Halwa Puri — Sunday Breakfast Set

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup warm water
• 2 tbsp ghee, plus more for frying
• 1 cup coarse semolina
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1½ cups water, for the halwa
• ½ cup ghee, for the halwa
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds and pistachios
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp chana masala powder
• 1 tsp amchur
• 4 cups neutral oil, for frying

Method

1. Knead the flour, 2 tbsp ghee, a pinch of salt, and warm water into a stiff dough — firmer than roti dough, which is what lets the puris puff. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
2. For the halwa, toast the semolina in the ½ cup ghee over medium-low, stirring constantly, until it turns sandy gold and smells nutty, 10 minutes. Meanwhile boil the water, sugar, and cardamom into a syrup.
3. Pour the hot syrup into the semolina — it will spit violently, so stand back — and stir until it thickens and the ghee starts to separate, 5 minutes. Stir in the nuts and cover.
4. For the chana, fry the cumin seeds in 2 tbsp ghee, add the ginger-garlic paste, chickpeas, chana masala, amchur, salt, and a cup of water. Simmer 15 minutes, mashing some chickpeas to thicken.
5. Roll the dough into 5-inch discs. Fry one at a time in 375°F (190°C) oil, pressing the center gently with a slotted spoon until it balloons, about 40 seconds, then flip for 20 more.
6. Serve the puris straight from the oil with the halwa and chana, plus pickle and yogurt if you have them.