Mulberry kofta to mul-jeera: Chefs are getting creative with the berry of winter!

Winter is here and we’re sure you have your fill of soups and other warming dishes. But there’s a little berry that you might be missing out on. No, it’s not the strawberry or blueberry, but the good ol’ mulberry. 

While the shorter shahtoot grows all year round, the longer Himalayan mulberry arrives in winter and is delicious. For most, mulberries are a part of desserts. However, these berries can be used in other dishes–it’s versatile enough to jazz up your weeknight dishes, the party menu or even that winter alfresco evening with pals. 

YS Life shines the spotlight on the various uses of mulberries.

Curries to koftas: going desi with the berry

Cakes, tarts, pies, panna cottas…mulberries are a part of so many sweet treats. But this time, buck tradition and adapt it to your Indian culinary diary. 

Executive Chef Bhairav Singh of the Banyan Tree Café did so. A few trysts in the kitchen saw him add mulberries to gravies and even regular sabzis, which later became a part of his menu.

From mulberry-shakarkandi patties to a mul-jeera instead of jaljeera and a mulberry gravy, he has a few tips you can use. 

"Usually, F&B spaces choose ingredients that are easy to handle and store and are popular, for instance, you’ll usually find strawberries on most of the menus in winter. The mulberry has a short shelf life, even in a fridge it sustains for two or three days, so chefs prefer to make them into jams and pies due to wastage worries," he says

"But in India, where we get three varieties–whitish, purple and black– all lend themselves to Indian cooking. In Rajasthan, where I come from, I grew up having a shahoot chutney made on a traditional silbatta (grinding stone) and had with makkai ki roti in winter. Another fave is shahtoot bater where the mulberries lend a sourish taste to the masalas when cooking the bird,” the chef adds.

Certain spices and herbs go well when cooking with this berry, from rock salt to cumin or zeera, lemon and mint. 

A pro tip: Add some anardana or dried pomegranate seeds to it when making a chutney, to add crunch to soft, smooth mulberries.

Culinary expert and consultant chef Reetu Uday Kugaji has a few other offbeat desi ways with mulberry. She loves adding it to a kofta just as one would add raisins or kaju to the filling. 

“You can also add mulberries to a rassam to give it a tangy taste. Or use it over grilled vegetables. With its lovely, deep colour and I’d also make a purple chutney by lightly smashing the berries and adding pink salt, cumin powder, a dash of cinnamon and clove powder, fresh mint leaves and a little powdered sugar. Serve it at your party with vegetarian and non-vegetarian tikkas and kebabs,” she suggests.

After making an upside-down mulberry cake and a chicken gravy where she swapped aloo bukhara (plums) with mulberries, actress, writer and chef, Tara Deshpande continued her fruitful experiences with the mulberry in her cooking studio. 

Her mulberry-pineapple sasav (curry) and a tangy salad where she drizzled a til (sesame) dressing over mulberry and orange–turned out to be a savoury success! 

Shares Tara, “I loved doing these. With the mulberry, there are a lot of possibilities that are still unexplored. Raspberries cost an arm and a leg, so do blueberries, so people should start using this berry much more. We get two mulberry varieties one longer, one shorter and fall-winter seems to be the apt time to have it.” 

Don’t have a lot of time to experiment? Here’s a quick fix–just make a raita by mixing mulberries with chilled yoghurt, a little zeera and red chilli powder.  

Sip on some mulberry drinks

The next time you have friends over, whip up a few mulberry cocktails and mocktails. 

Mixologists vouch for it. At Yazu Goa, Head Mixologist Ritesh Chaudhary came up with a Mulberry Yuzurita, a refreshing drink made with freshly plucked mulberries and yuzu puree that has sweet and sour afternotes. It has a hint of tartness and a fresh basil aroma, making it suitable for everyone's palate. 

Mayur Mallik, Head Mixologist at Maai Goa decided to go the tangy way with his Mulberry Basil Smash, a drink made with fresh mulberries, basil leaves and mulberry syrup.  

“The addition of lime juice adds a tangy and refreshing twist, which is finally topped up with sparkling water. All ingredients are blended together, and then shaken,” he reveals. 

Atul Chopra, Partner at both the restobars, shares why they chose mulberry. “It has a very mild sweet taste when ripe, making it an ideal ingredient for cocktails, mocktails and even breakfast smoothies. It is also easy to digest, acts as an antioxidant to help keep the body hydrated and when used as an ingredient in beverages, it helps to balance out the flavour,” he states.

For a quick refresher, just prepare some chilled mulberry lemonade.  

Tara Deshpande also shares some mulberry inspiration for Christmas. It’s a Christmas Mulberry Cider where mulberries are combined to the drink with apple and spices like cardamom and cinnamon. She has a tip: “Mulberries make excellent cocktails when combined with orange.” 

A healthy bite

Health-conscious folks have more reason to add mulberries to their diet. Shweta Shah, celebrity nutritionist, loves having them in winter. Calling it a superfood, as it is loaded with vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants. She says it also has multiple uses: “Add mulberries in your chia seed pudding, in a juice or just enjoy it as a dried snack. But it can also aid hair health and I have read how the Chinese found it to be a remedy against premature grey hair. Mulberry leaf tea is famous as it’s rich in antioxidants and can reduce inflammation. It is also low on the GI index and won’t raise your blood sugar.” 

Dietician Sheela Tanna also has a few quick mulberry ideas to adopt into your day. “Make a mulberry shot each morning with a tablespoon of mulberry juice and water. It works as a pick-me-up and is very good for urinary tract infections. Also enjoy a mulberry lassi after with yoghurt for a cooling effect,” she says.  

So get some mulberries during your next visit to the store and start experimenting! 

(The story has been updated to add Chef Bhairav Singh's name)