Parsi Batasa

Parsi Batasa

Parsi Batasa Recipe

Rita Jamshed Kapadia

Using yogurt, yeast and more certainly makes them soft on the inside and, crunchy on the outside. I have had the hard and crisp, dunk in Chai batasa all my life. Batasa from Navsari, Surat, Udvada.

Make them and write cookbooks for these delicacy. Now these I took these babies out of the oven early to keep them soft. Still the great taste and satisfaction of a batasa!

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter softened
3 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 -1 tsp salt
2.5 tbsp yogurt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. Caraway Seeds *

Method
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, yeast and baking powder.
Now add the rest of the ingredients and add some of the warm water.
Knead the dough, I got a soft dough stick but good enough to form balls. Make small balls, using water on your palms if needed to make the balls.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 1/2 hour and then check. My batasa were brown and done! Note I took these babies out of the oven early to keep them soft. Prefer soft rather than the I have had the hard and crisp. 🙂

If you want them very hard and crispy inside and outside, bake 1 and half hours more at 250 F and then bake at 200F for the 30 minutes more.

Please use Caraway Seeds not shah jeera or any substitute. The flavor of caraway seeds is different. I get so many inquiries for where to get these. Many grandmothers in Ahmedabad swear by this flavor but they are hard to find.

I find Caraway seeds in Whole Foods, or a regular Super Market in USA in the spices aisle. Caraway is used in baking British dishes and have an European origin.

A parsi favorite of mine, I take any chance to make them for my family.

While travelling to India, the first chance I get get I head down to the Parsi Industrial in Ahmedabad to get some of their freshly made bhakhras.

In Udvada, I buy them from a small shop opposite the Atashbehram. These bhakhra are made with “Taari” (fermented toddy from a palm tree) an with caraway seeds.

Savor with Fudino + Leeli Chai (Tea)