Lavang Latika / Labongo Latika

Lavang Latika, known by several names like Lavanga Lata, Labongo Latika etc is a very delicious and flavorful sweet.. It is a small pocket filled with mawa, sugar and nuts, deep fried in oil and coated with sugar syrup. They look so cute from their tiny pocket appearance with the clove acting the beautiful and elegant accent to the bag... I have bookmarked this sweet from a cooking show sometime back, but never got to try it until now when Sanoli announced it as a challenge for this month’s Southern Team of SNC which was started by Divya and I am so happy that I finally made this…This makes 20 pieces.. The flavor of the clove, the delicious filling and a lightly crispy outer with a  sugar coated exterior makes this delicious sweet..

 Ingredients

For the dough
Maida - 1 cup
Baking Powder - A pinch
Salt - A pinch
Ghee - 1 1/2 table spoons
Water - 5 table spoons (adjust to need)
Powdered Sugar - 1 table spoon

For the filling
Cashew - 2 table spoons
Tutti Frutti / Raisins - 2 table spoons
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Nutmeg Powder - A pinch
Unsweetened Mawa - 100 grams
Powdered Sugar - 2 - 3 table spoons

For the Syrup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Water - 5 table spoons
Rose Water - 1/2 tea spoon

Oil for deep frying
Clove for each piece

Method
In a mixing bowl, add maida, salt, powdered sugar well
Add ghee and mix until the dough looks crumbled
Now add water, a table spoon at a time and knead to a soft dough. Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling. Crumble the mawa and add the remaining ingredients for the filling and mix well. Set aside.
After 30 minutes, make 20 pieces of the dough. I actually measured the dough and it was 280 grams, so made 20 pieces of 14 grams each.. Yes I did use a measuring scale.. You can definetely measure without it..
Roll each disc into a 4 inch thin circle. Place 1 tea spoon filling inside and cover it as shown below.
Insert a clove to secure the cover
Finish making all the pieces

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat
Slowly drop the pieces and deep fry them until golden. Do not crowd the oil as you will bring the temperature down quickly and it will consume more oil than required
It took me about 3 minutes for each batch. Remove to a paper towel lined strainer.
Finish the frying.
Heat sugar and water in a pan and bring it to 2 string consistency. Add rose water and switch off the flame
Slowly dip the pieces and allow it to swim in the sugar syrup for a minute
Transfer to a cooling rack with a sheet lined below to catch the drippings
After 1 to 2 hours, it will be completely cooled and will no longer be sticky. Store it in an airtight container.
Serve!