Ghevar, originating from Rajasthan's Jaipur, has been a beloved sweet for centuries. It is deeply rooted in Rajasthani culture and is considered one of the state's most iconic desserts. During the latest season of the popular culinary reality television show MasterChef Australia, Indian origin chef Depinder Chhibber made ghevar for the judges. Calling it the "Indian honeycomb", Chhibber, who made it to the competition's Top 4, brought the Indian delicacy to global attention. "It's literally just pastry, so it's beautiful, crispy, crunchy, but very tricky to make," she shared during the show. "The oil has to be very hot, and the actual batter has to be ice cold. Add the chilled batter to the oil. You get that splattering, that's what builds that honeycomb texture," Chhibber further added. Excited netizens did not hold back when it came to sharing their admiration with comments like: 'She pulled the boss recipe,' 'What perfect timing for a ghewar to be telecasted,' 'Iconic. Legendary. Authentically Indian. Rooting for you, Depinder. Get it home,' and 'This one is toughest to make but so delicious.' Indianexpress.com reached out to a culinary expert to learn about the fascinating history of this sweet delicacy. According to celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee, the sweet has royal connections - often prepared in the kitchens of Rajasthani maharajas and has been passed down through generations of traditional sweet makers called halwais. "The name 'ghevar' is believed to come from the Sanskrit word 'ghrita' (ghee) combined with 'vat' (round), referring to its circular, ghee-rich preparation," she said. Preparation Banerjee detailed that preparing ghevar is an art form that requires considerable skill: Ingredients: All-purpose flour (maida) Ghee (clarified butter) Cold water or milk Ice cubes Process: A thin batter is made with flour and cold liquid, kept extremely cold with ice The batter must have the right consistency - not too thick or thin A special wide, flat-bottomed pan called a "ghevar ka bhaghar" is used Ghee is heated to the exact right temperature The cold batter is poured in a thin stream from a height into the hot ghee, creating a lace-like, honeycomb pattern The pouring technique creates the characteristic holes and texture It's fried until golden and crispy After cooling, it's soaked in sugar syrup Often topped with rabri (thickened milk), nuts, or silver leaf "The key is the temperature contrast between the cold batter and hot ghee, which creates the distinctive porous, disc-like structure," said the chef. Why is ghevar so popular during the monsoon season? Banerjee shared that several factors make ghevar a monsoon specialty. "The monsoon season coincides with important festivals like Teej and Raksha Bandhan in Rajasthan, and these festivals celebrate the arrival of rains and are particularly significant for women. Major Rajasthani festivals fall during this period, creating natural demand," she said. Chef Riya Dey, Sous Chef, Banquet 18 added that the reason Ghevar is especially popular during the monsoon and the Teej festival lies in both culture and climate. The high humidity of the season helps achieve the desired porous texture of Ghevar. Additionally, Teej celebrates the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and Ghevar, being a festive sweet symbolizing prosperity, is traditionally prepared and gifted during this time. According to her, ghevar is traditionally prepared and exchanged during these celebrations, as it is customary for married women to receive ghevar from their parents' homes during Teej. "Another reason for their popularity during this season is that fresh ingredients like milk for rabri topping are more than readily available during the monsoon," she added.
