Poppy's kitchen: Orange - you glad I wrote this recipe?

Sail away pm a citrus adventure.

September usually marks the shift of weather from summer towards the auburn hues of autumn. That is unless you live in Karachi, where it’s summer all year round. Fortunately or unfortunately, availability of fruit is not dictated by the two Karachi seasons: hot and hotter. You find that at the beginning of this month, hints of orange enter the vendor’s stall with that familiar tantalising citrus aroma.  Warmth and vitality married perfectly with freshness and zest is to me the perfect description of the orange. While full of nourishment, the gravity of its goodness doesn’t bring you down, as the mischief of its tanginess is the perfect uplifting counterbalance.

What are the first desserts that come to mind when considering the orange? There’s the good ole Crepe Suzette for the elegant connoisseur, something more obscure like Orange Granita for the hipster chick, or the wholesome citrus toffee pudding for the nostalgic. I thought, why not a mixture this time?

So with a little low-fat desi paneer, brown bread, sugar and butter, we have a fused version of these three things, and I have named it, most unimaginatively, Orange Boats. Enjoy!

ORANGE BOATS

Orange - 1

Sugar - 2 ½ tsp

Salted Butter - 1 ½ tsp

Brown Bread - 1 Slice

Soft Low Fat Paneer - 2 tsp



Method:

Cut the orange in half and scoop out the centre. Do not throw the scooped out orange away as you will use it later.

Heat the butter in a pan and add in the sugar. As soon as the butter starts sizzling and half the sugar has melted, add the slice of bread.  Allow the bread to soak in the sugary butter and keep cooking it on a medium flame.

Add the reserved orange to the pan while continuously cooking for another 4 mins and then add in the paneer. Once the paneer is properly mixed in turn the flame off.

Let the mixture cool and scoop it into the orange boats and serve!

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, September 18^th,  2011.