Ghevar: Sweeten Your Mouth With This Rajasthani Dessert
A Rajasthani sweet, Ghevar is traditionally linked with Teej Festival which comes during the monsoon season. Teej represents the union of Goddess Parvati & Lord Shiva. Ghevar is normally made in January for Makar Sankranti festival, in March-April for Gangaur festival and in July-August for the festival of Teej. This dessert has its origins in the city of Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan.
A honeycomb shaped delicacy made using plain flour and ghee that has originated in Rajasthan. Ghevars are usually large in size approx. 200 mm. or 250 mm. (8″ or 10″) squares or rounds and are either sweetened with syrup or served topped with sweet rabdi.
Preparation Time: 25-30 minutes
Cook Time: 1.30-2 hour
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
o Refined Flour: 1 1/4 cups
o Sugar: 1 cup
o Cornflour/ corn starch: 1 teaspoon
o Milk: 1 tablespoon
o Kewra essence: Few drops
o Baking Soda: As required
o Ghee to deep fry
o Silver Foil: As required
o Almonds slivered: 8
o Rabdi: 1 Cup
Method:
Step 1
Mix together the flour, corn flour, Yell and melted ghee in a bowl. Add one cup of water in a thin stream and whisk continuously so that all the ingredients blend well, and the ghee and water emulsify into a smooth mixture and do not separate.
Step 2
Add two more cups of water in a thin stream and whisk continuously to ensure again that the ghee and water do not separate. The batter should be of coating consistency. If necessary, add some more water to get the right consistency.
Step 3
Keep the batter in a cool place away from heat, but not in a refrigerator.
Step 4
In a non-stick pan, cook the sugar with half a cup of water, stirring till the sugar dissolves. Add the milk. Collect the scum which rises to the surface with a ladle and discard. Cook till the syrup attains a one-string consistency. Stir in the screw pine essence. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Step 5
Pour sufficient ghee in a non-stick kadai and place a three-and-a half-inch round, 2-inch high mould in the centre, so that three-fourth of the height of the mould is immersed in the ghee. Heat the ghee on medium heat.
Step 6
Pour three ladlefuls of the batter into a small bowl, add a pinch of soda bicarbonate and mix well.
Step 7
When the ghee is hot enough, pour one ladle of batter into the centre of the mould in a thin stream.
Step 8
When the froth settles down, pour in another ladle of batter into the mould in a thin stream.
Step 9
When the froth settles down, make a hole in the centre of the ghevar with a thin wooden skewer or satay stick and pour another ladleful of batter into the hole.
Step 10
Increase the heat and cook the ghevar, ladling the hot ghee over it two to three times.
Step 11
When the centre is firm and cooked, gently pull out the ghevar from the mould with a wooden skewer inserted in the centre. Hold it over the kadai till most of the ghee drains away. Immerse in the sugar syrup for twenty minutes. Drain and place on a platter.
