Shahi Malai Ghevar
Crisp, honeycomb-textured Rajasthani ghevar topped with chilled cardamom rabdi and nuts. A showstopping sweet that delivers serious crunch and rich cream.
Cook: 45 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty: Medium · Categories: Dessert, Indian
Why this is good to eat
Making rabdi at home lets you control the sugar so it stays light rather than cloying. Milk provides calcium and protein to balance out the treat. Chilling the batter makes achieving that signature lattice texture straightforward.
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 5 ice cubes
- 120 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon gram flour
- 0.25 cup cold milk
- 1.5 cups chilled water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 cups ghee
- 150 grams sugar
- 0.5 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 16 saffron strands
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon slivered pistachios
- 1 teaspoon dried edible rose petals
Instructions
- Pour 3 cups whole milk into a wide heavy pan over medium heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the sides until reduced to a thick cream. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and 0.25 teaspoon cardamom powder, then set aside to cool completely.
- In a separate saucepan, combine 150 grams sugar and 0.5 cup water over medium heat, bringing it to a gentle boil for 6 minutes until it forms a light single-string consistency. Turn off the heat and stir in 10 saffron strands.
- Place 4 tablespoons ghee in a large mixing bowl, add 5 ice cubes, and rub the ghee vigorously in circular motions with your fingers for 4 minutes until it turns pale, fluffy, and white, then remove and discard any unmelted ice.
- Add 120 grams all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon gram flour, and 0.25 cup cold milk to the whipped ghee, stirring with a spoon to combine. Gradually pour in 1.5 cups chilled water while stirring quickly to create a smooth, thin, lump-free batter, then stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- Heat 2 cups ghee in a small, deep heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until very hot. Pour 1 tablespoon of batter from 6 inches above the center in a thin stream, let the foam settle, make a small central hole with a skewer, and repeat with 4 more tablespoons to form a honeycomb disc; fry until golden brown, lift out with a skewer, drain thoroughly, and repeat to make 4 ghevars.
- Arrange the 4 fried ghevars on a wire rack set over a tray and spoon the warm prepared sugar syrup evenly over each disc, letting the excess syrup drain through the honeycomb holes for 5 minutes.
- Spread the cooled rabdi evenly over the top of each soaked ghevar, then garnish each disc with 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, 1 tablespoon slivered pistachios, 6 saffron strands, and 1 teaspoon dried edible rose petals before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make Shahi Malai Ghevar?
Whip ghee with ice cubes until creamy, blend with flour and ice water into a thin batter, and pour in streams into hot ghee to create a honeycomb disc. Soak the fried disc in saffron sugar syrup and finish with thick milk rabdi and sliced nuts.
How long does it take to make this recipe?
It takes about 20 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking. Reducing the milk for rabdi takes the majority of the active cooking time.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe yields 4 individual medium-sized ghevars, serving exactly 4 people. You can scale the quantities proportionally if you have a larger group.
Is this recipe vegetarian?
Yes, this dish is 100% lacto-vegetarian. It relies solely on plant-based flours, sugar, whole milk, and pure ghee with no eggs or animal derivatives.
Can I make this ahead of time?
The plain fried discs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. For the best crisp texture, add the sugar syrup, rabdi, and nut garnish just a few hours before serving.