Recipe to Riches reviewed: Episode 6, Kulfi Karma
Six episodes deep, it seems like the producers have finally started to give host Jesse Palmer a little more rope. This week, the Bachelor star and ex–football star finally got to show a little heart after the first elimination, exclaiming, “That was a little bit intense, wasn’t it?” before noting, philosophically, “And then there were only two.” The criticism that keeps coming back about this show, in our comments and elsewhere, is that every episode is the same as the last. Perhaps this was an attempt to mix things up a bit. Still, the comments might have applied a little better to last week’s tear-stained episode than to this week’s frozen treats challenge, which was mercifully more even-keeled. After the jump, our regular recap and tasting panel.
Mini-Recap
This week’s winner was the genteel Rosy Soobrattee, hailing from the fastest-growing region in Greater Golden Horseshoe, Milton. Her frozen treat? A pistachio-topped cardamom and rosewater kulfi made from a recipe handed down by her grandfather, who owned a sweet shop in India. (Kulfi is much like ice cream, but denser from not having been whipped up, and usually creamier. We’ve been dreaming of a high-quality grocery store version for years.) The first contestant to go was Burnaby’s Mark Tagulao, who made an ice cream cake with green tea, Earl Grey and vanilla-cardamom layers that he called Teapolitan (get it?). Although product development judge Dana McCauley liked the fact that “people will still think of it being holistically healthy” because of the word “tea,” marketer Tony Chapman was unimpressed with the presentation, dismissing Tagulao with, “You served it up like a lump of clay.” During the marketing challenge, Soobrattee had to face down Audrey Tannant of Vancouver, who brought a s’mores-based ice cream called Ice Queens Hattrick, which she reimagined during the program as an ice cream sandwich called Hat Trick Frozen S’mores. In the end, the confusing sports-related name did her in, with judge Laura Calder complaining, “I don’t get s’mores and hockey, and I feel left out!” Soobrattee’s dessert, for its part, was re-christened Kulfi Karma, because, as she explained, “Karma, effectively, means something good” (which is not exactly how we remember things from World Religions class). Our favourite moment came when Chapman, ever the conservative defender of the mass market, worried about how such an unfamiliar dessert might play in the suburbs. Soobrattee replied: “I live in the suburbs. It’s not gonna be an issue.” Zing!
Tasting Panel
The reaction from our tasting panel was split down the middle—some found the rosewater imparted an unpleasant, soapy flavour (“Tastes like curdled Pledge!”), while others loved the strong cardamom flavour and the rich, condensed-milk base. Admittedly, the texture was much more ice cream than kulfi (one first-time kulfi eater said, “It tastes like spicy vanilla”), and it was pretty sweet. Some people would have preferred the flavours to be a little less restrained (“It’s not indulgent like ice cream should be”), although most agreed that they would be happy to serve the stuff at a dinner party (while perhaps omitting the fact that it was store-bought). The strongest recommendation probably came from a sometime vegan who happened to be walking by. She asked for a taste, and then she asked for more. See the Karma Kulfi in our pint-container-to-bowl gallery »
Next week is the entrée challenge, the final regular-season battle, with North Vancouver’s Robert Luft, Burnaby’s Eva Fong and Montreal’s Scott Usheroff. After that, from December 7 to 9, viewers will be able to place their votes on the Recipe to Riches website to crown a winner of the $250,000 grand prize.
(Images: Soobrattee and homemade Kulfi, Food Network Canada; tasting photos, Andrew D’Cruz)
Even though all the episodes are the same, this one seemed slightly better. Rosy’s suburb comment was great! Take that, snooty judges!
I saw the winner being interviewed Thursday night on The Insider (I think) , so it spoiled the show for me. Why did the producers allow that to happen?
Was so excited to try this and then – yuck! Never had my mouth washed out with soap but after eating this I know exactly what it feels like. Couldn’t get that soapy taste out of my mouth all night.
WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is your winner! Holy moly this is delicious! I’m a vegetarian who is lactose intolerant but I had to try this. It was beyond my expectations. It was so unique and great tasting. There is only 1 tub left at my Loblaws! ONly 1! I wanted to snatch it up but left it so someone else can enjoy it. Rosy! Congrats and thank you for this! It’s so rare to taste anything these days that is new and something we haven’t tried before. I’ve even decided to make this a Christmas gift for the foodies and ice cream lovers in my life. That is if they get more in stock! And for only $3.99! Amazing. I can see this being served at 4 star restaurants. It is a wonderful and exotic treat. Congrats Rosy & here’s to you finding a distributor for all of your other family recipes!!! (now, can you make a dairy free version? : ) Ooh, maybe like an ice? Okay, I’m stopping.
Had to try this because I’ve never heard of anything so different. Overall happy I gave it a shot, its definitly different. Would I buy again? I’d say no…
Now talk about unique…loved this and we are on our third container. Finally something won that was not a recycled or ” improved ” upon treat. Wonderful, loved the flavor creamy texture, well deserving of the win and thanks for bringing a NEW product to the shelves
My husband and I tried this tonight. I have one word. Yuk. We each took a couple bites and neither of us could eat any more. I am a fan of Indian and Thai food, however, I found this version of dessert too confusing for my mouth. My mouth felt furry after eating a few bites. Thirty minutes later, I am still left with a strange after-taste. I will not buy this again, nor recommend this product to others.
I went to get this weeks winners kulfi karma ice cream and it was sold out at the store here. There is a large population of people from India living in my city and I am not suprised it sold right out! Wish they would of stalked more considering this area sells out of foods like this so quickly if not stalked much. :( And I wanted to try it!
I absolutely love this product!!! On my second tub already.
The taste is so different from those normal ice creams.
It’s that first taste that is the best.
Will be buying this from now on when I want to have a frozen dessert!!!!
LOVE IT!!!!
After trying this- I’ll stick with french vanilla ice-cream any day!
I have been wanting to try this as soon as I saw the episode and when I got to my local Loblaws; it was sold out.
I noticed that there were plenty of other weekly winner’s items still in stock but the Kulfi Karma and Bannock pie were the only ones sold out.
Now I have to scout around to locate these items.
1/2 a cup has 190 cals. That alone deterrred me from buying it.
Try this-it is amazing
Yuck… I am indian and I like kulfi but this kulfi karma icecream was just gross… I hope it doesn’t deter people from trying the real thing if they’ve never tried it.
Bombay chaat dosa like it
Dis u try from Bombay Chaat Dosa I mean Kulfi