KHORAK
A Sindhi Sweet Delight
By Monica Gokaldas

 

ORIGIN:
Khorak is a Sindhi delicacy. This comes in various recipes as per family lineage of people having a belonging from different parts of Sindh. The recipes are passed down through generations from mother to daughter hence one may find variants such as usage of Jaggery instead of sugar or sugar syrup instead of powdered sugar.

Some people prefer to store it in a crumbled form instead of slices or squares and called it Choori. Many others call this as Majoon instead of khorak again depending on the district of Sindh they belong to.
The cooking gum is believed to help strengthen the bones hence is considered extremely beneficial for women in childbirth as well as those suffering from osteoporosis. A sweet meal that has seen most Sindhi families relish this dish through several generations is prepared more often in winters than summers as it provides warmth and nourishment in the cold weather thus helping people cope up with the common colds owing to the remedial effects of poppy seeds and nuts.

 

Ingredients:
250 grams Wheat Flour (kanark Jo atto)
250 grams Clarified Butter (Ghee)
187.5 grams powdered white sugar (peethal khand)
62.5 grams cooking gum (khaunrn)
25 grams Poppy Seeds (Khuskhus)
12.5 grams Coriander seeds crushed (Dhanran Jo magz) (Optional)
125 grams Cashews chopped to bits (Kaju kutrayal)
62.5 grams Almonds chopped to bits (Badam magz)
62.5 grams Walnuts chopped finely (Akhrot magz)
5pcs Cardamoms powdered (Elaichi)
10 – 12 pcs Pistachio slivered (Pistan ji kutur)
Recipe:
1. Fry the cooking gum in a pre-heated thick bottomed pan using a small portion of the clarified butter.
2. Crush this fried gum in a mortar and pestle almost immediately after frying.

3. Add the remaining clarified butter in the pan and start cooking the wheat flour, stirring constantly till the flour appears slightly dark in color.

4. Once the flour is semi cooked throw in the Poppy seeds, crushed Coriander seeds and crushed gum and continue to cook on low flame till the flour starts turning to a reddish brown color.

5. Pour over the dry fruits at this step and keep cooking on low flame stirring continuously till the mixture is nearly reddish in tone and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

6. Turn off the flame and finally mix in the powdered sugar very well. Leave it in the pan for another five minutes.

7. Pour over the entire mixture onto a greased platter or a dish.

8. Garnish with slivered pistachios and firmly press them in using the pack of a spoon.
9. Once slightly cooled then you can make the markings for squares.

10. Cut out the squares or bits and serve warm or cold as per liking.

 

 

 

IN THE MEDIA:

published in The Asian Weekly- Diwali Coffee Table Book – culinary Edition