Cook's Hideout: West Bengal -- Lobong Lathika

April 30, 2014

West Bengal -- Lobong Lathika

Blogging Marathon# 39 - Indian States: Day 30
State: West Bengal
Dish: Lobong Lathika
The last Indian state we are going to visit today is West Bengal. It is located in eastern India and is the fourth most populated state in India. It is a major agricultural producer in India. West Bengal is noted for its political activism and for its cultural activities and presence of cultutal and educational institutions. The state capital Kolkata is known as the 'Cultural Capital of India'. The state's cultural heritage, besides varied folk traditiona, ranges from stalwarts in literature including Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore to scores of musicians, film makers and artists. West Bengal is also distinct from most other Indian states in its appreciation and practice of playing football besides the national favorite sport Cricket.
Like the other states I mentioned, my dad was in West Bengal on work for extended period of time. He would send us rasgullas in big containers, which is why I wrongfully thought rasgullas were from Bengal (they are actually from Orissa). He brought back a a variety of beautiful clay dolls from Ghurni. Showcases in my parents house are filled with these lovely dolls.
Cuisine: Rice and fish are traditional favorite foods in Bengal. Bengalis LOVE their fish and have a vast repertoire of fish based dishes. Sweets/ desserts occupy a very important place in Bengali's diet and at their social ceremonies. They make distinctive sweets from milk products, like roshogolla, chomchom, kalojam, sandesh, pitha and the list is endless.
West Bengal -- Lobong Lathika

Today's Dish: I have tried quite a few Bengali dishes in the past and since this is the last day of our month long marathon, I wanted to end it on a sweet note (I started this month with a sweet dish too!!). It's not difficult to find sweets/ desserts in Bengali cuisine, the difficult part is to narrow it down to 1 dish for the day.
Cloves
So after thinking of several options, I finally decided to make these juicy sweet called Lobong Lathika. I tasted this back home in India, but I remember the wrapper being a pale green color with creamy khoya/ mawa in the center and a cute little clove right in the middle. We called it Lavanga Lathika (Telugizing the lobong part :-). My mom said the wrapper was made with pumpkin skin or something like that. I didn't want to go looking for that recipe because I found Sandhya's recipe more doable.
West Bengal -- Lobong Lathika
Recipe from Sandhya's blog:
Ingredients:
For the Outer Cover:
All purpose flour - 2cups
Sugar - 3tbsp (grind sugar if the granules are too big. Sugar we get here in US is finer than the one back home -- so I skipped the grinding step)
Salt - ½tsp
Baking Soda - a pinch
Saffron - a pinch soaked in 2tbsp warm water
Ghee - 3tbsp
Cloves - 20

For the Filling:
Khoya/ Mawa - 200gms (I used frozen khoya that I thawed overnight in the fridge)
Sugar - ¼cup
Ground Nutmeg - a pinch
Raisins - ¼cup

For the Sugar Syrup:
Sugar - 1cup
Water - ½cup
Rose syrup - 1tsp (optional)

Method:
  • Make the dough for the Covering: Combine all the ingredients for the covering and mix well. Add enough water and knead into a smooth, pliable dough. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
  • Make the Filling: In a nonstick cooking pan, combine all the ingredients and cook on medium-low flame, stirring frequently, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan (as shown in the pic). Cool slightly before making the lathikas.
  • Make the Sugar syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and rose syrup (if using) and cook until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Simmer until the syrup reaches 1 string consistency. Keep the syrup warm.
  • To make Lobong Latika: Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small circle and place 2tsp filling inside.
  • Fold the dough from both sides over the filling. Then repeat the same with the other 2 sides.
  • Seal it with the clove. Repeat with rest of the dough and the filling.
  • Heat oil for deep frying. Gently add 3~4 latikas and fry on medium flame until golden brown on all sides. 
  • Remove with a slotted spoon and drop them gently into the sugar syrup. Turn them around to coat the lathikas evenly with the syrup. Leave them in the syrup for 3~4 minutes. Then place them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Let the labong lathika cool completely before enjoying. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Making of Lobong LathikaWest Bengal -- Lobong Lathika


Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 39.




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17 comments:

  1. loved this one!!! I have made this before and it was tasty and delicious... you have it made it so perfectly..

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  2. The lathika look so gooey and rich.

    I have enjoyed your month long journey across the states of India.

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  3. i know what you are referring to...it is actually the petha wrapped cream recipe....it is made using white pumpkin but tedious process...this one works as you said it is more doable and equally tasty.....Pavani, it is so much fun to watch you create such beautiful recipes and presenting them..you know how big a fan I am of your photographs...and this time around with the mega marathon, you literally gave me a virtual treat that i thoroughly enjoyed...I am exhausted with one kid and wonder how you guys manage with 2 kids and so much of planning...will be back to check on your beautiful work..

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  4. My first choice for WB is both lobong lathika and Radhavallabi, then changed my mind and went for kachori..Those lobong lathika are my personnal favourites, now i want some to have rite now.

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  5. Stunning pictures of this cute sweetmeat Pavani. It was a pleasure, as always, to travel with you in this month long journey.

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  6. This is a wonderful recipe, which I have been meaning to try since long..but the calories always tell me no..no..But now i am super tempted..any way it has been a great marathon and you have floored us with beautiful clicks and of course choice of recipes.

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  7. Pavani, what a wonderful treat it's been all through this month, visiting what you planned..I know I have said this many times, but again..your pictures are stunning and come so much live! I enjoyed this mega marathon that you treated us with..I thought we have this lavang lathika in andhra as well..I haven't read through the history of this much..but always assume so..lobong lathika as a nice ring right..:)

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  8. Absolutely delicious and juicy looking Lobong Latikas..Nice clicks,great recipe to end the marathon and it was fun running with you in this series..

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  9. the lobong lathika looks so neatly packaged with that little clove. cute litte sweet parcel.. lovely sweet to end the marathon

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  10. Loving Latika looks so mouth melting and delicious! Good choice .....

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  11. Pavani, you have made it so perfectly! Love those cute little parcels :) Thanks for trying out the recipe! It was awesome to be a part of the marathon with you and looking forward to continuing!

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  12. Pavani I do agree at Bengal narrowing down to one recipe is difficult its amazingly delicious. I have been wanting to make these beauties but ... I loved your recipes and your pics are aa visual treat. How you manage with 2 small kids I don't know. You are one amazing lady and I ma proud to say that I went on this trip around India with you. Thanks

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  13. Such a beautiful sweet and so well presented Pavani. I made this for another event and can feel that taste just looking at your awesome clicks.It was nice doing this BM with you Pavani.Enjoyed all your posts and pics :)

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  14. wow wat an delicious way to end the marathon making me tempt tempt and more tempt till the end .. such an amazing post pavani .. droolworthy lobong lathika :)

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  15. I wanted to do a sweet for Bengal but changed my mind and did posto. You picked nice recipes for this BM and loved all the posts you did for this bm. Lobong lathika turned out so well. Lovely pictures.

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  16. looks super delicious pavani!!!i too wanted to end with a sweet tooth, but no one at home was ready for sweets, so had for a simple side for the last day.

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  17. Wonderful way to end the marathon, Pavani. It was a pleasure running the marathon with you.

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