Sweet Boondi

Besan /Chickpea Flour - 2 cups, heaped
Water - around 2 cups

Turbinado Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Saffron - a few strands
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp
A handful of cashew nuts and raisinsPeanut Oil for deep frying
Ladle with small holes

Sift the besan with a sifter. Add water slowly and make a batter by mixing simultaneously using a wire whisk. The batter should not be too watery and should be of pancake batter consistency. Deep aside for atleast one hour.

Toss the cashew nuts and raisins in warm ghee and keep aside. 

Heat oil in a kadai / iron wok over medium heat. The oil should be sufficiently hot before dropping the batter. This can be tested by putting a drop of batter in the oil. The drop should immediately bubble up.

Now hold the ladle over the kadai and pour some batter on it. The drops of batter will fall on the oil and immediately bubble up. Remove the boondis once they begin to change color. Leave the boondis on a paper towel to soak excess oil.

Before frying the next batch of boondis, wipe or wash the ladle completely clean. If the ladle has some batter clinging to it, the next batch of boondis will not be round and they will have an elongated shape. Continue frying like this for the entire batter. If the bonds are not round and flat then the batter is too thick, add a little water. If the bondis have an elongated shape, then the batter is too thin, add a little chickpea flour.

Make a sugar syrup of 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water. Boil till the syrup for a few minutes till the syrup slightly thickens. Add saffron and some cardamom powder. Add all the fried boondis and mix well. Now put the syrup along with the boondis back on heat for a few minutes till all the syrup is soaked. Add the fried dry fruits and mix well. Leave the mixture to cool down for  a few minutes before serving.