KREWE COOKBOOK 2024

MASALA

* there are some spices (aka masala) you may want to have in your pantry for these recipes *

• Chaat Masala amchoor ( mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt, pepper, asafoetida, chili powder)
• Cumin
• Garam Masala (cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg)
• Panch Phoron (cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mustard and nigella seeds)
• Chili Powder
• Turmeric

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AALOO MOOLI BAIGAN

From Ankita R.

REGION: BIHAR

A staple dish back home— made by my late grandmother. I lost both my grandparents (daadaji and dadi ji) in 2019 right before my wedding in New Orleans. Due to my Ph.D. exams and being an atrociously underpaid immigrant graduate student, I couldn't visit home. As a coping mechanism perhaps, I started making this dish here for my husband and myself. Cooking home recipes has been a way to alleviate the pain that comes with living 8600 miles away from home. Sharing this is a tribute to my late grandparents and also to the desi diaspora in the US. Best served with poori.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium-sized potatoes

2 slender purple eggplants

1 small daikon

2-3 Thai green peppers

4 cloves of garlic

2 small tomatoes

mustard oil

1 tablespoon mustard seeds or panch phoran

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon each of turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, paprika, salt, garam masala, chaat masala, black pepper

cilantro to garnish.

RECIPE

1. Wash and cut the eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes, and daikon into small pieces.
2. Put a wok on medium flame, and add 3-4 tbsp mustard oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, put 1 tbs of mustard seeds or panch phoran.
3. Add potatoes, eggplants, and daikon and cook till they begin to soften. Add 1 tsp turmeric.
4. Make a paste of green peppers and garlic, and add it to the wok.
5. Cover and cook on a low-medium flame for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add 1 tsp of cumin powder, coriander powder, paprika, salt, garam masala, chaat masala, and black pepper to the mix.
7. After 2-3 minutes, add tomatoes. Cover and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
8. Add 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. The dish should not be watery or dry. turn off the heat.
9. Add cilantro to garnish. Serve it with poori and mango pickle.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS: 

• You can use canola/vegetable oil instead of mustard oil.
• Panch phoran is a mix of five spice seeds (brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella, cumin and fennel), easily available at any South Asian grocery - or maybe you got lucky and caught a panch phoronmasala throw!  
• If the dish turns out too hot for your taste, add a tsp of ghee or lemon juice.

ALOO POSTO

From Sushant Mukherjee

REGION: BENGAL - BANGLADESH + WEST BENGAL

Aloo posto is vintage Bengali comfort food. The dish became a staple in Bengal in the early 19th century,  when the British forced Bengali farmers to grow and harvest opium that they then sold to China. The opium farmers began harvesting the seeds of the opium poppy plant for culinary use. As a kid, even though I was told by adults that the seeds of the plant were non-narcotic (I later confirmed this to be true), I was convinced they were wrong, because I was, and still am, addicted to posto. I have a distinct memory of sitting down to a large meal of aloo posto the day before coming to the U.S.  for college, and worrying about a story I had heard that poppy seeds might trigger a false positive if someone decided to give me a random drug test. I then shrugged my shoulders and attacked the plate with gusto.  Mustard oil is crucial to this dish (well worth a trip to a local Indian store), as are coarse white poppy seeds. It’s sublime when served with piping hot basmati rice and a dollop of ghee.

INGREDIENTS

For the Poppy Seed Paste

8-9 heaping tablespoons of white poppy seeds

2-3 green chilis roughly chopped

½ cup water to soak poppy seeds

3-4 tablespoons of water when grinding

Other Ingredients

5-6 large potatoes

2.5 tablespoons of mustard oil

3-4 whole green chilis

Salt

½ teaspoon sugar (optional, but recommended)

1 teaspoon nigella seads (kalonji)

1 cup water or more (depending on consistency)

RECIPE

1. Soak the poppy seeds overnight in ½ cup water.
2. Once soaked, strain the water out using a fine mesh colander.
3. Transfer to a grinder, along with roughly chopped chilis and 3-4 tablespoons of water (these can be added gradually, as you grind, and add more water if needed for grinding).
4. Wash, peel and chop potatoes.
5. Heat mustard oil on medium flame until it starts to smoke.
6. Lower flame, and add nigella seeds.
7. Once fragrant (10-15 seconds), add the potatoes. Mix to combine.
8. Keep cooking the potatoes until they start to appear golden brown on the edges.
9. Add turmeric powder, and mix to combine.
10. Add all the poppy seed paste and whole green chilis (if using). Mix very well.
11. Add 1 cup of water. I like mine to be not too thick or thin, but you can start with a ½ cup and keep adding as the potatoes cook.
12. Add salt and, if using, sugar.
13. Mix again, and then cover the pan and cook until water evaporates, and potatoes are cooked. Check on the potatoes to make sure they don’t get too mushy.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

Caraway seeds can be used instead of nigella seeds. But since you’re going to the Indian grocery store anyway for the mustard oil, might as well pick these up as well – they lend a very subtle and delightful pungency to the dish. If you forget to soak the poppy seeds overnight, as I often do, try to soak in warm water for at least two hours.

BEGUN BHAJA (FRIED EGGPLANT)

From Jayeesha Dutta

REGION: BENGAL - BANGLADESH + WEST BENGAL

Begun bhaja is a staple in every celebratory Bangladeshi/ Bengali meal. I loved it so much that as a young child, I would go to the grocery store, point at eggplant and gleefully request “begun bhaja!”  It’s still one of my favorite comfort foods.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

1 large eggplant

1-2 teaspoons turmeric, depending on taste

2 teaspoons salt, more of less depending on taste

¼ cup (or more) of oil

RECIPE

1. Slice eggplants into ½  inch rounds, and coat them in the turmeric and salt.
2. Allow eggplant to sweat/marinade for 10-15 minutes
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan, enameled cast iron is ideal, until shimmering
4. Slide eggplant into hot oil, being careful not to get burned from the splatter
5. Allow to cook and soften, flip over when golden brown, you’ll likely need to fry in batches
6. While you don’t need to ‘deep fry’, you may need to add a bit of  oil
7. Once  softened and golden brown on both sides, place on a plate and serve hot with rice.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• You may want to line the serving plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil
• You can coat the eggplant in eggwash and flour if you’d like more of a fritter style bhaja
• A firm and fresh eggplant will yield best results, we use Italian globe style eggplant

BAINGAN KA BHARTHA

From Sushant Mukherjee

REGION: PUNJAB/NORTH INDIA

My favorite smell from childhood is the fragrance of roasted baingan (eggplant) wafting throughout the house, which meant that we were having baingan ka bharta (mashed eggplant) for dinner. Baingan ka bharta is a beloved staple of Punjabi cooking, and this recipe is my attempt at approximating how my mother used to make it. It’s not quite at her level, but it reminds me of her every time I make it, and it’s pretty delicious served with hot roti and raita, or with basmati rice and a dollop of ghee, or honestly, even just slathered on toast.

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggplants

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 medium tomatoes, or 3 large

6-8 cloves of garlic, crushed (you could probably use a whole bulb)

1-2 green chili or serrano peppers, chopped

¼ teaspoon red chili / cayenne powder

1 teaspoon of Amchoor (dried mango powder) or 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Handful of coriander leaves for garnish

Salt as necessary

RECIPE

1. Prick the eggplants with a fork, and then put them directly on the gas burner, with the heat on high. Rotate every 5-6 minutes or so to make sure each side is charred, including the bottom. This is likely to take at least 25-30 minutes. Note: if you think the eggplant is burnt, you should probably cook for it for a few more minutes. You know they’re done when they are completely charred, gray-black, and collapsing inwards a bit. This step is crucial if you want it to have that signature smoky flavor.
2. Once cooked, let it cool slightly, and then peel off the charred skin. There’s no perfect way to do this – I typically cut off the tops and gently open them up, and scoop out as much of the flesh as possible. Set aside in a separate bowl and roughly mash.
3. Heat oil (any neutral cooking oil) in a skillet and add onions and garlic. On low – medium heat, stir often, and saute till the onions are translucent but not brown.
4. Add the tomatoes and green chilis, and combine.
5. Saute, until the tomatoes are mushy, and oil starts to separate. This could take about 10 minutes on medium heat.
6. Add the red chili powder (Indian red chili powder works the best, but cayenne chili powder works, too) and mix to combine.
7. Now add the mashed eggplant and stir well.
8. Add salt to taste and the amchoor (if using lemon juice instead of amchoor, then wait till the end to add).
9. Stir often, and cook for 5-10 minutes on a low to medium heat.
10. Turn off heat, adjust salt as necessary, and garnish with coriander, and enjoy!!!

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• Burning the eggplants can leave behind a bit of a mess on your burners, so you could line them with foil before you start cooking.
• Also, if you have a sensitive smoke alarm, it may be wise to turn on the exhaust, and open a door or window.
• Amchoor is not essential for this dish but it adds a delightful tangy note. It’s one of my favorite seasonings to add to many Indian dishes, and is well worth a trip to an Indian grocery story. While you’re there, you might as well pick up some mustard oil which you could use instead of regular cooking oil for this dish.

CHAI (MASALA SPICED TEA)

From Ankita Gupta

REGION: INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

Any time is a good time for chai. I drink it in the morning to wake me up and drink end of the day to rest my brain after a long day. I drink it when I have friends over and I drink during 'me time'.

My day is never complete without chai.

INGREDIENTS

For 2 cups of chai we need:

½ teaspoon fennel seeds 1/2

1-2 elaichi / cardamom pods

1-2 whole cloves

½ inch peeled fresh ginger

hammer the above spices coarsely (cardamom, cloves, and fennel seeds)  for extra flavor

1.5 teaspoons black loose tea or 3 tea bags

tea masala

sugar totaste

½ cup milk

1 ½ cups water

RECIPE

1. Boil 1.5 cups of water
2. Add ginger, fennel seeds, cloves, and cardamom. Let it boil for 15 to 30 seconds on medium high flame. The water will turn aromatic.
3. Add tea, continue cooking on low to medium flame for 30 seconds.
4. Add 1/2 cup of milk and increase flame to medium- high. Stir it.
5. Add sugar and continue stirring 1-2 times.
6. Bring it to a boil and then simmer the gas stove. continue cooking for 1-2 mins and stir a couple of times again for even cooking.
7. Add a pinch of tea masala in the end for extra flavor.
8. Use a sieve to pour it into cups.
9. Enjoy it hot with some sweet or savory snack.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• Water, tea bags, milk and sugar are necessary ingredients. Spices can be optional.
• You can froth the milk to get a latte effect.
• My mom who is visiting from India enjoys Hawaiian dinner rolls with her tea!

CHANA MASALA

From Monica Dhand

REGION: INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

Adapted from Survir Saran’s “Indian Home Cooking.” This is my favorite chana recipe!

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE

1. Combine oil, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom,  red chilies in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, and stir until the cumin browns, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add ginger, onions, green chilies, and salt and stir until the onions are dark brown in color, about 20 minutes. If onions and spice burn, add a bit of water.
3. Add the lemon juice, ground toasted cumin, turmeric and ½ teaspoon of the garam masala and stir 1 minute
4. Add cayenne, black peppers, water, 1/2 tsp garam masala and chickpeas. Mash a bit of the chickpeas on the side of pan.  Simmer and stir occasionally for 15 minutes. Stir in the more lemon juice and salt to taste.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• Less chiles if you’re not into spice!
• Delicious the next day as well! Eat with raita (see recipe below!) and chapati or naan

COCONUT CHUTNEY

From Anisha Shetty

REGION: MANGALORE

The quintessential South Indian condiment that pairs deliciously with breakfast and snacks. Fresh, vibrant, spicy, nutty and healthy - it packs a tasty punch that elevates any dish, even rice. A staple.  

INGREDIENTS

• 0.5 coconut scraped
• 2 green chillies
• 0.25 (less) onion
• tiny bit of tamarind (optional, can also use lime)
• salt to taste
• 0.25" ginger.
• For season: 0.5 tsp oil, 0.25 tsp mustard seeds, 0.25 tsp urad dhal, 1 red chili (halved), 1 sprig curry leaves

RECIPE

1. Grind all the ingredients to a coarse rough paste with a little water.
2. In another pan, prepare the seasoning.
3. Heat the oil and add mustard until it crackles and splutters.
4. Lower temp to medium low then add urad dal, red chili and curry leaves.
5. Pour on top of paste. Add more salt and lime as needed.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• The perfect accompaniment for idlis and dosa! (Get familiar with these yummy South Indian ground breakfast dishes; you're welcome).

HAHRE BAHRE KABOBS

From Puneet Freibott

REGION: NORTH INDIAN

I first came across these kabobs at one of my favorite auntie’s home. She loves to cook and feed people. I loved these kabobs so much that I made her share this secret recipe. I put some of my own touches in it and now it’s “the” appetizer I have to have on the menu or when I am going to a friends or family dinner.  

INGREDIENTS

• You can use either ground turkey, pork or beef to your preference. For every pound of meat, you will need:

• 2 medium onions
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• one clove of garlic
• 2 tsp of ginger
• salt, red pepper to taste
• 2 Serrano peppers (to taste)
• garam masala (cinnamon, bay leaves, clove, mint, cumin)
• Amchur
•  lemon juice
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg per pound of meat.

RECIPE

1. Grind up onions, cilantro, garlic and ginger and Serrano peppers.
2. Mix with meat and all the ingredients above. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Roll the mixture into balls.
4. Place on a non-stick oven safe baking sheet and cook for 20 mins until golden brown on top.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

You can use premade masalas: chat masala and sheek and Shammi kabob masalas. Add salt to taste.

INSTANT LEMON PICKLE

From Anjali Niyogi

REGION: INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

INGREDIENTS

6 yellow, very thin skinned, soft lemons

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1  teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar or jaggery

2 cups water

RECIPE

1. Take 6 Yellow, very thin skinned, soft lemons. Wash and dry thoroughly.
2.  Cut each lemon into 8 or 12 pieces, removing the lemon seeds.
3. Put the lemon pieces into a pressure cooker and add 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt & ½ Cup of sugar or jaggery. Mix well.
4. Cover the top of the cooker tightly, and before turning it on, add 2 cups of water.
5. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
6. When the cooker is completely cooled down, remove the cooker lid, being careful to make sure that the evaporated water does not enter into the cooked contents.
7. Pour the syrup only (not the lemons) into a sauce pan, reserving the lemons.
8. Cook the syrup on a medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the syrup thickens.
9. Pour the syrup on the cooked lemon pieces and mix well.
10. The pickle is ready now. Remove the pickle into a glass jar.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

The pickle has a shelf life of 6 months.

MANGO LASSI

From Vid Raturi

REGION: INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh ripe mangoes/frozen mangoes/canned mango pulp

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup of milk

handful of ice cubes if not using frozen mangoes or you can just chill the lassi in the fridge for an hour or two instead of using ice

optional:

pinch of cardamom powder

pinch of saffron soaked in a little bit of warm milk for 5 minutes

RECIPE

put all of the ingredients in a blender and enjoy!

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• for more mango flavor add more mangoes
• if you want it sweeter you can add sugar or honey
• if you want to thicken it add more yogurt
• if you want to make it thinner add milk
• if you are using fresh mangoes, best to get the mangoes from an Indian store like International Market in Metairie during mango season

MURGIR JHOL (BENGALI CHICKEN CURRY)

From Jayeesha Dutta

REGION: BENGAL - BANGLADESH + WEST BENGAL

A weeknight staple in my household growing up, this simple chicken curry is Bengali home cooking at its best and most comforting. This dish along with begun bhaja (recipe above) and some freshly cooked white rice will always be one of my favorite meals.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon panch phoron (Bengali 5 spice mix)

2 large onions or 3 small onions, sliced into ‘half moons’

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1-1½ teaspoon salt (to taste)

½ teaspoon pepper

1-2 tablespoons garlic ginger paste

1 large or 2-3 small tomato, chopped

2-3 large red or gold potatoes, or 3-5 small ones (about 12 oz), cut into chunky cubes

2-3 pounds of chicken, bone in is best, we prefer dark meat for this recipe

1 cup chicken stock or water (add extra salt if you choose water)

RECIPE

• Combine turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Heat the oil over medium low heat. Add the onions. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they caramelize  and turn translucent, then light brown. This takes 10-15 minutes. You can't skip this step.
• Add the panch phoron. Cook for about 30-45 seconds. Now add the ground spices and stir to mix with the oil. You don't want the mix to be dry at this point. You want the spices wet. If it looks dry add another tablespoon of oil. Cook for about a minute. Be careful. Don't let your spices burn.

1. Add the garlic ginger paste. Stir everything together and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes or so.
2. Add the tomatoes. Stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down. This should take 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock or water and the potatoes. Cover and simmer (adjust your heat accordingly) for 15-20 minutes, the potatoes should be starting to soften.
4. Add the chicken. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked. Taste and adjust for salt. It will likely need a bit more.
5. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve with hot basmati rice.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• Pick a pot big enough to hold all the ingredients.
• The only spices that you absolutely must have is turmeric, onion, and garlic - this recipe can be simplified to use just those three with some salt and it will be delicious.
• This “jhol” will be a bit runny, don’t expect it to be a thick sauce.

PUDINA (MINT CHUTNEY)

From Vid Raturi

REGION: INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

I fondly remember regularly going to our garden to pick fresh mint leaves that my Dadi (paternal grandma) had planted. We would always have fresh mint chutney in our house because it was my Dada's (paternal grandpa) favorite. Mint Chutney brings me back to all the times I spent gardening and cooking with my Dadi. Now that my Dadi has moved to India, this is my take on mint chutney. It is a great sauce for kebabs, samosas, chaat, and sandwiches. It's also a perfect way to add a bit of Indian flavor to non-Indian foods. The chutney is refreshing and has a little kick to it!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of mint leaves

1 cup of cilantro

1/2 cup of greek yogurt

1/2 lemon

2 indian green chili peppers (hari mirch)

2 cloves of peeled garlic

1/4 teaspoon of honey

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 inch of peeled ginger

RECIPE

1. Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemon into a food processor or blender and add all the ingredients: mint, cilantro, yogurt, green chili peppers, garlic, honey, cumin, salt, and ginger.
2. Blend until it's relatively smooth, depending on your desired consistency.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• If the consistency is too thick you can add water or lemon juice as needed but you probably won't need to.

RAITA (CUCUMBER YOGURT SIDE DISH)

From: Akanksha Thakur

REGION: INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

My mother told me about how she could not find precious “curd” for so long after she moved to America despite asking everywhere for it. One day, she decided to try something new from a vending machine: "yogurt." She was overjoyed to discover her long lost curd in her mouth! Now that she learned the American name for it, she was reunited with this significant staple, which is cooling alongside spicy food and good for digestion.

Other Americans seem to think this is a sauce, but I have always eaten it in soup-like quantities.

INGREDIENTS

~16 oz yogurt

~1 cup cucumber

Salt to taste

~1/2 tsp cumin seeds

~1/4 tsp garam masala

Red chile powder to taste

~1 tbs mint

RECIPE

1. Put ½ container (~16 oz) yogurt in a medium bowl.
2. Grate ~1 cup cucumber (1/2-1 depending on size) into the bowl.
3. Toast ~1/2 tsp cumin in toaster oven or cast iron until brown and aromatic. Grind with mortar and pestle.
4. Add ~1/4 tsp garam masala.
5. Add a couple dashes of red chile powder (e.g. Kashmiri mirch, cayenne or paprika).
6. Add ~1 tbs finely chopped mint.
7. Stir and add more salt and spice to taste.
8. Garnish with a shake of each spice and some mint.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• I have made this with cashew yogurt for a dairy free version.
• Before I got a mortar and pestle, I put the cumin on foil in the toaster oven, then folded the foil over it to make a pouch after toasting it, then hammered it into a powder with a blunt object. You could also use powdered cumin, but fresh, freshly toasted and ground spices have significantly better flavor. I therefore also encourage you to make your own garam masala. It is time consuming, but you can make a batch that you can use for multiple dishes and it will be so much more potent than store bought.
• You could substitute dried mint for fresh.
• I approximated the amounts so use your tastebuds to adjust.

SABEEZ CHOONTH (APPLE CURRY)

From Rachana Sus

REGION: KASHMIR

I’m sure you didn’t know apples could be used as a vegetable! This is one of my favorite dishes my mom cooks! It’s very different, requires no onions, tomatoes, or garlic!

INGREDIENTS

2 Granny Smith apples

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fennel powder

1 teaspoon dry ginger powder

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

Pinch of turmeric

Pinch of asafoetida (hing)

Pinch of salt

Fresh red chilies, for garnish

1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder

1 cup water

RECIPE

1. Cut 2 apples into cubes after washing and drying them (no need to discard the skin).
2. Turn the Stove on and in a pan, add 2 tablespoon oil, as it warms, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, add the apples, then pinch of hing and salt and sauté on med flame.
3. Add 1 teaspoon each Kashmiri red chili powder, dry ginger powder, fennel powder, pinch of turmeric and 1 cup water and cover with a lid.
4. Let cook for 5-7 mins or until the apples are soft but not too mushy.
5. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of dry roasted cumin powder.
6. Turn off the stove, the apples will cook further in the steam.
7. Garnish with fresh red chillies and serve.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

This recipe is originally made with Quince apples which I have never seen in the USA, so I’ve modified it to using Granny Smith apples. You can also add air-fried Chinese eggplant slices to this to add more bulk! Also goes well with paneer cubes.

SRI LANKAN LOVE CAKE

From Julie Kumari Drapkin

REGION: SRI LANKA

Love cake with tea were some of my earliest tastes of Sri Lanka, long before I had the chance to go there and understand where my mother came from. Tea time with my mom and my aunts (there are 7 of them) are among my favorite things in the whole world.

INGREDIENTS

225 g semolina

225 g butter (unsalted)

28 g rose essence/ rosewater

400 g white sugar

12 egg yolks

1 lime rind grated

2 tsp Allspice/Mixed spice

28 g vanilla essence

28 g almond essence

3 tbsp Beeshoney or golden syrup

360 g puhul dosi/ pumpkin preserve/melon candy, chopped

300 g cashew nuts Chopped

 70 ml brandy

 120 ml milk, fresh

RECIPE

Prep:  Line one 25x25cm square baking tray with 3 baking sheets. Preheat oven to 150C (Conventional Oven) . Make sure to use a tray size similar to the above dimensions, because the height of the cake is very important to get the correct texture.( This recipe will fit in one square tray size of 25cmx25cm)Step 1 (Semolina & butter mixture)

1.  Add semolina to a pan and roast it on a low heat for about 5-6 minutes until it is lightly roasted and has a slight brown colour like sand, take it off the heat and let it cool down. Place the roasted semolina in a bowl, add butter & rose essence and mix well with a wooden spoon until well incorporated. leave aside.
2. Egg yolk and sugar mix:  In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment add the egg yolks, sugar and mix well until fluffy and creamy, you will see the mixture is lightly pale colour and has doubled in size. Finally, add the lime rind, mix well at a low speed and leave aside.
3. From this point, everything needs to be folded by hand: add in the semolina and butter mixture into the egg mixture ( Step 1 +Step 2) and mix well with a wooden spoon.
4. Add mixed spice (Allspice), bees honey, brandy, pumpkin preserve, cashew nuts, vanilla essence and almond essence, milk and mix well, until well mixed

* Option: Beaten egg white is optional (6 egg whites) some people may be used to the cakey texture of the love cake, if you prefer to do it that way, you can add the egg whites at last but I actually like the chunky and gooey texture, but it is chunky and is not compact therefore a little difficult to cut. depending on your preference, you can add egg white or omit it.

5. Bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared lined baking trays and bake for 1- 1 and a half hours until the cake is cooked. If the cake becomes brown halfway through place a foil paper on the top to stop it from browning and bake the required amount of time.

* Do not over bake the cake, then it becomes dry, check the cake every 10 minutes when 1 hour is passed. It is ok to slightly under bake the cake and off the oven and leave it inside the oven, it will bake a little bit more for the heat in the oven and cool down over night. Cover the cake after 1 hour in the oven with a foil, then bake for another 20 mins ( 1 hour 20 mins in total) leave it overnight to cool down inside the oven. Every oven is different, so make sure to check the cake often.Once cooked, take it out of the oven let it cool inside the tray before cutting into desired pieces.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

• The cake tastes better after 2 days of baking
• Slightly under baking will ensure the cake is gooey and moist  
• Buy proper Ceylon tea (Dilmah) and brew it in a pot if you can, rather than a tea bag.

About “Bhan Gras”  - Bhangra was mainly done by Punjabi farmers during the harvesting season, mainly performed while farmers did agricultural chores. As they did each farming activity they would perform bhangra moves on the spot, allowing them to finish their job in a pleasurable way. After harvesting their wheat crops during the Vaisakhi season, people attended cultural festivals while dancing bhangra to showcase a sense of accomplishment and to welcome the new harvesting season.

A few members of Krewe da Bhan Gras are…

Krewe Founders/Captains: Monica Dhand and Anjali Niyogi

Choreographers: Kevinn Lauren Poree (2024), Crystal Rathore (2024) Ankita Rathour (2023)

Float Designer: Tania Zachari

Throw Co-Captains: Jayeesha Dutta (creator of krewe cookbook) and Kankshi Thakur

Parade Makeup: Vid Raturi; Parade Mehndhi: Alveena Shah

… among about 40 amazing South Asians and a dozen allies

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DECOLONIZING DESI FACTS

• The word Desi is widely used by South Asians, as well those of the South Asian diaspora, to describe themselves; those of South Asian origin, especially Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, use the term as a means of asserting or reclaiming a sense of pride in being South Asian, particularly in the face of racism, discrimination, and stigmatization in various parts of the world, including the United States.
• A quarter of the world's population, approximately 458 million people, lived under the British Empire in 1922. 

• India was colonized by a corporation first—The British East India Company.
• The Indian subcontinent was not "discovered" by Vasco Da Gama as America was not  "discovered" by Christopher Columbus. One can't discover something that's already  there. 
• The British criminalized the LGBTQ community under colonization.
• The first rebellion for Indian Independence was fought in 1857 in Bihar. The East India  Company responded by massacring natives and paving the way for Queen Victoria's  control of the subcontinent. 
• In 1947, Cyril Radcliffe was asked to draw the border between India and the newly  created state of Pakistan over the course of a single lunch. Radcliffe had never visited India. The violence that erupted due to this partition claimed the lives of 1 million people. The partition of India remains a very understudied topic globally.
• During the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre of 1919, Brigadier Reginald Dyer kept firing on  peaceful protestors until they ran out of ammunition, killing between 379 and 1,000  protesters and injuring another 1,100 within 10 minutes.  
• Sardar Udham swore revenge after the brutal Jallianwalla Bagh massacre of 1919. For  the next 21 years he astutely planned his moves, and at 40 years of age assassinated  Michael O’Dwyer in a courthouse in London. Udham was hanged to death. Watch the  2021 Bollywood film Sardar Udham to know more about this revolutionary. 
• The British Empire killed 165 million Indian people between 1880 and 1920—larger than  the combined number of deaths from both World Wars, including the Nazi holocaust, several historians note. 
• During nearly 200 years of colonialism, the British empire stole at least $45 trillion in wealth from India.
• Indian life expectancy did not reach the level of early modern England (35.8 years)  until 1950, after decolonization. 
• Extreme poverty in India increased under British rule, from 23 percent in 1810 to more  than 50 percent in the mid-20th century. 
• The Bengal famine of 1943 killed 4.3 million Indian people when Bengal was part of  British-ruled India. Winston Churchill ordered all food to be exported and stockpiled  for Europe during the second world war. 
• Over 3 million people were killed in present day Bangladesh during the genocide Pakistan committed in 1971 during its independence war, largely Bangladeshi Hindus.
• Two United States citizens Richard Ralph Keithahn and Samuel Stokes joined the fight for Indian Independence.
• Bihar, Orissa, and Bengal were the richest regions of the subcontinent before  colonialism.
• World's oldest university, Nalanda University was founded in the 5th century in Bihar,  India. It reopened after 800 years in 2014.

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