The sandesh can be formed into round balls and rolled in chocolate shavings. Credit: Copyright 2016 Rinku BhattacharyaThis Valentine's Day, as you look for foods besides oysters and chocolate to woo the object of your affection, consider exploring your spice cabinet.You'll be surprised at the flavors' powers -- as natural aphrodisiacs -- to be found there.
To heighten the senses and set the mood, we need fragrance and beauty in our foods.In fact, Ayurveda -- the holistic method of medical treatment in India rooted in Hinduism -- traditionally placed a fair amount of emphasis on aphrodisiac terminology. The intent was to ensure that people led healthy conjugal lives and the ruler appropriately produced the requisite heir. There is similar wisdom found in other ancient texts.So, cull through this list of common spices for your Valentine's Day menu that also may help you spice things up -- in other ways -- with your Valentine.First up is cinnamon, whose lustrous and sweet aroma can make you both happy and calm. (And, it's certainly good for your blood pressure.)Right alongside, you might have cloves, whose essential quality is to uplift your mood and spirits. And then there is nutmeg, also known for its antioxidant and astringent qualities.An aphrodisiac spice, says 'The Arabian Nights'To complete the fragrant collection, we also have cardamom, which "The Arabian Nights" extols for its passion-inducing properties.All of these will find its place in a good garam masala blend. And when meshed with saffron -- the exotic spice of the gods -- your Valentine's Day collection of aromas will be complete.When planning your menu, consider a good one-pot dish such as a biryani that will bring to your table all of these spices and more. If that's too complex, try rubbing a chicken with butter and garam masala and serving it roasted to perfection, with saffron mashed potatoes on the side.But don't forget the dessert. Fortunately, many Indian desserts bring together cardamom, saffron and rose. From the universe of puddings, halwas and burfees, I have dug up a Bengali specialty called the sandesh, which, when done right, can win over the most fastidious of hearts and palates.A sandesh is a cheesecake of sorts, with the emphasis on a specific cheese: channa, or homemade white cheese. The art of the traditional sandesh rests in the right texture and handling of this channa. Although it is prolific in Indian confectionary shops, we're often hard-pressed to find good sandesh in commercial Indian sweet shops -- mainly because of the relatively short shelf life of this delicate sweet.Spicing up cheesecake the sandesh wayRicotta cheese, if treated right, can be a substitute for channa. This recipe features a cheater sandesh, using ricotta cheese streaked with saffron and subtly scented with freshly crushed cardamom.
Sandesh is an Indian version of cheesecake, can be cut into shapes with cookie cutters or formed into balls. Credit: Copyright 2016 Rinku BhattacharyaI have created this recipe for days when time does not allow for the making and draining of channa. It's a fairly good facsimile for the steamed sandesh known as bhapa sandesh that my grandmother used to make. In this sandesh, instead of cooking the channa over the stove top, it is steamed with gentle and continuous heat.In my recipe, I bake it on low heat in the oven and then cool and shape it. If you wish, you can garnish these delicate morsels with pistachios, snipped rose petals and anything else that catches your fancy.Serve them with some chilled saffron almond milk.That's bound to warm the cockles of your heart and soothe your senses, all at once.Baked Orange-Flavored Cheesecake -- Bhapa Sandesh
Adapted from "The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles," by Rinku BhattacharyaPrep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus time for cooling
Yield: 12 servingsIngredients:For the cheesecake:
Clarified butter or ghee for greasing the casserole dish
1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese (about 30 ounces)
3/4 cup condensed milk (about 12 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon saffron strands
1/4 teaspoon freshly crushed cardamom (about 2 pods)
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice or tangerine juice (about one medium tangerine)For optional garnishes:
Orange sections
Slivered almonds
Chocolate shavingsDirections:1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.2. Grease an 8-by-12-inch cake or casserole dish and set aside.3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the ricotta cheese and condensed milk.4. Stir in the saffron strands and cardamom, pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish. The objective is to achieve a streaked effect rather than uniform coloring.5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.6. Drizzle with the orange juice and cool for one hour.7. Carefully invert the prepared cheesecake onto a flat surface. This can be cut into shapes using a cooking cutter, or formed into round balls.8. If desired, garnish with orange sections and almonds, or roll or sprinkle with chocolate shavings.9. Chill for 45 minutes or longer, and serve.Copyright 2016 Rinku Bhattacharya via Zester Daily and Reuters Media Express
To heighten the senses and set the mood, we need fragrance and beauty in our foods.In fact, Ayurveda -- the holistic method of medical treatment in India rooted in Hinduism -- traditionally placed a fair amount of emphasis on aphrodisiac terminology. The intent was to ensure that people led healthy conjugal lives and the ruler appropriately produced the requisite heir. There is similar wisdom found in other ancient texts.So, cull through this list of common spices for your Valentine's Day menu that also may help you spice things up -- in other ways -- with your Valentine.First up is cinnamon, whose lustrous and sweet aroma can make you both happy and calm. (And, it's certainly good for your blood pressure.)Right alongside, you might have cloves, whose essential quality is to uplift your mood and spirits. And then there is nutmeg, also known for its antioxidant and astringent qualities.An aphrodisiac spice, says 'The Arabian Nights'To complete the fragrant collection, we also have cardamom, which "The Arabian Nights" extols for its passion-inducing properties.All of these will find its place in a good garam masala blend. And when meshed with saffron -- the exotic spice of the gods -- your Valentine's Day collection of aromas will be complete.When planning your menu, consider a good one-pot dish such as a biryani that will bring to your table all of these spices and more. If that's too complex, try rubbing a chicken with butter and garam masala and serving it roasted to perfection, with saffron mashed potatoes on the side.But don't forget the dessert. Fortunately, many Indian desserts bring together cardamom, saffron and rose. From the universe of puddings, halwas and burfees, I have dug up a Bengali specialty called the sandesh, which, when done right, can win over the most fastidious of hearts and palates.A sandesh is a cheesecake of sorts, with the emphasis on a specific cheese: channa, or homemade white cheese. The art of the traditional sandesh rests in the right texture and handling of this channa. Although it is prolific in Indian confectionary shops, we're often hard-pressed to find good sandesh in commercial Indian sweet shops -- mainly because of the relatively short shelf life of this delicate sweet.Spicing up cheesecake the sandesh wayRicotta cheese, if treated right, can be a substitute for channa. This recipe features a cheater sandesh, using ricotta cheese streaked with saffron and subtly scented with freshly crushed cardamom.
Adapted from "The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles," by Rinku BhattacharyaPrep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus time for cooling
Yield: 12 servingsIngredients:For the cheesecake:
Clarified butter or ghee for greasing the casserole dish
1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese (about 30 ounces)
3/4 cup condensed milk (about 12 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon saffron strands
1/4 teaspoon freshly crushed cardamom (about 2 pods)
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice or tangerine juice (about one medium tangerine)For optional garnishes:
Orange sections
Slivered almonds
Chocolate shavingsDirections:1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.2. Grease an 8-by-12-inch cake or casserole dish and set aside.3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the ricotta cheese and condensed milk.4. Stir in the saffron strands and cardamom, pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish. The objective is to achieve a streaked effect rather than uniform coloring.5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.6. Drizzle with the orange juice and cool for one hour.7. Carefully invert the prepared cheesecake onto a flat surface. This can be cut into shapes using a cooking cutter, or formed into round balls.8. If desired, garnish with orange sections and almonds, or roll or sprinkle with chocolate shavings.9. Chill for 45 minutes or longer, and serve.Copyright 2016 Rinku Bhattacharya via Zester Daily and Reuters Media Express
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