Lobongo Lotika (Traditional Bengali Sweet)

          

          It is a traditional and a very delicious Bengali sweet usually prepared during festivals. It is not much found in any sweet shop these days and remains a homemade sweet prepared by the women folk. It is also very popular in the North & North-East regions of India.

          It is basically sweetened khoya filled in a poori (made of maida dough), folded in a square shaped envelope and sealed with a clove (lobongo). The filling can be either made at home or any store bought pedas / khoya sweets can be substituted.

          It is then deep fried in ghee and later dipped in sugar syrup. These sweets can be made in huge quantities and stored in airtight containers for later use or can dig into them when you have those sweet cravings. 

  

• 2 cups maida (Plain flour)
• 1 cup khoya (dried whole milk)
• 1 cup coconut, grated
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. cloves
• 1 & 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp. nuts and raisins, sliced
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
• pinch of saffron
• ghee for deep frying

     

 



           In a pan, mix khoya, coconut and 3 tbsp. sugar. Cook till well blended.

          Add the nuts, raisins, cardamom and nutmeg powder. Keep aside. Knead a stiff dough with flour, water and 3-4 tbsps. of ghee.

          Make a syrup of the remaining sugar and water to one thread consistency. Add a pinch of saffron to it and keep aside. Make equal portions of the dough and khoya mix.

          Roll out the dough. Put in little khoya and fold over in a rectangular shape, just like a parcel, fixing it with a clove. 

          Heat ghee and fry the Lobongo Lotika till golden in colour. Dip in the sugar syrup for a couple of minutes. Drain and serve, hot or cold.