Straight to the Heart

Sugar, ghee (clarified butter), milk, cream, paneer (an Indian cheese that resembles Italian Ricotta), cardamom, saffron, almonds, cashews, pistachios and a bit more sugar are the key ingredients of Indian sweets which are hugely popular in this country where by no coincidence, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart attacks are a part of many people's lives and keep countless doctors in business.

The sweets can be very delicious. The most special kind have real silver as a decorative finish on top. The metal is pounded so fine that it ends up as the thinnest of slivers.

I'm yet to discover whether there are any actual benefits of eating silver or if it's merely another extravagant touch in a country that loves opulence.