Get ready to pack on some extra pounds with Adadiya Pak, a traditional winter sweet from Gujarat made with urad dal, ghee and nuts.
While it is usually shaped like a barfi, Maharaj Bhanwar Singh's version is rolled into a laddoo and has channa dal aatta or besan as an ingredient as well.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Khandani Rajdhani
Adadiya Pak
Servings: 10-12 pieces
Ingredients
- 150 gm urad dalor split black gram, ground into aatta
- 150 gm channa dal aatta or besan or gram flour
- 100 gm mixed nuts like pistachios, cashews and almonds, chopped or sliced
- 100 gm gondh or edible gum
- 25 gm khus khus or poppy seeds
- 3 tbsp milk
- 250 gm sugar
- 250 gm or 1 cup ghee
- 50 gm saunth or dry ginger powder
- 1 tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder, optional
- A pinch of jaiphal or nutmeg powder, optional
Method
- In a bowl combine the urad dal aatta and the channa dal aatta.
The texture should be coarse like suji and not very smooth.
Add the milk and ¼ cup of the ghee.
Mix thoroughly with your hands.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
Gently press and sieve the mixture through a channi with big holes.
Keep aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed kadhai or saucepan heat a few tbsp more of the ghee.
Add the gondh and fry for a few minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Once it cools, using a mortar and pestle, crush into a coarse powder.
- In the same kadhai/saucepan, heat the rest of the ghee.
Add the flour mixture and the poppy seeds.
Roast on medium-low heat, stirring continuously, till the mixture turns a rich brown.
Be careful not to burn.
Add the coarsely-powdered gondh and mix well.
Take off heat and let the mixture cool 10-15 minutes.
Add the saunth powder, sugar, elaichi powder and jaiphal powder.
Mix well.
Spread the mixture on a square or round plate/thali.
Garnish with the chopped nuts and let it set for a few hours.
Or shape, while warm, into laddoos and garnish with nuts.
It can be stored for 2-4 weeks in an air-tight container.
Maharaj Bhanwar Singh is the corporate chef at Khandani Rajdhani.