When I was 16 years old, my parents had gone to Goa for few days, entrusting me with the responsibilities of the house in Mumbai. It was during the Christmas season and for the first time, I tried making neureos and kulkuls with my brother and sister (both younger than me). The three of us worked well as a team and within four hours, we prepared both sweets with ease. I made sure that my siblings did not get close to the fire or hot oil. After all the cleanup was complete, I was so proud of myself for being fearless in the kitchen and happy that we were safe. I cherish this fond memory and the time I spent with my siblings.
Neureos are traditional crescent-shaped pastry stuffed with a filling of coconut, sweetened with either sugar or jaggery. Another variation made in Goa is a stuffing made with roasted green moong. My mother-in-law includes tutti frutti in the coconut filling, which is unique and delicious. The pastry for neureos consists of all-purpose flour, ghee, water and salt. The dough is allowed to rest, formed into small balls, rolled into circles, stuffed, folded, sealed and then deep fried in oil. Pastry can be shaped using a mould or rolled into layers. For a baked version, puff pastry can be used. Preparation of this sweet is time-consuming and many hands do expedite the process.
Neureos are traditional crescent-shaped pastry stuffed with a filling of coconut, sweetened with either sugar or jaggery. Another variation made in Goa is a stuffing made with roasted green moong. My mother-in-law includes tutti frutti in the coconut filling, which is unique and delicious. The pastry for neureos consists of all-purpose flour, ghee, water and salt. The dough is allowed to rest, formed into small balls, rolled into circles, stuffed, folded, sealed and then deep fried in oil. Pastry can be shaped using a mould or rolled into layers. For a baked version, puff pastry can be used. Preparation of this sweet is time-consuming and many hands do expedite the process.
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Neureos
Coconut Filling
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/4 cup cashew nuts (chopped)
1/4 cup raisins (cut into four pieces)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
Coconut Filling with Tutti Frutti
2 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/4 cup cashew nuts (chopped)
2 tablespoons raisins (cut into four pieces)
1/2 cup tutti frutti (pulsed into small pieces in a food processor)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
Green Moong Filling (read note nos. 5 and 6)
Method:
In a skillet, lightly roast coconut, semolina and sesame seeds. Each one should be roasted separately. Transfer to a bowl.
Mix in cardamom powder, cashew nuts, raisins and powdered sugar. The filling is now ready, which can be made ahead.
Note:
Coconut Filling
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/4 cup cashew nuts (chopped)
1/4 cup raisins (cut into four pieces)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
Coconut Filling with Tutti Frutti
2 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/4 cup cashew nuts (chopped)
2 tablespoons raisins (cut into four pieces)
1/2 cup tutti frutti (pulsed into small pieces in a food processor)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
Green Moong Filling (read note nos. 5 and 6)
Method:
In a skillet, lightly roast coconut, semolina and sesame seeds. Each one should be roasted separately. Transfer to a bowl.
Mix in cardamom powder, cashew nuts, raisins and powdered sugar. The filling is now ready, which can be made ahead.
Note:
- Adjust sweetness according to taste.
- For the tutti frutti filling, sugar has been reduced by 1/4 cup and raisins to 2 tablespoons. Perfect in taste and my favourite filling. This is my mother-in-law's filling.
- For a wet filling, prepare a sugar syrup with granulated sugar and a dash of water and then include the other ingredients. Do not add powdered sugar. My mother prepared this filling.
- Charoli and poppy seeds can be included in the filling. I prefer not to include both.
- Green moong bean filling is prepared by roasting whole moong bean, which is then ground into a powder. Sister-in-law Angela pulses the roasted moong bean for few seconds and then strains to remove the outer skin. She discards the skin and grinds the rest into a fine powder. Filling is prepared with the ground roasted moong bean, powdered sugar and cardamon powder. She follows mother-in-law's recipe.
- Other relatives, roast the green moong bean, grind them whole without removing the skin. They say that the skin contains nutrients too. Also, in the filling, they include a little chana dal that is roasted and ground to a powder along with some roasted coconut, cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom powder. Semolina is optional but I would add a little for some texture making it easier to enjoy the filling and preventing from sticking to the back of the throat when swallowing.
- Coconut-jaggery filling click here.
- Any leftover filling can be refrigerated for a couple of months. When ready to use, bring to room temperature.
Pastry
Ingredients:
2 cups flour + extra for dusting
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons ghee (softened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
oil for deep frying
Method:
Sift the flour and salt. Add the ghee and with your fingertips, incorporate into the flour until it resembles fine crumbs. Gradually, include 3/4 cup of water to form a dough. If required, drizzle the balance 1 tablespoon of water and knead to a soft smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let dough rest for an hour.
Divide the dough into small balls. Roll each ball into a thin circle, place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the centre of the circle. Wet the edges with water and then fold one side to form a semi-circle to enclose filling. Lightly press and seal edges. Use a serrated wheel cutter to trim the edges. Press down along the sides with the wheel to create a design or use tines of fork. Alternatively without trimming, turn the edge of the dough inward. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Continue the above with the remaining pieces.
Various moulds can be used to stuff and seal the neureos.
Heat oil on medium-low flame and deep fry 3 or 4 neureos at a time. Turn occasionally using a slotted spoon, until crispy and pale in colour. Drain in a colander placed over a bowl and then, transfer onto a flat dish lined with absorbent paper towels. Do not brown them. Once they are taken out of the oil, they continue to cook with the heat and darken further.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
Note:
Ingredients:
2 cups flour + extra for dusting
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons ghee (softened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
oil for deep frying
Method:
Sift the flour and salt. Add the ghee and with your fingertips, incorporate into the flour until it resembles fine crumbs. Gradually, include 3/4 cup of water to form a dough. If required, drizzle the balance 1 tablespoon of water and knead to a soft smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let dough rest for an hour.
Divide the dough into small balls. Roll each ball into a thin circle, place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the centre of the circle. Wet the edges with water and then fold one side to form a semi-circle to enclose filling. Lightly press and seal edges. Use a serrated wheel cutter to trim the edges. Press down along the sides with the wheel to create a design or use tines of fork. Alternatively without trimming, turn the edge of the dough inward. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Continue the above with the remaining pieces.
Various moulds can be used to stuff and seal the neureos.
Heat oil on medium-low flame and deep fry 3 or 4 neureos at a time. Turn occasionally using a slotted spoon, until crispy and pale in colour. Drain in a colander placed over a bowl and then, transfer onto a flat dish lined with absorbent paper towels. Do not brown them. Once they are taken out of the oil, they continue to cook with the heat and darken further.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
Note:
- To wet the edges, use a clean cotton swab.
- Depending on the size of the neureos rolled or mould used, yield can be 25 to 40.
- The yellow plastic mould is 4-inches in diameter, better than the stainless steel one which is 3.5-inches in diameter and not sharp enough. When using the yellow one, wet the pastry edges with water. Then, fold the top half of the pastry over by hand to seal. Now close the cover of the mould and press along the edge to cut the pastry. Don't put pressure on top where you see the floral design. It tends to pierce the pastry leaving holes.
Layered Neureos
Pastry
Prepare dough as indicated above
Paste
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon softened ghee
Divide dough into four balls. Lightly dust a work surface and roll each ball into a large thin circle. Divide paste into four portions. Spread one portion on top of the circle. Roll into a thin log away from you. Cut the log into 2-inch pieces.
Take a piece and place it on the rolling board with spiral ends on either sides. Dust with some flour and gently roll until 3 inches long. Do not press down firmly and roll. Be delicate with the layers. Now roll the other side only in the centre and not on the layers. Then, roll diagonally on either sides just before the layers and not over them (as shown in the above pictures).
Note: You roll over the layers only at the start.
Once the piece is rolled thin and into a circle, place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of filling. Wet the edges up and down with water. Along the sides, wet just inside the layers, about 1-inch from the edge. Fold one side to form a semi-circle to enclose the filling. Lightly press and seal. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Note: Do not wet the layers, they have to open up when frying hence, the two edges with the layers are not pressed or sealed. See picture above with the open flap layers.
Continue the process with the rest of the pieces and balance three balls of dough.
Deep fry as indicated above. The layers at the side will open up to resemble a floral design. Drain well in a colander kept over a bowl. Then, transfer onto a flat dish lined with absorbent paper towels.
Note:
Pastry
Prepare dough as indicated above
Paste
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon softened ghee
Divide dough into four balls. Lightly dust a work surface and roll each ball into a large thin circle. Divide paste into four portions. Spread one portion on top of the circle. Roll into a thin log away from you. Cut the log into 2-inch pieces.
Take a piece and place it on the rolling board with spiral ends on either sides. Dust with some flour and gently roll until 3 inches long. Do not press down firmly and roll. Be delicate with the layers. Now roll the other side only in the centre and not on the layers. Then, roll diagonally on either sides just before the layers and not over them (as shown in the above pictures).
Note: You roll over the layers only at the start.
Once the piece is rolled thin and into a circle, place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of filling. Wet the edges up and down with water. Along the sides, wet just inside the layers, about 1-inch from the edge. Fold one side to form a semi-circle to enclose the filling. Lightly press and seal. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Note: Do not wet the layers, they have to open up when frying hence, the two edges with the layers are not pressed or sealed. See picture above with the open flap layers.
Continue the process with the rest of the pieces and balance three balls of dough.
Deep fry as indicated above. The layers at the side will open up to resemble a floral design. Drain well in a colander kept over a bowl. Then, transfer onto a flat dish lined with absorbent paper towels.
Note:
- Seal the neureos well ensuring that there are no openings. This will prevent the filling from seeping out during frying and ruining the oil. Check the edges once more when adding the neureos into the hot oil.
- Tutti frutti filling was used for the layered neureos. Four cups of flour was used, pastry and paste ingredients doubled using up the filling, yielding 36 neureos.
- These neureos have floral layers on one side.
Baked Neureos
(Yields 17)
Pastry
Ingredients:
1 box of Tenderflake puff pastry (397 gms containing two blocks - available in Canada) or frozen puff pastry sheets (defrosted before use)
2 tablespoons milk (for brushing)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each block of puff pastry into 9” x 9” square. Using the back of the mould (which has a cutter) or with a 3.5-inch cutter, cut circles (as shown in the picture). Place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of filling in each circle. Brush edges with water, close mould or circle to form a crescent-shape and seal. If using a mould, gently push the neuri upward with your left fingers to avoid a pinch and tear. Place in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat. Brush the top with milk and bake until puffed and brown, around 10 to 15 minutes. Shut off the oven and leave the neureos in the oven to crisp and harden. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Note:
(Yields 17)
Pastry
Ingredients:
1 box of Tenderflake puff pastry (397 gms containing two blocks - available in Canada) or frozen puff pastry sheets (defrosted before use)
2 tablespoons milk (for brushing)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each block of puff pastry into 9” x 9” square. Using the back of the mould (which has a cutter) or with a 3.5-inch cutter, cut circles (as shown in the picture). Place 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of filling in each circle. Brush edges with water, close mould or circle to form a crescent-shape and seal. If using a mould, gently push the neuri upward with your left fingers to avoid a pinch and tear. Place in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat. Brush the top with milk and bake until puffed and brown, around 10 to 15 minutes. Shut off the oven and leave the neureos in the oven to crisp and harden. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Note:
- If neureos are taken out after 10 or 15 minutes, they soften on cooling. Leaving them in the oven after it has been shut off, crisps and hardens them. I left them overnight in the oven and they were perfect. Stored in an airtight container, they retained their crispness and were delicious even after a week.
- Puff pastry was sufficient for 17 neureos made with the round white mould (bottom left) of 3.75 inches. It is my favourite mould, see regular neureos prepared in the last picture (below).
- Baked neureos were stuffed with the coconut filling, the balance used for the regular ones in the yellow mould. Yield was 17 (baked) plus 10 (regular), a total of 27 neuroes with the coconut filling.
Decorative Neureos
Method:
Take small balls of white dough, colour as desired. Dust with some flour and roll thin. Cut into various shapes. Stick with some water on top of the filled neureos. Ensure to keep the dough, shapes and filled neureos covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying.
Deep fry neureos on medium-low heat until crisp and cooked, but white. Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Method:
Take small balls of white dough, colour as desired. Dust with some flour and roll thin. Cut into various shapes. Stick with some water on top of the filled neureos. Ensure to keep the dough, shapes and filled neureos covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying.
Deep fry neureos on medium-low heat until crisp and cooked, but white. Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
