Chonge Sweet for Muharram: An Heirloom Delicacy with a Soft-Crumb Texture

Chonge is a modest sweet made during Muharram in some Muslim households, especially in parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. It’s a type of puri, rolled thicker than usual, pan-cooked, and topped with a mix of jaggery, dry coconut, and spices. There’s no syrup, no stuffing, and no baking, and it’s assembled with basic ingredients and a bit of time. You won’t usually find it sold anywhere; it’s passed down, made at home, and served warm, one piece at a time. For many, it’s part of a quiet ritual, something made because it always has been.

Chonge Sweet Recipe

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp oil
• Water, as needed
• Salt, to taste

For the filling:

• 1 cup jaggery powder (adjust sweetness)
• ½ cup dry coconut gratings
• 2 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
• 1-2 cardamom pods
• 1-2 cloves
• 1 tbsp oil or ghee (for greasing)

For frying:

• Ghee, as needed

Method

• Dry roast the poppy seeds, cardamom, and cloves in a pan. Don’t walk away. As soon as they release their aroma, pull them off the heat. Let them cool, then grind them fine.
• In a bowl, mix the jaggery, coconut, and the spice powder you just made. No heat yet. Set that aside – it’s your filling.
• In another bowl, throw in the wheat flour, milk, a bit of oil, and a pinch of salt. Add water slowly and knead until you get a soft, elastic dough. Not sticky, not dry. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes. Walk away.
• Come back, divide the dough into small balls – about the size of a lime. Grease your board or mold if you’re using one. Flatten the balls into discs, a little thick, palm-sized. Don’t make them paper-thin.
• Heat a tawa. Once it’s hot, place the disc on it. Cook on both sides, brushing lightly with oil or ghee. You're aiming for golden spots, not a charred mess. Keep the heat medium.
• While they’re still warm and soft, take each one off the pan and spread the jaggery-coconut mix on top. Be generous. One layer or stacked—it’s up to you.
• Let them sit for a few minutes so the jaggery softens and sinks in. That’s it. Eat them warm, or stash them for later. They hold up fine for a day or two.

Tips & Tricks

• After kneading, cover the dough and let it rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This softens the dough and makes it much easier to roll out. If you skip this, the dough will spring back and make uneven discs, which cook poorly in the pan.
• Use warm (not hot) water while kneading. It activates the gluten in the wheat flour faster and helps you get a smooth, elastic texture. This matters because a stiff dough gives you tough puris that won’t cook through evenly.
• Don’t leave cardamom and cloves chunky in the filling, they’ll overpower the bite. Roast them lightly first, just until fragrant, and grind them fine with the poppy seeds. The filling should be grainy from the coconut, not from hard spice bits.
• Roll them out to about 3-4 mm thick. Too thin and they’ll dry out or crisp; too thick and they won’t cook from inside. A little thickness gives the puri its bite and helps it hold the filling.
• Avoid dusting your surface or rolling pin with flour. Use a few drops of oil instead. Extra dry flour burns on the pan and ruins the surface of the puris. A light touch of oil keeps things clean and smooth.
• Don’t rush the cooking. High heat browns the outside too fast and leaves the center undercooked. Keep the flame on medium and give each side time, roughly 30-40 seconds, until light brown spots appear.
• Jagged or dry puris won’t hold the mixture well. The warmth softens the jaggery and helps it stick. Spread the mixture with your fingers or the back of a spoon gently, right after removing the puri from the pan.
• Traditional Chonge is often served layered like a stack of sweet rotis, each one holding a bit of the filling. Press the stack lightly so the heat helps everything meld. Slice like a pie, or tear by hand.
• If you need to keep them for later, don’t pack them airtight while hot. Let them cool completely and store them in a container lined with paper towels. They'll stay soft for a day or two, though best eaten fresh.