Gokul Pithe

I am huge fan of Bengali sweets. Most of the times when we speak of Bengali sweets visions of soft pillowy rasagullas and sandesh pop up in front of our eyes. So when I came across a very different kind of bengali sweet at the Bong Mom's Cookbook, I immediately bookmarked it for my next sweet preparation round. This Navratri I made Gokul Pithe as an offering to Goddess Amba. We enjoyed this immensely.

I halved the recipe as I did not want to make so many of them. For the original recipe head over to Bong Mom's Cookbook, she has lovely pics. I forgot to click step-by-step ones ..it happens to me when I am dealing with sugar syrup :)

Ingredients
For the filling
6 Oz Khoya (Milk Solids)
1 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
1 Cup Sugar
a generous pinch crushed cardamom powder
a generous pinch saffron

For the coating
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Milk
pinch salt
Water as needed
pinch of baking soda
1 tsp ghee
a generous pinch saffron

For sugar syrup
2 Cups Sugar
1&1/2 Cups Water

a generous pinch crushed cardamom powder
a generous pinch saffron

Method

1. In a saucepan, mix sugar, water, cardamom and saffron and bring to a boil till you reach a one string consistency.

2. In a heavy bottomed wok, on low heat, mix together coconut and sugar and stir till the sugar dissolves and coconut starts to turn golden brown. Now add khoya and cardamom and saffron and stir the mixture till it starts to leave the sides. 

3. Take a small amount and try to shape it into a disc, if it is sticky then return to heat and cook a bit more else it is done and you can set it aside.

4. Take a spoonful of the mix and shape it into a round flat disc approx 1.5 inch in diameter and thickness of a coin. Shape and keep aside.

5. In a kadhai add oil for deep frying on medium high heat.

6. In a mixing bowl, mix together the ingredients for coating adding enough water to make a thick cake-like batter.

7. Now coat the discs on both sides and dunk in hot oil, fry till golden on both sides. Remove with slotted spoon and add to the sugar syrup.

8. Remove from sugar syrup when they become a little soft. Enjoy