Tracing The Origins Of Ghevar: Rajasthan's Beloved Sweet
Written by Yash Lakhan | March 21, 2024
Indian cuisine boasts a wide variety of desserts and sweets from different states across the country. From the irresistible gulab jamun to the winter special gajar ka halwa, the list is endless when it comes to desserts. Each state has its own specialties, and those sweets are loved by people of all ages, from kids to adults. One such traditional dessert is the traditional Rajasthani dessert, Ghewar sweet. It is a popular sweet that has many varieties, and they all taste fabulous. Ghewar is a perfect blend of flavor and texture, and heaven for someone who has a sweet tooth. It is a must-try sweet whenever you find yourself in Rajasthan.
This beloved sweet has been a part of Rajasthani culture for a long time. It comes in a lot of varieties and they all taste fantastic. Now, if anyone asks, “ Is Ghevar healthy?”, the answer could be a little tricky, as it is not really considered a healthy food. However, it offers a great amount of energy, and therefore moderate and occasional consumption doesn’t cause any harm. So, whenever you find yourself in Rajasthan, give this lovely sweet a try. You won't be disappointed. We'll go through the history of this delicious dessert and see how this sweet came into existence.
What Is Ghewar?
Rajasthani sweet Ghewar is a traditional delicacy that is made with common ingredients. A batter of flour, ghee, and cold water is used to make this traditional Rajasthani sweet treat. The batter is then carefully placed into boiling hot oil or ghee to fry, creating a circular, disc-shaped dish with a beautiful pattern. Once the dish is perfectly deep-fried, it is either drenched in sugar syrup or covered in it. It is then usually topped with chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds, silver flakes, and thickened milk (rabri).
Known for its unique look, Ghewar is sometimes called the "honeycomb dessert." It is typically flavored with cardamom powder and saffron, but it can also be made using malai (milk cream) or khoa (dry evaporated milk solids) in place of water. Ghewar was once only enjoyed during the monsoon season, but it is now accessible all year long and is a popular festive treat made for holidays like Teej, Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, and Holi.
The History Of Ghewar
There are a few different origin legends attributed to Ghewar; none of them can be verified by reliable sources. Ghewar's single origin has long been disputed by food historians, but their efforts have proven fruitless thus far. Some claim that the top craftsmen in the world for crafting Ghewar were and still are those from Sambar, Rajasthan. The proprietor of a 50-year-old candy store in Jaipur believes that Ghewar originated in the Pink City. Their forebears used to tell them tales of how cooks would get approached by strangers who wanted to learn the recipe for this type of dessert cake.
Known for its delicious flavor and honeycomb-like texture, this Rajasthani sweet Ghewar is typically consumed throughout the holiday season. Ghewar is a staple on anyone's menu, especially during Teej and Gangaur, the Rajasthani married women's festivities. On the day before Gangaur, it is also the first gift that a newlywed bride chooses to give her as a Sinjara. The essence of these kinds of local festivities lies in the scent of freshly made, warm Ghewar and mehendi-tinted hands. In addition to these, Makar Sankranti and Rakhshabandhan are two more occasions to enjoy Ghewar.
Ghewar experienced a number of makeovers with different toppings over time. These days, every other candy company offers a unique variety of Ghewar. If you are unable to ingest sugar, there is an unsweetened version that is readily accessible in the market and has a long shelf life. If you are traveling with this kind of Ghewar, there is no possibility of spills, moisture, or spoiling in high temperatures. You could simply prepare the sugar syrup at home and drizzle it over the golden halo to sweeten it later.
Essential Ingredients for Crispy Ghewar
For Ghewar batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ghee
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon gram flour
- ½ cup chilled milk
- 3 cups cold water
- A few ice cubes
- For the syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- For deep frying
- 5 cups of ghee
- For garnishing
- 1 cup rabri
- A handful of chopped nuts
- A few strands of saffron
- A handful of rose petals.
Step-by-Step Ghewar Recipe
Making The Perfect Batter
Step 1: To prepare the Ghewar batter, start by combining ghee and ice cubes until the mixture achieves a white, creamy, butter-like consistency.
Step 2: Next, stir in the cold milk, flour, gram flour, and ice-cold water into the creamed ghee. Give everything a good mix until a thin, pourable batter is formed. Add some lemon juice as well.
Step 3: Now, keep the batter-filled mixing bowl in another bowl filled with ice water to keep it cool.
Frying Techniques For Honeycomb Texture
Step 4: To ensure the perfect honeycomb texture, either use a Ghewar mold or a straight-sided small kadhai saucepan. Make sure the ghee or oil is at least 3-4 inches deep. Heat the ghee until it is smoking hot.
Step 5: Once the ghee is hot, pour batter from a height into the center of the hot ghee. Once the foam subsides, create a hole in the center using a wooden skewer. Repeat this process 8-10 times.
Step 6: Keep doing this until the ghee stops foaming and the sides of the Ghewar are golden brown, and gently remove the Ghewar using a skewer.
Step 7: Place it on a wire rack and make sure the excess oil is drained.
Preparing the Sugar Syrup
Step 8: To prepare a perfect one-string syrup, boil sugar and water with cardamom. Once ready, dip the Ghewar in the sugar syrup for 2 minutes and garnish it with rabri, nuts, and saffron.
Popular Variations: Malai, Rabri & Mawa Ghewar
Malai Ghewar
This version is creamy and delicious. A thick coating of condensed milk mixture covers the Ghewar, and a heaping portion of mawa (milk solids), saffron, and dry fruits is sprinkled on top.
Mawa Ghewar
Mawa Ghewar is topped with nuts and saffron strands and covered in a thick coating of khoya (milk solids). Its velvety feel is proof of luxury.
Rabri Ghewar
This variation of the honeycomb-textured Rajasthani sweet treat is all about the added decadence of rabri. Here, the syrup-soaked Ghewar is topped with the richness of rabri, nuts, and edible silver foil.
Pro-Tips for Troubleshooting Common Mistakes
Why is my Ghewar soft?
The Ghewar turns out soft either if the batter is not cold enough, or the ghee is not hot enough. To ensure the crispy texture, it is important to pour ice-cold batter into very hot oil. This allows the foam to settle between pours.
Why does the Ghewar break?
Being extremely brittle in nature, the lacy structure of Ghewar often breaks easily
if handled roughly after frying or while dipping in sugar syrup. The most frequent reasons behind the breakage also include not allowing it to cool properly and using excess fat in the batter.
Storage And Shelf Life
The shelf life of Ghewar largely depends on its type. While the sweet malai or rabri Ghewar lasts for 2 to 7 days, the unsweetened ones stay fresh for up to a month when kept in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.