Marigold Poori and Rose Halwa

Marigold Pooris and Rose Halwa

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This dessert recipe features a rose-scented pudding and pooris accented with sugared marigolds.

Maneet Chauhan

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Maneet Chauhan's Marigold Poori and Rose Halwa — Photo: Matt Blair

Active Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

When creating a dessert for Diwali, Maneet Chauhan went all out, infusing fried pooris with marigolds, and pairing them with a halwa made with rose water syrup and dusted with rose petals and pistachios. "Marigolds are use as decoration everywhere at our parties," she says of her inspiration for this dessert. "I wanted to use them to make this dessert beautiful and delicious." If you can't source the rose water syrup, use a simple syrup and add 2 drops rose water and 2 drops red food coloring.

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Ingredients

For the Pooris

Pinch of saffron threads
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold milk
2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon torn fresh or dried edible marigold petals, divided (see note)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons ghee, melted
Oil for frying

For the Rose Halwa

½ cup ghee
1 cup semolina
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup rose water syrup (such as Rooh Afza)
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 drops red food coloring
Pinch salt
Crushed pistachios
Dried rose petals

Directions

Make the Pooris

Combine saffron threads and 2 tablespoons of the milk in a medium bowl. Stir in atta, 2 tablespoons of the marigold petals, sugar, the remaining 1 cup of milk and pinch of salt to form a stiff dough. Add ghee and knead until ghee is incorporated into dough. Cover dough and let rest 30 minutes.
While dough rests, place the remaining 1 teaspoon marigold petals and sugar in a food processor and pulse until crumbly, about 4 pulses.
Divide poori dough into 6 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a flat round 6 inches wide.4. In a deep, medium skillet, heat 3/4 inch oil to 350°F. Fry pooris 1 at a time, frying until poori floats to top, 1 to 2 minutes. Using the back of a ladle, press poori down into oil on 1 side, frying until poori is golden brown on each side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer fried pooris to a paper towel-lined rack and sprinkle with marigold-sugar mix. Repeat frying process with remaining pooris.

Make the Rose Halwa

In a large saucepan over medium, heat ghee until melted. Add semolina and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Meanwhile, place milk, rose water syrup, sugar, cardamom, and salt in a separate saucepan, and bring to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour milk mixture into semolina mixture and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until it thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
Garnish halwa with pistachios and dried rose petals and serve with warm pooris.

Note

Be sure to use marigolds that were not treated with pesticides when cooking.