Bengali
Labanga Latika
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Serves: 2 to 4 people
Authenticity Slice
It is good to remember that the dough should neither be too soft nor too stiff. Also make sure that the Latika is not over-stuffed and that it is sealed well. And, always fry the Labanga Latika over a low flame.
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Trivia Tadka
This famous Bengali sweet dish gets its name from a type of clove that is called ‘labanga’. Labanga Latika is a simple poorie that is stuffed with mawa and sealed with a clove. It is generally served after Durga Puja to celebrate Bijoya Dashami, a day on which people visit neighbours to seek the blessings of elders. The elders traditionally greet the visitors with this sweet dish.
Ingredients
- Refined wheat flour (maida) (1 cup)
- Desi ghee (2 tbsp)
- Baking soda (a pinch)
- Salt (a pinch)
- Clove (laung) (5 to 6)
- Mawa (¼ cup)
- Green cardamom (hari elaichi) powder (1 tsp)
- Sugar powder (3 tbsp)
- Sugar (1 cup)
- Water (½ cup)
Method
- Take 2 cups of flour and pour ¼-cup of hot oil into it. Mix it well and knead into a stiff dough using a little water. Keep it covered for about half-an-hour. Knead once more and make lemon-sized balls from the dough.
- Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. In a bowl, mix the mawa, elaichi powder and sugar powder. Keep gently stirring it for about 5 to 6 minutes. Cool and divide the stuffing into equal portions.
- To prepare the sugar syrup, take the sugar along with some water in a pan and keep heating on medium heat till it gets to medium-thick consistency. Take it off the flame and keep aside.
- Now, taking 1 dough ball at a time, roll out medium-sized poories and place a portion of the stuffing at the centre of each of them.
- Then, take both ends of each poorie, make them overlap and firmly seal them up. Turn them on the other side and make the other 2 ends overlap as well. It should come to form a cylindrical shape. Use a single clove to fasten each cylindrical pocket properly at the top.
- Deep-fry these on medium heat until they are golden brown in colour.
- Now, transfer them into the sugar syrup after draining out any excess oil. Scoop out after some time.
- Serve the Labanga Latika hot or cold.
