Rasgullas, sweet round balls of bliss. For most Indians.

Made from paneer and soaked in honey sweet sugary syrup, for me whenever I eat one, its like I see a piece of my childhood come back each time. That is a priceless connection especially if you are far from your loved ones and your heart is heavy at this time of the year when you must celebrate Diwali, not only in a quiet manner (I actually prefer it that way) but not able to be close to the earth of your homeland.

I haven’t eaten a rasgulla in two years. About the time that I have been unable to go home. Whenever I arrive home, dad always (always!) has a bucketful ready for me in the fridge. I love them so much. I have been scared of making them at home just because it was never even a question to do so when living in India. There must’ve been a reason for that, right? I presumed them too difficult to make. NOT TRUE! They are so easy!

Rasgulla

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• for the rasgulla
• 1,5 litres whole milk
• 2 tbsps lime juice (add a little more if need be)
• 
  
• for the sugar water
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 4-5 cardamom pods
• 
  
• handful of rose petals
• 5-6 pistachio nuts, chopped

Instructions

1. For the rasgulla, bring the milk to a boil, in a pan. Only once the milk is boiling add the lime juice. The milk will separate and paneer will be formed. Pour out into a muslin cloth and squeeze excess liquid. Don't squeeze too much because then the paneer gets too dry. Rest for an hour.
2. Once the paneer has rested, bring it out onto a surface. You can use a thali or just your clean kitchen counter top. Now with the palm of your hand, knead the paneer for about 5 minutes so that it becomes smooth and has no grain. Bring it all together and make small balls. Roll them in your hands till there are no cracks. This should happen easily. Lay on a plate and cover with a cloth.
3. For the sugar water, add the sugar, water and cardamom to a pan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally till all the sugar has dissolved. Now drop in the paneer balls carefully. Keeping the heat to medium high, cook the paneer balls for around ten minutes. They should double in size. Take off heat and let rest for 6-8 hours so as to let the sugar water permeate into the now ready rasgullas!
4. To serve, place one or two rasgullas to a plate and spoon out some syrup as well on top. Sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals and enjoy!!!

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In India we have thousands of Gods. I kid you not! And everyone has a distinct personality and attribute to them. So’ of course in India everyone has their own favorite Gods.

Ganesha is also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu religion. Now I don’t want to play favorites but Ganesha is an endearing God. He is the God of prosperity. So, he loves to eat! In India prosperity is marked also by what weight you are. The heavier the more wealthy! Not sure if that would work in 2020

People love Ganesha because he is the God of prosperity and by keeping his statue in their house it is believed you invite that prosperity into your house as well. I have several of his statues, just because I love elephants and he adorns the elephants head. Ganesha is widely revered also as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the lord of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rites and ceremonies.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival on right now and marks the celebrations of the birth of Lord Ganesh. Large clay statues are created and mounted on pedestals and at the of the ten day period floated in the rivers of India. The clay then dissolves and Ganesh is believed to return to Mount Kailash and to Shiva and Parvati.

Since the dear Ganesh loves to eat, I prepared motichoor ladoos for him this year. They are made by deep frying besan or chickpea batter through a mesh forming small droplets of crunchy fried balls. These are then soaked in a sugar syrup and then formed into balls of bliss!

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to you all!

Motichoor ke Ladoo

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• for sugar syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• orange food color
• 
  
• for making boondi
• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• a few strands of saffron
• orange food color (use according to how intense you'd like the color to be)
• ¾ cup water
• oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. For the sugar syrup, dissolve sugar, saffron threads, food coloring and water in a pan and bring to a boil on high heat.
2. Cook the sugar solution till it reaches one thread consistency. Keep the sugar solution aside.
3. For the boondi, make a smooth flowing batter of the gram flour/besan, food coloring and water. The batter should neither be thick nor thin. It should be a flowing batter without any lumps. You can add more water if necessary. It should be like pancake batter.
4. Heat oil for deep frying in a deep pan. The oil has to be moderately hot. Take a perforated spoon. With your hands position the ladle above the oil. Take a large spoon of the besan batter and pour it on perforated spoon. Press with the other spoon so that the batter falls down from the perforations into the hot oil.
5. Fry the gram flour balls or boondi till they become golden.
6. Transfer the fried boondis to a dish. In the meanwhile heat the sugar syrup and and then add the boondis to it. Stir and mix well. The boondis should get softened in the sugar syrup.
7. In a blender add the sugar soaked boondis. Pulse the boondi mixture a few times.
8. If the boondis are a bit crisp, then add 1 or 2 tbsp more of the hot water. The boondis will absorb the hot water and remain soft and moist.
9. Apply some oil or ghee on your palms and shape the motichoor ladoos. The mixture would be warm when preparing the ladoos. When cool they will become more firm.
10. You can garnish the motichoor ladoos with pistachio nuts.

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It was for my birthday that I received a Kitchenaid machine many years ago. Five years to be precise. I didn’t want a machine like the Kitchenaid. I resisted and complained about getting it. Yes I did! Because before that I did every kind of baking with a handheld mixer and I was fine. Resisting new technology and wanting to make my life easier is not a new thing to me. I did the same thing when I DSLR’s came out. I did not want to leave my analog camera.

Now with the Kitchenaid also came an ice cream maker. Now you can perhaps predict what happened next! That ice cream maker sat in a cupboard untouched till this year. The idea of making ice cream at home was a stupid notion. I mean who did that! I wasn’t that amazing that I would be whipping up crazy good flavors and ice creams right at home. I convinced myself that the stupid ice cream maker was just another gadget that would probably not work as they say it would. Yup! That’s me and my silly perceptions

When a pandemic happens, it makes you do things that you may have never done. I brought out the ice cream maker. And boy! did I! Since then I have made so many ice creams! This is one was the first and it was such a huge success. It is completely vegan and damn its delicious! And so simple, I kicked myself for not doing it earlier.

Raspberry Sorbet

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp agar agar
• pinch of salt
• 4¾ cups frozen raspberries
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ cup agave syrup
• 1 tbsp vodka

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the water, agar agar and salt. Stir frequently, until the agar agar is completely dissolved. Remove saucepan from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
2. In a blender, process the raspberries, sugar, agave syrup, vodka and the water-sugar mixture until smooth. Strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
3. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Remove the bowls from the fridge. Pour raspberry mixture into the an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Transfer the churned sorbet to a freezer safe container. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 hour or until firm. Remove from the freezer, scoop into bowls and serve!

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Dal is a huge part of Indian cuisine. I don’t think there is any part of my country that goes a day without eating it. In my house it was a staple everyday for lunch and dinner. It’s a good thing too since it was one my main source of protein growing up. There is nothing like dal to take me each and every time back home. Dal is pure comfort for Indians.

Dal bati is a recipe that comes from the Indian state of Rajasthan. Where the famous city of Jaipur resides. I happened to visit it some years ago and got the opportunity to taste dal bati. Bati refers to wheat balls that cooked traditionally over coal embers. Since a big part of Rajasthan is desert this makes for a very efficient and cheap form of sustenance. Bati or wheat balls require minimum water for preparation. Initially I was not sold on the idea of it. The thought of eating just plain flour was not an appealing idea. But I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious! Once cooked they are soaked in ghee and then a further dipping in the sumptuous dal completes the heavenly meal.

The dal can have as many iterations as you might please. I went for a panchmal (five) version where I combined 5 dals. And it could be any 5 dals too. I wanted to create a creamier version so used one of my new favorite dals, urad. The result was spectacular. I know I am biased towards lentils but seriously this is a meal not to be missed.

So here we go, hope you try it!

Dal Bati

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• Bati
• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup sooji (semolina)
• 2-3 tbsps ghee
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
  
• ¼ cup Jaggery , for churma
  
• Dal
  
• 2 tsps green moong dal (Split)
• 2 tsps black urad dal (whole)
• 2 tsps chana dal
• 2 tsps toor dal
• 2tsps masoor dal (split)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 1 green Chilli, slit
• 3 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• handful coriander leaves
  
• tadka (tempering)
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chillies , broken into half

Instructions

1. For the bati's, combine all the ingredients together, except the jaggery. Add water to bring it together and make a smooth but stiff dough. Leave the bati dough aside for 20 minutes to rest.
2. Once the bati dough is well rested, knead again for a few minutes.
3. Divide the dough in large lemon size portions (about 6 to 8). Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the bati in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until browned on both sides.
4. Turn the batis around after every 8-10 minutes until it is browned from all sides. The batis may crack a little. That is ok.
5. Once the batis are golden brown in color from all sides, remove them from the oven.
6. For the churma, just crush one bati with the jaggery and dry roast in a pan for a minute or two.
7. For the dal, combine all 5 dals and soak for 30 minutes. Then rinse well under water a few times and add to pressure cooker with 2.5 - 3 cups of water. On high heat let the pressure cooker go for 2-3 whistles. Lower heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat and either release pressure or let sit.
8. Add 2-1-/2 cups of water and pressure-cook the dal for two to three whistles. After two whistles, turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes and turn off the heat.
9. Once the pressure is released completely, open the cooker and your dal is ready. Check the salt and spices and adjust to suit your taste. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl.
10. The next step is to make the tadka. Heat ghee in a small pan, add the cumin seeds and red chilies. Allow them to roast and crackle. Once done, turn off the heat and pour the seasoning over the dal.
11. To serve the batis, lightly crush them, soak in ghee. Eat the bati's by dipping into the dal. You can also sprinkle the churma over the dal dipped bati's. Delicious!

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Masaledar/Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

Never before since I moved here to Holland has the weather been this sunny and warm. I’m told it is the warmest spring ever. Ever. It seemed to have coincided with the lockdown which all was a little tragic. Especially since we are locked at home and couldn’t enjoy the weather to its full potential.  Even though we have been careful and stayed indoors mostly, going out only for groceries, we are also lucky that the lockdown was a partial one. We also didn’t want for produce. Except for the first few weeks of idiotic toilet paper buying, things have been very good here.

With warmer weather came along the amazing fruits as well. A favourite of mine and my daughter, the watermelon is a constant on the shopping list. I buy the smaller whole ones, easy to fit in the fridge and also quick to finish. So came along this idea to make a gazpacho. But since I am Indian and just cannot eat anything without masalas (spices) of course I had to bastardise the very popular watermelon gazpacho. To me, its that extra kick in it, that makes summer come alive. The little heat that makes you sweat and remind you of sitting out in the sun. The sweet with the salty. AAh!

So here it is. Enjoy it. Enjoy the warmth on your face and on your tongue.

Masaledar/Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• 3 cups watermelon, deseeded
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• ½ cup red bell pepper
• ½ cup red onion
• 1 cup cucumber
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp fennel seed powder
• handful of mint and basil leaves
• 1 green chili (add more if you like it spicier)
• ½ tsp garam masala + more for sprinkling
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients into your blender and puree on high for a minute or two until it is liquified. Pour into 2 serving bowls.
2. Chill in the fridge for at least half hour.
3. Serve with a sprinkling of garam masala and garnish with mint and basil leaves.

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My desire for the combination of sweet + salty has reached epic levels. I mean I just can’t seem to eat anything without this combo. Add a hint of spice to this amazing dynamic between two flavors and it is pure heaven for me. As it is, being Indian I can’t eat anything bland anyway. My jar of chili flakes is never far away even when eating a pasta dish.

So when I found a recipe that combined sweet with chili, I was ecstatic. Even though chamoy is a Mexican condiment, it seems to have its origins in the East. Wherever its origins, I am pleased with my discovery of it. To me it is also a lovely alternative to chutney, which is so ubiquitous in Indian cuisine. Mexican children grow up with it I am told, just Indian ones do on the beloved chutneys. It’s also versatile in its use. You can use it drizzled on sweet fruit (mango, pineapple), use it in cocktails or even for barbecuing.

I just ate copious amounts of it on my deliciously ripe mango and even used it on cheese!

So without much ado here is the recipe…

Chamoy

 

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Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• 2 dried red Guntur chili peppers (I used my stash from India, you can used any chilies at hand)
• ½ cup apricot jam
• 1 heaped tbsp raspberry jam
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Add water, chili peppers, apricot jam, raspberry jam, lime juice, sugar, and salt.
2. Blend on high speed until very smooth. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Notes

I used chamoy with fresh mangos for a fun snack. You can also try it with other fruits!


I used chili peppers from India and they can be found at any Indian store. If you are unable to source these, you can just try using fresh red chili peppers.

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Yet another birthday came and went this year. No big celebrations. No going out. We are living of-course through a global pandemic. But pandemic or not, my birthday is the day when I want to be left alone. I don’t like gifts (yes you heard me right!) and I don’t like any fuss. I’m not much of one for birthdays. If you have followed me, you know this so I won’t go on about it! And because this year everyone is forced to be indoors as much as possible there was no pressure to do anything at all. So in that sense it was a perfect birthday. It was just like any other day.

This pandemic has been horrific with the toll it has taken on health care workers around the world and the families that have lost their loved ones. I can’t even imagine as I sit in my bubble what the frontline workers go through on a daily basis. Or the families that have had to let go of their loved ones earlier than normal. And even as we sit tight and wait for better days to come, we could also sit and analyse our own lives in this period of a forced cooling down. I for one have realised a few things about myself. Things that may have been within me and things I perhaps knew subconsciously but only now I am forced to face.

I grew up in a house with one sister and a mom. Dad was away for a better part of my early growing years on army business. I have a sister I don’t remember being close to the way I am today. I was and am super close to my mother but we were alone. I felt alone. And from an Indian standpoint we were alone. In a city with no family. With only ourselves to rely on. That’s what I remember.

As I attained maturity that isolation faded with new friends and a change of city and scene. And yet when I look back now, I preferred my own company. I had to be pried away from home to visit friends. And extended family I rejected altogether. Then I moved to the US and the one overriding feeling I felt was one of relief because I was alone. This time utterly alone. I made new friends and lost a dear friend in the pursuit of isolation. I didn’t quite understand what I was seeking nor did I understand why my closest friend couldn’t understand me. I went as far away as I possibly could to feel peace. Whenever, during this course of time I have told people of my need for being alone I have met with judgement. I’m told its not healthy. I am often looked upon with a certain pitying and a general concern for my well being. Maybe it is for this reason that I have been forced to quell what is integral to me. We live in society where unless we are cookie cutter images of each other we do find it hard to accept it. I am probably guilty of the same. My next move was to Europe. I suffered a different kind of isolation here. One that was forced upon me horribly in the way of discrimination. The country I am forced today to call home, left me trying to make it completely on my own. Every door to becoming independent in this country was shut down. And I suddenly couldn’t visit my loved ones unless I paid a high price of travelling to India. This sort of isolation I had never encountered before. This open discrimination towards me and everything I am as an Indian eventually made me strong as a rock.

So when this half baked lockdown in Holland happened it was a blessing in disguise for me. I didn’t recognise it at first till my dearest friend pointed out to me. I am in my comfort zone. Forced to stay at home. Without judgement. I now know what I have perhaps known deep down in my heart all along. I am an isolationist. With a hint of contradiction. Or maybe a big dash of it. I am a city girl. I like the hustle bustle. But within that, I like being alone. It is a glorious feeling to acknowledge this to myself. No more pretending. I don’t need a lockdown to be comfortable about myself. I am simply the product of how I grew up at first and then by my experiences in foreign lands. Big realisations that may not have happened without this virus.

I also recognise that some people may have a terrible time dealing with cabin fever. I get it. And I will outline some ways you can beat that feeling. Tips that have worked for me when I came to this country and was rejected on a monumental scale.

For one, establish a routine. I cannot say this often enough. Routines are a way of controlling your environment.
Get up in the morning, as you would if it was a normal work day. DON’T hang around in your pjs all day. Wear your business attire or whatever it is you wear to work. For the ladies put on your makeup and your pretty earrings. Don’t be a slob. This has worked for me like you wouldn’t believe. This is a valuable tip my mom gave me years and years ago. People have mocked me on me doing this for years when I didn’t have a job in Holland how I was all made up at 9 in the morning every single day! Believe me this works wonders for your morale.

Eat at regular times. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean that you eat whenever you feel like it. Eat your major meals or for the ones like me that need 5-6 smaller meals. DO NOT snack. At the end of the day you will not feel good about yourself nor will your body. And if you’re repeating this cycle of indulging and guilt, you need to stop it now.

Work out! Even if you do a short ten minute workout in your bedroom everyday. It WILL make you feel good about yourself. If you don’t have the space, step out. Get some fresh air. I know this sounds like common sense but when you get the blues going out is the last thing on your mind. Set a recurring reminder on your phone for getting some exercise and encouraging those healthy endorphins to do their job!

And once you’ve done all of the above, the three main things; start a book, work on that idea that has been seeing the dust on your mind shelf for years!

And now about this cake. Even though I never enjoy celebrating my birthday, cake is always welcome. And if there is someone in the house that looks forward to me baking whatever the occasion, then thats a better reason to bake a cake than for the day you were born

This cake is a winner. Dead simple. So chocolatey and so good. Hope you make it to celebrate whatever it might you be that you are rejoicing…

A Birthday Cake + Isolation

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• for cake
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsps Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2¼ tsps baking powder
• 2¼ tsps baking soda
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1½ cup milk (you can use whole or skimmed)
• 1 cup hot coffee
• 
  
• for the swiss buttercream i used this link

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease, flour, and line the bottoms of three 7" round cake pans.
2. In a mixer bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir to mix. Then, with the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low until evenly distributed.
4. Pour the hot coffee into the batter and mix on medium low until smooth. The batter will be soupy.
5. Divide the batter between the cake pans.
6. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
7. Level the cakes before assembling the cake.
8. Stack the cakes, spreading a layer of frosting in between each cake layer. Frost the outside of the cake with the remainder of the buttercream.
9. You can also keep some buttercream aside and add whatever color you like to make the splatters I did. Totally up to you!

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I was not always a baker. In fact I didn’t even like baking when I was younger. It seemed to be an activity that older people did! Ha! Now that I am the older people I guess there might have been truth in that! At least for me. I started baking because I was bored. Yup sheer boredom led me to find one of the many passions I have in life. And boy am I glad I did. It is a truly joyful process to see something come alive from a few simple ingredients.

This cake is inspired by Linda Lomelino. It was sheer beauty that she created and that I have tried to replicate with my own little twists. Nothing major but arisen from lack of certain ingredients or sheer accidents. Beauty usually occurs due to accidents in my opinion!

Someone asked me if my version contained Indian spices. The thing is gingerbread cakes have spices that are Indian! Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger! Hello! These are all Indian spices!!!

I omitted the cardamom in mine because of a special little monkey in the house that doesn’t like it at all. To which I say… “Baby girl where’s the Indian in you?”

I did add Speculaas spices which are so Dutch, but then again are not really. I mean the spice mix is made up of the above mentioned spices and a few more perhaps. But the Dutch got these spices from their travels and colonisations. So not really Dutch! So you must be getting what I am saying by now! The spices in here are all from my sub continent. Case closed!

Ok, I also have made this a bit of a boozy cake. After baking, the cake is soaked a bit in coffee and kahlua. Oh yeah! So come Christmas, this might just be the show stopper for your guests! ENJOY!

Gingerbread Castle House with Speculaas Spices

 

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Ingredients

• For the cake
• 200 grams salted butter
• 360 grams all purpose flour
• 1½ tsps baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp.ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp.ground ginger
• 2 tsp. freshly ground cloves
• 1 tsp. speculaas spice mix (can be omitted)
• 4 large eggs
• 360 grams granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
• 4-5 tbsps kahlua
• 
  
• For the Swiss buttercream
• 4 large egg whites
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups unsalted butter softened

Instructions

1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour two 6 inch springform pans. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter and set aside.Mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs and sugars until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the dry ingredients and butter to the egg mixture in additions, and stir until completely smooth. Stir in the sour cream.
5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
6. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. Cut each cake into 2 and poke hole with a skewer. Generously soak the cakes with the coffee-kahlua mix and set aside.
8. For the buttercream: Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined. Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch.
9. Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
10. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until it comes together and is smooth.
11. Putting the cake together: Place the first cake layer on a cake stand Spread a layer of frosting on the first layer. Repeat this until you’ve used up all layers.
12. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for a few minutes if the frosting is soft.
13. Decorate with the gingerbread cookies. I placed toothpicks behind the cookies on top of the cake to get them to stand up. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.

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Diwali is a special time of the year. We were not big celebrators. We never spent lavishly on decorations, clothes or went out to parties. It was a quiet intimate time with my mom and my sister. We lived in our own bubble back then, huddling against each other for comfort and love while my father served in the army far away from us. It was a tough time growing up but also holds the most precious memories. And the festival days were really memorable in my memory. It just felt like it was different from the rest of the days in the year.

Being away now for for years and years, its the memories that keep you going. Trying to recreate a small part of what was but could never be whole and complete again. There is a bitter sweet sadness celebrating with my new life in a foreign world, looking back at how it used to be. Yet still, it still feels like an extraordinary day for me even if I don’t even celebrate. There is just happiness in the air and a skip in my step.

My mother never really made any Indian sweets at home. We usually just bought them while she cooked our favourite savoury items for the Diwali meal. But this Diwali I thought I must make something mom would never make and are the simplest things to prepare. Nankhatai or Indian shortbread just have the basics thrown in with of course some Indian flair; cardamom! It makes all the difference! The cookies are crunchy and so delicious and ready quickly and easily. They keep super well in an air tight container for unto ten whole days, if they last that long!

So here they are, my beautiful Indian cookies, or biscuits as we would call them in India. They are also made with whole wheat flour or atta in Hindi. We make all sorts of goodies with atta especially the well known roti and parantha to name just two types of breads. Whole wheat flour is the staple of all homes in India and you can easily find it in your local Indian store.

Have a magical Diwali 2019 and be well.

Nankhatai with Atta / Cardamom Cookies

 

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Author: boxofspice

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsps chickpea flour (besan)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 70 grams cold coconut oil
• 70 grams sugar
• 5 green cardamom pods, shell removed and seeds crushed
• pinch of saffron strands
• 4-5 tbsps milk
• handful pecan nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
2. In a grinder, grind together the sugar, crushed cardamom seeds and saffron. Grind to a fine powder and set aside.
3. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. To this add the sugar mixture. Now add the cold coconut oil and mix with your fingertips into the flour working it till it resembles bread crumbs. Add the milk, a tablespoon at a time to bring the dough together. I used 5 tablespoons of milk, but perhaps you need a little or less. Do not knead the flour.
4. Divide the dough into small or medium sized balls depending on what size you want your cookies. I got 16 cookies in total from my dough and the balls were fairly small.
5. Rub some coconut oil on to the palms of your hands and gently roll the divided dough in your hands to form a ball. Flatten each ball and press on a pattern or as in my case a pecan nut. Repeat with all remaining balls of dough.
6. On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, line the prepared cookies leaving a small distance between each.
7. Place in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Keep a close eye. You don't want the cookies getting burned. The perfect cookies in my batch were the ones that were golden brown.
8. Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

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Figs are everywhere here in Holland. And so cheap too! Figs are the most beautiful fruit, which I recently read is not even a fruit. Figs are inverted flowers. Say what? Yes figs are inverted flowers. And it has a very special insect, the fig wasp that must pollinate it by crawling into the fruit and dying in there. This process is incredible to me. I mean this is the stuff of fantasy movies.

So are you saying “euw!” because you might be eating a dead wasp when you bite into a fig? Well yes and no. Once the wasp dies, enzymes within the fig break down the wasp and turn it into protein. So are figs vegan? Is another question that comes to mind? At the heart of it, I would say figs are not vegan BUT it is a very personal choice. If I were vegan I might not have an issue with consuming figs simply because its an act of nature. This is not a man made process. And the relationship between figs and fig wasps is so symbiotic. One cannot survive without the other. It is the most beautiful tragedy you can think of. The wasp sacrificing itself to make something so beautiful. Nothing shouts interconnection like this story. For me, personally, it is a mesmerising scenario.

Whatever you may decide you will agree it is a fascinating procedure between a plant and an animal. It makes the fig extra special. And all those crunchy buts inside it are seeds, hundreds of seeds that make it look like as if you are looking inside the universe.

Figs are simply autumn. And they are so good for your health. Providing roughage, packed with calcium and potassium and an extremely healthy replacement for artificial sugars. Fig jam is very popular in Holland and is enjoyed with cheese all over the country. You can also make my garam masala fig bread here.

But right now we are going to make this amazing no bake fig tart. So damn good and so damn easy. You will be licking your fingers for days. I mean seriously. Go make it!

Fig Chocolate Tart with Fennel Seeds

 

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Ingredients

• For the crust
• 1 ¼ cups pecan nuts
• 1 ¼ cups dried dates (chopped roughly)
• ½ cup oat flour
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds (lightly roasted and ground to a powder)
• 2 tbsps coconut oil
• pinch of salt
• 
  
• For the chocolate filling
• 4 tbsps cocoa powder
• 3 tbsps coconut oil
• 2 tbsps almond meal
• 4 tbsps rice syrup
• 
  
• For the topping
• 3-4 fresh figs, cut in thin slices (depending on size of figs this may change). If figs not available, use pears or persimmon.
• Sweet balsamic vinegar for drizzle.

Instructions

1. In a food processor, grind the pecan nuts and the dates together. Do not grind them too fine or too long. You want them to be slightly chunky for texture. Now mix in the fennel seed powder, oat flour, salt and coconut oil.
2. In a round baking pan, press down this nutty mixture on the bottom and to the sides. I used a 9” pan with a removable bottom (recommended).
3. Freeze for 30 minutes.
4. For the chocolate filling, in a pan, add all ingredients and mix well together and let cool a little.
5. Putting together, take the crust out of the freezer and pour in the chocolate filling. Now place the fig slices in a pattern of your desire.
6. Freeze for another 5 minutes.
7. Drizzle with the sweet balsamic vinegar and serve immediately!

3.5.3208

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