Kulkuls are one of the most common sweet you will find in a Goan Christmas “KUSWAR” platter that are distributed amongst friends and neighbors. Kulkuls are a variant of Filhoses Enrolades a Portuguese Christmas sweet.  Kulkuls are inch-long or shell shaped sweetened fried dough sweets. It’s soft and moist inside while crispy on the outside.

Many Goan families make this sweet using egg or egg yolk. Kulkuls can also be made without the use of egg/egg yolk. Both the methods are absolutely easy and delicious. I tend to generally follow my family recipe, which uses just the yolk. Kulkuls are also made during Diwali (Hindu festival), and are mostly prepared using the eggless method.

You could get your family especially your kids involved in rolling up the kulkuls. I remember as a child, would give my brother and me some dough and a fork to shape the kulkuls.  There is a dedicated kulkul roller which is used to shape the kulkuls, but I just like to do mine at the back of the fork.  The method of preparing the Kulkuls, either eggless or with eggs, are the same. However the ingredients differ a little. Enjoy making this Goan sweet the way you prefer this Christmas.

 

Ingredients:

Version 1: With Egg

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup semolina

2 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar, powdered

1 egg yolk

¼ cup of coconut milk/plain milk

Version 2: Eggless

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup semolina

2 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar, powdered

1/4 cup coconut milk/plain milk

Oil for deep frying

 

Method:

In a large bowl, combine flour, semolina, sugar, salt and ghee.

 

Then add the egg/egg yolk and mix

Skip the egg if you are making version 2.

 

Use a little coconut milk/milk at a time knead into a smooth, elastic and pliable dough. The dough shouldn’t be sticky.

Tip: Add a bit of all-purpose flour incase if it gets sticky or a dash of milk if the dough is too tough.

 

Place the dough in a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth or a moist paper towel for about 2-3 hours . You need to keep it atleast for an hour for the semolina to soften.

Once the dough is rested, pinch off little bit of dough and roll them to smooth to a marble shaped size or little larger than a pea.

 

 

Place the dough ball on the fork

Using your fingers, press down lightly and spread the dough evenly to cover the top of the fork.

Once flattened, begin rolling from the base of the fork and proceed to the top.

See that the edges are sealed when you finish rolling.

Place the kulkuls on the lightly flour surfaced tray.

While rolling the kulkuls remember to keep the remaining dough covered as it can dry out. Continue molding your kulkul until you have finished the entire dough.

Heat up oil in a wok/wide pan. To test if the oil is ready just drop in a small drop of dough and if it bubbles and rises the surface then the oil is at right temperature to fry your kulkuls.

Deep fry a small batches till they are golden brown.

Remove the kulkuls using slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.

Let the kulkuls cool and store them in an airtight container

Enjoy it at Christmas !!!