Desserts: Rasgulla (India)

Given Names: Rasgulla, Rasagola

 chhena*, maida*, sugar syrup, (lemon juice)

Background: Apparently, rasgulla is one of the oldest Indian desserts, arguably created in either Odisha or West Bengal (two present-day Indian states). According to legend, it was frequently used as an offering to Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity.

Verdict: Rasgulla is one of the more approachable Indian sweets.  Although it is soaked in sugar, I feel that the lemon juice and maida helped reduce the sugar’s potency.  Sometimes cardamom and/or rose water are added, as well as pistachios, though the latter serves more as a garnish.  Still, upon looking at that giant bowl of sugar syrup, how could you not want to go bobbing for rasgulla?

*chhena (Hindi)= a curd cheese made from water buffalo milk
maida= refined and bleached wheat flour, common in Indian breads and desserts
mithai= sweets/confectionery

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Huitlacoche, the Caviar of Mexico

Welcome to the world of Mexican corn smut, better known as h(c)uitlacoche.

Huitlacoche Tortilla, Cancun, Mexico

What is huitlacoche?

Also called corn mushroom, Aztec caviar or Mexican truffle, it’s a fungus that the Aztecs knew about; the name derives from the Náhuatl words cuitlatl, or droppings, and cochi, sleeping.  The corn kernels become entirely consumed by the fungal disease, swell, turn grayish and surprisingly, wind up in your street food; when the huitlacoche is still white, you can eat raw, but if it has already turned gray/black, it should be cooked. It doesn’t ordinarily devastate whole corn crops at one time, so a visit to a cornfield might take you a while to find husks that are infected.

In Mexico, huitlacoche is lauded for its nutrients – it is low in fat and high in fiber and antioxidants – and health benefits, but in the USA, you’re more likely to see it canned in Mexican supermarkets.

Credit: https://world.openfoodfacts.org/product/7501017004881/huitlacoche-la-costena

I first tried huitlacoche in Cancun, Mexico; the flavor was earthy and nutty, and even a bit salty, though that may have been due to the melted quesillo (Oaxaca cheese).  It is normally found at the height of the Mexican rainy season, in July and August, but given its popularity, some agronomists are experimenting with growing the Ustiligo maydis fungus year-round.