AKWARI

Ingredients

• 470 g (approximately 1/2 seer) ghee (for dough) (Use good quality clarified butter. Must be at room temperature so it can be beaten white. 1 seer ≈ 933 g, so 1/2 seer ≈ 466–470 g.)
• 933 g (approximately 1 seer) coarse whole wheat flour (atta) (Use stone-ground or coarse-milled whole wheat flour (atta) for an authentic texture. 1 seer ≈ 933 g.)
• 233 g (approximately 1 powa) curd (plain yogurt) (Use full-fat plain yogurt or homemade curd. 1 powa = 1/4 seer ≈ 233 g.)
• 5.8 g (approximately 1/2 tola) cardamom seeds (shelled) (Remove seeds from cardamom pods and use whole or lightly crushed. 1 tola ≈ 11.7 g, so 1/2 tola ≈ 5.8 g (roughly 1 teaspoon of seeds).)
• 1000 g (approximately 1 kg) ghee (for deep frying) (You need enough ghee to fully submerge the dough pieces. A deep heavy-bottomed pot filled to at least 8 cm depth is recommended. The original recipe specifies 'boiling ghee' — heat to approximately 170–180°C.)
• 900 g (approximately 2 cups, adjust for concentration) sugar (for syrup) (The original specifies 'very concentrated syrup of sugar'. This means a thick, nearly thread-stage syrup. Use white granulated sugar and enough water to dissolve it — approximately 300 ml water to 900 g sugar to achieve a thick syrup. The quantity should be sufficient to fully submerge all the fried pieces.)
• 300 ml water (for syrup) (Used only to dissolve the sugar and make the syrup. Boil down to a very concentrated, thick consistency.)

Instructions

1. 1Place 470 g of ghee (at room temperature) into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, a hand whisk, or an electric hand mixer on medium speed, beat the ghee vigorously and continuously until it turns perfectly white and becomes light and fluffy in texture. This is similar to creaming butter for a cake. The ghee must be pale and airy before you proceed — this step incorporates air and changes the texture of the final dough. This will take approximately 8–10 minutes by hand or 3–5 minutes with a mixer.
2. 2To the beaten white ghee, add 933 g of coarse whole wheat flour (atta), 233 g of curd (plain yogurt), and 5.8 g of cardamom seeds. Mix everything together with your hands or a wooden spoon until it begins to come together, then knead firmly on a clean work surface or in the bowl until you have a smooth, uniform dough. The dough should not be sticky — if it is too soft, it is normal given the high fat content; simply handle it gently. Knead for approximately 5 minutes until cohesive and smooth.
3. 3Divide the dough into small equal portions and roll each portion between your palms to form smooth balls roughly the size of a large marble or a small walnut (about 3–4 cm in diameter). Once formed, gently press each ball between your palms or on the work surface to flatten it slightly into a thick disc shape — do not flatten it too thin, just enough to create a slightly compressed round patty. Place the shaped pieces on a tray or plate as you work.
4. 4Pour approximately 1 kg of ghee into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or kadai (wok). Heat the ghee over medium-high heat until it is fully melted and reaches approximately 170–180°C (340–355°F) — this is what the original recipe calls 'boiling ghee'. You can test readiness by dropping a tiny piece of dough into the ghee: it should rise to the surface and sizzle gently. Carefully lower the flattened dough pieces into the hot ghee in batches — do not overcrowd the pot, as this lowers the temperature and causes uneven frying. Fry each batch, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until the pieces turn a light golden brown colour on all sides. This should take approximately 4–6 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Continue until all pieces are fried. Be careful when working with hot ghee — keep children away from the stove and never leave the pot unattended.
5. 5In a separate medium saucepan, combine 900 g of sugar with 300 ml of water. Stir over medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and continue to boil without stirring until the syrup becomes very thick and concentrated — this is known as a 'thick one-thread' to 'two-thread' syrup. To test: dip a clean dry spoon into the syrup, let it cool for a moment, then press a drop between your thumb and index finger and slowly pull them apart. You should see one or two sticky threads form before breaking. The syrup should look glossy and coat the back of a spoon heavily. This will take approximately 15–20 minutes of boiling. Once ready, remove from heat. The syrup must be large enough in volume to fully submerge all of the fried pieces.
6. 6Place all of the fried dough pieces into the warm concentrated sugar syrup, ensuring they are fully submerged. If needed, use a plate or lid to gently weigh them down so they stay covered. Leave them to soak in the syrup until fully saturated — the pieces will absorb the syrup and become dense and sweet throughout. This will take at least 2–3 hours, or you may leave them overnight for best results. The pieces should look plump and glossy when ready.
7. 7Once the fried pieces are fully saturated with syrup, remove them one by one using a slotted spoon and arrange them in a single layer on a large plate or wire rack. Allow them to dry in open air at room temperature — do not refrigerate at this stage. As they dry, the surface syrup will set and form a slightly tacky or firm sugar coating. This drying process takes approximately 1–2 hours depending on ambient temperature and humidity. Once dried, the Akwari are ready to serve or store.