Kulkul’s
Christmas is round the corner and my home already smells of Christmas goodness. Yes, I have started baking already. 🙂 I have a jar full of Kulkul’s ready to last the festive season and for giveaways. I am so excited to share this recipe today. I have flashes of memories, making these special goodies together with mom and my elder sister. If you haven’t heard of kulkuls before; they are delightful little crunchy tit bits resembling a sea shell. To be more precise they are little dough curls which are deep fried and then glazed with thick sugar syrup. These snow kissed goodies are extremely addictive.
It was only last week that, a group of friends and I decided to bake traditional cakes and cookies from our respective countries for the School Christmas Party. While I was deciding what to bake, I got reminded of this recipe. I had never made these on my own, and so went the distressed call to my mom for the recipe. My grandmother passed this recipe down to her. Apparently Kulkul’s are very popular in Goa and Catholic homes but they were very popular at my place as well. Well I really didn’t know much about the history or roots of this lovely confectionery before this post. Hopefully my co-bloggers from Goa can throw some light here. Making these is such a great way to bond with family; sitting and shaping these curls together. I thoroughly enjoyed it since I got my little helpers to do this as well. 🙂
Warning: Making a bulk of these, is a time consuming process but so enjoyable. I used a kilo of flour proportions for the party, but the below proportions are perfect for a family.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups or 220 g all-purpose flour
½ cup or approx. 80 g semolina
4 tbsp powdered sugar
¼ tsp. Salt
1 Egg (optional)
3 tbsp. melted butter or oil
½ cup coconut milk or milk
Oil for deep frying
4.5 cups or 440g powdered sugar for dusting the kulkuls
METHOD:
- Combine all the dry ingredients – flour, semolina, sugar, salt.
- Add the egg, oil and stir it into the dry mixture. You should have sand like texture now. If you want to skip the egg, you can. The egg only enriches the dough.
- Add coconut milk, as required, to bring the dough together. The dough should be stiff yet pliable.
- Let the dough rest for half hour before you start rolling it. You could rest it overnight in the refrigerator but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it.
- Next take a small piece of dough and using the back of a fork stretch the dough across the back. Then gently roll the dough up into a curl and seal the flap to prevent it from opening up during frying.
- Place them separately on a plate until all the kulkuls are shaped. You do get Kulkul rollers in the market. Since I didn’t have one, I used the fork.
- Heat the oil and deep fry the kulkuls in batches on medium-low heat. Keep stirring gently so it cooks evenly on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pan with oil, as it will bring down the temperature of the oil drastically. So it is important to do this in small batches.
- Once they turn golden brown, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
- Transfer to another plate and while it is still warm, dust with powdered sugar or roll them in sugar.
- When it is cooled completely transfer to an air tight container.
Note: You don’t have to be perfect with the shapes here – that’s the beauty of this sweet. It still tastes delicious.
Also, traditionally I think these are glazed with sugar syrup, but I skipped that part due to lack of time. I prefer the coating of sugar powder instead.
Hope you enjoy this recipe with the step by step instruction pictorial and do give it a try.
Do visit my Facebook page My Culinary Saga and Like the page to get regular yummy updates.
Find me on Pinterest: My Culinary Saga
Love & Hugs,
Trupti
hi mona,oh!you simply made me traverse 30 years back when i enjoyed preparing kulkuls with you and vidya holding the folk with your cute little hands rolling those kulkuls.those were the days!!!!!!!!!!!.very fascinating pics.keep it up.
Me too! I miss you so much!thank you for everything
Absolutely scrumptious!
Thanks Freda 🙂 do you know more about this dish.. !
as in it’s origin???
Yes!
No dear, no clue at all, but if I get to know of anything will let you know, I guess a saw a post on this on a Goan food group on FB..not too sure though.. will check and get back to you:)
Sure 🙂 thanks ! Always eager to learn more! Night night for now 🙂
Goodnight dear 🙂
This looks really good
🙂 thank you Ritu 😘
Reblogged this on MAXIMUSOPTIMUSDOMINUS.
We make something similar called gavvalu. Infact I had planned on posting it for Diwali – never happened 🙂 Will post the recipe soon.
Your pics are so beautiful and tempting dear! 🙂
Wow really – similar dishes – few variations and different names ! That’s the beauty of India 🙂 Thanks for the compliment.
I love!! ❤️👌🏻
😍😍😋me tooooooo
These look very good Trupti 🙂
Thank you dear 🙂
I have tried these before and I finished the whole jar in one time. 😀 We also have same in the Philippines, but I don’t know how they are made. Thanks for sharing. I am saving the recipe. 😀
wow… yes! these are really addictive..! Thanks.. I will look forward to hearing from you when you have prepared them 🙂
I am so excited. Looking forward to following your blog and more mouth-watering photos. 😀
Same here Jhuls 😀 I am already hungry going through yours..
I guess that’s a good sign. 😛 Thanks for following back. xx
Reminds me of Diwali back home!! lovely!
Yes I have fond memories too 🙂 thanks for stopping by dear
Hey Jhuls! thanks a ton for the lovely intro 🙂 and humbled to be up here on your list.. and do try the Kulkuls… cant stop eating them…
Absolutely love this. My mother makes this very often, she also includes color in some of them they turn out really colorful.
Thank you Sapna 🙂 Interesting never tried adding colours to it.
These are killers and my weakness. I can finish a jar of these in one go.
I agree 🙂 they are so addictive…
I always wanted to try this.. looks awesome
Hope now you have a push to try them… thanks for stopping by
Omg, your recipe brought back childhood memories. I gee up having these as a kid, neighbours and friends sent edible gifts. These look yum
So glad you like them… these are special childhood memories for me too!