Kaju Katli

Place 1 cup dry cashews (kaju) in a dry grinder, coffee grinder, or blender.

Grind the cashews (kaju) to a smooth powder, making sure you don’t over do the grinding process. Fat should not release from the cashews.

Combine ½ cup sugar and 5 tablespoons water in a thick bottomed pan (or kadai or a non-stick pan).

Keep on low flame and let the sugar fully dissolve in the water. You should not see any particles in the water.

When the sugar completely dissolves in the water, then add the cashew powder.

Stir and keep stirring non-stop on a low flame. If there are lumps, then break the lumps as you stir and continue to stir.

Consistent stirring is key.

The mixture will thicken & start coming together to form a very soft dough. Next, it is time to remove the ball of mixture from the pan and place it on a floured work surface.

The dough should not be sticky, but smooth.

Put the cashew dough on a work surface. Add 1 tsp rose petals (or 1 tsp rose water or 8 to 9 strands of saffron) and 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil, (optiona).

The dough will be hot. Allow to slightly cool, then begin to knead the dough.

Knead the dough lightly, flatten it & place on a greased plate or tray.

Don't over flatten the dough. It should also be quite warm while you roll it with a rolling pin.

Gently roll. There should be small cracks in the dough.

To smoothen the cracks, place parchment paper on top and roll more

Roll to get a thickness of about 3 to 5 mm (about ⅛ inch). Next, allow rolled cashew dough cool.

Once cooled completely, cut the cashew dough into squares or diamond shapes.

I recommend using a butter knife to gently remove the kaju katli pieces from the bottom of the tray or paper, being careful not to break.

Serve right away, or store in an airtight container.