SAKARPARA

Ingredients

• 250 g (1 powa) almonds (Raw, unpeeled almonds; will be soaked and peeled)
• as needed water (For soaking almonds and adjusting dough consistency)
• 250 g (1 powa) cream of milk (Fresh thick cream skimmed from the top of full-fat milk)
• 125 g (½ powa) ghee (For mixing into the dough)
• 1000 g (1 seer) fine flour (Finely milled plain white flour)
• plenty, for deep frying ghee (Use a deep pan with enough ghee to fully submerge the dough cubes)
• 250 g (1 powa) sugar (For making a very concentrated syrup to coat the fried cubes)

Instructions

1. 1Place 250 g (1 powa) of almonds in a bowl and cover completely with water. Leave them to soak for 2 hours until the skins soften and loosen. This is called 'blanching by soaking' and makes peeling easy.
2. 2Drain the soaked almonds. Pinch each almond between your fingers and the skin will slip off easily. Once all almonds are peeled, use a knife and chopping board to cut them into small pieces.
3. 3Transfer the chopped almonds to a mortar and pestle or blender. Add a small amount of water — just enough to help grinding — and grind or blend the almonds into a smooth, thick paste. Add water gradually and sparingly; you want a paste, not a liquid.
4. 4In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond paste, 250 g (1 powa) of cream of milk, and 125 g (½ powa) of ghee. Add 1000 g (1 seer) of fine flour on top. Mix everything together with your hands or a wooden spoon until it starts to come together.
5. 5Knead the mixture firmly in the bowl, pressing and folding it repeatedly. If the dough feels too dry and crumbly to come together, add a very small splash of water at a time. Continue kneading until you have a stiff, firm dough — it should not be soft or sticky. A stiff dough will hold its shape when cut into cubes.
6. 6Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll or press the dough out to an even thickness of about 1–1.5 cm. Use a knife to cut the dough into small, even cubes — approximately 1.5 cm on each side. Keeping them a uniform size ensures they cook evenly.
7. 7Pour a generous amount of ghee into a deep heavy-bottomed pan — enough to fully submerge the dough cubes. Heat over medium heat until the ghee is hot and shimmering (around 170°C / 340°F if you have a thermometer). Carefully lower the dough cubes into the hot ghee in batches — do not overcrowd the pan. Fry, turning occasionally, until they turn a light golden brown all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Be careful: hot ghee can splatter.
8. 8In a separate saucepan, combine 250 g (1 powa) of sugar with just enough water to dissolve it — use as little water as possible. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring and let it boil until the syrup becomes very thick and concentrated. To test: dip a spoon in the syrup and let a drop fall — it should form a thick thread or near-solid drop. This is a high-concentration syrup. Remove from heat immediately once it reaches this stage.
9. 9Working quickly while the syrup is still warm and fluid, add the fried dough cubes to the saucepan of syrup. Toss and stir gently to coat every cube evenly with the thick syrup. Spread them out on a plate or tray so they do not stick together, and allow to cool. The syrup will harden slightly as it cools, forming a sweet coating on each cube.