Indian sweets—such as the ubiquitous syrupy, gooey gulab jamun offered in Indian restaurants— are increasingly becoming popular in the West. Unlike Western cakes and pies, these stove-top desserts do not require an oven for preparation.
That is, until Vasavada, author of the well-illustrated Desi Bakes, came along. Born of immigrant parents from India, Vasavada expands her desi boundaries and offers us an innovative approach, one of fusion, to making these sweets. First, a few words about the terms desh and desi. In South Asia, the word desh means native homeland and the word desi refers to individuals, traditions, and products from that subcontinent.
In Desi Bakes, the author infuses desi Indian concepts with Western ingredients and methods of preparation (such as baking in the oven), thereby creating 85 or so new, yet familiar delectables. “The precision and accuracy of baking,” she says in the introduction, “mixed with the freedom and creativity with buttercream and cookie dough as my medium has brought me (and my friends and family!) so much joy.”
In the early pages, the author shares Basic Rules of Baking. She reminds us to always use the middle rack of the oven. She advises us against making substitutions of key ingredients. But above all, she encourages us to have fun and be creative.
Then comes the recipes, eight chapters of them, some chapter titles being Small Bites, Cakes, Pastries and Drinks. And what a wealth of recipes to choose from: Blueberry Almond Snack Cakes, Lemon Coriander Snickerdoodles, Pear & Cardamom Bakewell Tart, and Tender Coconut Cream Pie, to name only a few. Some recipes have eggless options. A few are gluten-free.
Yet another noteworthy aspect of this book is the suggestion to decorate the finished product. Growing up in a family of craftsmen (her mom did beadwork and textile work), the author excels in garnishing her baked goods.
About the actual recipes: The author’s inspiration comes from many lands. In Saffron Madeleines, she reimagines madeleines, the popular French shell-shaped cookies. Here the dough is infused with saffron, and the shell is enriched with white chocolate. Another recipe, Mango Murabba Cake, is a classic British-style pound cake with an important addition, mango murabba or mango jam. Instead of the usual brownish-white color, this cake has a rich golden hue due to the use of this jam.
One of the author’s go-to desserts is financier, a dense, almond-scented French cake, miniature in size, its taste reminiscent of the Indian halwa (a pudding-like delicacy). She decorates her Strawberry Lemon Earl Gray Tea Financiers with chantilly cream and flowers, making them a visual treat as well. An easy cookie recipe she provides is Anise and Almond Viennese Cookies, where the dough comes together in ten or so minutes. Common Indian spices such as cardamom can be substituted with anise with good results.
Puran poli, a festive dessert in India and a favorite of the author, demands much time to prepare. In Puran Poli Swirl Bread, she simplifies the preparation by making the stuffing of split chickpeas lighter.
A dessert that is sure to grab attention is Gulab Jamun Babas. It is a fusion of baba au rhum and gulab jamon (what she calls “a deep-fried milk-fat donut”), soaked in rose water, and decorated with pistachios and rose petals. She uses no alcohol but suggests an alternative of drizzling rum on top of the dessert, once the soaking period is over.
Not all recipes are complicated. There are some that require fewer ingredients or simpler methods. Examples are Mango Murabba, Coconut Date and Walnut Milkshake and Ginger and Jaggery Spritz Cookies.
Note that although well-illustrated and otherwise attractive, this book has a mixture of small and regular font size, which some may find hard to read.
Bharti Kirchner is the author of nine novels and four cookbooks, her latest being: Murder at Jaipur: A Maya Mallick Mystery.
