Diwali sweets Balushahi

 

Balushahi is a North Indian dessert. It can resemble doughnuts ( western sweet) but the taste, texture is completely different than a regular doughnut.

Recipe for Balushahi 

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour (Maida)

4 tsp chilled plain yogurt

1/4 cup cold ghee

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder and baking soda

1/4 cup sliced pistachios for garnish 

Method:

1. Sieve flour in a medium bowl. Add salt. baking soda, baking powder, ghee (clarified butter) and using the chilled yogurt bind to a dough. Cover with a cloth and keep aside for approximately 15 to 20 mins.

To prepare sugar syrup

Take 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup plain water. Add 5 to 6 cardamom seeds and 4 to 5 saffron strands. Cook in a pan on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes and sugar syrup appears medium consistency. Close burner.

To prepare Balusahi

1. Divide the dough into small tennis ball sized portions. Flatten each ball sized portion and make an indent before you start frying, on medium heat.

2. Heat vegetable or sunflower oil  for frying. Cook each balushahi on medium heat, on each side and remove as they get light brown in color.

3. Dip each balushahi into sugar syrup. Remove after 10 to 15 minutes. Add edible rose petals and garnish with thinly sliced pistachios.

Phirni delights

Phirni is a creamy rice pudding that is prepared using milk, sugar and rice, that is soaked and then made into a paste. Milk is cooked with this rice paste to give it a creamy texture and then garnished with cardamom and nuts. It is sweetened with sugar and served cold.

It is a popular dessert from northern part of India.

Ingredients

400 ml 1% or 2% or whole milk ( your choice)

1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice washed and dried 

1 cup plain sugar

2 tsp powdered cardamom

1/4 cup sliced almonds 

1/4 cup pistachios

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 tsp saffron strands soaked in 2 tsp milk

Method

1. Heat milk, over low to medium heat. Add cardamon powder, sugar and saffron milk. Continue

cooking and stirring to avoid the milk from burning. Add sugar.

2. In a grinder, grind the basmati rice to a coarse paste, no too thin, medium texture.

3. Add this  rice paste to the boiling milk and continue cooking for another 20 to 25 minutes, till 

it appears thickened and rice appears cooked. Cool and pour prepared phirni into an earthern cup or dessert cup and refrigerate. 

4. Garnish each phirni cup with sliced almonds and raisins. 

5. Serve cold dessert and enjoy with family and friends.