Meena’s recipe for Leith Mess

A treat in the post. Meena Bhana has sent a recipe for her Indian twist on Eton Mess which she calls  Leith mess. Meena, who is a very talented member of World Kitchen in Leith, came up with the idea for this variation on an old theme when she was planning the menu for one of her Chai Lounge Supper Club nights.

The supper club was a wonderfully innovative adventure which led enthusiastic diners to Meena’s Leith flat for a sumptuous home-cooked feast. Now Meena is exploring other possibilities for new enterprises with World Kitchen in Leith.

Where possible Meena uses locally sourced ingredients and her meals are an imaginative fusion of east and west –  last month’s Indian Street Food night started with rose and cardamom prosecco.    “Leith Mess (or srikhand) has been served a few times at Chai Lounge and other events and it’s always been well received,” says Meena.

We’re very pleased to be able to share her recipe:

INDIAN TWIST ON LEITH MESS (serves 8-12)

Srikhand – Indian flavoured yogurt

200g castor sugar or icing sugar (I find castor sugar makes the srikhand too watery so prefer icing sugar)

1kg full fat Greek yoghurt

250g mascarpone cheese

3 teaspoons crushed pistachios

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

teaspoon nutmeg

Soft fruit like strawberries or pomegranate

Handful of crushed pistachios

METHOD

Meena

Place the Greek yoghurt in a muslin cloth, tie tightly with a string and hang it somewhere so that it can drain. Place a dish underneath it to collect the water. Or you could use a fine sieve instead of a muslin cloth. Traditionally it’s left for 24hrs but I find that 2-3hrs are good enough. Remove the yoghurt and place into a large bowl. Add the sugar ,mascarpone cheese, pistachios, cardamom powder and nutmeg and mix well.

Taste and if you want more sugar add a bit at a time and mix well. Meringue 1egg white 55g castor sugar pinch of cardamom powder Heat the oven at 100 deg Beat egg whites till soft peaks are formed. Add sugar, one teaspoon at a time and beat well till stiff peaks are formed. Add the cardamom powder together with sugar Spoon mixture on a grease proof paper and bake for 1.5hrs. Switch off oven, leave the meringues in the oven but leave the oven door slightly open. This will make them crispy and have a gooey inside texture

Assemble: To make the Leith mess I used strawberries and pomegranate but any soft fruit would do. Place crushed meringues and chopped strawberries at the bottom of the serving bowl. Place a few tablespoon of srikhand on top and garnish with more crushed meringue, roughly chopped pistachios, strawberries and pomegranate

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