Atte ki pinni or whole wheat flour energy bites. Think of it as a great snack, on-the-go breakfast, or special treat!
Preparation:
Cook:
Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 cup Khoya or Mava (store bought, recipe included below if needed)
- 2 tablespoons Chopped almonds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Raisins
- 1-½ cup Whole wheat flour
- ½ cups Chickpea flour (or whole wheat flour will also work)
- ¾ cups Ghee, plus 1 tbsp if needed for toasting the nuts
- 2 whole Green cardamoms, seeds extracted from the pod and crushed
- ¾ cups Sugar, or more as needed
Preparation
For the homemade khoya or mava:
Put a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add milk to it. (You will need about 2-3 times the volume of milk, as it will reduce to create khoya.) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. At this point, a real test of patience begins. The idea is to cook the milk over a low, slow heat until all the moisture evaporates and you are left with only milk solids. Scrape the sides of the pan and continue to stir occasionally. The milk will begin to decrease in quantity and change color from white to off-white/cream or pale yellow. When the milk begins to thicken, keep stirring until it begins to come together into a glob (for lack of a better word) or sticky, almost semi-solid mass. It will leave the sides of the pan and come together. Your fresh khoya is ready. This process will take almost an hour or more. Cool and store in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze.
Set a heavy-bottomed skillet or kadaahi over medium-low heat. If using nuts, add 1 tbsp ghee to the pan and lightly sauté the chopped almonds and raisins until lightly browned. Remove the walnuts from the pan and set aside.
Add flour (or flours, if using besan) to the pan and dry roast until a lovely toasty aroma fills your kitchen or the color of the flour begins to deepen a little . At this point, add the ghee and start mixing. Keep stirring the ghee and flour mixture until the flour is a little brownish and fragrant, about 7-8 minutes. Once the flour has turned golden, add the khoya. If you are using store-bought khoya, it would be best to grate it with a box grater. Grate the khoya helps to mix it evenly into the flour mixture without having to break up any large chunks. Stir in khoya until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes more. Add the cardamom, mix and turn off the heat.
Let the mixture cool slightly (you should be able to touch it without burning your hands) then add the sugar. Mix and give a taste. Add a few tablespoons, up to 1/4 cup more, to achieve your desired level of sweetness. Stir in the nuts and make sure everything is well incorporated and there are no lumps. It is best to do this with your hands.
If the mixture is cool enough to handle, take about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture and start squeezing it and rolling it into a small ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. You may have to keep going, but the balls will start to collect. If you think the mixture is too crumbly and hard to roll into balls, sprinkle it with a few drops of milk. For me, this mixture worked very well and I didn’t have to add any milk. Repeat until all the mixture is used.
Pinnis keep well in a clean, dry airtight container for 7-10 days at room temperature or you can keep them longer in the fridge. Best served at room temperature!
