Halva Puri Recipe

Ingredients:
For the Filling:
Bengal Gram Dal - 1/2 cup
Cashewnuts - 15
Ghee - 3 tblsp
Green Cardamom - 1 pod
Coconut - 1, ground
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups

For the Pastry:
Refined Flour - 500 gms
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 2 tblsp

For the Flour Paste:
Refined Flour - 4 tblsp
Oil - 4 cups, for frying

Method:
1. For the pastry, mix the flour with milk, sugar and salt.
2. Knead the dough to a firm consistency with greased (with ghee) hands.
3. Add a little water if required.
4. To make the flour paste, mix the refined flour with 3 to 4 tblsp of water and make a thick paste.
5. For the filling, wash the bengal gram and cook it in 2 1/2 cups of water till it is tender and dry.
6. Mix the cashewnuts with the boiled gram and grind it.
7. Heat the ghee in a pan on moderate heat.
8. Add the cardamom and fry for 15 seconds.
9. Add the bengal gram-cashew mix.
10. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring all the while.
11. Add the coconut.
12. Add the sugar andc cook on low heat till it is almost dry.
13. To make the halva puri, divide the dough into small lemon sized balls.
14. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls into 4 inch wide discs.
15. This should be thinly rolled.
16. Put about 2 tsp of filling in the centre of each disc.
17. Apply the flour paste on the edges and fold the disc in half to form a semicircle.
18. Press the edges together firmly.
19. Heat oil for frying in a heavy bottomed pan on high heat.
20. When hot, reduce the heat to moderate.
21. After 5 minutes, add a few puris into the oil.
22. Fry to a light golden brown.
23. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.
24. Serve along with kheer.