Kaju Pista Roll | Cashew Pistachio Roll

Kaju Pista Roll is a very delicious sweet. Whenever you feel like eating something special, you should make this. Whether it’s a festival, a special occasion, or when guests come over, this sweet will always be highly appreciated. 

Ingredients for 

For the Stuffing:

• Pistachios – 1/3 cup (keep a few aside and grind the rest)
• Almonds – 1/3 cup (grind into powder)
• Sugar powder – 2 tablespoons
• Cardamom powder – 1 teaspoon
• Milk – 2 teaspoons
• Food-grade green colour – less than 1/4 teaspoon

For the Cashew Mix (Outer Layer):

• Cashew pieces – 1 cup
• Sugar – 1/3 cup (approximately 75 grams)
• Water – 1/3 cup
• Ghee – 3 teaspoons

How to make ...

• Put the cashews in a grinder jar and grind them. They grind very easily. Sieve the powder through a coarse sieve (the one used for sieving rice). Regrind the coarse pieces and sieve them again.
• Keep a few pistachios aside and grind the rest. Also grind the almonds into powder (no need to sieve them). Finely chop the reserved pistachios and mix them into the almond-pistachio powder. The chopped nuts give a nice texture while eating.
• In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of sugar powder and 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder and mix well. In a small bowl, take 2 teaspoons of milk and dissolve less than 1/4 teaspoon of food-grade green colour in it. Mix this coloured milk into the powder. The stuffing is ready.
• Add 1/3 cup water to 1/3 cup sugar (equal quantity of water to sugar). Cook until the sugar dissolves completely. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the cashew powder and reduce the flame to low. Add 3 teaspoons of ghee and cook while continuously stirring until there are no lumps and it reaches a setting consistency.
• To check, take a small amount of the paste in a bowl. Once it cools, if it forms a ball in your hand, it is ready. Do not overcook it, otherwise it will become hard.
• Spread a clean polythene sheet on a board. Toss the mixture a little so that it cools down slightly. If it is too hot, it won’t set and won’t roll properly. Do not let it become completely cold either, otherwise it will start setting and develop cracks while rolling. Grease the polythene with a little ghee and place the cashew mixture on it. Roll it out to the thickness of a paratha. First press and spread it with your hands, then gently roll it from all sides. Do not apply too much pressure. You can also roll it by rotating the polythene. Try to shape it into a rectangle.
• Divide the stuffing into two equal parts. First bind it with your hands, then roll each portion into a thin, even roll that fits inside the cashew sheet. Prepare the second roll in the same way.
• Cut the cashew sheet into two equal parts from the centre. Place one stuffing roll at one end and roll the sheet tightly with the help of the polythene. It should not be loose. Gently roll it with your hands so that the stuffing sets well and the roll becomes slightly thinner. Make the second roll in the same manner.
• Place them on a tray and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes so that they set properly. Once set, cut them into 2-inch or 2½-inch long rolls. You may apply silver vark on top if desired.

Tips

The Kaju Pista Rolls are ready. They look very nice and taste extremely delicious. They are quite easy to make, but a little care is required. While grinding the cashews, run the mixer in pulses. While making the paste from the powder, do not overcook it. As soon as it starts forming a ball, switch off the flame and quickly roll it out while it is still slightly warm. Place the stuffing roll and wrap it immediately. All these steps should be done quickly. You can store these rolls in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. So make them, enjoy them, and do let me know how they turned out.