RECIPE: DINA BEGUM. PHOTOGRAPH: STUART WEST. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. STYLING: DAVINA PERKINS
My mother has been making these sweets for as long as I can remember, and the recipe is based on one passed down by her mother. When I was young, I used to sit at the kitchen table with her, helping to knead the dough and shape the pastries. As I grew older, I made the filling and was allowed to fry them. Bangladesh is known for its sweet-making traditions, and narkel [coconut-based sweets] are particularly loved in our family. The secret to the flaky pastry is in the tiny bit of oil added to the dough, along with salt and sugar – the latter helps give these pastries their wonderful golden hue. My mother is an expert cook and over the years I’ve learned tips and tricks from her that make a huge difference to the way I cook Bangladeshi food. One such trick is the way pastries are fried: always going into a pan of hot oil over a high heat, then cooking very slowly over a low heat. This gives a crisp exterior and helps them to cook through evenly.
In Bangladesh the pastries are made with fresh coconut filling, but desiccated coconut works, too – as long as you don’t rush the rehydration process. Toasting the coconut in ghee before the molasses is added results in a fragrant caramel filling with hints of cinnamon, cardamom and bay – the triumvirate of Bangladeshi dessert spicing. When a fresh batch is frying, there’s widespread anticipation in the house. These pastries are one of the reasons I look forward to Eid so much.
• This year Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on 23 May; follow Dina on Twitter and Instagram @dinasfoodstory