Pantua

Pantua: Pantua is a local confection of eastern India and Bangladesh. It is a traditional Bengali sweet made of deep-fried balls of semolina, chenna, milk, ghee and sugar syrup. Pantuas range in colour from pale brown to nearly black depending on how long they are fried. Rose water, cardamom or other flavourings are sometimes added to the sweet.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1 cup soft khoya (unsweetened khoya)
• 2 cups chenna
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp ghee/ clarified butter
• Oil, for deep frying
• 3 tbsp chopped cashew nuts, pistachios, for garnish

For Sugar Syrup:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom
• 4-5 strands of saffron

Method:

• Boil the water and sugar on medium heat, in a deep bottomed vessel.
• Keep boiling the sugar syrup for 15-20 minutes or till the syrup becomes of medium consistency (not too runny or not too thick).
• Add in the green cardamom powder and saffron strands.
• Remove the sugar syrup from heat.
• Keep aside.
• Smash the khoya on a flat surface till it becomes smooth.
• Smash the chenna a flat surface till it becomes very smooth and oily.
• Mix the smashed chenna, baking powder, flour, cardamom powder and ghee (clarified butter) in a bowl.
• Knead well.
• Add in the smashed khoya to the chenna mixture.
• Knead it well with your palm till there’s no lump in it.
• Rest the dough for 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 20 equal sized portions.
• Roll out each portion into a round smooth shape.
• Heat the oil, for deep frying till 130°C – 150°C.
• Fry the dough balls in the oil, till they become dark brown in colour
• Transfer the fried balls into hot syrup.
• Let them soak for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Pantua’s are ready to be served.
• Transfer the pantua’s into a serving bowl and serve hot garnished with chopped nuts.

If you have any queries regarding the Pantua recipe, please leave a comment