Meethi Tikiyaan (Sweet Fried Semolina Cookies) Recipe
Meethi Tikiyaan is a traditional Indian sweet fried snack made from a dough of flour, sugar, cream, and aromatic spices like saffron and cardamom. These crispy, golden treats are delicately flavored with kewra or rosewater essence and fried to perfection in ghee, offering a delightful balance of sweetness and fragrant spices. Perfect for festive occasions or as a special homemade sweet to enjoy with tea.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes plus resting time (at least 2 hours or overnight)
- Yield: 26-28 mini tikiyaan
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar (adjust to preference)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- A scant 1/2 tsp baking powder (around 1/3 tsp)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp whipping cream
- 3/4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 heaped tsp saffron threads
- 1 tsp ground cardamom (coarsely pounded preferred)
- A few drops of kewra or rosewater essence
- 2 tbsp warm milk (used as needed)
For Frying
- Ghee (clarified butter) – plenty for deep frying
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine all the dry and wet ingredients except the milk with clean hands. Snip the saffron threads into small pieces and scatter them over the mixture.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the mixture until it forms a cohesive ball. The dough should be a bit firm and not perfectly smooth. If it doesn’t come together, add 1/2 tablespoon of warm milk and knead again, but avoid adding too much milk.
- Rest the Dough: Set the dough aside and let it rest for at least two hours, or overnight. The dough should develop a slight sheen. If not, knead in an additional half tablespoon of ghee.
- Heat the Ghee: Heat ghee in a wide pot (minimum 8 inches diameter) over low flame. Test the temperature by dropping a small dough ball; it should sink, start a slow sizzle, and gently rise while frying golden, not brown. Adjust heat or add ghee if necessary.
- Roll and Cut: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness (similar to sugar cookie dough). Use a round cutter (such as a baby food jar lid) to cut out the tikiyaan shapes.
- Fry a Test Piece: Fry a single tikiyaan first, about 2.5 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other, until edges are golden and center slightly golden. Avoid overcooking to maintain texture.
- Fry Remaining Tikiyaan: If satisfied with the test fry, continue frying 5 at a time, adding ghee as needed. Flip gently to ensure even frying and monitor ghee temperature carefully to prevent burning.
- Store: Once cooled, store the tikiyaan in a tightly sealed container where they will keep well for weeks.
- Yield: This recipe yields about 26-28 mini tikiyaan using a 2-inch cutter.
Notes
- Resting the dough is essential to develop the right texture and flavor.
- Use plenty of ghee and maintain low heat for perfect frying to avoid burning.
- Adding too much milk makes the dough sticky and difficult to manage; add milk sparingly if needed.
- The surface of the tikiyaan will be craggier on one side, which is normal.
- Tikiyaan crisp up more if kept for a day or two.
