Holiday parties usually mean gulping down the traditional eggnog and hogging on all the Christmas cookies. Ain’t nothing wrong with that ‘nog-cookie life but what if you added some desi favorites to the mix? I have five desserts from five different desi powerhouse chefs that’ll have you ending your meals on a high and sweet note this holiday season.
1. Chocolate Chai Affogato
The holidays wouldn’t be the holidays without some hot cocoa, but instead of regular cocoa, try this titillating variety. Chef Sri Rao has done the legwork for you, creating a recipe that infuses cardamom, peppercorns, fresh ginger, cocoa, and more! It’s a mouthwatering recipe you must try.
2. Spicy Masala Cookies
Christmas cookies are an epic tradition. This year, bring out the chili powder, ginger, cumin, asafoetida, and the rest of the aromatic spices to create a spicy cookie alternative. Chef Sheetal Rangaswamy swears by this recipe as the perfect treat to go with chai or coffee. I suggest pairing these with the Chocolate Chai Affogato!
3. Sweet Potato and Star Fruit Chaat
Who doesn’t love Maneet Chauhan? She brings all the desi flavor to The Food Network show “Chopped” and now she’s giving you the perfect appetizer to bring to the table. It’ll take you 30 minutes to make and it’s reminiscent of street food in India: jalapenos, lemon, chaat masala, cumin, chili powder and chutney. Drooling yet?
4. Kheer
You can’t go wrong with kheer. It’s simple and safe for people who like rice pudding but it’s got a touch of desi flare. The recipe I’m sharing with you is by Madhur Jaffrey so you know its going to deliver on taste as well. Think cardamom, edible gold/silver leaf, pistachios and more. It’s an aromatic dish and great dessert. You can also substitute rice with vermicelli; the noodles are delicious as well.
5. Mango Kulfi
Vanilla ice cream is well, vanilla. So, spice things up with chef Bal Arneson’s Mango Kulfi. Think RIPE MANGO because that’s what you’ll need for this recipe. If you’re hung up on vanilla, you can use vanilla fro-yo or just plain yogurt. This recipe looks so good that you may never use another ice cream recipe again.
