Yesterday, we examined the basics of cake science, understanding the role each ingredient plays in the making of a simple pound cake. With the basics sorted, let’s crank the level up a notch. I like to think of Christmas cake as a glorified pound cake, since the technique and science remains the same, with the…
Anatomy of a Pound Cake
Nothing says Christmas in Kolkata more than the Christmas cake. With places like Nahoum’s and Flury’s overflowing with cakes and crowds, the plum cake has a much more ubiquitous presence here as compared to other Western seasonal favourites like roast dinner and eggnog. This Christmas, we will take a good look at this seasonal treat…
Say Hello To Halwa
It’s starting to get pretty cold here in Rohtak, and ’tis the season for some hearty comfort food. And for someone with a sweet tooth, nothing shouts comfort food like the good old halwa. Although variants of halwa (or halua as we Bongs would call it) exist back home as well, it is a very…
The Not-So-Sweet Shop
It is the winter of 2017 in Kolkata, and the clock has just struck 8. Thoroughly exhausted after a night shift, I walk out of the of Gate 2 of Medical College, half-staggering. I cross the road, walk over to Surya Sen Street, and into my favourite sweetshop. I order the usual: kochuri, aloor torkari,…
The Biyebari Formula
It is officially wedding or biyebari season, with social media being inundated with countless posts and photographs of happy couples tying the knot. Although we aren’t totally out of the coronavirus woods yet, there is finally a glimmer of light, a new hope. Of course, the wedding ceremony and reception isn’t a matter of joy…
Onions, Browning, and the East
We’ve looked at the yin and yang of garlic, and explored the multiple applications of brown onions in the West. In this final instalment of our exploration of alliums, we will turn our attention to our homeland and explore the role of brown onions in Indian and especially Mughlai cuisine. Many Indian curries start with…
Onions, Browning, and the West
It is hard to think of a vegetable as ubiquitous as the onion. Starring in everything from Indian curries to Chinese stir-fries, European soups to American snacks, it is one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen. Being an allium, onions have a certain potency which, though a lot muted when compared to garlic,…
The Beta Garlic
It was around October last year, midway through my first year of residency. The senior on duty was running a little late and therefore brought breakfast along with her. When the patient rush died down a little, she opened up a piece of paratha and achaar wrapped hastily in aluminium foil, and politely offered me…
The Alpha Garlic
Few vegetable groups are as ubiquitous as the allium. This group includes onions, shallots, garlic, scallions and leek, and forms the basis for almost every world cuisine. Alliums are a powerhouse of flavour which when properly harnessed, can completely transform a dish. This month will be all about bite-sized articles focusing on the humble alliums….
Mishti : The Tale of Flour
Lakshmi Puja is over, and whatever Pujo fever we could have mustered this year is now slowly dying down. It is time to conclude our series on Bengali food with the final instalment of the mishti series, where we take a look at a variety of flour-based delicacies, which can be broadly divided into those…
The Gourmet Glutton 