Experience the two-fold pleasure of Moti Pak, a magnificent Motichoor marvel ready to lure your taste buds. It’s the dual-flavored Boondi Burfi, where delicate Motichoor beads cradle a creamy Mawa layer. Its striking looks are simply a curtain-raiser to the splendid symphony of flavors it holds within.
Add this motichoor burfi delicacy to your Diwali dessert menu and enjoy every bite of its rich and indulgent burfi that is guaranteed to charm your family and friends!
What is Moti Pak
The word ‘Moti Pak’ combines two words: ‘Moti’ meaning pearls or boondi in Hindi, and ‘Pak’ meaning ‘dish’ or pakwaan.
The highlight of this soft and fudgy dessert is the contrasting textures – the top and bottom layer of this sweet is made of motichoor/ boondi, and the middle layer is nothing but smooth mawa dough.
This 3-layer iconic boondi and mawa delicacy combine the goodness of gram flour (besan), milk powder, mawa, sugar, and ghee. Subtly flavored with cardamom powder and saffron, Motichoor boondi Pak forms a heavenly blend of aromatic and flavorful treats.
Motichoor Pak Burfi is a delightful combination of grainy textured boondi and smooth textured mawa layer, and this assortment of textures and flavors makes it a perfectly sinful indulgence.
Reasons You’ll ♡ Moti Pak
Each bite of this authentic Motichoor Pak burfi connects you to absolute blissfulness. Here are a few more reasons you will love to relish this heavenly rich dessert —
- Exquisitely flavorful dish with soft and decadent layers
- Has a dense fudge-like consistency
- Look drool-worthy gorgeous
- Perfectly portioned and balanced in taste
- Scalable recipe, and
- Can be prepared in advance!
Made with a handful of pantry staples, this dessert is fun to make during festivals and religious celebrations.
The best part is that, you can make a big batch of this decadent Moti Pak for your festivals and celebrations to entice your guests and family. These also make a great gifting option.
Moti Pak Ingredient List
Ricotta cheese — Unsalted ricotta cheese or crumbled mawa is used for making milk mawa layer.
Ghee — Unsalted butter or homemade ghee adds an irresistible flavor to the mawa mixture.
Milk Powder — For adding more creaminess and flavor to the mawa layer, full-fat milk powder is added to the mawa mix.
Powdered Sugar — Used as the sweetening agent for our mawa mixture.
Cardamom/ Elaichi Powder — Ground cardamom seeds add an irresistible aroma and subtle flavor that makes the mawa mixture overly delicious.
Besan — Fine Besan (chickpea flour) is the main ingredient used for making the motichoor pearls.
Orange food color — The color makes the pearls look more tempting.
Ghee — Motichoor pearls are fried in homemade ghee for the ultimate nutty flavor. Any neutral-flavoured oil can also be used for frying.
Sugar — Used as the sweetener to flavor our motichoor pearls.
Rose water — The subtle floral aroma of the rose water makes the Moti Pak Burfi drool-worthy.
Cardamom Powder — Also added for flavor and an enticing aroma.
Lemon Juice — A few drops are added to the sugar syrup to prevent crystallization.
Slivered Pistachios and melons — For garnishing the motichoor mawa burfi.
Moti Pak Recipe Tips and Variations
The smooth batter for perfect pearls (motichoor) — Fine besan makes a smooth batter that creates perfect motichoor pearls/ boondi. Sieving the besan before adding water ensures that there are no lumps formed in the besan.
Low-medium heat for frying boondi —Maintaining the best temperature of the ghee/ oil for frying boondi is essential. More heat turns the boondi crispier, which does not soak the sugar syrup later. Less heat will allow the motichoor pearls to absorb more ghee/oil, making the boondi soggy.
May swap oil with ghee — Ghee can be used for frying boondi instead of oil. The flavor of pure homemade ghee makes the boondi extra delicious.
Avoid crispy motichoor boondi — Over-fried boondi will turn crispy and will not soak up the sugar syrup; therefore, avoid frying the boondi for longer.
The right sugar syrup consistency — One-string sugar consistency is desirable for making the motichoor. Anything other than this does not make the best motichoor of Moti Pak.
Pulse the large boondi pearls — Large boondi pearls will not make an even layer of Moti Pak, so pulsing them for a few seconds is the trick to get a delicate textured boondi.
Fixing the crisp boondi — Crisp boondi can be made softer by adding 1-2 tbsp of milk or water to the mixture and heating it.
Easy hack for a better binding — Ghee binds the motichoor better than oil owing to its thick consistency. Therefore, you can add a teaspoonful of ghee to the mixture to better shape the Moti Pak burfi.
Boondi soaks sugar syrup when still warm — An easy hack for better soaking: plunge the boondi into the lukewarm sugar syrup soon after frying it. Cooled boondi does not soak up the syrup easily, so don’t allow it to cool down.
Fixing the runny batter — The right consistency of motichoor plays an essential role in the making of perfect moti pak burfi. If the mixture is runny, the pearls/ boondi will not turn out perfectly. Adding a tablespoon of milk powder to the soupy mix will improve the consistency of the batter.
Heavy-bottomed pan to prevent burning —When cooking the milk, ensure that the pan is heavy-bottomed. Thin-bottomed pan may burn the ingredients easily and spoil the recipe.
Cook the mawa mix over medium-low heat —High temperatures will burn the ingredients; therefore, it is always advisable to cook the mawa mixture over medium-low heat.
Use ghee for ultimate taste — Homemade/ store-bought desi ghee lends an irresistibly delicious flavor and aroma to the mawa mixture so that you can use it for flavoring purposes.
If using store-bought mawa — Homemade mawa works best for Moti Pak recipe, but if you are using store-bought mawa, cook it for a while to achieve that rich and creamy texture.
Remove extra moisture to get the right consistency — Proper binding of the mawa layer is possible only if the mawa mixture has reached the right consistency. Therefore, cook the mixture until all the extra moisture has been removed.
Flavoring agent — Cardamom powder is added to Motichoor mawa burfi for its lovely flavor and aroma. You can alternately use rose water or kewra essence for the flavoring.
Fixing the overcooked/ undercooked mixture — Cooking the mawa mixture to remove the extra moisture and reach the right consistency is imperative for making a perfect Motichoor Pak. The overcooked mix will be dry and crumbly without being able to hold the shape. In that case, you can sprinkle some milk or cream on the mawa mixture and mix it well. Alternately, for the undercooked mixture, extend the cooking time for a few minutes until the extra moisture is removed.
Shaping cooled mixture easier — Hot mix, being soft and fragile, does not take shape; therefore, before layering the mawa mixture, let it cool completely.
Cutting the Moti pak into pieces — Slicing the Moti pak can be made perfect by carrying out the process with some patience. When the perfect layering is done, allow the moti pak to set for a while, and then cut it into pieces. Remember to wipe the knife clean between each cut.
Let me know what you think!
This recipe makes a fabulous dessert dish on the party table and promises to deliver magical delightfulness to your guests who are fond of traditional Indian sweets.
And while you craft this delicacy that has delighted generations of sweet lovers, we call upon you to discover the magic of traditions and plunge into the ecstasy that it brings to your festivities and your taste buds.
So, are you ready to revel in the delightful journey to craft this heavenly dessert? Then, let’s begin!
Should you make this Moti Pak, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.
And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
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Follow the step-by-step recipe to make the best Moti Pak Burfi Recipe
Moti Pak
INGREDIENTS
MOTICHOOR LAYER
For Boondis
- 1 cup Besan (Chickpea flour/ Gram flour)
- ⅛ teaspoon Orange food color
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- ½ cup Water + 2 tablespoons more
- – – Ghee for frying (Oil is also an option)
Prepare Sugar Syrup for Motichoor
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Water
- 1½ teaspoons Rose water
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- A pinch of Saffron strands
- A pinch of Orange food color
MAWA BURFI INGREDIENTS
- 15 oz Ricotta Cheese Use 1.5 cup of crumbled mawa instead of ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup Milk Powder
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Elaichi Powder (Cardamon Powder)
INSTRUCTIONS
MOTICHOOR LAYER
- Combine sugar and water into a wide pan.
- Bring it to a boil and add lemon juice to prevent crystallization.
- Add saffron strands and cardamom powder to the cooking sugar syrup.
- Allow the sugar syrup to simmer over medium heat until it reaches one-string consistency. It will take 7-10 minutes to get one string consistency.
- Check consistency – take some cooled sugar syrup between your fingers, press the fingers down, and now open your fingers; if it forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking – sugar syrup is ready to use. Cover and set it aside.
- Combine besan, food color, and a teaspoon of ghee in a mixing bowl.
- Add a little water at first and make a lump-free thick batter.
- Slowly and gradually add water to make a smooth, lump-free, and pourable batter. If the batter is of the right consistency, it will fall into the oil as even-sized tiny droplets, resulting in perfect motichoor boondi.Tip — Keep the besan consistency free-flowing — A free-flowing consistency of the batter is essential for making beautiful motichoor pearls. Also, make sure the batter has no lumps.
- Since I didn’t have the right motichoor jhara, I converted my size 2 boondi jhara to a size 0 by wrapping it in aluminum foil. If you plan to use this method, please make sure the foil is tightly secured around the jhara.Then, using a push-pin, I created tiny holes through the jhara. This effectively served the purpose and helped me make my best Motichur Ladoos!
- Heat oil in a pan. Always use a wide kadhai to fry the boondis. The kadhai should be wider than the size of the jhara. This way, when you tap the jhara over the kadhai, the batter falls straight into the kadhai rather than on the edges.
- While frying the boondi, create a higher platform so that the jhara is 3-4 inches above the oil. I used a container lined with a thick cloth and then placed the jhara on top to support it.Tip — To make the perfectly round pearls/ boondi — The trick to make a perfectly round boondi is to hold the strainer just above the kadhai when dropping the besan into the oil through the sieve. The thick cloth underneath the container acts as a cushion when you vigorously shake the jhara over the oil to drop the batter in the oil. Ensure the handle of the jhara rests over the container and does not come in close contact with the hot oil in the kadhai.
- Once the ghee/oil is hot, pour the batter through this jhara. Shake it vigorously (up and down) over the oil so that the whole batter drops through those holes as tiny droplets.
- Once the boondi is in oil, you have very little time.Fry them for a minute, then remove them immediately before the boondis start to change color. Do not over-fry the boondis.
- Use a fat skimmer to collect the fried boondis.Tip — We do not need crisp boondi for motichoor. Since they are very tiny in size, they will cook fast; therefore, be quick in removing the motichoor boondi from oil at the right time.A crisp boondi is not good for motichoor ladoos.
- Always drain fried boondi onto a paper-lined plate to ensure that extra oil is drained from the boondis. Spread the boondi in a single layer over the paper napkin to drain maximum oil. To prevent the fried boondi from drying out, cover the boondi with a lid while you fry the whole batch.
- Perfectly shaped motichoor boondis are ready for the sugar syrup.
- If the sugar syrup has cooled down, bring it to a quick boil. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, then add the fried motichoor boondis to this pan.
- Cook the boondi for 1-2 minutes at the lowest setting, stirring continuously. This way, the boondi will become soft and soak in the sugar syrup.
- Take the pan off the heat, cover, and let it rest for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- The mixture should bind well when pressed. Cover and set it aside.
MAWA MIXTURE
- Heat ricotta cheese over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Stir continuously. Soon the cheese will start to melt and spread.
- Use a big spoon because the cheese will start to splatter as it bubbles. Do not leave the mixture unattended; stir constantly.Tip — Continuous stirring prevents burning: The ingredients tend to get burnt when left unattended, even for a while. Therefore, keep stirring the mawa mixture for evenly cooking without burning.
- Keep stirring until the moisture starts to evaporate. The whole process will take about 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Now add ghee to the pan and stir to combine. Soon, the mixture will start to thicken and start to leave the sides of the pan.
- Add milk powder to it.Tip — Ensure the mixture is warm before adding milk powder and sugar to mawa. If milk powder and sugar are added to the hot mawa, the mixture will become runny and difficult to work with.
- Mix until combined. Turn off the heat.
- Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder.
- Mix it well until the sugar is thoroughly combined with other ingredients, forming a homogeneous mixture.
- Once the mawa mixture has cooked well, it comes together in the pan. This is the right time to remove the mixture from heat, as cooking for a longer duration will turn the mix dry.Tip — Make sure to make the mixture lump-free — Lump-free dough makes a smooth and luscious milk mawa layer with a melt-in-mouth texture.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Let it cool.
- Once it is cooled, knead the dough briefly for 2-3 minutes with the heel of your hand. Tip — Knead the mixture for smoothness — Kneading the mawa dough removes any graininess from the mixture and lends melt-in-mouth smoothness to the mawa mixture.
- Knead until you get a smooth mawa dough.
ASSEMBLE MOTI PAK BURFI
- Grease a tray with ghee or unsalted butter.
- For easy slide-out of the moti pak pieces, line the tray with parchment paper and grease it before setting the motichoor layer, which will facilitate the slide-out of the burfi.
- Divide the motichoor mixture into two equal parts. Transfer one layer to this greased pan.
- Using a spatula, spread it around into a thick burfi. As you spread, press and pack the mixture down firmly. The pressed motichoor mix will look like a thick block. Smoothen the top layer and edges with the spatula.Tip — Warm mixture holds better shape. For better layering of the motichoor mix, ensure that the mixture is warm and not very hot. Warm boondi can be shaped into the burfi easily.
- Now, spread the mawa mixture over the flattened motichoor barfi layer and ensure that this layer is also pressed down tightly.
- Put the other motichoor layer on top to make a sandwich. Spread and press this layer down firmly.
- Tightly pack the barfi when setting: When setting the burfi in the tray, ensure that all the layers are pressed tightly, as the loosely set mixture will result in a crumbly burfi.
- Decorate the Moti Pak burfi as you please. I have added some silver leaf, cardamom powder, and crushed pistachios as a garnish.
- You can go creative with the kind of decoration that lures you. Cover it with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
- Once set, remove the Moti Pak from the tray.
- Cut the Moti Pak into your desired shape to create individual sandwiched burfis.
- Serve and enjoy!
- This decadent dessert is mouth-watering and emanates festive vibes that perfectly resonate with the celebrations.
- Perfect for gifting too!
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