Mohanthal/Chickpeaflour Fudge is a traditional and popular sweet made to celebrate any festival or occasion and is from Gujarat and Rajasthan (Western part of India). It is made by roasting chickpea flour and ghee together and than adding sugar syrup to it. It has melt in mouth and has coarse texture. It is very rich in flavor and addition of cardamom , saffron and rose water further enhances its aroma and taste. The dish is garnished with slivered almonds and pistachio to make it rich.
I have used the regular fine chickpea flour (besan) to make mohanthal. You can also use coarse chick pea flour if available. The process of giving dhabo is important to make a nice and coarse mohanthal. Melted ghee and milk is added to the chickpea flour and mixed well. The mixture is then pressed and kept aside for 30 minutes. The mixture is sieved from a big hole sieve. You get nice grainy and coarse texture of the flour. This process is known as “dhabo devo”.
Always roast the chickpea flour on a low heat till it is aromatic and golden brown in colour.
The most crucial step is to make a perfect melt in mouth mohanthal is making a perfect consistency sugar syrup. Make 1.5 string consistency of sugar syrup.
- If the sugar syrup is cooked less of about one string consistency, then after you mix the roasted chickpea flour mixture in it, cook the entire mixture again on medium heat till sugar syrup is nicely absorbed and mixture becomes smooth and starts leaving the edges of the pan.
- If the sugar syrup is cooked more, around 2 or multiple string then add around 2 tbsp water in it and immediately remove the syrup from heat to stop from further cooking. Now add the cooled raosted chickpea flour mixture to it. Mix well till all the mixture is nicely absorbed.
- Even if you make a 1.5 string consistency sugar syrup and after mixing it with the roasted chikpea flour mixture, the mixture seems to dry out and crumbly, then add around 2-3 tbsp of milk to it to make the mixture smooth.
The mohanthal needs around 3-4 hours to set or most preferably overnight. So do not hurry in cutting the mohanthal.
Mohanthal has good amount of ghee and is made with chickpea flour and is a good sweet to be had in winters. Also a perfect sweet to celebrate Janmashthami, Diwali, Holi, or any occassion. It is a popular sweet in Gujarati weddings too.
So friends do try making this delicious recipe for your loved ones and do share your feedback with me.
Khao dilse, khilao dilse aur banao dilse…
Mohanthal/Chickpeaflour Fudge
Equipment
- heavy bottom pan
- spatula
- sieve
- bowl
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- pot
- spoon
- Baking tray
Ingredients
- 2 cup chickpea flour besan
- 3 tbsp ghee melted, clarified butter
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 cup ghee melted, clarified butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp cardamom powder elaichi powder
- 1 tsp saffron strands kesar
- 1 tbsp rose water gulabjal, optional
- 8 almond slivered
- 8 pistachio slivered
- 1/2 tsp ghee for greasing tray
Instructions
Dhabo Devo (Add milk, ghee, to flour, press and sieve)
- Take chickpea flour (besan) in a bowl. Add melted ghee in it.
- Add milk in it and mix.
- Mix well with the help of your fingertips till everything is mixed well.
- Gently press the mixture and cover with lid and keep it aside for 30 minutes. (This process is known as "dhabo devo'". It helps to make flour crumbly and coarse).
- After 30 minutes take a big hole sieve as shown.
- Put the pressed mixture into the sieve and break down the big lumps with your hands and sieve the mixture by pressing in between. (For making it easier you can also grind the mixture into a mixture grinder).
- The sieved mixture will look grainy and coarse as shown.
Roasting chickpea flour
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai or pan on high heat.
- Lower the heat and add the sieved chickpea flour mixture.
- Mix the mixture well till entire ghee is absorbed keeping on low heat.
- Now stir continuously and cook the mixture on medium heat. After five minutes, the mixture will start to get aromatic.
- After couple of minutes the mixture will become light and frothy.
- It will start to become dark and aromatic.
- Switch off the heat and keep it aside to cool.
Sugar Syrup
- In the meanwhile put sugar and water in a pot to heat.
- Mix well and cook on high heat for couple of minutes.
- Lower the flame and add cardamom powder, saffron and rose water. Mix well.
- Cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes stirring in between.
- The syrup will get 1.5 string consistency.
- To check the consistency of sugar syrup, remove in a plate and it will become thick and not move.
- Or put the syrup in between your finger tips and check it by pressing the fingers, you will see a thick string formed . (if your sugar syrup cooks more than this then remove from the heat and add 2 tbsp of water to it.). Once the sugar syrup has reached 1.5 string consistency immediately remove from the heat to avoid from further cooking. Keep it aside.
Mix roasted flour and sugar syrup
- Now add the prepared sugar syrup to the cooled chickpea flour mixture.
- Mix well till all the sugar syrup is nicely absorbed and mixture is cooled.
- The ghee will come up. (If the mixture becomes crumbly or thick add around 2-3 tbsp of milk and it will become smooth to pour in a tray).
- Pour the mixture in a greased tray. Press it well. Some of the ghee will float on top.
- I have removed some ghee from the top.
- Garnish the mohanthal with slivered almonds and pistachio. Press them well.
- Let the mohanthal set for 3-4 hours. The ghee will be absorbed nicely. Once the mohanthal is set cut it into equal pieces and remove and serve.
- Remove the mohanthal in a serving plate and serve. Or it can be stored for 15 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition
looking very tempting and mouthwatering!!
Recipe looks great but when made too much ghee. I think half cup ghee is enough to complete this dish still was very tasty 🌷🌷
Thank you so much. Yes lot of ghee separates after the Mohanthal is layered in the tray. Most people prefer to keep it but I usually remove that excess ghee.
Please you save my whole mohanthal as I was making everytime and it was normal but today it was dry and crumbly but when I added little milk and it became nice . Thank you so much
I am so glad. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much, very good recipe