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Khajur pak
ખજૂર પાક: soft Kutchi dates cooked in ghee with nuts, coconut and poppy seeds, rolled and sliced, no added sugar
Kutch grows some of India's best dates, and in Bhuj and Anjar homes khajur pak is the sweet made for Diwali boxes and for Ekadashi and other fast days, since it needs nothing but dates, ghee, nuts and coconut. The dates melt in warm ghee into a sticky paste, the nuts give crunch, and the log is rolled in poppy seeds and sliced into neat coins. The common mistake is cooking the dates too long, which dries them out so the log cracks when you slice it. Chef's tip: for a harder winter version, swap a third of the soft dates for chopped kharek (dry dates) soaked overnight in a little milk.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the pak
- 10 ½ oz soft seedless dateschopped
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 ⅜ oz almondschopped
- 1 ⅜ oz cashewschopped
- ⅞ oz pistachioschopped
- 1 oz desiccated coconut
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp white poppy seeds (khaskhas)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp of the 2 tbsp ghee in a pan over low heat and toast 1 ⅜ oz almonds, 1 ⅜ oz cashews and ⅞ oz pistachios for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden. Tip onto a plate.
4 minStep 2: Toast 1 oz desiccated coconut in the same dry pan for 1 minute until it smells sweet. Set aside with the nuts.
1 minStep 3: Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee and 10 ½ oz soft seedless dates and cook on low, pressing and stirring with a spatula, for 5–6 minutes until they melt into a smooth, sticky paste that pulls away from the pan.
6 minStep 4: Off the heat, mix in the nuts, coconut and ½ tsp ground cardamom. Cool for 5 minutes until you can handle it.
5 minStep 5: With greased hands, shape into two 4 cm thick logs. Roll each in 2 tbsp white poppy seeds (khaskhas), wrap in baking paper and chill for 1 hour.
60 minStep 6: Slice into 1 cm coins with a sharp knife. Keep in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khajur pak take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- 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).
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