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Kulkuls
Sugar-glazed dough curls
कुलकुल्स: little ridged curls of coconut-milk dough, rolled on a fork, fried and glazed in sugar
No Goan or Mangalorean Catholic Christmas kuswar (sweet platter) is complete without kulkuls, the tiny ridged shells that families sit round the table rolling for hours in the week before 25 December. A soft dough of flour, coconut milk, egg and butter is pinched into small balls, pressed and rolled over the back of a fork (or a clean comb) so each curls into a ribbed shell, then fried until crisp and tossed in a white sugar glaze. They are crunchy, lightly sweet and moreish, and they keep for weeks in a tin, which is why the kuswar is shared round the neighbourhood. These contain egg: vegetarian, not vegan. The mistake everyone makes once is rolling the dough too thick, which leaves them hard and doughy inside; each should be no thicker than a coin. Chef's tip: fry on a medium-low flame until just golden; kulkuls darken a little more once out of the oil and the glaze is meant to stay white.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 9 oz plain flour (maida)
- 2 tbsp fine semolina
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 oz buttersoftened
- 1 eggbeaten
- 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
- ½ cup thick coconut milkroughly
For frying
- 2 cups oil for frying
For the glaze
- 4 oz sugar
- ¼ cup water
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz plain flour (maida), 2 tbsp fine semolina and 1 pinch salt. Rub in 1 oz butter until crumbly.
3 minStep 2: Whisk 1 egg with 1 ¾ oz caster sugar and add it to the flour. Add ½ cup thick coconut milk a little at a time and knead to a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
6 minStep 3: Pinch off marble-sized balls. Press one onto the back of a greased fork, flatten it thin with your thumb and roll it off the tines so it curls into a ridged shell. Repeat with the rest; spread them on a cloth.
40 minStep 4: Heat 2 cups oil for frying in a kadhai over a medium heat, then lower to medium-low. Fry a handful at a time for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until pale golden and crisp. Drain on paper and cool.
20 minStep 5: Boil 4 oz sugar and ¼ cup water in a wide pan over a medium heat until it reaches the soft-ball stage: a drop in cold water forms a soft ball, about 6–7 minutes.
7 minStep 6: Take off the heat, add the kulkuls and toss continuously until the syrup turns white and crystallises on them. Spread out to dry.
3 minStep 7: Store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kulkuls take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour (maida)?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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