What Is Angoori?

Angoori may refer to a number of different Indian dishes though it is most commonly used as the name of a dessert. This type of dessert is made from a combination of cheese and simple syrup that is rolled in sugar once it is finished. The word "angoori" means grape and may also be used to describe any Indian dish that contains grapes. Though dessert angooris do not contain grapes themselves, they are rolled into small balls reminiscent of grapes. Once assembled, angoori are eaten out of a person’s hands as a simple dessert or a sweet snack.

The main ingredient of the dessert, angoori, is paneer cheese. This cheese is commonly referred to as cottage cheese because it is prepared in a similar fashion to Western cottage cheese, though the whey is drained and pressed from the curd in order to make a cheese with a firm texture. This easy to make cheese is prepared by heating milk and adding an acid, such as lemon juice, to make the milk curdle. Once the curds and whey have separated, the curds are strained through a piece of cheese cloth. The cheese can then be crumbled and rolled into grape-sized balls in order to make angoori.

Once the paneer has been rolled into small balls, it is soaked in syrup. The syrup, called chasni in Indian cooking, is a simple syrup made of two parts sugar and one part water. In many cases, the syrup is infused with roses or other sweet flavors. When making angoori, the cheese is allowed to sit in the syrup until it has soaked up the sugar water and become sweet.

After soaking in syrup, angoori is then rolled in sugar. In some cases, the sugar is dyed green, making these sweets look even more like grapes. This layer of sugar keeps the sweets from sticking to the eater's fingers. Angoori are usually chilled for a couple of hours before they are served, though they can be eaten once they are rolled in sugar.

The word "angoori" also describes any Indian dish that uses grapes. Indian foods are usually named for the main ingredients in them. Grapes may be combined with other ingredients, such as shrimp or paneer, or may be used in other types of desserts, either fresh or in chutney.