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Pooja Bavishi – Meet The Malai Maker of New York

“The special is sweet roti and ghee, a flavor made by infusing roti into the ice cream base and adding a crumble of ghee, jaggery, and roti. There are also toppings for the first time: a cookie crumble made from a cardamom-and-cocoa nib shortbread called nankhatai as well as chikki, a South Asian jaggery-based brittle.”  – Eater.

Any desi will recognize these flavors and ingredients – but in ice-cream?

Decisions, decisions, decisions! Life is hard but there are sweet decisions to be made which can also drive you crazy. Given the choice, should you choose Chili Chocolate or rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds? Golden Turmeric or Masala Chai flavor?

If you are getting an urge for a delicious kulfi in New York, you don’t go a kulfi-maker but head to a graduate of the London School of Economics! Yes, Pooja Bavishi who holds a BA in Public Policy from UNC-Chapel Hill and also an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, is your go-to person for richly textured mango ice cream. Looks like you need a whole lot of qualifications nowadays to be a kulfi maker but Bavishi really knows how to give you a delicious creamy dessert. She is the CEO of   Malai.co  – an ice cream company with flavors inspired by aromatic, South Asian spices and global ingredients.

Bavishi’s interest in food started when she was a child in Pennsylvania, watching cooking shows on television, and trying to recreate the recipes herself. An ice-cream maker that her parents gave her as a child turned her into a passionate experimenter with Indian spices.

“ Malai is completely influenced by my Indian heritage,” she says. “These flavors are exactly the flavors of my childhood…with a twist. I truly believe that food is a common language that brings people together, and highlights culture and traditions. My favorite smell is that of hot chai brewing. It’s so nostalgic, but also one that is still part of my daily life in New York. Malai is representative of that. Being Indian American, I like that I’ve taken something American like ice cream, but flavor with ubiquitous, yet unexpected Indian flavors.”

Bavishi’s most popular flavor is Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds, and Malai currently has 22 flavors in rotation, including Masala Chai, Orange Fennel, and seasonal flavors including Sweet Corn Saffron and Pumpkin Garam Masala Crumble.

This creamy addictive ice-cream can be bought from her store in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and is available at Whole Foods and other specialty stores, and is shipped nationwide. After a bite of Masala Chai or Golden Turmeric, you will never be able to settle for plain old vanilla or strawberry ice-cream. Pooja Bavishi has lots of frozen delights up her sleeve – including Chili Chocolate, and believe it or not – Carrot Halwa Malai which is essentially carrots sauteed in ghee with a touch of cardamom. It will melt in your mouth!

Something sweeter than carrot halwa happened to the Malai Maker last year – she was selected as one of ten Tory Burch Foundation Fellows, which includes a $10K business education grant, and the opportunity to pitch for a $100K grant investment.

Five Questions for Pooja Bavishi, the Malai Maker 

1. Where you born and what were is your earliest memory of eating something delicious? 

I was born in Pennsylvania.  I have a very distinct memory of this one stainless steel container that my mom had (and still has).  It was rarely used, but if that was on the kitchen counter when I got home from school, I KNEW that she made something special and delicious.  It could have been an Indian snack; my family is Gujarati, so bajri vada and chakli are my absolute favorite.  It could have also been homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Whatever it was, I just knew that when I saw that one container, I was in for a treat and I can still feel my excitement from then!

2. How much do you think you have been influenced by your Indian heritage in creating these unique ice cream flavors?  

Malai is completely influenced by my Indian heritage.  These flavors are exactly the flavors of my childhood…with a twist.  I truly believe that food is a common language that bring people together, and is the best way to highlight culture and traditions.  My favorite smell is that of hot chai brewing.  It’s so nostalgic, but also one that is still part of my daily life in New York.  Malai is representative of that.  Being Indian American, I like that I’ve taken something American with ice cream, but flavor with ubiquitous, yet unexpected Indian flavors.

3. Why do you think they are proving so popular with non-Indian consumers?

New York, and especially Brooklyn audiences, gravitate towards trying new flavors, which is great to see.  I also always think that a good product is appreciated, and we are sure to use the highest quality ingredients to create a bold, robustly flavored ice cream, with ultra creamy textures. You don’t use eggs which is great for vegetarians.

4. Any thoughts of making Malai for vegans too?  

Yes, absolutely.  We debuted our first vegan flavor a few weeks ago: White Chocolate Coconut Coriander Sorbet.  We are definitely planning to roll out more vegan brand focused flavors.

5. What are your most popular flavors and what’s next on the flavor map for you?

Our most popular is our Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds.  It has been the most popular from the very beginning and continues to be today.  We currently have 22 flavors in rotation, including Masala Chai, Orange Fennel, and seasonal flavors including Sweet Corn Saffron for the summer and Pumpkin Garam Masala Crumble for the fall.  We’re excited about the innovative flavors that are on the horizon.

Photos by Morgan Ione Yeager,

(A version of this first appeared in my weekly column India in America in CNBCTV18.com)