When I first tried paan I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Somehow the idea of chewing on leaves just didn’t seem like the perfect after-dinner treat that everyone made it out to be. But it wasn’t until I started identifying and appreciating each individual flavour that I finally started to understand the nuances of all the elements.
Paan has been a staple of Indian culture for thousands of years with a variety of different types. Originating from the Sanskrit word ‘Parna’ which means ‘leaf’ and in particular references the betel leaf. From mythology to Ayurveda, its 5000-year history and medicinal value is well documented within India and beyond. North, south, east, west. Paan is enjoyed in a variety of forms across the country and although there are nuances such as with Banarasi paan or the more modern chocolate paan, they’re all cherished as a part of a daily meal or on special occasions.
This recipe for Paan Cake takes all the core flavours of traditional paan and transposes them to a more international avatar. Infusing a cake batter with the unmistakable essence of betel leaves and nuts gives this cake a unique Indian feel with the familiar texture and consistency of any other cake. So if you have friends or relatives that consider a meal incomplete without paan, this could be their new favourite dessert.
Ingredients:
- 100 gm butter
- 150 gm sugar
- 4-5 large betel leaves
- 2 packs betel nuts
- 1 tsp fennel
- 1 tbsp gulkand
- 170 gm all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 200 ml milk
- 100 ml curd
- 20 gms crushed pistachios
- Green food colouring
Method:
- Preheat an oven to 175°C.
- Grease, line and dust a 7″ cake tin and keep it ready.
- Remove the stalk from the betel leaves and tear them into small pieces.
- Grind it in a mixer with a little water.
- Pour this into a strainer and press it to remove all the extract. Add some milk to the jar and pour it into the strainer.
- Add some food colour to the strained betel milk and mix it well.
- In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
- In another bowl cream together butter and sugar.
- Add in fennel seeds, flavoured betel nuts and gulkand and whisk until combined.
- Add curd and mix well.
- Now add ⅓ milk and use a spatula to mix.
- Add half the flour mixture and fold it gently.
- Again add a portion of milk and the remaining flour.
- Fold them together and add the remaining milk and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and top it with sliced pistachios.
- Bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the tin to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Loosen the sides of the cake, flip it onto a plate, remove the tin and the lining paper and flip it back to wire rack.
- Allow it to cool completely before slicing.
