Desserts & Baking

Chana magaj with white chocolate

Makes 12 to 14 pieces
Easy
15 minutes, plus 1 hour’s drying time
45 minutes

“Known as besan burfi in India and ‘Indian fudge’ in the West, this is my favourite Diwali treat. Getting the nutty texture is a bit laboursome but use a food processor to help. Besan or gram flour is a brown chickpea flour available at Indian grocers.” – Ishay Govender

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Ingredients

Method
  • 2 cups ghee, plus 4 T
  • ½ cup milk
  • 500 g chickpea flour
  • 300 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 4 T Nestlé Klim powdered milk
  • flaked almonds, to decorate
  • 100 g Woolworths white chocolate drops, melted, to decorate (optional)

Method

Ingredients

1. Melt 4 T ghee in a saucepan, then mix with the milk and chickpea flour. Place in a food processor and pulse until the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Place on a large tray and allow to dry for 1 hour.

2. Place the remaining ghee in a large, deep saucepan, over a low heat until melted. Add the chickpea flour mixture and mix well. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring well with a wooden spoon, until the mixture changes colour to a light brown. It will take around 40 minutes, so be vigilant. You want the chickpea flour to cook, but not burn. Reduce the heat if necessary.

3. Remove from the heat, then add the icing sugar and powdered milk. Mix well with a large wooden spoon.

4. Pour into a greased 20 cm baking tray. Garnish with the nuts, gently pressing them into the top. Chill overnight to set. 5 Spread the melted chocolate onto the surface, topping with more almonds if you like. Allow to set and cut into diamonds or other shapes.

Find more Diwali recipes here.

Photograph: Myburgh Du Plessis
Production: Khanya Mzongwana

Ishay Govender

Recipe by: Ishay Govender

Ishay Govender is award-winning freelance food and travel journalist and author. She has written two cookbooks titled Curry: Stories & Recipes Across South Africa and Bright Rock Love Change Cookbook.

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