THE DELICATE PAAN

                                                                    THE DELICATE PAAN

 

Let's talk about a word, “Delicacy” commonly this word is associated with food, a food which is soft in texture, a rare or expensive food which is good to eat.

 

I do not know, when and who gave this term but I know a food which suits best for this term.

Malai Ki Gilori or Balai ki Gilori is also known as Lucknavi Malai Paan.

 

When you are at the Banarasi Misthan Bhandar you can’t miss this rare sweet tooth Malai Ki Gilori.

 

Malai Paan or Balai ki Gilori is a delicate sweet made with paper-thin malai filled with mishri and dry fruits. Nowadays mawa is also used in filling. During the 1800s when paan was prohibited during Nawab’s rule, this Balai ki Gilori was made to replicate paan. Though it is a dessert, it was served just like a paan decorated with silver vary.

 

Talking about the history of Malai Ki gilori, during the rule of Nawaab Wajid Ali Shah his well-wisher once came to the Ram Asrey shop, in Lucknow and discussed a concern of how to persuade Nawaab to get rid of his habit of chewing Pan & tobacco. During then the skilled chef of the shop gave an attempt of making a sweet of the same texture as like Paan.

 

They replaced the betel leaf with Malai (Milk Cream) stuffed it with sugar(mishri) and dry fruits and then it was designed and folded like a paan.

 

Then it was presented to Nawaab and he instantly fell in love with the dessert, he decided to quit his habit of chewing pan as he got his new stuff “Malai Pan”.

Like the name, the shape is the same as any sweet Paan. On top of it had a very silver which gave it a royal look and texture. The paan or leaf is actually a freshly extracted malai from buffalo milk. The stuffing is made of Mishri and dry fruits.

Each of the ingredients is a perfect replacement, the thick layer of Malai is soft and delicate as, like paan, the stuffing has a great role. The stuffing made of mishri and nuts give it a bite which could be chewed for a while before melting in a mouth.

 

Truly it is a unique melt in mouth dessert which can be found at the Banarasi Misthan Bhandar.

 

                                                              KEEP CALM AND EAT SWEETS