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!!

Dahi Thara

 દહીં તણા દહીં થારા, ઘી તણા ઢેબરા 

કઢિયેલ દૂધ તે કોણ પીશે ...

Famous Gujarati poet, Narsinh Mehta mentions Dahi Thara in his very popular Prabhatiya. Prabhatiya is a wake up song sung by Mother Yashoda for her lovable son Lord Shri Krishna. Narsinh Mehta in his poem describes how a mother would lovingly and cuddlingly wake up her child and also describing various delicacies she has made for him.

Here is a youtube video of this famous Gujarati Prabhatiya. This is one of my favorite Gujarati songs too.

Dahi Thara is a sweet delicacy. A deep fried puffed puri rolled into powdered sugar and garnished with nuts. The flavor of cardamom is prominent in this crisp, flaky, melt in the mouth sweetmeat. This is a special sweet for Lord Krishna, and is a must for Diwali Annakut or special festive days. I remember our family priest from Gokul, a small village where Shri Krishna spent his childhood, would bring us a big box of these delicious Dahi Tharas. He then taught my mom this famous Mathura Dahi Thara recipe. Dahi means yogurt. Since this recipe requires the dough made using yogurt, the sweet gets its name as DAHI THARA!

This recipe will make around 30 Dahi Tharas.

Take 2 cups of All-purpose flour or maida. 

Add 8 tbsp. of regular room temperature ghee. Use you palms and mix ghee well into the flour. 

Plain yogurt to make the dough. This recipe does not need water to make the dough. Use a spoonful at a time to make the dough. You might need less than 1/2 cup of yogurt to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough well. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Grind 2 cups of regular sugar with a tbsp. of cardamom seeds to form a fine powder. Keep it aside. Use 1 cup at a time.

Sliver some nuts for garnishing.

When the dough has rested well, knead it a bit.

Divide into 30 equal parts. Roll to form a flat 4 inch disc. Sprinkle some dry flour and fold in the sides like a kachori to trap in the air. Roll in again to form a 4 inch disc. Prick few holes using a knife. 

Heat ghee for deep frying. The temperature of melted ghee should not be very hot.

Gently drop one rolled disc at a time into medium hot ghee. Press the sides of the disc lightly for it to puff up. Fry of low to medium heat till it forms a crisp puffed puri and turns golden brown.

Immediately place fried dahi thara into a bowl of powdered sugar. Roll in well. Remove and garnish with slivered nuts.