Balushahi is a traditional dessert originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is similar to a glazed doughnut in terms of ingredients, but differs in texture and taste.
Ingredients Of Balushahi
For Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 60 grams ghee
- 60 grams curd
- 9 tablespoons cold water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
For Sugar Syrup
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- saffron strands
- a few drops of lemon juice
- 200 grams sugar
- ghee for deep frying
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachion
How to Make Balushahi
- Take ¼ cup ghee in a bowl, beat the ghee till it is smooth, light and fluffy.
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Add ¼ cup chilled fresh curd, again with a spoon or spatula or a small wired whisk, mix and whip the curd with the creamed ghee.
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Now using a sieve, take maida in it. Place it on the bowl itself. You can also sift the flour separately in a plate or tray.
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Add salt, baking soda and baking powder.
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Sift directly in the creamed ghee and curd.
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Mix the flour lightly with the creamed ghee.
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Sprinkle some cold water in parts and begin to mix it. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water at a time and mix.
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Mix and combine everything to form a soft dough.
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Cover the dough and keep aside for 15 minutes. Use light pressure from hands and form a dough.
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Meanwhile make sugar syrup.
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Take sugar in a pan.
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Add ½ cup water and mix.
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Place the pan on a low flame.
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When all the sugar has dissolved, add cardamom powder. Then add 10 to 12 saffron strands. Stir again.
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Simmer till the syrup becomes sticky or you get ½ string consistency in the syrup.
Frying Balushahi
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Heat oil in a kadai.
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Pinch small to medium-sized balls from the dough. Roll them gently and lightly between your palms.
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You can flatten them slightly if you want.
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Make 5 to 6 badhusha depending on the size of kadai.
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Check a tiny piece of the badhusha dough in the medium hot oil.
- Add 5 balushahi depending on the size of kadai. It will expand in oil while frying.
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Now lift the kadai and place it again on a low flame.
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Frying balushahi on a low flame takes about 12 to 15 minutes.
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Fry till golden and crisp.
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Using a slotted spoon remove them draining the extra oil.
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Place them on kitchen paper towels.
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When fried balushahi are still hot, place them in the hot or warm sugar syrup.
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Let these badusha soak in the sugar syrup for about 14 to 15 minutes.
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Using tongs or spoon, lift each balushahi and place it in a serving tray or bowl.
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Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of pistachios all over.
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Serve balushahi as a sweet.