Dryfruit Chikki

There is never a season for Candies and Chikkis. Everyone loves it, and it is all time favorite as a snack or a dessert or just because it is delicious. Chikki is an Indian version of a candy or a brittle. Made of sugar of gud/jaggery with various seeds and nuts, just tastes delicious.

Lonavala, which is few kilometers away from Bombay is a beautiful scenic place. Specially in Monsoons as the weather gets beautiful and greenery all over the mountains, a trip to Lonavala is a must. Apart from enjoying monsoon hike and scenic drive and a visit to the dam, Lonavala is famous for its Chikkis. Chikki shops are all lined up with variety of traditional and innovative Chikkis/brittle. Boxes of Chiikis are bought to gift people. One of my favorites from Lonavala is the Dryfruit Chikki. Although it is called dryfruit chikki, it does not have dryfruits. It is just made of nuts. Cashews, Almonds, and Pistachios with a hint of saffron dominate this recipe. I also make praline for desserts and ice-creams in the same way. You can use this recipe to make some Praline powder for garnish.

While I was reading the science of candy making, I learned that the important ingredient in candy making is corn syrup. Since I do not use corn syrup on regular basis, I did not wish to buy it and moreover it is not something I would like to use on regular basis. Why not make a recipe free from additives? Since this chikki has crisp nuts, the crystallization of sugar here does not matter. Also corn syrup cannot be used during Indian fast.

With Makar Sankranti on 14th January, it is time to make Chikkis, a special snack of the season while enjoying the kite festival. Traditionally Makar Sakranti is celebrated with chiiki brittle made of Til/ sesame seeds and gud/jaggery as they are perfect for this season. Rich is iron and calcium, Til Chikki provides healthy nutrients. Will be posting Til Chikki recipe tomorrow.

Ingredients to make Dryfruit Chikki
1 cup nuts Halved (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
1 cup sugar
Pinch of cardamom powder
1 tbsp. water
Pinch of saffron

• In a heavy bottom pan heat sugar with a tbsp. of water on medium heat stirring constantly till sugar melts completely. It will slightly brown. Mine became slightly more dark as I was also taking pictures but you should work fast to avoid getting caramelized.
• Add cardamom powder.
• As soon as all the sugar melts, add nuts.
• Turn of the heat and mix nuts with melted sugar.
• Immediately pour in a greased plate or on silicon mat. Spread it with a rolling pin.
• Sprinkle some saffron strands on it immediately.
• Let it rest for 5 minutes. 
• Using a sharp cutter cut into pieces while still warm.
• Let it cool completely and then remove pieces from the plate.
• Enjoy!! 

In a heavy bottom pan heat sugar with a tbsp. of water on medium heat stirring constantly till sugar melts completely. It will slightly brown.

Add cardamom powder.

As soon as all the sugar melts, add nuts.

Turn of the heat and mix nuts with melted sugar.

Immediately pour in a greased plate or on silicon mat. Spread it with a rolling pin.

Sprinkle some saffron strands on it immediately.

Using a sharp cutter cut into pieces while still warm.

Let it cool completely and then remove pieces from the plate.

Happy Makar Sankranti!
Happy Kite Flying!!

Stuffed Dates

Every winter a big box of black dates would be bought. Mom would gently remove the pit, add a bit of homemade ghee, and give every member of the family with a glass of hot milk! Fond winter memories of my childhood, and these memories were refreshed when we received a box of dates as gift.

Dates, rich in iron, fiber, and with lot of nutritious value are great in winters. Together with a bit of ghee, helps provide energy and keeps the body warm. Dates and nuts share a great relation. Not just the benefits but the taste, texture, and flavor complements each other. Cakes, sweet, cookies,  dates and nuts can be used in every recipe.

Normally dates and chopped nuts are mixed together and rolled into balls to make Ladoos. This is a popular Indian sweet. But I stuffed the nutty mixture and homemade ghee into pitted dates just like my mom would do. Each date is individually wrapped and can be enjoyed as a healthy snack or a dessert.

Ingredients
12 dates
1/2 cup chopped nuts (i used almonds and walnuts)
1 tbsp. ghee

• In a pan lightly roast chopped nuts for a minute. Turn off the heat.
• Let the nuts cool well.
• Mix ghee into the nuts.
• Gently open each date to remove the pit.
• Stuff each date with a little ghee and nut mixture.
• Place on wax paper and wrap it tightly.
• Serve.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Chopped Nuts and Dates

In a pan lightly roast chopped nuts for a minute. Turn off the heat.

Let the nuts cool well.

Mix ghee into the nuts.

Gently open each date to remove the pit.

Stuff each date with a little ghee and nut mixture.

Place on wax paper and wrap it tightly.

Mesuk/Mesur Paak

Mesuk is a very popular Gujarati sweet delicacy from the region of Kutch. And after lot of research on the recipe of Mesuk, I found that it is also called Mesoob or Mesur or Mysore Paak. This is very similar to Mysore Paak found in Sweet shops from Southern India. Gujarati Mesuk is firm and melt in the mouth delicacy. It is characterized by large holes or netted structure. Every practice will bring about perfect and best Mesuk. I received this recipe from my aunt and while researching more I came across YouTube video where Vah Chef prepares the famous south Indian Mysore Paak. He uses ghee as well as oil which I did not. But I did get a great help from his video on the technique. Technique can be overwhelming at first, but believe me it is fun and a little science experiment in the kitchen :)

After I posted this recipe,  I had a South Indian friend ask me why Mesur or Mesuk? What is the history behind it since we all know that Mysore Paak originated in Mysore (South India). So this was my reply to her :), "It took me a long time to post this recipe on my blog because I was confused too....I had similar questions like you so I was reading up, searching, asking questions to elderly ladies in our family. According to Gujarat/Kutch history this recipe came from Afghanistan to Sindh to Kutch (sindhi and kutchi language is similar too) and according to South Indians it is from Mysore. Maybe it went from South India to Afghanistan with the Muslim rulers. or maybe it came with the Muslim rulers to the Southern parts of India. Not sure about that. So over the time Mysore paak became Mesur or Mesuk or Mesub. It is like is khandvi Gujarati recipe of Maharashtrian recipe as we both make it but call it slightly different? History of food is just amazing!" I also came across this video from Bhuj/kutch Temple.

This is from a very popular Khavda Sweets shop in Kutch:
"Mesuk is one of the India’s most famous sweets, People in North India calls it Mesuk-Paak, in South India they calls it Mesur-paak, & we call it Mesuk. Actually Mesuk is a Mogul item, which is invented before 300-400 years ago when Pakistan & Afghanistan were lands of India. My Grandfather learnt it from Sindh(now its in Pakistan). So, its originally a Sindhi or we can call a mogul item. Our Mesuk is very famous because we make it with its very original recipe. Our customers say our Mesuk is the softest & most fast melting Mesuk in India. You just put it in your mouth & you don’t even have to chew it, it will melt itself in seconds. Made from Beshan, loads of Ghee, Pistachio, and Sugar."

Check out my recipe of Kaju Mesuk... it is delicious and worth a try!

Ingredients to make Mesuk
1 cup besan/chickpea flour
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. water
2+1/2 cup ghee
Slivered pistachios for garnishing

Prep:
In a heavy bottom pan add sugar and water.
In a separate container pour 2+1/4 cup ghee
Keep a pan with 1/4 cup ghee and 1 cup chickpea flour measured ready.
Grease a pan or a thali with ghee
Sliver few pistachios for garnishing

Method:

• Heat sugar and water mixture to make sugar sugar syrup. 
• Once it starts to boil and become transparent, heat ghee on separate stove and heat on low to medium heat.
• Heat pan with 1/4 cup ghee. Add chickpea flour/besan and roast for 2-3 minutes.
• Add boiling hot and bubbly sugar syrup to roasting flour. Be careful. Stir slowly but continuously.
• Add 1 spoon of hot ghee at a time stirring continuously. This will further bubble causing large hole in mesuk when it cools. Add all the ghee one spoon at a time stirring the mixture constantly. 
• When entire ghee is used you will notice mesuk leaves the pan. 
• Pour it in the greased thali or a pan and quickly sprinkle pistachios. Do not touch or spread the mixture with spatula. 
• Cool for 3-4 minutes and make pieces.
• Cool completely before removing pieces and serving.
• Enjoy!

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Heat sugar and water mixture to make sugar sugar syrup. 

Once it starts to boil and become transparent, heat ghee on separate stove and heat on low to medium heat.

Heat pan with 1/4 cup ghee. Add chickpea flour/besan and roast for 2-3 minutes.

Add boiling hot and bubbly sugar syrup to roasting flour. Be careful. Stir slowly but continuously.

Add 1 spoon of hot ghee at a time stirring continuously. This will further bubble causing large hole in mesuk when it cools. Add all the ghee one spoon at a time stirring the mixture constantly. 

When entire ghee is used you will notice mesuk leaves the pan.

Pour it in the greased thali or a pan and quickly sprinkle pistachios. Do not touch or spread the mixture with spatula. 

Cool for 3-4 minutes and make pieces.

Cool completely before removing pieces and serving.

Enjoy!

Melt in your Mouth Mesuk!