Saat is a special sweet famous in coastal Karnataka, especially in the Udupi Mangalore region. This is flaky, melt-in-your mouth delicacy, totally irresistible. One of my most favourite recipes when it comes to sweets, delicacy from Karnataka. Have lovely childhood memories attached with this delicacy. My mother's recipe which never fails for me❤️ family's favourite 😍
Other states also have a similar preparation and is called by other names.
I can say, saat is another version of badusha, where the inventor cooked sugar syrup slightly more and name it as saat... yes u heard it right, the only difference between saat and badusha is the consistency of sugar syrup... In badusha sugar syrup is thin, so that it gets absorbed into the badusha.... but in saat sugar syrup is made intentionally thick so that it forms one thick layer outside.
YouTube link:
Ingredients:
For Saat:
· All-purpose flour (Maida) – 4 cups
· Thick Curd - 1 cup
· Ghee – 1 cup
· Salt - ¼ spoon
· Baking soda – ¼ spoon
· Oil for frying
For Sugar syrup:
· Sugar – 5 ½ to 6 cups
· Water – 1 cup
· Cardamom powder – ¼ spoon
Method:
· Take a large mixing bowl add all-purpose flour, curd, baking soda, salt and hot ghee. Knead it into a semi soft dough, add water if required. I did not add water. Let it rest for 25-30 mins.
· Make small balls out of the dough.
· Roll each dough balls like a chapati. Keep it little thick. Use a small vati or cookie cutter to make the saat.
· Use a toothpick and prick the small saat, doing this will not puff the saat while deep frying it.
· Heat oil in a kadhai over medium flame and fry them in batches till golden brown.
· You can fry all the saat and keep it aside.
· Take a utensil, add water and sugar. Let the sugar dissolve completely. Start making the sugar syrup till it gets two threads consistency. You may add cardamom powder. You will see that the sugar has started to crystalize from the sides. Now turn off the flame.
· Keep stirring till it starts to thicken, once slightly cooled add the fried saat in the sugar syrup, allow it to coat nicely. Use a fork and slowly remove the saat and keep it on a greased plate.
· If the sugar syrup starts to thicken too much, place on stove again, stir in a few teaspoons of water and loosen it again. Dip the remaining saat and place it on a greased plate.
· Once cooled store it in an air tight container.
*** Cups in my recipe refers to any measuring glass or Vati you have at home.