Barfi churmoo

Step 1: Mix ¼ cup oil into 16 oz coarsely ground wheat flour and 3 ½ oz gram flour (besan), rubbing it in with your fingertips until evenly combined.

Step 2: Add ¾ cup water a little at a time and knead into a firm dough.

Step 3: Roll out the dough into large rounds about 0.7 cm thick and cut them into squares.

Step 4: Heat ghee in a deep pan over a low-medium heat. Fry the squares in batches until brown and crisp all through; frying slowly keeps the inside from staying raw. Drain and cool.

Step 5: Grind the fried squares in a chopper, then press through a sieve with long holes so you get an even, coarse crumb. Regrind any larger pieces. Mix in 1 ½ tsp ground cardamom and 2 tsp ground nutmeg.

Step 6: Make a two-thread syrup: heat 7 oz sugar and 1 cup water, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then boil until a drop pressed between finger and thumb forms two threads (see the sugar syrup recipe). Stir in ¼ tsp saffron.

Step 7: Heat 1 tbsp of the ⅝ oz ghee in a heavy pan and roast 7 oz mawa (khoya) on a low heat until light brown. Tip in the crumb all at once and stir well.

Step 8: Heat the rest of the 11 oz ghee until hot, pour it over the mixture and mix.

Step 9: Add the sugar syrup and mix thoroughly, then pour the mixture into a rectangular tray and level it.

Step 10: Sprinkle over 1 tbsp flaked almonds, 1 tbsp flaked pistachios and 1 tsp ground cardamom and press the mixture down firmly with the base of a greased steel bowl.

Step 11: Leave to cool and set for about 2 hours, then cut into squares or diamonds. Keep in an airtight box for up to 2 weeks.

Step 12: Variation: for white barfi churmoo, use 400 g plain flour and 150 g semolina instead of the wheat and gram flours.