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Badusha | Badhusha Recipe | Balushahi – Flaky Indian Sweet for Festivals

Badusha, also spelled Badhusha in South India and known as Balushahi in North India, is a classic Indian sweet made from refined flour (maida), deep-fried to golden perfection, and soaked in sugar syrup. It has a flaky, layered texture on the outside and a soft, juicy center—making it a festive favorite during Diwali, Navratri, weddings, and other celebrations.

This traditional Indian dessert is similar in appearance to a doughnut but has a completely different taste and preparation style. While Balushahi is typically made with yogurt and ghee in North India, South Indian Badusha uses a slightly different technique but delivers the same irresistible flavor.

How to make perfect traditional badhusha?

When it comes to the best badusha recipe, we need to follow a few tips and tricks. First is the dough, the second is frying the badusha, and the third is sugar syrup. If we get everything right, we can make tasty balushahi

What is Badusha or Balushahi?

Badusha (South India) and Balushahi (North India) are traditional Indian sweets made from flour, ghee, and sugar syrup. They are deep-fried and soaked in syrup, resulting in a flaky, juicy dessert.

What is the difference between Badusha and Balushahi?

The names vary by region. Balushahi often includes yogurt in the dough and is slightly more dense, while Badusha is lighter and flakier, commonly made with ghee and baking soda.

Can I make Badusha without curd?

Yes! Many South Indian versions skip curd and use baking soda and ghee to achieve the perfect texture.

How long does Badusha last?

Stored in an airtight container, Badusha stays fresh for 5–7 days at room temperature. Avoid refrigeration to preserve its texture.

How to knead the dough for badhusha?

For the best baadhusha texture, always knead the dough gently, avoiding over-kneading. Kneading dough results in hard, dense badusha, and you might lose the layers. Make sure the prepared baadhusha dough is soft and smooth without any cracks. The dough should not be dry or crumbly. Knead the dough gently like gulab jamun.

Rolling and flattening badhusha

After proper kneading, always cover the dough with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying. It is important to give at least 15 minutes of resting time to the balushahi dough.

After 15 minutes, pinch the small portion of the dough with light hands, gently roll the dough to a smooth, crack-free ball in between your palms. Flatten and make a dent. After making each baadhusha, always cover with a damp cloth till frying to avoid the dough from getting dry.

Sugar syrup consistency for Badusha

Sugar syrup is yet another key element for perfect balushahi. Having a sweettooth, I prefer a 1:2 water-to-sugar ratio. You can adjust the sugar according to your sweetness. For traditional sugar-glazed Badhusha, the Sugar syrup must be one-string consistency. If you prefer mild sweet badhusha without a white layer sugar coat, you can prepare 1/2 string sticky sugar syrup. If sugar syrup is below the sticky stage, then the badhusha will turn soggy, may break, and not remain firm in shape.

RIGHT TEMPERATURE OIL FOR FRYING:

Before frying a batch of baadhusha, always test the oil first. After the oil turns medium hot, pinch a small portion of the dough and drop it into the hot oil, if it starts floating upwards a few seconds without changing its color, the oil is at the right temperature and ready for deep frying. Add baadhusha in batches and fry. Keep cooking the badhusha on low- medium flame. While frying balushahi, be sure not to crowd them. As we fry they will increase in size, so provide enough space in the pan.

Oil shouldn't be

If the baadhusha starts floating upward immediately and turns brown, then the oil is too hot. We have to cool the oil so turn off the stove for some time and heat it again to the right temperature. If the badhusha doesn’t come floating at all then the oil is not hot enough and needs to be heated a little bit more.

Sugar glaze badhusha

After making all the badusha, keep them in an oil filter/colander/paper towel to remove excess oil. Make sure the sugar syrup is warm. Avoid piping hot /very hot/ boiling hot syrup as badusha may crack. If the syrup is cold, then the baadhusha will not absorb the syrup. Soak them for at least 10 minutes, then place them separated on a tray/plate till they reach room temperature. I love a white sugar coat on top of the badhusha, so after soaking all the badusha, I generally add one more layer of leftover sugar syrup on top of the badhusha, but you can skip it.

Indian sweet recipe in TMF

badusha

5 from 2 votes

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Ingredients

1 + 1/2 cup maida / all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
water as required approximately 1/4 cup
¼ cup butter/ ghee
2 tablespoon thick curd
2 tablespoon oil
oil for frying

for sugar syrup:

1 cup sugar
½ cup water
a few strands of saffron
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

to garnish:

Nuts of your choice

Instructions

Prepare the dough

Firstly, in a large mixing bowl, take maida, salt, and sugar; mix well
Melt butter/ghee for a few seconds
Furthermore, add oil, curd, baking powder, and 3 tablespoon of water, and mix everything well
Pour the wet ingredients and gently knead the dough
Additionally, add a little water and start to make pliable dough without much kneading
Cover with a moist, damp cloth and rest the dough for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, slightly knead the dough
pinch a small ball-sized dough, gently roll a small portion of the dough, and slightly flatten it
make a dent at the center with the help of the thumb or a small measuring spoon
Repeat for the entire dough and keep the dough covered in a moist cloth till we fry

Prepare sugar syrup:

Pour 1/2 cup of water and bring to a slight frothy boil
Add sugar and mix well
Furthermore, add a pinch of saffron and bring to a boil
Add cardamom powder, mix well, and continue cooking
At one stage, the sugar syrup boils well, check for one-string consistency by carefully taking a small portion of the syrup and touching it between your fingers
Turn off the stove, add a few drops of lemon juice to stop further crystallization. Keep the pan aside

Fry Baadhusha

Heat the oil and once the oil is ready, keep the flame to low-medium
Deep fry until the badhusha turns golden brown on both sides, flip, and fry for even frying
Place the fried badhusha in an oil filter to remove excess oil
Soak badhusha in sugar syrup
Slightly warm the sugar syrup if they turned cold
Add badhusha in batches and let them soak for 10 minutes
Flip and soak evenly
Transfer the sugar syrup-glazed badhusha into a tray /plate greased with parchment paper and place them separately
Repeat and soak the other batches
When the balushahi is warm, garnish with chopped nuts of your choice

Video

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Notes

I have used 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder instead, you can use two pinches of baking soda
I have used 2 tablespoon curd and 2 tablespoon oil while making the dough instead, you can use 1/4 cup of curd and skip oil
Avoid adding extra curd/oil/ butter as it might affect badusha texture
Avoid kneading the dough for a long time. Always knead the dough gently
Always rest the dough for at least 15 minutes, then roll badusha
Sugar in the dough helps for nice brown colored badusha. For extra sweetness, adjust the sugar in the sugar syrup but avoid adding extra sugar in the dough
Adjust the sugar according to your sweetness. If you don't want white sugar glaze coat on badusha, you can make 1/2 string sugar syrup
To avoid sugar syrup crystallization I have added little lemon juice, avoid adding more
saffron is optional
Always avoid frying in high flame,for even frying
Adding nuts is optional. If you are adding nuts, add immediately after adding sugar syrup
Always test the oil once then fry badusha
Always fry in low- medium flame,
for even frying
Always keep the badusha in an oil filter for some time then add to sugar syrup

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Ingredients:

1 + 1/2 cup maida / all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

water as required (approximately 1/4 cup)

¼ cup butter/ ghee

2 tablespoon thick curd

2 tablespoon oil

oil for frying

for sugar syrup:

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

a few strands of saffron

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

to garnish:

Nuts of your choice

How to make Badusha with step-by-step pictures:

Prepare the dough

Firstly, in a large mixing bowl, take maida, salt, and sugar; mix well

Melt butter/ghee for a few seconds

Furthermore, add oil, curd, baking powder, and 3 tablespoon of water, and mix everything well

Pour the wet ingredients and gently knead the dough

Additionally, add a little water and start to make pliable dough without much kneading

Cover with a moist, damp cloth and rest the dough for 15 minutes

After 15 minutes, slightly knead the dough

pinch a small ball-sized dough, gently roll a small portion of the dough, and slightly flatten it
make a dent at the center with the help of the thumb or a small measuring spoon

Repeat for the entire dough and keep the dough covered in a moist cloth till we fry

Prepare sugar syrup:

Pour 1/2 cup of water and bring to a slight frothy boil

Add sugar and mix well

Furthermore, add a pinch of saffron and bring to a boil

Add cardamom powder, mix well, and continue cooking

At one stage, the sugar syrup boils well, check for one-string consistency by carefully taking a small portion of the syrup and touching it between your fingers

Turn off the stove, add a few drops of lemon juice to stop further crystallization. Keep the pan aside

Fry Baadhusha

Heat the oil and once the oil is ready, keep the flame to low-medium

Deep fry until the badhusha turns golden brown on both sides, flip, and fry for even frying

Place the fried badhusha in an oil filter to remove excess oil

Soak badhusha in sugar syrup

Slightly warm the sugar syrup if they turned cold

Add badhusha in batches and let them soak for 10 minutes

Flip and soak evenly

Transfer the sugar syrup-glazed badhusha into a tray /plate greased with parchment paper and place them separately

Repeat and soak the other batches
When the balushahi is warm, garnish with chopped nuts of your choice

Badusha | Badhusha recipe | Balushahi

Badusha | Badhusha Recipe | Balushahi – Flaky Indian Sweet for Festivals