Diwali Treats - Shakkarpare

When Vee announced the JFI - Diwali treat, it got me thinking. I went down my memory lane to remember what is that one thing that I always had for diwali, no matter where I was. And it turned out to be shakkarpare or gujia, sometimes both.

My mom makes them for diwali and holi along with sandesh and sometimes gulab jamun and we exchange it with everyone in the neighborhood. This diwali, I decided to share some of my mom's magic. Here is her shakkarpare recipe. It is a really simple recipe, and my diwali is never complete till I pop them in my mouth and feel the sugar, ghee and the diwali goodness :)

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour (maida)

1 stick butter 0r ghee

2/3 cup sugar

2-3 cardamoms

1/4 tspoon nigella seeds

1 1/2 cup water

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Knead the dough with ghee and nigella seeds. I used unsweetened butter.

Keep it aside for a couple of hours.

In the meantime, prepare your sugar syrup. Heat a wok with water and sugar on low heat. When it starts boiling add in the cardamom powder. My mom used to tell me to make the consistency - do taar (two strings). I never understood it till I made it. Once the syrup starts boiling and becomes relatively thick do this test. Take a drop of syrup and put it on your thumb. Stick your fore finger on the syrup and test the thickness. You should see the syrup make two strings. At that point, take it off the heat.

Divide the dough in medium balls and roll them out like chapati without using any dry flour.

Cut it into squares. First cut the chapati horizontally making medium strips and then vertically.

Heat the rest of the ghee and olive oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Once it is hot, put in the squares in and deep fry till they turn golden - not too brown, just golden.

Take it out and dung them in the sugar syrup.

Take the shakkarpare out and store in airtight container.

This is my entry for Jihva - Special edition being hosted by Vee at Past, Present and Me

HAPPY DIWALI EVERYONE!