Although we’re a few months out of the Christmas season, a few of its festive treats still linger around. And one of them is the Goan sweet ‘guava cheese’. In Goa, this halwa-like, translucent, red-hued sweet is made from the pulp of slightly overripe guavas, sugar, red food colouring and some shortening agent. This sweet, which is part of the state’s colonial Portuguese legacy, is also found in South America, where it is known multifariously as bocadillo in Colombia, and perad or goiabada in Brazil. Now, hitching a ride onto to this seasonal fruit trend bandwagon are several restaurants, bars and chefs across India who are pulling out all the stops to highlight the fragrant guava in myriad ways.
From Pop-ups to Sit-downs
At her recent seven-course pop-up dinner called Butter Fingers held at Magazine St. Kitchen, Mumbai, Chef Taiyaba Ali showcased the guava in a most interesting manner. She did this with a Pink Guava Sorbet as a mid-course palate cleanser, the idea of which was born out of nostalgia. “I channelled the memory of my grandmother making amrood kachalu for the children in the evenings. Kachalu was roughly a fruit chaat where the guavas were thinly chopped and macerated in black pepper, black salt and sugar,” reminisces Ali.
Featuring on the new menu of Napoli by Shatranj—one of Mumbai’s most iconic Italian restaurants—is not one, but two items that pay obeisance to guava. The Verdi’s Verde cocktail is homage to the renowned Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, while combining the Peruvian alcohol pisco with guava, chili and rose to create a symphony of flavours that mirror Verdi’s passion and creativity. On the food menu, the cheesecake a la guava al forno—created by Chef Mahfuz Shaikh—has both a guava sauce topping as well as guava sorbet soil that is sprinkled around it. “The idea was to work with local produce like the lovely pink guava and incorporate it into the most popular dessert which almost every restaurant makes—the cheesecake,” says Shaikh.
Into the Drink
While the guava lends itself beautifully as a main ingredient in cocktails and drinks, this notion is further augmented by the tequila-based cocktail Doña Perfecta that’s served at Kolkata’s newest Mexican restaurant aptly named Mehico, which is how ‘Mexico’ is pronounced in Mexican Spanish. Made with Patron tequila, pink guava, pomelo, prickly pear and agave, the cocktail has citrus and tropical flavour notes. “Guava embodies the perfect fusion of flavours, from tropical sweetness to a slightly tangy kick. All working together to create depth and complexity,” believes head mixologist Manoj Singh Rawat, adding, “Our menu at Mehico works with Mexican-inspired ingredients, as well as local produce. Guava aligns seamlessly with this concept, with the fruit being deeply rooted in Mexican culture, while still readily available locally.”
This aspect of both locality and seasonality is something that’s mirrored in yet another guava-led spicy cocktail. This one is called Whink and is the baby of mixologist Apeksh A, who is the bar team leader at Hyatt Centric, MG Road Bangalore. “This vodka cocktail is available at the hotel’s The Bengaluru Brasserie. As guava is a cherished fruit of nostalgia, it evokes memories of our childhood days when it was sold outside the school, sprinkled with chili powder and salt. It was a perfect snack after school and a little moment I cherish from my childhood. Inspired by its timeless allure, I crafted a drink to reignite that cherished nostalgia, capturing the essence of youthful delight in every sip,” says Apeksh.
Another Mexican restaurant that’s showcasing guava in its drinks via the Guava Margarita is Mumbai’s Poco Loco at both its outposts in Khar and Kemps Corner. “This refreshing tequila-based cocktail, with its blend of guava juice, triple sec, lime juice and just a hint of Tabasco, offers a delightful symphony of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavours,” says Vaibhav Suresh Salvi, the restaurant chain’s bar manager.
Of Sides and Desserts
Showing us the versatility of the fruit, where guava features in savoury preparations are two chutneys: the Khatta Mittha Chilli with Amrud Chutney at Mumbai’s Via Bombay restaurant in Chembur. It is a harmonious blend of sweet and spicy, inspired by the vibrant street food of Gujarat.
However, the guava chutney served at both Socorro and AIRE Skybar & Grills of the InterContinental Jaipur Tonk Road hotel is a tamarind and black pepper-enhanced one. “Guava is known for its rich taste and profound medicinal benefits in Ayurvedic cuisine. Its unique blend of sweetness and tanginess adds depth to our dishes, while its Ayurvedic properties resonate with our commitment to holistic wellbeing,” says the hotel’s executive chef, Gaurav Prasher.
Till the season lasts, just guava up your life.
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