Badusha / balushahi–Diwali sweets

Badusha or balushahi is one of popular Indian sweets. It is my all time favourite sweet and it has very simple ingredients but you need to be very cautious in every step to get it perfect. Badusha has to be soft inside and crispy outside, that happens only when dough is in perfect texture.

Ingredients:

Yields 15 badushas

• 1 cup – Maida / all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup – Butter
• 1/4 cup – Curd / yogurt
• 1/4 tsp – Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp – Baking powder
• Chopped pistachios for garnishing
• Oil for deep frying

For making syrup:

• 1 cup – Sugar
• 1 cup – Water
• 1/4 tsp – Cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp – Lemon juice

Preparation method:

1. Take a mixing bowl, add maida, baking soda and baking powder, mix well. Then add butter and once again mix well. Now the dough will be little crumbly in texture like puttu.
2. Add curd little by little to form thick and crumbly dough not very soft dough like roti/ chappathi. If needed sprinkle little water, but i did not use any water in this recipe. Cover the dough and allow them to rest for 20 mins.
3. After the dough has rested for 20 mins, do not knead dough like we do for roti / chappathi, just mix it once. Take small lemon sized ball out of the dough and roll into balls, slightly flat them and make a impression in the center using your thumb (as shown in the picture). Set it aside.
4. Meanwhile take a vessel, add sugar and water, bring it to boil and cook until you reach one string or thread consistency. Add lemon juice and cardamom powder and turn off flame.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan, check by adding a pinch of the batter if it rises immediately then that is the correct stage. Reduce the flame to low and then add 3 to 4 badushas at a time and cook on both sides till golden brown. By this time badusha would have doubled in size and that shows the dough is in right consistency. Only then badushas will be flaky, light and crispy.
6. Remove badushas from the hot oil and place them gently in the warm sugar syrup immediately. Let it sit for 5 to10 mins in the sugar syrup until the syrup is well coated all over.
7. Allow them to sit in the syrup till the next batch of badusha is done. Remove from the syrup and place them on a plate. Garnish with chopped pistachios while it is still warm and allow to come to room temperature. Store them in air tight container and serve.

Notes:

• While kneading dough, you should not knead like we do for chappathi. You have to just mix it very gently with your hands to form crumbly dough and start shaping them. Badusha should double in size after adding it to medium hot oil. That is the correct consistency of dough you have prepared.
• The badusha needs to be cooked in low flame and do not rush through the process by trying to cook them on high flame as they will remain uncooked inside. It has to reach golden brown color. Do not over cook it to a darker golden shade.
• Adding lemon juice is to prevent crystallization of the sugar syrup.
• Badushas will taste good after two days or so of preparation. They stay fresh for at least 3 to 4 days at room temperature. You can refrigerate them for longer shelf life.
• You can check one string consistency by taking sugar syrup between the thumb and the index finger a single string will form.

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