#NowPalette Crocus Culture: shades of saffron that will reign supreme this festive season

Honour the mood and don your spaces in the vivid shades of the festivities… Trend and Style Direction by Sonia Dutt, Styled by Mansi Bhatia.

The Inspiration

The warmth of the carmine tint is omnipresent—skies, flowers, fire—the list is endless. With celebration knocking at our doors, there couldn’t be a better time to foster this claret cuddle derived from the crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron.

The Features:

Big on details, Mughal architecture transpires as the inspiration for Vintage Vibes, a restaurant in Ahmedabad. A skylight renders the space surreal as accents of Corten steel, brass, concrete and crystals intermingle with natural Indian stones like marble, slate, limestone and kota 

Instagram: @ps.associates

Do not desert that dessert… My sweet ravioli is a subtle spin on the savoury with pasta that revamps the Italian with a hint of Indian. The Italian born pasta finds place amidst hues and flavours of saffron in this Indian melange of flavours and textures. 

Recipe below by chef Megha Jhunjhunwalla, Hearth & I @hearth_&_I

A: Beetroot & Carrot Pasta Dough

Ingredients ‘A’ 100g blanched beetroot or Carrot 1 large free-range eggs 200g ‘00’ flour or regular All purpose flour Extra flour and fine polenta, for dusting

Method Blend ‘A’ in a food processor until you have a paste. Mix the egg into the puree and continue to blend until you have a smooth puree. Put flour on a dry surface and create a well in the middle. Pour the puree of ‘A’ into the middle of the well and slowly mix in the flour to start creating a dough. (you can also mix the flour and puree in a food processor). Knead the pasta mixture well until a silky smooth elastic dough is formed, which is similar to the consistency of play dough. This dough is often sticky due to the moisture of the vegetable purée, so add extra flour if necessary until the dough stops sticking to your hands.

Cover with cling film and leave to refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Filling recipe for Beetroot ravioli

Ingredients 150 gms cream cheese 50 gms blanched Beetroot (blended puree) 1 tablespoon jaggery powder

Method Put all the above in a food processor till they come together and refrigerate till ready to use.

Filling recipe for carrot ravioli

Ingredients 50 gms ricotta 50 gms blanched carrot (blended puree) 50 gms melted white chocolate 2 tablespoon cooking cream 2 teaspoons pistachio bits

Method Heat cream and add the white chocolate into the pan, mix together till they come together. Let it cool. Whisk in the carrot puree, pistachio bits & ricotta with the chocolate mix.

Refrigerate till ready to use.

Ravioli assembly

Method Take a small piece of the dough and either run it through a pasta machine a few times OR use a rolling pin, some flour and a considerable amount of muscle to create a thin sheet.

To assemble the ravioli, brush the egg wash over a sheet of pasta. Drop the filling mixture on the dough by teaspoonfuls about one inch apart. Cover the filling with the top sheet of pasta, pressing out the air from around each portion of filling. Press firmly around the filling to seal. Cut into individual ravioli with a knife or pizza cutter. Seal the edges. Set aside on a well floured surface so they don’t stick.

In the meantime, boil. Use a big pot with salt and boil. Add the ravioli once the water boils and do not overcrowd the ravioli. They will take about 2 minutes less to cook.

Strain and set aside with some oil over them so they don’t stick.

Saffron milk sauce

Ingredients 1 litre full fat milk 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon saffron Bits of pistachio for garnish

Method Heat the milk in a heavy pot with sugar added. Boil the milk till it’s reduced to 1/4th. Add the saffron and further reduce it till you are left with a thick, Rabri like consistency.

Plating

Place the drained pasta in the bowl, pour the hot saffron milk over it and serve.