Kaju katli

A single-thread syrup poured onto ground cashews and cut into rhombuses.

Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains dairy (ghee).

Ingredients

• 400 g cashew nuts
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 100 ml water
• a large pinch of saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Method

1. A SINGLE-THREAD SYRUP IS POURED ONTO GROUND CASHEWS AND CUT INTO RHOMBUSES. Its article gives the test for the syrup rather than a temperature, which is more use at the stove: the SUGAR SOLUTION IS BOILED DOWN UNTIL A SINGLE THREAD FORMS WHEN TWO FINGERS ARE DIPPED INTO IT AND PULLED APART, AFTER WHICH IT IS ADDED TO THE GROUND CASHEWS. One thread, not two. Two and it sets hard.
2. THE CASHEWS ARE SOAKED OVERNIGHT FIRST. Its article says so -- SOAKED IN WATER FOR A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME (USUALLY OVERNIGHT), WHICH ARE THEN GROUND TO A PASTE. Dry cashews ground in a machine turn to butter from their own oil; soaked ones grind to a smooth paste without releasing it.
3. DRAIN THEM WELL AND GRIND WITH NO ADDED WATER. Pat them dry first. The paste should hold together in a ball when squeezed.
4. BLOOM THE SAFFRON IN A SPOON OF HOT WATER BEFORE IT GOES IN. Its article notes KESAR KAJU KATLI INCLUDES SAFFRON as the named variant, and threads dropped in dry give specks rather than colour.
5. SYRUP FIRST, PASTE SECOND, AND OFF THE HEAT QUICKLY. Sugar and water boiled four or five minutes to that single thread, then the cashew paste beaten in, then the ghee and cardamom. Two or three minutes more until it comes away from the sides in one mass.
6. KNEAD IT WARM ON A GREASED SURFACE UNTIL IT IS SMOOTH. This is the step that makes the surface glossy. Fold and press with the heel of your hand while it is still too hot to be comfortable.
7. ROLL IT THIN IN A SHALLOW DISH, ABOUT FIVE MILLIMETRES. Its article's words are SPREAD AND FLATTENED IN A SHALLOW, FLAT-BOTTOMED DISH. Thin is correct: this is a sweet eaten two at a time.
8. CUT IT INTO BITE-SIZED RHOMBUSES WHILE IT IS WARM. The article names the shape and the finish -- CUT INTO BITE-SIZED RHOMBUS-SHAPED PIECES, USUALLY DECORATED WITH EDIBLE SILVER FOIL -- and notes the result is WHITE OR YELLOW depending on what went in.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes