Simple Gluten Free Kitchen

Urad Daal Pinni / Sweet Lentil Discs

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As I entered the gym after about a week’s break, I was surprised to find it full. There were faces I had never seen before. I stood there looking all around to find a  machine for workout but there wasn’t any available at that moment. I could not even sign up for a drop in fitness class, as all the spots were taken. At first, I thought I came on a wrong day because I don’t usually come on Saturday mornings. But then a girl at the reception spoke to me that most people that I see today are resolutionists and by February the gym will be back to normal. ..Seriously? I can not believe people actually buy gym membership and then stop going after a month. Is it really necessary to make such fitness related resolutions when they are so hard to stick?  If any of my blogger friend signed up for gym membership this month, please continue going after viewing today’s recipe. It is by no means unhealthy in my opinion but definitely high calorie and you need to burn off those extra calories with exercise.

 

 

At least once a year, on the occasion of a large party I make one traditional sweet that I learnt from my mother. When we hosted a party on 31st December I made PINNI for our friends. It is a punjabi delicacy, that is consumed in winters. In Canada even if it is snowing outside we crave for ice cream and cold foods because our homes are too warm. But in India houses are not centrally heated and winters are really cold in Punjab. People weather proof their house by putting heavy curtains, rugs and using  heaters in their bedrooms but even then the house feels freezing  cold and if they try to heat up their whole house the electricity bill goes up. So people indulge in high calorie and protein rich foods that drive away the chill and provide energy and warmth to the body. …  It isn’t surprising why people gain  weight in winters… Pinni is one such sweet or energy snack which you would not eat on daily basis but cherish occasionally.

It is generally made from wheat, lentil and flax seeds. The recipe I am sharing with you is made from  skinless urad daal, flax seeds and khoya. Lentil in a sweet may seem completely unappetizing but trust me, India’s best sweets are made from lentils or lentil flour.  Other then that I added almond crumbs ( left over residue after sifting  almond flour). You can add or reduce ingredients according to your preference. They are easy to make but you need a strong  arm to stir the daal continuously (Read my notes).  With a shelf life of  15- 20 days, these delicious pinnis can be your on the go breakfast with coffee or tea.

 

 

Quick Notes:

  • Soak daal over night and blend in  a food processor without using any added water. The ground daal  look smooth but feel like semolina when you rub between your finger and thumb.
  • Use a thick bottomed pan to roast daal in ghee. You will be tempted to add more ghee when you find the daal sticking at the bottom even after continuous stirring over low heat ( check the photo below). There’s the tricky part. You actually have to scrape from sides and bottom while stirring constantly and breaking the lumps. That’s how the daal gets roasted. You may ask, Why didn’t I use a non stick pan?  I would have if I had a big pan to hold all that mixture.A fter 20 minutes of stirring it will no longer be sticking and gets easier to stir and fold. Total roasting time takes about 35 minutes.
  • When its time for rolling, take some warm mixture and press in the fist to form a tight shape. Your fingers will leave a ridged imprint on the pinnis. To roll into flat round discs, place the ball on a flat board. Cup it with both hands and gently rotate few times. Put some melon seeds on the board and turn the  pinni upside down on the seeds, press gently and rotate again. If you find the mixture difficult to bind when it gets cold add 1-2 tbsp of hot milk (depending on the remained mixture), but keep in mind this will lessen the shelf life of pinnis.
  • To make khoya at home you take 2 liters of homo milk in a wide bottom pan and  reduce it by repeatedly stirring for 45 minutes. Check here how I start to thicken the milk.

 

 

URAD DAAL PINNI

Makes: about 40 pinnis

Ingredients:

  • 500 g (split and skinned) urad daal  (black lentil)
  • 400 g white granulated sugar
  • 200 g desi ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 tbsp edible gum (optional)
  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp golden flax meal (optional)
  • 400 g khoya (made from 2 l of homo milk) You can reduce its amount.
  • 2 tbsp melon seeds
  • 2 tbsp hot milk (if required)

Method:

  1. Soak daal for 8 hours or overnight. Blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
  2. Heat 100g ghee in a thick bottomed pan and fry edible gum until swollen and golden. Drain on a paper towel and pound to a powder.
  3. Add remaining ghee and add the ground daal. Stir over low heat (check notes) until golden.
  4. Add khoya and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Add flax meal and ground almonds, mix well and cook  for another 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and add sugar.
  6. When cool enough to touch, roll into flat round discs. Decorate with melon seeds.
  7. Serve at room temperature and store the remaining pinnis in air tight container.

 

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I’m glad your gym is filling up – it may just be post holidays but exercise at anytime is fantastic 🙂
    As for your sweet treats they look seriously tasty and addictive!

    Happy New Year
    Choc Chip Uru

    Reply

    • These gym goers also taking our parking spot, now I have to go earlier than I used to. Happy New year and I hope you enjoyed your stay in India.

      Reply

    • If you can be one of the resolutionist then keep up with your goal till the end of the year and then pamper yourself with something that you love. 🙂

      Reply

  3. Woohoo! This reminds me of the coming Chinese New Year. Awesome, dear! I’m gonna start my once-a-year Pineapple Tarts baking soon. Hahaha! Your baking is absolutely yummy!

    Reply

  6. Happy New year and I hope you had a wonderful time with your friends on 31st.
    Neetu, I never regret high calorie foods provided I balance out with some healthy stuff or eat light for few days. Do you know how much rich snacks we eat everyday which are laden with sugar, caramel, butter, cream and top of all flour. This is nothing. I love that you used left over almond crumbs inplace of wheat or anyother gluten free flour.

    Reply

    • Thanks Malti for the wishes and we really had great time. Everybody enjoyed.
      Just like you, I indulge in foods in a smart way.

      Reply

  11. Haha you could be talking about me, but I didn’t sign up. I became smarter after several years of making resolution about exercise and I never be able to keep my own promise so I decided not to… (not sure if it’s any better). But I usually like walking outside rather than being in the gym, and I thought your story was very interesting! I’ve tried this dessert before at friend’s place and I remember it was delicious. Happy New Year!

    Reply

    • Actually, I was talking about myself. Years ago I promised myself that I would not watch TV or go on computer for one day but I could not succeed in this. Then I just dropped the idea, without TV and computer life seemed dull, but I try not to use computer for one or two evenings. I spend that time totally with my family. I do not regret if I fail on some days because I know that I am doing it.
      if you are a determined and focused person there is no need to make new year resolutions. Thank you for the new year wishes and I wish you the same.

      Reply

  13. I know the feeling! I hate January gym sessions for that reason! We’ve had a home gym for about 20 years now but every Tuesday, I pop in to the local one while my girls do their 2 hour gymnastics class. Today is the first session back for them, which means for me – I’m not looking forward to the crowd!
    This really is a lovely recipe, I don’t think I’ve ever had lentils sweet before.

    Reply

    • Same here, I cannot exercise at home. My daughter even downloaded Shaun T’s workout program for both of us but I just cannot do it. My mind keep going to my leftover house work. So I prefer going to gym especially in winters.
      You cannot taste lentil in this pinni, give it a shot sometime.

      Reply

  14. Hi Balvinder, this snack look tempting and beautiful. I love the excellent combo.
    Our Chinese New Year will be in February 10th & 11th, time for us to indulge in the once a year cookies affair. LOL

    Now that I got no maid, can’t go to the gym to have fun. So I do my exercise at home but I make it a point at least 2 to 3 times a week. I do weight lifting, skipping, run on treadmill or yoga. I get bored very fast.. so cannot stick to the same exercise everyday. LOL

    Have a lovely week ahead,regards.

    Reply

    • I will be looking forward for some delicious cookies in February.
      Amelia, I haven’t have a maid either so all the housework is done by me. Even I try to do change exercises after three months and do not stick to any single one. Some yoga postures I do all the time to keep me stronger and flexible. {{Hugs to you my dear}}

      Reply

  15. I have never seen such a dessert before Bal. Its a new discovery but its sure looks fabulous. Anyway, I don’t have to head to the gym, first I am quite careful with what I eat, I eat desserts sparingly and am hyper active with plenty to do at home esp cleaning, gardening, and the list goes on.

    Reply

    • Nava, I try to eat balanced but cakes and breads are my weakness. I am pretty active as compare to some of my friends here but I feel better If I exercise 2-3 times a week. This is a popular sweet but you will not find it on all sweet shops.

      Reply

  16. I make it easy on myself by not making any resolutions of any sort at all. You don’t feel so bad when you fail at every one of them.

    I haven’t heard of these pinni, but maybe I have under a different name. I love lentil sweets. This reminds me of the daal halwa we stuff inside puris. I love those puris, especially with kheer…yum!

    Thank you for stopping by my site and for leaving a comment. I am so glad you did as I have found your site now. Have a happy new year and I hope your gym goes back to normal soon.

    Nazneen

    Reply

    • Nazneen, I love baked goods and if I see something interesting I always stop on that blog.
      The punjabi daal pinnis are known by pinnis only. We also make daal halwa and the soaking and roasting process is the same as for pinnis. I am not familiar with the daal halwa puris but I have eaten daal kachoris in Rajasthan.

      Reply

  17. so if you read my blog post you know I am now your partner in crime! Find out I have celiac. Yep- sad but challenged to take it on my joy! your recipes have always amazed me and intrigued me and I will certainly be back often to see what you have in store! much love

    Reply

  20. Hi there Balvinder, these little desserts sound very yummy. If you wait until about January 15th everyone will have broken their new years resolution and it will be smooth sailing in the gym again. Do you use a special grinder for your dals?

    Reply

  21. I made these pinni with Moong daal not Urad daal, they are so-so good. Its really new thing which I made. I make other kind of stuff, mostly they are heavy but moong daal one are light to digest. Thank you so much.

    Reply

        • Yes there is a specific reason, Pinni is considered energy snack…in the winter its cold you and need more energy to keep warm…And urad is a heavier bean than mung and more filling that boosts energy in the body. It is also rich in iron content and folic acid which helps fight several women issues. Moreover, We use mung daal on daily basis in variety of recipes where as urad is not used much in punjabi cooking other than vadas or our humble kaali daal.

          Reply

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