Makes 6 servings. For our 50th recipe, we’re doing something very special to me—khuchuri—the Bong avatar of the ubiquitous desi ‘khichdi’. A savoury porridge of rice and lentils, khichuri can be made as plain or rich as the occasion warrants. Watery and mild for when you’re feeling poorly, moderately-spiced for regular days, and heavily-spiced and […]
Tag: festive
Ice-cream Sondesh
Makes 96 servings (32 servings of each type) Ice-cream Sondesh. Just the name gives me happy chills. Made with fresh cottage cheese that is steamed and then refrigerated, this sweet treat from Bengal is addictively soothing. Fun story—there’s no ice cream in ice-cream sondesh—it owes its name to the simple fact that it is served […]
Bounty Hand Pies
Makes 16 x 4-inch pies Come September, households across India begin planning festive menus. A usual suspect is a half-moon shaped, coconut-filled, fried hand pie called ‘karanji’ (gujiya/bhaja puli). It’s utterly delicious and available at every sweet shop, so why would we bother making it? Instead, we’re going to ring in the seasonal feasting with […]
Turkish Baklava
Makes 40 x 1 ½ inch diamonds + extra There’s a reason why Baklava is a special occasion dish. Layers of wafer-thin phyllo striated with a rich nutty filling and then doused in perfumed syrup. Talk about luxury! While many countries lay claim to Baklava’s origins, there’s no debate that this luxurious dessert is the […]
Parle-G Xmas Macarons
Makes 30 x 4 cm wide sandwiched macarons. I tasted my very first macaron in France, from the legendary Ladurée in Paris. Crisp and airy on the outside with an ever so slightly chewy interior, those delicate meringue sandwich cookies set the bar impossibly high. While I’ve more or less used Ladurée’s recipe for my […]