Balu Shahi

Ingredients
refined flour (maida) 1½ ,cupssoda bicarbonate ¼, teaspoonolive oil + to deep fry 2/3 cup, yogurt beaten 8 tablespoons , sugar 2 cups , milk 2 tablespoons ,pistachios finely chopped 4-5

METHOD
1. Sift refined flour and soda bicarbonate together into a bowl.
2. Rub in two-thirds cup of olive oil into the flour mixture till it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add beaten yogurt and knead into soft dough. Cover and allow it to rest for forty-five minutes.
4. Divide into twelve equal portions and shape into smooth balls. Take care not to overwork the dough.
5. Make a slight dent in the center of the ball with your thumb. Keep the balls covered.
6. Heat sufficient oilin a kadai and when it is medium hot, add the prepared dough balls and deep fry on very low heat. If necessary you may place a tawa below the kadai so that the oil does not get too hot.
7. Gradually the balushahis will start floating to the top. Turn gently and fry on the other side till golden. The entire process may take around half an hour to forty-five minutes.
8. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature. This can be an overnight process.
9. Heat together sugar and one cup of water till it reaches a two-string consistency. Midway through add milk to the cooking syrup so that the scum rises to the surface. Carefully remove this scum and discard.
10. Remove the syrup from heat and soak the fried balushahis in it for thirty minutes.
11. Gently remove the balushahis from the sugar syrup and place on a serving plate. Garnish with pistachios. Serve when the sugar has hardened.
Mention of balushahi takes me back to my childhood days in Delhi. Especially during Diwali it was a must. Flaky but not hard, with a sprinkling of pistachios this round doughnut like mithai is what sweet dreams are made of.