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Chhanar jilipi
Syrupy fried chhena coils
ছানার জিলিপি: dark, syrupy coils of fried chhena for Bhai Phonta
IndianOn Bhai Phonta, the Bengali Bhai Dooj, sisters mark their brothers' foreheads with sandalwood and kajal and then pile a plate with sweets, and chhanar jilipi is one of the favourites: fresh chhena kneaded with a little flour, rolled into ropes, coiled and fried slowly until almost mahogany, then soaked in syrup. Unlike crisp jalebi, it is soft and juicy inside with a chewy, caramelised skin, and it appears again on Bijoya Dashami. Common mistake: chhena that is too wet or under-kneaded, which cracks or falls apart in the oil; knead until the dough is completely smooth and your palm feels greasy. Fry on a low heat so the inside cooks before the outside darkens. Chef's tip: keep the syrup warm and only lightly sticky, about the thickness of single cream rather than a one-string syrup, so it can soak right into the coils.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chhena
- 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 3 tbsp lemon juicemixed with 3 tbsp water
- 2 cups ice-cold water
For the dough
- 2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
- 1 tsp fine semolina
- 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp ground green cardamom
- 1 tsp sugar
For the syrup
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 2 cups water
- 3 green cardamom podscrushed
To fry
- 2 cups ghee or vegetable oilfor deep-frying
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Bring 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk to the boil, take off the heat for a minute, then stir in 3 tbsp lemon juice a little at a time until the milk splits and the whey looks clear and greenish.
8 minStep 2: Pour in 2 cups ice-cold water to stop the curds firming, then drain through muslin, rinse and hang for 30 minutes until no more whey drips but the chhena is still moist.
30 minStep 3: Crumble the chhena onto a board with 2 tbsp plain flour (maida), 1 tsp fine semolina, 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda, ¼ tsp ground green cardamom and 1 tsp sugar. Knead with the heel of your hand for 8–10 minutes until completely smooth and your palm feels greasy.
10 minStep 4: Simmer 10 ½ oz sugar, 2 cups water and 3 green cardamom pods for 8 minutes until slightly sticky, about the thickness of single cream. Keep warm.
8 minStep 5: Divide the dough into 12. Roll each into a 15 cm rope and coil it loosely into a spiral or figure of eight, tucking the end underneath. Smooth any cracks.
Step 6: Heat 2 cups ghee or vegetable oil to about 300°F, so a pinch of dough rises slowly. Fry 4 coils at a time on a low heat for 8–10 minutes, turning, until deep reddish-brown all over.
20 minStep 7: Drop the hot coils straight into the warm syrup and soak for at least 1 hour, until plump and juicy.
60 minStep 8: Serve at room temperature with a little syrup.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chhanar jilipi take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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