A lot of religious festivals in the Indian subcontinent are celebrated with sweets, or ‘mithai’, eaten throughout the day and served to family and friends. Ashia Ismail-Singer shares a favourite recipe from her new cookbook, Saffron Swirls & Cardamom Dust, to help celebrate the festival of light . Although […]
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Ashia Ismail-Singer shares a favourite recipe from her new cookbook, Saffron Swirls & Cardamom Dust, to help celebrate the festival of light.
Although I don't celebrate Diwali, as I am Muslim and not Hindu or Sikh, I have friends who do. A lot of religious festivals in the Indian subcontinent, be it Eid, Diwali or Vaisahki, are celebrated with sweets, or 'mithai', eaten throughout the day and served to family and friends.
Ladoos, burfis and halvas are popular, but it will also depend on your own family traditions and which part of India you are from.
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Gulab jamun with cardamom & rose syrup
Gulab jamun, dough balls made from milk solids which are fried and then soaked in a sweet rose-flavoured syrup, are an extremely popular Indian sweet. Similar to mini doughnuts, the name means ‘rose-flavoured plum’. They make a very pretty dessert, which I like to serve with thickened cream or mascarpone. But be warned: you will not stop at one ― they are dangerously divine.
Makes 12–14
For the syrup
2 cups sugar
4–6 drops rose water
1–2 cardamom pods, crushed
Gulab jamun
100g powdered milk
2 tablespoons self-raising flour
2 teaspoons fine semolina
2 tablespoons ghee
4 tablespoons milk
Oil for frying
To serve
Thickened cream or mascarpone
Dried rose petals, edible gold dust to garnish (optional)
Method:
1. To make the syrup, combine the sugar and 4 cups of water in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
2. Bring to the boil and add the rose water and cardamom pods. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. To make the gulab jamun, mix together the powdered milk, flour, semolina and ghee in a bowl. Add enough milk to make a soft dough and mix until smooth. Using your hands, roll out the dough and divide into 12–14 portions. Form each into a small ball.
4. Add enough oil to a deep pan or karahi (Indian wok for frying) so that it is about one-third full and heat (it will be hot enough to cook the dough balls when a small piece of bread dropped into the oil turns golden).
5. Fry the balls, a few at a time, until they turn a dark golden colour all over. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the hot oil and carefully drop into the syrup.
6. Bring the syrup back to the boil, then remove from the heat. Set aside to cool and serve at room temperature in small bowls with a dollop of cream. Garnish with dried rose petals and edible gold dust if desired.
Zarina’s rose burfi
Burfi is a delicious Indian sweet, essentially a milky, almost fudge-like, dessert that’s served at special occasions. This is my mum’s burfi ― it brings back so many wonderful memories whenever I make it ― which can be flavoured and coloured to your liking. I’ve used rose water and food colouring to flavour and colour it respectively, however you can leave those out and just decorate with rose petals and pistachios if you prefer.
Makes 24–26 pieces
500g whole-milk powder
2 tablespoons ghee or very soft butter
200ml reduced cream
250g sugar
Drop of pink food colouring
1 teaspoon rose water
Persian tea roses/edible dried rose petals to garnish
Chopped pistachios (optional)
Method:
1. In a large bowl, combine the milk powder with the ghee and reduced cream and rub it together until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
2. In a large saucepan, place 1/2 cup of water along with the sugar, food colouring and rose water and heat for approximately 8–10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the consistency is runny but syrupy.
3. Remove from the heat and add the milk powder mixture to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture comes together and is well combined.
4. Spread the mixture onto a lined 24 x 18cm baking tray. Decorate with Persian tea roses and pistachios if desired, then leave to set for 2–3 hours (refrigerate if the weather is hot and humid).
When set, cut into desired shapes. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Saffron Swirls & Cardamom Dust by Ashia Ismail-Singer, photography by Christall Lowe, published by Bateman Books is out now.
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