Basundi

Basundi, yet another Maharashtrian sweet dish is a favourite dessert of mine. Being brought up in Mumbai, my food habits and liking are deeply influenced by the Marathi culture. I love all traditional Maharashtrian “faraal” and whatever sweet dishes they churn up during various festivals. Basundi is one such dish and I had made it today morning for Ganpati bappa’s aarti. 

Ingredients:

• Full cream milk 1 litre
• Sugar 1/3 – 1/2 cup
• Almonds 10-12
• Chironji 1 tbsp
• Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
• Pista 5-6
• Nutmeg powder a pinch
• Saffron strands 4-5

Method:

• Boil the milk on medium flame till it reduces to almost 3/4 th or little less than that.
• Soak the saffron strands in a spoon of hot milk and keep it aside.
• Keep on stirring it continuously. You need reduce it like rabri. It will be slightly more watery than rabri.
• Add the sugar according to your taste.
• Add finely chopped almonds and pista to this.
• Add chironji, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder 
• Remove from fire and add the saffron milk.
• Allow it to cool well. Refrigerate it for few hours and serve it with pooris or enjoy it as it is 🙂

Notes:

• I have used brown sugar here. You can use normal sugar or cane sugar. Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your preference.
• You can add condensed milk too along with the milk. This will help in getting the milk thickened faster.
• Nutmeg powder is optional, if you do not like its taste, please do not add.