Food
talk
Sweet revitaliser
Pushpesh Pant
Prescribed for lactating
mothers to recover from labour of delivery, panjiri has
intrigued us since childhood. In some homes it is the main prasad item
on Krishna janmashtami. In north mothers sent it for daughters
and mothers-in-law prepared it for their bahu. Those infirm in
body can consumed it with a glass of kesar-fortified milk. Panjiri
is believed to have a garam taseer. Each family guarded its recipe
zealously. Grandmother rolled large pinnis but mother and mausis
served it in the form of a rough barfi. This is the recipe we share
with our readers.
Panjiri
Ingredients
Makhana 100g
Char magaz 50g
Kishmish 50g
Seedless dates 50g
Kaju 50g
Akhrot (walnut kernels) 50g
Badam 50g
Pista 25g
Goond (edible glue resin
crystals) 50g
Haldi (ground fresh at home) 50g
Ghee 50 ml
Khoya (crumbled) 50g
Shakkar (Brown sugar boora) 50g
Saunth 50g
(dried ginger powdered freshly)
Grated coconut 25g
Pipli 25g
Saunf seeds 1 tsp
Method
Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Lightly stir-fry makhana, nuts
and goond separately; keep aside. Lightly fry haldi, pipli and
coconut, all separately. Grind these to a coarse paste in blender,
adding little lukewarm milk if required. Crumble khoya in this
mixture. Prepare a 'thin' syrup boiling sugar and water together. Pour
it into the paste. Add dried fruits and char magaj seeds. Sprinkle the
coarsely pounded and chopped nuts and mix to blend. Grease a thali
with a little ghee and spread the mixture evenly in a thick layer. Pat
smooth and cool. Cut into square or diamonds.
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