SARA-CHAKRA

Ingredients

• 470 g (approximately 1/2 seer) fried mung dal (fried moog dal) (Use pre-fried split mung dal, available at Indian grocery stores. If unavailable, dry-roast raw split mung dal in a pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, then cool before using.)
• 470 ml (approximately 1/2 seer), plus extra as needed for boiling water (Used to boil the mung dal until it absorbs the water and becomes very soft.)
• 2 ripe coconuts (scraped kernels only) freshly scraped coconut kernels (Use the white flesh of 2 ripe coconuts. Scrape or grate the flesh finely. Frozen desiccated coconut is not an ideal substitute — fresh or frozen grated coconut is preferred.)
• 280 g (approximately 3 powas) khoya (khowa kheer) (Khoya is dried, solidified whole milk. It is available at Indian grocery stores. 1 powa is approximately 93 g, so 3 powas ≈ 280 g.)
• 93 g (approximately 1/2 powa) fine plain flour (all-purpose flour) (Use plain white flour, sifted. 1 powa ≈ 93 g, so 1/2 powa ≈ 47 g. Use approximately 47 g.)
• 93 g (approximately 1 powa) sugar (for the paste) (Regular white granulated sugar. 1 powa ≈ 93 g.)
• 470 ml (approximately 1/2 seer) water (for the paste) (Added when heating the combined mixture to help cook it to a stiff paste.)
• 11.6 g (approximately 1 tola) ground cardamom (powdered cardamoms) (1 tola ≈ 11.6 g. Use pre-ground cardamom or grind whole green cardamom seeds to a fine powder. This is approximately 2 teaspoons.)
• 500 g (plenty, enough for deep frying) ghee (for frying) (Use clarified butter (ghee). You need enough to fully submerge the cakes — a deep pan with at least 5 cm depth of melted ghee is recommended.)
• 200 g (enough to make a light syrup) sugar (for the syrup) (The original recipe calls for a syrup of sugar without specifying the quantity. Use enough sugar and water to make a light, pourable syrup sufficient to coat and soak all the fried cakes. A ratio of 1 part water to 1 part sugar by weight is typical.)
• 200 ml water (for the syrup) (Combined with sugar to make the soaking syrup.)
• 7 drops (6 or 7 drops) rose essence (Available at Indian grocery stores or online. Use exactly 6 or 7 drops — it is very concentrated.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the fried mung dal (approximately 470 g) in a medium-to-large saucepan. Pour in the 470 ml of water (used for boiling) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dal has fully absorbed the water and become very soft and swollen — this is what 'saturated' means in the original recipe. The dal should be completely tender with no firmness remaining. If the water is absorbed before the dal is fully soft, add a small splash more water and continue cooking. Once the dal is soft and the water is absorbed, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly so it is safe to handle. Transfer the cooked dal to a large bowl. Add the freshly scraped coconut kernels from both coconuts. Using a heavy spoon, a potato masher, or a food processor, mash and work the two together into a smooth, thick paste. The mixture should be cohesive and uniform with no large lumps remaining.
2. 2To the dal and coconut paste in your large saucepan (or transfer to one if needed), add the khoya (approximately 280 g), the fine plain flour (approximately 47 g), the sugar for the paste (approximately 93 g), and the 470 ml of water for the paste. Stir everything together thoroughly with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well combined into a thick, homogeneous mixture. Make sure there are no unmixed lumps of khoya or flour remaining.
3. 3Place the saucepan with the combined mixture over medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking or burning on the bottom. As it heats, the mixture will become looser at first, then gradually thicken. Continue stirring and cooking until the mass becomes very stiff, thick, and gluey — it should pull away from the sides of the pan and hold its shape when you press it with the spoon. This is a workout but essential — do not stop stirring. Once it reaches a stiff, dough-like consistency that is no longer liquid, remove the pan from the heat immediately.
4. 4Transfer the hot stiff paste onto a clean, lightly greased surface or into a large bowl. Allow it to cool for a few minutes until it is safe to handle but still warm and pliable. Sprinkle over the ground cardamom (approximately 11.6 g / 2 teaspoons). Using a wooden spoon, a spatula, or your hands (take care — it will still be warm), scrape and fold the paste back together and beat it thoroughly, working the cardamom evenly throughout the mixture. 'Beat thoroughly' means to work the paste vigorously so it becomes smooth, uniform in colour, and fragrant. Continue until the cardamom is fully distributed and the paste is smooth and cohesive. Allow the paste to cool completely so it is comfortable to shape by hand.
5. 5Once the paste is cool enough to handle comfortably, divide it into portions and shape them into two types of pieces: round balls (about the size of a large marble or a small walnut), and long finger-like cylinders (about 5–6 cm long and 1–1.5 cm thick, similar to a short, thick finger). Lightly grease your hands with a little ghee if the paste sticks. Place the shaped cakes on a tray or plate lined with baking paper as you work. They should hold their shape firmly without cracking.
6. 6While you are shaping the cakes, prepare the sugar syrup in a separate wide, shallow pan or bowl large enough to hold all the fried cakes. Combine the sugar for the syrup (approximately 200 g) with the water for the syrup (200 ml) in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a gentle boil for 2–3 minutes until you have a thin, pourable syrup. Remove from heat and set aside in the wide pan — the syrup should be warm when you drop the fried cakes into it. Keep it warm on the lowest heat setting if needed.
7. 7In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai (a deep Indian wok), melt the ghee over medium heat. You need at least 5 cm depth of melted ghee to deep-fry the cakes properly. Heat the ghee until it reaches approximately 160–170°C (320–340°F). To test without a thermometer, drop a tiny piece of the paste into the ghee — it should sizzle gently and rise to the surface. Do not let the ghee smoke — this means it is too hot. Carefully lower the shaped cakes into the hot ghee in batches, without overcrowding the pan. Fry each batch gently, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until they are lightly golden on the outside. Remove the fried cakes with the slotted spoon and immediately drop them, while still hot, directly into the warm sugar syrup. Gently turn them to coat. Continue until all cakes are fried and soaking in the syrup.
8. 8Allow all the fried cakes to soak in the sugar syrup and cool to room temperature. Once completely cold, drizzle exactly 6 or 7 drops of rose essence over the cakes and gently turn them so the rose fragrance is distributed. Do not add more — rose essence is very concentrated and a little goes a long way. Transfer to a serving dish and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. The cakes should be fragrant, sweet, and lightly syrup-soaked.