IndianChandrakala
Syrup-soaked milk pastries
चंद्रकला: round crimped pastries of mawa and nuts, fried and dipped in syrup
Chandrakala is the round, moon-shaped sweet of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, made for Holi, Diwali and Chhath and sold by sweet shops in Patna and Varanasi. Two circles of flaky pastry enclose a filling of mawa, nuts and cardamom; the edge is pleated into a rope, then the pastry is fried slowly and dipped in sugar syrup. Its sister suryakala is the same sweet shaped like a sun. The common mistake is syrup that is too thin, which makes the crust soggy within hours; it should reach one-string consistency. Chef's tip: pleat the edge firmly with damp fingertips, because a loose seal is where the filling leaks out in the hot ghee.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Serves
- 12
- Per serving
- 360 kcal
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 9 oz plain flour (maida)
- 2 ⅛ oz gheemelted
- ½ cup cold wateras needed
For the filling
- 7 oz mawa (khoya)crumbled
- 2 ⅛ oz powdered sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz almonds and pistachioschopped
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
For the syrup
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 pinch saffron strands (optional)
To fry
Tick what you have; the rest goes in the basket.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅛ oz ghee into 9 oz plain flour (maida) until crumbly, add ½ cup cold water and knead to a stiff dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
35 minStep 2: Roast 7 oz mawa (khoya) in a dry pan over low heat for 5–6 minutes until light golden and grainy. Cool, then mix with 2 ⅛ oz powdered sugar, 1 ⅜ oz almonds and pistachios and ½ tsp ground cardamom.
25 minStep 3: Divide the dough into 24 balls and roll into 8 cm circles. Spread 1 tbsp filling on one circle, cover with a second, press the edges together and pleat them into a twisted rope all the way round.
30 minStep 4: Boil 10 ½ oz sugar with ¾ cup water and 1 pinch saffron strands for 6–7 minutes until one-string: a drop pulled between finger and thumb forms a single thread. Keep warm.
8 minStep 5: Heat 3 cups ghee or neutral oil for deep-frying in a kadhai or deep pan, filling it no more than a third of the way, to 300°F; a pinch of dough or batter dropped in should rise slowly with tiny bubbles. Never leave the hot fat unattended.
6 minStep 6: Fry 3–4 at a time over low-medium heat for 8–9 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden. Drain for 1 minute.
30 minStep 7: Dip each warm chandrakala in the warm syrup for 1 minute, turn, lift out and set on a rack to dry. Store airtight for up to a week.
10 min
KrazyBadal
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Chana masala
A North Indian staple that comes together from the store cupboard. Toasted cumin, slow-softened onion and a good spoonful of garam masala give tinned chickpeas real depth. Serve with rice, naan or a stack of warm rotis.
Kaju curryCashew curry
Walk along any wedding buffet in Pune, Mumbai or Ahmedabad and there is usually a chafing dish of kaju curry near the paneer, with guests going back for seconds. Whole cashews are fried in ghee until golden, which makes them crunchy outside and buttery inside, then folded into a rich onion and tomato gravy thickened with more cashews, finished with cream and kasuri methi. The gravy is orange, smooth and rounded with a touch of sweetness; it should taste of roasted nuts and gentle spice, not fire. Gujarati restaurants often serve a spicier Kathiyawadi version, but the wedding style here is the mild one. Eat it with butter naan, tandoori roti or jeera rice. Common mistake: adding the fried cashews too early; they soak up the gravy and turn soft, so fold them in just before serving. Chef's tip: keep a few fried cashews back and scatter them on top at the table so every spoonful has some crunch.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
Perfect for:Diwali