Recipes – Chocolate Burfi

Chocolate Burfi

Have you thought about how you could make those special burfis, or simply known as candies in most of the Indian sweet shops?

Its really simple – not rocket science at all.. I will show you just so plainly and simply how you could do the same and then maybe you don’t have to worry about waiting the whole week to buy burfis!

Ingredients

2 litres of fresh milk

1 slab of milk chocolate melted over hot water.

1 small slab of chocolate chopped

125gms sugar

100gms mixed sliced nuts, i.e almonds, pistachio, cashewnuts, walnuts

2 tbl spoon raisins

A few drops of vanilla essence

Silver warq

Instructions

1. Heat milk and sugar together and keep on stirring until mixture becomes thick.

2. Mix in the rest of the above ingredients with the exception of warq.

3. Pour the contents onto a lightly greased long plate.

4. Level the surface gently and decorate with warq.

5. Leave to cool in refrigerator.

6. Once cool, cut into pieces and serve.

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Mee Rebus is one of Malaysians favourite dish. It is made using Mee which is made from wheat flour and can be bought in most markets or grocery shops.

Ingredients

200gm bean sprouts/fondly known as ‘taugeh’

500gm mee (one packet would do)

Garnishing Items

1 fresh red chilli finely chopped

1 fresh green chilli finely chopped

4 fried tofu sliced

4-5 shallots peeled, cut fine and fried

1 lime cut in slices

Sauce Items

5-6 shallots

1 tsp sugar

2 tbl spoon of oil

400gm of sweet potatoes/normal potatoes

1/4 cup tamarind juice

700ml thick first coconut milk

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

10 dried red chillies

Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil the red chillies in little water for about 10 minutes. Then grind in an electric blender or grinding stone. Keep aside. Pound the shallots for the sauce.
2. Boil the sweet potatoes in little water. Cook until soft, peel and mash up completely.
3. Mix 2 teaspoon of asam jawa/tamarind with 1/4 cup of water extract the juice. Keep aside.
4. Boil some water to scald the mee and the bean sprouts for 3 minutes
5. Heat oil and fry the chilli paste and shallots add the mashed sweet potatoes, sugar and salt. Stir the mix gently.
6. When the gravy boils, add the first coconut milk. Stir and turn off the flame.
7. Add the mee and bean sprouts in a bowl and pour the gravy on top and garnish. Serve hot.

I will write up another recipe on Mee Goreng, which is also another common dish in Malaysia, and also a favourite among the Malaysians. Thank you!

Nutmeg
Botanical Name: Myristica fragrans Hout.
Family: Myristicaceae
Names: Hindi: Jaiphal; Kannada: Jayikai; Malayalam: Jathikka; Sanskrit: Jathiphala; Tamil: Jathikai; English: Nutmeg; Malay: Buah Pala; Chinese: Rou Dou Kou

Composition
Moisture: 14.3%; protein: 7.5%; ether extract: 36.4%; carbohydrates: 28.5%; fibre: 11.6%; mineral matter: 1.7%; calcium: 0.12%; phosphorus: 0.24%; iron: 4.6mg; volatile oil: 6-16%; starch: 14.6-24.2%; pentosans: 2.25%; furfural: 1.5%; pectin: 0.6%.
* Nutmeg is only a fair source of vitamins. The principal constituents are fixed oil, volatile oil and starch. The flavour and therapeutic actions are due to the volatile oil.

History of Nutmeg
A spice that has long been prized for it’s medicinal properties, the history of nutmeg goes back to the 1st Century as evidenced in writings by Pliny, the Roman philosopher. In Indian Vedic writings it is recommended for headaches, fever and bad breath, while Arabian writing praises it for stomach ailments and as an aphrodisiac.

Nutmeg is actually the seed from an evergreen tree. The scientific name for the most common type is Myristica fragrans. This plant actually produces both nutmeg and mace. The tree is indigenous to Australasia and tropical regions of Southeast Asia. There are a couple of species of trees used to produce nutmeg, the Fragrant Nutmeg is the most common, the Papuan Nutmeg and Bombay Nutmeg are less common.

Prized in medieval times for it’s uses in cuisine, nutmeg was traded in the middle ages by the Arabs. The spice has always been very popular and was even rumored to ward off the plague and cause self-abortions. While it might not ward off the plague, it is an abortifacient, and pregnant women should probably avoid nutmeg. Nutmeg in high doses can be toxic so it might be best to stick to a little sprinkle here and there.

Nutmeg is native to the Banda islands of Indonesia and, as is the history with many spices, the trade in nutmeg was dominated by Portugal in the 15th century. Then, in the 17th century the Dutch became the predominant traders of this precious spice. Back then, the only source of nutmeg was on Run Island and there were many struggles between the British and the Dutch over control of the Island and the nutmeg trade.

During the Napoleonic wars, the English did gain control and proceeded to plant nutmeg trees in Grenada and Zanzibar. This ensured that the British would not lose complete control of the Nutmeg trade should they ever decide to give up the island again. The expansion of nutmeg production also had the effect of making nutmeg accessible to more people at lower prices.

Today, nutmeg is produced in many places including the India, Malaysia, various Caribbean islands, New Guinea, and Sri Lanka. About 10,000 tons a year is produced and mainly used in the US, Japan, Europe and India.

While nutmeg is quite affordable today, it wasn’t always that way. In fact, throughout history nutmeg has been quite expensive. A few hundred years ago, a small bag of nutmeg would have brought enough money for the holder to be financially independent for the rest of his life!

Quality Grades
1. Whole, Sound Nutmegs
a. Large
b. Medium
c. Small
The grade of nutmegs are of highest interest in the spice trade but too expensive for oil distillation.

2. Sound Shrivels:
These nutmegs are used for grinding but are normally too expensive for oil distillation.

3. Rejections:
These considerably lower priced nutmegs can be used for oil distillation

4. Broken and Wormy:
This is the cheapest grade, large quantities of which are shipped yearly to Europe, especially
to Hamburg for oil distillation. This quality grade comprises all broken and loosened up
nutmegs which seem to contain much less fatty oil than the sound nuts. For this reason, it is
very suitable for distilling.

Volatile Oil
The percentage of volatile oil in nutmeg varies from 6 to 16%, according to the origin and quality of the spice. Wormy nutmegs give a much higher yield than sound ones; in the former, most of the fixed oil, present in the endosperm which tends to retain the volatile oil during distillation, would have been devoured by worms, while the strongly aromatic oil in the inner layer of perisperm remains intact.

Commercial oil is derived from broken and wormy nutmegs. The material is comminuted, pressed to remove fixed oil, and immediately subjected to steam distillation. Loss of volatile oil from ground nutmegs is relatively rapid (about 80% in 2 months). Incubation within distilled water may be necessary to recover the total oil content.

Oil of nutmeg is almost colourless or pale yellow liquid with a characteristic odour. On ageing, it partly resinifies and becomes viscous. The aroma of East Indian oil is much more pronounced and more characteristic of the spice than that of West Indian oil.

Nutmeg Butter
Nutmeg contains 38%-43% of ether extractable material which, in addition to glycerides, contains a volatile oil (6-13%), a small quantity of resin, and a substantial proportion of unsaponifiable material.

It is highly aromatic fat which is obtained from damaged or worm-eaten kernels which are unfit for sale as a spice. The material is ground and cooked or steamed before pressing.

Leaves
The leaves of M.fragrans yield on water-distillation of a light brown volatile oil with a pleasing spicy odour.

Bark
The bark of the tree yields 0.14% of a volatile oil. Volatile oil is also obtained from its flowers. The stems contain tannin-mucilage complex.

Fruit rind
Fresh pericarp from ripe fruit (about 80% of the whole fruit) contains an acidic (23%) astringent juice with an aromatic flavour. Analysis of the fruit rind gave the following values:
Moisture: 86.8%; protein: 1.0%; ether extract: 0.6%; carbohydrates: 11.2%; and mineral matter: 0.6% calcium: 0.04%; phosphorous: 0.01%; iron: 2mg/100gm; carotene (Vit. A): 8 I.U./100gm.

Adulteration
Nutmegs are sometimes adulterated with ‘false’ nutmegs (M. malabaricum) or Bombay nutmegs which are practically odourless and tasteless.

The oil is sometimes adulterated by additions of turpentine oil or pinene, limited amounts of which scarcely affect its physical and chemical constants. Since pinene is a natural constituent of nutmeg oil, it is difficult to detect moderate additions by chemical means. An expert will employ organoleptic tests for evaluation of this oil.

Uses
Medicine
Both nutmeg and mace are used as condiment and in medicine. In eastern countries, they are used more as a drug than as condiment. Nutmeg is stimulant, carminative, astringent, and aphrodisiac; it is used in tonics and electuaries and forms a constituent of preparations prescribed for dysentery, stomachache, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, malaria, rheumatism, sciatica and early stages of leprosy. Excessive doses have a narcotic effect; symptoms of delirium and epileptic convulsions appear after 1-6 hours. Mace is similarly used. It is also chewed for masking foul breath.

In the Middle Ages, Europeans who could afford spices especially used nutmeg to flavor pudding and beverages, including spiced wine. A Chaucer poem recommends keeping nutmegs on hand to put in ale. Nutmeg flavoring in beverages continues today with Coca Cola, which reportedly includes it in its secret recipe.

This could have something to do with the flavoring qualities of nutmeg and mace, which are spicier than most people imagine. Despite their use in mild dishes like custard and stewed fruit, nutmeg and mace actually include some of the same oils that flavor pepper and cloves.

Nutmeg and mace also contain hallucinogens and can be fatally toxic if used in a large quantity, for example, eating an entire nutmeg. However, the small quantities normally used in cooking are considered safe.

Regarding its health benefits, nutmeg is believed to aid digestion and relieve nausea and the sensation of vomiting. Nutmeg oil is used a component in aftershave and scents for men, where it lends its characteristically spicy scent.

And while nutmeg may be used liberally in culinary preparations, care should be taken not to consume large amounts of it in concentrated form, as it is known to have some drug-like properties that can cause hallucinations and illness.

Oil of nutmeg or mace is employed for flavouring food products and liquor. It is used for scenting soaps, tobacco and dental creams, and also in perfumery. It is mildly counter-irritant and used in liniments and hair lotions. It has been recommended for the treatment of inflammations of bladder and urinary tract. The oil is somewhat toxic owing to the presence of myristicin and should be used with caution.

There are however a lot of nutmeg based oils in the market today which is used to help with muscle cramps, joint pains and relieves the muscles. However, it should only be used for external use. These oils are also known as ‘minyak panas’ and there are many varieties in the market today.

Ancient Chinese medicine states that nutmeg or mace is used Orally for diarrhea, nausea, gastric spasms, flatulence, and gastric mucosal inflammation. It is also used for cancer, kidney disease, insomnia, increasing menstrual flow, inducing abortion, as a hallucinogen, and a general tonic.

It is also used topically as an analgesic, especially for rheumatism, mouth sores, and toothache.

Nutmeg butter is used as a mild external stimulant in ointments, hair lotions, and plasters and forms a useful application in cases of rheumatism, paralysis and sprains. It is used in perfumes for imparting a spicy odour and in the manufacture of soaps and candles. Nutmeg butter is sometimes substituted by fats from other Myristica spp.

Alcoholic extracts of nutmeg show antibacterial activity against Micrococcus var, aureus. Aqueous decoctions are toxic to cockroaches. Myristicin present in the kernel may be employed as an additive to pyrethrum to enhance the toxicity of the latter to houseflies; myristicin by itself is inactive. The volatile oil from the leaf was weedicidal properties. It may also be for scenting soaps, dentifrices, chewing gums and tobacco. It is not produced on a commercial scale.

The pericarp or rind of the ripe fruit is locally used in pickles. It is also used in the preparation of jellies. The half-ripe fruits are preserved and served as sweets here in Malaysia. It is sold as ‘Buah Pala‘ sweets and is famous in the state of Penang.

Links
Study of Aphrodisiacs and Nutmeg
The Spice Forum – Medicinal Values of Spices

Books to Look At
Nathaniel’s Nutmeg: Adventures of a Spice Trader