Ghevar with Rabdi

Ghevar with Rabdi

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 (i. e. Thickened milk). Lakshmi mishtaan bhandar in jaipur is famous for their "melt in the mouth" ghevars and many other sweet shops in rajasthan also specialise in the same. Ghevars are earmarked as a traditional dish for some special rituals and festivals. They are generally prepared in january for makar sankranti, in march-april for gangaur and in july-august for the teej festival. But you can enjoy these at any time of the year by just following the recipe given below.

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 2 mins
Makes 25 servings

Ingredients

For The Ghevar1 3/4 cups (200 grams) plain flour (maida)
1 tbsp (10 grams) arrowroot (paniphal) flouror
1/4 cup melted ghee , slightly cooled
a few drops kewda essence

For The Sugar Syrup1 cup (200 grams) sugar
1/2 cup water

For The Rabdi1/2 ltr milk
1 tbsp sugar
a few saffron (kesar) strands

Other Ingredientsghee for deep frying

For The Garnishchopped pistachios

Method 
For the ghevar

1. Combine the flour, arrowroot, kewda essence and melted ghee in a bowl.
2. Add 1 cup of water in a thin stream, whisking continuously taking care to see that an emulsion is formed and the water and ghee do not separate.
3. Add 2 more cups of water again in a thin stream while whisking continuously. At no point should the ghee and water separate.
4. The batter should be of a coating consistency. More water can be added if required to achieve the required consistency.
5. Keep the batter in a cool place away from heat.
6. Place the ghevar mould in a kadhai containing melted ghee upto ¾ of the height of the mould.
7. Remove 2 ladlefuls of the batter at a time into a small bowl and place it near the gas range. Keep the rest of the batter away from heat.
8. Heat the ghee in the kadhai on a medium flame and pour one spoonful of the batter into the centre of the mould in a thin stream. The batter should settle in the mould.
9. When the froth subsides, pour in another spoonful of the batter in the centre of the mould in a thin stream.
10. Repeat seven times making a hole in the centre of the ghevar using a wooden skewer stick. Pour the batter into this centre each time.
11. Increase the flame and allow it to cook in the centre by pouring ladlefuls of hot ghee in the centre of the mould 2 or 3 times.
12. When the centre is firm and cooked, pull the ghevar out gently, by inserting a wooden skewer in the centre and pulling it out of the ghee.
13. Place on a serving plate, immerse in sugar syrup and drain quickly.
14. Repeat steps 7 to 13 and use the remaining batter to make 25 ghevars.

For the sugar syrup

1. Combine the sugar and water in a pan and simmer till it reaches a 1 string consistency.
2. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

For the rabdi

1. Heat the milk in a broad non-stick pan and keep stirring over low heat till it is reduced to one-third.
2. Add the sugar and saffron strands and simmer till the sugar has dissolved.

How to proceed

1. Serve the ghevars topped with a spoonful of the rabdi.
2. Garnish with chopped pistachios.

Tips

1. You have to buy a special ghevar mould to make this delicacy.
2. You can also use a primus stove ring of size 4 (75 mm. (3") in diameter) to obtain 25 ghevars.
3. Alternatively, you can use a larger mould to get fewer ghevars in which case the cooking time will increase.