BASUNDI

I am back with a sweet recipe after a hiatus. And, this is one among my childhood favorites. I had this first at a restaurant in Hyderabad and can still recall the tasting experience - Nostalgic. Originating from the Gujarat state, this delicacy is prepared by boiling and condensing full fat (!) milk on a medium flame for a long time to get a thick sludge of milk and milk solids (layers of thickened cream floating amidst milk). The milk sludge is sugared, flavoured with cardamom and topped with Chirongi nuts (Saarai paruppu in Tamizh). The nuts are sometimes replaced with a mixture of chopped cashews, almonds and sometimes pistachios.

The highlight or rather, the signature of this dish is the layered cream. Toppings, in general, as you wish, if you like (or go :) nuts .




Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 50-55 min ( depending on quantity
Category: Sweet, Dessert
Cuisine: Gujrati
Source : Mom
Yields: 980 ml
Serves : 8-10
Nutrition Facts
Servings 10.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 196
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9 g13 %
Saturated Fat 5 g23 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg0 %
Sodium 0 mg0 %
Potassium 0 mg0 %
Total Carbohydrate 23 g8 %
Dietary Fiber 0 g1 %
Sugars 22 g
Protein 7 g14 %
Vitamin A0 %
Vitamin C0 %
Calcium31 %
Iron1 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 litre full fat milk ( any brand)
  • 3/4th cup raw sugar
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • Chirongi nuts or chopped nuts of choice                                     (almonds, cashew, pistachio)
  • a pinch of salt
METHOD
  • Get hold of a thick bottomed vessel. A big wide one with good height is preferred. This prevents the milk from over flowing and at the same time the widened space helps the mixture condense easily.
  • Pour the milk into the vessel and start cooking it on low medium flame. 2 spoons can be added to the bottom to prevent the milk from over flowing.
  • As the milk starts boiling, it raises and there will be constant scum formation on top and would also settle on the sides of the container.
  • Keep scrapping it down into the boiling milk mixture while you continue the cooking process. Continue until the mixture reduces to just above 3/4th of its original volume. Now add sugar and a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.
  • Continue to cook until the mixture condenses a little more. It should have lot of solids with lesser liquid. The pictures clearly show that the mixture is a thick soup that doesn't spread out fast when poured in a plate.
  • Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture onto the kitchen counter and let it cool.Add cardamom powder and chopped nuts and mix well. 
  • Once it cools, transfer it to the refrigerator and serve chilled topped with more nuts.
NOTES
  • The mixture thickens further on cooling. If you notice that it becomes super thick, then u can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of warmed milk to loosen it.  
  • Flavour variants can be made by the addition of Saffron strands and Rose water or by incorporating pureed fruits into the milk mixture. Check out my Mango Basundi recipe here. 



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