Balushahi, also known as Badusha in South India, is a delicious Indian sweet with a crispy outside and a soft, flaky inside. Its mild sweetness makes it a favorite during festivals and special occasions.
In my hometown Bhagalpur, we knew this sweet by the name Tikri. (step-by-step-video)
About Balushahi Recipe:
Growing up in Bhagalpur, Tikri also called Balushahi or Badusha, was one of the most loved sweets, especially at weddings. Along with other sweets like khaja, and boondi ka laddoo, Tikri was always part of the wedding celebrations.
After the wedding ceremonies, there were often leftover sweets, which would be distributed among family and neighbors.
Since refrigerators were not available back then, sweets like boondi laddoo and boondi had to be given away quickly as they would spoil fast.
However, Tikri and khaja were perfect for storing at room temperature, and we could enjoy them for days after the celebrations.
My mom used to pack these sweets for special guests as a farewell gift, which we called baina—a local term used in Bhagalpur for the tradition of gifting sweets to guests after a wedding.
It was our way of sharing joy and showing appreciation to loved ones.
Though Balushahi is known as a North Indian sweet, it seamlessly became part of Bhagalpur’s traditions as Tikri. It’s amazing how different regions have similar sweets with unique local names, connecting us to our roots and keeping traditions alive.
Even though I love this sweet, I always felt it would be too difficult to make at home. For years, I kept delaying it, unsure if I could get that perfect flaky texture and mild sweetness.
But recently, something made me want to try it—maybe a craving or just the excitement of doing something new—and I finally gave it a shot.
To my surprise, it turned out perfect! The Badushah was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and mildly sweet, just like I remembered.
What I love most is that it’s not too sweet, so you can enjoy more than one without feeling guilty. It’s now a favorite in my family, and I plan to make it often, especially during festivals or whenever I want to make something special for my loved ones.
If you notice, Badushah sweet looks a lot like doughnuts. The main difference is the shiny glaze on Badushah, which comes from dipping it in sugar syrup after frying. If you love doughnuts, you will enjoy this flaky and mildly sweet treat too.
Every house has their way of making the recipe for Balushahi or Badusha. In South India, Badusha tends to be juicier, sweeter, and flakier than the version made in the North.
These small differences give each version its unique flavor while keeping the original charm of the sweet.
Anyway, in short, I just want to say that the Badusha recipe is much simpler than it looks. So let us learn how to make balushahi at home.
Give it a try, and let me know how it turns out for you!
Serving Suggestion:
Pair Badushah with a warm cup of chai or coffee for a cozy evening snack.
Garnish with chopped pistachios or almonds to make it look festive and add some crunch.
Storage Suggestion:
Store Badushah in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.
If the weather is humid, refrigerate it. Let it come to room temperature before serving to maintain its flaky texture.
Pro Tips:
Don’t over-knead the dough: Mix until everything comes together. Over-kneading will make it dense instead of flaky.
Fry on low heat: Cook on low to medium heat to ensure even frying inside and out.
Add lemon juice to the syrup: This keeps the syrup from crystallizing and gives it a smooth texture.
Use ghee for a richer flavor: While you can fry in oil, ghee enhances the taste.
Why You Should Make This Badusha Recipe:
Easy to make: No complicated techniques or tools required.
Perfect for special occasions: Great for festivals, family events, or when you crave a sweet treat.
Not too sweet: Ideal for those who prefer mild sweetness.
No preservatives: Made with simple, natural ingredients.
Keeps well: Stays fresh for a week, perfect for making ahead.
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Basic Ingredients Used to Make this Recipe:
All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the dough, giving structure.
Ghee: Adds richness and creates a flaky texture.
Curd (yogurt): Makes the dough soft and light.
Baking powder & baking soda: Help the sweetness rise slightly and stay soft inside.
Sugar syrup: Coats the Badushah, adding a thin layer of sweetness.
Cardamom powder: Adds a gentle aroma and enhances the flavor.
Nuts (almonds or pistachios): Garnish for added crunch and festive appeal.
Oil or ghee for frying: Gives the Badushah its crisp, golden exterior and also gives it a unique desi flavor.
Balushahi Recipe
Ingredients
For balushahi dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Ghee in a semi-solid state
- ¼ cup Curd
- 8 to 9 tbsp cold water for kneading or as required
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
For sugar syrup
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp cardamom powder or add as required
- 10 to 12 saffron strands
- 2 to 3 drops lemon juice optional
Other ingredient
- oil or ghee for deep frying, as required
For garnish
- 1 to 2 tbsp chopped pistachio or almonds or nuts of your choice
Instructions
Creaming ghee
- Take ¼ cup ghee in a bowl.
- With a spoon or spatula or a small wired whisk, beat the ghee till it is smooth, light and fluffy. You will see the color will also lighten.
- Now add ¼ cup chilled fresh curd (dahi).
- Again mix and whip the curd with the creamed ghee until light and smooth.
Making badusha dough
- Now using a sieve, take the all-purpose flour in it. Place it on the bowl itself.
- Add 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch baking soda and ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- Sift directly in the creamed ghee and curd.
- Mix the flour lightly with the creamed ghee and curd using a spoon or spatula.
- Sprinkle some cold water in parts and begin to mix it. Overall you can use 8 to 9 tablespoons cold water. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water at a time and mix.
- Mix and combine everything to form a soft dough. Do not knead. Just mix and bring everything together to a dough.
- In case the dough becomes sticky, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Use light pressure from hands and form a dough. At this point, do not knead heavily or if required then knead very lightly.
- Cover the dough and set aside for 15 minutes.
Making sugar syrup
- Meanwhile make sugar syrup. While frying balushahi also you can make sugar syrup. Take 1 cup of sugar in a pan or bowl.
- Use a bowl or pan with more surface area so that the balushahi can get enough space for soaking.
- Add ½ cup water and mix.
- Place the pan on a low heat.
- Using a spoon stir the sugar so that it dissolves.
- If there are impurities in the sugar syrup, then add 1 tablespoon milk. Remove the scum that forms at the top.
- When all the sugar has dissolved, add 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder. Then add 10 to 12 saffron strands. Stir and mix again.
- Simmer the sugar solution on a low to medium-low heat. Stir occasionally. To avoid crystallization of sugar, you can add some drops of lemon juice at this point.
- Simmer till the syrup becomes sticky or you get ½ string consistency in the syrup. You can even cook it to 1 string consistency if you prefer.
- The sugar syrup should be sticky. Take little syrup in a spoon, cool it and touch it, it should feels sticky. When the syrup becomes sticky, then switch off heat.
Frying balushahi
- Before frying balushahi you can begin to heat oil in a kadai or pan on a medium heat. You can also use ghee instead of oil to fry balushahi.
- Pinch small to medium-sized balls from the dough. Roll them gently and lightly between your palms.
- Then make an indent or depression in them. You can flatten them slightly incase you prefer. Make 6-7 badhusha depending on the size of kadai.
- Cover the remaining dough and keep aside.
- Check a tiny piece of the badhusha dough in the medium hot oil. It should come up gradually and steadily.
- Now gently begin to place balushahi in the hot oil.
- Be careful when you are keeping the balushahi in hot oil. Add 5 to 6 or 7 balushahi depending on the size of kadai.
- The badushah will expand in oil while frying, so ensure not to over crowd the kadai or pan.
- Begin to fry badusha on a low to medium heat.
- When one side firms up and is light golden, turn over each badusha.
- Keep on turning them over at intervals and frying them on a low heat.
- Frying balushahi on a low to medium flame takes about 12 to 15 minutes. This will depend on the size, thickness of kadai and the intensity of flame.
- It took me 15 minutes to fry each batch of 6 balushahi.
- Fry till golden and crisp.
- Using a slotted spoon remove them draining the extra oil.
- Place them on kitchen paper towels. When the first batch is getting fried, you can make balushahi from the dough and keep them ready to fry in the second round.
- Keep the shaped and prepared balushahi covered with a kitchen napkin. Then fry the second batch of balushahi in the same way.
Making balushahi
- After a couple of minutes, when fried balushahi are still hot, place them in the hot or warm sugar syrup.
- With spoon or tongs turn over each badusha, so that both sides are coated with sugar syrup. Let these badusha soak in the sugar syrup for about 14 to 15 minutes.
- After 14 to 15 minutes, using tongs or spoon, lift each balushahi and place it in a serving tray or bowl. In the same sugar syrup, now add the second batch of balushahi.
- Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of pistachios all over. You can even sprinkle some saffron strand and rose petals if you want to.
- You can press the pistachios slightly with your fingers or spoon, so that they stick to the sugar syrup on the badusha.
- Fry the remaining badusha and then soak them in the sugar syrup.
- In case if sugar syrup crystallizes then add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and warm or heat the syrup again on a low flame.
- Serve Balushahi as a sweet. Leftovers can be easily stored in an air-tight jar or container at room temperature for about 5 to 6 days.
Notes
Ensure that the ghee is grainy and in a semi-solid state. It should not be melted, runny, or cold and solidified.
Make sure to follow the frying method as mentioned in the recipe.
You can scale to make a smaller portion or a big batch of balushahi.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About this Recipe for Balushahi:
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Yes, but the texture may be denser. All-purpose flour gives the best results.
What can I use instead of curd?
You can try milk, but curd gives the dough a softer texture.
How do I prevent the syrup from crystallizing?
Add a few drops of lemon juice to the syrup to keep it smooth.
Can I bake Badushah instead of frying?
You can try, but it may not be as flaky. Traditional Badushah is fried for the best texture.
How do I know the dough is ready?
The dough should be soft and easy to shape but not sticky or too wet.
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