Reinventing Junket

Someone should rename junket. It gets bad press.  It has a reputation as nursery food and is generally thought to be a bland, milky substance served to the sick and digestively infirm. Searching through the pantry for what to use up this week I came across a packet of junket tablets. I think these were an impulse buy in the supermarket a year or so ago when I got all nostalgic.

I like junket. Done right it's delicious. When the weather is hot and you don't feel much like eating, an icy cold, milky junket with the right flavours can be a fine thing. You only need a small serve of this soft, silky curd which could be a likened to a very light panna cotta. Effortless to eat and easy on the stomach. Essentially junket is rennet and sets milk into curd, the first stage of cheese production. The curds and whey of Little Miss Muffet fame.

On the shelf next to the junket was a packet of Chai which I buy at the market from the girls from realchai. Hmmm... junket and chai. I've made chai icecream so  it could work. Little Miss Muffet goes to India? I was prepared to give it a go.

After infusing the chai with milk and a little brown sugar I let it cool, added a few drops of rose water and the junket. A quick stir, set and chill. Too easy.

The flavour was light, sweet, spicy, aromatic and utterly, utterly delicious. Served in antique, demitasse cups, it's a new slant on summer afternoon tea. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

Aromatic Chai Curd

4 tbsp chai mix.
500 mls fresh full cream milk
2 tbsp (generous) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rosewater or to your taste.
2 junket tablets
1 tbsp cold water

Serves: 4  (half cup servings)

Get your serving cups or ramekins out before you begin.  Junket sets quickly so once added to the milk you need to pour it into the serving cups straight away.

Combine chai, milk and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently. Stir as you go to help chai infuse. Do not let mixture boil. As edges start to barely simmer remove immediately from heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent skin setting on milk.

After thirty minutes strain through a fine sieve or muslin and squeeze chai mixture to extract liquid and flavour.

Check temperature. It needs to be at 37 degrees C (blood heat). Heat gently if needed to reach desired temperature.

Add rosewater followed by the junket tablets which have been crushed in the cold water. Give a quick stir and pour into serving cups without delay. Leave to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes and then refrigerate for at least two to three hours, but overnight is better.

Serve chilled

PS. If you don't want to use junket tablets which contain animal rennet you could make this with vegetarian rennet which available from cheese making suppliers. You'll need to follow the manufacturers instructions regarding amounts. Alternatively you could try setting with agar agar. It won't have the same texture but it won't contain animal products.