Punjabi Masalewala Gur (Punjabi Spiced Jaggery) - By Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji

This Masalewala Gur will not only be your dessert for winters but also keep you warm, cozy, is extremely nutritious, and boosts immunity too. This recipe is from my mother, who used to prepare large quantities of it. We would consume it frequently during winters, and in no time, the entire jars would be empty.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Settling Time: 2 hrs

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Desi Ghee - ½ tbsp

Almonds - 20 gm

Cashew Nuts - 20 gm

Pistachio Nuts - 20 gm

Roasted & Skinned Peanuts - 20 gm

Thinly Sliced Dry Coconut - 20 gm

Melon Seeds - 20 gm

Poppy Seeds - 15 gm

Carom Seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - ½ tsp

Foxnuts - 15 gm

Jaggery - 500 gm

Dry Ginger Powder (Sonth) - 1 tsp

Black Salt - 1/4 tsp

Edible Gum (Gond) - 20 gm (optional)

Dried Edible & Organic Rose Petals - 1 tbsp (optional)

Method:

1. Heat ½ tbsp of Desi Ghee in a pan.

2. Add almonds, cashew nuts, pistachio nuts, roasted & skinned peanuts, thinly sliced dry coconut, melon seeds, poppy seeds, carom seeds, and cumin seeds. Sauté until they turn golden and crunchy. Remove and set aside.

3. Dry roast fox nuts until light brown and crunchy (approximately 7 mins). Cool completely, grind coarsely, and add to the sautéed dried fruit mix.

4. Heat a non-stick pan, add 1 tbsp desi ghee, and melt 500 gm of chopped jaggery over a low flame (DO NOT COOK).

5. Add dry ginger powder (sonth) and black salt. Mix well.

6. Now add the dried fruit mix. Mix well.

7. Grease a small tray or thali with a little desi ghee. Pour the jaggery mix into it.

8. Set aside for 2 hours. Afterward, use a clean knife to cut the jaggery into pieces or chunks.

9. Consume in winters. If not consumed immediately, transfer into a sterilized glass airtight container. Stays good for 4 weeks.

Chef Tips:

- Optionally, you may add edible gum (Gond) (coarsely crushed), sautéed in 1/2 tbsp of desi ghee until it puffs up. Cool and grind coarsely, then add it to the dried fruit mix.

- Another optional addition is dried edible and organic rose petals (1 tbsp).

- Some people prefer adding fennel seeds (Saunf), but since this spiced jaggery is prepared for winters and fennel seeds have cooling properties, it's not recommended in this Pun