Meethi Boondi or Sweet Boondi are tiny crispy pearls that are dipped in sugar syrup. These are so fun to munch as a quick dessert. Sweet/meethi boondi are often used as an offering (prasad) to temples in India.
Meethi Boondi is a great Diwali mithai and takes very less effort to prepare it.
WHAT IS MEETHI BOONDI?
Boondi are crispy fried pearls. You can serve it as snack called khara boondi or as dessert, sweet boondi or meeth boondi.
You prepare it with gram flour (besan) which makes it gluten free.
Orange is the most common color but you can switch it up and green or red too. You can divide the batter and make multiple colors as well.
HOW TO PREPARE MEETHI BOONDI ?
Preparing sweet boondi is extreamly easy and once you get the hang you will make it on repeat.
- You prepare the batter with chickpea flour and water, food color and a bit of baking soda.
- Using a special ladle with holes in it, you strain the batter to the hot oil and fry it crispy.
- Then add it in syrup, toss around and leave it in there for an hour for the boondi to soak up the syrup.
The consistency of the batter should be free flowing and you let the batter rest for 10 minutes before you fry the boondi.
STORING SWEET BOONDI
Store sweet boondi in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. It stays good for a week.
You can warm sweet boondi in microwave.
HOW TO SERVE SWEET BOONDI
A small of bowl of sweet boondi is a perfect sweet craving satisfaction.
I grew up eating slightly warm sweet boondi with puffed rice as a snack.
You can serve it on top of yogurt. The sweet and tang works lovely together.
If you are baking any Indian flavored cake, you can use these sweet boondi as a lovely decoration on top of the cake.
FEW KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND
Make sure the batter has no lump and is free flowing.
When you strain the batter to the ladles with holes in it, you want to just keep tapping the ladle for the droplets to free flow. DO NOT press through the batter as that will not create the perfect individual circular shape.
Do not fry the boondi for too long. A quick fry is enough for the crunchy texture.
Allow the boondi to soak up the syrup before you serve. It takes an hour. Do not rush.
Sweet boondi is one of the simplest Indian dessert to prepare. The tiny little pearls are juicy with a mild crunch and it just melts in mouth. This Diwali go ahead and give it a try if you haven’t already.
Meethi Boondi / Sweet Boondi
less effort to prepare it.
Ingredients
for the boondi
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- pinch of salt
- ¼ teapoon baking soda
- food color (I used gel food color and you need to add little by little to get the color you are looking for)
- ½ cup water (you might need more to make a smooth free flow batter)
- enough oil to fry the boondi
for the syrup
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- pinch of saffron
- 4 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, water and baking soda. Whisk to make a smooth free flowing batter. Then add the food color and mix it aorund to get the right color.
- Keep the batter away and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Prepare the sugar syrup in a skillet or wok, by adding sugar, water, cardamoms and cloves. Let it come to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Switch off once done.
- To fry the boondi, heat enough oil in a skilet or wok to medium heat. Then pour little bit of the batter on the skimmer slotted spoon and keep tapping allowing the batter to fall as tiny droplets in hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan and do not press down the batter through the spoon. Just tap.
- Allow the boondi to fry for a while in hot oil and then strain it out using another slotted spoon to a plate layered with kitchen towel.
- Continue making more boondi the same way.
- Once you are done with the batter and your boondi is ready, pour all the boondi in the syrup and toss it around to amke sure all the boondis are tossed around in the syrup.
- Then cover the skillet and leave it aside for 1 hour for the boondi to soak the syrup completely.
- Enjoy it warm or store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
Notes
FEW KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND
Make sure the batter has no lump and is free flowing. When you strain the batter to the ladles with holes in it, you want to just keep tapping the ladle for the droplets to free flow. DO NOT press through the batter as that will not create the perfect individual circular shape. Do not fry the boondi for too long. A quick fry is enough for the crunchy texture. Allow the boondi to soak up the syrup before you serve. Ittakes an hour. Do not rush.
