Imarti

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups urad dal
3 cups sugar
300 ml. water
saffron colour
1/2 tsp. cardomom ground
500 gms. ghee to fry

METHOD:
- Soak urad dal overnight in plenty of water.
- Wash and drain. Grind to fine thick batter. Put water little by little.
- Add colour and mix very well.
- If using a mixie, beat the dal well by hand till fluffy after grinding.
- Keep aside for 3 hours. More is weather is cold.
- Make 1 tar sugar syrup as shown in introduction.
- Add cardomom powder to syrup.
- Using either an imarti bottle (with nozzle) or cloth as shown in note, form imartis in the hot ghee. Lower flame and allow to crisp turning once.
- Remove from ghee, drain and dip in hot syrup.
- Soak for 3-4 minutes, drain and serve.
- Repeat for remaining batter.
- Make 4-5 imartis at a time, depending on size of frying pan.

Note:
- Use a flat bottomed frying pan.
- The imarti bottle can be substituted with a soft plastic sauce bottle with a nozzle.
- If not available, take a 12"x 12" thick cloth, make a buttonhole type hole in centre.
- Place over a tumbler and pour in some batter.
- Hold like a pouch and press out imartis like icing.
- Shape the imartis as follows, make a ring first, then form small ringlets all along the ring.
- Till you come to the start.

Making time: 1 hour (excluding soaking and keeping time)
Makes: 20 imartis
Shelflife: (1) Keep unsoaked in syrup for a day. (2) Soak in syrup as required.