Boondis are small gram flour balls deep fried in oil and then made either sweet or karam.It is used in making various snacks and sweets like boondi raitha,motichoor ladoo,kara boondi and sweet boondi.

INGREDIENTS

1 & 1/2 cup gram flour (kadalai maavu)

2 tsp rice flour(optional)

A small pinch of sodium bicarbonate

A pinch of yellow food colour

A pinch of edible camphor (optional)

3 cardamoms

8 cashews

1 tsp melon seeds

1 tbsp ghee for roasting the nuts

FOR SUGAR SYRUP

1 & 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

SERVES:8-10

PREPARATION TIME:10 MINS

COOKING TIME:40 MINS

METHOD

PREPARING THE SUGAR SYRUP

Mix sugar,cardamoms and water in a pan.Let it cook until a one thread consistency is obtained.Do not over cook the syrup because it will start to crystallize.Switch off the flame and keep it aside.

PREPARING THE BOONDIS

In a bowl add gram flour,rice flour,sodium biocarbonate,water and mix to form a smooth batter without any lumps.Add the yellow colouring and mix well.
To make boondis you need a perforated boondi laddle to get round balls otherwise use the ordinary perforated laddle that you have at home.

The sugar syrup and the batter is ready now.Let us test the batter consistency now.
Heat oil in a pan or kadai.Fry few drops of batter in the oil on medium flame,the boondis should have round shapes.

Take the perforated laddle add some batter and spread them in a circular motion to get round boondi droplets.
Do not over fry the boondi,when the oil stops sizzling remove them from oil.Strain well and keep it aside.
Wipe the perforated laddle with a wet cloth for every batch.

I have made some red boondis just for colour,You can also add few boondis of orange and green colour.Add the boondis to the sugar syrup.

Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in another pan,add the cashews,melon seeds,cloves.When it gets roasted add to the boondis in sugar syrup.Add the edible camphor and mix them well.Let it set for an hour or two.

After an hour the boondis would have absorbed the sugar syrup well and becomes soft.You can see the sugar crystallized now and forms a crunchy covering over the boondis but remains soft,juicy inside.

Bright coloured Boondi is ready to enjoy now.

TAKE CARE TIPS

Do not over cook the syrup for it starts to crystallize very fast.

If the batter is thin and watery add few spoons of gram flour.

If the batter is thick and gives tailed boondis then add little water.

Hold the laddle at a distance to avoid getting tailed boondis.

Adding rice flour,edible camphor,melon seeds are totally optional.

You can make plain yellow boondis also without any food colours.