Buniya To Kick-start Shri Panchami
Every year, on the day of Shri Panchami (Basant Panchami), I remember waking up feeling excited to go to school more than ever. Why, you ask? It’s for the love of Buniya.
Buniya, also known as Boondi, is tiny round balls made of besan and dipped in sugar syrup. The appetizing delicacy is traditionally distributed as prasad in educational institutions whereas in Saraswati temples, children are encouraged to scribble their first letters on the walls and worship their educational materials. The color yellow, as seen on Goddess Saraswati’s attire, that symbolizes prosperity, light, energy and optimism is also celebrated and is commonly represented by this yellow colored sweet, Buniya. “We worship Goddess Saraswati early in the morning and observe the day of Shri Panchami by sharing prasad among our students, teachers and staffs. It’s a joyous day that recognizes the significance of education and encourages the society to keep learning.”, says Indra Bahadur Malla, Principal, National Integrated College. If you, like me, are taking online classes and missing the happiness of enjoying Buniya on this particular day, worry no more. We sat with Ramesh Agrawal, a professional confectioner to bring you this recipe of Buniya that you can try at home to hit that sweet spot.
1. Sift besan into a large bowl.
2. Add 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of cardamom/ cloves powder and a pinch of baking soda.
3. Mix to form a batter and then add a tablespoon oil. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a wok or a deep frying pan on medium heat.
4. Place a ladle with round holes 3-4 inches above the oil’s surface and pour the batter through the ladle. While doing so, move the ladle around so that they don’t clump together.
5. Fry for 30-40 seconds and place it in a plate immediately.
6. To make the sugar syrup, heat 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cups of water on medium heat. Add yellow food color if available.
7. Let the sugar dissolve. Then let it boil for 3 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and add the fried Buniya. Mix well.
9. Cover the pan and let it sit for 15 minutes until it soaks the sugar syrup.
Voila! Buniya is ready to serve.
