Kushli (Coconut & Cream of Wheat Dessert)

Crisp Indian Half-Moon Pastries with Cardamom and Coconut

Kushli are a classic Indian sweet, somewhere between a samosa and a stuffed cookie. The pastry is a simple butter-rubbed flour dough rolled thin and folded around a fragrant filling, then deep-fried until the shell turns golden and shatters at the bite.

The filling is the heart of these pastries. Toasted coconut, almonds, and cream of wheat (semolina) get cooked in butter until everything turns golden and nutty. Cardamom seeds, freshly cracked from their pods, lend that floral, eucalyptus warmth that defines so much Indian sweet-making, while raisins and sugar bring chewy sweetness.

Seal each half-moon firmly. Any gap will leak filling into the hot oil and turn the surface gritty. Fry low and steady, around 325°F (165°C), so the shells cook through without browning before the inside is crisp.

Pro Tips

• Crack open the cardamom pods and use only the small black seeds inside. The green husks are fibrous and unpleasant in the filling.
• Toast the cream of wheat with the butter, coconut, and almonds until visibly golden. Undertoasted semolina tastes raw and pasty.
• Roll the rounds thin (about ⅛ inch). Thick dough turns doughy in the center even after frying.
• Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady, otherwise the pastries soak up oil and turn greasy.

Variations

• Stir 2 tablespoons of chopped pistachios into the filling for color and crunch.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg or saffron threads for extra fragrance.
• Drizzle the cooled pastries with warm honey or a thin sugar glaze for a sticky finish.