Traditional Balushahi

In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Boil hard until the syrup reaches a one-thread consistency. Stir in the cardamom powder and saffron threads, and keep it warm.

In a wide mixing bowl, rub the melted ghee into the plain flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Mix the baking soda evenly through it.

Fold in the whisked curd. Very gradually sprinkle the ice-cold water, using just enough hydration to gather the mass into a shaggy dough. It is imperative not to knead it smoothly; preserving the rugged layers is the secret to a flaky texture.

Portion the rustic dough into small, lemon-sized spheres. Roll them with an exceedingly light touch, and depress your thumb firmly into the center of each to forge a deep indentation, ensuring even frying.

Bring the frying oil or ghee up to temperature in a heavy-bottomed kadhai, maintaining an extremely low, gentle heat. Carefully submerge the shaped balushahis into the lukewarm fat.

Fry them slowly for 15-20 minutes. They should puff up well and take on a golden-brown crust; turn them over gently once, halfway through.

15–20 min

Extract from the oil and immediately plunge the hot pastries into the reserved warm sugar syrup. Mandate a 10-minute soaking period per side to achieve internal juiciness.

Retrieve from the syrup, garnish with finely chopped pistachios, and demand a complete cooldown prior to presentation.