Sikkimese Gundpak
Veg
Sesame-jaggery-milk fudge — white sesame seeds dry-roasted until golden, mixed into condensed full-fat milk that has been reduced with jaggery, ghee, and cardamom until a very thick, pulling paste forms, then spread in a greased tray and cut into squares when set. The gundpak is the Nepali-Sikkimese equivalent of the North Indian milk cake; its slightly grainy texture from the sesame seeds and the deep molasses character of the jaggery give it a more complex, less cloying sweetness than refined-sugar sweets. Made at Dashain and given as gifts to relatives; specialist sweet shops in Gangtok's Lal Bazaar make gundpak year-round alongside other Nepali mithai.
Cuisines
Sikkimese
Best for
Snacks
Dessert
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
|
1 cup | Whole wheat flour |
|
1 cup | Sugar |
|
1/2 cup | Ghee |
|
1/4 cup | Khoya , dried milk |
|
1/4 cup | Nut , chopped (cashews, almonds) |
|
1/4 cup | Raisin |
|
1 teaspoon | Cardamom , powder |
|
1 pinch | Saffron , strands |
|
1 cup | Water |
Instructions
- 1 Heat ghee in a pan and add whole wheat flour.
- 2 Roast the flour on low heat until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma.
- 3 Add the sugar and mix well.
- 4 Pour in the water gradually, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- 5 Add khoya and continue to stir until the mixture thickens.
- 6 Mix in the chopped nuts, raisins, and cardamom powder.
- 7 Soak saffron strands in a tablespoon of warm water and add to the mixture.
- 8 Cook until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
- 9 Transfer the gundpak to a greased plate and let it cool slightly before serving.
Tips
Roasting the flour slowly is key to enhancing the flavor. Adjust sugar to taste.