Rajasthani Meethi Boondi
Rajasthani meethi boondi is tiny fried besan droplets soaked in saffron-cardamom syrup for prasad and festival sweets.
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40 mintotal
Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- None
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
No inactive time is needed before cooking; after mixing with syrup, let the boondi sit about 30 minutes so it absorbs sweetness evenly.
Method
Sieve the gram flour into a bowl to remove lumps. Add the measured water and whisk to make a smooth, free-flowing batter that is neither too thick nor too thin.
Add a small amount of warm oil to the batter and whisk for 2-3 minutes. This added air helps the boondi fry round and light. Rest the batter for 10 minutes.
2–3 min10 min
To make the syrup, combine the sugar and measured water in a pan. Boil until it reaches a sticky half-string consistency, then add saffron and cardamom. Turn off the heat but keep the syrup warm.
Heat the ghee in a wide, flat frying pan. Hold a perforated jhara about 2 inches above the hot ghee.
Pour a ladleful of rested batter onto the jhara and let the droplets fall into the ghee by gravity. Do not tap, shake or press the batter through, or the boondi will lose its round shape.
Fry the droplets on medium-high heat for about 60 seconds, until lightly crisp but not dark. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess ghee.
1 min
Clean the jhara, wiping both the top and bottom entirely dry before the next batch.
Transfer the hot crisp boondi straight into the warm syrup and fold gently. Let it soak for 30 minutes so the centers absorb syrup and turn plump.
30 min
How to tell it's done
The boondi should be small and round, lightly crisp before soaking, then plump and juicy with saffron syrup.
Getting it right
Tip
Hold the jhara close to the oil and wipe it between batches. Dirty holes drag the batter and make tails instead of round boondi.
What to serve it with
Serve meethi boondi warm or chilled as prasad, or spoon it over rabdi and vanilla ice cream.
Common mistakes
- The boondi has long tails.
- Use pourable batter, keep the jhara about 2 inches above the oil, and clean it before each batch.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate meethi boondi in a covered container for up to 4 days. Serve chilled or gently warmed.
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