AI-generated image
Ul boov
New Year shoe-sole pastries
Mongolian New Year shoe-sole pastries
MongolianUl boov, "shoe-sole pastries", are the centrepiece of the Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year) table in every Mongolian home, stacked in an odd number of layers on a platter and crowned with aaruul, sugar cubes and sweets. Each oblong pastry is pressed with a carved wooden stamp and fried or baked. Families traditionally use rendered sheep's tail fat in the dough; this version uses butter. The stack is admired for the holiday, then broken up and eaten with milk tea. A common mistake is a soft dough that loses the stamped pattern; it should be firm and smooth. Chef's tip: if you don't have a stamp, press patterns with a fork or the end of a spoon.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb plain flour
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 7 oz buttermelted and cooled
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying, or bake instead
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅓ lb plain flour, 5 ½ oz sugar and 1 pinch salt. Add 7 oz butter and ¾ cup milk and knead into a firm, smooth dough.
10 minStep 2: Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Divide into about 24 pieces and shape each into an oblong 12 × 6 cm, about 1.5 cm thick, like the sole of a shoe. Press a pattern into the top with a wooden stamp or fork.
30 minStep 4: Fry three at a time in 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil at 325°F for 4–5 minutes a side until pale golden and cooked through, and drain. Or bake on lined trays at 350°F (300°F fan) for 25–30 minutes until firm and lightly golden. Never leave hot oil unattended.
50 minStep 5: Cool completely. Stack in odd-numbered layers (three, five or seven) on a platter, placing each layer crosswise, and decorate the top with sweets and aaruul.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ul boov take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 60 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.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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
Reform tortaWalnut meringue chocolate cake
Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.
Ma'amoulDate and walnut butter pastries
Ma'amoul are delicate shortbread-like pastries made for Eid and Easter across the Middle East. A soft, rose-scented butter dough is wrapped around a filling of dates, walnuts, almonds and pistachios cooked with cinnamon, marked with a fork, baked pale and dusted with icing sugar. Makes 35; they keep well in a tin.
Cranberry and apple ring
A light, eggless and butter-free cake made with self-raising flour, cinnamon, light muscovado sugar, apple juice and a little sunflower oil, studded with juicy cranberries and diced apple and baked in a ring mould. Drizzled with warm cranberry jam and decorated with apple slices, it looks festive and is low in fat.
