Mohanthal Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Sweets are an intrinsic part of Indian celebrations, and to add more fun to the festivities, here is an easy Mohanthal recipe that is perfect for festivals like Diwali, Janmashtmi, or other occasions. Made with just a few staple ingredients, this square-shaped sweet will steal away your heart!

Prep: 10

Cook: 15

Rest: 3

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: PIECES

Calories: 216kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

PRE-UP BEFORE ROASTING

2 cups Coarse Besan
1½ tablespoons Ghee melted
1½ tablespoons Whole Milk

ROAST BESAN

½ cup Ghee + extra 3 tablespoons melted
¾ cup Milk Powder
3 tablespoons Slivered Pistachios

SUGAR SYRUP

1 cup Sugar + 2 tablespoons extra
¾ cup Water
⅛ teaspoon Saffron strands
1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder

GARNISHES

- - Slivered Pistachios

Instructions

PREPARE BESAN

In a large mixing bowl, combine coarse besan with ghee and milk.
Mix ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Now, rub this mixture between your palms, making sure ghee and milk are fully incorporated in the besan.
Keep rubbing the mix until the besan mixture is grainy in texture. Cover the bowl with a lid and allow the mix to rest for 10 minutes.
After 15 minutes, sift this besan mixture through a sieve to remove any larger lumps.
When all the mix has been filtered, you will end up with some big chunks.
Re-grind them to break apart any big lumps and sift them back into the previously-sifted besan mixture.
Cover the bowl with a lid and allow the mix to rest for another 10 minutes.

PREPARE SUGAR SYRUP

Combine sugar and water into a wide pan.
Bring it to a boil, and once the sugar has dissolved, add rosewater, cardamom powder, saffron strands, and stir the 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. Cover and set it aside. Check consistency - take some cooled sugar syrup between your fingers, press, and now open your fingers; if it forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking – sugar syrup is ready to use.

COOK BESAN

After 10 minutes of rest time, combine ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Reduce the flame to a medium setting, and add sifted besan to the Kadai.
Using a spatula or perforated spoon, start roasting the besan. Keep stirring continuously and roast the besan for 7-9 minutes. The besan mixture will become runny and all bubbly. Stir continuously over medium heat.
Another 4-6 minutes into the cooking, besan will start to change color and become caramel-y. The total roasting time for me was 14-15 minutes.
Turn the heat down and add milk powder and stir until it is well absorbed in the besan mix.
Turn off the heat and allow the besan to cool slightly. But keep stirring as the Kadai is still hot.
Once the besan has cooled comfortably ( at room temperature), add the sugar syrup.
Turn the heat to a medium-low setting and mix until the sugar syrup is completely absorbed in the besan. Be extra careful, as the mixture will start to bubble as the water evaporates.
Keep stirring for another 2-3 minutes until it forms a thick mass.
Add slivered pistachios and mix.
Grease an 8×8 pan with ghee. Line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper too with ghee. Transfer the Mohanthal to this prepared pan and spread it around the pan in a single layer.
Garnish with some more slivered pistachios and let it rest for 5-6 hours or overnight.
Once set, divide Mohanthal into equal pieces and serve.

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

How to cut Mohanthal into perfect pieces?

You need to take care of a few points before you get into this part of the preparation.

1. Allow the dish to cool down completely before you cut it into pieces.

2. Always use a sharp knife for cutting.

3. If you are a beginner or do not have a practiced hand, it is always better to fall back upon a ruler to get the perfect markings for cutting.

4. Lastly, you need a bit of concentration and, of course, a steady hand to get it done the right way!

What to do with the leftovers scrapes?

You will be leftover with scrapes of the sweet when it is cut into squares and moved over to the container—wondering what to do with this?

Well, gather up all and roll it into ladoo or pedas. That simple! Garnish, and you are ready to serve it!

How to store Mohanthal?

Considering the fact of how deliciously addictive Mohanthal is, it is hard to keep hands off it!

[Caution: you may find it varnishing much quicker than you might have thought!]

However, it is easy to store this sweet and relish it later. Mohanthal can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 weeks. You can keep it in the fridge, and it will stay fresh for another two weeks.

Whenever you need a quick bite, run it through the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, and it is ready to be savored.

How to serve Mohanthal?

Mohanthal tastes best at room temperature. However, if you have refrigerated it, you can heat it for 10- 15 seconds in the microwave, and it will be suitable to be consumed.

If you are fond of fusion recipes, then you can devour this sweet, topped-up with ice cream! I’m sure you will declare it as a heavenly spree!

Nutrition