Shankarpali
Shankarpali, shakkarpara, murali, khurma, lakdi mithai, or just simply mithai is an Indian sweet snack. It is etymologically derived from Persian Shekarpareh. Shankarpali is popular in India, especially in north India, specifically Uttar Pradesh.[1] Its North Indian variant known as khurma or laktho is also popular in states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh.[2] It is also a popular sweet among the Indian diaspora in Fiji,[3] Guyana,[4] Mauritius, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago,[5] as well as their respective diasporas in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. It is traditionally enjoyed as a treat on Diwali. It is rich in carbohydrates, making it an instant source of energy. It can be sweet, sour or spicy depending upon how it is made.
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Alternative names | Shakkarpara, Khurma, Kurma, Laktho, Murali, Lakdi Mithai |
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Course | Snack |
Place of origin | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan |
Main ingredients | Milk, sugar, ghee (or butter), maida, semolina |

Preparation
The mixture is made into dough and then mechanically cut into diamond-shaped units which are deep fried in ghee or butter.[6]
- Boil the milk, and dissolve the sugar in the hot milk.
- Then add the ghee and salt and mix well.
- Remove this mixture from the fire and add maida and rawa (slightly fried) to the mix.
- Knead the dough and let it rest for 2–3 hours.
- Roll the dough into a circle with a rolling pin and cut the dough into diamond or stick shaped shankarpali.
- Fry in ghee or oil until brown.

It is a popular snack amongst the Maharashtrian, Gujarati and Kannadiga community in India and has a long shelf-life. It is widely available in shops; people usually purchase ready-made shankarpali during the year and only prepare it at home during Diwali. This provides a livelihood for women who produce it throughout the year and market it.
Names
- Gujarati: shakkarpara (શક્કરપારા)
- Marathi: shankarpali (शंकरपाळी)
- Kannada: shankarapali/shankarapoli (ಶಂಕರಪಾಳಿ/ಶಂಕರಪೋಳಿ)
- Bengali: shakerpara (সাকেরপাড়া)
- Punjabi: shakkarpara (ਸ਼ੱਕਰਪਾਰਾ/شکر پارا)
- Hindi-Urdu: shakarpare/khurma (शुक्र पारे/شکر پارے)/(खुरमा/خرمہ)
- Nepali: khurma (खुर्मा)
- Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Maithili, and Magahi: khurma (खुरमा)
- Fiji Hindi: lakdi mithai (लकड़ी मिठाई)
- Guyanese Hindustani: mithai (मिठाई/مٹھائی)
- Trinidadian Hindustani: khurma (खुरमा/خرمہ)
See also
References
- Sacharoff, Shanta (1996). Flavors of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine. Book Publishing Company. pp. 192. ISBN 9781570679650.
Flavors of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Sakkarpara.
- "Thekua to Parwal Ki Mithai: 11 Must-Try Sweet Delicacies from Bihar".
- "Lakdi Mithai - Fiji Indian Recipe". 5 December 2016.
- "Kurma (Crunchy Mithai)". 12 November 2012.
- "A Crunchy, Flaky Kurma". 20 September 2008.
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