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    Home > Vegan Indian Sweets

    Chavde (Mande)

    Posted: Sep 11, 2010 ยท Updated: Sep 6, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Chavde or manday are a lacy, crispy, cardamom-scented sweet made in western Indian homes, especially for Diwali. This delicious sweet is divinely vegan and even fun to make!

    Photo of a stack of chavde or mande on a green plate with cardamom pods scattered around.

    I have a real weakness for crispy sweets. And at the top of my list is an exquisite, lacy, sesame-seed-and-cardamom-sprinkled delicacy that's perhaps not very well-known outside Maharashtrian and Konkani homes: Chavde, or Mande.

    In my childhood home, sweet-making was a joint endeavor between my parents and I can still see them as they made Chavde together. Mom rolled out the wafer-thin discs of dough and dunked them in frothing oil, Dad sprinkled them with a scented, sugary mixture, then folded them rapidly before they had a chance to cool down-- a job that required asbestos fingers.

    As the chavde cooled, they would -- like magic-- set into a crackling, crispy, delicious but not cloyingly sweet snack.

    Chavde are popular eats at Ganesh Chaturthi, India's celebration of the elephant-headed god's birthday which falls-- today! Chaturthi is always celebrated with plenty of food, a lot of it sweet, including the wonderful Modak. I have written before about my love for this colorful, raucously vibrant festival that sometimes lasts as long as 20 days, so I'll spare you a repetition.

    Instead, I'll leave you with a recipe that's not only delicious but also completely vegan and therefore -- as I like to say -- one no God could resist. Even better, it's one that you can make in under an hour, honest. The only skill you need is an ability to roll out the dough into a thin disc. And don't even worry about making it perfectly round because once it's all folded up, who'll be the wiser?

    More vegan Indian sweets

    • Vegan Zarda
    • Vegan Rabri
    • Vegan Mango Halwa
    • Vegan Sheera
    • Modak
    Photo of a stack of chavde or mande on a green plate with cardamom pods scattered around.

    Chavde or Mande

    Chavde or manday are a lacy, crispy, cardamom-scented sweet made in western Indian homes, especially for Diwali. This delicious sweet is divinely vegan and even fun to make!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Chavde, Mande
    Prep Time: 25 mins
    Cook Time: 35 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Servings: 10 pieces
    Calories: 137kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    For the dough

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ยฝ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon vegan butter
    • Water

    For the stuffing

    • ยฝ cup powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds Toast these in a dry skillet over the lowest heat setting, stirring frequently, until they just start to change color. Turn off the stove and allow the seeds to cool.
    • 2 tablespoon sweetened shredded coconut
    • Vegetable oil for frying
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    Instructions

    Make the dough

    • Place the ingredients in a bowl or in a food processor. Knead into a pliable, soft, elastic dough that's not too hard but doesn't stick to your fingers either. If you're kneading this in a food processor, pour the water in with the blades running until a dough ball forms.
    • Place the dough in an air-tight container and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

    Make the stuffing

    • Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Here's an idea, not traditional--ย  add some nuts to this mix. Pistachio or blanched, thinly sliced almonds would be divine.
    • In a small wok or a skillet large enough to fry the chavde, heat enough oil to deep-fry. You want your oil to be at 350 degrees which is pretty much a perfect temperature for frying and one at which the food won't absorb much oil.
    • Divide the dough into 10 pieces.
    • Roll each piece into a smooth ball and, using just as much flour as you absolutely need, roll into a really thin disc, around 5-6 inches in diameter.
    • Place the disc into the hot oil and fry either side for about 15 seconds or until the disc is all bubbly and beginning to stiffen ever so slightly. You do need to get a good feel for this-- if you take out the disc too fast it won't be cooked enough. But if you leave it in the oil for too long, it'll stiffen up before you have a chance to fold it.
    • Place the disc on a plate covered with a kitchen towel to absorb any oil. I also keep another towel handy to blot away any oil on the top. Working fast, sprinkle about a tablespoon of the sugar mixture over one half of the chavda, then fold over the other half to form a semi-circle. Be very careful as they are quite hot. Spring a couple more teaspoons of the sugar mixture over half the semicircle and fold over once more.
    • Set aside to cool, preferably on a rack. You have to let the chavde cool thoroughly for the crispy, crackly texture.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1chavda | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

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    Comments

    1. Anonymous

      October 31, 2013 at 6:08 am

      Hi, thanks for the recipe.I ate this sweet only once as a child 40 years ago and the cook made this the same way you have. I loved it but never got to eat it again . So now I am going to try my hand at it.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        November 01, 2013 at 2:41 am

        Hope you try 'em! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Vaishali

      September 28, 2010 at 3:11 pm

      Tejas, there is no sugar syrup in the recipe. And yes, the filling is not cooked.

      Reply
    3. TejasJJain

      September 28, 2010 at 2:43 pm

      Do you have to cook stuffing (sugar+ spices)? I see no step for making chashani but based on photo, seems like you need to make sugar syrup. Please confirm.

      Reply
    4. Pete

      September 17, 2010 at 8:49 am

      Ha ha, I love sweets too!

      Reply
    5. Miri

      September 16, 2010 at 2:49 pm

      How come I have never come across these??? they look awesome! My mom has what we call "Teflon" fingers ๐Ÿ˜‰ so the Asbestos comment brought a smile to my face!

      Reply
    6. Becki

      September 16, 2010 at 4:41 am

      Awesome! Those look amazing, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Sharmilee! :)

      September 15, 2010 at 2:08 pm

      Wow this sounds a diff...looks tempting

      Reply
    8. Sanjeeta kk

      September 15, 2010 at 12:39 pm

      These cute goodies are new to me! love the recipe, shall try it soon.

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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