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Sekai Gohan
Shankarpali: Maharashtrian Fried Diamond Biscuits with Ghee and Cardamom
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Plain flour (maida) | 1 cup (240 ml), plus a little for dusting and adjusting | The body of the dough |
| Sugar | ¼ cup (60 ml) | Sweetness, dissolved into the dough |
| Ghee | 2½ tbsp | Aroma and flaky layers |
| Salt | A pinch | Sharpens the sweetness |
| Cardamom powder | ¼ tsp | Fragrance |
| Water | ¼ cup (60 ml), plus 1–2 tbsp if the dough is dry | Dissolves the sugar and brings the dough together |
| Frying oil | As needed, for deep-frying | Frying |
Steps
1Mix the dry ingredients
Put the flour in a wide bowl and add the pinch of salt and the cardamom powder. Rub everything together with your fingertips so the cardamom is spread through the flour and not left in one pale patch. Keep the sugar out for now, because it goes in with the warm liquid. Stop when the flour looks even and smells faintly of cardamom.
2Dissolve the sugar in warm ghee and water
In a small saucepan, combine the water, ghee and sugar. Warm the pan over low heat and stir gently as the ghee melts and the sugar dissolves. Don't let it boil. Turn off the heat as soon as the spoon no longer scrapes over any grains of sugar on the bottom of the pan.
3Knead a slightly firm dough
Pour the warm liquid into the flour and stir slowly until shaggy clumps form. Gather them by hand and knead for 6 to 8 minutes. If the dough feels soft or sticky, work in a little more flour. If it feels stiff and cracks, add 1 to 2 tbsp water. The dough is ready when it is smooth and slightly firm and the edges no longer crack when you press it.
4Rest the dough
Cover the bowl and leave the dough for 30 to 60 minutes. During this time the gluten relaxes, so the dough rolls out evenly and doesn't fight the rolling pin. Get your frying setup ready while you wait.
5Roll out two rounds
Dust the board lightly with flour and divide the dough in half. Keep one half covered. Roll the other into a round about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, or a little thinner. Thicker rounds fry up flakier, and thinner ones turn crisper and crunchier. Stop when the round is the same thickness from the center to the edge.
6Cut the diamonds
With a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the round into straight strips ½ inch (1.3 cm) wide. Then cut across the strips at an angle to make diamonds. Lift the pieces onto a plate in a single layer. Press the scraps together, roll them out with the second half of the dough and cut again. You're done when all the dough has been cut into neat, separate diamonds.
7Heat and test the oil
Pour oil into a heavy, deep pan and heat it. Drop in a small scrap of dough to test it. When the scrap sizzles straight away and rises to the surface, the oil is ready. Turn the heat down to medium before the first batch goes in.
Hot oilKeep the pan, spoon and your hands completely dry, because water makes hot oil spit. Lower the pieces in gently rather than dropping them. Never leave the pan unattended while it is on the heat.
8Fry in small batches
Slide in a handful of diamonds at a time, enough to float without touching or overlapping. Turn them now and then with the slotted spoon. At first the oil sizzles loudly all around them. They are done when the sizzling dies down and the pieces are golden brown on both sides.
9Drain, cool and store
Lift each batch out with the slotted spoon and spread it on kitchen paper in a single layer. Leave the pieces until they are completely cold. As they cool they turn crisp. Then pack them into an airtight container or jar. They are ready to store when they are cool to the touch all the way through and snap cleanly.