Badusha

Wish you all a Happy and Safe Diwali!!!

Badusha or Balushahi is a popular sweet dish in India. It is known as Badusha in the south and Balushahi in the north India. All purpose flour or maida is the main ingredient. Badusha is deep fried in oil and dipped in sugar syrup and served. It is easy to make this dish but perfection comes with practice. Sugar syrup and kneading the dough is the key for making this dish. Enjoy your Diwali with this tasty dish.

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour or maida – 2 cups
• Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
• Butter or oil – 3 tbsp
• Yogurt (curd) – 2 tbsp
• Sugar – 3/4 cup
• Cardamom pods – 2
• Grated nutmeg (jadikkai) – 1/4 tsp
• Oil for frying
• Water

Method of Preparation:

1. Sift or mix all purpose flour and baking soda together in a bowl. Add a pinch of nutmeg and mix well.
2. Add butter or oil and mix everything to form a crumbly mixture.
3. Add yogurt, mix well and then add water little at a time and start kneading the dough. We just want the flour to stick together.
4. Do not knead it too much since we need the badusha to be airy inside. Let it sit for half an hour.
5. Five minutes before half an hour, add sugar and 1/3 cup of water to a pan.
6. Over medium heat bring it to a boil and simmer it. It should reach one string consistency. It means when you take a drop of syrup between your thumb and index finger and separate the fingers,  it will be sticky and you can a string in between.
7. Remove from heat and add cardamom powder and a pinch of nutmeg.
8. Heat oil in a pan or kadai for frying over medium heat.
9. Now divide the dough into equal number of portions in the size of a small lemon or golf ball.
10. Gently roll each portion into a small ball, flatten it and make a dent in the middle.
11. It is fine to have cracks on the sides which helps to absorb sugar syrup.
12. Fry them in batches, 4 0r 5 at a time. Make sure oil is not too hot.
13. When it becomes golden brown and bubbles subside, remove from oil and let the oil drain.
14. Immediately transfer it to the hot sugar syrup and turn both sides. Let it stay for 2 minutes.
15. Then remove from sugar syrup and transfer it to a plate.
16. Continue the same procedure with the rest of the batches.
17. Badusha is ready to serve.