Phenori or Chiroti is a delicious, layered, crispy and crunchy, melt in mouth sweet recipe dipped in sugar syrup or coated with powdered sugar. I will have to warn you that you cannot just stop eating one.
** This was one of my first blog post on this website. I am updating it with new pics as I have prepared this for raksha bandhan and it's one of my brothers favorite sweet**
Shravan Mass means beginning of festivals and everyday is busy with poojas, preparing sweets, spending time with family and having fun. This sweet can be prepared for festivals like Janmastami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Holi, Eid, and Christmas.
Once prepared, these can be stored in an air tight container for up to 15 days. But based on my personal experience, I never get a chance to store it because the moment it is fried and you start serving it gets over in no time. You only crave for more and more.
This sweet is very special to me as it is among the first sweets that I prepared for my husband after our wedding, He was not only impressed but also encouraged me to start my food blog. It is because of him I am here today 🙂 🙂
Traditionally, this sweet is fried in ghee but I have fried it in oil and it tastes equally good. You can coat it with cardamom flavored sugar syrup or powdered sugar. Serve it as it is, or to take it to the next level you can serve it with flavored badam milk or almond milk. I will soon share the recipe for the same. Stay tuned.
Ingredients for Phenori
For the dough
Maida or All purpose Flour - 2 cups
Ghee or Melted Butter - 4 tbsp
Salt - Pinch
Water - to knead dough
Rice Flour - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Vegetable Oil for frying
For Sugar Syrup
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Cardamom powder - ⅛ to ¼ tsp
How to make Phenori , Chiroti or Khaja
To start with phenori, prepare a very simple smooth and firm dough using flour, ghee and water. Let this sit aside for 1 hour.
You can prepare sugar syrup while the dough is resting. Heat water and sugar in a pan. Once the sugar has melted, simmer till you get single thread consistency (i.e. the 'thread' does not break when your forefinger and thumb is pulled part gently). Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
Creating layers for Phenori, Chiroti or Khaja
In a small bowl, mix rice flour and ghee and keep aside. This is used to bind the rotis to form those layers.
Divide the dough into 6 equal portion and roll them into 6 rotis.
Place one roti on working surface, spread the rice flour paste on to it. On top of this place another roti, again spread the rice flour-ghee paste and place the third roti and spread the rice flour-ghee paste for one last time. Now roll them and cut into around ½ inch thick circles. That is, you can make approx 10 circles (or phenoris) out of 1 roll.
Repeat the same process for other 3 rotis. Now using the rolling pin roll each thick circle into small thin circle around 4 to 5 inch in diameter.
Heat the oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot place 3 to 4 rotis at a time and switch the flame to medium. Flip them and fry on both the sides till you see they are crispy and golden in color. Transfer them to a paper towel.
Coat the fried chirotis immediately in the sugar syrup and you are done. Isn't this amazing. I hope you give this recipe a try.
Detailed recipe for Phenori, Chiroti or Khaja Sweet
PHENORI | CHIROTI | KAJA SWEET RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 cups Maida or All purpose Flour
- 4 tablespoon Ghee or Melted Butter
- Salt, a pinch
- Water , to knead dough (approx ½ cup to ¾ cup)
- 3 tablespoon Rice Flour
- 3 tablespoon Ghee
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 cups Water
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instructions
Step I
- In a bowl add maida (flour), ghee, salt and mix well. Now add water little by little as required and start kneading to form smooth and firm dough. Cover this and keep it aside for 1 hour.
- While the dough is resting you can make the sugar syrup.
Step II
- Add rice flour, 3 tablespoon of ghee in bowl and mix well. Keep this aside.
- This is used to bind the rotis and helps give those phenoris its beautiful layers.
Step III
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Make thin rotis or flatbreads out of it.
- Place one roti on the working surface, spread the rice flour-ghee paste on the roti . On top of this place another roti, and again spread the rice flour-ghee paste and place the third roti and spread the rice flour–ghee paste for one last time.
- Now roll them and cut into around ½ inch thick circles. Typically, you can make approx 10 circles out of 1 roll.
- Repeat the same process for other 3 rotis. Now using the rolling pin roll each thick circle into small thin circle around 4 to 5 inch in diameter.
Step IV
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium flame for frying.
- Once the oil is hot, place 3 to 4 rotis at a time depending on the size of the pan. Flip them and fry on both the sides till you see that it is crispy and golden brown in color.
- Transfer them to a paper towel. Coat the fried chirotis immediately in the sugar syrup and transfer it to a serving plate. This means sugar syrup must be ready before frying.
For sugar syrup
- Heat water and sugar in a pan. Continue this process till sugar is melted, then reduce the flame to simmer and continue till you get single thread consistency (i.e. the syrup 'thread' does not break when your forefinger and thumb is pulled part gently).
- Add the cardamom powder and mix well. If this gets thickened by the time you finish frying you can always add little water and heat again.
Step V
- Once the phenoris are done and cooled down to room temperature you can store it in an air tight container. This will remain fresh for 10 to 15 days.
Notes
- See that oil is hot and you fry them in medium flame.
- Coat the chirotis immediately after frying.
- You can use store bought confectioners sugar and add cardamom powder and mix well or you can powder the sugar and cardamom and mix well and sprinkle on the phenoris or chirotis immediately after frying instead of sugar syrup.
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Heather
These are gorgeous pastries! I just want to curl up with a plateful and cup of coffee 🙂 Thanks for the fantastic tips!