Crispy whole wheat biscuits made with sooji, coconut and nuts, deep fried in a kadai with no oven needed. A homely tea-time snack rooted in Punjab and Bihar.
Groundnut oilor any neutral-flavored cooking oil, for deep frying
Instructions
In a bowl, add the chilled milk and sugar. Keep it aside. There is no need to stir or dissolve the sugar.
In a large mixing bowl or parat, add the whole wheat flour, fine semolina, desiccated coconut, cardamom powder, chopped cashews, and chopped almonds. Mix everything well.
Add the ghee and gently mix it into the flour mixture until everything is well combined. Do not overmix.
Gradually add the sugar first, followed by the chilled milk little by little, and knead into a soft and smooth dough.
Divide the dough into equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.
Lightly grease your work surface with a little oil or ghee. Roll each dough ball into a medium-thick disc, not too thin or too thick.
Cut the rolled dough into your preferred shape, round, rectangular, or triangular. Use a glass or small bowl as a cutter for round biscuits, or trim the edges for triangles.
Heat groundnut oil in a kadai over medium heat. Any neutral-flavored oil such as sunflower or rice bran oil also works.
Once the oil is moderately hot, gently slide the biscuits in without overcrowding the kadai.
Fry on medium heat, turning gently from time to time, until evenly golden brown and crisp.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Allow the biscuits to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Use fine semolina for the best texture. If you can't find it, pulse coarse semolina once or twice in a dry grinder.Roll the dough to a medium thickness for evenly cooked, crispy biscuits.Always fry on medium heat for the perfect golden color and crisp texture.Do not overcrowd the kadai. Fry in batches and turn gently to prevent breaking.A heavy-bottomed kadai, like a cast iron one, holds oil temperature more evenly and helps prevent hot spots.Cooled and stored in an airtight container, these stay fresh and crisp for 2-3 weeks.