During the festive cheer of Diwali, confectioners and sweet shops display an extensive variety of treats, yet sweets hand-prepared in domestic kitchens retain unmatched purity and taste. In the town of Jalore, households continue the longstanding tradition of making festive delicacies from scratch. Among these heritage recipes, Mohanthal, widely recognized as besan ki chakki, occupies a treasured spot. Crafted primarily from roasted gram flour, mawa, and pure ghee, this rich sweet offers an aromatic and melt-in-the-mouth texture that defines festive cooking.
Lentil Preparation and Slow-Roasting the Flour
According to homemaker Nita Soni, preparing this festive delight at home requires no exotic supplies, as the core ingredients remain basic kitchen staples. The fundamental process begins with creating the base flour. Rather than relying on common processed flour, whole chana dal is thoroughly roasted before being ground into flour. This particular roasting and grinding process gives the sweet its distinctive grainy body. Once prepared, this flour is transferred to a pan with melted ghee and slow-roasted over low heat. The flour is stirred continuously without pause until the raw taste vanishes completely and the kitchen fills with a rich, nutty roasted aroma.
Roasting the Khoya and Crafting the Sugar Syrup
Alongside the flour, the unsweetened mawa, or khoya, must be carefully prepared. The plain mawa is separately placed in a pan with ghee and roasted thoroughly until it softens and deepens in flavor. Once both the roasted gram flour and the cooked khoya achieve the desired finish, they are blended together evenly. The process then transitions to crafting the binder that provides sweetness and structure. In a separate pot, water and sugar are combined and simmered until they reach an exact single-string syrup consistency. When this specific syrup texture is reached, the warm blend of roasted flour and mawa is folded directly into the bubbling sugar base.
Aromatic Spicing, Setting, and Garnish
To infuse depth of flavor and fragrance, ground cardamom powder is blended into the warm batter. Strands of saffron alongside a subtle touch of edible sweet food color are incorporated to impart a rich, vibrant presentation. The entire mixture is stirred vigorously to guarantee that the roasted flour, mawa, syrup, and flavorings coalesce into a completely smooth, uniform texture. Trays or flat plates are prepared ahead of time by coating the surfaces with a layer of ghee to prevent sticking.
The hot, thickened mixture is poured evenly into the greased plates and leveled to maintain uniform thickness throughout. The trays are set aside to rest at room temperature until the mixture firms up completely. Once the Mohanthal reaches a firm, stable set, it is sliced with a knife into clean diamond or square chakki shapes. Each individual piece is garnished with sliced dry fruits and finished with fine silver leaf, completing the preparation of this traditional homemade delicacy.
