Golpapdi No. 2 (Crispy Jaggery Brittle)
A unique historical variation of the traditional Gujarati sweet Golpapdi that resembles a crisp, golden brittle rather than the usual soft fudge. This recipe combines a generous amount of caramelized jaggery with a small quantity of wheat and rice flour for texture, studded with fried almonds or pumpkin seeds. Finished with aromatic cardamom and nutmeg, it offers a satisfying crunch and rich, buttery flavor perfect for festive occasions.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Almonds or Pumpkin Seeds (Magaj) (Originally '2 tolas'. Sliced almonds or melon seeds.)
- 1 tablespoon Ghee (for frying nuts) (Estimated quantity for frying.)
- 1/4 cup Ghee (Originally '5 tolas' (approx 60g).)
- 1/4 cup Wheat flour (Part of the flour mix. Originally part of '5 tolas' mix.)
- 1/4 cup Rice flour (Part of the flour mix. Originally part of '5 tolas' mix.)
- 2 cups Jaggery (yellow, soft) (Originally '1 seer' (approx 450g). Use soft yellow jaggery, chopped.)
- 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom powder (Originally part of '1/2 tola' spice mix.)
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder (Originally part of '1/2 tola' spice mix.)
Instructions
- 1If using almonds, peel and slice them finely. If using pumpkin seeds (magaj), clean them. Heat a small amount of ghee in a pan and fry the nuts until they turn a crisp, golden almond color. Set aside.
- 2Clean a metal tray or thali. Smear a very thin, even layer of ghee over the surface. Mix the wheat flour and rice flour together in equal parts. Take a handful of this flour mixture and dust it over the greased tray, rotating it so the flour sticks to the ghee. Turn the tray upside down and tap it to remove any excess loose flour, leaving a thin coating stuck to the ghee. Reserve about 1/2 cup (approx 5 tolas) of the remaining flour mixture for the cooking step.
- 3In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1/4 cup (5 tolas) of ghee over medium heat. When it is hot and slightly smoking, add the chopped jaggery. Stir continuously until the jaggery melts completely. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of flour mixture and mix well.
- 4Continue cooking until the mixture bubbles. Lower the heat. Stir in the fried nuts. To test for doneness, drop a small amount onto a saucer; if it cools quickly and becomes crisp or brittle (not soft), it is ready. Immediately remove the pan from the heat without delay.
- 5Pour the hot mixture into the prepared flour-dusted tray. Sprinkle the cardamom and nutmeg powder over the top. Allow it to cool slightly until it begins to set but is still warm. Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond shapes. Once completely cold and hard, remove the pieces from the tray.