Masala yoghurt, red, green and tamarind chutneys, onions, tomatoes and crunchy sev are all crowd-pleasing toppings. These snack-tastic fried spinach leaves get more addictive with every bite! If you’re a lover of crispy nachos, try this Indian-style chaat.

What is Palak Patta Chaat (Crispy Spinach Chaat)?

This recipe begins with spinach, lots of spinach. Each leaf is dipped in a batter of chickpea flour (besan), rice flour and spices before getting deep fried.

Once crispy all over, the spinach bhajiya (fritters) are spread out on a tray or plate.

Now for the fun part: A tumble of red onions and tomatoes. Then a smatter of various hot and sour chutneys made with fresh herbs, fruits and spices. Cold sweet and savoury yoghurt drizzle goes on top.

Finally, sev (chickpea flour noodles), fresh coriander leaves and optional chaat masala. This dish really is a celebration of spinach.

What else can I add to my Chaat?

If the aforementioned toppings aren’t enough to set your taste buds alight, you can also throw on some fresh pomegranate, mint leaves and fresh chillies. It really is a flavour free for all. Indeed, I’ve been known to scatter over some crushed potato chips.

How do you eat Chaat?

Depending on the style of chaat, you can either use your hands, a spoon or fork. Generally speaking, eating with your hands is commonplace but if the chaat is drenched in chutneys and yoghurt, grab yourself a spoon.

I’m actually a firm believer of going in face first. Just kidding. I like to use my hands, nachos style. I pick them up, scooping up as many toppings as you can, sort of like a spinach-leaf surf board riding some deliciously-gnarly waves.

How many different types of Chaat are there?

Hundreds. Chaat is one of those dishes that is has consistency as well as uniqueness. You can prepare Chaat from almost any base ingredient: Think crispy bhajia (fritters), vada, fried dough, dumplings, noodles, fruit and many more things. Each of Chaat is both unique, yet familiar all at once.

The familiarity of chaat comes from the toppings. Almost all will have some sort of yoghurt, chutney, onion and tomato combination (not the fruit ones). Sometimes a sprinkle of chaat masala if it’s available. If not chaat masala, a pinch of black salt (kala namak) and roasted cumin seed powder.

What are the different types of Chaat?

While practically anything can be a chaat, some of the most popular chaats of India are:

• Aloo Chaat (with fried potato cubes)
• Samosa Chaat (with erm… samosas)
• Papdi Chaat (with fried strips of shortcrust dough)
• Sev Puri Chaat (same as above but with fried chickpea flour noodles)
• Dahi Puri Chaat (mini pastry shells filled with boiled potatoes and lentils and lots of seasoned yohurt)
• Channa Chaat (with chickpeas)
• Kachori Chaat (similar to samosa chaat but with a stuffed shortcrust round. Fillings usually include, but aren’t limited to peas, daal and onions).
• Fruit Chaat (mixed fruit sprinkled with chaat masala and fresh herbs).

Essentials I used for this recipe

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. These are all products I have purchased of my own accord and ones that I use myself. None of the products mentioned have been gifted to me. By using an affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no expense to you. This commission helps to support this blog. Thanks in advance if you choose to make a purchase through these links!

How to make Palak Patta Chaat (Crispy Spinach Chaat)

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Palak Patta Chaat (Spinach Leaf Chaat)

Crispy fried spinach leaves topped with a monsoon of Mumbai chaat favourites including masala yoghurt, red, green and tamarind chutneys, onions, tomatoes and crunchy sev. They get more addictive with every bite! If you're a lover of nachos, try this Indian-style chaat.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword bhajias, chaat, spinach, street food

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the crispy fried spinach:

• 180 g baby spinach leaves washed and dried
• 175 g chickpea flour (besan)
• 50 g rice flour
• 1 1/4 tsp dried garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida (hing – ensure it's a gluten free one if you have any allergies or intolerances)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tsp oil (I used sunflower)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 300 ml ice cold water

For the masala yoghurt:

• 150 g unsweetened vegan yoghurt (I used soy)
• 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds coarsely ground
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp black salt (kala namak)

For the chaat toppers:

• 1 tomato finely diced
• 1 small red onion finely diced
• 2 tbsp sev
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala (optional)
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder or fresh green chillies (adjust according to your taste)
• Lemon wedges
• 2 tbsp green coriander and mint chutney recipe linked below
• 2 tbsp tamarind and date chutney recipe linked below
• 2 tbsp red chilli chutney recipe linked below
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
• 1L oil for deep frying (I used sunflower)

Instructions

For the masala yoghurt:

• Mix together all the ingredients and chill in the fridge until needed.

For the batter:

• Place the chickpea flour in a large bowl. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida, dried garlic powder, salt, ajwain and rice flour. Stir to combine.
• Next, add the oil and lemon juice. Now gradually add the water, whisking all the time to ensure you work all the lumps out. It's good to add the water in stages for this reason. The final batter should be like a smooth dosa or crepe batter.

To fry the spinach:

• Heat the oil in a large pan suitable for deep frying, about 5cm deep. Bring the temperature to 200C/400F. It should be hot but not smoking.
• Dip a spinach leaf in the batter, gently shaking off any excess. Carefully place the spinach leaf in the hot oil. It may crackle and spit so be extra vigilant.
• Repeat more spinach leaves, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. I fried mine in batches of 6-7 at a time. Turn the spinach in the oil often using a perforated spoon or frying spider/skimmer. After around 2 minutes the spinach should be golden and crispy. Lift the spinach out of the oil using the perforated spoon.
• Place the spinach on a plate or tray lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. If you want to keep them warm, you can transfer the fried spinach leaves to an un-lined tray and place them in a low oven while you fry the remaining spinach. This will help keep them crispy.

To build the chaat:

• Arrange the spinach leaves on a tray. I lined mine with baking parchment for easy clean up. Top with onions, tomatoes, chilled masala yoghurt, chutneys of your choice, sev, fresh coriander leaves, optional chaat masala and any other toppings you would like to add. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Video

Notes

• Serve immediately. This chaat doesn’t wait around for long so get stuck in.
• Not suitable for reheating or freezing.

Get my 3 epic chutney recipes

Easy Mint & Coriander Chutney

Smooth and creamy Indian street-style chutney for drizzling over chaats, spreading in sandwiches and dipping bhajiyas. My recipe is super aromatic and medium hot in flavour. You can add as many chillies as you like. If you prefer a milder chutney, feel free to stir in some natural yoghurt or dairy-free yoghurt.

Check out this recipe

Atomic Red Chilli Chutney

Calling all chilli lovers! This red chilli chutney is quick and easy to make and intense enough to satisfy your spice cravings. Use two or more types of chilli for both flavour and intensity. Mixing your chillies in this way will add multiple layers of flavour.

Check out this recipe

Tamarind & Date Chutney

Learn how to make sweet and sour tamarind and date chutney from scratch! No Indian chaat is complete without a drizzle of this mouth-puckering fruity chutney.

Check out this recipe

Pin this Spinach Leaf Chaat recipe for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Maggi Noodles Chaat

And these Aloo Chaat Potato Skins

Love Sanjana

The post Palak Patta Chaat (Crispy Spinach Chaat) appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

By the age of 18, Nanabapu married, fathered a child, and then tragically became a widow.

Several years went by, and the young chef found himself across the Indian Ocean, on the coast of East Africa. In that time, migrant Indian workers travelled by boat, to labour and earn enough money to support their families. He went on to remarry and had six more children. The family moved around a lot, going wherever work was available. Nanabapu doted on his kids with every fibre of his being. My mother was the youngest of the girls, born in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nanabapu lost his second wife (my Nanima) in the UK. His youngest child was just five. He was a single Indian father of seven children, who went on to live in racially-intolerant 1970s Britain. On a modest salary, Nanabapu provided his kids with a safe home in which to sleep, a loving parent they could talk to and of course, perpetually-full bellies. He grew his own fruit and vegetables and always kept a well-stocked pantry.

Much of his life was spent mastering his craft in other people’s kitchens. Connecting with communities through food was what truly cultivated joy in his heart. In his later years, he cooked for local Gurdwaras in London, putting on giant spreads of Indian sweets, samosas and other savouries for hundreds of worshippers. He also worked as a cleaner in a factory to make ends meet. Like any good parent, he strived to provide a bright future for his children.

Nanabapu passed his passion for cooking on to my mother. She is the guardian of his recipes and cooks Indian sweets like, well, the daughter of a mithaiwala.

Growing up, I watched her create mountains of sweet thalis to take to the temple at festival time. She’d pour molten burfi into steel plates, beat halwa shimmering and slick with ghee in pans the size of my torso. I’d soak up every moment like hot jalebi in bathing in sugar syrup. I always knew what to expect, yet each year, her thalis managed to take my breath away.

This is one of the recipes Nanabapu taught her to cook.

What is Boondi?

Boondi (pronounced Boon-dhi) is a dish consisting of deep fried chickpea flour batter, formed into hundreds of tiny pearl-sized balls. It can be sweet or savoury.

Sweet Boondi

The sweet version calls for you to dunk the freshly-fried boondi to be in a light sugar syrup for a few moments before draining it. Ground green cardamom and saffron are great additions for adding flavour. Sweet Boondi can be eaten loose (as it is), or you can mix it with ghee and form it into larger balls called laddoos. These are popular temple sweets used as offerings during religious festivals. Nuts and raisins are commonly added to Boondi too.

Savoury Boondi

Another popular (and delicious) way of serving Boondi is to add it to raita. Salt is added to the Boondi batter, along with chaat masala, roasted cumin seeds and a touch of sugar. Cool the Boondi and then mix it into the seasoned yoghurt. Leave to chill for a few hours and serve with curry, naan and rice. It pairs particularly well with North-Indian dishes like Chole Bhature.

How should I serve Boondi?

Serve it warm or at room temperature. For a hot and cold dessert sensation, serve warm Boondi with vanilla ice cream. To heat it, place in a bowl and microwave for a few seconds. It doesn’t take long at all.

Do I have to deep fry Boondi?

Yes. This is one of those recipes that can only be deep fried. Passing the droplets through a perforated skimmer into hot oil is what created perfectly-round Boondis. The oil should be hot and the Boondis will cook in just 90 seconds. Do not brown them.

What kind of oil should I use?

Any flavourless oil with a high smoke point. Sunflower or rapeseed (canola) oil are ideal. You could also use vegetable oil or ghee. The latter would render the dish not suitable for vegans. Refined (odourless) coconut oil is also fine to use. Don’t use olive oil or sesame oil.

Do I need any special equipment to make Boondi?

You will need three “Jaaros” (also called zhaara or zaara). They are perforated metal skimmers used for deep frying. Some are bowl shaped with high sides, used exclusively for making Boondi. The flatter type can also be used, but the batter should be added a little at a time so it does not overflow.

Three Jaaros are required; the first to drop batter into the oil. The second to remove the cooked Boondi from the oil and the third to bathe the cooked Boondi in syrup (and to transfer it to a colander). The Jaaro used for dropping batter into the oil should be washed and thoroughly dried between frying each batch. At no time should the first Jaaro touch the hot oil. This will cause the batter on the skimmer to cook onto the metal. It will get messy very quickly!

What consistency should the Boondi batter be?

The Boondi batter should be smooth and of a pourable consistency, similar to that of crêpe batter.

Does the batter need to rest?

Yes. It should be mixed and left on the kitchen countertop (covered) for a minimum of 12 hours, and up to 24 hours.

What consistency should the sugar syrup be?

The sugar syrup should be cooked to 110C/230F. Use a sugar thermometer for accurate results and do not take it beyond this temperature. Once it reaches this stage, switch the heat off. A drop of lemon juice can be added if you’re worried about crystallisation. As the sugar syrup is not cooked more, this shouldn’t be an issue.

How long does it take to make Boondi?

Excluding batter resting time, the Boondi will take approx. 65 minutes to make.

I recommend two people make it together to avoid spaghetti arms. Trying to do everything at once by yourself is never fun.

How long can Boondi be stored for?

The Boondi will keep well in an airtight container for a week. Boondi is not suitable for freezing.

Is Boondi vegan?

This loose Boondi recipe is 100% vegan. If you choose to make Laddoos with it, ghee should be added. This will mean it is no longer vegan. Having said this, refined coconut oil can also be used for vegan Boondi laddoos.

Is Boondi gluten free?

Yes. The batter is made with chickpea flour (besan) which is free from gluten.

Can this Boondi be made into laddoos?

Yes. To make Laddoos with this Boondi, add approximately 150g melted ghee to the finished Boondi. Chill for 60 minutes and then form into balls. Allow to set in the fridge.

Do I have to use food colour?

No. I only make Boondi once a year and because it’s a rare treat, I like to add a bit of food colour to make it look festive. However, you can skip the food colour completely if you’d prefer not to add it.

I use Wilton Gel Food colours in orange, red and green.

How much Boondi does this recipe make?

This recipe makes approximately 1kg of Boondi.

Checklist of equipment needed to make this recipe

• Whisk
• Ladle
• Large saucepan
• Sugar thermometer
• Deep frying kadai
• 3x Jaaro for dropping, removing fried Boondi from oil and adding/removing Boondi from sugar syrup (you can buy them online)
• Large colander

Ingredients you’ll need to make Boondi

• Chickpea flour (fine gram flour/besan)
• Water
• Oil
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Green cardamom
• Saffron
• Gel food colour (optional)

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MAGICAL BOONDI MAKING! This is such a beautiful Indian sweet to make around Diwali time and the process is spectacular to watch! The batter is made from fermented gram flour and water. It’s passed through a “Jaro” (skimmer with little holes) into hot oil. The tiny droplets of batter then bounce up to the surface in perfect spheres. Once crispy, they are dunked in a bath of sugar syrup and drained. The result is the most gorgeous, shiny, caviar-like bubble candy. It can be eaten as it is or formed into laddoos (balls) for temple offerings. My mum is a PRO at making these (she learnt from my Nanabapu who was a confectioner of Indian sweets). It’s my mission to learn these sacred family recipes from her so one day I can pass it on to my little ones. I want to keep these traditional recipes alive. They are after all, our most valuable family treasures. Watch my IG Stories and IGTV now to see my mum and I making these. I’ll post the recipe in time for Diwali. #boondi #mithai #indiansweets

A post shared by vegetarian & vegan recipes (@sanjana.feasts) on Oct 4, 2019 at 10:05am PDT

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How to Make Boondi

This traditional Indian sweet is always popular around festival time. The juicy bubbles of chickpea flour are flavoured with delicate saffron and ground green cardamom. Serve it warm as it is or form into Laddoos.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword boondi, cardamom, chickpea flour, dessert, gluten free, indian sweets, saffron, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 12 hours hours

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 kg

Equipment

• Whisk
• Ladle
• Large saucepan
• Sugar thermometer
• Cooking thermometer
• Kadai or deep pan for frying
• Jaaro for dropping
• Jaaro for removing fried Boondi from oil
• Jaaro for adding/removing Boondi from sugar syrup
• Large colander

Ingredients

For the batter:

• 180 g chickpea flour (superfine besan/gram flour)
• 360 ml warm water
• 2 tsp oil (any unflavoured cooking oil)

For the sugar syrup:

• 500 g refined white sugar
• 600 ml water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

You will also need:

• Large pinch saffron
• Orange gel food colour (+ optional red, yellow and green)
• 6-7 green cardamom pods, seeds crushed
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds (optional)
• 1.5 L oil for deep frying (any unflavoured cooking oil, such as sunflower or rapeseed/canola oil)

Instructions

• For the batter:
• In a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, warm water and 2 tsp oil until smooth. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature overnight, at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Once rested, whisk in the orange food colouring if making all orange Boondi. If you’d like to make some different colours, divide a few tablespoons of the batter out into separate bowls and whisk in red, green and yellow food colour into each portion. I kept the majority of the batter orange.

For the sugar syrup:

• To make the sugar syrup, stir the sugar and water together in a large pan. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan, in the sugar-water mixture but not directly touching the base of the pan. Heat until it reaches 110°C/230°F on the thermometer and then switch the heat off. Do not take it beyond this temperature or the syrup will crystallise around the Boondi and it will become hard.

To fry the Boondi:

• Heat the oil in a large kadai to 200°C/400°F.
• Set up a colander so that it’s sitting on top of a plate. Place a Jaaro or large slotted metal spoon into the pan of sugar syrup ready for the first batch of Boondi. Keep another Jaaro or large metal slotted spoon handy to remove the first batch of Boondi from the oil. IMPORTANT: Do not use the same Jaaro used for dropping the Boondi into the oil to remove the cooked Boondi from the oil. This will cause batter to cake into the Jaaro and it’ll be hard to remove it.
• Hold a large, deep metal Jaaro, directly over the surface of the hot oil, about 6cm away from the surface. Use a ladle to gently pour the batter into the Jaaro. It will quickly begin to drop through the holes into the oil, like raindrops. Only add one ladle of batter per batch and do not force it through by tapping or agitating it too much. This will cause the Boondis to form “tails” or become misshapen. It’s best to let the batter fall through the holes on its own. Do not overcrowd the oil with too many Boondis.
• Once the majority of the batter has fallen through, set the Jaaro used for dropping the batter aside and pick up the clean Jaaro for removing the Boondi from the oil. Gently move it around and after 90 seconds, collect all of the Boondi into the Jaaro and let as much oil as possible drain away. The Boondi should not be brown in colour.
• Add the Boondi to the sugar syrup and use the third Jaaro to swish it around gently until all the Boondi are coated. They should turn slightly translucent. After 30-40 seconds the Boondi is ready to be removed from the syrup. Collect them all up in the Jaaro and allow any excess syrup to drain away. Place the Boondi in a colander and spread it around the sides, so that there’s a hole in the middle. This will help any excess syrup drain away.
• Wash and thoroughly dry the Jaaro used for dropping the Boondi batter into the oil before starting the next batch. Repeat the steps above until all the batter is used up.
• Leave any bright colours to the end so that the food colour doesn’t alter the colour of the frying oil and syrup. I do the green batter last.
• When all the Boondi is done and still warm, tip it into a large thali or plate and add the ground cardamom seeds, saffron and almonds. Use a large spoon to gently mix it in, being careful not to break any Boondi. Allow to sit at room temperature until cool.

Notes

• If you’re not serving straight away, pack the Boondi into an airtight container and refrigerate. It can be kept for up to a week.
• To reheat, place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high power for 10-20 seconds. Stir well and serve.
• This Boondi is not suitable for freezing.

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The post How to Make Boondi appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

What is Kheer?

A bowl of kheer is like a comfort blanket for any Indian. Hot or cold, the spice-speckled milky rice is thinner and more flavoursome than the mass of bland rice pudding that enriches memories of school dinners.

Growing up, my mother would take Kheer to the temple as offerings at Diwali. After it was blessed, it would be distributed to people to eat. I don’t know whether it was because of the blessings or because we had to wait so long that made it taste more delicious. I’m leaning towards the latter.

What kind of rice should I use?

Traditionally, Kheer is made with basmati rice and not short-grain pudding rice. It can be made directly from washed and soaked aged basmati or with leftover cooked rice (less creamy than the former). Basmati rice makes a huge difference to the flavour of the Kheer and is what differentiates it from traditional western rice pudding recipes.

Mixing rice

Controversial disclosure: My recipe for Kheer uses a 50/50 combination of aged basmati and short-grain pudding rice. Not only does this add the fragrance of traditional Kheer, it also ensures a level of creaminess that makes me weak at the knees. Having said this, feel free to mix things up by using 100% basmati or 100% short-grain rice if you like. There are no hard and fast rules, only personal preferences. After all, the rice is just a carrier for copious amounts of milk and/or cream in any rice pudding recipe.

Rice pudding, remixed

Name a better combo than white chocolate and raspberries. I’ll wait. Stir chopped white chocolate through the cooked Kheer and allow it to melt into a liquid gold puddle right before your eyes. Not only does it smell like a chocolate shop, it also adds a silky, melted ganache vibe that demands the tart juiciness of fresh raspberries.

Serve the finished Kheer hot, warm or cold but most importantly, don’t forget the berries and extra chocolate shavings on top.

How can I veganise this White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer?

I haven’t tested a vegan version of this recipe. That being said, you could try it with almond milk and coconut cream. There are some wonderful vegan white chocolate brands available now. iChoc have a great one.

Ingredients you’ll need to make White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer

• Aged basmati rice
• Short-grain pudding rice
• Whole milk
• Sugar
• Cardamom
• Saffron
• Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• Raspberries
• White chocolate
• Dark chocolate
• Flaked almonds
• Chopped pistachios

How to make White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer

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White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer

White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer is an Indian-style rice pudding supercharged with spices, juicy berries and luxurious chocolate shavings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chocolate, pudding, raspberries, rice, rice pudding, white chocolate

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Equipment

• Large, heavy-based saucepan

Ingredients

• 75 g aged basmati rice
• 75 g short-grain pudding rice
• 1.6 L full-fat milk
• 200 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 5 cardamom pods seeds removed and crushed
• 8-10 strands saffron
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds
• 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
• 100 g white chocolate chopped

Topping:

• 100 g fresh raspberries
• Shaved white chocolate
• Shaved dark chocolate

Instructions

• Mix the rice together in a bowl and rinse briefly. Don’t rinse away too much starch as this is what will make the Kheer creamy.
• Put the rice into a large, heavy-based saucepan. A non-stick pan is ideal as the milk will will be less likely to catch and burn at the base of the pan. Pour in the milk and add the sugar, cardamom, saffron and vanilla. Stir and bring to the boil.
• Stirring frequently, simmer the Kheer uncovered on a medium-low heat. Once it begins to thicken, you’ll need to stir more often. Once reduced to the consistency of thin porridge or cake batter, beat the Kheer with a wooden spoon until the grains are soft and tender. This isn’t the time for al dente rice.
• Switch off the heat and gently stir in the cream, nuts and chopped white chocolate. Continue to mix until melted. The cold cream will help reduce the temperature of the Kheer so the chocolate doesn’t seize up.
• Serve hot or cold with raspberries and chocolate shavings. I haven’t specified quantities for the chocolate shavings because let’s be honest, who am I to tell you how much chocolate to put on top?

Notes

• If you want sweeter Kheer, add 1 tbsp more sugar. Indeed, feel free to omit the sugar completely you don’t want to add it. The sweetness mostly comes from chocolate in this recipe.

• Add 2 tsp rosewater for a delicious raspberry and rose Kheer. It really is delicious this way.

• If you don’t like white chocolate, you could stir in chopped dark chocolate. You may need to adjust the sugar quantities slightly given that white chocolate is much sweeter than dark chocolate.

• For the chocolate shavings: Using a sharp knife, carefully scrape the back of a large chocolate bar starting at the side furthest from you. Keep your fingers and body out of the way and use two hands to scrape the surface with the knife, in a long motion. Alternatively, grate the chocolate using a microplane or use a vegetable peeler.

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Like this? You’ll love my Gulab Jamun Cake

Love Sanjana

The post White Chocolate & Raspberry Kheer appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

We rarely ate out at Indian restaurants in those days. The vegetarian options were limited to side dishes of random “mixed vegetables” swimming in generic curry sauces and quite frankly, homemade was better.

As the millennium approached, more and more options bubbled up, beginning with areas populated with a high density of Indian residents. Leicester, Wembley and Southall were all on the radar and we visited often. It was in Leicester that I first read the words “Indo-Chinese fusion dishes” on a restaurant menu and this immediately grabbed my attention. I wanted to know more. A whole list of dishes to choose from and I made it my mission to try them all. Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, Hakka Noodles, Spring Rolls, Mixed Rice & Noodle Sizzler and even Szechuan Dosa were options. I ordered as much as I could manage and that was the day I fell in love with Chilli Paneer.

I later learned that Indo-Chinese food, also known as Desi Chinese was a cuisine developed by the Chinese community of Kolkata, West Bengal. It became a lifelong dream of mine to visit Kolkata’s Chinatown and enjoy Hakka-Indian food in its original birthplace. Just as my grandparents and thousands of other families brought Indian cuisine to East Africa and the British embraced Indian curry, this small community of Hakka settlers shared the gift of their ancestral cuisine with Kolkata. Little did they know that it would lead to the creation of a truly exquisite Indian-Chinese food culture that’s now internationally sought after. Food travels regardless of borders. This is pure comfort food which is why it’s such a treat when eating out. It’s spicy, garlicky, smoky and umami-rich with a liberal attitude towards rivers of soy sauce and the addition of MSG (ajinomoto) in most dishes. It’s not a style of cooking that shys away from battering and deep frying either. Green chilli, spring onions, ginger, garlic, tomato ketchup, soy sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, turmeric, black pepper and sugar are all widely-used ingredients in Indo-Chinese dishes. A smoking hot cast iron wok is essential for the highly coveted wok hei caramelisation and aromas.

Indo-Chinese food is all about taking an abundance of fresh veg, protein and Indian spices and pairing them with sticky, umami-rich cornflour-thickened sauces. These sauces are unlike anything you get in traditional Indian cooking. If you’re a fan of Singapore Noodles, Laksa and Nasi Goreng, it’s worth giving Indo-Chinese food go.

My Instagram family have recently made their love of Chilli Paneer very clear. After a poll, they voted Leicester restaurants Indigo, Chai Paani and Tangoe as the best places to eat the famous dish. Special mention for Sakonis which isn’t in Leicester (they have restaurants in Wembley and Hatch End) but still do a delicious Chilli Paneer. Luckily, I’ve tried them all (several times over) and did my best to recreate the best version in my kitchen at home. The criteria was as follows: The paneer needed to be juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, the peppers needed some crunch, the sauce had to be loaded with garlic, no tomatoes, lots of green chillies, soy sauce-rich and slightly sweet. Well my friends, I think I may have nailed it but I’ll let you have the final say on that. If you’ve never tried Indo-Chinese food before, Chilli Paneer is one fusion dish worth trying.

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Restaurant-Style Chilli Paneer

Crispy paneer wok-fried in a light chilli and garlic sauce with lots of crunchy veg. A real Indo-Chinese crowd pleaser.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Chinese, Indian

Keyword cheese, chilli, paneer, stir fry, vegetables, vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 450 g paneer cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 peppers sliced into 3cm strips (I use red and green)
• 10 spring onions sliced on the bias, some greens reserved for garnishing
• 3 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 8 large cloves garlic crushed
• 4 green chillies sliced on the bias
• 3 tbsp lighy soy sauce if you want a darker colour, use dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• Shredded lettuce to serve

Instructions

• Mix together the cornflour, white pepper and salt. Coat the paneer in the cornflour mixture.
• Heat the oil in a large wok and add the paneer. Fry until crispy and golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
• In the remaining oil, add the garlic, chillies, 3/4 of the spring onions, peppers, soy sauce and sugar. Saute over a high heat for a minute and then add the paneer. Toss to combine.
• Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce, garnished with the reserved spring onions and fresh coriander.

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I’m making Khichdi, Gujarati style, like how they eat it on the farm in my ancestral home of Porbandar. It’s served with Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, a blow-your-socks-off garlic and chilli preserve, and a cold glass of Chaas (salted buttermilk with roasted cumin). This is the comfort food every Gujarati has precious memories of growing up. The porridge-like consistency of a ghee-beaten rice and lentil mishmash was usually the first solid food we ever ate as toothless babies and our fondness for it stayed with us right through to adulthood. It became a familiar and nostalgic comfort blanket for the belly.

Loaded with hearty goodness and family tradition, Khichdi was and (still is) regarded as being every doting Gujarati mother’s nourishment of choice for her child.

My recipe uses salt but feel free to omit it or reduce the amount for weaning. Just a few weeks ago, I prepared a salt-free version for my 6-month old and he gobbled it up with gusto. It was his first real taste of food, as it was mine 29 years ago.

Unlike other regional variations of the dish, Gujarati Khichdi is subtle and gently spiced but still creamy with ghee or butter. It’s not pilau or biryani and traditionally, Khichdi is not loved for its long, separate grains you strive to achieve with other rice dishes. Think risotto. It’s a stodgy, filling rice and lentil porridge with or without a blend of spices depending on the regional style and interpretation you choose.

I like to use dried, split mung beans with the husks on (mung daal chilla) but you can also use the skinned yellow variety of mung daal if you prefer. As far as spices go, turmeric, asafoetida and black pepper are all that’s needed.

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Village-Style Gujarati Khichdi

Unlike other regional variations of the dish, Gujarati Khichdi is subtle and gently spiced but still creamy with ghee or butter. It’s not pilau or biryani and traditionally, Khichdi is not loved for its long, separate grains you strive to achieve with other rice dishes. Think risotto. It’s a stodgy, filling rice and lentil porridge with or without a blend of spices depending on the regional style and interpretation you choose.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword gujarati, lentils, rice, turmeric

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 125 g basmati rice
• 125 g dried split mung beans (the kind with the husks left on)
• 600 ml hot water
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 g butter or ghee
• 1 tsp freshly-ground black peppercorns

Instructions

• Combine the rice and dried split mung beans. Wash them in cold water several times and then place them in a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
• Add the water, turmeric, asafoetida and salt. Stir and bring to the boil. Place the lid on the pan and reduce the burner to low. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the khichdi is tender.
• Next, add in the butter and black pepper and beat the khichdi with a wooden spoon for a minute until creamy and porridge-like in consistency.
• Serve with more butter or ghee and Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (optional but delicious).
• You can also cook the khichdi in a pressure cooker. Follow the same method and cook for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before opening the cooker and beating in the butter and black pepper.

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It’s made with a tonne of crushed raw garlic, chilli, fresh coriander, salt and oil. That’s it. No cooking and no fancy spices.

Where does this raw garlic chutney come from?

This is simple Kathiyawadi village fare from the heart of Gujarat. Kathiyawad is a peninsula off the western coast of India, in the region of Saurashtra and it’s where my family come from.

Made up of several districts including Porbandar, Junagadh and Jamnagar, many people who live there have farming in their blood and an appetite for simply cooked but flavour-rich fare.

How to serve Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney

Serve Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney as an accompaniment to any curry (aubergines work particularly well and are traditional fare). Indian breads like millet chapattis (Bajra na Rotla), wheat chapattis both thin and thick (Rotli and Bhakhri) and fenugreek chapattis (Thepla) are fantastic pairings.

It livens up a bowl of warm, comforting lentil and rice stew (Khichdi). For a less traditional but equally delicious use for Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, stir it into warm vegetables, pasta sauces, stews and soups.

Another thing I like to do is to fold some into mashed sweet potatoes with a little butter. Indeed, it is truly brilliant when you need instant garlic and chillies when making lazy curries – just dollop a spoonful in to your tempered spices and sauté away.

You can even beat it with plain yoghurt for a speedy drizzle or dip for chaat, pulao and fries!

How to make and store this raw garlic chutney

Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (No-Cook Garlic Chutney) is something that’s often made fresh every day, our busy schedules often don’t permit us to pound fresh garlic chutney each day so I have a workaround.

I make a big batch of Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, pile it into a clean, sterilised jar.

Each time we use it, I top it off with a layer of oil to ensure it stays fresh in the fridge. The oil and salt in the chutney itself help to preserve the fresh ingredients so it lasts months.

You only need a small amount of chutney to add big flavour to a meal so it’s worth making it in batches.

Can I use a blender to make this chutney?

This is good old-fashioned farmer food so leave the blender in the cupboard and make it by hand.

I like to use a garlic crusher and then mix all the ingredients together but you could also pound it all in a pestle and mortar for a coarse and deliciously-garlicky accompaniment to any traditional Gujarati thali.

Is this chutney vegan?

Yes!

Is it gluten free?

Yes it is!

Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney recipe

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Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (No-Cook Garlic Chutney)

Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney is the condiment to rule all condiments. It’s made with a tonne of crushed raw garlic, chilli, fresh coriander, salt and oil. That’s it. No cooking and no fancy spices. This is simple Kathiyawadi village fare from the heart of Gujarat.

Course Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chilli, chutney, garlic, gujarati

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 large jar

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 3 large bulbs of fresh garlic peeled and crushed (I used a garlic crusher)
• 400 g red chilli powder I use Kashmiri chilli powder for milder heat and great colour
• 120 g fresh coriander chopped
• 270 ml oil any flavourless or olive oil if you like the taste
• 1 tbsp salt you’ll only be eating a tiny bit at a time so don’t be put off
• 2 tsp water or as needed to make a very thick paste

Instructions

• Use a wooden spoon to mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. I don’t recommend using a blender as that will dramatically change the texture. A coarse finish is what’s traditional and it’s perfect. You could also crush it using a pestle and mortar.
• Pile the mixture into a large sterilised jar, packing it down as tightly as you can.
• Top with a coating of oil to preserve it and remember to to this every time you use it. Store in the refrigerator and consume within 2 months.

Notes

This will keep well tightly covered in the fridge for 3 months. Ensure the entire surface of the chutney is topped up and covered with oil at all times.

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Maraghwe Bhajiya soak up some of the coconut milk like dumplings, yet still have a crispy, cragginess I adore. It’s rustic, warming and a beautiful vegan meal.

Corn vs. Maize

Make Makai Paka with either corn or maize. The latter takes longer to cook, is less sweet and more mealy than its’ counterpart. The choice is yours.

For the sake of time and availability, I use corn. Either fresh from the cob, tinned or even frozen will do.

British sweetcorn is abundant at this time of year so this is what I’ve used in my recipe. Having said this, please work with what you have and what you like the taste of.

What is Makai Paka?

Makai Paka is a Kenyan speciality, most popular amongst the South Asian community in East Africa. Other non-vegetarian varieties exist in the form of Kuku Paka (chicken) and Machli Paka (fish).

A corn variety of the popular dish has likely come about due to the abundance of the ingredients locally, and due to the Asian vegetarian population. The dish usually incorporates large pieces of corn on the cob.

My recipe for Makai Paka & Maraghwe Bhajiya

My recipe for Makai Paka is vegan and has the addition of kidney bean fritters (Maraghwe Bhajiya). This isn’t a common addition but one that echoes the addition of moong daal bhajiya to other Asian-African dishes like Channa Bateta and Zanzibar Mix.

I first grill the corn on the cob and then remove them from the cob. They then get the coconut milk treatment. A long and gentle simmer to coax out the juices and intensify the sweetness of the corn. It’s a beautiful contrast alongside the mild spices and citrus juices.

My version of Makai Paka doesn’t include corn on the cob because I wanted to create a version you need only a bowl and spoon to enjoy.

Simple spices: Makai Paka & Maraghwe Bhajiya

The spices in this dish are simple, as with all East African dishes. Traditionally, you should let the ingredients do the talking and use spices sparingly to enhance them.

The only rule is to balance sweet, salty, hot and sour, as is also the case with traditional Gujarati cooking. Indeed, if you like Gujarati-style Kidney Beans & Sweetcorn nu Shaak, you will love this dish.

Memories and meals

What are your favourite food smells? For me, you can’t get any better than veggies roasting over an open fire.

The flavours of corn, aubergines, peppers and okra and onions are all heightened when you introduce them to flames.

I have such precious memories of holidaying in Mombasa, melting away in the aroma of fire-roasted maize on the cob, mohogo (cassava) and sweet potatoes.

These, combined with the lingering smell of hot coals, gasoline and frying potatoes in the salty, coastal air transports me to a happy place. It’s almost as comforting as the welcoming warmth of my bed at home.

A trio of cultures

I’m lucky enough to have grown up with three cultures; British, Indian and Kenyan. I grew up in the 90s, lived in an all-white area and was forever told that my house/packed lunch/hair always “smells like curry” by my peers.

If that wasn’t odd enough, I was also the only vegetarian at school (remember this was before “plant-based” and “vegan” diets were mainstream and insta famous).

When my lunches weren’t cucumber sandwiches and crisps, they were eyeballed with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Ghee-cooked thepla, bateta nu shaak, dahi and samosas.

Those lunches were always the most delicious. By the time I got to 15, I stopped giving a toss about what others thought, cooked shaak-rotli in my home ec classes and often came home empty handed because my friends had eaten it all.

My parents were flabbergasted.

The self-conscious episodes of my youth have made me incredibly proud of my triple-cultured upbringing. Being a British Indian with East African roots is what’s made me who I am today.

We ate the best, most varied meals and connected over food in the most wonderful way. Each meal was a talking point; it had a story and there were facts, techniques and anecdotes behind it.

Even now, we talk about our favourite family dishes daily.

How to make Makai Paka & Maraghwe Bhajiya

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Makai Paka & Maraghwe Bhajiya

Course Main Course

Cuisine African, Indian

Keyword african, beans, coconut, fritters, kidney beans, stew, sweetcorn

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Makai Paka (Corn in Coconut Milk):

• 3 large sweetcorn on the cob
• 1 medium potato cubed into 1cm pieces
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 300 ml water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fresh coriander

For the Maraghwe Bhajiya:

• 1 x 400g tin cooked kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 140 g chickpea flour (besan)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 green chilli finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp coriander finely chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

• To make the Makai Paka, first roast the sweetcorn over a flame on your gas cooker. You can also place it under the grill or on a barbecue until it has black spots all over. Allow to cool.
• Strip the kernels from the cob and set aside.
• In a large pan, add the water, coconut milk, chillies, garlic, turmeric and salt. Bring to a boil and add the potatoes and corn. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and coriander and remove from the heat.
• To make the bhajiya, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, crushing some of the beans between your fingers and keeping some whole.
• Heat a wok or deep pan with oil to 160ºC/320ºF. Use a teaspoon to pick up the batter and another teaspoon to carefully push the batter off, into the hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning and moving frequently until golden and crispy.
• Serve the Makai Paka in bowls and top with the hot and crispy Maraghwe Bhajiya.

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Most of you will know that it’s been my long-term dream to have a surprise birthday tandoor at home. Well I still don’t have one. However, my parents bought me a ginormous and Indian-style stacking steamer for my 28th birthday and it’s the best! It’s not beautiful and fancy, it’s a commercial appliance that doesn’t quite fit in my kitchen cupboard unless it’s disassembled. But it’s quickly become my favourite thing. It has multiple layers, baskets and a tight-fitting lid that fluffs up dhokra, muthiya and khichi perfectly.

Khichi, khichu, khichiya and papdi no lot are all names for one iconic Gujarati savoury snack made with rice flour and a few very basic spices. It can be prepared and served in a number of different ways depending on the particular family style and recipe. My favourite way is to shape and steam the rice flour dough for perfect little pucks with a chewy dumpling texture. Other popular methods include cooking it in a pan from start to finish, pressure cooking or even microwaving it.

Traditionally, khichi or papdi no lot (which literally translates to “cooked dough” is served with a bowl of oil. No BS, a bowl of regular plant-based oil like groundnut, sunflower or vegetable oil. Not olive oil, not ghee, not butter. Just oil. I liken it to dipping bread in olive oil in the West, except the point is not to add flavour, but to transform the texture of the dish. The reason why it makes so much sense is because it completely changes the texture of the dish. A slick of oil on the khichi after steaming stops them sticking together and dipping them in oil whilst eating gives the chewy rice flour dumplings a soft, slippery texture that’s not entirely unlike the feeling of eating buttered noodles. Growing up with something as comforting as that gives the most intense cravings!

The combination of ingredients in khichi are always a simple mix so you can really taste the rice flour base. Usually it’s cumin, ginger, salt and chillies. Turmeric and garlic are optional extras. Fresh turmeric is option and adds a gorgeous raw mango flavour and intense colour. I add a little bicarbonate of soda to my khichi to lighten them up a little and ensure they’re not overly dense. They puff up a touch when they steam. Note that adding turmeric and bicarbonate of soda will give your khichi a slight orange hue. You could choose to skip the bicarbonate of soda and add turmeric for yellow khichi or leave both out and make white khichi. I’ve tried them all and prefer to add both. The recipe will work either way. The choice is yours.

Here I’ve shared my recipe for both classic rice flour khichi or papdi no lot, as well as a more playful recipe for a dish I’ve called Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi which is perfect for using up leftover khichi. It’s a play on popular Indian restaurant dishes like Chilli Paneer, Chilli Mogo and Chilli Idli which use Chinese ingredients like soy sauce and 5-spice. Similar to the recipe for Sizzling Chilli Idli I posted a couple of years back.

The khichi are dusted in cornflour and fried until crispy on the outside. Right before serving they are tossed in an intense sticky chilli sauce with lots of veg. Don’t be put off by the amount of ginger, chillies and garlic – it’s a lot but necessary to stand up to the somewhat plain rice flour khichi. It’s a delicious starter and a new, creative take on a Gujarati classic. My recipe for Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi serves six hungry people.

Khichi or Papdi no Lot (Gujarati Steamed Rice Flour Dumplings)

Makes 20 regular-sized khichi or 40 mini khichi

Ingredients
225g rice flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 green chillies, chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
600ml water
1 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp ajwain
1 tsp cumin seeds

Method

1. Mix together the rice flour and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and ajwain. Allow them to sizzle momentarily. Next, add the chopped chillies and ginger. Sauté until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the water and tip in all of the rice flour mixture into the pan and beat with a wooden spoon. The mixture may seem lumpy at first but keep beating and it will come together as a soft dough. Cool for about a minute, beating vigorously all the time. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

4. Set up a large metal steamer that fits multiple baskets inside. You’ll need about 2L of hot water in the base and to grease the holed baskets with oil to stop the khichi sticking.

5. When the mixture is still very warm but cool enough to handle, grease your hands with a little oil and make golf ball-sized rounds with the dough. Flatten slightly and use your thumb to make a deep indentation in the middle of each disc. Repeat until you have used up all the dough. Arrange the khichi inside the baskets, leaving space around each one as they will inflate slightly.

6. Place the baskets inside the steamer and close with a tight-fitting lid. Cook on a high heat for 18 minutes exactly. Switch the steamer off and leave covered for 5 minutes.

7. Remove the lid and take the khichi out, placing them on a plate. Brush with oil to stop them sticking together.

8. Serve with oil for dipping.

Leftover khichi can be cut into bite-sized pieces used to make Crispy Chilli Khichi, a delicious starter dish we created and love at home.

Note: if making khichi to use for Chilli Khichi straight away, I like to make little ping pong ball-sized khichi (about half the size of the regular classic kind). If you do this, the recipe above will make approximately 40 small khichis which are perfectly bite-sized.

Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi

Serves 6

Ingredients
40 mini khichi
2 tbsp + 3 tsp cornflour
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and julienned
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 hot thin bird’s eye chillies
3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (I use Mae Ploy Sweet Chilli Sauce)
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (I use Mama Sita’s Vegetarian Oyster Sauce)
250ml hot water
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice
3 mixed peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 red onions, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large tomato, choppef into bite-sized pieces
Oil to deep fry

Method

1. Heat enough oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to deep fry the khichi. The oil temperature should be 180C. Dust the mini khichi in 2 tbsp cornflour and fry in small batches until golden and crispy on the outside, about 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.

2. Heat a large wok until smoking hot. Don’t add any oil. In one go, add in the onions, peppers and tomatoes. Allow the veggies to char lightly and develop a smoky flavour, about 8 minutes. Stir only once or twice. Remove the veggies from the wok and set aside for later.

3. To make the sauce, add 2 tbsp oil to the wok and scatter in the sesame seeds, chillies, garlic and ginger. Sauté briefly. Add the soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sriracha, 5-spice, brown sugar, paprika, water and salt. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Mix 3 tsp cornflour with 1 tsp cold water and stir to create a smooth paste. Add to the simmering sauce and stir continually until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

5. Heat the sauce through and toss everything together immediately before serving. Garnish with chillies, ginger and sesame seeds.

100% approved by baby K.O!

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These days I love to add rose to lots of dishes from sweet to savoury, but mostly sweet. I’ve got a tonne of rose recipes on the blog, some of my favourites being Strawberry Cheesecake Falooda, Eggless Rose Custard Creams, Pistachio and Rose Bombay Halwa, Cardamom Wreath with Rose Drizzle and Candied Lemon Peel. A dash of rose water also doesn’t go amiss in biryani, ice cream and of course, cake.

Here I’ve dunked chewy toasted coconut macaroons in a simple rose icing made with icing sugar and rose syrup – the bright pink kind you find in Indian shops. One of my pregnancy cravings has been rose milk reminiscent of my falooda-crazy days. I add a dash to cold milk and stir for a strawberry pink milkshake that’s so refreshing without the faff of having to make a true falooda.

The macaroons are eggless, switching in a trusty can of sweetened condensed milk instead of egg whites. The result is a delicious, toasty coconut cookie with a coconut ice-like centre. After they’ve cooled, the bottoms get dunked in the rose icing and chopped toasted pistachios. Pistachio and rose are a flavour combo I’d like to eat every day for the rest of my life – I’m obsessed.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy 6-ingredient cookie that’s both egg and gluten free, this one’s for you.

Dust with icing sugar for a pretty snow-topped peak. So pretty!

Eggless Pistachio-Rose Macaroons
Makes 25 macaroons

For the macaroons:
1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
300g sweetened desiccated coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the rose icing:
140g icing sugar
4 tbsp rose syrup

Icing sugar to dust, optional

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/320°F. It’s really important you do this. The oven needs to be HOT or the cookies will melt into flat puddles. Grease and line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof paper and butter.

2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and bicarbonate of soda until you have a thick pliable mixture.

3. Divide the mixture into 25 equal balls and shape each one into a teardrop shape. Arrange on the pre-lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and toasted on the outside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4. To make the icing, mix the icing sugar and rose syrup until you have a thick, drippy pink icing. Dip the bottom of the cooled macaroons in the icing and then into the chopped pistachios. Sit them back onto a lined baking tray. Allow to set at room temperature for a few hours.

5. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

The macaroons will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Although I doubt they’ll last that long.

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