𝑫𝒖𝒎𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒕 - 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒕𝒉'𝒔 𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒏

When I think of Dumroot cake it transfers me back to one of my earliest memories as a child when our family spent industrious amount of time in making all kinds of desserts during weddings. Bride's side of the family were delighted to present it during the 'Shukrana' ceremony before wedding when groom visits the bride's place. Tables arranged, desserts served in huge plates covered with shimmery veils, like a bride. That scene tempted me as a child to see what's beneath. Younger ones were not allowed to breathe around the place where desserts were made or atleast enter thr kitchen. Desserts were usually baked in the clay oven or on sand as I can recall. When we pleaded to have watched the making of desserts grandma used to say that desserts have to be prepared in private for it doesn't turn up great when watched by others. Perhaps, it was because they didn't want to share the recipe or the power of evil eye - idk! Now when I think, it all makes sense, myself being a please-don't-be-in-the-kitchen-while-I-cook person. 

Dumroot is an indianised version of Basbousa from the kitchen of Nawayath muslims - my maternal great grandmother being one. The community have spread their roots in Bhatkal and few percentage of them in Mysore and Hassan district. There is an entire colony called 'Nawayath-wadi' in Hassan district - my maternal place and my birth place as well. When I asked my mom about the origin of Nawayath's she said that they were 9 brothers from middle-east who visited India for trading purpose and settled here ( 9 is 'nau' in urdu and hence the name nawayath, perhaps).The nawayaths ( atleast those I know) are vivid lover of desserts and halwas. My great grandma had a 'pethi' ( a medium sized wooden box with partitions) where she filled with all the halwa's she made and kept it beside her pillow. A morsel of dessert is how she had it and the genes have pridomimated in me which reflects in eating a chocolate keeping it for days together - one peice a day. 

Dumroot has many dopplegangers in world cuisine, like I said from Arab Basbousa to the Filipino Bibingka. Besides, I even learnt that Kashi halwa is also called dumroot and the arcot muslims make the exact dumroot cake with addition of coconut milk which justifies the land. 

I happen to make this first time following my grandma's instructions on my birthday last month and this indeed happens to turn out melt-in-mouth dessert, landing me back to the time of joy when we scraped the vessel really hard to taste the burnt flavour of the dessert. 

Ingredients :

1cup semolina roasted 

1/2cup ghee melted ( cooled)

3/4th cup sugar

1/4th cup khoya

1 whole egg

4tbsps of almonds chopped and roasted in ghee

Strands of Saffron soaked in 1/2tbsp of milk

Few drops of rose water

Method :

Whisk egg and sugar till sugar dissolves. Add in khoya and mix using a whisk till there are no lumps. Now mix roasted semolina really well for 2-3 minutes. Add 2tbsp of almonds roasted in ghee, followed by melted ghee. Mix again. Add in saffron soaked milk and rose water ( or any flavour of your choice but rose water gives a nice floral scent) Pour the mixture into lined baking tin. Sprinkle almond silvers on it. Bake at 180°c for 30-40minutes till you see the browm crust forming and skewer coming out all clean. Cut into desired shape after the cake has been cooled.