Badushai (Balushai) - Indian donuts

This sweet dish is rich in taste, soft in the core, crumbly at the edges, and has a melt in the mouth texture! Balushai or Badushai is nothing but a glazed donut from the east :) It has a little different texture, but gives the same feeling like a donut when you take a bite! It is not very difficult to make and traditionally this is made during festivals especially during Deepawali.

Most of us have a mind block when it comes to cooking authentic traditional dishes. I was in the same boat too. But once I started making it, it was a piece of cake. Many traditional dishes have simple recipes, it's all about timing and the technique. Once you master that, you can make anything :)

This is my Aunt's recipe, she is a great cook! I lean on her every now and then. She is on my auto dial hehe, my phone can hold maybe just 20 numbers. But my aunt's brain holds a number of recipes on her 'brain auto dial' :) Ask her anything and she will tell you with approx measurements. Her database is amazing! My mom is a master in nonveg dishes :) and I just can't get to her level...:)

I have made badushai for like about 4 to 5 times now and this recipe has not disappointed me! Comes out nice! My memory of Badushai is having it during our holidays when we went visiting my other aunt's house. My uncle used to bring it from a store and we enjoyed it so much as kids. Since I don't have a sweet tooth I didn't care so much for these sweets then :) But now when my son, hubby and everyone around me, enjoy these authentic dishes, and I take great pleasure in making it!

Try making Badushai or Balushai this Diwali or any other occasion for that matter! Let's live a little :)

Let us take a look at the Balushai recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups All purpose flour (Maida)
• 1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• few nuts crushed for garnish
• oil for cooking

For the syrup

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
•  Few cardamom seeds

Preparation:

• Take a tall utensil, warm ghee in it. Add yogurt in it and carefully and mix everything stirring quickly. The mixture will come rising up (that is why consider cooking in a tall vessel) but keep stirring.
• Further add baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour in part of 3. Mix everything properly. It forms a dough. Switch off the gas and keep the dough aside to rest for 15 minutes. 
• In the meantime, make sugar syrup in another vessel. Add sugar, water and bring to a boil.
• Then simmer for few minutes till you get 1 thread consistency. ( basically take a drop of syrup on your index finger and then using both, your index finger and thumb pull apart the drop of syrup, when you do that you should see 1 thread(line) between your fingers)
• Add cardamom seeds to your sugar syrup.
• Now take the badushai dough and knead a little bit more. Make small balls (do not make smooth balls, it should look crumbly because that's where sugar syrup will get soaked in easily) flatten it a little bit and make a small dip in the center of the ball. 
• Deep fry it on med flame. Let it cook on all the sides. Take it out using slotted spoon and transfer it to the sugar syrup. Swirl it in syrup for few seconds and take it out. Your Badushai's are ready to be enjoyed!! Sprinkle few crushed nuts and serve!!

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

I usually add health benefits at the end of my blog post! but when it comes to sweets and desserts, there are no much benefits except it gives a great sense of pleasure to your mind and soul :) The mantra one needs to keep in mind is 'portion control'.
I would like to take this opportunity and add a pic of my aunt here, who contributes a lot by giving me her recipes! Thank you and Love you Reshma Kaki...