Boondi Sweet | Meethi Boondi

Boondi Sweet is one of the Indian desserts I have become confident in! It was all thanks to a collaboration on Instagram. You will enjoy it too, I am sure.

This became an instant hit there, and also at my house! It is so addictive to pop a spoonful of this dessert. Locally it is called meethi (sweet) boondi. You make it by deep frying small globes of batter. And soaking in sugar. And it’s worth trying!

Also a great dessert for calorie watchers… just take small servings instead of a whole laddoo! By the way, did you also enjoy succulent boondi laddoos in weddings and at flag hoistings? But this Indian dessert is different.

You will find it easier to eat it. You can serve it in bowls. Yumm…perfectly sweetened yummy boondi! The addition of the raisins and the aniseed is special, and you can scoop it luxuriously with a spoon.

Easy to Make Indian Dessert: Boondi Sweet

For years, as I said, I have eaten the boondi laddoo without realising how easy it is to make it. But yes, there is a special tool you do need… a colander with a flat base or a large ladle with holes in it.

The holes need to be around 3-4 mms in size for perfect little spheres of batter that fall into the hot oil and fry into the most delightful balls, the boondi. Incidentally, you can also use it to make boondi raita, or add it to any other curd based side dishes for pulaos such as the paneer and peas pulao you can make with leftover rice someday!

If you are making boondi for the first time, don’t let the description scare you.

It maybe a bit messy, but having your own made-from-scratch boondi will be satisfying and definitely more tasty. If however, you do want to avoid it, you can totally make it with 2 cups of freshly made boondi bought from a local store.

Boondi Sweet | Meethi Boondi

Recipe by Sheetal RabindranCourse: DessertCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Make-Ahead

Yes

No

Ingredients

• For Sugar Syrup and it’s Flavours

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 4 green cardamoms, crushed

• Pinch of turmeric

• 2 tsp clarified butter/ ghee

• 1 tsp fennel

• 12 almonds, slivered

• 1/4 cup fresh coconut, sliced thinly

• 1/2 tsp melon seeds

• 2 tbsp black raisins

• For Boondi

• 1 cup besan

• 1/2 cup water

• pinch of salt and turmeric

• oil, to deep fry

Directions

• Making the Sugar Syrup
• Stir together the sugar, water, cardamom and turmeric.
• Heat on high flame in a pan, stirring occasionally, till it comes to a boil.
• Now continue heating on LOW heat, till mixture is reduced and thickened ( around 5 minutes) Check if a drop of the syrup forms a thin string in between the tips of two fingers. It is ready.
• Heat ghee in another pan.
• Add the fennel seeds.
• Now stir in the almonds and toast it a bit.
• Add coconut slices. Fry for a minute.
• Now add melon seeds and raisins.
• Keep some aside for garnishing.
• Transfer the rest of the fried ingredients into the sugar syrup.
• Making the Boondi
• Mix besan, water, salt and turmeric till you get a smooth and lump-free batter.
• Heat oil in a kadhai.
• Find a ladle or a flat vessel with 3-4 mm sized holes in it. Place it on top of the hot oil.
• Pour a spoonful of the batter on the ladle and let it drip into the hot oil.
• Let each batch of the boondi cook till golden brown and remove to a tissue paper to remove excess oil before adding the next batch into the oil.
• Repeat till all the batter is used up.
• To Assemble
• Transfer the crisp boondi into the sugar syrup.
• Mix well.
• Let the syrup soak into the boondi for an hour.
• Serve it garnished with coconut slivers, raisins and nuts.

Notes

• Making the boondi from scratch is satisfying, but if you do not have time, you can ick it up from a local vendor who makes it fresh. If you buy a packeted variety, it may have an off-odour if it is too old.
• If you wish the boondi to be very soft while serving, don’t wait for the one string consistency while making the sugar syrup.
• It is important to let the boondi soak in the sugar syrup for an hour to really get them ready to be enjoyed.
• You can store the dish in the fridge for up to a week in an air tight box.
• You can avoid turmeric and use strands of saffron/ kesar if you wish.