Just like my last week’s delicacies Instant Mango peda and Chocolate Swirled peda, this gluten-free and delectably-rich sweet will leave its admirers drooling for more.
And with the advent of Diwali, I reflect on my childhood days that remind me of the beautiful times we used to have while gorging on sweets made with love by my mother. It was always a treat to see my exhilarated Mum preparing a variety of sweets for my sister and me during Diwali, and these memories still hold a very special place in my heart! This year I’m going to share with you this treasured recipe in the way I have learned, and I hope it brings you plenty of admiration from your family and friends. You may be wondering why it is so-called. Right? Well, let me explain. This sweet is fondly named after the Hindu deity Lord Krishna (‘Mohan’ is another name of Lord Krishna), and ‘thal’ is referred to as a dish (plate). Together it is called Mohanthal. It is said to be Lord Krishna’s favorite sweet dish. Mohanthal is unbelievably easy to prepare, and even if you are an amateur in the kitchen, you can proudly bring this out as a successful venture. It has a nutty and aromatic flavor, with a grainy texture that makes for a delightful combination and a perfectly sinful treat!
Mohanthal — Mohanthal is grainy (danedaar) in texture as coarse besan is used for preparing it. It is treated with milk and ghee (rubbed with hands) and then roasted in a generous quantity of ghee. A freshly prepared sugar syrup, flavored with cardamom and saffron, is then added to it, and the preparation is then cooled in a thal (dish) to be later cut into pieces (on completely cooling). Besan Burfi — Prepared with besan, ghee, and sugar, this sweet is smooth in texture. The besan used here is thinly ground, quite contrary to the coarsely ground besan used for Mohanthal. Besan is roasted in ghee till it turns aromatic and changes its color to a golden brown. Instead of sugar syrup, granulated or powdered sugar is mixed in the roasted besan. It is then cooled in a tray and cut into pieces. Mysore Pak — This is a popular South Indian sweet dish (named after its city of origin, ‘Mysore’), savored all over the country by those who have a penchant for irresistible sweet delicacies. Slightly grainy in texture, Mysore Pak is also prepared with besan. Sugar Syrup is prepared first, and then besan is added gradually while stirring continuously (reverse of Mohanthal and Besan Burfi). After all of the besan has been added, ghee is added in parts and stirred till the desired consistency is attained. Unlike the Mohanthal, Mysore park has no added dry fruits or nuts.
» Besan (gram-flour) — We use thick besan (coarsely ground) to attain that coarse texture. Regular besan can be used, but thick besan will render the coarse/ grainy texture we are looking for. » Ghee — Used for roasting besan and adding flavor to the recipe, you can use any good quality ghee as per your choice. Alternatively, you can prepare homemade Instant Pot Ghee (recipe on my website). It just takes 20 minutes to get flavorful and aromatic ghee that can take your dish a notch up in flavor instantly. » Milk — A small quantity of milk is added to the besan to crumble it, as this step lends Mohanthal its characteristic grainy texture. » Milk powder — To render a rich taste to the sweet, milk powder is added to the besan. » Sugar — I have used granulated cane sugar because it lends a beautiful caramel color to Mohanthal. Regular granulated sugar, may be used. » Cardamom powder — Cardamom powder is added to the sweet for flavoring. » Pistachios — Besides the pop of color, slivered pistachios that are embedded throughout adds a beautiful crunch to each bite. » Saffron Strands — A few saffron strands are added for flavor, and it also lends a beautiful color and to the sugar syrup. Prepare Besan — In a large mixing bowl, combine coarse besan with ghee and milk. Mix ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Now, rub this mixture between your palms, making sure ghee and milk are fully incorporated in the besan. Keep rubbing the mix until the besan mixture is grainy in texture. Cover the bowl with a lid and allow the mix to rest for 10 minutes. Sift besan — After 15 minutes, sift this besan mixture through a sieve to remove any larger lumps. When all the mix has been filtered, you will end up with some big chunks. Re-grind them to break apart any big lumps and sift them back into the previously-sifted besan mixture. Cover the bowl with a lid and allow the mix to rest for another 10 minutes.
Allow the sugar syrup to simmer over medium heat until it reaches one-string consistency. It will take 7-10 minutes to get one string consistency. Cover and set it aside. Protip — Check sugar syrup consistency –
Take some liquid on the back of a spoon, and if it coats the spoon without dripping means sugar syrup is ready. Another way would be to take some cooled sugar syrup between your fingers, press, and now open your fingers; if it forms a thick string between your fingers without breaking – sugar syrup is ready to use. For accurate results – use a kitchen thermometer. Boil until it reaches 102-105 degrees C. That’s the ideal temperature for 1-thread consistency ( 1-taar chashni).
Cook Besan — After 10 minutes of rest time, combine ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Reduce the flame to a medium setting, and add sifted besan to the Kadai. Using a spatula or perforated spoon, start roasting the besan. Keep stirring continuously and roast the besan for 7-9 minutes. The besan mixture will become runny and all bubbly. Stir continuously over medium heat. Another 4-6 minutes into the cooking, besan will start to change color and become caramel-y. The total roasting time for me was 14-15 minutes. Turn the heat down and add milk powder and stir until it is well absorbed in the besan mix. Turn off the heat and allow the besan to cool slightly. But keep stirring as the pan is still hot.
Add slivered pistachios and mix. Protip — Do not overcook the mix, or Mohanthal will become dry and hard.
How to Set Mohanthal Recipe
Grease an 8×8 pan with ghee. Line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper too with ghee. Transfer the Mohanthal to this prepared pan and spread it around the pan in a single layer. Garnish with some more slivered pistachios and let it rest for 5-6 hours or overnight. Once set, divide Mohanthal into equal pieces and serve.
» Milk enhances the flavor of Mohanthal — Full cream milk is added to the besan at the initial stage of crumbling, along with ghee. It is known to enhance the taste of the dish. » A lump-free mix — Ghee and milk are added to besan and rubbed with hands until it has completely assimilated into the besan. It may leave the mixture with some tiny lumps. Sifting the mixture through a sifter will ensure that it is lump-free and smooth. » Pulse the larger lumps — You may be left with some large chunks after sifting. All you have to do is to pulse it in your spice grinder to get a smooth mixture. You can then add it to the sifted mixture and proceed with your preparation. » Use a wide Kadai (wok) to stir the mixture freely — Preparing this dish requires a lot of roasting and stirring. So it is best to use a wide Kadai that allows free movement of the spatula and offers a wide area for proper roasting. » Roast on low heat — Roasting besan always takes patience and a lot of attention. It gets burnt up very quickly if roasted at a higher temperature. So take care not to roast it on high flame. » Stir continuously — Roasting besan evenly needs continuous stirring. Keep roasting besan on low heat until it turns light brown and becomes loose and airy. » Never leave besan unattended — When roasting besan, always remember to keep it stirring, as leaving it alone for some time may burn it. » Avoid besan from crumbling — Adding sugar syrup to hot roasted besan will lead to lump formation. To prevent any crumbling of besan, let it cool down to room temperature and then add sugar syrup.
» Cook the sugar syrup well — You need to be cautious while preparing the sugar syrup, as the uncooked syrup will end up with a chewy Mohanthal, something that you would never want! » Ghee is essential — Ghee lends a nutty flavor that we always look for. So always use aromatic and flavored ghee, as there is no substitute for it while preparing this divine delicacy. » Mohanthal sets best at room temperature — When you finish with stirring, and the mixture thickens and starts leaving the Kadai, it’s time to transfer it to the greased pan (thal) to let it set. It is always best to let it cool down and set it at room temperature. » Trick to refurbish the hardened Mohanthal — You may find that your Mohanthal has become challenging, but don’t bother. There is a trick to fix this! All you have to do is transfer it to Kadai, add a little ghee, sprinkle some milk, and cook it until well combined. And see, it’s done! Spread it on the thal and let it cool down before cutting it into squares. » A controlled indulgence — Traditionally, this sinfully delicious treat is cut into long cubes, but we prefer a controlled portion, so we cut our Mohanthal into small squares. This addictively delicious delicacy will fetch you requests for the next batch as they’ll be gone in a flash. Should you make this Mohanthal recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
Some of the other recipes that you would like to try this Diwali
