NIKHUTI

Ingredients

• 0.5 seer (approx. 470 g) middlings (coarse wheat flour / wheat bran midlings) (Middlings are the coarse particles of ground wheat sitting between bran and fine flour. Use coarse wholewheat or atta if unavailable.)
• 1.5 powa (approx. 350 ml) water (for soaking) (Used to soak the middlings for 12 hours.)
• 1 small splash (a few tablespoons) lime-water (calcium hydroxide solution) (A dilute solution of slaked lime in water. Helps firm the texture. Use a prepared food-grade lime-water solution.)
• 1 seer (approx. 940 g) sabeda (water chestnut flour / singhara atta) (Also known as singhara flour. Found in Indian grocery stores.)
• 0.5 seer (approx. 470 g) fine flour (plain all-purpose flour / maida) (Use maida or plain white all-purpose flour.)
• 1 seer (approx. 940 ml) hot water (for batter) (Should be hot but not boiling when mixed into the batter.)
• 1 sufficient quantity sugar (for syrup) (Enough to make a medium-consistency sugar syrup to submerge the fried boondi. The original recipe does not specify an exact amount.)
• 1 small amount (a few teaspoons) ghee (Used at the end to bind the paste into balls. Clarified butter may be substituted.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the 470 g of middlings in a large bowl. Pour in approximately 350 ml of water and add a small splash of lime-water (a few tablespoons of prepared food-grade lime-water solution). Stir to combine so the middlings are evenly moistened. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave to soak at room temperature for about 12 hours (overnight is ideal). The lime-water helps firm the texture of the finished sweet.
2. 2After 12 hours, transfer the soaked middlings to a large mixing bowl. Add 940 g of sabeda (water chestnut flour) and 470 g of fine flour. Pour in 940 ml of hot water gradually, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk, until you have a smooth, pourable batter with no dry lumps. The consistency should be similar to a thin pancake batter — it needs to pass through the holes of a slotted spoon or boondi ladle easily.
3. 3While your batter rests, make the sugar syrup. Place a generous amount of sugar in a saucepan and add enough water to just cover it (roughly equal volumes of sugar and water is a good guide). Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 3–5 minutes until the syrup thickens slightly — it should coat the back of a spoon lightly (no hard thread stage needed). Keep it warm on a very low heat while you fry the bonde.
4. 4Heat sufficient oil or ghee for deep-frying in a deep pan or kadai over medium heat until it reaches approximately 170–180°C (340–355°F). Hold a boondi ladle (a ladle with small round holes) or a slotted spoon with small holes directly over the hot oil. Pour a ladleful of batter over it so the batter drips through the holes and forms small round droplets (bonde) into the oil. Fry in small batches for about 1–2 minutes, just until the bonde are cooked through but still soft — do not let them become crisp or golden. Remove with a fine strainer or slotted spoon as soon as they are fried but remain soft and yielding.
5. 5Immediately as each batch of fried bonde is removed from the oil, drop them directly into the warm sugar syrup. Stir gently to ensure all the bonde are submerged and coated. Leave them in the syrup for about 5–10 minutes, or until they have absorbed the syrup and feel saturated and heavy. Then remove them with a slotted spoon, letting any excess syrup drip back into the pan.
6. 6Transfer the syrup-soaked bonde to a large bowl or work surface. Using clean hands or the back of a large spoon or potato masher, press and mash the bonde together firmly until they form a cohesive, smooth paste. Work while they are still warm, as they are much easier to mash at this stage.
7. 7Add a little ghee (a few teaspoons) to the paste and knead it in with your hands until the paste comes together smoothly and feels pliable. Lightly grease your palms with a tiny bit of ghee to prevent sticking. Divide the paste into equal portions and roll each firmly between your palms to form round balls. Place the finished nikhuti balls on a plate and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.