Whether be Diwali or Holi, sweets are an integral part of Indian traditions. During festive months Indian markets are overflowing with yummy and delicious sweets/mithais. Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite mithai – Kaju Pista Roll. As a kid this sweet was a must have during festive months. The tradition still continues in my family and I try to make it once every year. This year I am making it for Raksha Bandhan.
The name itself explains the recipe, kaju pista roll – meaning sweetened cashews and pistachios mixture flavored with rose water are rolled together to form this delicacy! Yum and D-licious! My mom’s way of making these rolls was to roast the kaju powder and pista powder separately, in lots of ghee. Well that what brings out the actual flavor and aroma in these rolls. Over the years I have tried to replicate these rolls, researched and came up with a healthy way of preparing Kaju-pista roll with minimal or no ghee at all; without compromising the taste and texture of these rolls.
A straight forward recipe, just follow few steps.
- Grind the nuts to a fine powdered form.
- After adding kaju/pista powder to the syrup, stir it continuously and make sure no lumps remain.
- As soon as you add milk-mawa powder, take it off the flame. Mixture will become firm.
- Knead the dough till it becomes smooth.
- Milk-mawa powder is the powdered form of mawa.
- Instead of rose water kewra essence or any other essence can be added
- Rolling is easy. Either you can roll the way I have shown below or you can make a long roll of pista dough. Place it at one end of the kaju dough and start rolling.
Also try out other sweets – Kaju katli, Angoori Gulab jamun, Mawa Burfi, Meeti Seviyan, Doodh Peda.
Kaju Pista Roll
INGREDIENTS
FOR KAJU DOUGH
- 1.5 cup Powdered Cashew
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Rose water or any essence
- 1/3 cup Dry Mawa Powder
FOR PISTA DOUGH
- 1.5 cup Powdered Pistachio
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1/3 cup Dry Mawa Powder
- 1 tablespoon Rose water or any essence
- 1-2 tablespoon Ghee (ONLY if the dough feels dry)
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder to sprinkle on top
- A few Saffron strands
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKING KAJU DOUGH
- Assemble all the ingredients.
- In a heavy bottomed pan combine, rose water, sugar and water as stated and set it to boil.
- Boil till it becomes thick and forms a 1- thread sugar syrup.
- To test if the consistency is right, CAREFULLY take some liquid in your hand, pinch your fingers and stretch.
- If the liquid forms a single thread sugar syrup, then its ready.
- Add powdered kaju to this mixture. It will become a liquidy paste. No worries, keep stirring.
- Add milk-mawa-powder and mix.
- Mix and the mixture will start to thicken up. Immediately take it off the flame .
- Keep working on the mixture and it will look like a ball of smooth dough.
- Transfer it onto a clean plate and start kneading the dough.
- If the dough feels dry, add 1 - 2 teaspoon of ghee and keep kneading.
- Knead until the dough start leaving its oil. You hands will become all greasy.
- Form it into a ball, cover and let it sit.
MAKING PISTA DOUGH
- Repeat the same procedure for Pista dough. Assemble all the ingredients.
- In a heavy bottomed pan combine, rose water, sugar and water as stated and set it to boil.
- Boil till it becomes thick and forms a 1- thread sugar syrup.
- To test if the consistency is right, CAREFULLY take some liquid in your hand, pinch your fingers and stretch. If the liquid forms a single thread sugar syrup, then its ready.
- Add powdered pista to this mixture. It will become a liquidy paste. No worries, keep stirring.
- Add milk-mawa-powder and mix.
- Mix and the mixture will start to thicken up. Immediately take it off the flame .
- Transfer it onto a clean plate and start kneading the dough. If the dough feels dry, add 1 - 2 teaspoon of ghee and keep kneading.
- Form it into a ball. Both the dough are ready to roll.
ASSEMBLING KAJU PISTA ROLL
- Take two sheets of wax paper. Place one underneath the dough and one on top.
- With a rolling pin. start rolling out the dough. You may have to apply pressure to roll out the dough.
- Likewise, repeat the process with pista dough and roll it out.
- Place pista dough over the kaju dough and cut out the uneven edges.
- Using the same wax paper, start rolling the dough. Keep rolling and press firmly.
- While rolling the sheet will come in between the rolls, keep pulling on that and roll.
- Once you have rolled the full dough. Press the dough hard and make sure it has a firm shape.
- Unwrap the dough. To give it a smooth finish, roll it like a rolling pin couple of times to even out the unfinished end part. As you can see in the picture, how the end part is visible.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into rolls.
- The finished rolls will have spiral pattern.
- As per one's taste, sprinkle some cardamom powder or saffron strands on top.
- Enjoy!! Homemade Pista rolls are ready. Happy Onam and Raksha Bandhan to all of you!!
