Lavang latika(clove sweets)

• Servings: 4
• Preparation time: 10 minutes.
• Preparing outer layer and folding time: 2 minutes (each)
• Frying time: 10-12 minutes(each batch).
• Making sugar syrup time: 7-8 minutes.
• Dipping time:2 minutes(each batch)
• Total time: 34 minutes.

Deepawali/Diwali Sweets:

Lavang Latika holds a special place in my heart, as it is cherished part of my childhood. Every festival or family gathering for me incomplete without the aroma of these sweets in the house.

My mother used to prepare with so much love, carefully folding the dough and placing the clove, creating little parcels of joy. It was always exciting to wait for the first bite—the crispy exterior, the sweet khoya filling, and the hint of clove.

This tradition has continued with my kids, and now their childhood memories are intertwined with this treat, just like mine. Lavang Latika is not just a sweets for us, but a symbol of celebration, warmth, and togetherness.

When I was preparing Lavang Latika, my kids would always join me in the kitchen, eager to help with the folding. They would sit on the kitchen platform, their little hands mimicking my movements, carefully folding the dough over the sweet filling.

Though their folds were a bit imperfect and sometimes a bit messy, their excitement and joy made the process even more special. The kitchen would be filled with their laughter, as they tried to stick the clove on top, often asking if they did it right.

These moments turned a simple sweets -making session into a cherished memory, watching them enjoy the process, joy in their eyes, made the tradition even more meaningful.

It is traditional recipe from Bengal and Bihar; as the name gets lavang (clove) from Sanskrit. This is one of the aromatic Indian spiced flavourful stuffing. Above all, Home food is always tasty as it is prepared with loads of love and care.

Ingredients for dough:

• Maida (refined flour): 2 cup
• Ghee (clarified butter): 1 serving spoon
• Milk:  ¾ cup
• Clove: 20-25 no.
• Ghee (clarified butter): for frying
• Chandi ka varak: 4-5 leaf

For stuffing:

• Khoa (Mawa):1 cup
• Clove: 15-20 no.
• Sugar: 3 table spoon

For sugar syrup:

• Sugar: 2 cup
• Water: 1 cup

Preparation for stuffing:

1. Grind clove with sugar, keep aside.
2. Take a non stick fry pan.in a non stick pan, put 1 table spoon of ghee; add Khoa and fry on medium flame for couple of minutes or Stir continuously till it becomes light brown in colour.
3. Add clove powder Keep aside; allow it cool to room temperature, add sugar powder and mix properly.
4. Now, stuffing is ready.

For making dough:

1. Take a wide vessel; put Maida, ghee. Mix well by rubbing between palms.
2. Add milk in small quantity and knead them, if required put some more milk. (The dough can be made in food processor also)
3. Cover and Keep aside, to be used after 20-30 minutes.

For making outer layer:

1. Take dough; divide this into 20-25 parts. Keep aside.
2. Take one by one; make small balls (~ 0.5 inch diameter).
3. Roll the balls in 4-5 inch diameter circle like small Poori.
4. Take one poori, Place 1 full teaspoon stuffing in the centre of the poori.
5. Fold one side and cover the stuffing, press the edges.
6. Then fold other side with overlap, press the edges.
7. Change to upside down (as shown in photo).
8. Again fold both side one by one (as shown in photo).
9. Lastly prick a clove in the centre. Keep aside under damp cloth.
10. After completing all latika, deep fry it.

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a fry pan on medium heat (to check if ghee is ready, put a little piece of dough in the oil it should come up slowly).
2. Deep fry it on medium to low heat(about 10- 12 minutes each batch).
3. Note: if it is fried on high heat, it will be soft. It will not be crunchy.
4. After it starts to puff slowly turn over.
5.  Fry till it becomes golden brown from both sides.
6.  Take it out on strainer, and keep aside, allow cooling.

Method for making sugar syrup:

1. Take another pan; add sugar with water; stir continuously on the lower flame, make sugar syrup(about 7-8 minutes).
2. Allow to boil sugar syrup till get thread; thread is coming it means this is the right consistency.
3. Dip this lavang latika into the sugar syrup.
4. After 1-2 minutes, take out pieces on strainer till syrup becomes dry.
5. After this wrap the latika with Chandi ka varak.
6. Now lavang latika is ready to serve and eat.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Lavang latika(clove sweets) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.