A Monsoon Wedding inspired roundup for #FoodnFlix!

At the beginning of July, I announced last month's Food 'n Flix pick (as I was hosting), as Monsoon Wedding.  It was a movie that I remembered bits and pieces of, but looked on those bits and pieces fondly.  Watching it again after a number of years, I was reminded of the story lines and the understated prominence (oooohhhhh, that's my new favorite oxymoron) of food and its relationship to weddings, gatherings, and daily life that make me file this under "foodie films" in my mind.

Creamy Rosewater-Cardamon Chuski w/ Almonds {food 'n flix: Monsoon Wedding}

When I chose Monsoon Wedding as our Food 'n Flix pick for this month, I mentioned that though I hadn't seen it in a while (years, really), I remember enjoying it.  The sensory experiences stuck in my head - the vibrant colors of India, the music and dancing, the family ties, and of course, the rain.

Sitting down to watch it again reminded brought all of the fine details into focus, and reinforced (to me, at least) why I consider this a foodie movie.  At just over three minutes in, food already gets a mention...in the form of pakoras.  A couple of minutes later, we see Varun learning to make a Coconut Curry.

Amidst the family madness surrounding a wedding, and the small love stories developing throughout, offerings of large containers of nuts, bottles of Scotch, jalebis sizzling in oil in the background, ordering a salt lassi or a glass of "the best chai in the world", mentions of cooking sesame chicken, and reaching for a samosa on a high shelf pepper the film.

What I really wanted to make was something featuring marigolds, as an ode to the event planner Dubey, and his new wife Alice...who could been seen munching on marigold heads and petals throughout the film.  Unfortunately, this is the one year that I didn't plant any.  And my back-up sources (my neighbors and our community garden) didn't seem to either.  So I had to form a new plan.

If you've seen the film, and you know me, you can probably guess where I'm going with this.  As a matter of fact, you're probably surprised that I haven't mentioned it yet.  That's right, Chuski (aka, ice pops)!  We see bride-to-be, Aditi, sneaking away with the excuse of getting a chuski when she and the ladies head into the congested city to pick sari's for the wedding party.  She is actually going to make a phone call to the married man she'd been having an affair with, and wasn't quite ready to let go of.  But she wind up with a dripping pink chuski that she passed on to Ria...who slurped it in the street, eliciting a catcall of sorts from a male passing by.  I mention because I adore the character of Ria, and her response makes me giggle.

But the chuski makes a reappearance later on in the film (again with Aditi), but this time eating one side by side with her soon-to-be-husband as they stroll and talk...and she finally comes to her senses and decides to devote herself to the cute, kind, available (well, to her...they are engaged) guy.

Yeah, I couldn't resist the ice pops.  Did you really think I'd be able to?

After I finished to flick to dancing and music and a happy ending, I promptly looked up the word "chuski", just to be sure that it meant ice pop.  It does.  Sort of.  It seems to be more of a general Hindi word meaning "ices" such as ice candy, shaved ice, snow cones, ice pops, and generally...frozen treats to keep you cool under the hot Indian sun.  Much like a nieve in Mexico.   Again, I really wanted to make one that was flavored and colored by marigolds, but since that wasn't an option right now, I went with another traditional chuski flavoring - rosewater.  Rosewater is used to cool and refresh, and I haven't used it in a while.  So, rosewater it was.  Now, I went the creamy route, which probably isn't very traditional - but it's ridiculously addictive and endlessly tasty...just one lick will leave you wanting more.

Creamy Rosewater-Cardamom Chuski w/ Almonds

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes (+ time to freeze)

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: dessert snack vegetarian soy-free sweetened condensed milk almonds rosewater popsicles frozen Indian summer

Ingredients (12 (2.5 ounce) ice pops)

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1-1/2 cups half & half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2-1/2 teaspoons rosewater
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1-3 drops red food coloring, optional
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

Whisk everything except the almonds together in a large measuring cup with a spout until thoroughly combined. Starting with just a drop, add enough food coloring to give you a delicate pink tint (if using).

Divide the toasted almonds evenly among your popsicle molds. Pour the mixture into the molds.

Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours, adding the popsicle sticks in at the correct time for your mold.

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This month's Food 'n Flix pick (hosted by me) was Monsoon Wedding!  Today is the last day for submissions, so if you've watched the film and cooked or baked something inspired by it, post it and get it to me by the end of the day.  More details here.

Join us next month with host Caroline Makes, and her selection, (the classic) When Harry Met Sally!


This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Monsoon Wedding {Food 'n Flix: I'm hosting this month!}

I'm so excited to be hosting Food 'n Flix right here at girlichef.com this month with my chosen flick: Monsoon Wedding!  Now, I should be a good hostess and tell you what this film is about (in case you haven't seen it before).  However, I myself have not watched it in YEARS.  Even though I actually own it.  Oi.  It's tucked safely away in a drawer with a bunch of other movies that I adore, but haven't had the time to revisit as of late.  So, I don't really remember much beyond I liked it enough to buy myself a copy.

In its most basic form, it is a story of family, love, arranged marriages, forbidden love, India, Punjabis in Texas...chock-full of rich, glorious colors and dancing and I swear I remember some food in there somewhere.  At least I know it stirred a craving for some good Indian food somewhere inside of me.    Maybe I was just smitten with the Monsoon.  I love rain.  I am a water sign.

But even if food is not the main theme, I know there will be so many beautifully inspired dishes that come from watching this film.  I mean, a wedding, India, Texas...those hints right there are enough to start the wheels turning, are they not!?  So please, join us!

How to participate in Food 'n Flix:

1. Watch the chosen film (Monsoon Wedding).  Taking inspiration from the film, head into the kitchen and cook or bake or make something.
2. Post about it on your blog with a link back to THIS post and a link to Food 'n Flix.  Use of the logo is optional.
3. You must post must be current (during month of film). And of course we don't mind if your post is linked to other events...the more the merrier.
4. Have fun with it!
5. Email your entries to me at: girlichef (at) yahoo (dot) com and include:

                     ~Your name
                     ~Your blog's name and URL
                     ~The name of your dish and the permalink to the specific post you're submitting
                     ~Attach a photo of any size (or just give me permission to "pull" one from your post)
                     ~Indicate "Food 'n Flix Submission" in the subject line

    Deadline for submissions are: July 28, 2013 (by the end of the day, wherever you are)  

*watch for the roundup to be posted shortly after this deadline!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.