If you enjoy desserts and finger-sized baked goods, exploring India's regional offerings is a must. Pictured at the left is the counter from India Sweets & Spices (on Los Feliz Blvd, LA) which has a broad variety. One of the more popular items is Badam (almond) Burfi. This is not so much a candy as it is a rich snack food that will hit your sweet spot without causing a sugar head-ache or the type of down one would feel after eating something processed. You can find a very fine recipe and discussion on Manjula's Kitchen site which we've reproduced below. A minor note of caution, many find these types of dishes bland or a bit starchy which is I think a question of adjusting one's palate. Enjoy.
http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/09/24/badam-burfi-almond-candy/Recipe makes 20 pieces.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole almonds
1 cup sugar
Pinch of Cardamom powder
2 tablespoons butter or ghee (clear butter)
1/3 cup milk
Method
Soak the almonds in hot water for 30 minutes.
Peel the skin off the almonds. Blend the almonds into a fine paste using just enough milk as needed to blend.
Add the sugar and whip it for a couple of minutes.
Heat the ghee in the frying pan on low-medium heat.
As the ghee melts, add the almond paste and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously.
Continue stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of bread batter, and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
Add the cardamom powder. Remove the frying pan from the heat.
Whip the batter using a spoon in a circular motion for about two to three minutes.
Pour it into the prepared greased pan.
Smoothen the surface of the mixture to about a quarter inch thick.
Let cool for about 20 minutes until burfi is just look warm.
Cut into 1-inch squares or any shape you like.
Cool to the room temperature and store burfi in an airtight container.
Almond burfi has a long shelf life and can be kept outside for up to one week. When refrigerated, almond burfi will last a couple of months.
Suggestions:You can make burfi using almond meal or almond flour. If you are using almond meal, mix one cup almond meal with the sugar and milk and knead the mixture for two minutes. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then follow the directions above. The almond flour burfi will be a little chewy.
Yes, over this project we've encountered all types of Indian food in a lot of strange places. Last week we took a cross country trip to Philly and Upstate NY. On the way out and back Sol ordered the vegetarian option - a Hindu meal. The offering came with traditional rice, spinach saag, a tomato based curry, and a plain paratha with packaged yogurt on the side. 
Lots to celebrate today and some inspiration for cooking this week. India has prevailed in the cricket world cup at home in Mumbai. This is their first win since '83 - with a six wicket triumph over Sri Lanka.
If you enjoy desserts and finger-sized baked goods, exploring India's regional offerings is a must. Pictured at the left is the counter from India Sweets & Spices (on Los Feliz Blvd, LA) which has a broad variety. One of the more popular items is Badam (almond) Burfi. This is not so much a candy as it is a rich snack food that will hit your sweet spot without causing a sugar head-ache or the type of down one would feel after eating something processed. You can find a very fine recipe and discussion on Manjula's Kitchen site which we've reproduced below. A minor note of caution, many find these types of dishes bland or a bit starchy which is I think a question of adjusting one's palate. Enjoy.
Over the Summer we blogged about trying to find this place and getting stuck in the cross-hairs of a Culver City rave. We'll we were finally able to make our way over and it did not disappoint. All of the items on the menu are made from scratch. You know it is a good sign when you order a samosa and a few minutes later hear the food processor go on in the background. Pictured at the left is possible the world's best garlic naan. Not overly flaky or buttery. Also pictured below is a sampler plate we did not try out and which I'm sure will make for a nice future experience. We caught a look at it in a picture on the window on our way out and some self restraint was necessary so as not to go back in an eat a second meal. The staple of their menu has to be dosas (one shown below) which come in many varieties all at Flintsone-sized proportion. Lisa tells me hers was simply spectacular which is high praise indeed since she not only makes wonderful ones herself, she's a bit of a Russian judge when it comes to using superlatives and modifiers. The capstone of the meal was a carrot halva which we'll try and over under a separate post. Rich, rich, rich indeed. Cheers.
After a long journey I've graduated with my masters from Cambridge. This was a truly transformational experience. I managed to have one last Indian meal at the curry house the weekend of May 14th. It did not disappoint. There are a number of things that will be missed about this adventure. The group projects, pre-eating before the Friday night college meals, MCS modeling, runs and walks along the Cam and passing my friends the cows, the long formal suppers, excellent academic exposure, the town and its architecture, and on and on. Our group of friends and network will surely continue on after this two years and I expect we'll all achieve quite a bit in industry and not for profit ventures. Lisa and I will now be looking at non-Indian food experiences. although I'm certain Indian foods will still play a central role in our diets. Just this morning Lisa made herself a dosa for breakfast and I caught myself wondering why, now that the project is "over." But the truth is it will never be over and we'll continue to explore the many avenues different cuisines of India have to offer. Our new focus may become that of the south pacific/Asia Pac - we'll see shortly. Cheers.
