Receta Baadusha | Easy Diwali Sweets
Baadusha, A sweet really fit for the king in my opinion. I just can’t stop munching on these once I start which is why I try not to make these sugary little devils often and restrict myself to making just once a year for Diwali. I do not know the reason but I believe that this year it came out just too good according to me. May be the reason is because I made it especially to feed the blog and add to the Diwali recipes. But you know what every time the sugary crust on top used to disappoint me but this time followed my neighbors' tips to the T and well.... what do you all think of it.
This is an incredibly easy sweet to make, as the process involved is much similar to that of making puris, only thing is you just need to have more patience while deep frying these balls in order to get a perfectly cooked Baadusha. The layered goodness is so delicious to sink our teeth right in. It is also known as “Dilli Baadusha” in our place and at least that is how I have always known this sweet, as that is what my Grandma keeps calling it.
Baadusha
Prep Time: 30 Mins
Cook Time: 20 Mins
Makes: 10
Ingredients:
- Maida / All purpose flour – 300 gms/1-1/2 cups
- Vanaspati – 100 gms/1/2 cup
- Fresh curd – 1-1/2 tsp
- Baking soda – 1/8 tsp
- Water – 1/4 cup (approx.,)
- For Sugar syrup
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – 1/4 cup
- Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
- Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Instructions:
1. Place maida in a big plate (thaambalam). Make a well in the center. Add curd and sprinkle the baking soda on curd and mix the liquid till frothy within the well.
2. Now place the vanaspati in the frothy well. The vanaspati should be hard and not at room temperature. Begin crumbling the hard vanaspati with your finger tips along with the curd mixture and when it softens, bring the flour from around and mix with your finger tips distributing the vanaspati to all the flour. This will take 5-8 minutes and in the end will resemble bread crumbs.
3. Add water with a spoon and make a loose dough. Keep kneading for 10 minutes, so that the dough becomes smooth and soft. Let it rest for 1/2 hour. Keep the dough in a closed bowl.
4. Make small lemon sized balls and press gently in the center with your thumb to make an impression and repeat for all the dough. I got around 10 balls. After making, keep them covered to prevent the dough from drying out.
5. For the Sugar syrup: Place the sugar and water in a pan and cook over medium flame till it forms one string consistency. Add cardamom powder, mix well and take off stove. Now add lemon juice and mix well. Keep aside.
6. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan over medium flame. Drop a pinch of dough into the oil and if it rises to the top immediately the temperature is just right.
7. Simmer flame completely and add 3-4 badusha balls into the oil and let it cook for 5 minutes in the heat of the oil. By this time they will start floating on top.
8. Now increase the flame to medium and cook till it becomes brown and looks crisp. Drain on an absorbent paper and transfer it immediately to the sugar syrup. Leave them for 1 minute, take them out and arrange on a plate one next to other and let it dry out.
9. I dropped 3 baadushas at a time into the syrup. If you want a thick sugary crust on top you can dip them once more and let it dry out again, which is what I did.
10. Store in an air tight container. This will stay good for at least a week to 10 days and it is best to consume within that time.
Notes:
You can use butter instead of Vanaspati though the latter is recommended highly.
Make sure the vanaspati that you are using is hard and not at room temperature.
Add water little by little while kneading as you may not require all of 1/4 cup.
Always keep the dough covered. The baadusha will crack will cooking it the dough dries out.
While making the sugar syrup add the lemon juice only after switching off stove in the end.
The sugar syrup has to warm while dipping the baadushas.
Do not keep the baadushas in the sugar syrup itself as they’ll become soggy.
Cook only 2-3 baadusha in oil at a time. As they are cooking over low flame they need space to cook properly.