Balushahi is a famous sweet, it is straightforward to make. It has a sweet flaky surface, a tender cakey interior, and the pure pleasure of beautiful Indian flavors – ghee, rose, cardamom, and saffron.
Balushahi (Badusha) is a crispy and flaky Indian sweet made using all-purpose flour, ghee, and yogurt. It is popularly made during festivals, weddings, and special occasions. Make it using my tried and tested recipe at home!
This balushahi is a tried and tested recipe and gives you one of the best balushahi you will make exactly like the ones you get in the Halwai or mithai shop.
The recipe begins with preparing a light dough from all-purpose flour with ghee and baking powder. later the dough is shaped into a small flat ball followed by deep frying in clarified butter. finally, it is dipped in a sugar syrup to form a crystal sugar coating.
Also read: Paneer Paratha Recipe (step by step)
INGREDIENTS
Dough:
- 250 gm maida/All purpose flour
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Water as required (¼ cup approx)
- 50 gm ghee / clarified butter
- 65 gm curd/yogurt
- Oil for deep frying
Sugar syrup:
- 250 gm sugar
- ½ cup water
- few thread saffron/kesar
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder/elachi powder
Making balushahi dough
- In a large bowl take 250 gm maida.
- Add ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp baking powder. combine well.
- Now, add ghee and curd and gently mix to make dough.
- Additionally, add ¼ cup water and start to make dough without kneading.
- Use light pressure from your hands and form a dough. Do not knead heavily or if required then knead very lightly.
- Cover the dough with a dish towel and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Sugar Syrup
- Meanwhile, make sugar syrup. While frying also you can make sugar syrup.
- Take 250 grams of sugar in a pan or bowl. Use a bowl or pan with more surface area so that the balushahi can get enough space for soaking.
- Add ½ cup of water, ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder, and saffron to a pan.
- Heat on medium heat for 10-12 minutes to make 2 thread syrup.
- To check if the sugar syrup has reached the 2-thread consistency, take a syrup on the spoon. Let it cool for 4-5 seconds. Now take a little syrup on one of your fingers and press it with your thumb. You should see 2 threads forming between the finger and the thumb.
Frying
- Before frying balushahi, you can begin to heat oil in a kadai or pan on a medium flame. You can also use ghee instead of oil to fry balushahi.
- Pinch small to medium-sized balls from the balushahi dough. Roll them gently and lightly between your palms.
- Press in the center of the dough ball with your thumb.
- Shape all the balushahi in the same manner.
- When the ghee is barely hot, drop the Balushahi in the ghee very gently.
- Add 5 to 6 or 7 balushahi depending on the size of the kadai. balushahi will expand in oil while frying, so make sure not to overcrowd the kadai or pan.
- Reduce the heat to low and fry the balushahi until golden brown.
- When one side firms up and is light golden, turn over each badusha. Keep flipping the balushahi while frying.
- Drain the balushai on a plate lined with paper tissues and let them cool a little.
- Fry all the batches and let all of them cool completely.
- After a couple of minutes, when fried balushahi are still hot, place them in the hot or warm sugar syrup.
- Let these badusha soak in the sugar syrup for 14 to 15 minutes.
- Take them out using a fork and arrange them on a plate in a single layer. the sugar will crystallize in 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of pistachios all over. You can even sprinkle some saffron strands, rose petals, and cardamom powder if you want.
- Leftovers can be easily stored in an air-tight jar or container at room temperature for about 5 to 6 days.
Serving Suggestions
it can be served as a dessert or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Double up the recipe and make it for your next party or potluck. Since the Balushahi stays well at room temperature it is perfect to pack for picnics or lunch boxes as a yummy treat.
Tips
- Shape the discs with light hands.
- Do not knead the dough as the flakiness of balushahi will be lost.
- Make sure to fry the balushahi only on low heat otherwise, they will brown from the outside but will be raw from the inside.
- In case the sugar syrup crystallizes, then add 2-3 tablespoons of water to it and heat on low heat.
FAQs
Q: Can Balushahi be stored for later consumption?
A: Yes, it can be stored in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature. However, it is best consumed fresh to enjoy its crispy texture.
Q: What is the best way to serve this?
A: it is typically served as a dessert or sweet treat. It can be enjoyed on its own or alongside a cup of tea or coffee. Some people also like to garnish Balushahi with chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds before serving.
Q: Are there any variations of Balushahi?
A: Yes, there are variations of this recipe across different regions of India. For example, in some regions, Balushahi may be made with a filling of khoya (thickened milk solids) or nuts. These variations add different flavors and textures to the traditional Balushahi recipe..
Q: Is Balushahi a festival sweet?
A: Yes, it is commonly prepared and enjoyed during various festivals and celebrations in India, such as Diwali, Holi, and Raksha Bandhan. It is also popular as a sweet treat for weddings and special occasions.
Nutrition
| Calories | 187kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 40gm |
| proteins | 2g |
| sodium | 59mg |
| potassium | 31mg |
| sugar | 25g |
| Vitamin A | 3IU |
| Vitamin C | 1mg |
| Fat | 1g |
| Iron | 1mg |
Also read:
- Methi Matar Malai recipe
- How to make chenna
- Handi Paneer Recipe
- ‘Black Lentils Recipe
- Til laddu recipe (til ke laddu)
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