CHOCOLATE ORANGE BARFI FOR DIWALI, BONFIRE NIGHT, CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
As we move swiftly towards colder weather and welcome darker nights, and our calendar begins to fill up with seasonal celebrations with family and friends, I wanted to share this festive recipe, perfect for group get-togethers, that I developed when I was preparing for an early Diwali celebration hosted by Anita Kaushal. Diwali is the Festival of Lights, and celebrated annually across several faiths in the Indian subcontinent, to welcome new beginnings.
I dreamt up a chocolate orange barfi for the night — orange and cocoa have warming qualities, which are great for Vata season, but cocoa can also be very stimulating so I stick to just a hint otherwise it’s not particularly Vata or Pitta-friendly! As we’re firmly in Vata season, I swapped out half of the chickpea flour for sorghum — a type of millet that is more Vata-balancing, which you can find online or in specialist stores. You can also just stick with the chickpea, since there is plenty of ghee and jaggery in this barfi to help offset its Vata tendencies! I also added some saffron and cardamom just for good measure, but go ahead and experiment as this recipe is endlessly versatile and the beauty of it is that you can taste and adjust before committing to the final sweet!
INGREDIENTS
Makes 10
1¼ cup (150g) gram/chickpea flour (sub half with sorghum flour if you like)
½ cup (100g) jaggery, grated or coconut sugar
1 cup (150g) ghee, plus extra for greasing (or use coconut oil for a vegan version)
Seeds of 6 cardamom pods, ground or ½ tsp of ground cardamom or more
1½ tbsp cacao/cocoa powder
¼ cup hot water
14 strands of saffron (optional)
Pinch of sea salt
Orange extract, to taste (I use Spice Drops or Nielsen Massey — flavour strength varies)
Orange zest to decorate (optional)
METHOD
Add the saffron stems, if using, to a cup and pour over a quarter cup of hot water.
In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, dry toast the gram flour (and sorghum if using) for about 15 minutes over a medium heat, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking and prevent burning. At the end of this process, the mixture should be fragrant and a shade or two darker.
Stir in the cardamom, jaggery, cacao, sea salt and two thirds of the ghee, stirring constantly to ensure that the ghee and jaggery melts and the mixture is as lump-free as possible. Add the extra ghee for a more fudgy, rather than shortbread-y, texture. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is well combined.
Add about 5 drops (or a quarter teaspoon) of orange extract to the quarter cup of hot water (with saffron strands if using), then pour this mixture into the pan and stir well to combine again. Taste and adjust the flavours if necessary, adding more orange extract if needed.
Spread the mixture out into a small dish lined with baking parchment, approximately 7 x 7 inches. Use a slightly damp hand or silicone spatula to smooth the surface, and press down evenly. Decorate with sprinkles and press down gently or use a toothpick or other apparatus to indent a pattern.
Leave it to cool and then chill in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, slice it into squares or diamonds with a hot knife. Serve cool or at room temperature, or keep in an airtight box in the fridge for three days.