Anarsa

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

- 500g rice flour

- 250g powdered jaggery (gur or cane sugar)

- 50g poppy seeds (khus-khus)

- 50g ghee (clarified butter)

- 100g Sesame seeds (optional)

- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder

- Oil for deep frying

Method

- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour and powdered jaggery. Mix well to ensure the jaggery is evenly distributed throughout the flour.

- Add cardamom powder to the mixture and mix again to incorporate it.

- In a separate small frying pan, heat ghee over low heat. Add poppy seeds (khus-khus) to the pan and roast them gently until they turn slightly golden and release their aroma. Keep stirring to prevent burning. Once done, remove the pan from heat and let the roasted poppy seeds cool.

- Add the roasted poppy seeds to the rice flour and jaggery mixture. Mix everything together until well combined.

- Gradually add water to the mixture, a little at a time, and knead it into a firm dough. The dough should be smooth and pliable.

- Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a small ball or flatten slightly into a disc, about 1/2 inch thick.

- Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully slide the anarsa discs into the oil and fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. Flip them occasionally to ensure even frying. You can also roll your anarsa in sesame seeds before frying, to add an extra crispy coating, this is optional.

- Once the anarsas are cooked, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

- Allow the anarsas to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They can be stored for several days, or serve immediately.

Enjoy the Anarsa as a sweet treat during festive occasions or as a snack with tea!