Bhakras

The Parsi, tea-time donut you didn't know you were missing out on

Bhakras are synonymous to Parsi cuisine and a hot favourite at tea-time in numerous households. If you live in the UK or NZ, 'tea’ has a different context here. It’s a 4pm snack where you indulge in chai and some sort of sweet treat. My father-in-law doesn’t enjoy eating lunch but oh, he loves his ‘tea’.

How would I describe a bhakra? It’s like a dense donut minus the toppings.

Growing up in New Zealand, I used to miss eating bhakras so much that on my visits to India, I'd take up to 7-8 packs stuffed into my suitcase, much to the disdain of NZ customs and security.

While I've always loved eating them, I never thought of making them at home, having heard tales of how hard it is to get the recipe right.

That all changed when the old uncle who used to sell bhakras at my doorstep in our Mumbai house didn't show up for 20 days. We were craving our favorite snack, and as luck would have it, I chanced upon a bhakra recipe on my favorite Facebook group, 'Parsi Cuisine'. I decided to wipe away the mental excuses and give it a go and am happy to proclaim that they turned out fabulous.

I even took some for my Hong Kong sojourn and fed them to the family to much praises. A special thank you to Zarina Cama and Benaifer Gazder Daruwalla for sharing their prized recipe that worked.

Roxanne Bamboat from The Tiny Taster also made Bhakras and her’s looked way better than mine!

Ingredients (makes 1/2 kilo of bhakras):

• 2 cups semolina

• 1 cup wheat flour

• 4 eggs

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• 100 gms ground almonds

• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

• 2 tbsp plain yoghurt

• 2 tbsp ghee, warmed up so it’s in liquid state

• Oil for frying