With the arrival of chilly nights and shorter days, Punjabi homes across the globe tend to undergo a metamorphosis of sorts in terms of what foods are made within. Wintry food and core winter foods in Punjabi homes are way different from the usual round-the-year fare available there. The quintessential pinni is one such delicacy made in Punjabi homes in winter. While many recipes and styles of pinni making are available, a few hacks from experienced pinni makers will help. So you ace making a pinni this year!
Dry Fruits Hack
When adding dry fruits, the sky is your limit. The hack to ensure you have excellent evenness in texture and the ‘bite’ of the nutty addition is to grind all roasted dry fruits and mix them into the atta base. The finely chopped almonds can go to the pinni as a garnish, but the ground powder is better for the main pinni.
Atta Hack
When roasting the atta, add a little oats flour. This is not a traditional approach but gives a bind like never before. Roast the oats and pulse it up first, though, before adding to the “roasting” flour.
Ghee Hack
Do not add all the ghee you have measured out for the pinni at once. Instead, keep adding some as the atta roasts; else, you get too tight or too soggy a base.
Shaping Hack
- When shaping a pinni, remember that a temperature that gives your palm the sensation of a relaxing spa is the right one—nothing less, nothing more.
- Shape it into a cylindrical or ball shape, but a pinni is a patient piece in the making. Therefore, always handle it with love and lots of care to get this mouth melting wintry delicacy right.
- Pinni is also an immunity booster and helps you ward off seasonal infections to a great extent. It also helps maintain the ideal levels of minerals and vitamins in the body.
What stops you from going make one and gobble up some pinni this season?
Satarupa B. Kaur has been writing professionally for a decade now. But, she is always on the go; she loves to travel, books, and playtime with her toddler as she explores new places and food!