1,000 Indian Recipes (320 page)

Andae Ki Firni

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A holdover from the Raj and not really an authentic Indian dessert, I'm including this recipe because the subcontinent has taken it to heart. Instead of baking in the traditional water bath, the custard is made in a pressure cooker—a process that takes less time and yields great results. Use pure vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla) for best flavor.

3
¹
⁄
₂
cups whole milk

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

³
⁄
₄
cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.
In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Transfer to a bowl and cool, stirring once in awhile to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, about 10 minutes. Mix in the beaten eggs,
¹
⁄
₂
cup sugar, and the vanilla.

2.
Place the remaining
¹
⁄
₄
cup sugar in a flat-bottomed pan with no handles and a metal lid; be sure to choose a pan that will fit comfortably inside your pressure cooker. Heat the sugar over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Using oven mitts to hold the pan, rotate and swirl it so the caramelized sugar spreads to cover the base of the pan, and allow the sugar to cool until hardened. Or, to speed the hardening, immediately dip the bottom of the pan in a bowl of cold water. This may cause some cracking, but the caramelized sugar will be fine.

3.
Pour the prepared milk and egg mixture over the hardened sugar and cover the pan, first with aluminum foil and then with the pan's lid.

4.
Pour 2 to 3 cups of water into the pressure cooker, then place the custard pan inside it. (The water should be about
¹
⁄
₃
of the way up the sides of the pan.) Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 40 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pan to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid of the pressure cooker and remove the custard pan. (If it seems too hot to remove, leave it inside until it is cool enough to handle.) Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled.

5.
To serve, run a sharp (not serrated) knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the custard. Then place a round serving dish over the top of the pan, and, holding the sides of plate and pan together, invert the custard onto the dish.

Caramelized Yogurt

Mishti-Dhoi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A Bengali specialty,
mishti
-
dhoi
, or sweetened yogurt, is traditionally made in small terra cotta pots called
matkas
. A
halvai
(professional sweet maker) named K.C. Das, who set up shop in the southern city of Bangalore, made his name and fortune solely on this delicacy.

3 cups whole milk

²
⁄
₃
cup sugar, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup water

3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 large thick kitchen towel

1.
In a heavy, medium wok or saucepan, bring the milk and
¹
⁄
₃
cup sugar to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the wok constantly, until reduced by about a third, 4 to 6 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, in a small nonstick saucepan, add the remaining sugar and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it melts and then caramelizes to a dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Quickly, before the caramel burns, add the water and stir until the sugar dissolves in the water, making a brown syrup, 30 seconds.

3.
Add the caramel syrup to the pan with the milk and simmer about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow the mixture to cool until it registers 118°F to 120°F on a meat thermometer. Mix in the yogurt, and cover the bowl with a loose-fitting lid. Then, fold the kitchen towel in half, wrap it snugly around the milk bowl, and place in a warm, draft-free place (such as the oven or a kitchen cabinet) until firm, 4 to 6 hours. Refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled, and serve.

Yogurt Mousse with Saffron

Kesari Shrikhand

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A specialty of the Mumbai (Bombay) area, this lowfat dessert, often made by my friend Falguni Jalota (originally from Bombay now living in Los Angeles), can be even more healthy if you start with nonfat yogurt. Unlike ordinary yogurt,
shrikhand
is thick and creamy, drained of all whey, until it takes on a mousse-like texture. This traditional and much revered velvety dessert is fragrant and sweet, and is often served in individual terra cotta cups or in a bowl mixed with fresh fruits, such as mangoes, peaches, and pineapples.

4 cups plain yogurt (any kind), whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₂
cup confectioners' sugar

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon saffron threads, ground

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds

2 to 3 drops rose essence

¹
⁄
₄
cup coarsely ground raw pistachios

1.
Put the yogurt in a colander lined with 3 layers of cheesecloth, set within another bowl. Refrigerator overnight to allow the whey to drain from the yogurt. It should be reduced by half. Discard the whey.

2.
Transfer the drained yogurt to a serving bowl, and add the sugar, saffron, cardamom, and rose essence. With an electric mixer, whip the yogurt until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add half the pistachios and, using a spoon, mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow the saffron to release its color and fragrance. Garnish with the remaining pistachios and serve.

Fresh Fruit in Rose-Flavored Cream

Malai-Phal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Perfumed with a drop of rose essence, which can be purchased from Indian and Middle-Eastern markets, and garnished with a dusting of ground pistachios, I love my lowfat version of this popular Indian dessert. It is especially good when made with soft summer fruits that literally melt in your mouth. Use apples, Asian pears, or grapes if you prefer a crunch.

2 cups fat-free non-dairy whipped topping, such as Cool Whip

1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

1 drop rose essence

1 drop red food coloring

4 cups mixed fruit, such as bananas, mangoes, orange or tangerine segments, peaches, and nectarines, cut into
¹
⁄
₂
- to 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons coarsely ground raw pistachios

In a serving bowl, mix together the non-dairy whipped topping, sugar, and rose essence. Lightly fold in the fruit, leaving some visible for a garnish. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and serve.

Variation:
For a more authentic version, substitute 1 pint heavy whipping cream for the non-dairy whipped topping. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until fluffy, then proceed with the recipe.

Indian Ice Creams
(Kulfi)

Kulfi
is Indian ice cream, and although Indians eat Western ice cream with pleasure, it is
kulfi
that is most beloved. Made with thickened whole milk and, often, cream, it is perfumed with traditional Indian dessert flavors such as cardamom, rosewater, saffron, and screw-pine essence (
ruh-kewra
).
Kulfi
is frozen in conical metal molds (available in Indian markets), traditionally served topped with soft noodles soaked in a fragrant sugar syrup, called
falooda
noodles
.

A well-made
kulfi
is a little denser than Western ice cream, always smooth and creamy, and has no ice particles. To achieve this consistency, some people add cornstarch or fresh bread crumbs to the milk while it is being simmered. But authentic
kulfi
is made as it was by my grandmother—without shortcuts, as a leisurely afternoon project where the milk was thickened over low heat and the
kulfi
was ready only when my grandmother said so.

Here, I've included an instant, no-cook
kulfi
recipe along with the traditional one. And if true
kulfi
molds are hard to find, simply freeze the thickened milk in small disposable plastic cups—a blessing when it comes to clean-up, especially after large gatherings.
Kulfi
can also be frozen in ice cube trays or in cake pans.

Quick and Easy Indian Ice Cream

Jaldi bani Kulfi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

At the base of all
kulfi
ice cream is a
rabdi
(creamy, sweet thickened milk). Once you have that, the rest is up to your imagination. However, there are a few additions and flavors that make a more traditional
kulfi
—green cardamom, almonds, and pistachios being the favorites.

Because making the authentic recipe (starting with
Traditional Thickened Milk Pudding
) is a time-intensive project, here is quick and easy alternative.

¹
⁄
₄
cup
Dessert Masala

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

³
⁄
₄
cup fat-free non-dairy whipped topping, such as Cool Whip

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds