Editor’s note: This post is this week’s Friday Fit recipe. The idea is to try “real food” recipes that can be prepared on the weekend. Of course, each recipe can also be prepared during the week (that’s when I’m trying it), but with the hectic schedules of most, a recipe might be easier to try on the weekend when work is generally less of a factor. If you enjoy this article, please consider subscribing to my feed, or joining the email mailing list. Thanks.

One of our favorite branches of cuisine is Indian food. Although the traditional foods vary widely from region to region, in my experiences so far nearly all Indian dishes are comfort food for me, and are generally centered around the use of real food as their main ingredients. There are exceptions as always, but I’ve found that the emphasis on the intricate balance of spices combined with basic meats and vegetables leads to dishes that are not only beautiful, but offer an incredibly wide range of sensory experience on the tongue.

This week’s Friday Fit recipe is a variation on the Indian yogurt-based drink, lassi. Mango lassi is probably the most common version served at Indian restaurants here in the States, but this week’s recipe for rose and cardamom lassi is extremely popular when we entertain at home. It might be just a tad bit early in the year to see rose petals in the garden, but I’m excited for summer to arrive - so it doesn’t hurt to indulge the warm weather imagination just a bit.

A little about roses (and I do mean a little)

Roses are an often forgotten food source, as are many flowers that are edible. Roses and nasturtiums are great salad additions for example, and they are starting to return to favor in the mainstream where you will probably see them more and more in local restaurant dishes.

Roses vary in intensity, but typically the darker petals have more flavor, and the white portion of the rose petal is generally bitter. Nearly all roses are edible, though one exception is the plant that goes by “Christmas Rose” - it can be poisonous in large quantities. Before you eat a rose, just be sure that it has not been sprayed with chemicals, and that it is washed. And as a disclaimer, I’m not an edible flowers expert in any way, so don’t take my word for it. You should do your own verification of any plant, particularly something picked wild or from your own garden, before you eat it.

One of my favorite sensual delights is young roses dipped in chocolate - the flavor is exotic and satisfying. Try it sometime.

Friday Fit Recipe 6: Edible Roses - Rose and Cardamom Indian Lassi

One sidenote: You’ll need to prepare the rose petals a day in advance, as they need to sit overnight to harden.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole milk plain yogurt
1/4 cup half and half
2/3 cup crushed ice (or to taste)
3 tablespoons honey, to taste
1 tablespoon rosewater (available in most specialty foods stores)
1 tablespoon ground cardamom, preferrably freshly ground

1 cup rose petals (the more aromatic the better)
1 egg white, beaten
1/2 cup superfine sugar

Serves 2.

Preparation

The rose petals: Using a small pastry brush, coat each rose petal with the beaten egg white, and then sprinkle both sides with sugar. Let the petals dry on wax paper or a silpat overnight.

The lassi: Combine all of the ingredients (not including the rose petals) in a blender, and blend just until smooth. Taste the lassi and add honey as necessary.

To Serve

Serve immediately with a rose petal or two as edible garnish.

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