Monsoon food: Follow these easy plum recipes to make innovative dishes this season

As the monsoon season brings with it a wide variety of seasonal fruits, Indian chefs highlight how juicy plums can actually be used in so many different ways

Love plums? Follow these easy recipes to make innovative dishes this season

Plums can be used to make cakes as well as breakfast bowls during the monsoon season. Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement

With the monsoon season underway in different parts of India including Mumbai, there are so many different dishes that people can experiment with during this time of the year. Traditionally, health experts advise indulging in the vegetables and fruits available in the markets to get the best kind of nutrition.

Unfortunately for many, the gourds are not a favourite, but Indian chefs have even shared recipes to make not only bitter gourd but also bottle gourd and snake gourd interesting. While that is being done, there is so much more you can do with fruits because you can definitely eat them plain but including them in easy sweet treats and desserts elevates how you have thought of them.

With many different kinds of berries available, one must also enjoy plums, and the chefs say you can use the tart fruit to not only give the traditional plum cake a twist but also create breakfast in a bowl.

Fresh Fruit Cake
With seasonal produce in abundance, chef Amit Sharma, who is the co-founder of Poetry by Love & Cheesecake, says you can simply make a Fresh Fruit Cake; it not only uses plums but other fruits that can only make the flavour richer and more delicious. He shares, "For best results, chill the cake for an hour before serving. This helps the flavours meld and gives the whipped cream a lovely set.”

Ingredients:

For the Eggless Sponge:
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Castor sugar 1/2 cup
Neutral oil (sunflower or canola) 1/2 cup
Thick yogurt (room temperature) 1/2 cup
Milk (or as needed) 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

For whipped cream:
Heavy whipping cream (chilled; use plant-based whipping cream if fully vegan) 1 cup
Icing sugar 2 tbsp
Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
For the fresh fruit topping:
Plums, thinly sliced 1–2 nos
Strawberries
Kiwi
Mango
Blueberries or grapes
Mint leaves or edible flowers 1–2
Fruit glaze or apricot jam (to brush over fruits)

Method:
1. Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease and line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment.
2. Make the eggless sponge: In a bowl, whisk together yogurt and baking soda. Let it sit for 5 minutes—it will become frothy. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix oil, sugar, and vanilla into the yogurt mixture.
3. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Add milk gradually to get a smooth, pourable batter. Pour into the pan and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
4. Whip the Cream: Beat chilled whipping cream with icing sugar and vanilla until medium-stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Assemble the Cake: Slice the sponge in half for layering (Optional). Spread whipped cream evenly on the cake surface (and in between layers if desired). Artfully arrange fresh fruits including plum slices on top. Brush lightly with a fruit glaze or apricot jam. Garnish with mint leaves or edible flowers.

Plum Upside-Down Cake
Elsewhere in Mumbai, Anshul Dhyani, who is the executive chef at ITC Grand Central in Parel, says you can give a delightful twist to the classic plum cake by making a Plum Upside-Down Cake, which has a rich and fruity flavour. He shares, "What makes our Plum Upside-Down Cake unique is the perfect harmony between the tartness of fresh plums and the warm caramelised sugar base, creating a moist, flavourful cake that surprises and delights with every bite."

Ingredients:
Ripe plums, pitted and sliced 4 nos
Unsalted butter (melted) 1/2 cup
Brown sugar 3/4 cup
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Baking powder 1 cup
Salt 1/4 tsp
Granulated sugar 1/2 cup
Large eggs 2 nos
Milk 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour melted butter into a 9-inch cake pan and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over it.
2. Arrange plum slices over the sugar layer.
3. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another bowl, beat granulated sugar and eggs until creamy. Add milk and vanilla, mix well.
5. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until smooth.
6. Pour batter over the plums in the pan.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate to reveal the caramelised plum topping.

Dehydrated Plum with Roasted Wheat & Chia Seeds
Innovate with the fresh plums by dehydrating them, says chef Arun Kumar at Araiya Palampur to make Dehydrated Plum with Roasted Wheat & Chia Seeds to make a mildly sweet, nutty monsoon dessert or breakfast bowl. He shares, "Known for its tart-sweet burst and deep red hues, the plum takes on a beautifully complex profile when dehydrated, concentrating its flavour, extending its shelf life, and pairing beautifully with earthy grains. This dish is a celebration of how simple monsoon produce, when treated with care, can become something deeply nourishing and elegant. The natural tang of plums complements the nuttiness of roasted wheat, while chia seeds lend texture and wholesome energy. It's monsoon comfort in every spoon.”

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
Ripe plums, medium (seeded and halved) 6 nos
Jaggery powder 2 tbsp (or honey for variation)
Cinnamon powder 2 gm
Lemon juice 5 ml
Salt a pinch
Roasted cracked wheat 40 gm
Water 1 1/2 cups
Coconut milk 100 ml
Chia seeds 10 gm
Cardamom powder 2 gm
Toasted almond slivers 5 gm
Sunflower seeds 5 gm

Method:
1. Dehydrate the plums: Preheat oven to 100 degrees Celsius (or use a dehydrator). Toss plum halves in jaggery powder, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Place cut-side up on a lined baking tray. Bake for 2–3 hours, flipping once halfway, until shrivelled but still soft inside. Let cool.
2. Prepare the roasted wheat: In a saucepan, combine roasted cracked wheat and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 12–15 minutes until the grains are soft and water is absorbed. Stir in coconut milk, chia seeds, and cardamom powder. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow chia to bloom.
3. Assemble: Spoon the warm roasted wheat mixture into bowls. Top with dehydrated plums. Garnish with toasted almonds, seeds, and mint if desired.

Plum Clafautis
At Aalia Jungle Retreat & Spa in Uttarakhand, sous chef Sunil Singh Kaintura says you can use of plums to make Plum Clafautis. He says, “This fresh and delicious plum dessert uses simple ingredients and has an easy method.” This French dessert is traditionally made with fresh cherries but plum clafoutis tastes very good.

Ingredients:
Fresh plums 4 nos
Eggs 4 nos (about 200g without shell)
Sugar 1/4 cup (60 gm)
Salt 1/8 tsp (1 gm)
Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp (2 gm)
Milk 11/2 cups (360 ml)
All-purpose flour 2/3 cup (100 gm)
Unsalted butter 1 tbsp (14 gm)
Powdered sugar (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350/180 degree Celsius. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Prepare four Plum Clafautis. Cut them in small pieces.
2. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or pie pan. Put the plum in the pan from a single layer cover the bottom of the pan in a large bowl.
3. Add 4 eggs totally for about 200 gm without shell. Add sugar, salt, vanilla extract, milk, all-purpose flour and unsalted butter. Stir together.
4. Until most of the lumps are gone, add the butter, smoothly pour the butter over the plums, and transfer it to the preheated oven bake it (350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius) for 50-50 minutes.