Sweet Siddu is an old pahadi tradition: jaggery (gud), walnuts and poppy seeds steamed inside the dough, often made for festivals. We finish ours with local honey and butter.
Sweet, salty and sticky — the pahadi dessert we always run out of first.
Honey Butter Siddu
- Prep
- 2 hr
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 2 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 6–8 Siddus
- Diet
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
Method
- Wake the yeast
Stir the yeast and sugar into ¼ cup of the lukewarm water and leave for 8–10 minutes until frothy. (Instant yeast can go straight into the flour.)
- Knead a soft dough
Mix the flour and salt, add the yeast mixture and the ghee, then add the rest of the water little by little. Knead for 8–10 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough — softer than roti dough.
- Let it rise
Cover and keep in a warm spot for 1–1½ hours, until the dough has roughly doubled. In Himachali winters, keep it near the chulha or wrapped in a shawl.
- Make the sweet filling
Mix the grated jaggery, walnuts, toasted poppy seeds, coconut and cardamom. The jaggery melts as the Siddu steams, so keep the filling to 1½ tbsp per Siddu to avoid leaks.
- Shape the Siddu
Punch the dough down and divide into 6–8 balls. Flatten each into a thick 5-inch oval, place 2 tbsp of filling in the centre, fold over into a half-moon and pinch the edges shut. Rest the shaped Siddus for 15 minutes so they puff a little.
- Steam
Bring water to a rolling boil in a steamer (or a large pot with a greased plate on a stand). Steam the Siddus covered on medium-high heat for 20–25 minutes, until they look glossy and spring back when pressed.
- Finish with honey
Warm the butter and honey together, pour over the hot Siddus and serve straight away.
Tips from our kitchen
- Seal the edges very well — melted jaggery escapes easily.
- Use local Kangra or Kullu honey if you can find it.
Too hungry to cook? This one is on our menu — ₹130 at our cart in Khopu, Bir.
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