Diwali is the time to make some traditional sweets and one such simple favorite is the Badusha or Balushahi as it is also known.

Fit for the kings , mildly sweet, light and flaky , something you can have a piece or two indulging during Diwali.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all purpose flour ( maida)

• 1/4 cup curd

• 1 tbsp heaped butter ( chilled)

• A pinch of baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• Saffron strands

• 1 cup sugar for syrup

• water just enough to immerse the sugar

• Pinch of green cardamom powder

  some pistachio flakes or almond flakes for garnishing

• Oil for deep frying.

PREPARATION METHOD:

1. Take a bowl, add the dry ingredients , maida, baking powder, soda , mix well,or better sieve it .
   To that add the chilled butter and mix them together till you get a bread crumb like texture. Mix with fingers till the dry ingredients are coated well and appear crumbly.Next add curd and mix lightly , not kneading them too much as you need the dough to be light , so just bring the dough together by adding little drops of water till you get a non sticky light dough.
   Cover and keep for 20 minutes.

2. In the meanwhile keep your sugar syrup ready. Take a pan ,add the sugar and water just enough to immerse the sugar, add the lime juice. clear out scum if any, then add the cardamom powder, saffron threads.

3. The sugar syrup should be of almost one string consistency or if you want the crystallized effect, make it nearly 2 string consistency.. Your badushas will get the white crystallized sugar coating on top. after it is cooled. You can see such badushas in the shops.

4. Now keep a pan with oil to heat on avery low flame , the oil must be just about warm when you slide the badushas for frying. , test with one badusha , it must start making small bubbles while in the bottom of the pan , that is the right temperature , so slide in all badushas or as much can filt in the kadai, and when you slide them ,they will seem to settle in the bottom , dont worry , as the oil gets heated, they will rise and come up light and bigger, then you must slightly increase the flame to continue the frying .

5. You will notice after 20 minutes the dough would have become lighter and when you pull apart the dough with fingers you will see the rough texture inside just like bread dough after it has risen.

6. Pinch off small balls and dont press them too hard or roll too smooth like the chapati dough, just a rough ball , make a dent in centre with the thumb, make all the badushas this way.If you have the time and patience do the fancy crimping like we do for the karchikais. by twisting and turning the ends of the badusha. I kept them simple doughnut style

7. Check to see if oil is warm enough, drop a small ball of dough , test with one badusha , it must start making small bubbles while in the bottom of the pan , that is the right temperature , so slide in all badushas or as much can filt in the kadai, and when you slide them ,they will seem to settle in the bottom , dont worry , as the oil gets heated, they will rise and come up light and bigger, then you must slightly increase the flame to continue the frying .

8. Let them cook on a medium to slow flame as they need to cook well inside too, it will take time so patience is the key .
   when they turn golden and look crispy with the flakes showing, time to remove , drain on a paper towel.

9. Let these fried badushas cool a bit and then drop into the warm sugar syrup for 210 minutes .
   Take them out and keep aside. After cooling you will see the badushas look shiny and sugar coated., as w ell as syrup has been absorbed by badusha .

10. For a more powdery sugar coated effect, dip them once more and take out to cool.You will get the white crystallized effect .

11. When you bite into the badusha, you will see them flaky inside.
    That s the correct texture..

12. Enjoy Diwali by making a traditional sweet .

Follow my Instagram for more recipes and videos .