DARBESH

Ingredients

• 1 part (equal quantity to middlings) besam (chickpea flour / besan) (Use fine besan/chickpea flour. The recipe calls for equal parts besam and middlings combined.)
• 1 part (equal quantity to besam) middlings (fine semolina / suji) (Middlings refers to fine semolina or suji. Use equal weight or volume to the besam.)
• 1 as needed water (Used to make a thin, pourable batter (similar consistency to thin pancake batter).)
• 1 pinch saffron (Added to half the batter to colour and flavour those bonde yellow-orange.)
• 1 as needed ghee (for frying) (Enough ghee to deep-fry the bonde in batches. Use a deep pan or wok.)
• 1 as needed sugar (for syrup) (Combined with water to make a sugar syrup for soaking the bonde.)
• 1 handful raisins (Mixed in with the soaked bonde before shaping into balls.)
• 1 handful pieces of almonds (Roughly chopped or broken almond pieces mixed in before shaping.)
• 1 small amount ghee (a little, hot, for binding) (A small amount of hot ghee is added at the end to help bind the balls together.)

Instructions

1. 1Measure out equal quantities of besam (chickpea flour) and middlings (fine semolina). Combine them in a mixing bowl and gradually add water, stirring continuously, until you have a thin, smooth, pourable batter — similar to a thin pancake batter or single cream in consistency. Make sure there are no lumps. This combined mixture is your base batter.
2. 2Pour exactly half of the batter into a second pot or bowl, leaving the other half in the original bowl. To the second half, add a pinch of saffron. Stir well and allow the saffron to infuse for a few minutes — the batter will turn a deep golden-yellow colour. The first (plain) half will remain a pale cream colour; these will become the 'red' or plain bonde after frying.
3. 3While the saffron infuses, make the sugar syrup: place sugar in a saucepan and add enough water to dissolve it, stirring over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup is slightly thickened (a simple one-string consistency is fine). Remove from heat and keep warm in a wide bowl or deep tray large enough to hold all the bonde.
4. 4Heat ghee in a deep pan or wok over medium heat until hot but not smoking. To make bonde, use a perforated spoon or a ladle with small holes (a boondi jhara or slotted spoon): hold it over the hot ghee and pour a small amount of the plain batter through the holes, allowing small droplets to fall into the ghee and form small round fritters (bonde) of medium size. Fry in small batches, stirring gently. Critically, remove them from the ghee before they become hard — they should be just cooked through and still slightly soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately place them into the warm sugar syrup. Repeat until all the plain batter is used.
5. 5Using the same method as step 4, fry the saffron-coloured batter through the perforated spoon into the hot ghee, forming medium-sized bonde. Again, remove them before they harden. Transfer immediately into the same warm sugar syrup as the plain bonde. Allow all the bonde — both plain and saffron — to soak in the syrup until they are saturated and plump. This may take 10–15 minutes.
6. 6Once the bonde are fully saturated with syrup, remove them all from the syrup using a slotted spoon and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix the plain (red/cream) and yellow (saffron) bonde together thoroughly so they are evenly distributed.
7. 7To the mixed bonde in the bowl, add the raisins and the pieces of almonds. Drizzle a little hot ghee over the mixture — this helps bind everything together and adds richness. Using your hands (lightly greased with ghee if needed), gently press and shape the mixture into firm balls of your desired size. Work quickly while the mixture is still warm, as it will be easier to shape. Place the finished darbesh balls on a plate and allow to cool and set before serving.