ras malai

On the 13th day of the dark half of the month of Ashwin, over a billion people around the world light candles and bring out their best new clothes, to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.  For some, it is a day of celebrating the harvest, the move into shorter days, the ancient triumph of good over evil and Rama’s defeat of Ravana to win the return of his wife.  For others, it is more, the final day of the lunar year and the start of the new. Regardless of reason, all celebrations mark a turning point and a remembrance, and the beginning of something new.

Of course, no Indian festival is complete without decadent sweets and tablesfulof food.  Among these, ras malai stands out as my clear favorite, a milky fatty dessert that dominates the other more sugary items available.  It is typically Indian, curd-based and spice-kissed, evoking sensory comaraderie with paneer and chai. For that matter, it is quite similar, made with the same soft cheese and spices as its two famous cousins.

pita bread

Flatbreads are made the world over, a particularly useful item when utensils are not available.  They are grilled, roasted, fried, baked, and sauteed, leading to a myriad flavors.  Despite great similarity in preparation and cooking, they are often very different depending on the culture which produces.

Sometimes the difference is due to the presence of yeast or baking soda, olive oil or ghee, milk or yogurt, honey or sugar.  Sometimes the difference is in the milling – coarse grains vs fine, corn vs millet vs spelt vs wheat.  And sometimes the difference is barely discernible, giving the consumer a fleeting glimpse of the lifespan of grains and the unique climate, water, and soil conditions of growth and production.