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Trinidad Kurma Recipe
Kurma – one of the most loved Eid snacks in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. It’s been a favourite of my own parents, who were born and raised in Trinidad and then raised a family in Canada. Now, it is one of MY favourite Eid snacks and is quickly becoming my own children’s favourite. This Trinidad Kurma Recipe is what you need for any special occasion or holiday! Kurma is eaten by people of all religions, not just for Eid.
I have always been in LOVE with my mom’s kurma. It is soft on the inside, with the perfect bite on the outside. Although crunchy and crispy kurma is extremely popular in Trinidad, it’s just never been my preference. So thanks to my mom, I was able to create this recipe to share with the world! It is buttery, soft, sweet, and just the best. It’s what I’ve been eating, year after year, for Eid, weddings, and so much more!
So, once again, this recipe is not for crispy/crunchy kurma with an elongated shape. This is a simple kurma recipe that yields soft kurma with a diamond-like shape. Side note: my mom always measures her kurma recipe with her heart, so actually getting measurements was a bit of a challenge, but I think we did it!
Ingredients Needed
This Trinidad kurma recipe is so satisfying and delicious, but only requires a handful of ingredients! That’s a win in my books! Here is a list of what you will need.
All-purpose flour: this makes up the foundation of the kurma.
Ground cardamom: adds a hint of spice to the kurma.
Salted butter: salted butter is used instead of unsalted butter. The subtle saltiness of the butter brings out the other flavours in the kurma so beautifully. I normally use unsalted butter for cooking/baking, but I feel like salted butter in this recipe really makes a difference!
Evaporated milk: brings the dough together, adds richness, and a subtle caramel flavour.
Sweetened condensed milk: helps sweeten the actual kurma dough.
Fresh ginger: ginger is a must in Trinidad kurma, and it has to be fresh! If I had to choose just one spice to use in kurma, it would be ginger.
Granulated sugar: used to make the sugary coating for the kurma.
Water: used to make the sugary coating for the kurma.
Oil: this is used for frying the kurma dough. Use a neutral oil, like canola or corn.
How to Make this Trinidad Kurma Recipe
Admittedly, making kurma might seem like an intimidating thing to do since there are a few steps to the process. However, it is a pretty straight-forward recipe. Just follow these helpful instructions for this yummy Eid snack!
Make the dough
Mix together the all-purpose flour and ground cardamom.
Add the cold butter to the flour mixture in pieces. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers. The butter should be fully incorporated. When you squeeze the flour between your hands, it will stick together but can be easily broken apart.
In another bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and grated ginger.
Pour the milk mixture into the flour/butter bowl and use your fingers to bring the dough together. You will want to pour it in small amounts, until the dough comes together. Once it comes together, dump the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until you achieve a smooth and firm dough.
Divide the dough into 2 parts to make it easier to work with. Lightly flour your working surface, and with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a circle with about 1/4 inch thickness. When you roll out the dough, it should be smooth and not have any cracks in it.
Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut strips that are about 1 inch in width.
Then cut those strips into 1.5 inch pieces that are cut at an angle. Repeat this with the other dough ball. You should get somewhat of a diamond shape. By the way, while kneading, rolling, or cutting, feel free to pull out any ginger fibers that you may see. You can 100% leave them in though!
Over medium heat, deep fry the kurma pieces until golden brown in colour. The kurma should also puff up a bit during this time. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
Remove the cooked kurma from the oil and drain in a metal or plastic bowl lined with some paper towels. Once they have drained, remove the paper towels.
Make the sugary coating
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and allow to come up to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to stir the mixture. It will become bubbly and frothy and eventually it will become thread-like when dropped from the spoon – that is when it is ready to be poured. You can also check the temperature. When it reaches 230-240F, it is ready to be poured.
Mix the fried kurma with the sugary coating
This part of the process requires you to work relatively quickly because the sugar mixture will dry up if left alone.
Pour the sugar mixture onto the kurma in the bowl. Begin mixing with a wooden spoon continuously, but gently, so as not to break any of the kurma. Continue mixing. It will be really sticky at first, but then it will begin drying up and hardening, which is why you need to keep going. Keep mixing until everything has dried up.
At first, the pieces will be sticking together but the more dry it gets, the less it sticks. After everything has dried up, most of the pieces will be separated. If any of them are sticking together, gently pull them apart.
And that’s it! You have some Trinidad kurma that is soft on the inside, with a little crunch on the outside – utterly perfect!
Tips for the Best Trinidad Kurma
Finely grate the fresh ginger: when grating the ginger, it is best to use the really small, star shaped side of the grater or a microplane grater. This will give you the best texture in the kurma. You also won’t be biting into bigger pieces of ginger, which is not pleasant for many people.
Experiment with your favourite spices: there are so many ways to make kurma and many people use more than just ginger and cardamom in their kurma. I personally like the simple taste of kurma, with just ginger and cardamom. But if you’re a fan of cinnamon, nutmeg, or any other spice, try those!
Use the ginger liquid: when grating the ginger, there will be some liquid mixed in with the grated ginger. My mom does not waste that liquid, and she adds it into the milk mixture. It is part of the ginger flavour, so don’t let it go to waste!
Measure the flour correctly: this is important in any recipe to get the right proportion of ingredients for the result to be good. You will want to gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup without packing it down. You will also want to overfill the measuring cup. Then use the back of a knife to level the flour off the cup. That is how to properly measure flour when measuring with cups.
Storage
Kurma can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. It tastes best when consumed within 2 days, however.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have never made crispy kurma myself, as I don’t prefer it. I prefer the kurma that is soft inside, like what this recipe yields. However, if you do want crispy kurma, try reducing the amount of butter in the recipe and chilling the kurma dough before rolling it out.
Try these Eid recipes: Sawine, Beef Haleem
Trinidad Kurma Recipe
Description
Sweet, gingery dough, fried to perfection and tossed in a sugary coating.
Ingredients
Sugary Coating
Instructions
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In a bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour and ground cardamom.Â
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Add the cold butter into the flour mixture and use your fingers to incorporate the butter and flour, rubbing the mixture between your fingers. You can also rub the butter/flour mixture between both hands. Do this until the butter is full incorporated.Â
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In another bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and grated ginger.Â
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Pour the milk mixture into the flour/butter bowl and use your fingers to bring the dough together. You will want to pour it in small amounts, until the dough comes together.Â
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Dump the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth, but firm.Â
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Split the dough into 2 balls (does not have to be perfect) to make it easier to work with.Â
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Using a rolling pin, roll the first ball into a circle, with about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a knife to cut the circle into 1 inch strips. Then cut those strips into 1 1/2 inch pieces, at an angle. See the photos in the blog post above for reference.Â
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Repeat this process for the second dough ball as well.
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Fry the kurma dough on medium heat until it develops a golden brown colour. It will take about 5 minutes, give or take. Fry in batches if needed.Â
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Drain the fried kurma dough in a metal or plastic bowl lined with paper towels. Once they have drained, remove the paper towels.Â
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In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar and water and place over medium high heat. Bring to a boil.
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Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, and stir to prevent sticking. Continue to let this mixture simmer until it looks thread-like when it is dropped from the spoon. You can also use a thermometer. The sugar coating will be ready when it reaches a temp of 230-240F.Â
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Once the sugar mixture is ready, pour it onto the fried kurma and begin stirring continuously, but gently, to prevent the kurma from breaking. It will be really sticky but eventually it will start to harden and crystallize.Â
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Do not stop mixing until the sugar mixture has dried up completely. If there are any pieces sticking together after it has dried, gently pull them apart.Â
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And that's it!Â
Equipment
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Note
The blog post above is filled with helpful details, photos, and tips. Please read it for the best results!
