It won’t be wrong to say that Punjab is the food capital of India. From Sarson Da Saag to Amritsari Kulcha, there are ample dishes that you may find everywhere else, but it doesn’t taste like the ones found in Punjab. Indeed, the culinary practices of the state are simple and rustic, yet exotic in their own way.

Also Read: Punjabi Indulgence: 5 Punjabi Desserts To Relish This Winter

Since winter is approaching, there is one Punjabi dessert that we just can’t forget to talk about. Can you guess what are we talking about? Yes, it’s none other than our beloved Pinni. Punjabis and their love for pinni need no introduction. For those who don’t know, Punjabi pinnis are traditional sweets made up of wheat flour, semolina, sugar, and nuts. But have you ever heard of Urad dal ki pinni? Yes, it does exist and is soo delicious. Loaded with ghee, this pinni can take you to foodie heaven, believe me!    

Urad dal pinni is a quite popular dessert in Delhi and Punjab. Especially in Amritsar, this dessert is available in all sweet shops in old Amritsar but the most famous shop for this delight is Kanhiya Sweets in Old Amritsar. Next time when you are in Amritsar, do have these heaven drops and let us know if you liked them. I know this entire discussion has triggered your pinni cravings. So, satisfy your carvings by making this urad dal pinnis at home. Follow the steps below and have the best time.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup urad dal
  • 2/3 cup ghee
  • 2 tbsp semolina
  • 1 tbsp wheat flour
  • ¾ cup khoya
  • 1 cup jaggery
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • ½ cup almonds
  • ¼ cup milk

Method

  • Clean urad dal thoroughly and transfer it into a bowl.
  • Add 2 cups of water and let the dal soak for 3 to 4 hours. You will see that urad has swollen and got doubled in size.
  • When done, drain the dal and rinse it.
  • Take a blender and add the dal to it. Add little milk to form a smooth paste.
  • Now, take a pan and add jaggery. Add water and boil it on a medium flame.
  • Form a thick syrup of jaggery and set it aside.
  • Heat another pan and add ghee. Add urad dal paste and sooji.
  • Mix all the ingredients together and combine well.
  • The urad dal paste will soak the ghee and take the shape of a dough. Keep mixing it well.
  • Make sure you keep stirring so that the paste doesn’t burn.
  • When the dal paste turns crumbly, add khoya. Mix well.
  • Cook it for 25 to 30 mins until the dal paste turns brown and aromatic. 
  • Add cardamom powder and jaggery syrup.
  • Combine well. Increase the flame to medium heat and cook the dal mix. Make sure there are no lumps.
  • When the mix turns into a dough, turn off the heat and add slivered nuts. 
  • Combine everything together and let it cool for some time.
  • When the mixture starts resembling bread crumbs, add 1 tbsp lukewarm water to it and knead it into smooth dough.
  • When done, shape the dal mix into pinnis. You can have any desired shape.
  • Top it with nuts and enjoy!!