Labongo Latika | Lavang Latika

South Vs North Challenge is a monthly challenge started by Divya of You Too Can Cook. Each month a member from the South Team and North Team challenge the opposite teams with traditional recipes from their region. This wonderful event has helped me to acquire knowledge about authentic North Indian recipes. This month Sanoli of Sanoli’s Kitchen has challenged the Southern Team with an authentic Bengali sweet ~ Labongo Latika.  

Labongo latika or lavang latika is a traditional Bengali sweet made during Durga Pooja and Makar Sankranti. Sweetened khoya along with nuts and raisins is stuffed inside a sweet pastry, which is then deep fried and dipped in a thick sugar syrup. The pastry is sealed with a clove / lavang, hence got the name so.

Labongo Latika

Deep fried sweet pastry stuffed with khoya and raisins

Print Pin Recipe

Servings 10

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 cup maida / all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1½ tbsp ghee
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm water
• 10 cloves
• Oil to deep fry

For the filling

• 100 gm / ½ cup khoya
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tbsp raisins
• ¼ cup water

For the sugar syrup

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp rose essence

Instructions

To make dough

• In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, sugar, saffron water, ghee and salt. Mix well to form a crumbly mixture.
• Add warm water little by little and knead to make a soft and smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 10 portions and set aside.

To make the filling

• In a pan, crush khoya and add sugar, nutmeg powder and warm water. Heat the pan over medium heat and keep stirring continuously for about 6-7 minutes or till the mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat. Add the raisins and mix well. Set aside to cool. Divide into 10 portions.

To make sugar syrup

• Add sugar, water and rose essence in a sauce pan and heat it. Bring to boil and let it boil till it reaches two string consistency.

To make labongo latika

• Take one portion of the dough and flatten it. Sprinkle some flour and roll into a 4” diameter circle. Take a portion of the filling and place at the center of the circle. Fold from two opposite sides.
• With your wet fingertips, fold from the remaining opposite ends to make a pocket. Wrap the edges with little water and insert a clove to seal the pocket, so that the pocket won’t open easily.
• Heat oil in a wok and fry labongo latika on medium-low flame till both sides turn into golden brown. Remove them from the oil and dip in thick sugar syrup for 2-3 minutes. Remove from syrup and transfer to a plate.

Notes

• You can also add nuts – almonds, cashews, to the khoya filling.
• Make sure that both sides of labongo latika are getting drenched in sugar syrup.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian