Silao khaja

Step 1: Rub 2 ⅛ oz ghee into 9 oz plain flour for 2–3 minutes until it looks like breadcrumbs and holds when squeezed. Add ½ cup cold water gradually and knead to a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Beat 3 tbsp ghee and 2 tbsp cornflour together into a light, creamy paste (the satha).

Step 3: Divide the dough into 3 equal balls. Roll each into a very thin round about 30 cm across, thin enough to almost see the worktop through. Lay one sheet down, spread with a third of the satha, top with the next sheet, spread again, add the last sheet and spread with the rest.

Step 4: Roll the stack up tightly from one edge into a firm log, pressing out air as you go. Cut into 2.5 cm pieces. Lay each piece cut-side down and roll it gently, once in each direction, into a 7 x 5 cm rectangle so the layers show along the edges.

Step 5: Make the syrup: boil 10 ½ oz sugar and ¾ cup water on medium for 10–12 minutes to a two-string consistency, when a drop stretched between finger and thumb forms two threads. Add ¼ tsp ground cardamom and keep warm.

Step 6: Heat 2 ½ cups ghee or vegetable oil in a kadai on low to about 275°F: a scrap of dough should rise very slowly with tiny bubbles. Fry 4–5 khaja at a time for 12–15 minutes, spooning oil over and turning gently, until the layers fan open and the pastry is crisp and pale gold. The usual mistake is impatience: hot oil browns the outside before the layers separate.

Step 7: Drain for a minute, then dip each khaja in the warm syrup for 20–30 seconds, turning, and lift onto a rack. As it cools the syrup sets into a thin, whitish sugar crust. Keeps for a week in a tin.