Dense gram flour fudge cooked in ghee with saffron and cardamom — the festival sweet of Gujarat made for Diwali and offered to deities.
Ingredients
2 cups coarse besan (use coarse-grain besan not fine; or mix besan with 2 tbsp semolina)
3/4 cup ghee
3/4 cup sugar dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
A generous pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
2 tbsp pistachios — thinly sliced
2 tbsp almonds — thinly sliced
Method
Heat 3/4 cup ghee in a heavy pan on medium-low.
Add coarse besan. Roast on medium-low stirring continuously without stopping for 18 to 20 minutes.
The besan will go through stages — first raw smelling, then starting to colour, then golden, then a deep golden-brown with an intensely nutty aroma. Stop at the deep golden-brown stage.
Remove from heat. Add sugar water in a thin stream while stirring vigorously — the mixture will sizzle and spatter.
Stir until the sugar water is fully incorporated.
Add saffron milk and cardamom powder. Mix.
Return to very low heat. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture comes together and pulls slightly from the sides.
Pour onto a greased tray. Spread to 1.5 cm thickness.
Press sliced pistachios and almonds on top immediately.
Cool completely until firm. Cut into squares or diamond shapes.