How to Make Mohanthal Recipe, A Traditional Gujarati Sweet
Mohanthal is a traditional gram flour (besan) based Indian sweet made from pure ghee and sugar, combined with common spices, cardamom, saffron, and nutmeg powder, and the main ingredient of this delicious sweet is the gram flour(besan).
The Mohanthal is one of the most favorite sweets loved by Lord Krishna, and the Janmashtratmi festival is incomplete without the Mohanthal sweet. Mohanthal sweet is prepared during other Indian festivals like Diwali, Holi, and Raksha Bandhan or celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and many more.
‘Mohanthal’ is a compound of two words, Mohan and Thal. Mohan also stands for attractive and charming. The Mohanthal sweet is named after Lord Krishna, as people also address him as Mohan. ‘Thal’ means a plate, bhog served to lord Krishna in the thal. Mohanthal is a popular Indian sweet, especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The Mohanthal recipe is straightforward. The two crucial steps are the proper method of roasting the gram flour and the perfect consistency of the sugar syrup in this recipe. Here, I am sharing correct ingredient ratios with tips to help you achieve the Mohanthal recipe on your first try.
The key to making perfect Mohanthal at home:-
- Firstly, I suggest you use good quality gram flour. I have used regular gram flour (besan), but if you have coarse(thick) besan available at home, you can use it.
- Secondly, I recommend using pure ghee of any brand and not oil for this recipe. Ghee will enhance the taste of this Mohanthal.
- For a coarse and grainy texture, I have added warm milk and pure ghee and have rubbed the gram flour between the palms for a few minutes. The process is known as giving ‘Dhaba’ in Gujarati. Do not skip this step.
- Roasting the gram flour (besan) is the most crucial step in making a perfect Mohanthal. Always roast on a low flame until it turns golden and aromatic. Avoid roasting the besan on a high flame, as it may turn golden in color quickly or even burn and impart a bitter taste to the mithai.
- The time required to roast the gram flour depends on your preference and liking. Some enjoy the light brown color Mohanthal, and others like dark brown. I like the dark brown color Mohanthal. I have shared both steps in detail in video and photos.
- I have used milk in this recipe instead of mawa. Milk is always available at home and works perfectly fine. Do not add more than half a cup of milk.
- The second important step in this recipe is the sugar syrup. Always ensure the consistency of the syrup is two-string consistency. If the syrup consistency is not as required, it may take time for the Mohanthal to set, or you may even have to keep it in the fridge to set, which I would not suggest.
- For soft mohanthal and not pieces, prepare a one-string consistency.
Watch the video and follow the steps, with each step explained well in detail with a photo, and make this traditional mohanthal at home any time of the year. For the Mohanthal recipe in Hindi, watch the video with Hindi subtitles.
Many other Indian mithai and dessert recipes are available on the website for the festival seasons.
Finally, You can also explore our other collections:
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Indian Snacks Recipes – Pudina Pakora, Onion Samosa, Besan Sev, Tikha Gathiya, Rice Flour Sev Recipe.
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Table of Contents
Recipe Video
Recipe Card
How to Make Mohanthal Recipe, A Traditional Gujarati Sweet
Ingredients
- 250 grams Normal Gram Flour
- 200 grams Pure Ghee
- ½ cup Milk
- 175 grams Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- ½ tsp Cardamom powder
- Saffron
- pinch Nutmeg
- 3 tbsp Nuts
- Orange color optional
Instructions
- Take 250 grams of regular gram flour in a mixing bowl. Tip*- Thick gram flour also works well.
- Take 200 grams of pure ghee and ½ cup of full-fat cream milk. Add 2½ tbsp of ghee and 2½ tbsp of milk in a small pan. Retain the remaining ghee and milk for later use.
- Turn the gas flame off once it comes to a boil.
- Pour the hot mixture on the gram flour and mix all the ingredients well with a spoon as the mixture is hot.
- Take some flour in your hand and gently rub the gram flour between your palms for 5 to 7 minutes.
- After 6 to 7 minutes, the mixture will be slightly coarse in texture.
- Bring all the mixture together and press it tightly downwards with your hand (so it combines well). Cover and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, mix the ingredients well. For a lump-free mixture, you can blend the mixture in batches in the pulse mode by turning the button on and off just once or twice.Tip*- Do blend for a long time. Just turn the switch on and off once or twice in the pulse mode.
- The second method is to sift the flour with a 4-size sieve in batches. This method is time-consuming.
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. The mixture will be slightly coarse in texture. Both methods work fine for making mohanthal.
- Add the pure ghee to a large pan and retain some for later use. Once the ghee is hot, add prepared gram flour. Stir continuously and roast the mixture on a medium flame.
- After 5 to 7 minutes, the gram flour and ghee have combined well. Add the retained pure ghee to the mixture.
- Stir continuously and roast on a low flame until golden.Tip*- The gas flame should be low.
- After 10 minutes, the texture of the mixture.
- After 20 to 25 minutes, the mixture has turned light golden. For a light brown mohanthal, add very little milk to the mixture and stir the mixture carefully. After adding milk, the mixture rises and sometimes may even overflow from the pan (if the pan is small). Be careful while stirring. The batter is hot, and you may burn your hands. For more dark color, roast further for a few minutes. Tip*- You can turn the gas flame off for a few minutes until the mixture settles down.
- After one to two minutes the mixture has turned brown in color, add very little milk to the mixture and stir the mixture carefully. After adding milk, the mixture rises and sometimes may even overflow from the pan (if the pan is small). Be careful while stirring. The batter is hot, and you may burn your hands.Tip*- Use the milk retained for later use. You can turn the gas flame off for a few minutes until the mixture settles down.
- Keep stirring continuously till the mixture settles down. Be careful, and turn off the gas flame for a few minutes if you cannot manage the heat.
- The mixture has settled down. Add a little milk to the batter, stir, and cook until the mixture rests down slightly. Repeat this process till all milk is added and absorbed by the batter. Tip*- Add milk in batches. Do not add all the milk in one go.
- The milk is absorbed, and the mixture is thick in texture. Add ½ tsp cardamom powder and a pinch of nutmeg powder. Mix well and keep aside.
- Add one cup of water and 175 grams of sugar in a pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves in the water.
- Add orange color or saffron and boil till two-string consistency.
- Two-string consistency sugar syrup is ready.
- Add the sugar syrup to the roasted gram flour mixture and mix all the ingredients till well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased tray. Garnish it with nuts and sprinkle some cardamom powder for a more flavorful taste. Rest the mixture overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Cut them into the desired shapes.
- Enjoy delicious and mouth-watering mohanthal anytime.
How to Make Mohanthal Recipe at Home Step by Step Photos
- Take 250 grams of regular gram flour in a mixing bowl. Tip*- Thick gram flour also works well.
- Take 200 grams of pure ghee and ½ cup of full-fat cream milk. Add 2½ tbsp of ghee and 2½ tbsp of milk in a small pan. Retain the remaining ghee and milk for later use.
- Turn the gas flame off once it comes to a boil.
- Pour the hot mixture on the gram flour and mix all the ingredients well with a spoon as the mixture is hot.
- Take some flour in your hand and gently rub the gram flour between your palms for 5 to 7 minutes.
- After 6 to 7 minutes, the mixture will be slightly coarse in texture.
- Bring all the mixture together and press it tightly downwards with your hand (so it combines well). Cover and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, mix the ingredients well. For a lump-free mixture, you can blend the mixture in batches in the pulse mode by turning the button on and off just once or twice.Tip*- Do blend for a long time. Just turn the switch on and off once or twice in the pulse mode.
- The second method is to sift the flour with a 4-size sieve in batches. This method is time-consuming.
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. The mixture will be slightly coarse in texture. Both methods work fine for making Mohanthal.
- Add the pure ghee to a large pan and retain some for later use. Once the ghee is hot, add prepared gram flour. Stir continuously and roast the mixture on a medium flame.
- After 5 to 7 minutes, the gram flour and ghee have combined well. Add the retained pure ghee to the mixture.
- Stir continuously and roast on a low flame until golden. Tip*- The gas flame should be low.
- After 10 minutes, the texture of the mixture.
- After 20 to 25 minutes, the mixture has turned light golden. For a light brown Mohanthal, add very little milk to the mixture and stir the mixture carefully. After adding milk, the mixture rises and sometimes may even overflow from the pan (if the pan is small). Be careful while stirring. The batter is hot, and you may burn your hands. For more dark color, roast further for a few minutes. Tip*- You can turn the gas flame off for a few minutes until the mixture settles down.
- After one to two minutes the mixture has turned brown in color, add very little milk to the mixture and stir the mixture carefully. After adding milk, the mixture rises and sometimes may even overflow from the pan (if the pan is small). Be careful while stirring. The batter is hot, and you may burn your hands. Tip*- Use the milk retained for later use. You can turn the gas flame off for a few minutes until the mixture settles down.
- Keep stirring continuously till the mixture settles down. Be careful, and turn off the gas flame for a few minutes if you cannot manage the heat.
- The mixture has settled down. Add a little milk to the batter, stir, and cook until the mixture rests down slightly. Repeat this process till all milk is added and absorbed by the batter. Tip*- Add milk in batches. Do not add all the milk in one go.
- The milk is absorbed, and the mixture is thick in texture. Add ½ tsp cardamom powder and a pinch of nutmeg powder. Mix well and keep aside.
- Add one cup of water and 175 grams of sugar in a pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves in the water.
- Add orange color or saffron and boil till two-string consistency.
- Two-string consistency sugar syrup is ready.
- Add the sugar syrup to the roasted gram flour mixture and mix all the ingredients till well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased tray. Garnish it with nuts and sprinkle some cardamom powder for a more flavorful taste. Rest the mixture overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Cut them into the desired shapes.
- Enjoy delicious and mouth-watering Mohanthal anytime.
FAQs
What is Mohanthal?
Mohanthal is a traditional gram flour (besan) based Indian sweet made from pure ghee and sugar, combined with common spices, cardamom, saffron, and nutmeg powder, and the main ingredient of this delicious sweet is the gram flour(besan).
What is two-string consistency?
Two-string (two-thread) consistency is when two threads are formed (and do not break) when your forefinger and thumb are pulled apart gently.
Can you make a Mohanthal without Mawa?
Yes, you can make Mohanthal without mawa. The best alternative to mawa is milk, and is always readily available at home.
What is the recipe of Danedar Mohanthal?
Mohanthal is a traditional gram flour (besan) based Indian sweet made from pure ghee and sugar, combined with common spices, cardamom, saffron, and nutmeg powder.
– Take 250 grams of regular gram flour in a mixing bowl.
– Take 200 grams of pure ghee and ½ cup of full-fat cream milk. Add 2½ tbsp of ghee and 2½ tbsp of milk in a small pan. Retain the remaining ghee and milk for later use.
– Turn the gas flame off once it comes to a boil.
– Pour the hot mixture on the gram flour and mix all the ingredients well with a spoon as the mixture is hot.
– Take some flour in your hand and gently rub the gram flour between your palms for 5 to 7 minutes.
– Bring all the mixture together and press it tightly downwards with your hand (so it combines well). Cover and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
– After 10 minutes, mix the ingredients well. For a lump-free mixture, you can blend the mixture in batches in the pulse mode by turning the button on and off just once or twice.
– The second method is to sift the flour with a 4-size sieve in batches. This method is time-consuming.
– Add the pure ghee to a large pan and retain some for later use. Once the ghee is hot, add prepared gram flour. Stir continuously and roast the mixture on a medium flame.
– After 5 to 7 minutes, the gram flour and ghee have combined well. Add the retained pure ghee to the mixture.
Stir continuously and roast on a low flame until golden.Tip*- The gas flame should be low.
– After 20 minutes, the mixture has turned brown in color. Add very little milk to the batter and stir the mixture carefully. After adding milk, the mixture rises and sometimes may even overflow from the pan (if the pan is small). Be careful while stirring. The batter is hot, and you may burn your hands.
– Keep stirring continuously till the mixture settles down. Be careful, and turn off the gas flame for a few minutes if you cannot manage the heat.
– The mixture has settled down. Add a little milk to the batter, stir, and cook until the mixture rests down slightly. Repeat this process till all milk is added and absorbed by the batter.
– The milk is absorbed, and the mixture is thick in texture. Add ½ tsp cardamom powder and a pinch of nutmeg powder. Mix well and keep aside.
– Add one cup of water and 175 grams of sugar in a pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves in the water. Add orange color or saffron and boil till two-string consistency.
– Add the sugar syrup to the roasted gram flour mixture and mix all the ingredients till well combined.
– Transfer the mixture to a greased tray. Garnish it with nuts and sprinkle some cardamom powder for a more flavorful taste. Rest the mixture overnight or for at least 5 hours.
– Cut them into the desired shapes and enjoy anytime of the day.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a perfect Mohanthal recipe at home? Our Mohanthal recipe is easy to follow with tips, tricks, photos, and a helpful video. With just two steps- properly roasting the gram flour and achieving the perfect consistency of the sugar syrup- this recipe is straightforward and no-fail. Even a beginner can make it effortlessly. We’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment and rate this recipe. Your feedback helps us improve and grow.