When you move away from home, you begin to realize that the only way to feel at home is to recreate that sense of belonging wherever you are in the world.
For many of us, that feeling happens to be the comfort foods of our culture or a special family recipe. Something a parent or grandparent whipped up lovingly at every family gathering or that has been passed down for generations, requiring all members of the family to participate in the complex process of preparing it. And you yearn for a whiff of that aroma of all those ingredients being assembled, or a glimpse into your old kitchen buzzing with activity as the stove burns overtime to bring this recipe to life.
Moving away from home in my early 20s to a place where my social circle initially was limited to a grand number of one (my husband), my yearning for home was deep-rooted. Wanting to feel closer to home and Mom (who was on a different continent), I embarked on the journey of trying to concoct some of the recipes Mom would always make that I loved, including the one I share here: “egg sweet,” an Indian dessert. My kitchen turned into a chemistry lab of sorts as I repeatedly tried to replicate the flavors that I watched my mother easily ace each time like a perfected formula.
Sometimes, the ingredients weren’t readily available, or the seasoning wasn’t just right, so scouting a regional substitute was the only solution. The pursuit of evasive produce or herbs found me wandering into farmers’ markets, neighborhood marts, and ethnic aisles of local stores, claiming new-to-me ingredients as the most suitable pairing for any recipe I was attempting that day. Some worked wonders, others not as much, but this detour into other cultures and cuisines, and sometimes a happy amalgamation of mine with another’s, was an exciting time.
I’d never experienced such a degree of exposure to multiple cuisines in one place. Growing up in the ‘90s in South India and Oman, my knowledge of international food culture or heritage was limited to the few communities around us. Getting adventurous with our taste buds wasn’t exactly encouraged, let alone contemplated, back then. Imagine my delight when, as an adult, I could indulge in a culinary escapade of my own — in the very city I now called home.
Even then, the skeptic in me proceeded with measured caution. A few new vegetables one day. A couple of products with labels in languages I couldn’t read for another week. Several restaurants featured menu items I couldn’t pronounce for the next few months. Slowly, but surely, I braved unknown territory, and I was thrilled each time with the results. Well, mostly. Some textures and flavor profiles were more of an acquired taste over time.
With a steady pace, I learned to enjoy the nourishment each culture offered me, the introduction to a place and people that it afforded me, and the encouragement that gave me in creating my version of home and comfort where I was.
A city like Los Angeles, which so many cultures and communities call home, gifts us the opportunity to embrace each experience in our unique way, blending them with our own background and life experiences. This beauty of diversity is truly a privilege to behold and trying to encompass that in the few pages of a book is but a modest effort at paying homage to the place I now call home.
In writing “Around the World in Los Angeles,” I’ve attempted to flaunt some of the city’s many cultural offerings and community experiences, cuisine included, but also extending to celebrations, arts and crafts, museums and attractions, and much more in the hope that you will enjoy a little bit of my home as much as I’ve cherished it becoming mine.
Egg Sweet a.k.a ‘Flannish’
Author’s note: This is a fitting name for a dessert recipe that has about half a dozen eggs in it. A relative taught Mom how to make this dessert, which eventually became a household favorite. Before long, I learned to make it rather well. We never learned the name of the recipe, though, so we innovatively christened it “egg sweet.” When sharing with friends, someone remarked how much like flan this tasted, though the texture was nothing like it, and so it was dubbed “Flannish.” It goes well with a cup of coffee after a meal or to start the day. Or, try it with some vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
5-6 eggs of any size (the more eggs, the less sweetness)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
Saffron/nuts to garnish
In a bowl, beat the eggs together well. Slowly fold in the sweetened condensed milk until the mixture is well blended. Melt butter and add to the mix, stirring well.
In a saucepan, pour this mixture and cook on medium flame. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens to look like scrambled eggs and cleanly comes off the pan. Stir well to not burn the mixture as it cooks.
In a greased baking dish, pour this egg batter of sorts, level the top and bake in an oven on 350 F for 15 minutes. The mixture should bake like a cake, such that a fork or knife dipped in comes out clean.
The cook time might vary based on oven type, but this can also be prepared in a microwave oven if needed, adjusting for cook time based on power.
Take out the baking dish and cool for 10 minutes, slice as you would slice a cake, garnish with some saffron strands or slivered almonds and serve!
