Indian Afternoon Tea Party with Sirisha Bhandaru
Join us for an Indian afternoon tea party and virtual cooking class taught by longtime Co-op instructor, Sirisha Bhandaru. Cook along in your kitchen with our class meal kit and learn flavorful fun recipes.
The Menu includes:
- Homemade Traditional Indian Chai- authentic chai made with strong Assam black tea, a flavorful blend of whole spices, sugar, and whole milk
- Parsi Mawa Cake - Irani cafe-style cake with rich flavors from cardamom and mawa (evaporated milk solids) topped with slivered almonds. This cake is very popular in bakeries spread across the cities of Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra.
- Poha - a popular household snack or breakfast all across India made from flattened rice flakes, herbs, spices, roasted potatoes, peanuts, and onions.
- Chutney Sandwiches - dainty finger sandwiches with refreshing cilantro coconut chutney, butter, sliced cucumber, and pickled beets.
- Mesh strainer
- Colander
- Pot
- Saucepan
- 7 or 8 inch cake pan
- Stand mixer or electric hand blender
- Flour sifter (optional)
- Mixing bowls
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Grater or microplane
- Allow the eggs, butter, and mawa for the Parsi Mawa Cake to come to room temperature.
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Crush the whole spices and grate the ginger.
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Add water to a pot or pan.
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Add the spices and sugar and let this come to a rolling boil.
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Add the tea leaves and let it boil again.
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Add milk until you get the correct color (a warm caramel color) and let it come to another boil. Bring down the heat. Increase the heat and let it come to a quick second boil.
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Turn off the heat.
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Strain the tea into cups and enjoy!
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Wash the poha in a colander and let it sit for some time. Place a plate underneath the colander so that the excess water can collect on the plate. After five minutes, press one piece in between your fingers. If it is still a bit hard, rinse once again and let it drain.
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Meanwhile, prepare the seasoning.
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Place a pan on medium heat. Add oil and peanuts, and let them get roasted.
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Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, green chilies, and curry leaves.
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Once they splutter, add onions and potatoes, and let the potatoes get lightly roasted.
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Add the green peas and stir well. Continue to cook until the potatoes are completely cooked.
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Add turmeric and enough salt for the veggie mix.
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Add salt and sugar to the poha in the colander and mix well. Add the poha to the pan and mix it all together.
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Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with finely chopped cilantro and some crunchy sev on top.
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If you are making these ahead of time, spread a thin layer of salted butter on the insides of both slices to seal them.
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Spread the chutney on one slice.
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Add all the sliced veggies.
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Sprinkle salt and pepper.
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Place the other buttered slice on top.
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You can enjoy them as is or toast them with a little butter.
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Cut them up into triangles or squares and enjoy!
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Blend all of the ingredients to a smooth, thick, creamy consistency.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7” or 8” cake pan and set aside.
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Sieve together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder in a bowl and set aside.
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In a separate bowl, using a hand blender/stand mixer, whisk together the crumbled mawa, butter, and sugar for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is creamy, pale, light, and fluffy.
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To this mixture, add one egg at a time and whisk until well combined and smooth. Add 1/3 cup flour mixture and 1/3 cup milk alternatively, and mix well between additions. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until you get a smooth, pourable mixture.
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Pour the batter into the cake pan and even out the top. Sprinkle the almonds and pistachios around the surface. You can also sprinkle cardamom powder for added flavor.
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Bake for an hour, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve at a tea party & enjoy!