Flaky Ghee Balushahi in Cardamom Sugar Syrup

What you need

• 125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 55 g (1/4 cup) ghee, soft, not melted
• 60 g (1/4 cup) plain yogurt, chilled
• 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Rub the ghee into the flour with your fingertips for about 1 min, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

3. 3

   Add the yogurt and bring everything together with as little kneading as possible. The dough should be soft and slightly rough, not smooth.

4. 4

   Cover with a damp cloth and rest the dough for 30 min.

5. 5

   Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then press a shallow dent into the center with your thumb. Press gently, because hard pressing cracks the surface.

6. 6

   Cover the shaped pieces with the damp cloth and rest for 15 min.

7. 7

   Pour the oil into a deep, wide pan and heat it over medium-low heat until a small pinch of dough sinks, then drifts up slowly.

8. 8

   Lower in 3-4 balushahi at a time. Fry on medium-low heat, without moving them, until they float.

9. 9

   Turn them and keep frying, turning now and then, until deep golden brown all over, 10-12 min. Low heat lets the center cook through before the outside darkens.

10. 10

    Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack. Fry the remaining pieces the same way.

11. 11

    While the last batch fries, boil the sugar with the water and cardamom in a small pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

12. 12

    Lower the heat and simmer for 5-6 min, until a drop pressed between two fingers forms a single sticky thread when they are pulled apart. Keep it warm.

13. 13

    Drop the warm balushahi into the pan one at a time. Turn to coat, then lift out after 1 min.

14. 14

    Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with the pistachios. Leave for 30 min, until the coating dries to a pale sugary crust.

Imported from archanaskitchen.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.