Madhya Pradesh Lavang Lata Sweet Clove Pastry Festival

Ingredients

• For pastry:
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp ghee — for shortening
• A pinch of salt
• Water — to knead a firm dough
• Oil for deep frying
• For filling:
• 1 cup khoya (mawa) — crumbled
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp cashews — finely chopped
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• For sealing: 16 whole cloves (lavang)
• For syrup: 1 cup sugar + 1/2 cup water + pinch of cardamom — boiled to one-string

Method

1. Make pastry: rub ghee into maida until crumbly.
2. Add salt. Knead with water into a firm smooth dough. Rest 15 minutes.
3. Make filling: combine crumbled khoya, powdered sugar, chopped cashews, raisins and cardamom. Mix well.
4. Divide dough into 16 balls. Roll each into a very thin round 10 to 12 cm wide — almost translucent.
5. Place 1 heaped tbsp filling in the centre.
6. Fold the round into a rectangle. Then roll into a cigar or coil shape.
7. Press one clove through the seam end to seal and decorate — this is the lavang (clove) that gives the sweet its name.
8. Heat oil on medium. Fry lavang lata on medium for 3 to 4 minutes per side until pale golden.
9. Drain. Immediately dip in warm one-string sugar syrup for 20 seconds. Drain on a rack.
10. Cool completely. The syrup coating will dry to a glossy finish.