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Dum ka roat
Baked semolina and khoya cake
دم کا روٹ: Hyderabad's crumbly baked cake of semolina, khoya, ghee, egg and nuts, made for Muharram (plus overnight soaking)
Dum ka roat is baked in Hyderabadi homes and bakeries in the first ten days of Muharram, and boxes of it are shared with neighbours and at majlis gatherings in the Old City. It is closer to a dense shortbread than a sponge: coarse semolina soaked overnight in ghee and milk, mixed with khoya, sugar, eggs, cardamom and nutmeg, then baked slowly until golden and crumbly with a crunchy almond top. It contains egg, so it is vegetarian with egg, not vegan. Each piece tastes of browned butter, milk and spice, and it keeps for a week in a tin. Eat it with Irani chai. The common mistake is skipping the overnight rest: the semolina stays gritty and the roat falls apart. Chef's tip: bake low and slow, at 160 °C, until the top is deep golden and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs; at higher heat the edges burn before the khoya centre has set.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For soaking
For the batter
- 7 oz khoya (mawa)grated
- 6 ½ oz caster sugar
- 2 eggsat room temperature
- 1 tsp ground green cardamom
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the top
- 1 oz almondsslivered
- ½ oz pistachios (optional)slivered
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: The night before, mix 9 oz coarse semolina (rava), 4 oz ghee and ½ cup milk in a bowl, cover and leave in a cool place (or in the fridge in hot weather) for 8–12 hours. It will turn into a damp, sandy paste.
5 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 325°F (fan 300°F). Grease a 20 × 25 cm tin and line the base with baking paper.
5 minStep 3: Warm 7 oz khoya (mawa) in a dry pan over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, mashing, until soft and smooth. Cool slightly.
3 minStep 4: Beat 2 eggs with 6 ½ oz caster sugar for 3–4 minutes until pale and thick.
4 minStep 5: Add the soaked semolina, the khoya, 1 tsp ground green cardamom, ¼ tsp grated nutmeg, ½ tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt and mix to a thick, even batter.
3 minStep 6: Spread it into the tin about 2.5 cm deep, smooth the top and scatter with 1 oz almonds and ½ oz pistachios, pressing them in lightly.
2 minStep 7: Bake for 45–50 minutes until deep golden, firm to the touch and a skewer comes out with only moist crumbs.
50 minStep 8: Cool completely in the tin before cutting into 12 squares; it firms up as it cools. Store in an airtight tin for 6–7 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dum ka roat take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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