In her debut cookbook, “Mumbai Modern: Vegetarian Recipes Inspired by Indian Roots and California Cuisine” (Countryman Press, $35), Fremont Jam Lab blogger Amisha Dodhia Gurbani remembers with fondness the train rides she took with her family from Mumbai to Lonavala to purchase Indian brittle from street vendors.
Also known as chikki, the brittle is typically made with nuts and sesame seeds or chickpeas and served with other sweet and savory snacks during the festival of Diwali.
This cashew brittle — one Gurbani’s mom always made during Diwali — is easy to make and comes together quickly. Just be sure you have all the ingredients and equipment ready. Once you start cooking, things move swiftly.
Cashew, Rose and Cardamom Brittle
Makes about 24 (2-inch) squares
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups cashew halves
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon Maldon flaky sea salt
2 teaspoons edible rose petals or 2 to 3 edible dried rose buds, crushed by hand, divided use
DIRECTIONS
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Have it ready, along with a rolling pin and extra parchment paper, near the saucepan. Keep all the ingredients ready to go — the process happens very quickly.
Toast the cashew nuts in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, mixing them occasionally to toast them ever so slightly, for 5 to 7 minutes to a light brown color.
In a medium heavy saucepan, cook sugar over moderate heat. Do not touch it for the first 2 minutes — you will start seeing the sugar melting on the outer rim. Start stirring with a rubber spatula occasionally, so as not to scorch the sugar at the bottom of the pan.
Let the sugar melt at medium heat for another 3 minutes. Do not take your eyes off the sugar, as you do not want to burn it. Reduce the heat to low and, stirring constantly, let the sugar melt for another minute until golden brown in color. Turn off the heat. Add the cashews, cardamom and salt and stir quickly until coated well.
You have to be quick with the steps from now on. Immediately pour the mixture onto the parchment paper on the baking sheet and spread it as evenly as you can with the rubber spatula. Sprinkle half the rose petals on top of the brittle.
Cover with the additional parchment paper and start rolling, using a rolling pin, to smoothe it out as much as possible. The brittle should be ½ inch in thickness. (You can make it thinner if you want.)
Gently remove the top parchment paper, sprinkle the remaining rose petals over the top and gently press them into the brittle with the rubber spatula. Sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt, if desired.
Let cool until you can touch it, not more than 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut into neat 2-inch squares.
Store in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper so the pieces do not stick to each other. Brittle keeps for 3 to 4 weeks.
