When I was young, I would describe the ghevar as ‘that lace like sweet’. Years later, my kids use the same description. Ghevar is a firm favourite in our household. It is delicate and looks like filigree work and tastes as good. It’s not so commonly found here, but the Aggarwal sweet shop does make it on special order in July and August.
Ghevar has its origins in Rajasthan. It’s usually made during the Teej and Raksha Bandhan festivals. When married women visit their parents during the festival of Teej, they carry ghevar as a gift for them. Hot, fresh ghevar is a part of the street food scene in the cities of Rajasthan.
A batter is prepared by mixing plain flour and creamy ghee. Water is added to form a smooth pouring consistency. Then, it is poured into moulds which are placed in a large kadai of hot ghee. Sometimes the batter is poured directly into the kadai without the moulds.
I had the pleasure of watching ghevar being made recently for a special function. The ghee has to be made very hot as the first bit of batter poured into it has to be cooked instantly before the next bit is ladled in. A small amount of batter is poured from a height so that the batter is frothy when it hits the hot ghee. The action is very similar to the pouring of tea and coffee in our roadside stalls. This frothy batter soon spreads, fan like, to the edges of the vessel. The batter gets porous and this is what gives it its lace-like appearance. The batter turns a pale golden colour .When the froth settles, the next layer is poured in. As it cooks, a long wooden stick is used to push the batter away from the centre. This process is repeated a few times depending on the thickness that is required. As all the layers cook, they come together in one homogenous fine disc. Once all the layers are golden and caramely, they are set aside for a few minutes to let the excess ghee drain off. After the resting they are either dunked in a sugar syrup or chashni or the syrup is simply brushed over them. The ghevar greedily laps up the sugary sweetness of the syrup and this adds a kind of denseness that belies it’s delicate appearance.
The only way I can describe the texture is that it is between a shahi tukda and a rasogolla. It is of course unapologetically calorific. Just as well it is not that easily available here!
The cherry on top!
The final garnish varies. From thinly slivered green pistachios (my favourite ) and silver varq to saffron and cardamom strands, one can choose anything. The malai ghevar is served with dollops of cream on top. There is also a version that is served with a cold rabdi. The cold rabdi with ghevar is a great favourite too. We ordered ghevar twice, for special occasions. We sliced it in wedges like a cake. That way, the beauty of the Ghevar is visible from all angles. We do, after all, eat first with our eyes.
Read more on Shanthini’s website >www.pinklemontreerecipes.com