Cuisine • Jun 14th '23

Tea and Sweet Things

A t the end of a meal, in the late afternoon, for a morning starter, a cup of really good tea with something sweet and delicious. Chai (it just means tea) is ubiquitous in India. it is the national drink and it is prepared in so many ways that you can be delighted again and again as you try new versions in restaurants or on your own.

Chai culture in India began with the British. the British East India Company brought back tea from Assam and the ruling British contingent drank the same tea and the idea that this was right and good took hold all over the subcontinent. But tea—black with milk and sugar— was never up to the Indian palate's demand for exciting flavors, so maslala chai, blending spices like cloves, cardamon, ginger, and cinnamon (and many others) was inevitable.

The sweets on India are varied and spectacular in color, shape and flavor. If you're reading this, you've heard of gulab jamun (mini donuts in syrup) and kheer (rice pudding) and perhaps gajar ka halwa (the scrumptious carrot cake), but they aren't a scratch on the surface. An online search turns of lists of "35 best" out of so many. Ladoo and Burfee, Kalakand, Jalebi just to start and then explore away.Whole Foods to offer a solid performer.

I won't give you a recipe here. I feel this dish has such a strong need for personal preference that i can only give general instruction. So it will be up to you.

Marinade

Garlic and ginger paste is essential. You should always consider this to begin any marinade. The spices can be any combination of coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili. To these you can add clove, cardomom, even garam masala (although this could very well be redundant depending on the spices in the mix), and I like fenugreek, it's unique aroma and flavor are perfect for this dish. (by the way, I have never smelled or tasted maple syrup in using fenugreek these past many years) It is best to use seeds and pods lightly toasted in a skillet, and ground fresh. A splash of lemon juice or mustard oil will distribute the spices more eveny. Ground laurel (bay leaf) and fresh cilantro round out the marinade beatifully. I don't normally marinate for more than two hours and often for just one hour. Again, preference.

Since the Tandoori Oven is the standard for cooking marinated meats in Indian cuisine, baking is the preferred method. Not by me. Sauté in a cast iron pan on high to sear the meat and seal in the juices. If you are adept, you'll get a nice char to add that mokey flavor. Don't cook completely because it will finish in the sauce.

AThe sauce is yours, but the spicing should mimic your marinade. Onions, no onions, puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, heavy cream or just a touch of cream with cashews, peppery heat or mild. Isn't it wonderful to have choices?

Somewhere around 1992 I promoted a restaurant with a cooking demonstration at Bloomingdale's. There was a fair crowd and the chef (cook, really) used a wooden spoon to add the spices and adjust them during the cooking. Three people argued with me to provide precise measurements. I couldn't. I had to explain that each cook is seasoning to taste, his taste, probably his approximation of his mother's taste. So, have fun with it.