Bengali Style Sweet Boondi

sweet boondi

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 20-25 minutes
Serves:6-7

Ingredients :

• Besan/Gram flour :1 and 1/2 cup
• Water for batter : 1 and 1/4 cup
• Red food colour : 1 drop
• Sugar : 1 cup
• Water for syrup :2 and 1/2 cup
• Cardamom : 3-4 crushed
• Rose water : 1tsp
• Vegetable oil to deep fry

Note:

 (The critical part of boondi making is to use the right kind of utensil

   for the batter to drop through the holes into the hot oil to form the

   little pearl shaped fried balls.To accomplish this you need to use a

   strainer or perforated ladle (in bengali we call it jhanjri) that has
   several round holes on the surface.)

Procedure:

   

1) In a pan put 2 and 1/2 cup water and sugar and bring to boil on high heat.
    Add crushed cardamom and rose water.When sugar melts down and syrup
    becomes thick,then simmer the syrup.

2) Now in a bowl mix besan with 1 cup water to make a smooth thick batter.
    If required add little water.

3) Heat the oil in a frying pan.

4) Hold the perforated ladle/ jhanjri above the oil over the center of the frying
    pan with one hand. With your other hand pour some of the batter onto the
    perforated ladle to cover all of the holes without  spilling over the edge
    of the perforated ladle.

5) The batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil. If the batter

    doesn’t drop right away through the holes, pour the batter on the skimmer

    back into the batter bowl, mix a little more water to the batter and start

    again. Drop enough boondi into the oil  so they just cover the surface of

    the oil in frying pan in a single layer. In 2-3 tbsp batter mix red food colour

    and also make boondi from this batter.

6) Fry them until boondis are light gold in color but not crispy. 

7) Lift the boondi out of the oil with a slotted spoon (this allows excess

    oil to drip back into the frying pan) and put them directly into the warm

    syrup and mix.

8) Before making the next batch of boondi, wipe clean the skimmer.

    Repeat the process of making boondi and adding to the syrup with rest

    of the batter. You may have to adjust the heat in between making boondis.

9) When finished frying the boondi, let them soak in the syrup for 1 hour
    or more.