Diwali recipes by Landi Govender

Pastry

390g cake flour

150g butter, cold - cut into cubes

cold water

½ tsp fine salt

Filling

80g desiccated or fresh coconut

135g semolina

3 tbs butter

160g castor sugar

30g sesame seeds

1 tsp cardamom (elachi) powder

Method

Place the desiccated coconut and sesame seeds in a saucepan on medium-low heat and lightly roast until the coconut turns a light brown colour.

Heat the butter in a pan and lightly toast the semolina. Set aside to cool. In a medium-sized bowl, add the toasted coconut, sesame seeds, and semolina and allow to cool. Once cool, add the castor sugar and ground cardamom.

For the pastry: Sift the flour. Add the butter and work the mixture into fine breadcrumbs. Add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until a smooth dough forms. Split the dough in half, wrap one half in cling wrap, and set aside. Roll out the dough. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out shapes.

Spoon one tablespoon of filling into the pastry cutouts. Fold the pastry in half. Press around the arc of the semi-circle to seal the filling. Use a fork to seal the edges. Do this with the remaining pastry and filling.

In a saucepan, heat the oil to 180°C and fry the poli making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil.

Soji Balls 

165g semolina

110g nibbed almonds

80g desiccated coconut

200g milk powder

2 tsp cardamom (elachi) powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

100g ghee, melted

1 can condensed milk

sesame seeds toasted, optional

desiccated coconut, optional

Method

Toast the semolina, nibbed almonds, and desiccated coconut for 10 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from the heat and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add in the milk powder, spices, melted ghee, and condensed milk.

Mix until combined and allow to cool completely. Once the mixture has cooled, scoop the mixture into 3 teaspoon-sized mounds. Shape into balls, roll in desiccated coconut or sesame seeds.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

Yield: 20 balls. 

Naan Khatai 

227g ghee, room temperature

165g castor sugar

2 tbs semolina

325g cake flour + 2 tbs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp cardamom (elachi) powder

almonds

Chocolate topping

100g sliced almonds

150g dark chocolate

gold leaf, optional

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a baking tray with baking paper and set it aside. Using a using hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the ghee and sugar mixture is a pale yellow, light, and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the flour to the ghee and sugar mixture and mix slowly until combined - the dough should be crumbly.

Scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of the biscuit dough and shape into a ball, and flatten slightly using the palms of your hands, so this for the remaining biscuit dough. Place on the prepared baking tray. Top each with a whole almond and bake for 20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Chocolate topping:

Place the chocolate into a bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals until melted, stirring in between. Once melted, allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the sliced almonds to the chocolate and mix until all the almonds are coated.

Once the biscuits are cooled add a teaspoon of the chocolate-coated almonds to the top of each biscuit, using the back on a spoon to spread out the chocolate mixture evenly.

Once the chocolate has set, decorate with gold leaf.

Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

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