Bal mithai
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Almora’s famous fudge of browned khoya, rolled in tiny white sugar-coated balls.
Region: Almora, Kumaon, UttarakhandOccasion: Festivals, gifts and everyday sweetTime: 1 hr 30 minServes: About 20 piecesVegetarian
Ingredients
- 500 g khoya (mawa)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ½ cup sugar-coated poppy seeds or tiny white sugar balls (for coating)
Method
- Crumble the khoya into a heavy pan with the ghee.
- Cook on low heat, stirring all the time, until the khoya turns dark brown, like chocolate. This takes 40–50 minutes.
- Add the sugar and keep stirring until it melts and the mixture thickens again.
- Pour into a greased tray, spread about 2 cm thick and let it set.
- Cut into bars and roll them in the white sugar balls.
History
Bal mithai has long been made by sweet-makers in Almora and is closely tied to the town’s identity.
Significance
Visitors carry boxes of bal mithai home from Almora, and it is a common gift for festivals and weddings in Kumaon.