Sweet Boondhi

Recipe No: 159

Do you know the recipe of ledukunju? Hope you remember that… Your uncle used to bring them when he comes to see you in the School Hostel…Missing those days…

One of my school friends wrote this a few weeks before. While in the School Hostel, every weekend most of us will have visitors. I still remember all of us looking out of the window in our study room to see whose visitor is next and as soon as we see someone in the gate our eyes will travel to their hands to see if there are any packets (which will possibly be some eagerly waited food) before even looking whose relative it is!!! As my  friend stated, this sweet Boondhi ('Ladukunju' as we used to call then) was one of  the usual item anyone from my home would bring. It was lost in my memories until my friend  brought it up. So here is Boondhi or Ladukunju, as per me and my dear hostel friends...

Ingredients                                                Makes around 3 cups

• Chickpea Flour/ Besan…………..1 Cup (Kadalamavu)
• Water………………………………….2/3-3/4 Cup
• Sugar……………………………….....1 Cup
• Cardamom Powder……………….1/4 Cup
• Cashew nuts, Raisins and Rock Candy (Kalkandam) optional
• Oil for deep frying

Method of preparation

1. Heat at least 2 inches of Oil in a pan on medium high heat.
2. Mix Besan with enough Water to make a semi thick batter. I used ¾ cup Water and add more Water (if it is too thick) or more Flour (if too thin) to get that consistency.
3. When the Oil is hot, pour the batter through a slotted spoon (the one with circular holes) so that the batter forms small spheres. If it forms big irregular shapeless droplets then the batter is too thin. If it is hard for the batter to fall down through the holes, then the batter is too thick. In both cases make it into a proper consistency.
4. Fry the Boondhi until crispy. This will take only around 3 minutes for a batch.
5. Drain the excess Oil on a paper towel and keep it aside till all the batter is used.
6. In a pan, melt Sugar with ½ cup Water on high heat and let it boil till it attains a one thread consistency or 230˚F/ 110˚C.
7. Add the Boondhi and Cardamom Powder into the Sugar Syrup mix well for a minute; off the heat and let it sit in the pan for 30 minutes or until it cools thoroughly.
8. If using Cashew Nuts and Raisins, fry it in ½ tablespoon Ghee and add into the Boondhi along with the Ghee while the Boondhi is still hot. Add Sugar Candy (if using) only when it is cooled.
9. Once cooled thoroughly, mix once more. By this time all the Sugar syrup will be absorbed and become dry so that each Bhoondhi will stay separate.
10. Serve once cooled. Store the left over in airtight containers.

Notes:

• It is very easy to make Boondhi if you have a Boondhi ladle, but as we are using our regular slotted spoon, the Boondhis will be slightly big than that of the regular store bought ones.
• The Oil should be hot enough so that the second the droplet hits the hot Oil it fries and become Boondhi. If the Oil is not hot enough there are more chances for the Boondhis to stick to one another.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan while making Boondhi. If you pour more batter it will result in clumps. So if you are doubling this recipe, I will recommend using a bigger pan so that you can finish making Boondhis in a fewer number of batches. This way you can prevent the darkened bits on the bottom of the Oil (try to avoid it coming with the Boondhi).
• When you make this for the first time, there are chances that you waste a lot of batter. The amount of Sugar given in the recipe is based on minimum wastage. So if you waste more batter reduce the amount of Sugar accordingly.
• You can check the one thread consistency by touching the index finger in a bit of sugar syrup and pressing it with the thump. If there is one strand in between the thump and the index finger while pulling them apart, then the stage is reached.

 






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…