Layer above layer. And then one more.
Come on, a little voice goads you. And you add yet another layer.
Like constructing that colossal toy wall of bricks. A line of red bricks. Followed by that line of blue ones. And then red again.
Or watching Bapi assemble that house of cards. Layer after layer.
What is it I am musing, I wonder, as I stir, still distracted, the pot of batter. I have just scooped a ladle of caramel-blessed batter into the pot. Carefully. Patiently. With oodles of love. And returned it back to the warmth of the oven. I watch ardently the little bubbles form along the circumference of the pot.
My labour of love, I chuckle to myself.
Is it time ? I wonder.
Patience, my little girl, a voice advises.
Just as Grandma would decades back.
I wait a little longer.
Hum a tune.
Watch the bulbuls chase each other silly.
Brew myself another chamomile.
And then I pour the next ladle of batter.
Another layer. This one, ivory to the previous ebony. Back in the heat of the cavernous oven.
Time flies.
A squirrel flits around in the garden.
A pair of butterflies rest on the red hibiscus.
The monument of love continues to build. One layer at a time.
Fast forward to the next day.
I am gripped by nervous anxiety as I prepare to unmould the gorgeous beauty.
Steady hands, I reprimand myself, as I gently run the knife round the circumference of the pan.
And then that flip. Over the serving plate.
A couple of taps on the bottom of the pan.
Followed by a clean confident lift.
And there she sits.
My first bebinca. With the gorgeous alternating bands of ivory and ebony.
Bebinca. Poetry from Goa on a plate. A mellifluous symphony of coconut milk and eggs. Guaranteed to bring a smile of contentment on your face.
Bebinca
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain flour
- 9 egg yolks separated
- 3 cups thick coconut milk
- 1 cup thin coconut milk
- 1 cup sugat
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
- ghee for greasing
For Caramel
- 4 tbsp sugar
Instructions
To make Caramel
- In a saucepan, add the sugar and 1 tbsp water, cook over a low heat till the sugar starts to melt and starts to turn a gorgeous dark brown. Keep a close eye, you do not want the sugar to get burnt.
- At this stage, add 1/4 cup of water with extreme precaution, as the caramel shall be very hot and might splutter. Continue cooking over a low heat till the caramel thickens. Keep aside.
For Bebinca
- In a bowl take the plain flour, salt and nutmeg powder. Sift and keep aside.
- Take the egg yolks in another bowl, beat till fluffy. Add sugar. Pour in the thick coconut milk. Mix until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add the sifted flour and thin coconut milk in batches to the coconut milk - egg yolk mixture, give it all a hearty whisk to make a lump free batter.
- Strain the batter, keep it covered for 7-10 minutes.
- Give it another hearty stir. Now divide the batter equally into two bowls. Add the caramel to one of the bowls to make a darker batter.
- Preheat the oven at 180C.
- Grease a 9x 5” pan generously with ghee.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the lighter batter, bake for 12-14 minutes. Keep a close eye. Take the pan out of oven when you start seeing brown specks form on the surface.
- Change the oven mode to broiler / grill with top heating only. Reduce the temperature to 170C.
- Carefully brush ghee on the top of the first layer of the bibinca and the sides of the pan.
- Give the batter a good stir, now pour 1/2 cup of the darker batter gently on top of the first layer of bebinca.
- Cook for 8-9 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven.
- Continue greasing with ghee and baking layers as described above, alternating between dark and light layers. Remember to give the batter a hearty stir each time before pouring.
- Once you are done with baking the last layer of the batter (I could make eight layers with the above mentioned quantities), brush ghee generously on the top.
- Allow the bebinca to cool down completely, refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours till completely set.
- Take the bebinca out from the refrigerator, gently loosen the sides with a knife. Very carefully flip it over a serving plate. Slice and serve.
Notes
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