KHANTOLE (A traditional sweet dish from Karwar region)

Recipe for Khantole

      My passion for food from various parts of our country drives me to try such kind of dishes.

      This traditional sweet dish belongs to the Karwar region, a small town in North Karnataka. It lies on the western cost of India, just south of Goa. Karwar cuisine is similar to Goa cuisine, but it is still distinct. Coconut, Rice and Fish are integral ingredients of their cuisine.

      I have liking for sweets prepared from jaggery, my mother–in-law has passed me this recipe who is very familiar with this region and its cuisine.

      This traditional dish from Karwar is steamed in turmeric leaves with gives a distinct flavour to the sweet.

The main ingredient to khantole is a cucumber which has orange – coloured skin and is bigger is size. It has a slight tang in its taste.

Ingredients

•  Cucumber – 3 cups (peeled & grated)    
• Semolina or Sooji – 1 Cup (dry roasted)
• Jaggery – 1 cup (crushed or grated)
• Fresh coconut – 1 cup (grated)
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Soda  bicarb – A pinch
• Clarified butter or ghee – 1 tbsp
• Dry fruits for garnishing

How to make

Squeeze out the water from the cucumber and put it in a mixing bowl.

Add jaggery and mix well with hands till the jaggery gets combined with the   cucumber nicely.

Now add the semolina, coconut, soda bicarb, ghee and cardamom powder and mix well.

The mixture gets thick and not runny.

  

In a steamer place the turmeric leaves and put the mixture on it. Spread it evenly with your palms. Sprinkle some chopped nuts.

Keep another layer of the turmeric leaves to cover it nicely.

Steam for 15 to 20 mins. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Cut them in rectangles and serve warm.

Tips

• Cucumber should not be squeezed out dry. We require same moisture in the cucumber.

• In case of unavailability of the recommended type of cucumber, any other type of cucumber can be used.