Mohanthal Recipe for Diwali

Diwali is India’s biggest and most important annual holiday and is celebrated with a traditional festival of lights.

It marks the beginning of a new year for India’s calendar. This year my mom shared her recipe for Mohanthal with me and we made it together. This is a type of fudge. Every Diwali she prepares to celebrate by cooking delicious Indian sweets and I usually help by eating them and crimping pastries. This particular sweet is one of her specialties. For this dessert if it’s your first time making it I highly recommend asking a loved one to help you make this.

Let’s start by prepping our ingredients. The oven will not be needed so there is no baking involved.

Ingredients you will need for Mohanthal are: chickpea flour, ghee (clarified butter), cardamom, saffron, crushed pistachios, sugar, water, and milk. You will need to use two separate small bowls for milk. Each small bowl will get 4 tablespoons of milk.

First, warm one of the bowls of milk in the microwave for 15 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee in the milk and stir. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpea flour with the milk and ghee.

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Begin by hand mixing the mixture (top left). You want to reach a clumpy consistency (top right). Afterwards run the mixture through a large holed sieve (bottom left). The final consistency of our dry mixture should be grainy and fine (bottom right).

Next up, heat a heavy bottom, nonstick pan on about medium heat. Add the remaining ghee to the pan, let it heat up and then add the sifted chickpea mixture. You will need to stir continuously! It’s best to have someone else keep an eye on this mix while you prepare the next step; the sugar syrup. If you are designated to toast the chickpea mix, scroll down below for your instructions.

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In a separate bowl, on low heat, pour the sugar and water together (top left). Simmer for about 6 to 7 minutes, slowly bring it to a boil (top right). Stir carefully and add the saffron last (bottom left). It should turn into a beautiful orange color, saffron always does that magical color change which I love. Test your sugar syrup to see if it’s done by taking a tiny spoonful and carefully dipping your index finger into the syrup. Be careful! It’s hot! You want to pinch your thumb and index finger together to see if it creates a sticky thread (bottom right) Turn off stove when it’s done.

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To the designated person assigned to the chickpea mix, it should be loose and fluffy after about 6 to 7 minutes. After about 10 to 15 minutes, reduce the heat to low then pour in the 2nd bowl of milk (top left). Keep stirring, the texture will change after adding milk. Never stop stirring! After about 17 to 20 minutes, it should look a toasty golden brown color, turn off the heat to let the mix cool off for a while to room temperature (top right). Add the cardamom either before or after you turn off the heat (bottom left). Lastly, turn on the heat again on low to add in the sugar syrup to your chickpea mix. Stir only for about 2 minutes then turn off stove, do not over cook at this point! The desired consistency should be a little thick and goopy (bottom right).

The final step is to pour the chickpea mix into a pan and garnish with crushed pistachios. Place it in the fridge to cool and set overnight. You can also let it cool for a few hours if your heart can’t wait overnight. Cut into pieces the next morning and your Diwali dessert is ready, enjoy!