Teej has gone and Raksha bandhan is almost there. These are the two festivals we celebrate in the month of Shravan. Every festival is known for the delicacies or sweet made or consumed on that day. Ghewar is a traditional sweet made on festive season of shravan month. Ghewar has its own special significance on teej and rakhi festival.
Ghewar is a rajasthani delicacy famous in other parts of India. It is different from other sweets due to it honey-comb porous texture and taste. It looks like a complicated dish that needs lot of work. But on the other hand its easy to make if you know the basics and technique of frying the batter.
Temperature of oil is very important while frying ghewar. Batter should be thin running consistency so that its easier to pour continuously in thin stream. I try to make ghewar once a year on teej festival. On very first try it comes out so well and delicious that on second time over confidence led it to disaster.
Ghewar is mostly a technique of pouring batter in a hot oil. It is like jalebi and imarti where technique works like wonder. Malai Ghewar tastes best with the crunchy texture of ghewar and cold, sweet and creamy taste of rabdi.
- For Batter-
- 3 cups Maida (All Purpose Flour)
- 1/2 cup Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter)
- 3 to 4 Ice Cubes
- 4 cups Water
- 1/2 cup Milk
- Few Drops Yellow Food Color or Saffron in milk
- Few drops Rose Essence
- Ghee or Oil for deep frying
- For Syrup-
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 1/2 tsp. Cardamom Powder
- For Topping-
- 2 cups Rabri
- 2 tbsp. sliced Almonds & Pistachios
- Dried Rose Petals
- Chandi Ka Varak (Silver leaf)
- Take desi ghee and ice cubes in a wide bowl.
- Mix the ghee vigorously with ice cubes (preferably by hand) until ghee becomes very white.
- Take out the ice cubes and mix milk, flour and 1 cup water.
- Mix to make smooth batter. (no lumps)
- Dissolve color in some water and add to batter.
- Add more water as required to make a thin batter.
- Make a batter smooth, with no lumps, light and creamy.
- Prepare sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency.
- For frying ghewar take a deep small pan with heavy bottom.
- Fill half with ghee or oil.
- When ghee or oil is smoky hot, take a batter in a ladle.
- Pour in center of pan, slowly in one continuous thin stream from a little height.
- Stop pouring batter when bubbles comes almost to the top. Allow froth to settle.
- Pour another ladle of batter in same manner and make a hole in the center of the ghewar with a thin wooden skewer.
- Repeat pouring for 4-6 times or depending on the size and thickness of ghewar required.
- Cook ghewar for few minutes, pour the hot ghee over it few times.
- When the center is firm and color is golden brown take out the ghewar with the help of wooden skewer.
- Place on a paper towel to drain out excess ghee or oil.
- Dip ghewar in sugar syrup for 20 minutes. Drain the extra syrup.
- Alternatively, pour some syrup evenly all over for less sugary option.
- Top it with some rabri or silvered almonds or pistachios.
- Cool and serve.