Healthy Punjabi Panjiri – Nutritious Dry Fruit Snack for Winter

Panjiri Recipe – Healthy Punjabi Dry Fruit Snack

Panjiri is a beloved and nutritious Punjabi snack that is especially popular during the winter months. This delectable, healthy treat is made with an assortment of dry fruits, seeds, and whole wheat flour, all beautifully roasted in ghee, then sweetened with sugar. Not only does it offer a burst of energy, but it also carries a rich blend of aromatic spices, making it a perfect snack for the colder season. Panjiri, often served with turmeric milk (haldi doodh) or almond milk (badam milk), brings warmth and vitality, and is often considered an excellent remedy for boosting immunity.

Cuisine: Punjabi

Course: Snack

Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients:

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 3-4 servings

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Ingredients: Begin by arranging all your ingredients neatly on the counter, making sure they are measured out and ready to use.

2. Roast the Gond (Gum): Heat a kadai (wok) on medium-low flame and add 1 tablespoon of ghee. Once the ghee is heated, add the gond crystals to the pan. Stir occasionally until the gond puffs up. This should take around 2-3 minutes. Once puffed, turn off the flame and remove the puffed gond from the pan. Set it aside on a plate.

3. Roast the Phool Makhana: Add another tablespoon of ghee to the pan and roast the phool makhana (lotus seeds) on medium-low flame for about 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden and crispy. Remove and set aside.

4. Roast the Dry Fruits and Seeds: In the same pan, add a tablespoon of ghee at a time to roast the almonds, cashews, pistachios, dry coconut slices, melon seeds, flax seeds, and poppy seeds individually. Each ingredient should be roasted separately, for about 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned and aromatic. Once done, set them aside to cool.

5. Grind the Roasted Ingredients: Combine the puffed gond, roasted phool makhana, almonds, cashews, pistachios, dry coconut slices, melon seeds, flax seeds, and poppy seeds in a mixing bowl. Transfer this mixture to a mixer jar and pulse until you achieve a coarse mixture.

6. Roast the Rawa and Wheat Flour: Heat the remaining ghee in the kadai over medium-low flame. Add the chiroti rava (semolina) and whole wheat flour to the pan. Stir frequently and roast the mixture until it turns light brown and aromatic. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Once roasted, add the dry ginger powder, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder. Mix well and let it cool.

7. Combine the Mixtures: Once the roasted rawa and wheat flour mixture has cooled, add the powdered sugar. Stir to combine well and adjust the sweetness as per your taste.

8. Final Mixing: Add the freshly ground dry fruit mixture into the cooled, sweetened wheat flour mixture. Stir everything thoroughly to ensure all the ingredients are well combined.

9. Storage: Transfer the panjiri mixture into an airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry place for up to 2-3 weeks.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve your warm, homemade Panjiri with a cup of turmeric milk (haldi doodh) or almond milk (badam milk) for a perfect winter snack. The natural sweetness of the Panjiri, combined with the goodness of dry fruits and spices, is the perfect way to stay energized and healthy during the colder months.

Nutritional Information (approximate values per serving):

Enjoy your delightful, nutritious Panjiri—packed with healthy fats, fiber, and spices, making it an ideal snack for boosting your energy levels, especially during the winter months.