Handesh — Bangladeshi rice flour cakes sweetened with date molasses and warm spices, deep-fried until puffed with frilly golden edges. A comforting traditional treat.
Handesh are traditional Bangladeshi fried cakes — rice-flour batter sweetened with deep, treacly date molasses and warmly spiced, fried until they puff into frilly-edged discs. Crisp outside and soft within, they're a beloved teatime and festival treat. Made fresh and eaten hot, they're utterly addictive.
Prep 130 min
Cook 20 min
Total 150 min
Medium
- 250g Date Molasses
- 400ml Warm Water
- 250g Rice Flour
- 150g Flour
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cardomom
Preparation
- Add the molasses to a large mixing bowl, pour in 300ml of water to start, and whisk together (Bangladeshi molasses varies from thick syrup to slightly set; very syrupy molasses needs only 300–325ml water).
- Pour in the flours and spices and whisk for 3–5 minutes until smooth, checking carefully for lumps, as they stop the handesh rising. Cover and rest for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, thoroughly whisk the batter again until smooth, as the rice flour will have settled. It should be fairly thick but loose enough to pour, like thick pancake batter, forming ribbons as you drag the whisk through.
- Take a cast-iron korai or wok, half-fill with oil (enough to deep-fry), and heat on high, then reduce to low-medium. Test with a teaspoon of batter — if it rises slowly to the surface, the oil is ready.
- Pour about 45ml of batter in a quick steady stream into the centre of the pan (a jug with a spout helps). It should rise in 15–20 seconds and slowly puff up — turn the heat down slightly if it rises too fast. Cook for 45 seconds until the underside is golden, then carefully turn and cook for a further 30–45 seconds, frying one at a time.
- If the batter splits, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and try again — aim for handesh about the size of a digestive biscuit.
- Remove with a slotted spoon onto kitchen towel, frilled edge down, while you fry the rest.
- Enjoy hot and fresh. Once cool, store in an airtight container (overnight, or in the fridge for up to a week), reheating in a warm oven or on a tawa over very low heat.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Whisk the batter until completely smooth — lumps stop the handesh from rising properly.
- Rest the batter so the rice flour hydrates, then whisk again as it settles.
- Test the oil with a little batter; it should rise slowly. Too hot and they brown before puffing.
- Fry one at a time, pouring the batter steadily into the centre so it puffs into a neat disc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Known as khejur gur, it's a thick, dark syrup made from date palm sap, with a deep caramel flavour. It's essential to handesh's distinctive taste.
The batter may be lumpy, too thin, or the oil the wrong temperature. Whisk until smooth, get the consistency right, and keep the oil at a moderate heat.
They're best hot and fresh, but keep for a few days airtight. Reheat gently in a warm oven or on a tawa over low heat.
Whisk a couple of tablespoons of flour into the batter to thicken it slightly and try again.
