Pankhas..Mandazis..or..??

Greetings people!!!!

I know its been a long long time since I've posted an entry. Believe me, its not because I haven't been baking and trying out new recipes, but its been ridiculously busy!!!

Its Shahru Ramadhan- (I can not believe we're already in to the last ten days) and time is just whizzing by so fast!! :-(

I haven't even had a chance to take decent pictures of the stuff that I make..just a few quick clicks with my phone and I'm done!!!

Hopefully, I'll be posting these recipes quickly, because very soon inshaAllah things are going to get really busy with a tiny little new family member! :-)

So what have I been trying out?? Gorgeous, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery Melting Moment biscuits, Ultra rich and indulgent Banoffee pie, Indian sweets and lots more!!!

Hmm, what should I start with??

A recipe I recently learnt from my sister in law.

We call it Pankhas. She calls it Mandazis. But really? I don't know what to call it. 

I can describe it to you though!!

Crispy, golden, deep-fried, pastry-like bits of yumminess dipped in a gold, saffrony sugar syrup...

Pure decadence.

I'm not kidding. Its everything evil put together that brings together the yummiest results!!...When she makes them, they're flawless!!!! 

Best eaten? When they're fresh and hot and crispy and just dipped in the sugar syrup!!!

The other day I decided to give it a shot. I was so surprised at how easy it was to make!

All you have to make is a simple dough and then roll it out and fry it.

Oh and make the sugar syrup.

But that's it!!!! I'm totally going to make this again. And again. And again :-)

Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour
8 tablespoons oil

Cardamom powder

2 cups sugar

Saffron

Orange food colouring

Method:

You have to start off making the sugar syrup so that it has cooled down completely before you dip in your 'pankhas'.

To do this, put in 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, About half a tspoon Cardamom powder, a drop of orange or yellow food colouring and saffron in a pan.

Let all these ingredients reach a boil on a high temperature on your stove and then immediately lower the heat.

When you see the syrup thicken, add another half glass of water and let it boil till its sticky.

You'll be able to see the consistency and stickiness using your wooden spoon. Once its nice and thick, place it aside to cool.

Next, combine the 2 cups of flour, 8 tablespoons of oil and cardamom powder with your fingers. Bring them together as a dough with warm water.

This dough is so quick and easy to make. Make sure its not too soft or hard.

Divide the dough in to around seven little balls and then roll each one out quite thin. The thinner the better (because the crispier the results)- and in to a circular shape.

Then, squeeze the top and bottom of the centre of the circle together with your thumb and index finger, bringing them together to a butterfly-like shape.

Using a knife, cut it right in the center so that you end up with a fan like shape.

Fry in hot oil until they are golden and crispy and then dip it in to the sugar syrup.

Mmmmm...these are BEST on the day that they are made. Sooo easy to make and so worth the results.

Store them in an airtight container!!!
Take care folks! Hopefully you'll see another post very soon!!

-S