Pooja Bavishi, founder and CEO of Brooklyn-based ice cream company, Malai, has teamed up with award-winning celebrity chef, TV personality, restaurateur, and author, Maneet Chauhan to create a Chaat Party Box that will be released on July 1st, 2021.
Malai’s latest collection is chaat in frozen form! Inspired by the chutneys made by her mother, Pooja transformed the iconic flavors of chaat into ice cream. Malai collaborated with Maneet Chauhan, culinary prowess and author of the cookbook, Chaat, to take the box to the next level. Maneet notes that “chaat is all about contrasting textures and flavors and combining those smells and tastes to transform a dish into something new, seasonal and fresh.” Featuring 1 pint of ice cream, 1 pint of frozen yogurt, 1 pint of sorbet and 3 toppings, this box is brimming with flavors of fresh herbs that meet complex spices, the tartness of pomegranate, a tang of yogurt, richness of dates, and crunchy toppings to build a chaat sundae that is best when shared with others. This collection is an homage to family gatherings and celebrations.
Both Pooja and Maneet pulled from nostalgic memories to craft every component in this delicious collection. Pooja shares that “Whenever my family had chaat at home, it was a celebration of coordinated chaos. When it was time to eat, bowls would be passed around and everyone would have their own version of the same chaat: adding more date tamarind chutney on top mid-eating, crumbling in crispy puri, or tossing more pomegranate seeds on top.”
Maneet notes that “Many people think of Indian food as curries, all-you-can-eat buffets or foods that take hours to cook, but the category of chaat helps to change that perception because chaat is all about diversity. It’s easy to make and easy to eat, which is why you find so many different chaats being sold as street food and in the marketplaces of India. The cookbook brings the magic of chaat to life and is meant to transport you to India, and then inspire you to put your own spin on each recipe.”
Maneet’s exploration of chaat throughout her cookbook, inspired Pooja to begin conceptualizing these chaat treats. Pooja shares that “when I was inspired to make a collection of frozen treats based on the chutneys and fixings of my mom’s chaat, I was moved to reach out to Maneet to join me on this culinary adventure. Besides being a powerhouse in the food industry, she is breaking barriers, and paving the way for a new generation of desi entrepreneurs in the food community. Her innovation and creativity continue to inspire me. Above all, what I truly admire most is her warmth and genuine passion to connect with others.
This box that will be available from July 1st – August 31st can be shipped nationwide (with pre-order beginning on the week of June 28th), and will also be available for in-store pickup at Malai’s Brooklyn scoop shop until August 31st.
The Chaat Party Box Features:
Chaat cookbook written by Maneet Chauhan with signed bookplate.
Trio of Pints*:
- Roasted Cumin Frozen Yogurt: Creamy with a bright tang, the rich, sweet notes of frozen yogurt are balanced by toasted cumin’s smokiness and subtle fruitiness.
- Date Tamarind Ice Cream: Tart, sweet and lightly spiced, this pint plays on the rich caramel sweetness of dates, balanced by the tang of the tamarind, and rounded out with subtle spice notes of fragrant cinnamon, clove and a hint of cayenne pepper.
- Cilantro Mint Sorbet: Refreshing and herbaceous, our Cilantro Mint sorbet is a scoop of a summer garden with a kick of heat from serrano chilies to wake your taste buds.
Trio of Toppings*:
- Strawberry Pomegranate Coulis: Sweet notes of summer strawberries blend with bright, tart flavors of pomegranate and woodsy notes of fennel seeds in this sauce.
- Boondi: Tiny, soft, crunchy bits of fried chickpea flour, this topping adds a savory balance to the box.
- Shakarpara: This crispy, sweet topping adds the perfect crunch to any scoop. * Note that all of the treats featured in this box are eggless to not only allow the spices and ingredients to shine without the flavor of eggs but also out of respect for Pooja’s culture. Her family is from a part of India (Gujarat) where much of the population eats dairy but not eggs.
Pooja and Maneet will be collaborating on in-person events in both Brooklyn at Malai’s scoop shop (July 18th) and Nashville at Maneet’s restaurant, Chaatable (August 4th).
A portion of sales from the box will be donated to World Central Kitchen to provide fresh meals to the frontline medical staff in India.
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