Balu Shahi
Egg-less and Sugar-Coated Doughnuts : The dough for the preparation of a Balu Shahi is similar to that required for short crust pastry. It however differs from the latter in that it is fried and not baked.
INGREDIENTS
FLOUR (MAIDA) 230 Gm
KHOA 30 Gm
CURD 5 TSP
GHEE 85 Gm
KEWRA 2 TO 3 DROPS
SODA ¼ TSP
SUGAR + WATER SYRUP ½ PT (300 ML)
GHEE 400 Gm FOR FRYING
ALMONDS 15 Gm
PISTACHIO NUTS 15 Gm
4 SILVER LEAVES
METHOD
- Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and rub thoroughly into the melted ghee with the tips of the fingers.
- Add slightly heated curd and the water and knead until it becomes soft dough.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal parts and shape them into round balls.
- Make a depression in the centre of each one and flatten.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy pan and remove from the fire when quite hot.
- Place the flattened balls in it and cook them as long as the ghee simmers around them. When it stops simmering, put the pan on slow fire and cook until the balu shahies swell and become light brown in colour.
Prepare the syrup with the sugar and he water and cook till it becomes quite sticky, i.e. of three-thread consistency. - Add itar kewra or essence.
- Dunk the cooked flattened balls in the syrup, allow them to soak in syrup for an hour.
- Drain them from the syrup and arrange them in a platter.
- Decorate immediately with shredded almonds and pistachios and khoa (dried fresh whole milk).
Serve decorated with silver leaves.
