Method

• In a bowl, sieve  besan, add water and make a batter that is neither too thick nor too watery. Ensure there are no lumps and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• In a vessel, add sugar and water in a pan and boil till you attain one string consistency when you test it on your fingers. (Prepare clear syrup and test the string by dropping a drop of sugar syrup on a plate and sticking it on your forefinger and thumb and pressing it gently. If you see one thread forming between the finger and thumb then, it has attained one string consistency).
• Add lemon juice to the sugar syrup to avoid crystallisation, then add elaichi, kesar strands to it and keep it aside.
• Now heat oil in a kadhai and check the oil by adding a small quantity of batter. If it rises instantly, then your oil is ready.
• Before frying, add 2 tsp of hot oil to the batter and mix well.
• Using the boondi ladle or perforated spoon, pour a little batter on it. The batter will fall in the oil and the drops will form a circular shape.
• You can either tap the edge of the ladle or use the spoon to press the boondi's batter out of the perforated spoon/ladle.
• Add the batter little by little and fry them in batches till they turn light brown and crispy.
• Once fried, remove the boondis with the help of another perforated spoon and transfer them to the sugar syrup.
• Gently press the boondis into the syrup and stir adequately so that all the boondis get coated with syrup.
• Leave them for at least 1-2 hours, so that they soak in the sugar syrup well and dry off.
• Sweet boondi is ready to eat. Serve it warm with sev.