Easy Indian Cooking (39 page)

Serves
8
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
25 minutes

Although not commonly known, the flavors of ginger and chocolate complement each other very well. Besides being delicious, this recipe is very flexible. I have used dates, but you could make this using any other dried fruits with equally good results. And you can make individual portion sizes using muffin tins—viola, cupcakes!

9 oz (260 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons (2¼ sticks/250 g) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for buttering pan

1 cup (200 g) sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup, plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pan

2 teaspoon ginger powder

¼ cup (85 g) moist dates, such as Medjool, cut into small pieces

1
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Butter the inside of a 9-in (23-cm) square cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust with flour; tap out the excess and set the pan aside.

2
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or place the chocolate in a bowl and melt it in a microwave oven. Set the chocolate aside to cool. It should feel only just warm to touch when it is mixed with the rest of the ingredients.

3
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently until the butter is creamy and the sugar well blended into it. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and pour in the cooled chocolate.

4
Add the flour, ginger and dates, and mix into the batter at medium speed.

5
Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and slide the pan into the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake rises slightly; the top may crack a bit and the cake may not entirely set in center when done. To test the cake for doneness, insert a slender knife into the center; the knife will come out slightly streaked with batter, which is what you want. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool.

6
When the cake is completely cooled, chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or two to make it easy to unmold. Turn the cake out, remove the parchment, and invert the cake onto a serving platter so that it is right side up. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.

orange and saffron yogurt cake

Makes
1 loaf
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
40 minutes

The two main flavors used in this dessert—orange and saffron—give it a very fresh and summery taste. It is particularly good when served with ice cream or fruit compote (or both!), and it freezes quite well.

½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons (275 g) plain whole yogurt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoon (225 g) sugar

2 teaspoons saffron strands

2 large eggs

½ cup (125 ml) oil

Finely-grated zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

Finely-grated zest of 2 oranges

Juice of 1 orange

½ vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons (150 g) all-purpose flour

2¼ teaspoons baking powder

1
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Butter the inside of a 9 x 5 x 3-in (23 x 12.5 x 7.5-cm) loaf pan.

2
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, saffron, and eggs. Add the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla bean seeds. Add the flour and baking powder, whisking until just combined. Do not over mix.

3
Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. The cake will be dark golden on top and should pull away just a bit from the sides of the pan. If the crust begins to darken too much, cover the cake with a piece of aluminum foil. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, remove the pan, and cool completely.

cucumber cooler with mint

Serves
4
Preparation
10 minutes

A cool and refreshing drink that might become your next summer favorite. You can also add raw mango pieces to add a unique flavor to this drink.

3 quarts (3 liters) water, chilled

3 English cucumbers, peeled and coarsely sliced

½ cup (4 g) fresh mint leaves

½ cup (125 ml) fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground (page 7)

¼ cup (50 g) sugar

1
In a blender, add ½ cup (125 ml) of the water and 1 cup (140 g) of sliced cucumber. Blend until smooth. Add more cucumber and mint and blend. Continue until all the cucumbers and mint are puréed.

2
Strain the cucumber juice of its seeds into a very large pitcher. Add the remaining water, lime juice, cumin and sugar. Stir well to combine. Chill before serving.

watermelon cranberry sharbat

Serves
6
Preparation
15 minutes

This bright red drink is as visually appealing as it is thirst-quenching. A true summertime favorite. Add a good helping of vodka, and this becomes a great idea for a house drink for one of your summer entertainment evenings.

2½ lbs (1.25 kg) seedless watermelon, rind removed and diced

1 cup (250 ml) cranberry juice

¼ cup (65 ml) fresh lime juice

½ cup (100 g) sugar

1 lime, cut into 6 slices

1
Place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Discard the pulp.