A Hyderabadi delicacy that is said to have originated in colonial Madras, badam ki jali (literally, ‘net of almonds’) is described as an ornate lattice of almonds and sugar that melts in your mouth. Its recipe has been handed down across four generations of the Husaini family of Hyderabad’s Imperial Sweet House.
Method
Prepare Almond Paste: Soak almonds in hot water for 20 minutes. Peel their skins and grind them to a very fine paste using minimal water. The paste must be smooth like malai and not grainy.
Add sugar and water to a kadhai and cook on medium heat until it reaches a two-string consistency (that is, when a drop between fingers forms two thin threads). Lower the heat completely, slowly add the almond paste into the syrup and stir continuously on low flame. Making the Jalis: Cook until the almond mixture becomes glossy and forms a soft ball texture when dropped on a plate.
Grease the back of a thali, marble slab or steel plate with a little ghee. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and spread it thinly using a steel bowl or ladle bottom. Aim for a thin, transparent sheet.
Let it cool for 1-2 minutes. Combine two thin sheets and using a knife, cut into diamond or square shapes and apply silver varq as garnish.
