Make Raksha Bandhan Special With This

Badam Katli

Recipe

Badam katli recipe searches spike every year around Raksha Bandhan, and it's easy to see why because the mix of almonds, sugar, ghee and cardamom can be quite irresistible. The mithai-making process is quite simple; it starts with blanched, peeled almonds ground into a semi-fine powder, then cooked with a plain sugar syrup until the mixture is cohesive and resembles a dough. Then the mithai is rolled out thin enough to be cut into its characteristic diamond shapes. Getting the texture of the badam katli right comes down to two things: first, the almonds should be ground in short intervals rather than whizzing them in the grinder at one go, as over-grinding releases the nuts' natural oil and turns the mixture pasty instead of a light powder (use almond flour to make this easier), and second, the sugar syrup needs to be just fully dissolved and turn faintly thick. They are mixed and cooked like the typical mithai until ready. For Raksha Bandhan sweets specifically, badam katli's sophisticated sweetness, pale colour and diamond-cut shape make it a natural centrepiece for a sweets box alongside laddoos or barfis. Roll the warm dough between sheets of parchment paper to avoid cracks or mess. Just make sure the mithai is rolled out thick enough so it retains its shape and doesn’t collapse or fold over. Decorate with silver or gold foil for this special occasion.