Panjiri Recipe (Step by step Punjabi Panjeeri recipe)

Panjiri is one of the heirloom recipes of our times that can be considered a family treasure. It has been passed down from generations that hold special memories of the precious moments!

The memories of my mother and grandmother preparing the Panjiri and we, as kids, relishing every bit of it, still hold an extraordinary place in my heart, and they always will.

Panjiri is especially a winter delicacy that is loaded with health and deliciousness that renders you addicted.

What is Panjiri Recipe

Panjiri is a dessert made with whole wheat flour (atta) meticulously roasted in pure desi ghee, sweetened with  Khandsari sugar/Khand*, flavored with cardamoms and spices, and nutritiously packed with a generous amount of dry fruits.

It is eaten mainly in the winter season as it is known to help in keeping the body warm with its heat-generating ingredients like sonth (dry ginger) powder, goond (edible gums), and kamarkas (gum of the Palash tree, also known as flame of the forest). It is dry, crumbly, and coarse in texture.

Panjiri is easy to make, although it takes some time to come together. Most of the effort is put into the roasting process, but the end product is worth all the effort.

* Khandsari sugar – Khandsari or Khand is a simple sugar that is physically extracted from the liquid jaggery, making it the healthiest alternative to refined white sugar.

Reasons You’ll ♡ this heavenly treat!

Panjiri is amazingly delicious and highly nutritious food. But there are other reasons also why you would love it entirely, and they’re —

• Go-to comfort food.
• Can satisfy your dessert cravings instantly.
• An excellent nutritional supplement.
• For convenience, form them as ladoos and enjoy. 
• Panjiri can be relished over breakfast or eaten as a snack at any time of the day.

The best part, this nutritious Panjiri recipe can be made in big batches and stored to be used later as a quick daily snack along with warm milk.

The ingredient list for the Panjiri recipe

Flour — Whole wheat flour forms the base ingredient of this recipe. It is roasted with patience and then mixed with the recipe’s other ingredients.

Sooji — Roasted fine Sooji/ Semolina is also added to the Panjiri as it adds a subtle coarse texture to it. You may skip it entirely if you do not want its texture.

Sweetener — Traditional Khandsari/Khand is added to the Panjiri recipe. Khand is rich in calcium, minerals, fiber, iron, vitamins, and magnesium. It’s most similar to unrefined cane sugars like jaggery, and that’s what I have used in this Panjiri recipe. Jaggery is added in the powdered form to our Panjiri. You can substitute jaggery with granulated sugar. 

Ghee — This delicious recipe of Panjiri uses desi ghee for roasting wheat flour and other ingredients to add its distinctive rich flavor and bring in more health benefits. For the most flavorful ghee, you can use the Instant Pot Ghee recipe that takes 20 mins to prepare.

Nuts and Seeds — We bring crunch, nutrition, texture, and richness to our Panjiri by adding nuts and seeds to it. You may choose to add the nuts that you have a liking for.

Phool Makhane — Rich in Vitamins B, C, A, and E, proteins, carbohydrates, and dietary fibers, Phool Makhane or Lotus seeds are added for the crunch and the nutritional value it brings to the recipe.

Goond (edible gum) — Easily available at the nearby grocery store, Goond or edible gum is added to the Panjiri recipe as it is a highly nutritious and warming food that generates heat in the body during the cold winter days.

Dry Ginger Powder — Dry ginger powder or saunth powder is added to the Panjiri for the distinctive spicy flavor that it brings. It also generates warmth and is suitable for the Panjiri that is to be consumed in the winter season.

Dried Coconut — Flakes of dried coconut are added for a delightful crunch and subtle flavor. You may skip adding if you so want. But if you are adding, it will need a bit of dry roasting before being added.

Elaichi (Cardamom) Powder — Added to Panjiri for flavor and verve.

Ajwain (Carrom) Seeds — Included for the flavor and to help digest Panjiri, which may be heavy on the stomach for some.

How to make Panjiri Recipe

This traditional recipe is a staple in my house. With the onset of winter, I make a big batch of panjiri, relishing it throughout the cold season. Patience is the key to this recipe. Do not rush; cook with ease, and you will love the combinations of flavors.

Toasts the nuts — Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed wide pan. Once hot, fry the phool makhana for 7-8 minutes until lightly brown. Remove and reserve. Likewise, cook the goond (edible gum), dry nuts, and raisins one by one on medium-low heat until puffed and brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Grind the nuts — Once the goond and dry nuts have cooled, transfer the puffed-up goond and a handful of toasted almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pistachios to a grinder and pulse until coarsely ground. It should take about 1 minute in total. Set it aside. 

Cook the flour — Add sooji to a pan and dry-roast for 7-8 minutes. When it turns light brown, remove it from heat and reserve. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed wide pan and add wheat flour.

Cook on a medium-low flame for 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously until the atta turns golden and its aroma fills the room. Add roasted sooji and mix until combined. Take the pan/kadhai off the heat. 

Assemble Panjiri — Add Khand or jaggery, toasted dry nuts, toasted coconut flakes, phool makhana, cardamom powder, ajwain, coarsely-ground dry nuts, and spices.

Mix it well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the sweetness at this point. Your homemade Panjeeri is ready. 

Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place when completely cooled.

Expert tips and Variations

Alternate sugar with jaggery — Traditional preparation of the Panjiri recipe requires powdered raw sugar, also known as Khandsari sugar/Khand. Khandsari is a chemical-free and physically extracted sugar from liquid jaggery. It is easily digestible and is rich in minerals, nutrients, and fibers. Since I didn’t have khandsari on hand, I have used jaggery in this panjeeri recipe. You may alternate jaggery with granulated sugar if you like.

When using powdered sugar — Do not use the powdered sugar that we use for baking. This sugar has added cornflour to it, which may spoil our recipe. Instead, you may grind granulated sugar at home for the best results.

Roast the nuts and the seeds on low flame — Always roast the dry fruits and the seeds over a low flame so that the moisture is released slowly and correctly. High flame may over-roast or burn the nuts and seeds, rendering them a smoky yet not pleasing flavor.

Cool the nuts properly before grinding — Cooling the nuts entirely before grinding is essential. Warm nuts will release the oil while grinding and become buttery.

Do not over-grind the nuts — Over-grinding the nuts will make them paste-like as they release their oil. So make sure to keep them a little coarse. Moreover, the coarse texture adds a delightful crunch to the whole recipe.

Fully cooked Phool Makhane — Roast phool makhane in less ghee, as they absorb well. Raw phool makhane will not break if you bite into it. It’ll be crispy and break apart easily once you bite into it when cooked. 

Stir continuously while roasting — While roasting the flour, keep stirring continuously; otherwise, it may start to burn at the bottom of the pan. I prefer roasting on a medium-low flame throughout.

When to skip adding goond — If you are preparing the Panjiri recipe for summer, skip adding goond, as it is a warming ingredient that generates heat and is not very suitable for a summer intake.

Adding Kamarkas is optional — You may add Kamarkas, especially when preparing the Panjiri as postpartum food. It is an excellent source of nutrients and minerals that are much needed after delivery or during lactation. It aids in back pain and muscle weakness and is recommended for those who are healing. If adding Kamarkas, roast them for 2-3 minutes in ghee until it exhibits a red hue.

Vegan Option — You can make the panjiri recipe vegan by simply replacing ghee with coconut oil.

Health benefits of the Panjeeri recipe

Panjiri is a superfood packed with health and nutrition furnished by dry fruits and desi ghee, and other ingredients that form its part. Here are the many ways that Panjiri can be beneficial — 

• It relieves minor aches and pains and also lubricates joints.
• As it has warming ingredients included, it helps the body keep warm in the winter season.
• It is considered an excellent postpartum food that facilitates healing and speeds up recovery after delivery.
• It is also highly nourishing for a lactating mother.

Procuring the ingredients for making Panjiri may seem harder than making Panjeeri itself. You can find fox nuts (phool makhana), edible gum (goond), the flame of the forest (kamarkas), and jaggery (gur) in many Indian grocery stores or online (at Amazon), but feel free to omit the ingredients you can’t find.

Let me know what you think!

So, let’s begin with the journey of preparing the authentic panjiri recipe that not only warms your heart and soul but also makes you completely winter-ready. Give this family recipe a try, and I am sure you will love it.

Should you make this peanut chikki or gajak, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.

And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

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