PADAR PHENI/ PHENIA WITH STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Padar Pheni or Paenia is a traditional sweet made using maida/ All purpose flour that is layered as a paratha, deep fried in oil and then soaked in sugar syrup. It is a very popular sweet in my native place Ambur in Tamil Nadu and is made in most homes here. Padar Pheni or Layered Phenia tastes delicious and is best served hot as an evening snack. This is my mother in law’s recipe who is an expert in making this sweet.

Padar Phenia is crunchy and flaky and yet retains the sugar syrup in it without turning soft or soggy. Padar Phenia is usually served during special occasions, festivals and when we have guests visiting our homes. Do try out this really delicious recipe of Paenia and I am sure you will like its awesome taste.

This recipe makes 8 small paenias.

Ingredients required for making Pheni/ Phenia

2 cups maida/ All purpose flour

3 tsp sugar

3 tbsp ghee/ clarified butter

3 tsp milk

For the sugar syrup (sheera)

4 cups sugar

2 cups water

Paste to be applied in between the layers

¼ cup maida/ All purpose flour

2 tsp ghee

4 tsp oil

1 tsp sugar

Method

• Take maida, sugar, ghee and milk in a bowl and add water little by little to form a smooth dough.
• Cover with a lid and set aside.
• Heat a pan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes till it is sticky but has not reached single thread consistency. (Paenia will not be able to soak in thick sheera, hence make sure that the sheera has just the consistency of a jamun sheera). Once done, switch off the gas and keep ready.
• Make a paste using maida, sugar, ghee and oil and keep ready.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Take one ball, dust with flour and roll to form a large circle. Apply 1 or 2 tsp of the paste and spread such that it covers the entire circle.
• Gently fold and form layers just like you do while making padar parathas.
• Once all the 8 small parathas (paenia) are ready, heat oil in a pan and deep fry one or two paenia in oil in medium flame. Turn it to the other side using a kafgeer (spotted spoon) and cook on both sides till it turns golden brown in colour on both sides.
• Once done, gently transfer it to the pan containing the sugar syrup (sheera). Use another kafgeer and turn over the paenia once or twice so that both sides are able to soak the syrup. Meanwhile deep fry the next set of Paenia in oil. Allow the first set of paenia to soak in the sheera till you are ready to put the next paenia into the sheera. Once it has soaked transfer it to a plate. (Do not stack the Paenia one on top of the other as they will stick with each other.}
• In the same way prepare the remaining paenia. Serve this hot as an evening snack.
• Paenia tastes best when served hot. Or you can also store it in air tight containers. For this, allow the paenia to cool down completely (it might take 3 to 4 hours) and only then transfer it to an air tight container. This sweet has a shelf life of 2 to 3 days.

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PICTORIAL

Make a paste using maida, sugar, ghee and oil and keep ready. Take maida, sugar, ghee and milk in a bowl and add water little by little to form a smooth dough. Cover with a lid and set aside.

Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Take one ball, dust with flour and roll to form a large circle. Apply 1 or 2 tsp of the paste and spread such that it covers the entire circle.

Gently fold as shown and form layers just like you do while making padar parathas/ layered parathas.

Heat a pan, add sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes till it is sticky but has not reached single thread consistency. (Paenia will not be able to soak in thick sheera, hence make sure that the sheera has just the consistency of a jamun sheera). Once done, switch off the gas and keep ready. Meanwhile make all the 8 paenia. Once all the 8 small parathas (paenia) are ready, heat oil in a pan and deep fry one or two paenia in oil in medium flame. Turn it to the other side using a kafgeer (spotted spoon) and cook on both sides till it turns golden brown in colour.

Once done, gently transfer it to the pan containing the sugar syrup (sheera). Use another spotted spoon and turn over the paenia once or twice so that both sides are able to soak the syrup. Meanwhile deep fry the next  set of Paenia in oil. Allow the first set of paenia to soak in the sheera till you are ready to put the next set of paenia into the sheera/ sugar syrup. Once it has soaked transfer it to a plate. (Do not stack the Paenia one on top of the other as they will stick with each other.

In the same way prepare the remaining paenia. Serve this hot as an evening snack.

Paenia tastes best when served hot. Or you can also store it in air tight containers. For this, allow the paenia to cool down completely (it might take 3 to 4 hours) and only then transfer it to an air tight container. This sweet has a shelf life of 2 to 3 days.

For more sweet recipes, you can check out the page below

Sweet Recipes




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