FT_Weekend_Magazine_-_April_4-5_2020

36 FT.COM/MAGAZINE APRIL 4/ 52020

R

hubarbcrumble wasthe first thing

IbakedafterIhada“coming out”

of sortstomymother.Iamthe

youngestoffour daughtersborn

intoatraditionalPunjabi clan.

As girlswe wereraisedonadietof

strictrules,unleavenedsubmission

andXX-chromosome limitations.

Having older sisters andfemale cousins,Ihad

witnessedmanyformal arrangedmeetings with

suitableboys–awkward, drawn-out affairs in

which theyoung man,his motherand several

extendedrelations came topeeratthe girlandher

family.The girlswoulddress up in Indian finery,

prepareandpour tea andspeak onlywhenspoken

to.When calledupon, theydisappearedintoaside

room forabriefencounter withthesuitors and

emergedbashful, tearful and newlyengaged.

Iwas the kind of daughter that wasn’t

supposedtoexist: one eagertohurl herself into

the pathofperiland unruly rebellion.Iconfessed

to my mother thatIhadbecome engagedto a

man who wascharming,kind, highlyeducated,

successfuland–toher alarm–ofadifferent

religiouspersuasion. The illicitrelationship

hungover mymother likearain cloudand sent

aripple of shock wavesacross my immediate

conservativefamily.Igot home and shuddered,

preparingfor the certainty ofbeing embroiled

Didyou thinkI’d crumble?

RavinderBhogalischef-patronofJikoni;

jikonilondon.com

36

Ravinder

Bhogal

Recipes

in an epic familysaga.Isteppedinto the quiet

luxury of my kitchen and preheatedtheoven.

Therewasaswatheofrhubarb swaddledlike

anewborn in pink newspaper on thecountertop.

Harold, my elderlyneighbour,told me it ran

wild in his allotment,and heregularlyleft me

gifts of it on my stoop.Ipickledit,roasteditwith

lambandmade pavlovas crownedwithit,but

in that anxious momentIneededthe sweetness

andcomfort of something familiarthatwould

transport me toasafer place in justafew bites.

Rhubarb stands out.Itiselusive,complexand

defiant–avegetablemasquerading asafruit that

refusestobesweet or compliant.Iran my hand

alongastalkofit–celery dressedupinahot-pink

silk sari,feverishlyscarletinearlyspring when

everything else was so mutedand bleak.Isliced

it and mixedit with the jewels ofapomegranate

and somepinkpeppercorns–the dishblazed

fuchsia. “Pink is for girls,”Icouldalmost hear my

mother saying inasing-songvoice. The crumble

wasasuccess–aperfectsymphony of sweetand

sour.Ipackedupasmalldish of it to giveto her.

Thetopping was crisp,nutty and toastyand the

rhubarbbeneathwas tangyand tender,firm

enoughtogivehersomethingtochewover.

FT.COM/MAGAZINE APRIL 4/ 52020 37

Rhubarb,pink peppercorn and

pomegranate crumble

Servessix

•7 50 grhubarb,cut into

1cm chunks

•80ghoney

•50g brownsugar

•1 50 ggolden

caster sugar

•Juice andzest of

three oranges

•3tbs ofroughly crushed

pink peppercorns

•Arils from one

pomegranate

Forthe crumble

•1 50 gplain flour

•1 50 gbrownsugar

•1 50 gcold butter

•1 50 gground almonds

•75grolled oats

1 —Preheat theoven

to 20 0C/gas mark6.

Place the rhubarb,honey,

sugars, orange juice,zest

and peppercorns in a

saucepanoveramedium

heat and simmerforabout

10 minutesoruntil tender.

Stir in the pomegranate

arils and pour into a

baking dish.

2 —For the crumble,

rub together the flour,

sugar and butter with

your fingertips untilyou

havearough crumble

texture.Fold in the

ground almonds,rolled

oatsandapinch of salt.

Then gently rub again

forafewseconds.

3 —Scatter the crumble

overthe rhubarb mix and

bakefor20–25minutes

until golden and bubbling.

Servewith custardor

ascoop ofvanilla

ice cream.

PhotographsbyJoakim Blockstrom