Indian fruitcake is a traditional rum-soaked specialty that's part of Anglo-Indian cuisine—a convergence of colonial British and South Asian cuisines. Indian fruitcake (or plum cake as it's sometimes called) has been embraced by South Asians and unlike its Western predecessor, it’s eaten year-round.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we are collaborating with our friend chef Seema Pai on a prix fixe dinner featuring homestyle South Indian cuisine. Seema and chef Surbhi have curated an exciting menu with dishes rarely found on restaurant menus. This regional food (with its many sub-regions and culinary techniques) offers a taste and understanding of coastal cuisine from across India’s southern shores.
The perfect winter treat with bitter chocolate, bright citrus and sweet coconut. It’s Surbhi’s take on a classic Indian mithai, with a desi diasporic spin. There is no oven needed to make this mithai, but you’ll need khoya (solidified whole milk), which can be found at your local Indian grocery stores or can be made from scratch by cooking down ricotta cheese.
Kaju katli is a favorite sweet throughout India, one that chef Surbhi Sahni treasured as a child. For a dessert with such lavish ingredients, it's actually very simple to make and doesn’t require any special equipment or laborious techniques. Kaju katli is by default vegan and gluten-free, which makes it a sweet that many people can enjoy.
Dahi bhalla is a chaat (street food) popular in Delhi with versions all over South Asia. It’s creamy and filling with a kick of spice and a hint of crunch. This version is inspired by my aunt who used to make dahi bhalla for nearly every special occasion, and we couldn’t get enough of it. The fried lentil dumplings are soaked in a tangy yogurt sauce, brightened by two chutneys that perform a balancing act of sweet and savory.
Besan ladoo is an iconic Diwali mithai. It is first mithai recipe I perfected and has been my favorite since childhood. As a kid, my dad used to surprise me and my brother by bringing home a small box of besan ladoos from the local mithaiwala. Made with just five ingredients (chickpea flour, cane sugar, cardamom and gold dust), besan ladoos are naturally gluten-free and easy to make at home with minimal kitchen equipment.
The story of candy starts in South Asia where sugarcane originated. Sugarcane was first cultivated by the Indus Valley civilization (what is now India). When you think of candy, you might not immediately think of India, but modern candy making owes its craft to the innovative art of refining sugar that was invented 8,000 years ago on the Indian subcontinent.
