Kaju Katli

Pearlescent diamond-shaped sweets with a melting, silky texture. The scent of cardamom blends with the richness of ghee and cashew.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 972
• Protein: 19 g
• Carbs: 72 g
• Fat: 66 g

Ingredients

• 250 g Roasted salted cashews ( ground into a fine powder )
• 150 g White sugar
• 80 ml Mineral water
• 1 tbsp ghee ( for smoothing )
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 250 g Raw cashews ( whole )
• 2 piece Edible silver leaf (Vark) optional ( for decoration )

Instructions

1. Powder the cashews

   Mix the roasted cashews and raw cashews using short pulses. You want a fine powder like sand, not an oily paste. Sift to remove large pieces.

2. Cook the syrup

   In a pan, heat the mineral water and white sugar. Bring to a boil. The syrup is ready when it becomes syrupy and forms a single thread between two fingers.

3. Incorporate and dry

   Pour in the cashew powder and cardamom. Stir constantly over low heat. The dough should thicken, become smooth, and eventually completely detach from the sides of the pan.

4. Knead and roll

   Transfer the dough to a surface greased with ghee. Knead lightly while still warm to smooth the texture. Roll out to a thickness of 5 mm.

5. Decorate and cut

   Gently apply the silver leaves on top of the dough. Let cool completely. Cut parallel strips, then tilt the knife to form clean diamond shapes.

Chef's tips

• Do not over-mix the cashews, or the oil will release and you'll get cashew butter instead of powder.
• If the dough sticks too much during kneading, add a touch of ghee to your hands.
• The ball test: take a bit of paste, let it cool slightly; if you can form a non-sticky ball between your fingers, it's done.

Storage

Store for 15 days in an airtight container at room temperature, or one month in the fridge.