and shallow kadhais on cowdung “uplas” and a layer of balai forms, the milk is allowed to reduce to a very thick consistency and the balai is removed and stacked on top of each other. These gateaux-like stacks are sold in the streets especially Victoria street in the mornings. In this street they have a specialty called Kashmiri chai being sold in the winters; its not the kehwa but a light pink colored very sweet milky tea, the nawabs called it Kashmiri because they felt the color and the sweetness was just like the people of Kashmir, royal comprehension does affect cuisine you see !!
Here’s the interesting part though, this tea is ”eaten“ with a spoon and not sipped. Kagazi samosa, a light flaky puff is crumbled into a cup and this pink tea is poured into it and then its topped with a huge dollop of Balai.This rich and royal winter concoction warms you up instantly.
Choux buns or éclair shells 3
Balai or half cream half malai 1 cup
Rock sugar 1 tbsp
Gulkand ½ tsp
Chopped nuts 1tbsp
Method :
1. Roll the gulkand and the nuts in the balai.
2. Cut and retain the tops of the éclairs
3. Fill the éclairs with balai mix and top with rock sugar and brulee with a torch.
4. Put the tops of the éclair back and serve immediately.
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Hey Ranveer! My name is Reshmy and I write at http://www.bombaychowparty.com.
I have been so wanting to get my hands on some good balai ever since I read of it as an ingredient in Awadhi recipes. I fell in love with Kaymak in Turkey and am now taken by my own deduction that balai is probably some sort of an outcome of the Turkish influence on Indian cooking. Have you been able to trace its history in any way? Would love for you to share the recipe and procedure for making Balai. Curious to know if it includes any process of culturing like the Turkish kaymak does. You can't really taste it in Kaymak but it does add some complexity to the heavenly clotted cream to take it beyond just layered malai. If you've travelled to Istanbul, I'm sure you've had it with honey slathered over fresh bread for breakfast though you may not have gone overboard with stuffing yourelf like your's truly did.
Also, would love to know more about the Kagazi Samosa. What an intriguing name and even more unusual story around how you eat it. What is the filling like?