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Pantua
Fried milk balls in syrup
পান্তুয়া: Bengal's chhena and semolina balls fried deep brown and soaked in syrup
IndianPantua is the Bengali answer to gulab jamun, but made with fresh chhena and a little semolina instead of only khoya, which gives a lighter, slightly grainy inside under a deep brown skin. It is the sweet of Jamai Sasthi, Bijoya visits and Sunday afternoons in Kolkata, often with a hidden cardamom seed or nugget of sugar at the centre. The common mistake is under-kneading the chhena: if the dough is crumbly the balls crack and drink oil. Knead until it feels smooth and leaves a film of fat on your palm. Chef's tip: let the syrup and the fried pantua both be warm, not boiling, when they meet, so the balls soak up syrup without collapsing.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the chhena
- 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk
- 2 tbsp white vinegarmixed with 4 tbsp water
For the dough
- 2 tbsp fine semolina
- 1 ¾ oz khoya (mawa)grated
- 1 tbsp plain flour (maida)
- 16 cardamom seedsone for each centre
For the syrup
- 14 oz sugar
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 tsp rose water (optional)
To fry
- 2 ½ cups ghee or neutral oil for deep-frying
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Boil 6 ¼ cups full-fat milk, take off the heat for 1 minute, then stir in 2 tbsp white vinegar until the milk splits into curds and clear whey. Strain through muslin, rinse with cold water and hang for 30 minutes.
40 minStep 2: Knead the chhena with 2 tbsp fine semolina, 1 ¾ oz khoya (mawa) and 1 tbsp plain flour (maida) for 8–10 minutes until perfectly smooth and greasy to touch.
10 minStep 3: Divide into 16 balls, press a 16 cardamom seeds seed into each centre and roll smooth and crack-free.
10 minStep 4: Simmer 14 oz sugar and 2 ½ cups water for 5 minutes to a thin syrup, add 1 tsp rose water and keep warm.
6 minStep 5: Heat 2 ½ 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 275°F; a pinch of dough or batter dropped in should rise slowly with gentle bubbles. Never leave the hot fat unattended.
6 minStep 6: Fry 6 at a time over low heat for 10–12 minutes, swirling the oil and turning the balls, until deep reddish-brown all over.
25 minStep 7: Transfer to the warm syrup and soak for at least 2 hours, until they swell slightly and are soft right through. Serve warm or at room temperature.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pantua take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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 white vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
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