Soan Papdi

Method

1. Sift the 35 g of gram flour together with the 35 g of plain flour twice, so there are no lumps at all. Sliver the 6 g of pistachios and crush the seeds of 2 green cardamom pods to a coarse powder. Lightly grease a small tray or tin about 12 cm square, and a marble slab or clean steel worktop for pulling.
2. Melt the 30 g of ghee in a heavy-based kadhai or small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sifted flours and roast, stirring without pause with a wooden spoon, for 12-15 minutes: the paste will loosen, froth slightly, then thicken again and turn a deep golden brown with a strong roasted-gram aroma. Do not let it catch. Slide the pan off the heat and keep the paste warm.
3. In a second small heavy pan, dissolve the 110 g of caster sugar in the 60 ml of water with the 0.25 tsp of lemon juice over low heat, brushing down the sides. Raise the heat and boil without stirring for 8-10 minutes to the hard-ball stage, 132C: a drop dripped into cold water sets to a firm ball you can roll, and a little syrup pulled between finger and thumb spins two or three brittle threads.