Aluwa

After a rich fish curry meal, serve this sweetmeat with black coffee.
Makes about 18 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 x 410 g (141/2 oz) cups sweetened condensed milk
• 125 g (4 oz) butter
• 1 cup cooked mashed potato
• 1 cup finely chopped cashew nuts optional
• 2 tablespoons rose water
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional

Directions

Put sugar, milk, condensed milk and ghee into a large heated saucepan (a non stick pan is excellent for this). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches soft ball stage or 116°C (240°F) on a candy thermometer. (To test for softball stage, drop a little into a cup of ice.cold water. If it firms enough to be moulded into a soft ball. it has reached the required temperature. Remove from heat, add smoothly mashed potato and beat with a rotary beater until all lumps are beaten out. If using a pan with non stick lining, pour mixture into a bowl before doing this or the metal beaters will scratch the non stick surface. Return to heat and cook to soft ball stage or 116°C (240°F) once more. Remove from heat, stir in nuts, rose water and cardamom and mix well. Pour into a well buttered shallow dish or baking tin. Pres lightly with a piece of buttered banana leaf or aluminium foil to smooth and flatten the surface. Allow to cool and set, then cut into diamond shapes.