Maida - 1 cup

Butter - ¼ cup

Sodabicarb - one-fourth of ¼ tsp

Sugar - 1 cup ( more is better to begin with, though some will be left over)

Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

Saffron - a tiny pinch ( warm & powder )

Oil - to fry

Halved cherries - to decorate

Mix maida with soda & sieve twice.

Do not miss this step, since it helps aeration.

In a plate, take maida & knead butter into it, till it become slike bread crumbs.

Knead, adding spices & water little by little till you can role into a ball.

In gentle, soft, aerated kneading lies the success of badushah – do not apply pressure at all.

Divide into 12 balls.

Roll each ball lighly between both palms till there are no cracks.

Flatten each into a 2” disc.

In the meanwhile add ½ cup of water to sugar.

When sugar is dissolved, add 2 tbsp of milk, boil well; dirt will accumulate - strain well to get white coloured coating on badusha.

Heat the syrup on a low flame stirring well.

Boil to 1 string consistency.

Remove, stir very well, but keep it warm.

Heat oil in a kadai.

It is better to keep more oil so that badushas can float around and get cooked, to prevent breakage.

Do not drop more than 3-4 at a time; this is important.

When medium hot, drop 2, 3badushas at a time & at once, lower the flame.

Cook them on a low flame, carefully turning them over, till bubbles stop completely.

This is the most important step.

Remove & after 5 mts, drop in the sugar syrup.

Keep an OILED butter paper ready to transfer the dipped badushas.

Gently with an oiled palette knife, keep on flipping the badushas so that they will not stick to the oil paper.

After 1-2 hrs, they will dry comletely & look white.

I suggest you all to try 1 cup maida at a time and not more. The sugar will solidify fast and become unmanageable for the badushas to be dipped!

The photos are self explanatory.