts, they are commonly processed into peanut butter and peanut oil. Peanut meats or shells are also used in the production of paint, insecticide, furniture polish, plastic, cellulose, glue, animal feed and fertilizer.

Makes 5 dozen

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola or corn)
1 1/2 cups milk
3 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 cups shelled, unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. In a medium bowl beat one egg, vanilla extract, oil and milk. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and peanuts. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and form a dough.
3. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll each into a 10 to 12-inch log. Place the logs on greased cookie sheets and flatten them so they are approximately 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. [see the above photo]
4. Beat the other egg and brush it along each flattened log. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Cool for 5 minutes, and with a sharp knife cut the baked logs at a 60-degree angle into 1 1/2 inch wide cookies. Cool to room temperature and serve with tea or coffee. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Chicken Biryani

My summer wedding season is now in full swing. It began two weekends ago with an Indian Hindu-Christian union in San Francisco, continues this weekend with a gay couple marrying in the Hamptons, and will include nuptials in Luxembourg and Tuscany.

In the Ismaili tradition, a wedding meal centers around biryani, a rich and fragrant meat and rice dish that is traditionally served at feasts and celebrations. Biryani is distinctive for the richness and complexity of the meat, which is often marinated in yogurt and spices. In addition, the rice is usually flavored and scented for added appeal.

The term biryani comes from the Persian word beryā(n) which means “fried or roasted before cooking”, and is popular throughout South Asia and the Middle East. There are dozens of varieties specific to different regions, cultures and countries.

Persian in origin, biryani is thought to have been brought to South Asia by Timur (known as Tamburlaine in the West), a Turkish-Mongolian warlord who invaded India in the late 14th century. A different (and less common) version made its way to the subcontinent via Arab traders who landed at Calicut, in the Indian state of Kerala.

Traditionally the rice and meat are partially cooked separately, and then layered into a pot and cooked together to completion on low heat. My version, adapted from recipes from two different aunts, involves separate cooking of the rice and meat. While the most common type of biryani uses beef or mutton (goat), there are also vegetable, fish, quail, venison (deer) and prawn versions.

In addition to biryani, Ismaili weddings must include ladoos, a sugar-dipped chickpea flour sweet. Hopefully a recipe for ladoos will appear before the end of wedding season.


Serves 8

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade
3 pounds whole chicken or 2 1/2 pounds cut up chicken pieces on the bone, washed and patted dry
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
5 cloves
4 cardamom pods
3 pieces cinnamon bark
2 teaspoons fresh ginger puree
2 teaspoons fresh garlic puree
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt

Rice
2 cups Basmati rice
3 tablespoons canola or corn oil
5 cardamom pods
3 pieces cinnamon bark
4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Chicken Curry
8 small red potatoes, peeled and whole if tiny or cut in half
canola or corn oil for deep frying
3 tablespoons canola or corn oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger puree
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic puree
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
3 medium tomatoes, grated and skins discarded
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/4 cups store-bought fried onions, slightly ground in a mortar and pestle
4 hard boiled eggs, shelled and at room temperature (optional)
red bell peppers, in large pieces for garnish
cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Chicken Marinade
1. Mix yogurt, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, chili powder, lemon juice and salt. In a glass dish marinate the chicken in this mixture for 8 hours or overnight.

Rice
2. Wash rice according to directions on package. Soak in water for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium low heat. Sauté cardamom pods and cinnamon bark until bubbling.
4. Carefully add water (it will splatter) and salt. Increase heat to medium high to bring water to a boil.
5. Add turmeric and drained rice. When the water comes to a boil again, cover the pot and turn down the heat (though not quite as low as “simmer”). Make sure there is a small crack for the steam to escape.
6. After 10 minutes check to see that most of the water has evaporated. Shake the pot and lower heat to the lowest setting (usually “simmer”). Cook for another 10 minutes. As an alternative to the second 10 minutes of cooking, you can put the rice in an oven set to 225F to dry slowly. This will produce more fluffy rice.

Chicken Curry
7. Deep fry potatoes in oil. Make sure the potatoes are cooked all the way through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
8. In a large pot, on medium low heat, sauté garlic and ginger. Add fresh tomatoes, salt, lemon juice, turmeric and cilantro and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add tomato paste and garam masala and sauté for 2 minutes more.
9. Add the chicken pieces and 1/2 cup of the yogurt marinade. Cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes in a covered pot until the meat is no longer pink on the inside. Once the chicken is cooked, you should have a thick gravy. Sparingly add additional yogurt marinade if the chicken gravy seems too dry. If it is too thin, continue cooking uncovered to reduce.
10. Add potatoes and eggs and simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Serve in a large dish, topping a layer of rice with the chicken curry. Garnish with cilantro and slices or chunks of red bell pepper for color.

Cardamom Chocolate Shortbread (Nan Khatai)

Growing up, nan khatai were one of my favorite treats. I couldn’t resist their rich, buttery sweetness, especially hot from the oven. I remember sneaking tastes of dough from the bowl behind my mother’s back (in the days before I was concerned about raw eggs and salmonella). My mom mostly made plain nan khatai, decorating each with a fingerprint of green food coloring. An aunt later introduced us to the chocolate swirl nan khatais which are a delicious alternative.

Given the similarity to European shortbread, I decided to do some web research which revealed that since the 17th century shortbread-like cookies were made in Western India and were popular among European sailors. Later cookies were also imported from England. However, during the swadeshi movement for Indian self-reliance, such cookies were produced locally in tandoor ovens. Nan khatais are believed to have originated in Surat, a large port city and district in Gujarat. These confections are particularly popular in Bombay, which has a large Gujarati population. They are also common in Pakistan.

Online I found a reference to nuncatie, a variation of nan khatai, which was given two possible etymologies: from a Persian word meaning the “bread of Cathay or China” or from the Persian words nan (meaning bread) and khat (meaning six, referring to the six component ingredients – flour, eggs, sugar, ghee (butter), leavening and almonds).

This version of the peripatetic nan khatai comes to you from Chicago by way of Canada and Kenya.

Makes 48 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg (optional, see note below)
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup semolina
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons cocoa (optional)
whole almonds (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 F. Grease or line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, semolina, baking powder and cardamom. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add egg and mix well. You can omit the egg or replace it with 2-4 tablespoons of whole milk. If you do, the baked cookies will have a crackled (instead of smooth) surface.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. It may take a few minutes to incorporate all the flour. Don't feel obligated to use all the flour if your dough is becoming dry. Add milk to soften the dough again.

5. To form cookies, roll 2 tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hands to form a circular disk (thicker in the middle than at the edges). Place on a baking sheet and flatten slightly.
6. To decorate, gently press an almond into the center of each cookie.
7. If you would rather make chocolate nan khatais, place 1/4 of the dough in a small bowl and add cocoa. Incorporate cocoa by kneading. Take dough in the proportion of 1:3 (chocolate to unflavored) and roll both pieces into tubes of the same length (the chocolate tube will be much thinner). Roughly braid the tubes and roll the nan khatai in your hands until the doughs swirl. Place on baking sheet and flatten slightly.
8. Bake for 20-22 minutes at 300 F, until you see a hint of color. Do not bake until golden brown. Remove immediately to a wire rack to prevent further baking. Once cool, cookies should break easily but not be crumbly. If the cookies are crisp, then they were over-baked.

Tamarind Chickpea Curry (Channa Bateta) Recipe

Growing up, we often served channa bateta (which literally translates as chickpeas and potatoes) with chevdo, a spicy snack mix, that added a lovely crunch and saltiness to balance out the soft and sour curry (a chevdo recipe will appear on this blog soon). Channa bateta is not a traditional curry that you eat for dinner with roti and rice, but in my mind, is associated with sunny weekend afternoons and family gatherings.

The distinctive flavor comes from tamarind (the name tamar-i-hind is Arabic for “date of India”), which is used extensively in Indian, Thai and Mexican food and is widely available throughout Asia and Latin America. The tree is native to East Africa and was known to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.

Tamarind fruit are irregular shaped brown pods, and they contain dark brown pulp which is often both sweet and sour (high in sugar, acid, vitamin B and calcium). It is used in both Worcestershire sauce (a key ingredient is Caesar salad and Bloody Marys) and HP sauce, presumably having come to British cuisine via the colonization of India. Tamarind is also traditionally used in the now wildly-popular pad thai noodle dish.

Unless you have regular access to an ethnic grocery store, you can easily order tamarind online. The various pastes have different concentrations, so proceed with caution. Too much tamarind can be a mouth puckering experience.

Serves 12 as a main dish and 24 as a side dish

Ingredients
4 lbs of red potatoes (about 6-8 large potatoes)
4 tablespoons canola or corn oil
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
12-15 curry leaves (optional)
3 tablespoons chickpea flour (also known as gram or besan flour)
4-5 tablespoons of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup water (or more as required)
2 16-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch of cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped
1-2 tablespoons concentrated tamarind paste or 1 cup tamarind and date chutney
1 lemon (optional)

Directions
1. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes and boil until just soft. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a large pot, heat oil on medium. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When mustard seeds pop, add chickpea flour and cook until light pink (about 3 -5 minutes).
3. Add crushed and pureed tomatoes, salt, red pepper flakes, turmeric and cumin, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add 1/2 cup water to thin the tomato mixture. Add potatoes and chickpeas and mix well. Cook for 4 minutes and add up to another 1/2 cup water, or as much as needed.
5. Add half the cilantro and tamarind sauce and cook for a further four minutes. Tamarind sauces vary in potency and thickness. Use 1 or 2 tablespoons of pure tamarind sauce (which is thick and the color of molasses) or 1 cup of the tamarind and date sauce (which is sweeter, lighter and thinner). If you don’t know what you have, begin cautiously, and add to taste. If you add too much tamarind, you can use molasses or honey to balance out the sourness.
6. Add juice of one lemon for tartness.
7. Garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Coconut Chicken Curry (Kuku Paka) Recipe

I was recently at the opening night of a new exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. “Cézanne to Picasso” features paintings once owned or sold by Ambroise Vollard (1866-1939), one of the most prominent art dealers of his generation. During the tour we saw a painting by Pierre Bonnard depicting one of Vollard’s famous dinner parties. These were consciously unglamorous affairs held in the dealer’s dank wine cellar.

Our tour guide mentioned that the sole dish served at these dinner parties was Vollard’s famous chicken curry, which seemed an unlikely recipe for a Parisian art dealer. Some time spent on Wikipedia revealed that Vollard, in fact, hailed from the island of La Réunion, a French overseas départment in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Reunion was first discovered by Arab sailors, then occupied by Portugal, and later claimed by France. The culture of the island seems to be a mixture of European, African, Indian and Chinese influences.

Despite my best Googling efforts, I was unable to locate a description or recipe for Vollard’s curry, but I wondered if it bore any resemblance to the coconut chicken curry that my mom recently taught me to make. We call this dish kuku paka – kuku is the Swahili word for chicken, but the etymology of paka is unclear. The dish is well-known on the coast of East Africa where me, my parents and grandparents were born (and where coconuts are abundant). It has become known beyond this region, largely due to the dispersal of the Ismaili community, which considers the curry to be one of its quintessential dishes.


Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound medium potatoes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (or chicken breast) cut into about 10 pieces
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
1 large or 2 medium size onions, chopped
3 large tomatoes (important to get ones that are green or pale red), chopped
5 or 6 Anaheim green chilies (you can substitute 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for 1 to 2 chilies
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
6 hard boiled eggs at room temperature, shelled
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup evaporated or fresh milk (optional)
cilantro for garnish


DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and cut potatoes into quarters. Make sure all potato pieces are about the same size so that they boil at a similar rate. Boil until they are just starting to soften. Check frequently with a fork. Remove potatoes, plunge into cold water, and leave at room temperature.
2. In the same water (you can add more if needed), boil chicken pieces, half the garlic and all the ginger on medium high for 10-15 minutes, until just cooked. If chicken is still on the bone, cooking will take longer – drumsticks can take up to 30 minutes. Test for doneness by cutting the thickest piece – the chicken should have no pink color on the inside. Do not overcook. Remove chicken and let cool at room temperature. Save the cooking water.
3. In a blender or food processor puree onions, tomatoes, 1 or 2 chilies, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Be careful when cooking with chilies. You can always add more if necessary, but it is hard to make something less spicy once you have gone too far. Taste before adding more chilies.
4. Put this puree into a new pot and add the rest of the garlic and turmeric. Cook on medium low heat for three minutes. Add the remaining 4 whole chilies (do not slice them open).
5. Add coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt and lemon juice. Stir.
6. Add the chicken and cook for five minutes. Taste the dish and add more chilies if necessary. If the dish is too spicy you may have to try some damage control. Go to this website for your options.
7. Add eggs and keep cooking until the mixture just begins to boil.
8. Immediately add potatoes and remove from the heat. Boiled potatoes are very fragile and will crumble if overcooked. If you make this in advance of serving it, leave the potatoes at room temperature and add when reheated and just before guests arrive.
9. Add 1/4 cup evaporated or fresh milk if you want a richer curry.
10. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

This dish is traditionally served with Basmati rice and/or garlic bread. To make garlic bread, make a paste of 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1-2 tablespoons ready made cilantro chutney, salt (to taste) and chilies (to taste). Use a loaf of thick white bread (bigger than a baguette) and cut the bread into slices. Spread paste on both sides of each slice. Rearrange loaf and wrap well in foil. Bake at 250 F for 10-20 minutes, until warm but not crispy. Serve immediately.

Rose-Scented Coconut Squares (Topra Paak) Recipe

This is a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day. It is sugary sweet, smells like roses and pink! It is also ideal for sweethearts with food allergies or restrictions (it is gluten, dairy, egg and nut free).

I remember making this confection as a child with my dad. He grew up on the Indian Ocean in Dar es Salaam, the port city of Tanzania. Much of the coastal cuisine he grew up with contained coconut meat or milk since palm trees were ubiquitous. In the coming months you’ll see other recipes from his childhood featured on this blog – watch for Coconut Chicken Curry in March.

The last time I made these squares, I accidentally used sweetened coconut. The sugar syrup crystallized around the already sugary coconut and was too saccharine – even for me…


Makes 32 squares

INGREDIENTS

1 pound unsweetened desiccated coconut
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
3 teaspoons rose water or 1 teaspoon rose extract
1 teaspoon cardamom
red food coloring

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil sugar and water until the syrup is slightly thick and reduced by approximately half.
2. Add the coconut and mix well. Add rose flavoring and cardamom, and mix well.
3. Slowly add red food coloring, one drop at a time, until the mixture is light pink color.
4. Press into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and cool for 30 minutes.
5. Cut into squares or diamonds and let cool completely.

Variations for this sweet abound. For a richer, more fudgy square you can use milk or condensed milk instead of water. You can also decorate the top with pistachios, almonds, poppy seeds or edible silver paper. I prefer mine unadorned. You can also use a different food color. I would suggest green – perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.