Almond Cake - my take on a Persian Love Cake

 Almond Cake 

Kayk Yazdi | Almond Cardamom and Rose Cake 

This pretty cake has a history and originates in Yazd. Traditionally, it has cardamom and rose water, and a touch of rice flour to make it lighter. They are cupcakes decorated with pistachios. While often portrayed as a legend, it has it that these cakes were shared with loved ones, young and old, and particularly offered to travellers taking on long journeys. It has categorically been stated as a myth that, over the decades, these Yazidi cakes seem to have taken on another name—the Persian Love Cake. It sounds more exciting and intriguing! And definitely just a feel-good story that may have started with a dreamy baker.

This recipe is a take of my own, an ode to my Yazidi ancestors and embracing my Western brethren who prefer to share the mythical Persian Love Cake at many a Navroze table.

I hope my cakes will make you feel good and start a new story of your own—one that legends and traditions are made up of. It looks beautiful and tastes delicious. Keep it safe for your next celebration and serve it on the Noruz sofreh-table laden with food.

This cake has no oil nor butter and is packed with almonds and a delicate balance of spices, plants, and herbs. 

plants, and herbs.

Serves 12

Prepare a 33 cm/ 10-inch pan with parchment and butter.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C | 350 °F

 

4 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

1 cup sugar

 

1st dry ingredient bowl

 

3 3/4 cup ground almonds

Zest of 1 large lemon

 

2nd dry ingredient bowl

 

Sieve twice and mix a bowl

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp saffron

1 tsp dried hibiscus flowers, ground

 

 

Wet ingredient bowl

In a bowl, mix

 

1 cup whey

1/4 cup yoghurt

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp rose water

 

In a bowl, cream the eggs and sugar until tripled in volume (5 to 7 minutes). Add the almonds and lemon and incorporate. Lower the speed of the mixer to slow and add half of the wet bowl ingredients, then half the dry ingredients from bowl 2, and repeat until the contents of both bowls have been incorporated. Do not overbeat it.

 

Fold the mixture gently with a spatula and pour it into your prepared cake pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top looks crusty and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not overbake.

 

The cake can be served warm or at room temperature. It can also be iced if you prefer.

 

Tips

 

Whey is the residue from the yoghurt and milk of the Panir ( page xx). Buttermilk is a close substitute.

 

The lemon zest and juice can be replaced with orange, if preferred.

On its own, the cake is delicious. Shrikhand, double or whipped cream, or even a slice of sharp cheddar are all delicious additions to the cake.

To ice it, allow it to cool completely before topping with a simple butter and icing sugar mixture, as shown in the picture. For a tastier topping, whip up sweetened cream cheese or cream that has been lightly swirled with a touch of hibiscus, saffron or rose for colour.

 

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

 

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

 

Yakhni Palau

 Yakhni Palau

My understanding of the Yakhni Palau comes from meals we shared at tables with friends and neighbours. It was rice that looked simple but was always full of flavour. It had either chicken or lamb. The yakhni was the broth in which the rice was cooked. The end result was a flavorful Palau.

This dish was created by the Persians, brought to India by the Mughals, and is now mastered by the people of Kashmir. With the Persians ruling a large portion of Asia, similar recipes and names can be found in Turkey and as far west as Romania. The Syrians and Lebanese also have a similar palau.

Traditional Yakhni Palau is prepared with fatty mutton that has been cooked in water, yoghurt and saffron, and as well as warm spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper. Onions and salt are added. The meat was simmered until it fell off the bone so it could be served boneless (the bones were removed, as were the spices), leaving a clean broth in which to cook the rice with pieces of meat. Once ready to serve, lots of fried onions were topped with fresh mint.

This is my own version of a yakhni palau, which I would like to share. 

Serves 4

Yakhni

500 g/1.1 lb lamb, goat or mutton 

1 medium onion sliced

1.5 tsp ginger paste

1.5 tsp garlic paste

12 black peppercorns

6 cloves

3 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

1.5 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp corriander powder

1 tsp advieh, optional

2 cup of basmati rice

8 cups water

1 cup of crushed dried fried onion - birista

Pan-fry the bone-in lamb until it's caramelized. Sprinkle it with salt. Throw in the onion. Add all of the spices and cook for a minute. Pour in the water. Bring it to a boil, cover, and lower the heat. Cook until the meat is tender. You should have 4 cups of the broth left over to cook the rice in.

Wash 2 cups of basmati rice. In the same pot, add the rice and a teaspoon of salt to the meat and broth. Add a cupful of birista (fried onion). Bubble and boil it until you can only see the top of the rice. Cover this tightly and allow it to steam for 30 minutes. 

Sprinkle it with additional fried onions and fresh mint. 

Serve this with yoghurt, macerated mint, salt, and sugar.

Tips

I have broken away from the tradition and cooked it without the yoghurt and saffron both. It still tastes delicious. But if you wish to, add 3 tbsp of yoghurt when you are cooking the meat, well mixed with the ginger and garlic, to avoid it curdling.

Placing all the meat on top of the rice after the rice has boiled and before it is steamed is an option. wis

If you wish to add roasted egg plants to this dish, it will pair well. You can place the cooked eggplant when you are ready to cook the rice.

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Bheeda ma jhinga

 Bheeda ma jhinga 

Okra with prawn

Parsis enjoy eating their vegetables with a protein, usually meat. While bheeda ma gos (okra with meat) is common, bheeda ma jhinga (okra with prawn) is not. It was a favourite of my brother and cousin, who preferred prawns to meat!

It's a simple dish with few ingredients that tastes great. Traditionally, the okra is fried before being added to the prawn mixture, but I tend to roast them in the oven. Eaten with a rotli and a mango chutney, you will not be disappointed.

Serves 4

2 tbsp oil

3 medium sized fried onions

3 medium finely chopped tomatoes

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt

340 g| 3/4 lb prawns - shelled deveined washed

500 g| 1.1 lb okra top and tail cleaned and cut in 1/2 inch pieces

Heat the oil in a pan, then add the onions, green chilies, garlic ginger pastes, chilli turmeric cumin powders, and tomatoes. Season with salt to taste. Combine thoroughly. Cook for about 15 minutes on low, or until everything comes together and is thoroughly cooked. Mix in the prawns, then add the roasted okra. Toss well, cover, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes before serving with warm rotlis.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C |350 °F

Wash the okra and cut it into three pieces. Brush the prepared okra with oil and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 minutes in the oven.

Tips

Instead of frying your onions, use a cup of crushed fried onions.

A squeeze of lemon after the dish is complete, before serving will brighten up the flavours. 

Photo credit Niloufer Mavalvala

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Sau Badam ni Curry - Curry made from 100 Almonds

 "Aik so aik," Badam ni Curry

Almond Curry

The 100-almond curry was made with a large amount of almonds that were ground into an almond meal, hence the name "sau badam ni" curry. I may not be the first and definitely will not be the last to be very Parsi about the whole story and prefer to call this the 101 almond curry, or aik sau aik badam ni curry! As per our culture, we give money as gifts, on happy occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and navjotes, where we always add an extra one to whatever number we may choose to offer. This is considered auspiciously lucky and, in reference to being "in abundance," that little extra.

Cooking with almonds has always been a source of excitement for me, and it adds a slightly exotic flair to the dish. Although the reason for counting the almonds appears mundane, it has a lovely ring to it. The title does elicit thought.

Don't worry, though; there won't be any arithmetic required of you here. Using fresh almond meal or simply measuring whole almonds by gramme accomplishes the same task. If you intend to make the almond meal at home, leave the almonds whole with their brown skin. Usually, if something is ready, it has already been blanched. Both will work well.

This curry, like all others, has variations; a tweak here and there, a pinch of saffron, and a preference for the thickness of the curry. I like it rather thick if served with flatbreads, naans, and lavash and thinner if served on a bed of rice—boiled, with lemon, or even khichri. My family prepared it in yogurt, while others used narial nu dudh—coconut milk.

The Badam Ni Curry can be made with chicken or lamb. The key is to perfectly cook the meat of choice and keep the gravy as little or as much as you want the end result to be before adding the finishing ingredients—aromatic, sumptuous, and quite exotic. Yet another recipe that has been revived with the promise of transporting you back a century or two.

Interestingly, this curry has been adopted from Tamil Nadu in southern India. Its origins are deemed to be from the valleys of Mosovad and is often referred to as Mosavadi Curry. The original Kari is prepared with equal amounts of almonds, hung curd and cream sometimes mixed with milk to keep it lighter. Paneer is a good substitute for the hung curd but the textures differ. Prepared with onions, garlic and ginger, it is flavoured with garam masalo, turmeric and salt. Tamils cook this in heavy amounts of pure ghee and with meat. There are no red or green chillies, nor tomatoes added to it. 

Note -you will need a hundred and one almonds only if you double this recipe.

Serves 6

1 tbsp oil
1 dry bay leaf
10-12 pieces of chicken, skinless but with bone
1 tsp fresh ground garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

Grind together

3/4th cup fresh tomatoes
4 green chillies
2 cups water

Mix together

1 cup thick yogurt with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp garam masalo
1/4 tsp cardamom powder

In a pan heat the oil, drop in the spices and the chicken, brown it for a few minutes on low so the spices do not burn but the chicken turns colour. Add the tomato and green chilli mixture.

Bring to a boil, cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes till the chicken is cooked through.
Open the lid, turn the stove on high and let all the water evaporate until only one cup of thick gravy remains. Bring the pan off the stove and let it cool until just warm. Now add the mixture of the yogurt into it. The curry is ready to eat. Reheat gently before serving it with your choice of rice or flatbread.   

Read more about Parsi Food and its origins in my cookbooks The World of Parsi Cooking Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine. And The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition.

Lebanese Palau - my concoction

 Lebanese Palau

World cuisines are both interesting and challenging. The large platters of rice, chicken, and meat served for the annual Navroze festival are a personal favourite. Every year, I attempt to prepare a dish from a different cuisine. It's thrilling and exhilarating. This year, while reading about the Lebanese Hashweh, I decided to prepare a combination with Arabic Kabsa. The end result was delicious, and I've included my recipe below.

Serves 20 at a buffet table

 500 g/ 1.1 lb ground minced meat

3 1/2 cups rice in broth

1/2 cup zereshk

A bunch of fresh mint

125 g/ 4 oz salted butter

2 kg boneless chicken thigh for shawarma

For Jujeh chicken, 1 whole spatchcocked chicken marinated in the highlighted recipe.

Two red onions sliced and oven baked

Thin pita bread toasted with garlic butter for pita chips

Yogurt with cucumber and toum

The kheema—ground minced meat.

Cook the ground minced meat in a tsp each of oil, salt, Lebanese 7 Spice or garam masala, ginger, and garlic pastes. Add a cupful of fried onions and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Cook for 45 minutes until it is done. Add a tsp of sumac powder and mix well. 

The rice

Cook the rice in homemade chicken broth. Once you can see the top of the rice, steam it well. Toss it together with the cooked kheema—ground mince. This will blend the flavours. Mix in the 1/2 cup of zereshk berries.

The chicken shawarma

Rub the 2 kg/ 4.4 lb of chicken for shawarma with a dry shawarma rub. Once it's cool, thinly slice it. To really get crispy edges, stir fry in butter on high heat.

1 whole spatchcocked chicken

In a jujeh kebab marinade, cook the spatchcocked chicken.

The onions

 

Toss the remaining marinade over two large red onions and cook on a cookie sheet until soft.

To assemble

Arrange the rice on a large platter and layer the shawarma on top. Place the entire spatchcocked chicken. Garnish with garlic pita chips, red onions, and fresh mint. On the side, serve with cucumber-infused yoghurt.  

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala

IMG-20220322-WA0015.jpg

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Rotli or Chapati

 

Rotli or chapati

Parsi food is traditionally served with rotli (chapati) or rice. I share this recipe for those who wish to prepare this daily bread at home for yourself. 

A large mixing bowl, a round marble stone, and a rolling pin are required. You'll also need a tavo or flat-bottomed cast iron pan, but alternately use a skillet. You can also use your counter to roll. Parchment paper or a wooden board are  your other choices. 

Makes 10 - size dependant.

2 cups chapati flour- this is generally a sieved whole wheat flour without large pieces of husk. 

1 teaspoon of fine salt, I use sea salt.
Approximately 1/2 cup warm water
2 tsp light cooking oil, canola, sunflower, vegetable oil, melted ghee but please avoid olive oil. 

Extra flour to dust while rolling them out.

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, kneading it to a soft supple ball of dough. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel and rest it for 30 minutes. 

Normally a chapati is the size of your dinner plate. Make them as large or small as you can best handle. 
Form the dough into round balls and flatten them slightly in your palm.
Dust your counter, or marble or wood with a little flour. Roll the chapati into a round. The best way is to roll and turn a bit and keep repeating.  Don't be concerned if it looks odd shaped. It will come with practice. 
Heat your choice of pan to high on the stove top.

Place one chapati. keep moving it around for 30 seconds to a minute. Flip it over and press down, This will make it puff up. It should have dark spots to tell you it's cooked. 

Repeat with the rest. Cook all the chapatis. You can reheat them the next day, or freeze them. But the dough will not stay.

Brush these with butter or ghee for more decadence or if you find them dry. But generally we do not add the calories with our daily meals. 

Tips

Add more water if the dough is dry. It should be soft and supple with a spring when you push down your thumb and not at all sticky. 

The oil and salt is important.

Photo courtesy 

William Reavell and Niloufer Mavalvala

Chapter 5. Mohnu Samarvanu - To sweeten the Palate

 

Chapter 1. Choi ni Saathay - Celebrating Teatime

 

Chapter 2. Tarkari ni Tokri - Vegetable Basket

                                     

                                         

 

Chapter 3. Eeda Sathay - Parsi, Thy Name is Eeda