Ghewar

Ghewar (also Ghevar; घेवर) is a disc-shaped fried sweet full of fine holes. One of the signature sweets of the state of Rajasthan in northwestern India, it is made by frying a wheat batter and then sweetening it with sugar syrup. Countless air pockets run through the inside of the disc as well. Thin streams of batter intertwine, creating a light crispness and gaps that hold the syrup.

Pouring thin batter again and again to build a mesh

Ghewar uses a batter thin enough to flow very finely. Its basic ingredients are a refined wheat flour called maida, ghee and water, and some methods also add milk. Ghee is clarified butter. The round shape of the finished ghewar is formed as the poured batter spreads outward inside a pan or ring mold.

In chef Kunal Kapur’s method, ghee that has been chilled until softly set is rubbed and mixed, flour is gradually incorporated, and then water is added. Rather than pouring in all the water at once, the mixture is brought together into a thin batter without leaving lumps. Next, the batter is poured in a thin stream into the center of hot oil. Instead of trying to fill the disc with a single pour, more batter is poured into the center once the previous pour has spread, and this is repeated.

Because the thin batter breaks into fine strands in the oil, spreads outward and joins up, a mesh of holes remains. It is a technique of setting the thin strands one after another by balancing the thinness of the batter, the height of the pour and the heat of the oil. In Kapur’s example, the heat of the oil is maintained each time more batter is added, and the finished disc is lifted out and drained of oil.

Sweetening after frying is another feature of this sweet. The surface is fried until fragrant, the oil is drained off, and then the disc is combined with sugar syrup. Because the mesh is already formed before the syrup is added, you can enjoy not only the thin fried batter but also the sweetness that spreads through its gaps. The texture of the finished sweet also varies with the amount of syrup and the dairy topping placed on it.

Plain ghewar, and ghewar layered with dairy

In plain ghewar, the combination of fried batter and syrup is at the center. Some versions are topped with rabri, made by heating milk until thick, or with malai, a cream from milk. The crispness of the mesh-like batter and the softness of the rich dairy are enjoyed together. Ghewar may also be decorated with nuts such as almonds and pistachios, or with edible silver leaf.

When the finish changes, so does the experience of eating it. Before any dairy is added, the disc is a sweet enjoyed mainly for its fried batter, but when dairy is layered on thickly, the moisture and fat in each bite change as well. Modern methods also pair it with custard cream or fruit, and Kapur presents three versions: plain, rabri and custard cream. These finishes use the mesh disc as a base and broaden its range of aromas and textures.

Monsoon celebrations, and a spread across state borders

In Jaipur, as the monsoon festival of Teej approaches, sweet shops display many kinds of ghewar, and stalls frying it appear even in narrow lanes. Along with the procession welcoming the goddess’s palanquin and swings hung from trees, sweet-making is part of the city’s festival scene. Ghewar is also popular for Raksha Bandhan, which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.

During Teej, married daughters customarily return to their parents’ homes and share meals with their families. Sindhara, in which parents give their daughters sweets, henna, new bangles and clothing, is one such custom. Brothers set up swings for their sisters, and women dress up, sing and celebrate the monsoon together. The season when ghewar is made is also a season when families get together and give sweets.

The round shape of ghewar also appears in festive adornment. In a study of Teej written in 1988 by ethnographer Manju Bhatnagar, it is reported that henna designs that decorate the hands and feet also depict the shape of ghewar, the festival sweet. Alongside flowers, leaves, game boards and other motifs, the shape of a sweet becomes a pattern that adorns the body. The mesh disc has been cherished both as food and as a design in festive adornment.

Ghewar has spread beyond Rajasthan’s borders and is also made in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat. In Ratlam, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, it has also become established as a popular sweet for Raksha Bandhan. The Ratlam form is likewise based on a disc with a mesh structure, and there are examples soaked in syrup and served with rabri or malai. What remains the same even in different places is its character as a porous disc made by pouring.

Ghewar topped with malai. A mesh-like structure is visible on the side of the disc. Photo: Pradeep717. Image source / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Glossary