Sweet coconut in a soft, crispy, thin homemade pastry. This is traditionally served as nashta as a welcome snack in Bangladeshi households for special occasions. This is specially served along with other snacks during Eid. They are made using fresh or frozen grated coconut in sugar syrup on low heat until the mixture is completely dry and then used to fill the pastry. I learnt this recipe from my mother and I have so many good memories attached to these, as Eid was not the same without these at my mum's house.
Here are the ingredients I used. I used frozen grated coconut and left the packet to defrost on its own, but if you want to make this straight away then add less water in the pot when you're cooking it.
In the pot add 3 cups of water and bring this to boil.
Add in the coconut and cook this for a few minutes on high heat.
Add in the whole spices. Mix and cook this on high heat for five minutes.
Add the sugar.
Mix it in and let this cook on high heat for 5-10 minutes. Make sure to stir at times.
Then put the gas up and cook this on low heat slowly for 30-40 minutes, or until the mixture dries up. Adjust the heat if required and if the mixture dries up too much during the cooking time, then add a bit more of hot boiled water.
Keep an eye on the dish and stir at times.
By the end of the cooking time, the mixture should be dry but moist. It should look similar to the picture.
Here are the ingredients I've used.
Add 2 & 1/2 of plain flour and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the bowl.
Add 1 & 1/4 tablespoon of oil.
Mix it in and gradually add warm water to make the dough.
Keep adding water gradually while you knead.
It should look like this. The dough shouldn't be too soft or too stiff.
Once done, let this rest for 1/2 an hour to 1 hour. Cover the dough with a wet damp cloth while it's resting.
I used the pastry cutters and moulds shown in the picture.
Once the coconut cools down and the dough is ready, you can start making them!
Get a small amount of dough and roll it into a small ball then flatten it on a clean surface dusted with flour.
Roll out a circle. If you're using a mould, then make sure it's big enough to cover the mould so you can close the mould properly. The pastry shouldn't be too thick or thin.
Place it on top of the mould making sure it covers it properly and follow the next picture.
If you do not use a mould, then you can just place the ingredients in the middle and fold it over. Seal the edges by pressing it down with your index finger then use a pastry cutter to cut the edges nicely.
Add coconut on one side.
Close the mould and press it gently around the edges so it seals nicely. Finally tear the excess pastry off.
Repeat the process for the remaining batches.
All done!
To deep fry, add enough oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add a few in. Keep the oil on high heat and once one side turns golden, turn it around. Adjust heat if the oil becomes too hot so it doesn't burn the pastry quickly.
To freeze and make them solid, place them on flat trays/plates in batches and put in the freezer.. Once they are a bit solid, you can place them in food bags like in the next picture.
Store them in food bags in the freezer after following the instructions from the previous picture.
Ingredients
Directions
Here are the ingredients I used. I used frozen grated coconut and left the packet to defrost on its own, but if you want to make this straight away then add less water in the pot when you're cooking it.
In the pot add 3 cups of water and bring this to boil.
Add in the coconut and cook this for a few minutes on high heat.
Add in the whole spices. Mix and cook this on high heat for five minutes.
Add the sugar.
Mix it in and let this cook on high heat for 5-10 minutes. Make sure to stir at times.
Then put the gas up and cook this on low heat slowly for 30-40 minutes, or until the mixture dries up. Adjust the heat if required and if the mixture dries up too much during the cooking time, then add a bit more of hot boiled water.
Keep an eye on the dish and stir at times.
By the end of the cooking time, the mixture should be dry but moist. It should look similar to the picture.
Here are the ingredients I've used.
Add 2 & 1/2 of plain flour and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the bowl.
Add 1 & 1/4 tablespoon of oil.
Mix it in and gradually add warm water to make the dough.
Keep adding water gradually while you knead.
It should look like this. The dough shouldn't be too soft or too stiff.
Once done, let this rest for 1/2 an hour to 1 hour. Cover the dough with a wet damp cloth while it's resting.
I used the pastry cutters and moulds shown in the picture.
Once the coconut cools down and the dough is ready, you can start making them!
Get a small amount of dough and roll it into a small ball then flatten it on a clean surface dusted with flour.
Roll out a circle. If you're using a mould, then make sure it's big enough to cover the mould so you can close the mould properly. The pastry shouldn't be too thick or thin.
Place it on top of the mould making sure it covers it properly and follow the next picture.
If you do not use a mould, then you can just place the ingredients in the middle and fold it over. Seal the edges by pressing it down with your index finger then use a pastry cutter to cut the edges nicely.
Add coconut on one side.
Close the mould and press it gently around the edges so it seals nicely. Finally tear the excess pastry off.
Repeat the process for the remaining batches.
All done!
To deep fry, add enough oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add a few in. Keep the oil on high heat and once one side turns golden, turn it around. Adjust heat if the oil becomes too hot so it doesn't burn the pastry quickly.
To freeze and make them solid, place them on flat trays/plates in batches and put in the freezer.. Once they are a bit solid, you can place them in food bags like in the next picture.
Store them in food bags in the freezer after following the instructions from the previous picture.
Salaam sis, where did you purchase your moulds from? I can’t seem to find them anywhere, thanks.
Mine are from Bangladesh but you should be able to get them from large Bangladeshi Cash and Carry