Imarti

Name: Imarti
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup split husked urad dal, soaked 4 hours; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 1/8 tsp orange food coloring; 1.5 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup water; 1/2 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp lemon juice, squeezed; 3 cups vegetable oil

A traditional sweet made from a whipped lentil batter piped into flower patterns, deep fried, and soaked in cardamom scented syrup.

55 minHardServes 5280 cal/serving

IndianDessertStovetopVegetarianVeganHalal-friendlyGluten-FreeNut-FreeDairy-FreeEgg-FreeSoy-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeAlcohol-FreeNightshade-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

1 cup split husked urad dal, soaked 4 hours
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp orange food coloring
1.5 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp lemon juice, squeezed
3 cups vegetable oil

Instructions

1

Drain 1 cup soaked 4 hours split husked urad dal and blend into a smooth, thick batter using minimal water.
2

Whisk the batter vigorously for 10 minutes until light and airy, then mix in 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1/8 tsp orange food coloring.
3

Boil 1.5 cups granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan until a one-string consistency forms, then stir in 1/2 tsp ground cardamom and 1 tsp squeezed lemon juice.
4

Heat 3 cups vegetable oil in a wide flat-bottomed pan over medium-low heat.
5

Transfer batter to a piping bag with a small round tip and pipe circular flower patterns directly into the warm oil.
6

Fry on both sides until crisp, then submerge immediately in warm sugar syrup for 3 minutes before serving.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

What is Imarti?

A traditional sweet made from a whipped lentil batter piped into flower patterns, deep fried, and soaked in cardamom scented syrup. This reference files it under Indian dessert: made on the stovetop, rated hard and about 55 minutes start to finish.

How long does Imarti take?

As written, 55 minutes: 25 of prep and 30 of cooking. The longest single stretch is the hands-off wait in step 1, 4 hours. That wait sits outside the stated prep and cook times, so plan around it.

What can I use instead of cornstarch in Imarti?

The entry for Imarti calls for 2 tbsp cornstarch. In its place: Use twice as much all-purpose flour and cook it a few minutes longer, or the same amount of arrowroot or tapioca starch.

Is Imarti gluten-free?

Yes. As written, nothing in the ingredient list for Imarti is wheat, barley or rye. Gluten hides in packaged goods, so read the label on the cornstarch.

Which part of Imarti can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 1. Step 1 is a built-in pause of 4 hours: "Drain 1 cup soaked 4 hours split husked urad dal and blend into a smooth, thick batter using minimal water." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 2 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.