Ghevar is the monsoon sweet of Rajasthan, made in the weeks around Teej and Raksha Bandhan and rarely seen the rest of the year. Halwais in Jaipur and Ajmer pour a thin ghee-and-flour batter in streams into a deep ring mould set in hot ghee, building up a lacy, porous disc. Brides traditionally receive ghevar from their parents during Sawan, which keeps the sweet tied to the season.
The plain disc is crisp, airy and nearly flavourless, a sponge for what comes next. Dipped in sugar syrup it becomes sweet and crunchy; topped with thickened rabri it turns rich and soft at the centre while keeping crunch at the edges. Malai ghevar, the most popular version, carries a thick layer of rabri, saffron and slivered nuts.
Making it at home is about technique rather than fancy equipment. A small heavy pan, a steel ring or a narrow tall vessel, ice-cold batter and very hot ghee are enough. The first disc is usually a practice run, so make extra batter. Sweet shops sell it by the kilo in August, and a plain disc bought from them can be finished at home with fresh rabri.
At a glance
| Region | Rajasthan |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Rajasthani |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Dessert |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 45 minutes |
| Total time | 65 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Gluten-free | No |
| Key ingredients | maida / ghee / sugar / milk |
Ingredients
For the batter
- 1/4 cup (50 g) ghee, solid but soft
- 4-5 ice cubes
- 1 cup (125 g) maida
- 1/4 cup cold milk
- About 1 1/2 cups ice-cold water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For the syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 green cardamoms, crushed
For the topping
- 1 litre full-fat milk, reduced to rabri with 3 tbsp sugar
- A pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
- 2 tbsp slivered almonds and pistachios
To fry
- About 500 g ghee
Method
- Put the ghee and ice cubes in a bowl and rub together with your palm for 4-5 minutes until the ghee turns white and creamy. Remove any remaining ice.
- Add the maida in two parts with the cold milk, whisking until smooth. Gradually whisk in ice-cold water until the batter is very thin, like buttermilk. Add the lemon juice. Keep the bowl over ice.
- Make the syrup: boil sugar, water and cardamom for 6-7 minutes to a one-string consistency. Keep warm.
- Heat ghee in a deep, narrow pan or in a pan holding a 6-inch steel ring until it is very hot, filling it to about 3 inches deep. A drop of batter should sizzle hard and rise instantly.
- Pour 2 tbsp batter in a thin stream from a height of about a foot into the centre. It will froth violently. Wait until the froth settles, about 15-20 seconds, then pour the next stream into the centre again.
- Repeat 6-8 times, always into the centre, so a hole forms in the middle and the disc builds up in lacy layers. Cook on medium-high for 2-3 more minutes, ladling hot ghee over the centre, until golden and firm.
- Lift out the disc with a skewer through the centre hole and drain upright for a few minutes. Make the remaining discs the same way.
- Just before serving, dip each ghevar in warm syrup for a few seconds or pour syrup over it. Spread rabri on top, drizzle saffron milk and scatter nuts.
Tips
- The batter must stay ice-cold and the ghee very hot; that temperature shock is what produces the honeycomb.
- If the batter stops forming lace and just sinks, it has become thick. Whisk in a little more cold water.
- Plain fried discs keep for a week in an airtight tin; add syrup and rabri only on the day.
Serve with
Served on its own, cut into wedges, ideally with chilled rabri on the side.