Traditional Gujarati Mohanthal Recipe (Gram Flour Fudge with Nuts and Saffron)
Archana Doshi
On Monday, 10 October 2011 12:02
Gujarati Mohanthal Recipe is a very traditional festive sweet made from sweetened gram flour and cooked slowly into a dense fudge flavored with saffron and nuts. Mohanthal is one of the signature desserts prepared by my mother in law and the entire family swoons over the perfect texture and taste that only she can achieve. Friends and family would tell her “We follow your recipe to the T and can’t get it to make like you do”. Some say it’s the hand and I say it’s the love with which she makes it.
With all her love she has shared the recipe with me making sure I have been with her through every step of the process of making this sweet so I perfect it. After many sessions of getting trained by watching her make this sweet I started making this on my own. The main variation in her recipe compared to many others is that she doesn’t use khoya and this is what makes a whole lot of difference.
Some other popular traditional recipes made with love and delicate techniques are Gajar Ka Halwa, Ragi & Whole Wheat Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa.
Ingredients
4 cups gram flour
2-1/4 cups ghee
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon cardamom powder
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds and pistachios
Ingredients for the Sugar Syrup2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups water
Directions for Traditional Gujarati Mohanthal Recipe (Gram Flour Fudge with Nuts and Saffron)
To begin making the Mohanthal Recipe, we will first prepare our dish for setting the Gujarati Mithai. Grease an 8 x 8 inch square pan with a minimum of 2 inch rim with ghee and set aside.
Add 1-1/2 cups of ghee to the gram flour in a large bowl and combine well with fingers to make a mixture that feels like coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk to the above coarse crumbs mixture and rub between the palms to combine well.
In another sauce pan; heat the 2 cups of sugar and 1-1/2 cups of water simmering it until it reaches a two thread consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep it warm.
Heat the remaining ghee in a large sauce pan and add the above flour mixture, stirring continuously until golden brown and releases a roasted aroma about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the nuts and cardamom until combined.
Gradually add the sugar syrup and keep stirring till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan. Take care not to stir to for too long; if you do the mixture will become too rubbery when set.
Turn off heat and transfer the Mohanthal mixture into the greased rectangular pan, leveling such that the Mohanthal is about two inches in height.
Run a knife to cut the Mohanthal into squares and allow it to cool on the tray for more than a couple of hours to set. Once cooled completely, separate the precut squares and serve.
Store the Gujarati Mohanthal Mithai in air tight containers in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Serve the Gujarati Mohanthal for the festivals like Diwali or even make it as a sweet for friends and family. You can serve it as it is or it warm by heating in the microwave for a few seconds.
Archana Doshi
Archana Doshi
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