Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
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A Swedish tea ring is a sweet yeast dough rolled around butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dried fruit and nuts, shaped into a ring and snipped so the filling shows, then glazed with lemon icing. This version has no egg. It's soft, spiced and fruity; serve it warm with tea or coffee. Cuts into about 25 slices.
A no-cook pudding of crushed ginger biscuits soaked in apple juice, topped with fresh coconut, cashews, kiwi and grapes and finished with sweetened cream. It's fresh, creamy and gently spiced. Serve chilled; it's ready in minutes.
A no-churn cassata of three layers frozen together: vanilla with chopped nuts, strawberry, and mint with chocolate chips. The base is whipped cream and whisked frozen evaporated milk, so no ice-cream machine is needed. It makes about 3 litres; slice it for parties.
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 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 light, set lemon cheesecake: home-made cottage cheese beaten with sugar, lemon and egg yolks, set with gelatine and lightened with whisked egg whites and cream, on a ginger biscuit base. It's fresh, tangy and fluffy. Note that it uses raw eggs and gelatine, which isn't vegetarian; see the last step for an agar-agar swap. Not suitable for pregnant women, young children or the elderly because of the raw egg.
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.
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 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.
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.
A fresh, fruity kulfi: milk thickened with cornflour and sweetened with condensed milk, then mixed with cream, cashew powder, tangerine juice and segments and frozen in moulds. It's creamy, nutty and citrusy. Serve slices straight from the freezer, garnished with cashews and tangerine.
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 tropical take on trifle: biscuits soaked in sherry or fruit juice, then layered with orange jelly, mango, kiwi and passion fruit, thick custard and softly whipped cream, finished with toasted almonds. It's fruity, creamy and colourful. Ordinary packet jelly is made with gelatine, which isn't vegetarian, and sherry is alcoholic; the steps give swaps for both.
A no-churn vanilla ice cream layered with home-made peanut crunch: roasted peanuts stirred into caramelised sugar, cooled and coarsely ground. It's creamy, crunchy and salty-sweet. Makes about 3 litres; the book also gives chocolate and cashew crunch versions.
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.
A striking three-layer barfi: a white layer of milk powder and coconut, a middle of melted chocolate, and a yellow layer of saffron cashew fudge on top. Cut into diamonds, it shows off its stripes and tastes rich, nutty and creamy. Makes 30–35; a showpiece for festive sweet boxes.
A modern layered barfi: a chewy base of dates, coconut, cornflakes, chocolate cereal and pistachio, a creamy top of condensed milk, cashews and almonds, and a marbled dark and white chocolate finish. It's rich, crunchy and silky all at once. Makes 35–40 rectangles; great for parties and gift boxes.
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.
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