Mysore Pak

Ingredients

• 1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1.5 cups chickpea flour (besan)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 whole cardamom pods
• ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the 6 cardamom pods on a cutting board and press down hard with the heel of your hand until the green shell cracks open and splits apart, releasing the seeds inside.

2. 2

   Measure the powdered sugar into a small bowl and set it beside your cooking station — you will need quick access to it once the heat starts.

3. 3

   Pour 1 cup ghee into a heavy-bottomed skillet and place it over medium heat until the ghee is fully liquid and shimmers when you tilt the pan, about 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the cracked cardamom pods to the ghee and stir for 15 seconds until the kitchen fills with a strong, fragrant cardamom smell, then add 1.5 cups chickpea flour all at once.

5. 5

   Stir the chickpea flour and ghee mixture constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and sides of the skillet to prevent sticking, for 8–10 minutes until the flour turns from pale yellow to a warm honey-brown color and smells deeply nutty.

6. 6

   Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool for exactly 1 minute, then immediately pour in 1 cup powdered sugar and 0.25 teaspoon salt and stir vigorously until the mixture is uniform with no white sugar streaks visible.

7. 7

   Fold in the 0.5 cup crushed peanuts by stirring gently until the pieces are evenly distributed throughout the warm paste.

8. 8

   Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, pressing it into the corners, then transfer the warm Mysore Pak mixture into the dish and use the back of a wooden spoon to press it firmly and evenly into a single compact layer.

9. 9

   Let the Mysore Pak cool to room temperature — about 15–20 minutes — until it is firm enough to cut but still slightly warm to the touch.

10. 10

    Run a small knife around the inside edges of the dish to loosen the Mysore Pak, then turn it out onto a clean cutting board and remove the parchment paper.

11. 11

    Cut the slab into 12 equal squares using a sharp knife — make 3 vertical cuts and 3 horizontal cuts to create a grid — then arrange the pieces on a serving plate.

Tools you’ll need

• heavy-bottomed skillet, 10-inch or larger
• wooden spoon
• small bowl
• cutting board
• 8-inch square baking dish
• parchment paper
• sharp knife

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