Super Sundays

It was 1995 and I had begged my dad for a costume tiara from Bombay Stores in Bradford all summer. He finally caved in after some heavy persuasion and a nice daal kachori pick up from Kaushy Patel’s Prashad. This was pre-Gordon Ramsay declaring it his Best Restaurant and long before it even became a dine-in restaurant. In those days, we would be treated to some Indian snacks from Bradford’s only vegetarian mithai shop one Sunday a month. Kaushy aunty would always sneak me Gulab Jamun freebies as I peered through the glass counter. She was always wore kajal around her eyes and a smile on her face.

After loading the car boot up with savoury snacks, mithai and fruit and veg from the abundantly-stocked Pakistani shop, Al-Halal, we’d head over to Bombay Stores.

My happy place

Passing through the doors of Bombay Stores like stepping into the set of a Bollywood movie. A labyrinth of colourful saris and lenghas, glass counters filled with glimmering costume jewellery, and Indian shoes as far as the eye could see. I’d have the “Bombay Stoooooores” jingle from Zee TV adverts playing on loop in my head. The lingering scent of Indian newspapers would follow you around like the mythological ghost, Betaal clinging to King Vikramaditya’s shoulders in Mahakavi Somdev Bhatt‘s Baital Pachisi. The smell of the newspaper ink came from the saris they were folded inside to keep the fabric straight and it permeated every fibre. I took long, deep breaths and revelled in anticipation of finally getting that tiara.

Post-tiara life

Playing dress-up was always the same after that day. My go-to persona was a princess. Finally, I was no longer “Little Diesel”, a wresting protégé my older brother had fashioned based on the infamous WWF (now WWE) character. Why? Because now I wore a tiara. I had arrived.

The first time I wore it outside the house was to the temple’s Diwali fancy dress.

One half of Radhe-Shyam

I dressed up as the gopi, Radha. In Hinduism, she is a milkmaid and dear consort of Lord Krishna. Decked out in an shiny aubergine-coloured skirt and top and my mum’s maroon lipstick, I felt like a million dollars. She gave me a faux beauty spot à la Cindy Crawford and painted my nails with her best bottle of Revlon nail polish.

I lost the fancy dress competition to my brother.

He was Shankar bhagwan (Mahadeva, an incarnation of Lord Shiva). He held a trident made of cardboard crisp boxes wrapped in tin foil and a large rubber snake around his neck. Mum did an amazing job on his costume. I was happy with second prize, a box of Milk Tray and my tiara still firmly on my head. Third prize went to my cousin who wore a long, grey school sock on his nose to resemble Lord Ganesha. It’s a day I’ll never forget.

Afterwards, we all filled up on dinner and mithai. The ones that appealed to my inner magpie were the ones covered in shiny silver leaf.

Much like these Pistachio Burfis, they had a delicious, milky fudge flavour and simply melted in your mouth. Here, I’ve recreated a version of the burfi I enjoyed when I was growing up. It has true pistachio flavours (not just food colour or pistachio essence) and of course, gold and silver leaf on top. Some things will never change.

Can I make Pistachio Burfi ahead of time?

Yes. Technically it lasts a week in the fridge so make it in advance and keep refrigerated. I’d recommend keeping it sealed in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep it away from anything strong smelling.

Do I have to use pistachio butter?

For this recipe, I recommend you do. It gives a perfectly-textured burfi with a delicious melt-in-the-mouth feel. Either order it online, find it in speciality food shops, or if you have a Vitamix-style blender, make your own. Ensure you are using a pistachio butter that is 100% pistachios, and with no added sugar.

Can I use any other nut butters?

As long as they smooth and mostly pure nuts. Any added ingredients may affect the texture of the burfi. If in doubt, always check the label. You’re looking for 100% nuts of your choice for the best results. I’ve tried it with almond butter, cashew butter and peanut butter, all with fantastic results.

How do I to cut burfi into perfect squares?

Always cut burfi at room temperature. Cutting it fridge cold could cause it to crumble and chip. Use a very large, very sharp knife to cut the burfi and wipe the blade clean after each cut to reduce crumbs and streaks.

Can I add any other masalas to this Pistachio Burfi?

Absolutely. If you like, you can add the ground seeds of 3-4 green cardamoms. I would not recommend adding saffron because it will significantly change the colour of this pistachio burfi. Saffron would however, be a great addition to cashew or almond butter burfi.

Is gold/silver leaf vegetarian?

Some methods of producing gold and silver leaf are not vegetarian friendly, due to the use of animal byproducts in the metal-beating process. However, there are many brands of vegetarian gold and silver leaf available. Check the packaging before using it if you’re concerned about this. I use these ones.

Do I have to use food colour?

Of course not. Keep the colours natural if you prefer. Without food colour, the burfi will be an off-olive/beige colour due to the combination of pistachio butter and caramelised sugar and milk powder.

Why do you use blue food colour?

The tiniest speck of blue colour will neutralise yellow hues from caramelisation one the burfi mixture, bringing it back to a natural pistachio shade. You can then add a touch of green to bump up the pistachio colour so it’s obvious what flavour the burfi is.

Can I use pistachio flavouring?

If you like it! I haven’t found one I love just yet as no artificial flavouring has given me the true pistachio flavour I get from 100% pistachio butter. However, if you have found one you enjoy the flavour of, there’s not reason why you can’t add it.

Can I melt chocolate on top of this Pistachio Burfi?

Absolutely. I’d recommend keeping it thin so it doesn’t overpower the pistachio flavour.

How to tell if burfi is cooked

The easiest and most accurate way of checking if the burfi is done is to use a sugar or food thermometer. Although, if you do not have one, there is another way of checking if it is ready. Before you start cooking, place a small plate in the fridge. It needs to be cold. Once you think the burfi mixture is done, place a small blob of the mixture onto the fridge-cold plate. Finally, allow to cool for a minute and if you can remove it from the plate easily and roll it into a ball between your fingers, it’s ready to pour into the tin. If it’s not ready, continue to cook and check again using a cold plate.

Why won’t my burfi set?

If the burfi will not set after coming down to room temperature (3-4 hours), it has not been cooked long enough. Return it to the pan and continue to cook, stirring all the time until it reaches soft ball stage.

Why is my burfi hard?

Hard burfi is an indicator that the mixture has been overcooked.

Ingredients you’ll need for Pistachio Burfi

• Full-fat milk powder
• Whole milk (or pistachio milk – I use this brand)
• Icing sugar (powdered/confectioners’ sugar)
• Ghee
• Pistachio butter (not ground pistachios). I use this brand.
• Any neutral oil
• Green and blue food colour (optional)
• Gold/silver leaf (optional – check labels to ensure they are suitable for vegetarians). I use this brand.
• Pistachio nibs or sliced pistachios, to decorate

Print

Pistachio Burfi

An easy recipe for melt-in-the-mouth Indian milk fudge (burfi) made with REAL PISTACHIO. Perfect for gifting. Your family and friends will love it!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword burfi, festivals, fudge, mithai, pistachio

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 14

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 23 x 15 x 5cm (9″ x 6″) brownie tin or thali
• Large, non-stick pan
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 500 g full-fat milk powder
• 250 ml whole milk or pistachio milk
• 100 g icing sugar
• 125 g ghee
• 2 tbsp pistachio butter
• 1 tsp any neutral oil don’t use ghee or butter
• Green and blue food colour optional
• Gold/silver leaf optional
• Slivered, chopped or crushed pistachios, to garnish optional

Instructions

• Grease a 23 x 15 x 5cm (9″ x 6″) tin with oil.
• In a large, nonstick pan, heat together the ghee and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer but do not boil. Turn the heat down to low.
• Once hot, add the milk powder and icing sugar. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Any lumps will disappear as it cooks.
• Cook over a low heat until smooth and glossy, about 10 minutes. Stir all the time to ensure the mixture does not burn.
• Stir in the pistachio butter and continue to cook for a further minute. The burfi is done when it is glossy and reaches 118°C/235°F on a sugar thermometer. If you do not have a sugar thermometer, place a small amount of the mixture onto a very cold plate (keep one in the fridge) and if you are able to roll the mixture into a soft ball, it is ready.
• Remove from the heat and immediately stir in any food colours (if using). I used a combination of blue and green gel good colours to achieve a natural pistachio colour. A small amount of blue neutralises yellow tones from the caramelised milk powder for a more vivid pistachio hue. Food colour is optional. You do not have to add it if you don’t wish to.
• Pour the hot burfi mixture into the greased tin. Flatten the top down using the back of a spoon. Try to get the surface as even as possible. You can lightly grease the spoon with oil if it helps create a smooth surface. If you’re not using gold/silver leaf, you can press a small handful of crushed or slivered pistachios into the surface of the burfi at this stage.
• Allow to set at room temperature for 3-4 hours.
• Top with optional gold/silver leaf for an Indian mithai shop finish.
• Use a large, sharp knife to cut the burfi into pieces. I cut mine into 12 squares but you can cut these as small as 1cm x 1cm if you like. These tiny squares are perfect with coffee after dinner.

Pin it for later!

If you like this Pistachio Burfi, you’ll love my Sweet Boondi recipe

Love Sanjana

The post Pistachio Burfi appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Whether you wanted to or not, yesterday, you all probably caught a glimpse of the Royal Wedding and that dress. It was on almost every single Sky channel imaginable and there’s no denying the amazing pageantry that was going on. For me, the real stars were those gorgeous fairytale horses pulling the carriage from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace – how cute were they?!

Adding blended nuts to a sauce is very traditional of North Indian and Central Asian cuisine. It was once symbolic of the wealth and social supremacy of the Mughal courts however, adding blended nuts to curries is now becoming increasingly popular in restaurants and in homes. Popular choices include cashews and almonds, with the use of pistachios being less common.

You know me – slightly odd and preoccupied with the need to make a break from the norm. The delicate flavour of sweet pistachios is in fact, a beautiful match for tender, textured cauliflower. It also stains the white cauliflower with the lightest hue of green imaginable.

Almond and Pistachio Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients

400g cauliflower, boiled until al dente50g pistachios, shelled
50g blanched almonds, skins removed
100g onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 small green chilli, minced
¼-½ tsp whole black peppercorns
1 inch stick cinnamon
1 star anise
1 tsp white pepper powder
3 cloves
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp coriander seed powder
½ tsp fennel powder
2-3 tiny drops almond extract (please don’t overdo this one!)
¼ tsp garam masala
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sour cream
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste
800ml water
3 tbsp oil
 
Method

The post Creamy Pistachio and Cauliflower Curry appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

My mother taught me her Creamy Kesar Shrikhand recipe when I was 11 years old and I make it in the same way to this day. Some things are best left unchanged.

It’s been a busy week!

In case you hadn’t noticed, I have been MIA for a week – but thankfully, I have a great excuse. If you follow me on Facebook you’ll know that I’ve been spending most of time baking for a lovely little party I attended last weekend.

On the entirely eggless dessert menu were Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Fudge Cake, Vanilla & Cherry Sponge Cake, Chocolate & Coconut Cake Pops and my epic Shrikhand Cheesecake.

What is Shrikhand?

Speaking of shrikhand, here’s my very classic (and simple) recipe for one of my favourite Gujarati desserts.

Three spices I always add to this dessert are green cardamom seeds, saffron and just a pinch of mace but nutmeg also works a treat. These aromatic flavours are what make shrikhand so wonderfully-opulent.

Indeed, it’s an acquired taste for many, this thick tangy yogurt is the perfect way to end an indulgent meal on a warm day – and to say today was warm is a hefty understatement.

How to serve Shrikhand

Very cold. Chill your batch of Creamy Kesar Shrikhand thoroughly before you serve it. I love to enjoy it as part of a savoury meal, Gujarati style. Pair it with Dry Mung Bean Curry, Kadhi and Rotli for real Gujarati celebration vibes.

If you want to create a spectacular show piece of a dessert, make my Shrikhand Doughnuts. Pillowy, yeasted doughnuts filled with the most wonderful Creamy Kesar Shrikhand. I toss the warm doughnuts in cardamom and pistachio sugar before I serve. I promise you’ll be hooked after a single bite.

Print

Creamy Kesar Shrikhand

Creamy Kesar Shrikhand is one of the most simple Indian desserts. Hung yoghurt whipped with sugar, cardamom and saffron. Serve it chilled as it is, or as part of a celebratory thali.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cardamom, gujarati, mace, nutmeg, pistachio, pudding, saffron, yoghurt

Prep Time 1 day day 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 day day 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Equipment

• Muslin cloth
• Fine mesh sieve

Ingredients

• 1 kg sour plain natural yoghurt I swear by Pakeeza brand
• 200 g icing sugar confectioner's sugar/powdered sugar
• 1 tsp ground green cardamom seeds
• Large pinch saffron
• 1/4 tsp ground mace or nutmeg
• 2-3 tbsp coarsely ground pistachios optional
• Mixed berried to serve optional

Instructions

• Tip the yoghurt into a clean muslin cloth and tie it up tightly with a piece of string right above the top of the yogurt so that the water presses away.
• Tie the muslin somewhere where it can hang with a large bowl underneath to catch the water and leave it for 24-36 hours. Try to choose somewhere cool. I like to hang mine in a cool corner of the kitchen. Keep tipping away the water as the bowl fills up.
• Remove the yoghurt from the muslin and place it in a large bowl. Add the icing sugar and mix well.
• Press the yoghurt and sugar mixture through a fine-holed sieve to remove any lumps.
• Mix in the ground cardamom, saffron, mace (or nutmeg) and pistachios if using. Chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.

Notes

This Creamy Kesar Shrikhand keeps well in the fridge for up to a week after it’s made.

Pin this Creamy Kesar Shrikhand recipe for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Mohanthal

Love Sanjana

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The past few days have been spent planning an elaborate baking mission composed of sweet treats to make your heart cry out for a detox – though I’m not yet ready for said detox.

Biryani is a bit like a newborn kitten – except you don’t cook nor eat newborn kittens. It requires heaps of concentration, patience and love.

Each individual component needs to be prepared to just the right level before the ingredients can be assembled in a harmonious fashion, and then gently steamed to create an insanely delicious smelling and tasting dish to fight over at the dinner table.

In the last post we discussed the origins of Mughlai cuisine and what makes it so majestic, and this fruity, nutty aromatic rice is right on point. Juicy apricots and pineapples are layered up with fluffy rice, spicy potatoes, sweet onions, aromatic saffron and kewra water (screwpine extract).

I’m not going to lie to you, you are likely to do a double take when you see the ingredients list. Take courage, my recipe provides you with a straightforward process to follow to create a true masterpiece. In truth, the assembly of biryani is not unlike the process used to make lasagne – it’s all in the preparation, so be prepared.

The following method is very detailed because I want to give you a complete guide full of handy hints and tips to make the perfect biryani for any occasion, and not only this one.

(serves 6, or 8 as part of a large meal)

400g basmati rice
340g baby new potatoes, cut into quarters
320g onions, sliced into thin strips
60g dried apricots, chopped, chopped into 2cm chunks
20g dried pineapple, chopped into 2cm chunks
20g whole almonds
20g whole pistachios
10g unsweetened desiccated coconut or 30g fresh coconut, grated
1 pinch saffron soaked in 4 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp kewra water
250ml hot water + more for boiling the rice and potatoes
4 tbsp oil or ghee
Salt

1 ½ tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced chillies
1 tsp cinnamon powder
4 whole cloves
1 tsp ground green cardamom seeds (flowery, aromatic flavour)
¼ tsp ground black cardamom seeds (smoky, heady flavour)
¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
¼ tsp pomegranate seed powder (sharp, sour taste – available in most Indian shops)
1/8 tsp ground mace
1 small pinch ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Method

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I’m sorry for the long and pretentious title this week – well sort of. Usually, I like to keep recipe titles as short as possible for the sake of clarity and focus (and because I’m easily confused). Although, I think a pompous sounding title is quite fitting when describing a pompous looking lamington.

Let me introduce you to my second entry to Mr P’s Re-Inventing the Lamington competition 2011. Vegan chocolate sponge filled with pandan cream cheese and coated in a layer of dark chocolate. As if this eggless lamington wasn’t trying hard enough to please already, it’s then crowned with a shard of pistachio and salted caramel glass.

NOTE: I’ve had a few comments about this being a ‘vegan’ lamington. Let me clarify: this is NOT a vegan lamington because it’s filled with cream cheese and covered in a brick-ish layer of dark chocolate. However, I’ve highlighted that the chocolate sponge used for this lamington IS vegan. I repeat: these are eggless lamingtons using a vegan sponge for any vegan readers who want to make chocolate cake.

Regular readers will already know that one of my favourite flavours is aromatic pandan. Pandan is a tropical plant which grows abundantly in South East Asia. Pandan extract comes from pulverising the long, spiky leaves into a rice and vanilla scented paste. Pandan extract can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes and is popularly known for being used in chiffon cake. I like to use it in hot and spicy curries, thumbprint biscuits, pandan burfi and of course, chocolate lamingtons.

I’ve tried pairing pandan with so many different ingredients – usually resulting in unspeakable failure. So I stuck to the flavours I knew worked. For once.

Pandan and chocolate are super together, as are pistachios and salted caramel. I feel as if the number of ingredients in this lamington is justified by how well the flavours compliment one another. So don’t give me that look, Cynic.

It pains me to admit that my lamington sponge is never as perfect as I want it to be. Eggless sponge is tricky to get right, and I’m a woman on a mission to get it right.

Chocolate sponge is much easier to make eggless or veganise than vanilla cake because of the way chocolate and raising agents react with one another – that’s not to say I haven’t cocked it up many a time. In my baking experience, I’ve produced chocolate cakes that crumble at the touch of a finger, chocolate cakes that are so chewy you’d never want to touch a Hubba Bubba again, and chocolate cakes which could knock out The Great Khali during a friendly game of catch gone wrong.

I’m one of those people who like sweet and savoury together. Unless it’s pineapple on pizza, which is sick, twisted and entirely wrong. Moving on, this pistachio-studded salted caramel glass makes a pretty garnish and actually tastes good. You could use any kind of nuts you want, but in keeping with the green theme, I opted for emerald-like pistachios.

Shall I stop babbling now?

Dark Chocolate Pandan Lamingtons with Pistachio and Salted Caramel Glass
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients

For the vegan chocolate sponge:

225g self raising flour
120g caster sugar
70g icing sugar
70g cocoa powder
50ml sunflower oil
250 ml water
2 tsp instant coffee
½ tsp salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda

For the pandan cream cheese filling:

250g cream cheese
4 tbsp icing sugar
½ tsp pandan extract

For the salted caramel and pistachio glass:

150g caster sugar
65ml water
Broken pistachios
Coarse sea salt

To cover the lamingtons:

400g dark cooking chocolate (70% cocoa)

Method

1. For the chocolate sponge, sift together all of the dry ingredients excluding the icing sugar and caster sugar.

2. In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients, icing sugar and caster sugar. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and slowly combine until thoroughly mixed. Do not overwork.

3. Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined 6X8inch pan, and bake at 160°C for 35-45 minutes. Don’t open the oven door at all or for at least the first 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cool thoroughly, trim if necessary and then cut in half.

4. For the salted caramel and pistachio glass, heat the sugar and water in a heavy based saucepan on a low heat. Do not stir the mixture, instead, gently swirl it around from time to time until it is caramelised. Watch it like a hawk because it can quickly burn. If it becomes too dry, add a tsp of boiling water.

5. Grease a steel tray with some oil and pour the caramelised mixture on top. Swirl it around but don’t burn yourself. Quickly scatter over pistachios and a little coarse sea salt. Allow to harden.

6. When the caramel has hardened fully (around 20-30 minutes) gently tap it with a knife to crack it into large pieces.

7. Combine all the ingredients for the pandan cream cheese and spread over one chocolate sponge. Top with the other chocolate sponge.

8. Heat the dark chocolate over a double boiler to gently melt it. Don’t stir too much.

9. Coat the cake in a layer of chocolate. Refrigerate it until the chocolate has hardened. Remove from the fridge and cover in another layer of chocolate, this time doing it neatly.

10. Allow to set. To serve, cut a slice and top with a shard of pistachio and salted caramel glass.

The post Dark Chocolate Pandan Lamingtons with Pistachio and Salted Caramel Glass appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

I’m snowed in. There’s a party to get to and I’m snowed in. Thankfully the International Incident Colours Party hosted by Penny a.k.a Jeroxie is a kind of party immune to catastrophic weather.

The final month of 2010 should be filled with bright colours and big smiles – my recipe for Orange and Cardamom Scented Seeroh (pronounced how it’s spelt) guarantees to make that happen. It’s not too sweet, not too rich and is incredibly addictive. That’s not to say you can chuck a whole load of them in your mouth one after another.

Just in case you do decide you want to finish off the whole lot in one go, I thoughtfully substituted a significant amount of sugar in this recipe with friendly agave nectar. You can thank me later.

Seeroh is essentially sweetened semolina (don’t gag, it’s nothing like ‘school dinner’ semolina). It can be flavoured anything you like – I try to stick to a couple of complimentary flavours that won’t clash or overpower one another like orange and cardamom. You could also try lemon and saffron, rose and pistachio, or cinnamon and chocolate chip.

Note: It is with regret I believe one of the only times glace cherries are appropriate in cooking is during seeroh and burfi-making. If you disagree, please enlighten me.

Seeroh can be served loose, whilst warm or set in a tray and cut into cubes. It will set when cool anyway, so if you want to serve it loose at a later time you will need to reheat it and stir again. I prefer setting it straight away for the purpose of presentation but of course, this makes no difference to the taste.

You should always store seeroh in the fridge because it can spoil quickly at room temperature. This seeroh should keep well in the fridge for 2-4 days – whether it will last that long is another story.

These make gorgeous edible gifts (like my recipe for Eggless Christmas Cupcakes), especially when they’re wrapped up tightly in clear plastic bags and tied with festive ribbons. Pack the bite-sized cubes into a pretty box, present to loved ones and bask in the glory of doing a fine deed.

Orange and Cardamom Scented Seeroh

Ingredients

500ml hot milk
140ml hot water
150ml agave nectar
60g sugar
140g butter
260g coarse semolina
Zest of 1 medium orange
½ tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp glace cherries, quartered

Slivered almonds and pistachios to decorate
Sunflower oil to grease the tray for setting (if setting)

Method

1. Heat the butter in a large non-stick pan and add the semolina. Sauté on a low/medium heat for around 3 minutes or until golden and toasted.

2. Slowly add the hot milk and water, whisking all the time. The mixture should thicken as you whisk. Add the sugar and agave nectar.

3. Cook on a medium heat for around 8-10 minutes or until a buttery sheen becomes visible on the top and sides of the mixture. Keep stirring all the time.

4. Remove from the heat, add the orange zest, cardamom powder and glace cherries.

5. Grease a 6inchX8inch square tray with sunflower oil and pour in your seeroh mixture. Flatten the top, sprinkle with slivered nuts and allow to cool at room temperature. When cool, refrigerate for at least an hour, until you’re ready to cut into cubes. Store in the fridge.

Serve as it is or hot with a colossal scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

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Fresh baklava has to be one of the most famous sweets across the globe. Throughout the Middle East and across Mediterranean lands it is king.

Boy, do those people have good taste.

Nutty, chewy and ultimately calorific, baklava sticks to your teeth and your thighs. My philosophy is to enjoy devilishly sweet treats in moderation and occasionally in excess.*

This take on one of my favourite sweets was inspired by baklava I ate at an odd little Turkish cafe I visited in London not so long ago. It was very dark and very greasy. The cafe, not the baklava.

In fact, the baklava was amazing. It had all of the super flavours of traditional baklava with a wonderfully textured twist. I love me some twists.

Sweet rice and the traditional spiced nuts were enveloped in thin, crisp filo pastry layers, then drenched in sugar syrup and left to absorb until chewy and divine. Pouring the hot sugar syrup on when the baklava is fresh from the oven makes it easier for it to absorb into the thirsty sheets of filo and down the diamond-cut grooves.

As for that twist… Rice in baklava is amazing just in case you’re wondering.

I flavoured my rice with rose and pistachio but essentially you could use anything. Don’t go too crazy though; try to stick to traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours like orange blossom water, honey or saffron. You could even keep it simple and use plain rice, or rice flavoured with a lemon zest.

I used jasmine rice for these bakalava as I wanted it to be firm enough to keep its shape, but not so hard you could use a lump of it as a tennis ball at Wimbledon. This cannot be whetting your appetite.

Sifting through pages and pages of information in books and on the internet just leaves me more and more curious about where the origins of this dessert lie. The lands in which it was created and the etymology of the name remains unclear as the facts are perched upon blurred lines and borders. It feels rather like a family tree in which each little segment must be traced in order to view the bigger picture.

Links, lines and roots connecting people, countries and history can all be represented in a simple pastry. Amazing. I think I long, long book could be written about the cultural histories of legendary and delicious desserts such as baklava.

I can imagine kings and queens of the East, and Greek gods and goddesses gorging themselves on fresh baklava every night before bed. Hundreds of servants wheeling out golden trolleys stacked tall with sweeties. Do you think they’re hiring for servants? If they are, email me the details at: sanju(dot)modha(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk

A diamond wedge of fresh baklava warm from the oven and a strong espresso may not be the ideal everyday breakfast* but to be honest, it should only really be reserved for special occasions anyway.

*Huge and delicious pieces of baklava should be devoured at the diners peril and in some cases may cause diabetes, ‘chunky butt’ syndrome and severe sweet toothism. KO Rasoi and Sanjana do not take any responsibility for occurrences of these symptoms and/or any other greed-related illnesses.

Rose & Pistachio Baklava

Ingredients
250g pistachios, ground coarsely
400ml single cream
200ml ghee (clarified butter), melted
270g frozen filo pastry, defrosted (cut it to the size of your baking dish)
120g jasmine rice
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp rose syrup
1 tbsp rose water

For the syrup
225g granulated white sugar
½ cup hot water
2 tbsp lemon juice (this stops the syrup from crystallising)

Method

1. Gently boil the rice in the single cream and 1 tbsp sugar until creamy. Keep stirring it as it simmers because it will stick. When thick and luscious, add the rose water, rose syrup and cardamom powder and stir well. Set aside to cool.

2. Brush a deep baking dish with a generous amount of ghee.

3. Begin by placing a sheet of filo in the pan, butter it and cover with ground pistachios.

4. Repeat step two until you have used half of the filo and pistachios. This is a bit like layering up a lasagne. Always remember to be generous with the ghee- this is what makes the baklava crisp.

5. Halfway through the pastry layering, spread the cooled rice mixture on top of the filo. Now you can carry on layering the sheets and nuts up (always brushing with ghee) until everything is used up. Brush the top layer with lots of ghee to create a beautiful golden top.

6. Cut the baklava into diamond shapes or squares. I went for diamonds because they look very elegant this way.

7. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for around an hour until crisp and golden.

8. Meanwhile, heat the ingredients for the sugar syrup until it is of a one string consistency (this is called the ‘soft ball’ stage on a sugar thermometer). Set aside.

9. Remove the baklava from the oven. By now it should be super crisp and smelling divine. Carefully pour over the sugar syrup and allow it to stand and absorb for at least 8 hours. I left mine for 24 hours and it was just perfect.

Tip: For super chewy baklava, return the baking tray to the warm (but turned off) oven as the sugar syrup is absorbing and leave it for 8+ hours,  or up to 24 hours.

Store in an airtight container in a very cool place for up to three days. Not that it will last that long.

Serve with espresso for breakfast.

Or dessert.

Or both.

The post Rose & Pistachio Baklava appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Kataifi (also known as konafi, kanafeh, kunafah and a whole range of other names in various languages) is a Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean shredded filo pastry. It is a little fiddly to work with but worth every second of the time it makes to create luxurious pastries, whether they are sweet or savoury. With this one, patience is most certainly a virtue.

Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean pastries are famously known for their use of nuts, spices and syrups, but the varieties of these ingredients differ from country to country, and region to region. Some of these ingredients include almonds, pistachios, rose, cinnamon, honey, fruits and sugar syrups. The list of possible combinations for pastries is endless, and they can be every bit as indulgent as your imagination dares to allow.

The fine threads of kataifi are massively delicate and resemble angel hair pasta which, when drizzled with golden streams of butter crisp up divinely in the heat of your oven. Syrup is poured on once the kataifi has finished baking and is still warm and able to glug up all of its sweetness and moisture.

Indeed, kataifi is very versatile and provides an amazing crunch to lots of dishes. It can also be filled with savoury ingredients such as cheeses like sharp fetas or also fruits like spiced mashed avocado. It can be baked and deep fried, although when you bake it, you must agree to add lots of butter. It’s wholly necessary.

You’ll have never tasted anything crispier. That’s a promise. And I always keep my promises.

Fun Fact: Palestinians made the largest kanafeh [kataifi] in an attempt to get into the book of Guinness World Records. The plate of the Palestinian delicacy measured 75 meters in length and two meters in width with a weight of 1,350 kilograms.*

Sadly, they never saved a piece for me.

*Source: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanafeh

Cinnamon & Orange Blossom Kataifi Rolls
(Yields 35-45 pieces depending on their size)

Ingredients

500g kataifi pastry (I used a Syrian brand of frozen pastry, defrosted)
250g salted butter, melted

For the filling

240g ground nuts (I used a combination of equal amounts of pistachios, almonds and walnuts)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
60g granulated sugar

For the syrup

400g sugar
360ml water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp orange blossom water

Method

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the filling and set aside.

2. On a large, clean surface separate the kataifi pastry carefully until it is as thin as it will go without having large gaps in it. Make sure the strands are left whole.

3. Cut the pastry into 6X10inch rectangles and working quickly on the longest edge, butter the pastry all over with a pastry brush. Then place 2-3 tbsp of the filling in a horizontal line across the pastry an inch from the bottom.

4. Carefully and tightly roll the long edge of the pastry from the bottom, making sure the filling doesn’t fall out. Place in a buttered baking tray and brush the top all over with more butter. (Note: Next time I roll the kataifi I will be using a sushi mat to get a perfect roll as the method of rolling kataifi is very similar to rolling sushi maki).

5. Repeat the above process for the rest of the pastry. Tightly pack each roll into the baking tray, one next to the other.

6. Bake the kataifi at 140 degress Celsius for around an hour. If you find it is burning then brush on more butter and bake at a lower temperature for longer.

8. Once the kataifi is golden brown all over, remove from the heat and gently ladle on the warm sugar syrup. Cover the tray with a piece of foil and allow to rest and absorb for a minimum of 8-12 hours, although 24 hours would be ideal.

9. When rested and cooled, cut the pastry logs into 1 inch pieces and place on greaseproof paper. Serve with Arabic coffee (qawah) or espresso.

The post Cinnamon & Orange Blossom Kataifi Rolls appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

They’re perfect if you’re a chomper, a dunker, or a nibbler.

These biscuits were requested by a reader via my Facebook page a long time ago. Wicked me, I’ve only had time to make them now. Nankhatai are a type of Indian tea biscuit. They are most likely to be flavoured with some of the usual suspects- green cardamom, saffron, ground mace… I could go on forever, baby.

In my enduring quest to make you all fat and greedy, I’ve not skimped on the butter because there’s no such thing as a calorie-free biscuit. Nope. Not in any country. Although, I’m guessing that if there is, it probably tastes like rabbit bedding. I’ve kept the recipe pretty conventional, apart from the addition of desiccated coconut. So not very conventional, then…

Remember to use saffron sparingly, the flavour is very intense and if too much is used, you may end up with a bitter-tasting potpourri-ish-thing-which-I-won’t-call-a-biscuit. Plus, it’s super expensive, so be kind to your pocket. Coarse semolina gives these biscuits a beautiful texture which I simply adore, and chickpea flour adds a divine nutty flavour.

Nankhatai are not supposed to be too sweet. My guess is that this is because Indians LOVE their tea sweet. Sweeter than Hello Kitty (sorry if you hate Hello Kitty but if you do… leave). So, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Nankhatai are perfect with sweet tea (avec plenty of chai masala) to gently warm your tummies in the morning.

Note: All measurements are in grams and tsp/tbsp for accuracy.

Ingredients
(Makes around 35 small biscuits)

260g plain flour
25g chickpea flour
35g coarse semolina
215g unsalted butter, room temperature
110g icing sugar
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 small pinch saffron
½ tsp cardamom ground
Pistachios to decorate

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

2. Add the baking powder, saffron, cardamom.

3. Sift in the semolina, gram flour and plain flour. Bind into a soft dough.

4. Make around 35 1 inch balls and flatten them slightly.

5. Place on a greased, lined baking tray and ensure there is enough space around each piece of dough as they will spread while cooking. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 8 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. Remove the biscuits from the oven and carefully place a pistachio in the centre, return to the oven and bake for a further 7 minutes until golden.

6. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

You can glaze these with a zig-zag of icing if you like the sweeter things in life. Or even better… Use chocolate. Bad influence, aren’t I?

The post Nankhatai: Spiced Biscuits for Tea appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Unless you’ve been holidaying in the North Pole you must have heard about all of the snow that’s been falling. Well okay, maybe I phrased that badly. In the UK it’s been unnaturally cold for the past two weeks, with temperatures reaching a glacial -20 degrees C! My car is wearing a snug blanket of bright white and probably complaining of frostbite through silent, icy whispers. People are hobbling through soft, pillowy mounds of snow as it crunches, pops and compacts under even the tiniest of feet. I’ve always thought that falling snowflakes and pallid blizzards are beautiful to see… Through snow encrusted window panes.

Spiced milk is the new hot chocolate. Of course it isn’t an entirely new phenomenon, my mum used to make it for me as a child. She still does treat me to a cup or two when I’m home although when I’m not, I have to make it myself. It’s never as good as hers. Whether it’s snowing in your part of the world or not, I think you should treat your loved ones to a cup of this aromatic, sweet spiced milk. Like I said, it always tastes better when someone else makes it with lots of love!

Spiced Milk
(Serves 1)

Bring to a gentle simmer:

1 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1 small pinch of saffron
1 tsp flaked or chopped pistachios and almonds
1 pinch cardamom powder
¼ tsp rosewater
Sprinkle with a little nutmeg (optional)

Serve with plenty of love and great big smile.

Here are a few photos I took of the snowfall in my home town in West Yorkshire, England. Enjoy them (preferably whilst you sip a cup of spiced milk and bask in the warmth of your homes!)

The post A Flurry of Snowflakes and a Cup of Spiced Milk appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.