Amriti (অমৃতি)

 **অমৃতি (Amriti/Jangiri) Recipe**

Amriti is a traditional Bengali sweet, known for its crispy texture and sweet syrup-soaked flavor. Here’s how you can make this delightful dessert at home.

### Ingredients:

**For the Batter:**

- 1 cup split urad dal (black gram lentils)

- 1 tablespoon rice flour (optional, for extra crispiness)

- A pinch of orange food color (optional)

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

- Ghee or oil for frying

**For the Sugar Syrup:**

- 1.5 cups sugar

- 1 cup water

- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (to prevent crystallization)

- 1 teaspoon rose water or ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (for flavor)

### Instructions:

#### 1. Prepare the Batter:

- **Soak the urad dal**: Wash and soak the split urad dal for about 5-6 hours or overnight.

- **Grind the soaked dal**: Drain the water and grind the dal into a smooth and thick paste, adding very little water as required. The consistency should be thick but smooth.

- **Mix the batter**: Add rice flour (optional), food color, sugar, and cardamom powder to the batter and mix well. Beat the batter well so it becomes light and fluffy. This helps in making the amriti crispy.

#### 2. Prepare the Sugar Syrup:

- **Make the syrup**: In a pan, dissolve sugar in water and bring it to a boil. Add lemon juice to prevent crystallization.

- **Flavor the syrup**: Once the syrup thickens to a one-string consistency (when a drop of syrup between two fingers forms a string), turn off the heat and add rose water or cardamom powder. Keep the syrup warm.

#### 3. Shape and Fry the Amriti:

- **Heat the oil/ghee**: In a wide pan, heat the ghee or oil on medium heat.

- **Piping the batter**: Pour the batter into a piping bag with a small round or star nozzle, or use a ziplock bag with a small hole cut at the corner. Traditionally, a cloth with a hole in it is used to pipe the batter.

- **Shape the amriti**: Pipe the batter into circular, spiral shapes in the hot oil. Start with a small circle and then spiral around it, creating loops. Fry on medium heat until they turn golden and crispy on both sides.

- **Soak in syrup**: Remove the amritis from the oil and immediately immerse them in warm sugar syrup for about 2-3 minutes so they absorb the syrup. 

#### 4. Serve:

- Take the soaked amritis out of the syrup and place them on a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

### Tips:

- The batter consistency is crucial. It should be thick enough to hold its shape while frying.

- Keep the oil at medium heat to ensure even cooking without burning the amriti.