Shankarpali

An essential part of Diwali festivities, Shankarpali is a deep-fried confectionary made with Indian pantry staples — sugar, Ghee, refined flour and semolina. Its omnipresence in subcontinental cuisine is vouched by the diverse names that the sweet assumes in different parts of the country. For example, in Gujarat, it is referred to as Shakkarpara in West Bengal, as Khurma/ Laktho in Bihar, as Shakerpara in Jharkhand and as Shankarapoli in Karnataka. Even within the Indian diaspora community in Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia and New Zealand, Shankarpara is served as a Prasad (offering) during Hindu religious festivals.

Although co-opted by the Hindu community, Shankarpali’s etymological roots can be traced back to 7th-century Persia under the rule of the Sassanid Empire. At the time, a sweetmeat made with almonds and sugar was known as Shekarbureh or Shekarborak. Modern versions of this sweet are still consumed in parts of Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan. But a primary difference between Shankarpali and Shekarbureh is the addition of dry fruits to the latter. Shakerbureh is made like a dumpling with fillings of hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds, while Shankarpali is made by frying a sweetened dough in ghee until it transforms into a crispy, golden pastry. The pastry is then sliced into diamond shapes and served hot.

While the sweet version of Shankarpali is usually made for religious offerings, it can also be made as a teatime savoury snack by substituting sugar for salt. This salty type of Shankarpara is known as Namak Para, Nimki or Mathri. The dough for Nimki is seasoned with ajwain (carom seeds) and jeera (cumin seeds) and can be preserved in airtight jars for over half a year before they start losing their signature crispiness.