Description
A square, cube-shaped traditional sweet from India, a huge staple for souvenirs/gifts in Nepal too. Chickpea flour (Besan) and wheat flour roasted in ghee are coated with boiled sugar syrup. Two craftsmen pull it thousands of times like 'hand-pulled noodles (or Dragon's Beard Candy)' to create countless 'candy threads' finer than hair, which are then molded into squares.
Restaurants serving Soan Papdi / Sohan Papdi
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Dough]: Roast Besan and flour aromatically in massive ghee.
- [Candy]: Heat water, sugar, and lemon juice into syrup, making a firm 'candy ring'.
- [Pulling (Craftsmanship)]: Place candy ring in a large basin of roasted flour. Two craftsmen face each other, coating candy with flour, twisting into a 'figure 8' and pulling repeatedly dozens of times. The candy splits into countless ultra-fine 'threads'. Pack into square molds, garnish with pistachios, and cut.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Cardamom、Ghee、Pistachio
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Irreplaceable. 'Dragon's Beard Candy' sold in Chinatowns is closest in method and texture)
Pairing
Black Tea (Unsweetened) / Chiya(Milk Tea)
Trivia
Buying packaged Soan Papdi boxes is the massive staple souvenir when returning from Nepal/India. Japanese eating it for the first time are 100% astounded by the immense gap between its look (hard block) and 'vanishing texture' in the mouth.
Eating tips & etiquette
So delicate it crumbles just by pinching it firmly. Put it gently in the mouth; initially, you feel a bundle of crispy threads, but the next second it 'poofs' and melts away instantly, an illusion leaving only cardamom aroma and sweetness.
Allergen
Wheat, Dairy (Ghee), Nuts