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Making homemade Soji balls allows you to enjoy the sweet taste of traditional recipes. This dish requires a number of ingredients, including 165 grams of semolina, 110 grams of blanched almonds, 80 grams of coconut fiber, 200 grams of dry milk, 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom (elaichi), a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg, 100 grams of melted ghee, and one can of condensed milk.

Additional Components

Optionally, toasted sesame seeds and extra coconut fiber can be added.

Preparation Process

The first step is to fry the semolina, blanched almonds, and coconut fiber for ten minutes until they are slightly golden and fragrant. After that, they should be removed from the heat and transferred to a medium bowl. Then, add the dry milk, spices, melted ghee, and condensed milk to this mixture.

The mass must be thoroughly mixed until uniform and allowed to cool completely. Once the mixture has cooled, it should be portioned into small mounds about the size of three teaspoons. These portions are shaped into balls, which are then rolled in coconut fiber or sesame seeds.

Storage and Yield

The finished balls can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for five days. The recipe yields twenty balls.

To prepare Naan Katai, you need to prepare the ingredients. The base requires 227g of room temperature ghee, 165g of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of semolina, 325g plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom, almonds, and chocolate glaze.

Preparing the Dough

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Using a hand or planetary mixer on medium speed, beat the ghee and sugar mixture for 1–2 minutes until it becomes light yellow, airy, and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the ghee and sugar mixture and mix slowly until combined; the dough should be crumbly.

Shaping and Baking

Take 1.5 tablespoons of dough, form a ball, gently flatten it with your palms, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Place a whole almond on top of each piece and bake for 20 minutes.

After baking, store the cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Making the Chocolate Glaze

To make the glaze, place the chocolate in a bowl and heat it in the microwave in short intervals of 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Once the chocolate has melted, let it cool for five minutes. Then add the chopped almonds and mix until the nuts are completely coated with chocolate.

Final Assembly and Storage

Once the cookies have cooled, apply a small amount of chocolate-coated almond pieces to the top of each item, using the back of a spoon to distribute the glaze evenly. After the chocolate hardens, decorate it with gold leaf. Store the finished product in a closed container for up to two weeks.

In June of this year, as part of the project 'Youth and Women as Ambassadors of Sustainable Tourism in Karakalpakstan,' implemented with financial support from the European Union, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and the nationwide movement 'Yuksalish,' the Public Association 'DMO Karakalpakstan' held three-day training seminars in the cities of Nukus, Muynak, and the Khujayli districts.

Training Results and Contests

Thirty-three young men and women participated in these events, gaining knowledge and practical skills in sustainable tourism, local initiative development, social entrepreneurship, project preparation, and tourist product creation. An important part of the training program was turning participants' ideas into practical projects. Participants presented both individual and team projects aimed at promoting the tourism sector.

Evaluation Process and Support

All submitted projects were evaluated by independent experts, mentors, and the team of the Public Association 'DMO Karakalpakstan' based on established criteria. Projects that scored the highest were recognized as winners, and each of them is provided with support of 2.5 million soums for the purchase of equipment and furnishings.

Winners by Region

Based on the competition results, the commission determined the following mini-subsidies:

For Muynak district: The projects 'Qirdagi kema,' aimed at creating a guesthouse in a natural area in national style to demonstrate hospitality and national values to local and foreign tourists, and 'Muynak travel media,' targeting the wide promotion of the region's tourism potential using modern media and popularizing it on the international stage, were selected.

For Khujayli district: The innovative initiatives recognized were the project 'Smart Karakalpakstan Tourism Hub,' aimed at expanding the tourism opportunities of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Khujayli district through digital technologies and increasing tourist flow, and the project 'Bir hotira - ming hikoya ustaxonasi,' dedicated to cultural tourism, telling stories about the national culture, crafts of Karakalpakstan, and the tragedy of the Aral Sea.

For the city of Nukus: The projects 'Aralaroma soap,' aimed at expanding the range of tourist souvenirs by producing natural soap from local plants and ecological products, and 'Arbashi bread,' whose goal is to create a new brand of souvenirs for tourists through modern, ecological, and nationally stylized packaging of traditional Karakalpak bread, were selected.

Additional Support

Furthermore, the project 'Shege qishlogidagi uy mehmonxonasi' by participant Aziza Atamuratova from the Muynak district was highly praised by experts. The Public Association 'DMO Karakalpakstan' decided to provide additional support for this initiative from its own funds, considering its prospects and the author's initiative.

This contest became an important initiative contributing to turning the ideas of youth and young women into practical projects, as well as developing local tourism and creating new tourist products and services.