During the Diwali festival, there is an inevitable desire to fill the home with the aromas of sweets. If you prefer to cook something special at home instead of buying ready-made items from the store, you can prepare Chandrakala sweet.
Chandrakala, a traditional dessert of North India, resembles Gujiya in appearance, but its taste and method of preparation give it a unique quality. Inside this sweet is a filling made of mawa, almonds, cashews, raisins, and coconut. After frying in ghee, it is dipped in a syrup flavored with saffron and cardamom. This sweet, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, will appeal to everyone, from children to adults. Below is a simple instruction for its preparation.
How to make Chandrakala sweet:
Preparing the filling:
First, you need to prepare the filling. Heat ghee in a pan, then lightly fry chopped almonds, cashews, grated coconut, and raisins. Next, add mawa and mix all ingredients thoroughly, cooking them. When the mixture becomes homogeneous, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool aside.
Kneading the dough for Chandrakala:
In a large bowl, mix flour, ghee, baking powder, and salt. Then, gradually adding a little water, knead a stiff and smooth dough. Cover the dough and leave it for about 20 minutes.
Shaping the Chandrakala:
Next, form small balls from the dough and roll them into round patties. Place the prepared mawa and dried fruit filling onto one round patty. Apply a little water around the edges and place the second round patty on top. Press the edges carefully so that the filling does not leak out during frying.
Frying in ghee:
Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Fry the finished Chandrakalas over medium heat until golden and crispy. It is important not to fry them over high heat, otherwise, they will quickly brown on the outside but not cook through inside.
Making the saffron syrup:
In another vessel, heat sugar and water, bringing it to the consistency of a single-thread syrup. Then, add cardamom powder and saffron strands, mixing well.
Dipping in syrup:
The finished, fried Chandrakalas are dipped into the hot syrup and left there for about two to three minutes. After that, they are taken out. This results in a delicious Chandrakala sweet that can be served to guests on Diwali.


