Sukrunde is a traditional Goan Hindu sweet dish, unheard by many and slowly disappearing. Attractive with an appearance of a lemon. It is referred to as a “sweet fritter or sweet ladoo” consisting of a filling prepared with either chana dal or moong beans with an outer coating. The lentil mixture with chana dal is similar to the puran used in puran poli, but enriched with coconut and cashewnuts. Shaped into a ball, dipped in batter and deep fried. Delicious with the combination of the crispy coating and moist filling. Enjoyed as a dessert or at tea-time, plain or drizzled with ghee.
Easy to make, depending on personal preference for a crispy or soft covering, the batter is made with either rice flour, combination with besan, wheat flour and all-purpose flour or just with the latter alone. Addition of turmeric powder in the batter imparts the beautiful yellow hue to the sukrunde. In the state of Karnataka, this sweet delicacy is given to pregnant women at their baby showers or when invited by their relatives for a meal. To nourish, strengthen and provide the women with the extra calories needed during pregnancy. It is also a popular food item in Kerala and Tamil Nadu called sukiyan (sukhiyan, sugiyan or suguntalu). In the state of Andhra, this sweet treat is known as poornam borelu or poornalu.
Easy to make, depending on personal preference for a crispy or soft covering, the batter is made with either rice flour, combination with besan, wheat flour and all-purpose flour or just with the latter alone. Addition of turmeric powder in the batter imparts the beautiful yellow hue to the sukrunde. In the state of Karnataka, this sweet delicacy is given to pregnant women at their baby showers or when invited by their relatives for a meal. To nourish, strengthen and provide the women with the extra calories needed during pregnancy. It is also a popular food item in Kerala and Tamil Nadu called sukiyan (sukhiyan, sugiyan or suguntalu). In the state of Andhra, this sweet treat is known as poornam borelu or poornalu.
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Goan Sukrunde
(Yields 20)
Filling
Ingredients:
2 cups chana dal (split chickpeas)
1 cup sugarcane jaggery
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1/2 cup cashewnuts (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
a pinch of salt
Method:
Soak chana dal in warm water for an hour. In a heavy bottomed pan, cook chana dal with 4 cups water until cooked and soft, around 30 minutes. Discard the white froth that rise to the top leaving any remaining water in the pan with the chana dal.
To the cooked chana dal with water, add jaggery, coconut, cashewnuts and salt. Stir continuously until mixture thick with no moisture. It will take some time to dry out, but the dal will break down in the process avoiding the hassle of grinding it. Finally, sprinkle cardamom powder and nutmeg. Combine well and remove from heat.
When mixture has cooled down, form into lemon size balls and set aside.
Coating
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups rice flour
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
oil for deep frying
a pinch of salt
Method:
In a bowl, mix flour with turmeric powder, salt and enough water to form a batter that is smooth and free of lumps. It should not be too thin or thick, but of a consistency good enough to coat the sweet balls.
Heat oil for deep frying on medium flame. Ensure that the oil is hot enough or else the coating will get soggy, start splitting and break open releasing the filling into the oil.
Dip each ball into the batter and fry until coating is cooked. Don’t be in a hurry to turn them around.
Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Serve warm plain or drizzled with ghee.
Note:
(Yields 20)
Filling
Ingredients:
2 cups chana dal (split chickpeas)
1 cup sugarcane jaggery
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1/2 cup cashewnuts (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
a pinch of salt
Method:
Soak chana dal in warm water for an hour. In a heavy bottomed pan, cook chana dal with 4 cups water until cooked and soft, around 30 minutes. Discard the white froth that rise to the top leaving any remaining water in the pan with the chana dal.
To the cooked chana dal with water, add jaggery, coconut, cashewnuts and salt. Stir continuously until mixture thick with no moisture. It will take some time to dry out, but the dal will break down in the process avoiding the hassle of grinding it. Finally, sprinkle cardamom powder and nutmeg. Combine well and remove from heat.
When mixture has cooled down, form into lemon size balls and set aside.
Coating
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups rice flour
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
oil for deep frying
a pinch of salt
Method:
In a bowl, mix flour with turmeric powder, salt and enough water to form a batter that is smooth and free of lumps. It should not be too thin or thick, but of a consistency good enough to coat the sweet balls.
Heat oil for deep frying on medium flame. Ensure that the oil is hot enough or else the coating will get soggy, start splitting and break open releasing the filling into the oil.
Dip each ball into the batter and fry until coating is cooked. Don’t be in a hurry to turn them around.
Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Serve warm plain or drizzled with ghee.
Note:
- Sukrunde with rice batter has a crispy coating. For a softer one, use all-purpose flour or combination of various flours as desired and indicated in the write-up above.
