Cardamom Bliss Muffins

Cardamom Bliss Muffins

Okay, okay, since when do muffins factor into Indian cuisine?  And since when do rose petals factor into muffins?  West is crashing into east at top speed in this cardamom bliss muffin recipe.  I finally found some wonderful gold lamé sugar crystals that I’d heard of but had been searching forever for.  I was beginning to think they were mythical, till they turned up unexpectedly at a big box discount store.  The gold represents the pure gold foil that can be found on Indian sweets in upscale recipes.  All edible, by the way.

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups coconut milk

½ cup cane brown sugar crystals (available at Indian markets)

1/3 cup melted ghee

1 egg, well beaten

1 teaspoon rosewater

¼ cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut

10 green cardamom pods, dehusked and ground into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle

¼ cup shelled unsalted pistachios, broken with a rolling pin (optional)

1 ½ cups large flake old fashioned oats

1 cup raspberries  (frozen is okay, but you may need to increase cooking time.)

1 tablespoon dried rose petals

Sprinkles of gold lamé sugar (ha ha!  optional) Use the brown sugar crystals if you don’t have the gold lamé sugar… 

Sift the first three dry ingredients together, and set aside.  In a large bowl, beat the egg, sugar, ghee, rosewater  and coconut milk together.  Stir in the flour mixture.  Don’t stir too much, the mixture can be somewhat lumpy.  Add coconut, ground cardamom, pistachios, oats, raspberries and rose petals and gently combine into the batter.  Use paper liners in muffin trays, or grease them well with butter.  Some people even use baking spray on the paper cups.  It's up to you.  Fill two thirds full.  Generously sprinkle sugar crystals on top of each muffin, and garnish with extra pistachio bits.  Bake at 450 F for twenty minutes, or till done.  If you’re using mini-muffin trays, reduce cooking time.  Test with a toothpick.  Cool on a rack and enjoy these healthy cardamom bliss muffins with a nice cup of chai.