Pinni Punjabi Winter Sweet

Method

1. 1

   Fry the edible gum: If using edible gum (gond), heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan. Add the hard transparent gum pieces. Fry on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until they puff up into white, light, crispy pieces. Remove immediately — they burn fast. Break into small pieces with a spoon. Fried gond adds an interesting crispy texture to pinni. Set aside.

2. 2

   Roast the wheat flour in ghee: Place a wide heavy pan on low heat. Add 1/2 cup ghee. Let it melt. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour. Stir immediately to coat all the flour with ghee.

3. 3

   Roast on low heat with continuous stirring: Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 15 to 18 minutes. The flour will gradually change from raw yellow-brown to a deeper golden-brown and begin smelling very nutty and roasted. This roasting in ghee is the heart of pinni. Do not increase heat — it will burn unevenly.

4. 4

   Check if properly roasted: Take a small pinch of the flour (cooled slightly) and taste — it should taste nutty and roasted, not raw. The colour should be evenly golden-brown throughout.

5. 5

   Add nuts and raisins: Add the chopped almonds, cashews, pistachio and raisins to the roasted flour. Stir for 1 minute so they are mixed in and lightly coated with the ghee.

6. 6

   Remove from heat: Take the pan off the heat completely. Let the flour mixture cool for 8 to 10 minutes until it is warm but not burning hot.

7. 7

   Add jaggery and spices: Add the finely grated jaggery, cardamom powder, dried ginger powder and the fried gond pieces. Mix everything together with a spoon first, then with your hands. The warmth of the flour helps the jaggery meld with the mixture.

8. 8

   Shape into balls while warm: The mixture must be shaped while still warm — when cold it becomes too hard and crumbly to shape. Take a portion — about 2 heaped tablespoons. Press firmly with both palms and roll into a smooth ball.

9. 9

   Shape all the pinni: Work quickly. If the mixture cools before you finish, warm the pan briefly on low heat for 30 seconds then continue.

10. 10

    Cool and store: Place shaped pinni on a plate. Cool completely to room temperature — they will harden slightly. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

11. 11

    Note: Pinni is the traditional winter sweet of Punjab, made specifically around Lohri (the winter harvest festival in January) and the cold months of December to February. The dried ginger, cardamom and ghee are all known in Ayurvedic tradition as warming foods that help the body cope with extreme cold. In rural Punjab, pinni is made in large quantities after the winter wheat harvest and given to women who have recently given birth — the combination of wheat, ghee, nuts and ginger is considered highly nutritious during recovery.