When stepping out of the cosy, and safe space of your home is not an option anymore, dreams of exploring the world brew up within you. Add in a drizzle of virtual travel and a splattering of gourmet food, and you’ve got what we call #TNLTasteOfTheWorld. Throughout the series, we’ll be getting in touch with chefs from around the world to recreate their signature dishes for you to try at home. After all, who said one needs to leave the house to embark on a culinary trail? Recipe by Chef Parth Bajaj
Blogger, chef, TV host, food photographer and recipe developer are just some of the words that describe the multi-talented and self-taught Chef Parth Bajaj. Apart from being one of the youngest and most successful food bloggers in the country, Chef Bajaj is also racking up the numbers with his social presence on both Instagram and Youtube. He is known for his interesting culinary innovations and is always ready to try something new.
In today’s episode of #TNLTasteOfTheWorld, Chef Bajaj takes us on a gastronomy journey with Turkish Delights a.k.a Lokum, a dish that was made popular in all of our favourite childhood movie series – Narnia.
Turkish Delight a.k.a Lokum
Ingredients
For Sugar Syrup
- Water – 3/4 cups
- Granulated sugar – 2 cups
For the Base
- Corn flour – 1/2 cup
- Cream of tartar – 1 tsp
- Water – 1 ½ cup
- Red food colouring – 3 to 4 drops
- Rosewater – 2 ½ tbsp
For Dusting Sugar
- Powdered sugar – 1/2 cup
- Corn flour – 1/2 cup
Recipe
For the Sugar Syrup
- Boil the water and sugar mixture. Keep stirring it on low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Once the sugar is completely dissolved place the tip of a thermometer in the sugar syrup and let it cook until the temperature reaches between 116-118-degree Celsius.
- After 10-15 minutes, turn off the flame and keep the golden-brown sugar mixture aside.
For the Base
- In a bowl mix cornflour, cream of tartar (replace with gelatin if needed) and a one-and-a-half cup of water as you continue whisking the mixture until there are no lumps.
- Turn on the flame and continue whisking until the mixture turns to a thick paste.
- Add the pre-made sugar syrup to the mixture and continue whisking and cook for an hour until it turns golden brown. Use a rubber spatula to make sure nothing is sticking to the corners during intervals.
- Add a few drops of red food colouring and rosewater and continue whisking while the mixture is cooking.
- Cover a square pan with regular foil and spray soil over it. Pour the mixture into the pan while it is still hot and flatten it.
- Cover the Turkish delight with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for three to four hours. Do not refrigerate the mixture.
- Spread a mixture of cornflour and powdered sugar on a flat surface. Remove the cling wrap from the Turkish delight and place it right on top of the surface. Sprinkle more of the mixture on top of it.
Related: #TNLTasteOfTheWorld With Chef Vivek Singh: Kedgeree – A Classic Anglo-Indian Dish
