Soanpapdi aka Fairy floss

Soan papdi or Sohan papdi is a popular snack sold in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan...there isn't an Indian I know who hasn't loved the taste of this as a kid...as an adult ,sadly it feels rather a decadent dish to indulge in knowing the ingredients that go into it...flour,ghee and sugar...not really the healthiest in the world ;D
As a child my memories of soanpapdi are of a glass bell jar filled with a fairy gossamer white strands,on a cart,pushed by a man who had a rather large sounding bell with a very pleasant ring...you knew that the soanpapdi man was on his way !Unfortunately nowadays one only gets to see the soanpapdi that is pressed in squares and mixed with a variety of dry fruits...rarely do we see it in loose form...but there are people who still do come home and make on order, these fine strands of soanpapdi which recently the western world refers to as Fairy floss...an apt name I think....makes it even more endearing for a child. Chefs from all over the world like to use it as a topping for so many desserts and it looks so pretty and adds such a beautiful finishing touch touch...and they add colour to it to match their gourmet creations...the end result is visually stunning !!!
 In the picture you can see both versions ,one is a bournvita flavoured soanpapdi and the next is the plain one...rolled into a ball for ease in serving and transporting...both are delicious,though I am partial to the Fairy Floss !!! ;))

 
This recipe for Soanpapdi is a modified version of the one found in "my cookbook"

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 15 min

Yields: Serves 4 to 6 People

  

Ingredients

 1 ½ cups Besan (Gram Flour) 

1 ¼ cups Maida (Flour) 

2 tbsps Milk 

1 cup Sugar 

250 gms Ghee 

Chopped pista/badam (optional) -1/4 c 

Saffron/Cardomom powder (optional)

Method:  

Mix together the besan and the maida together

Take a heavy saucepan and heat the ghee inside this pan.

Add the maida and roast on low heat until it is golden in color.

Cool a little and keep stirring occasionally.

Make syrup of sugar, water, milk and saffron strands.

Pour this sugar syrup into the maida mixture.

Beat it well with a large fork until the mixture makes thread like flakes.

If you like to leave it at this stage,in it's loose form...the next steps are not necessary.(just seal in an airtight container)

Transfer all the mixture into a greased surface and then roll it into one inch thickness.

Cut the flattened mixture into one inch squares when cool.

Wrap all the pieces separately in butter paper packets.

Store the soan papdis in a sealed container.

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