Indian olive pickle
Jolpai, the small, hard, sour Indian olive, appears in Bengal and Bangladesh markets from October to December, and no winter afternoon is complete without a jar of jolpai achar warming in the sun. It is no relation to the Mediterranean olive: it is tart and astringent, almost like a green plum. The olives are boiled, lightly crushed so the flesh splits from the stone, then cooked in mustard oil with panch phoron, dried chilli and plenty of jaggery. The pickle is sticky, sweet-sour and slightly tannic, with soft flesh to nibble off the stones. Eat it with khichuri on a cold evening, with dal-bhaat, or straight from the jar as a snack. The common mistake is under-boiling: the olives must be soft enough to press flat, or the syrup cannot get in and they stay bitter. It is done when the syrup is thick and shiny and clings to the olives. Very sweet and acidic, it keeps a month in a cool cupboard in winter and 3 months in the fridge. Abroad, look for frozen jolpai in Bangladeshi grocers; firm, sour green plums are the closest substitute. Chef's tip: keep a few olives whole and only scored; they give a nicer bite.
A new country every day, from every cuisine on the site.
A royal festive sweet: rounds of crisp pastry wrapped around a rich filling of mawa (khoya), roasted coconut, almonds and pistachios, fried in ghee and dipped in a warm mix of ghee and icing sugar. Decorated with nuts and rose petals, they're crumbly, rich and fragrant with cardamom. Makes 50.
A light, set milk pudding inspired by faluda: milk and evaporated milk sweetened and set with agar-agar, tinted pale pink and flavoured with cardamom. It's cool, smooth and wobbly, and fully vegetarian. Serve chilled in little bowls, topped with almonds and pistachios.
Magaj (magas) is a classic Gujarati sweet: coarse gram flour rubbed with milk and ghee (dhraba), roasted in ghee until golden, then mixed with sugar, almonds, pistachios and cardamom and set in a tray. It's crumbly, rich and nutty. Makes 20 pieces; a Diwali favourite that keeps well.
Rasgulla are soft, spongy balls of fresh paneer cooked in boiling syrup until they swell, then served cold in light rose-scented syrup. This version hides a little sugar lump (sakar) in the centre of each ball. Makes 20; serve chilled after a meal.
A cool layered pudding of ripe mango with cardamom and almonds, covered with a vanilla milk 'faluda' set with agar-agar. It's fruity, creamy and lightly spiced, and fully vegetarian. Make it in a glass dish so the layers show, and serve chilled with mango slices, cherries and almonds.
Ras malai is a much-loved Bengali sweet now made all over India: soft discs of fresh paneer poached in light syrup, then soaked in milk boiled down until rich and creamy and flavoured with saffron. Served chilled, scattered with almonds, pistachios and cardamom. Makes about 50 small pieces.
A quick, modern ras malai: ricotta beaten with sugar and cardamom, baked until just set, cut into squares and soaked overnight in cream scented with kewra (screwpine) essence. It's soft, creamy and delicately perfumed, without the work of making paneer. Serve chilled with almond and pistachio flakes.
Sweet bundi are tiny pearls of gram flour batter, fried until just set and tossed in warm saffron and cardamom syrup with flaked nuts. They're soft, juicy and bright orange. Serve as a festive sweet or offering, or spoon over rabdi or ice cream.
Puranpuri (puran poli) is a festive Gujarati and Maharashtrian flatbread stuffed with puran: pigeon pea lentils cooked with sugar until thick, flavoured with saffron, cardamom and fennel. It's rolled thin, cooked on a griddle and drizzled with ghee. Serve hot with kadhi and a curry of your choice.
A two-minute dessert for one: scoops of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed amaretti biscuits and drizzled with amaretto. It's creamy, crunchy and almondy. The amaretto is alcoholic and amaretti biscuits are usually made with egg white, so check the packet; see the last step for swaps.
A quick no-cook barfi made from crushed wheat biscuit cereal and tea biscuits bound with butter and sweetened condensed milk, with coconut, nuts, nutmeg and saffron. It's chewy, sweet and easy enough for children to help with. Makes 40 pieces.
A colourful no-bake pudding: a base of biscuit crumbs moistened with pineapple syrup and topped with fresh coconut, covered with a fluffy custard cream and finished with pineapple, cherries, kiwi, grapes and strawberries. It's light, creamy and fruity. Pipe whipped cream around the edge and serve chilled.
Roasted fine vermicelli cooked in milk until thick with saffron, cardamom and sugar, with chopped apple stirred in, then cooled and topped with ice cream, crunchy roasted vermicelli and nuts. It's creamy, fragrant and fun to eat. Serve it cool in individual bowls.
A rich no-bake dessert of ground brown bread mixed with drinking chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and brown sugar, soaked with cream and topped with a smooth white chocolate, cream cheese and sour cream layer. It's creamy, chocolatey and fruity. Make it in a glass bowl and serve chilled.
A quick carrot halwa made in the microwave: grated carrots cooked tender in ghee, milk and sugar, then enriched with fresh mawa (khoya) and plenty of almonds, cashews and pistachios. It's soft, sweet and fragrant with cardamom. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.
A rich, home-made cream liqueur of whisky, cream, condensed and evaporated milk, melted milk chocolate and a touch of coffee. Sweet, smooth and strong: for adults only. Serve chilled over crushed ice, keep it in the fridge and drink within 3 days.
A chocolatey-tasting shake made with carob powder instead of chocolate, blended with milk, yogurt, honey, fresh mint and ground brazil nuts. Creamy and lightly minty. Serve cold.
Crisp fennel juiced with sweet apples, pears and a carrot, giving a fresh juice with a gentle aniseed flavour. Serve it chilled.
A small banana baked in a foil parcel with butter, lemon, a pinch of sugar and cinnamon until soft and fragrant. A warm, easy pudding for babies of 8–18 months, mashed or left in soft pieces for older babies. Serve warm, not hot.
A sweet, creamy chowder of sweetcorn, potato, leek and red pepper simmered in milk, then blended and sieved until silky. It suits babies of 8–18 months, and older children enjoy it unsieved. Serve warm.
A soft, golden hash of butter beans, chickpeas, French beans, carrot and potato, mashed together and pan-fried until crisp on both sides. It's a filling, protein-rich meal for babies and toddlers, moistened with a little home-made vegetable stock. Remember to soak the butter beans and chickpeas the night before.
Rounds of bread spread with cream cheese, soaked in egg custard and baked gently in a water bath until just set. Soft and mild, it suits babies of 8–18 months and makes a good light lunch for toddlers too. Serve warm.
Soft tomatoes and carrot blended with cheddar, ground almonds and milk, then baked in teacups under a golden cheese topping. A gentle, savoury dish for babies of 8–18 months, with plenty of flavour. Serve it just warm, on its own or with soft toast fingers.
A gentle, salt-free vegetable stock for cooking baby food, for babies of 8–18 months. Root vegetables, ginger and a few herbs simmer slowly for two hours, giving a light, sweet stock. Use it for the purees, hash and pasta in this section, and freeze small portions in an ice-cube tray for quick meals.
A jewel-bright juice of strawberries, peaches, red grapes, kiwi, pomegranate and passion fruit. Sweet, tangy and full of fruit, it's a treat for children and grown-ups alike. Serve cold or at room temperature.
A sweet, energising juice of apples, pears and kiwi fruit with a stick of celery, all used unpeeled for extra goodness. It's naturally sweet, so it needs no sugar. Serve well chilled.
A cool, pale-green juice of cucumbers, sweet pineapple, carrots and celery with a few fresh sage leaves. Soothing and lightly sweet. Serve cold.
A warming hot punch of black tea, fresh orange and grapefruit juice, star anise and brown sugar: just the thing when you feel a cold coming on. For a sweeter punch, use grape juice instead of grapefruit juice, with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and honey to taste. Serve hot, decorated with orange peel spirals.
A bright orange-green juice of carrots, dark cabbage leaves and celery with plenty of fresh coriander and parsley. Earthy and fresh: a carrot drink fit for a bunny. Serve at room temperature.
A thick, fragrant blend of ripe guava, mango and banana, boosted with a spoonful of guava powder from the health shop. The book calls it a modern-day vitality drink, drawing on guava's long use in traditional Indian medicine. Serve it well chilled; sieve it if you don't like the little guava seeds.
Flaked rice (pauva) simmered in milk until soft and creamy, then stirred with apple puree and a little ground almond. A comforting afternoon meal for babies of 8–18 months. Almond essence is strong: a tiny drop is plenty.
A deep red juice of beetroot (leaves and all), carrots and apples. Sweet, earthy and packed with goodness. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Lentils simmered with fresh tomatoes and tomato juice, then pureed and sieved into a smooth, tangy first dal for babies of 4–8 months. Use any lentils: split red lentils cook fastest. Serve warm.
A creamy, fizzy pineapple drink: pineapple juice, coconut milk and vanilla ice cream blended with fresh pineapple, then topped up with sparkling water. It tastes like a light, alcohol-free piña colada. Serve straight away, with straws.
A big jug of fresh fruit punch made from mango, passion fruit, pineapple and orange juices, with a splash of tree tomato juice. Cumin, aniseed, salt and a little ginger soda give it a lively sweet-salty-spicy taste. Serve chilled, garnished with chopped apple and mint: perfect for parties.
Finely ground oats cooked in milk and water until smooth and creamy, with a little sieved banana for natural sweetness. A warm, filling breakfast for babies of 4–8 months. Grind a batch of oats in advance and keep it in a jar.
Showing 36 of 10,569 recipes
Show more recipesPage 1,155 of 1,175
Indian
Italian
French
Chinese
Japanese
Mexican
Korean
Spanish
Peruvian
