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!
Servings: 10 pieces
Calories: 137kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- Water
For the stuffing
- ½ 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
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-- 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