Shankarpali, shakkarpara, murali, khurma, lakdi mithai, or just simply mithai is an Indian sweet snack made from a dough of sugar, ghee (or butter), maida flour, and semolina. The name is derived from Persian Shekarpareh. Shankarpali is eaten in India, especially in Uttar Pradesh.[1] Its variant known as khurma or laktho is also eaten in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh.[2] It is also eaten by the Indian diaspora in Fiji,[3] Guyana,[4] Mauritius, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,[5] the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. It is traditionally eaten on Diwali and can be sweet, sour or spicy depending upon how it is made.
 | |
| Alternative names | Shakkarpara, Khurma, Kurma, Laktho, Murali, Lakdi Mithai |
|---|---|
| Course | Snack |
| Place of origin | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan |
| Main ingredients | Milk, sugar, ghee (or butter), maida, semolina |
| Variations | Khurma |
It is a popular snack amongst the Maharashtrian, Gujarati and Kannadiga community in India and has a long shelf-life. It is widely available in shops; people usually purchase ready-made shankarpali during the year and only prepare it at home during Diwali. This provides a livelihood for women who produce it throughout the year and market it.
Names
edit- Gujarati: shakkarpara (શક્કરપારા)
- Marathi: shankarpali (शंकरपाळी)
- Kannada: shankarapali/shankarapoli (ಶಂಕರಪಾಳಿ/ಶಂಕರಪೋಳಿ)
- Bengali: nimki (নিমকি)
- Punjabi: shakkarpara (ਸ਼ੱਕਰਪਾਰਾ/شکر پارا)
- Hindi-Urdu: shakarpare/khurma (शुक्र पारे/شکر پارے)/(खुरमा/خرمہ)
- Nepali: khurma (खुर्मा)
- Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Maithili, and Magahi: khurma (खुरमा)
- Fiji Hindi: lakdi mithai (लकड़ी मिठाई)
- Guyanese Hindustani: mithai (मिठाई/مٹھائی)
- Trinidadian Hindustani: khurma (खुरमा/خرمہ)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Sacharoff, Shanta (1996). Flavors of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine. Book Publishing Company. pp. 192. ISBN 9781570679650.
Flavors of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Sakkarpara.
- ^ "Thekua to Parwal Ki Mithai: 11 Must-Try Sweet Delicacies from Bihar".
- ^ "Lakdi Mithai - Fiji Indian Recipe". 5 December 2016.
- ^ "Kurma (Crunchy Mithai)". 12 November 2012.
- ^ "A Crunchy, Flaky Kurma". 20 September 2008.