Indian Kaju Katli Recipe

Kaju katli is an Indian dessert made with cashew nuts, giving the sweets a rich, nutty flavor. Some recipes also include ghee and cardamom powder for added flavor. These sweets are a type of barfi, which refers to a variety of dense, milk-based sweets.

These desserts are made by boiling milk and sugar together until it forms a thick paste, then mixing in ground cashew nuts and allowing the mixture to set. They are typically dusted with powdered sugar and wrapped in edible silver foil.

The word ‘kaju’ means cashew and ‘katli’ means thin slices in Hindi.

Origin & Cultural Significance

Kaju Katli is believed to have been invented around the 16th century, in Maharashtra, by a chef named Bhimrao, who cooked for the royal family of the Maratha Empire.

Legend has it that Bhimrao was inspired by a Persian sweet called ‘Halwa-e-Farsi‘, which is made with ground almonds and sugar. He created his own version of this dessert with cashews, which were more easily available in the region.

Over time, Kaju Katli became a popular sweet throughout Maharashtra, and eventually other parts of India. Today sweet dish is enjoyed throughout India, and is a best-seller when it comes to gifts for Hindu festivals like Diwali or Holi.

In Indian culture, it is believed that eating kaju katli brings good luck and prosperity to one’s home, making it a popular gift to give to loved ones.

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Indian Kaju Katli Recipe

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Kaju katli is an Indian dessert made with cashew nuts, giving the sweets a rich, nutty flavor.

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Ingredients

• Cashew nuts - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Water - 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Instructions

1. Grind the cashew nuts into a fine powder.
2. In a pan, combine sugar and water, and heat until the sugar dissolves completely, forming a syrup.
3. Continue to cook the syrup until it reaches a single-thread consistency.
4. Add the cashew powder to the syrup, stirring continuously to avoid lumps forming.
5. Cook the mixture on low heat until it thickens into a dough-like consistency.
6. Add ghee and cardamom powder, mixing well until fully combined.
7. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
8. Knead the mixture to ensure a smooth texture, then place it on a greased surface.
9. Roll out the mixture to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
10. Cut the rolled mixture into diamond-shaped pieces.
11. Allow the pieces to cool completely before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 88mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.