Boondi ladoo

1. Sieve the besan without any lumps. Add the cooking soda to this.Add the yellow food colour (if using).
Mix the besan with water to make a batter of dosa batter consistency.
Be carefull while adding water to the besan , first add a small amount of water and make a thick paste.
Then add water little by little. The amount of water for 1 and 1/4 cup of besan is approximately 3/4 cup of water.(see notes )

2. For making the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with the given amount of water in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Heat till the sugar gets dissolved stirring in between.
Once sugar gets dissolved stop stirring and boil till this reach one string consistency.Remove from fire.Add the cloves and cardamom powder into the syrup.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan to fry boondis.You need a perforated ( with small holes )ladle/spoon for making boondis.Pour a spoonful of batter to the boondi ladle ,keep the ladle on top of the oil and let the boondis fall into the oil.(picture below)
When it is half fried take it out from the oil and transfer it to the sugar syrup Repeat the process with the the remaining batter.
While repeating , wipe out the excess batter from the top and back of the ladle used for making boondi. This will help in getting round shape.

4. Add raisins to the boondi sugar mixture.When it is luke warm make balls of desired shapes and store this in airtight container.

5. Notes:To check whether the consistency is right for the batter, take a spoon and take a little amount of batter with the back of the spoon and just hold it on the top of the hot oil.
If this forms a nice round ball then the consistency if perfect, if it gives a tail you need to add little extra water. Add 1 tblsp and check again.
If this forms a very thin roundels then the water is more, just add one tblsp of besan to this and check again.