Baklava Day 2023: Why the Turkish pastry appeals to Indians and how chefs are reimagining it

The very essence of baklavas is dreamy because they are so flaky, nutty, sweet and crunchy that the pastry makes one's mouth water almost as soon as they lay their eyes upon them. It is this very ability of the yellow-green dessert that is known to have become popular because of the Ottoman Empire, that have made even city restaurants consider putting it on their menu; one of them is Butterfly High. Vinayak Patil, chef at the city-based restaurant with multiple outlets shares, "In Mumbai, a city known for its culinary diversity, baklava has carved a niche for itself as a sought-after dessert that transcends cultural boundaries. With the rise of social media and increased exposure to international cuisines, there has been a growing curiosity and enthusiasm for diverse desserts like baklava."

It is also why Patil has taken the liberty to reinterpret the pastry not so much with its flavour but with its form. Traditionally served as a diamond-shaped pastry, the city chef has kept the essence of the sweet dish but transformed it geometrically. "We serve the baklava in our restaurant in a long cylindrical shape. The baklava is meticulously crafted, layer by layer, ensuring a perfect balance of flaky pastry, rich nuts, and sweet honey. The cylindrical shape not only enhances the presentation but also allows for a delightful play of textures with every bite," he adds. The distinctive serving style, says Patil, aims to engage diners visually and adds an element of anticipation as they indulge in the layers of flavour.

Every year, November 17 is celebrated as National Baklava Day, made popular by the United States of America, but has now spread the world over. While every country has its own sweet dishes, the beauty of globalisation is in the fact that every country gets to fall in love with multiple others because of the confluence of cultures aided by travel and exposure to different parts of the world. Just as the Ottoman Empire travelled to different parts of the world, the baklava has found its way to different parts of India and Mumbai is only one pitstop.

Going the vegetarian route
As city restaurants are busy serving baklava in different ways, people also have the opportunity to enjoy different kinds of Turkish baklava from sweet shops at various places in the city. Among the handful is Hurrem's, which opened its doors to the city in 2019. Only there was one change from in their recipe. Ahmed Farid, co-founder and promoter, explains, "The confectionery and cafe's intention was to create an authentic and unique experience for consumers, which we were able to achieve by introducing a 100 per cent vegetarian version of baklava, which is originally egg-based."

This, Farid says, allowed them to cater to a much larger audience locally for a product that was otherwise only frequented by international travellers. It helped them expand the consumer base right from the beginning.

The confectionery serves over 15 varieties of authentic Turkish Baklavas as part of the menu. He adds, "Handcrafted by chefs of Turkish origin, some of our bestsellers are Fistik Baklava (Premium Pistachio), Ceviz Baklava (Walnut), Kaju Baklava (Cashew) and the Havuc Dilmi (a long triangular slice of pistachio baklava best enjoyed with ice cream)."

Farid with Hurrem's has seen a growing demand for baklava and this he points out is because of Mumbai's cultural diversity which transcends into the way people consume food here. It is also why he notes, "Baklava has always been a storied dessert in popular culture and has become a crowd favourite in the past few years, especially for people looking to explore their sweet side/ cravings."

While there are the authentic versions of the classics, innovation is at the centre of any food ingredient or dish and the Baklava hasn't been a stranger to it. So, is innovation necessary? He explains, "The art of making delicious baklava lies in the preparation of the phyllo dough and the nut content." However, one cannot ignore the need for change to adapt to local palates and that has also happened with the baklava, he says, which has undergone some geo-localisation to adapt itself to the Indian palate. "But that is how any food item evolves when introduced to new regions. It is a natural cycle in itself, but true food connoisseurs will always enjoy the original deal," he adds.

Little of Turkey in Goa
Travel a little further from the island city to the sunshine state of Goa, and Chef Dibyendu Roy, who is the executive chef at Taj Fort Aguada Resort and Spa in the northern part of the state is doing much more than just changing the shape.

He shares, "Baklava is a delicacy that is made of phyllo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. However, we have lots of options that we have offered till now and the black forest and red velvet baklava are the most appreciated." While one may be shocked at the stark contrast in variations, the popularity due to the familiarity of modern flavours like black forest and red velvet cannot be denied.

Interestingly, even though Roy has experimented with different kinds of baklavas, he makes a revelation. "We have managed to curate the Baklava menu as per festive season with the likes of chocolate baklava, apart from red velvet baklava, and black forest baklava but I still believe the traditional baklava is always unique and flavour full if it is made in right way." The Indian love for flavours, textures and something sweet, he says makes it popular in the country, along with various other factors like the globalisation of food culture, culinary tourism, social media and food blogging, increased availability and last but not the least, culinary fusions.

He explains, "With increased connectivity and globalisation, people have become more open to trying and appreciating diverse cuisines from around the world. This has led to the popularisation of various traditional dishes including baklava. The rise of culinary tourism has exposed people to a wider variety of foods. Travellers often seek out local dishes and bring these tastes back to their home countries, contributing to their global popularity and the baklava is no different." It is not only these factors but also how platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have changed the way people perceive food today by showcasing visually appealing food items and thus helping to popularise them, according to him that have led to more people enjoying the Turkish delight. "The visually intricate layers of baklava make it a particularly attractive subject for food bloggers and social media influencers," he adds.

International travel and trade have further accelerated its popularity making not only the dish accessible but also the ingredients to make it readily available. This, he says, has allowed people to access and enjoy traditional dishes like baklava without necessarily visiting the regions of their origin. That is not all. Roy explains, "Chefs and home cooks often experiment with traditional recipes, creating fusion dishes that incorporate elements of different cuisines. This has led to the integration of baklava into various culinary contexts, making it more versatile and appealing to a broader audience."

Embracing baklava in Kolkata
This fusion is exactly what is happening in Kolkata, where chefs are not only serving the traditional baklava but also innovating with it in different ways. Purists may scoff but one cannot deny that accidental inventions are hardly ever planned, and that is mostly how cuisines have evolved. As every chef this writer has spoken to in recent times believes that the word ‘authentic' is now overrated, as food evolves not only over time, but also by region. It certainly looks like the chefs in Kolkata are putting in their creative juices to transform the baklava like you have never eaten it before and Poach Kitchen is one of them.

Roshni Sood, who is the executive chef and menu curator at the restaurant, has not made one but two baklava-inspired dishes. While the first one is a creamy Baklava Latte, the other is a delicious Baklava Cheesecake. She explains, "The Baklava Cheesecake is an innovative take on the classic cheesecake for which we bake the cheesecake in phyllo pastry infused with rose syrup and then top the flaky crust with chopped pistachios, rose and honey. This dessert is served with dates and cream cheese frosting and is one of our best-selling desserts." The baklava latte, on the other hand, is a coffee-based preparation, for which they infuse a freshly brewed coffee with honey and rose and serve it along with a flaky baklava biscuit to dip into the warm coffee.

The dishes have been on the menu ever since they opened doors in July 2022, and since the restaurant itself works on the concept of poaching some of the most popular foods, making a version of the cheesecake, with the baklava was a creation that automatically took birth. Apart from its shelf-life and hassle-free packaging, Sood says, "The flavours of this dessert are very similar to a lot of Indian sweets and the use of rose, pistachios, honey and dates which are also common ingredients in Indian desserts makes this dessert relatable yet unique."

At Romaania, sous chef Amar Majumder introduced a variation of the classic baklava six months ago as he saw more people showing interest in the dessert. He shares, "We serve baklava with rose ice cream and honey drizzle. We prepare the pastry in the authentic way and add rose ice cream to enhance the taste."

While its popularity can be attributed to its various elements, Majumder says there is more to the dessert than people may know. "The nuts, honey, and phyllo pastry used to make baklava provide a rich source of essential nutrients, including protein, fibre, and healthy fats," he adds.

Unlike others like Poach and Romaania, Refinery 091, another restaurant in the ‘City of Joy' has decided to stick to the basics by serving the Turkish pastry along with some garnish, over the last one year that it has been on the menu. Xavier Pramanik, who is the executive chef at the restaurant, explains, "We wanted to give diners a Turkish dessert option as it is very popular and people like it. It has a sweet and crunchy taste that makes it a perfect choice after dinner."

Like Majumder, Pramanik says there is more to its popularity than the flavours. "Baklava is also considered a healthy dessert option. It is a healthier variant, as it is baked. It is made using nuts and clarified butter -- items that are considered healthy and premium. It is sweet and fattening, but it's loaded with good fats. So, it also does well in terms of nutritional value."