Panjiri/Panjeri is a staple from the Punjab region and Hyderabad of the Indian subcontinent.[1] treated as a nutritional supplement. It is made from whole-wheat flour fried in sugar and ghee, heavily laced with dried fruits and herbal gums. It is usually eaten in the winters to ward off cold. Panjiri/Panjeri is normally given to nursing mothers. It is considered Hot Food to help with the production of breast milk.
It has been used for thousands of years, by the ancient Hindus then many centuries laters by the Sikhs. Its use is quite ritualistic and meaningful during nursing of mother.
Ingredients
- Atta (whole wheat flour) or sooji can also be used
- Ghee
- Chaar magaz
- Sugar
- Almond
- Powdered edible gum crystals (gondh)
- Flame-of-the-forest (kamarkas)
- Saunf
- puffed lotus seeds (makhane)
- carom seeds (ajwain)
- powdered cardamom seeds (elaichi)
- powdered dried ginger powder (saunth)
- walnut (akhrot)
- unsalted pistachio nuts (pista)
- powdered sugar (boora)
Cooking method
- Heat 500 gm ghee in a heavy bottomed kadai.
- Fry all the dry fruits one by one till they turn golden brown, first almonds, then cashew nuts, walnuts, pistachio nuts, lotus seeds, and lastly, melon seeds. Keep them aside on kitchen paper to drain the excess oil.
- In the same ghee, fry the kamarkas, and keep them aside as well.
- Next, roast the grated coconut and keep it aside.
- Now, coarsely grind all the fried dry fruits, except the melon seeds. Mix the dry fruits, roasted coconut and melon seeds together in a large pan and keep aside. Grind the kamarkas into fine powder and keep them aside as well.
- Heat the remaining ghee and roast flour over medium heat till the colour of the flour changes to golden brown and the ghee starts separating.
- Turn down the flame at this point and sprinkle in powdered gum crystals. Keep stirring the mixture until the crystals puff up and the spluttering stops.
- Add the powdered saunth and ajwain to the roasted flour and stir the whole mixture until all the ingredients are well blended.
- Turn off the flame. Keep on stirring the mixture for another 5–10 minutes.
- Now add the dry fruits, magaz, sugar and kamarkas to the roasted flour and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a large dish or tray and let cool.
- Store the mixture in an airtight container.
