Balushahi/Badusha/Makhan Bada

Name: Balushahi/Badusha/Makhan Bada
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 15
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Water; 2 cup Sugar; 4 Green Cardamom (slit open)); 1 pinch Orange food colour; 2.5 cup All-purpose Flour (Maida); 1 pinch Salt; 1 tsp Baking Powder; 0.5 cup Ghee; 0.5 cup Water; Oil (for frying); Almonds (chopped/coarse ground))

by Leena Kohli (@leenakohli)

5.0

From 4 ratings

Prep Time

20min

Cook Time

30min

Total Time

50min

Indian Dessert Vegetarian

Balushahi is a traditional Indian dessert loved by all. It is a sweet and flaky dessert usually made during festivals and special occasions. This delightful dessert is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and drenched in syrupy goodness that will leave you wanting more and impress your family...

Ingredients

15 Servings

For Sugar Syrup

1cup
Water
2cup
Sugar
4
Green Cardamom (slit open))
1pinch
Orange food colour

For Dough

2 1/2cup
All-purpose Flour (Maida)
1pinch
Salt
1tsp
Baking Powder
1/2cup
Ghee
1/2cup
Water
Oil (for frying)
Almonds (chopped/coarse ground))

How to make Balushahi/Badusha/Makhan Bada

For Sugar Syrup

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and place it on medium to high heat. When it boils, add crushed green cardamons and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Cook until a slightly sticky consistency is formed (8-10 minutes approx). To test the thickness of the syrup, take a spoonful of syrup and pour it back into the pan. The last drop of the syrup should take a little time to drop back.
Add orange food colour, mix, and set aside.

For Dough

Mix all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
Add ghee to the flour mixture and mix with light hands until it becomes crumbly.
Gradually add water to the flour mixture while mixing with light hands to form a dough. Avoid over-kneading the dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Divide the dough into equal-sized balls.
Flatten each ball slightly with your palm and make a hole in the centre.
Heat oil in a flat, heavy-bottomed pan on low flame.
Add the balls to the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes on low flame.
Gently flip the balls and increase the heat from low to medium. Fry until they turn golden brown from all sides (15-20 minutes approx).
Once golden brown, remove the balushahi with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Dip each balushahi in warm sugar syrup for 5-7 minutes to ensure they are well-soaked and slightly juicy.
Remove them to a wire rack or a plate to cool and let the sugar syrup dry.
Garnish with dry fruits and serve.

Tips & Tricks

Avoid making the dough too soft or hard, as it can affect the final texture of this sweet delicacy. Instead, ensure that the dough is firm yet flexible, which will help produce tender and scrumptious Balushahi.
To obtain a desirable golden hue and to ensure uniform cooking of the Balushahi, it is advisable to start frying them on low heat and then gradually increase the heat to low-medium.
Be careful while frying the Balushahi, as they can burn quickly if the heat is too high.
If you prefer a less sweet version of Balushahi, you can reduce the amount of sugar in the syrup.
Make sure the sugar syrup is warm before dipping the Balushahi in it. It will help the Balushahi absorb the syrup better.
For garnishing, you can use any dry fruits like pistachios, almonds, or cashews.
This recipe will yield approximately 15-20 Balushahi, depending on the size of the balls.