Apple jalebi with date rabdi

Prep time: overnight Ingredients For apple jalebi 200g refined flour 30g yogurt 500g sugar 400ml water 5 strands saffron

ghee (clarified butter), for deep frying 2 red apples, cored peeled and cut into rounds For date rabdi 1 litre milk 10 strands saffron sugar, if required ripe dates, pitted and chopped cinnamon powder pistachio slivers, for garnishing 6 pinch

Cooking time: 45 mins

(serves 4) Method 1. To prepare jalebi batter, whisk together refined flour and yogurt with a little water, ensuring there are no lumps. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight. Meanwhile, to prepare rabdi, boil milk in a heavybottomed pan until it reaches a thick cream-like consistency. Stir constantly to ensure milk does not scald. Add saffron, sugar (if using) and dates. Cook until dates are almost mushy. Allow to cool to room temperature, mix in cinnamon powder then refrigerate. The following day, boil together sugar and water In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it makes a syrup of one-string consistency. (To know if syrup is of right consistency, take a few drops in a spoon and let it cool down. Touch syrup with your index finger then let that fingertip touch the tip of your thumb. When you pull fingers apart gently, you should be able to see syrup form one string.) Once syrup is right consistency, add saffron and set aside. Heat ghee in a deep frying pan. Dip apple in prepared batter then slip into hot ghee. Deep fry in batches until golden brown. Do not overcrowd pan. Drain and dunk in warm sugar syrup. Serve hot with cold rabdi, garnished with pistachio slivers.

2.

3.

4.

5.