EPICURIOUS: LET’S HAVE A TEA PARTY
We connect at the dinner table, lunches, breakfasts, weddings, Eid, Independence Day, family reunions, social get-togethers, birthdays and countless other occasions around a dastarkhaan, a dining table, or a trolley. It shows our collective passion for food.
Today, I’ll share with you the recipes of Samina Auntie’s fresh cream cake, and other trolley delights. The cake is homemade, delicious and finger licking good. Samina Auntie was gracious and kind, and willingly shared her cake recipe with me some 33 years ago.
The cake was made often and almost always in the afternoon, when Bashar — our cook — had cleaned up the kitchen and slipped away for his afternoon siesta. On his return in the evening, the kitchen would be a mess, but there was always a delicious cake to devour and share.
Revisiting some old recipes to enjoy with a cup of tea
Now some 33 years later, Samina Auntie’s daughter shared the recipe with me all over again. She also baked the cake and served it to us with a piping hot cuppa tea, and some freshly baked scones. Hence today, in honour of the cake, we present to you the Pakistani Tea Trolley. Bake, serve and enjoy.
DRY CAKE MIX
INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
8 ounces self-raising flour
8 ounces sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 can of mixed fruit (cherries, peaches, strawberries, pineapples, mixed fruit) with syrup
4 tablespoons milk chocolate shavings
FOR FRESH CREAM
INGREDIENTS
500 ml double cream
4 tablespoons sugar
METHOD
Separate the eggs keeping the yolks aside. In a cake mixer whisk egg whites and sugar until the mixture forms soft peaks and the texture holds its form. Fold in the flour, egg yolks and the vanilla essence (do not use the cake mixer when combining the two) and mix it all together by the baking method of cutting and folding, bringing in air into the batter. Once the batter is mixed, divide the mixture equally in two greased baking pans (round 8-½ inches) and bake in a 350 degrees pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Put the cakes on a wire rack for cooling.
Beat the double cream and sugar in cake mixer until the mixture forms peaks and can hold its form.
Sparingly pour the fruit syrup onto the cooled cakes, spreading it evenly to moisten the cake. Now spread the icing and some fruit on one cake, topping it with the second, spread the icing evenly on the sides and top, decorating with fruit and shaved chocolate. Chill and serve.
PAKORRAY
INGREDIENTS
2 cups gram flour
2 green chillies, chopped
2 medium-sized potatoes, sliced
2 to 3 boiled eggs, sliced
1 small eggplant, sliced
Spinach leaves
6 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder to taste
1 teaspoon ajwain,
1 teaspoon coriander seeds,
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (pan roasted and roughly ground)
1 teaspoon baking powder (level)
METHOD
Prepare the batter by mixing all the ingredients, eyeballing amount of water. Deep fry until crisp and crunchy. Enjoy with chaat masala, yoghurt, chutney or ketchup.
Note: you can use any vegetable of preference.
CHANNA CHAAT
INGREDIENTS
2 cups channay (chickpea), soak overnight in water and 1/3 tsp soda
¼ to ½ cup gurr (jaggery), optional
½ to 1 tsp black salt, or to taste
½ tsp cumin seeds, roasted and ground
¼ to ½ cup tamarind chutney
1 to 2 potatoes, boiled and cut in small squares, (add yellow food colour while boiling)
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped onions
METHOD
Boil chickpea until completely tender, once boiled set aside and add jaggery, let cool and add all other ingredients. Garnish with chopped green chillies, cilantro, sliced round onions, sliced tomatoes and serve with a side of chutney, yoghurt, chaat masala, papri or any other desired side.