Mohanthal Sweet is a traditional and popular sweet recipe from Gujarat, India, that has a rich and melt-in-mouth texture prepared mainly using besan flour (chickpeas), ghee, sugar, and garnished with nuts of your choice.
Mohan thal is one of the most popular recipes prepared during Diwali in northern states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, and thus, it is also known as Diwali mithai.
I hope you guys have already checked my previous posts on the series of Diwali sweets and namkeens that I have prepared this year. If you have missed any, here are those recipes: Cashew Macaroons, Bombay Karachi Halwa, Instant Paneer Jalebi, Balushahi. Do check them out!
About the Recipe
What is Mohanthal?
Mohanthal is a traditional dessert prepared in Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is an Indian no-bake fudge prepared mainly using chickpea flour and ghee (brown butter) and flavored with saffron or cardamom, or both.
What is the difference between Gujarati and Rajasthani Mohanthal?
Gujarati Mohan thal is done without any mawa or khoya, while the Rajasthani method uses Mawa.
In Gujarati Mohan thal, the chickpea flour (besan) is roasted in ghee, whereas in the Rajasthani version, we will have to first deep fry the muthiyas and then crack them and pass it through a sieve and then roast in ghee.
This Diwali, I will be making Gujarati Style Mohanthal.
I wish all my readers a very happy and prosperous Diwali 2022.
Ingredients
2 cups Besan or Chickpea flour
½ cup + 4 tablespoon Ghee
½ cup + 4 tablespoon Milk
To make sugar syrup
1 cup Sugar
¾ cup Water
8 to 10 Saffron strands (optional)
1 teaspoon Cardamom powder, adjust to taste
For garnish
Pistachios
Vark (or edible silver, optional)
How to make Traditional Danedar Gujarati Mohanthal Sweet
Step I
- In a bowl, add chickpea flour and 4 tablespoon of ghee. Nicely rub this between your palms so that the besan is well incorporated with ghee. Do not rush with this process. I spent around 5 minutes. Check the video here.
- To this, add 4 tablespoon of milk and continue to rub for another 5 minutes. By following this step, you will end up getting grainy or sandy (danedar) chickpea flour.
Step II
- Add ½ cup of ghee in a pan on medium flame. To this, add the above chickpea mixture and saute until besan becomes golden and aromatic.
- For the chickpea flour to become deep golden and aromatic, it took around 15 minutes on low flame. The time may vary between 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the intensity of the flame and the pan used.
- Add half cup milk and keep mixing until well incorporated. It takes about four to 5 minutes.
- Switch off the flame. Be careful not to burn the mixture.
Step III
- In another pan, add sugar and water (add saffron strands if available) and cook until the sugar syrup attains one string consistency. To this, add cardamom powder and switch off the flame. You can check the video here on how to check for one-string consistency.
Step IV
- Put back the pan containing roasted chickpea flour on medium flame. Add sugar syrup and stir for 2 minutes until everything is combined and starts bubbling around the edges.
- Transfer this to a pan greased with ghee or lined with parchment paper and spread to the desired thickness.
- Garnish it with pistachios and press gently. Decorate with vark (edible gold or silver leaves) if desired.
- Let this set for at least 3 to 4 hours. Cut them into slices of the desired size or simply scoop with a spoon and enjoy.
How to store mohanthal?
Mohanthal can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Reheat the refrigerated Mohan thal in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds on high just before you are ready to serve.
Some more interesting recipes to try this holiday and festival season
- Best Indian Sweets and Desserts
- Diwali Sweets Recipes
- Diwali Snacks Recipes
- Fasting, Vrat, Upvas Recipes
- Popular Burfi Recipes
Video Recipe
Check out a detailed step-by-step video on making of the best Gujarati mohanthal recipe.
FAQ
Mohanthal is made using 3 basic ingredients ghee, sugar, and besan(chickpea flour). For flavoring, you can either add cardamom powder or saffron (Kesar)
No. The ingredients may be similar, but Mohan thal's preparation, taste, and texture is different from that of burfi. Barfi sweet is slightly dense, but Mohan thal is soft and grainy in texture and can be eaten even with a spoon 🙂
Recipe card
Gujarati Mohanthal Sweet | How to make Danedar Mohanthal Diwali Mithai
Equipment
- 1 Pan for making the sweet
- 1 Plate or baking pan for spreading the mixture.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Besan or Chickpea flour
- ½ cup + 4 tablespoon Ghee
- ½ cup + 4 tablespoon Milk
To make sugar syrup
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¾ cup Water
- 8 to 10 Saffron strands (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder, adjust to taste
For garnish
- Pistachios
- Vark (or edible silver, optional)
Instructions
Step I
- In a bowl, add chickpea flour and 4 tablespoon of ghee. Nicely rub this between your palms so that the besan is well incorporated with ghee. Do not rush with this process. I have spent around 5 minutes. Check the video here.2 cups Besan or Chickpea flour, ½ cup + 4 tablespoon Ghee
- To this, add 4 tablespoon of milk and continue to rub for another 5 minutes. By following this step, you will end up getting a grainy or sandy (danedar) chickpea flour.½ cup + 4 tablespoon Milk
Step II
- Add ½ cup of ghee in a pan on medium flame. To this, add the above chickpea mixture and saute until besan becomes golden and aromatic.½ cup + 4 tablespoon Ghee
- For the chickpea flour to become deep golden and aromatic, it took around 15 minutes on low flame. The time may vary between 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the intensity of the flame and the pan used.
- Add half cup milk and keep mixing until well incorporated. It takes about four to 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Be careful not to burn the mixture.½ cup + 4 tablespoon Milk
Step III
- In another pan, add sugar and water (add saffron strands if available) and cook until the sugar syrup attains one string consistency. To this, add cardamom powder and switch off the flame. You can check the video here on how to check for one-string consistency.1 cup Sugar, ¾ cup Water, 8 to 10 Saffron strands (optional), 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder, adjust to taste
Step IV
- Put back the pan containing roasted chickpea flour on medium flame. To this, add sugar syrup and continuously stir for 2 minutes until everything is combined and starts bubbling around the edges.
- Transfer this to a pan greased with ghee or lined with parchment paper and spread to the desired thickness.
- Garnish it with pistachios and press gently. Decorate with vark (edible gold or silver leaves) if desired.Pistachios, Vark (or edible silver, optional)
- Let this set for at least 3 to 4 hours. Cut them into slices of the desired size or simply scoop with a spoon and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Mahy
Oh wow, I heard about this dish many years ago. Now that I've stumbled upon your recipe, it has brought up so many memories. Thank you for that!
Beth
The texture certainly does look melt in the mouth! Love the crunchy nuts on top for contrast.
Jovita
This dessert looks very appetizing. So beautiful and delicious! Also it's easy to prepare. Yum!
Katherine
I love the smooth melting texture of this sweet treat!