Labonga Latika ~ South Vs North Challenge

     
         Dear Friends,  I thank every one once again for your support and encouragement. I was chosen as a 2nd winner for SNC Anniversary celebration held between September to November 2013 and you can check my post here which I have submitted for the event.  Thanks Divya for this wonderful prize.

     
             For those who are not aware of SNC.  South Vs North Challenge is a monthly challenge organised by Divya Pramil.   Main concept of the event is to showcase two authentic dishes from North and South India, Which will be challenged among the two groups. i.e. North group challenge South team with their traditional dish where south team challenge North team.  As per the theme this month Sonali of North team Challenged South team with this hallmark recipe "Labonga Latika" from Bengal. Thanks Sanoli for this recipe and my family really enjoyed it..

        

          Labonga Latika is an authentic Bengali sweets which often made after Durga poja for Dasami festival. Even though Rasagullas and Sandesh were famous all over the world, lavanga latika still  dominate in many of the Bengali families in this modern days.

            

            Puffed bread filled with khoya, nuts and fruits filling sealed with cloves / Lavanga to form small pocket and dipped in sugar syrup. Since it is sealed by labonga / close, it gets it names as labonga latika. This  delectable sweet can be served hot or cold. Even it is has several process, its worth the time. Just try this and sure it will take place in your Diwali sweet list...

Ingredients:

For Outer Crust:

2 cups all Purpose flour / maida

2 tbsp powdered sugar

A pinch of baking powder

¼ tsp salt

3 tbsp ghee

A pinch of saffron, soaked tn 2 tbsp warm water

Warm water as needed 

For Filling:

200 gm mawa / khoya ( I used 2 cups of milk powder + 2 tbsp almond meal  & 2 tbsp ghee instead of khoya)
3-4 tbsp Sugar or to taste
A pinch nutmeg powder
⅓ cup warm water or ¼ cup warm milk, if you are using milk powder
3 tbsp cashews 

For sugar syrup:

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

1 tsp rose essence

1 cup refined oil for deep frying

20 cloves for sealing

Method:

For Dough: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine first five ingredients and mix well.

2. Knead the flour mixture by adding water little by little in to a smooth dough. Cover with a wet cloth and rest for 20 minutes. 

For filling:

3. In a pan, add crush mawa or khoya, almond meal, ½ cup warm water, nutmeg powder and sugar. Mix well.

4. Heat the pan and keep stirring continuously for about 6-7 minutes or till the mixture thicken.  

5. Add cashews and mix well. Allow it to cool.

For sugar syrup:

6. In a sauce pan, Combine 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water.  Mix rose essence ( I added saffron) and allow it to boil until it reaches two string consistency or soft ball stage. i.e when your forefinger and your thumb are pulled apart gently with sugar syrup, it must form two thread or 240 degree F in candy temperature.

Preparing labongo latika:

7. Divide the dough into 20 equal portion balls and keep it aside for 5 minutes. In mean time, dust the working surface with little flour. Take one portion ball and roll it to thin disc approx 4" diameter circle.

8. Take a teaspoon full of prepared filling and place at the center of the circle. Fold two opposite sides ad again fold remaining opposite sides to make a pocket. Seal the with little water and insert a clove to seal the pocket tightly. Do the same with remaining dough.

Cooking:

9. Heat enough oil in a wok / kadai to medium hot. Drop the prepared pockets and fry in medium heat, Stir continuously until done or all the side become golden brown color.  You can fry 5 ~ 6 pockets at a time depends on the size of pan and amount oil used.

10. Once done remove them from the oil and dip in warm sugar syrup for 4-5 minutes. Make sure that both sides of labongo latika are getting drenched in sugar syrup. Remove from syrup and place it in cooling rack to drain the excess syrup from the latika. Serve after 2 hours at room temperature or store it in air tight container and refrigerate for a week.

Note: For Filling: If you are using Khoya then avoid using milk powder, ghee, and milk. Follow the same with khoya. or you can substitute filling with your choices for Eg coconut filling, paneer filling etc

Labonga Latika

Preparation time:  

For dough: less than 10 minutes
For labonga Latika pockets: 20 ~ 30 minutes
Cooking time:
For Filling: 10 ~ 15 minutes
For Frying : 15 ~ 20 minutes for 1 batch in low medium heat
Yield: 20 labonga latika
Adapted from Sanoli's recipies for SNC Challenge

Ingredients:

For Outer Crust:

2 cups all Purpose flour / maida

2 tbsp powdered sugar

A pinch of baking powder

¼ tsp salt

3 tbsp ghee

A pinch of saffron, soaked tn 2 tbsp warm water

Warm water as needed                       

For Filling:

200 gm mawa / khoya ( I used 2 cups of milk powder + 2 tbsp almond meal  & 2 tbsp ghee instead of kho)

3-4 tbsp Sugar or to taste

A pinch nutmeg powder

⅓ cup warm water or ¼ cup warm milk, if you are using milk powder

3 tbsp cashews 

For sugar syrup:

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

1 tsp rose essence 

Other Ingredients:

1 cup refined oil for deep frying

20 cloves for sealing

Method:

For Dough:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine first five ingredients and mix well.

2. Knead the flour mixture by adding water little by little in to a smooth dough. Cover with a wet cloth and rest for 20 minutes. 

For filling:

3. In a pan, add crush khoya or milk powder, ghee, almond meal, ½ cup warm water / milk, nutmeg powder and sugar. Mix well.

4. Heat the pan and keep stirring continuously for about 6-7 minutes or till the mixture thicken.  

5. Add cashews and mix well. Allow it to cool.

For sugar syrup:

6. In a sauce pan, Combine 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water.  Mix rose essence ( I added saffron) and allow it to boil until it reaches two string consistency or soft ball stage. i.e when your forefinger and your thumb are pulled apart gently with sugar syrup, it must form two thread or 240 degree F in candy temperature.

Preparing labongo latika:

7. Divide the dough into 20 equal portion balls and keep it aside for 5 minutes. In mean time, dust the working surface with little flour. Take one portion ball and roll it to thin disc approx 4" diameter circle.

8. Take a teaspoon full of prepared filling and place at the center of the circle. Fold two opposite sides ad again fold remaining opposite sides to make a pocket. Seal the with little water and insert a clove to seal the pocket tightly. Do the same with remaining dough.

Cooking:

9. Heat enough oil in a wok / kadai to medium hot. Drop the prepared pockets and fry in medium heat, Stir continuously until done or all the side become golden brown color.  You can fry 5 ~ 6 pockets at a time depends on the size of pan and amount oil used.  

10. Once done remove them from the oil and dip in warm sugar syrup for 4-5 minutes. Make sure that both sides of labongo latika are getting drenched in sugar syrup. Remove from syrup and place it in cooling rack to drain the excess syrup from the latika. Serve after 2 hours at room temperature or store it in air tight container and refrigerate for a week. 

Note: For Filling: If you are using Khoya then avoid using milk powder, ghee, and milk. Follow the same with khoya. or you can substitute filling with your choices for Eg coconut filling, paneer filling etc

www.sarasyummyrecipes.com

Sending this to SNC Challenge