Taste the flavour
The flavour approach makes the meal memorable
Flavour symbolises different things to different people. It might represent the aroma and taste of a dish prepared with love by a parent or grandparent, or an opportunity for food culture to be passed on to a younger generation.
For some, it might jog the memory of a meal that provided comfort when the world was harsh or represent a path to an immigrant who longs to connect with the country of their birth as well as their adopted home.
Flavour is much more than a distinctive smell or taste; it involves our emotions, and sometimes memories, intertwined with our sense of the sounds, colours, shapes, and textures of our food. These components together make what Nik Sharma refers to as the Flavour Equation.
Nik grew up in a bicultural household watching both his parents and grandmother preparing dishes with enthusiasm and love. Nik has the same passion and it shows in this beautifully presented cookbook.
Following is one of his recipes:
GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH DATE SYRUP BOURBON SAUCE
I’m of the opinion that all gingerbread cakes must have ginger in both the ground spice form and a bit of the crystallised form. The Date Syrup Bourbon Sauce gives it that extra edge of smooth richness and is inspired by one of the top-10 desserts I’ve eaten: the date cake with whiskey sauce at Gjelina in Los Angeles. Use a Microplane zester for the lime zest to get a fine grate.
THE FLAVOR APPROACH
Ginger and black pepper give this cake its warmth. The aromatic molecules in the spices and lime zest are extracted into the butter, where they are highly soluble, before they are incorporated into the cake batter. There are a few ways to tell if a cake is done: You can insert a skewer through the center, and it should come out completely clean. But you can also tell if a cake is done by gently pressing the surface; it should spring back to its original form in a few seconds. If the cake isn’t done, it will remain depressed after the pressure is removed.
Ingredients
For the cake:
3⁄ cup (165g) unsalted butter, at room
4 temperature, plus extra for greasing
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground green cardamom
1 tsp lime zest
2 1⁄ cups (350g) all-purpose flour
2
1 1⁄ tsp baking soda
2
1⁄ tsp fine sea salt
2
55g crystallised ginger, chopped
1⁄2 cup (50g) sugar
1⁄4 cup (85g) honey
1 cup (320g) unsulfured molasses or sorghum 1⁄ cup (120g) cre`me fraıˆche
2
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240ml) water warmed to 70C
For the date syrup bourbon sauce:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup (240ml) date syrup, homemade or storebought
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
2 Tbsp honey bourbon or whiskey 1⁄ tsp fine sea salt
4
For serving:
Lightly sweetened cre`me fraıˆche Fresh lime zest
Method
Grease a 23cm square baking pan with a little butter and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger, black pepper, cardamom, and lime zest. Let steep for 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt through a finemesh sieve into a large bowl. Reserve 2 Tbsp of the flour mixture in a small bowl, add the crystallised ginger to it, and toss to coat well.
Preheat the oven to 163C. Place the sugar, honey, and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape out the melted butter from the saucepan with a silicone spatula and add it to the mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until it turns a toffee-brown colour, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl, add the cre`me fraıˆche, and mix on low speed until combined, 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the bowl. Mix in 1 egg at a time on medium speed until combined.
Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, add the water and mix until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides. Fold in the crystallised ginger and transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the cake is golden brown on the surface and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to release the cake and transfer to a serving plate.
To prepare the date bourbon sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl the butter in the saucepan until the milk solids start to turn red. Whisk in the date syrup and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, followed by the bourbon and the salt. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate until ready to use. You can make this sauce 2 days ahead of time.
To serve, cut the cake into slices and serve with sweetened cre`me fraıˆche, a little lime zest, and a generous drizzle of the date bourbon sauce.
■ Serves 12 / makes one 23cm square cake and 2 cups sauce