Plum Pudding

Name: Plum Pudding
Ingredients: 1 pound Wheat flour (Use fine wheat flour. The original recipe suggests lightly roasting it first for better flavor, though this is optional.); 1/2 pound Dried black raisins (or currants) (Originally '0a' ratal (approx 1/2 lb). Cleaned and seeded.); 1/2 pound Jaggery (Originally 1/2 seer. Can substitute with dark brown sugar if jaggery is unavailable.); 1/2 pound Butter (Originally 1/2 seer. Use unsalted butter, slightly firm.); 1/2 pound Dry breadcrumbs (Quantity estimated based on standard pudding ratios (original text illegible '0 lb').); 1 teaspoon Dry ginger powder (Originally 'tole vy' (approx 1/2 tola).); 1 teaspoon Nutmeg (Freshly grated. Originally 'tole vy' (approx 1/2 tola).); 2 cups Whole milk (Originally 1 seer.); 6 whole Eggs (Fresh eggs.); 2 tablespoons Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated for greasing the mold.)

A rich, traditional steamed dessert featuring a dense, moist crumb spiced with aromatic ginger and nutmeg. This Gujarati-style Plum Pudding combines the deep, caramel-like sweetness of jaggery with dried black raisins and fresh butter for a decadent treat. Best served warm with a sweet sauce, it offers a comforting texture similar to a classic British Christmas pudding.

Ingredients

1 pound Wheat flour (Use fine wheat flour. The original recipe suggests lightly roasting it first for better flavor, though this is optional.)
1/2 pound Dried black raisins (or currants) (Originally '0a' ratal (approx 1/2 lb). Cleaned and seeded.)
1/2 pound Jaggery (Originally 1/2 seer. Can substitute with dark brown sugar if jaggery is unavailable.)
1/2 pound Butter (Originally 1/2 seer. Use unsalted butter, slightly firm.)
1/2 pound Dry breadcrumbs (Quantity estimated based on standard pudding ratios (original text illegible '0 lb').)
1 teaspoon Dry ginger powder (Originally 'tole vy' (approx 1/2 tola).)
1 teaspoon Nutmeg (Freshly grated. Originally 'tole vy' (approx 1/2 tola).)
2 cups Whole milk (Originally 1 seer.)
6 whole Eggs (Fresh eggs.)
2 tablespoons Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated for greasing the mold.)

Instructions

1Sift the wheat flour. If desired, lightly roast the flour in a dry pan until fragrant before sifting, as suggested by the original text. Clean the raisins thoroughly, removing any stems or seeds, and chop them into smaller pieces.
2Crush the jaggery into small pieces. Warm the milk slightly and dissolve the jaggery into it. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove any impurities. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly with a fork until well-mixed, then whisk them into the sweetened milk.
3Add the prepared flour, chopped raisins, butter, breadcrumbs, ginger powder, and grated nutmeg to the liquid mixture. Mix everything thoroughly until a uniform batter forms.
4Generously grease a deep pudding mold or a vertical-sided metal vessel (tapeli) with butter. Pour the mixture into the mold, ensuring you leave about 1.5 inches of space at the top for expansion. Cover the top of the mold with a thick, wet white cloth and tie it securely.
5Place the mold in a large pot of boiling water (water bath) or a steamer. Steam for approximately 3 hours until the pudding is firm and set. Ensure the water level is maintained halfway up the mold throughout the cooking process.
6Once cooked, remove from the steamer and let it rest briefly. Unmold the pudding whole onto a serving plate. Serve warm with plum pudding sauce or a sweet sauce of your choice.