Coconut burfi

I continue from my last post on my love and craving for 'desi' sweets and desserts around this time of the year. The celebratory atmosphere is just infectious, isn't it? A time to let go and forget about the calories for a change - after all the time to make new resolutions is not far!

Coconut burfi is what's on the menu today. Another one of my childhood favourites. Although we rarely made it at home, it was regularly seen around the house when we would have guests over. And I would wait for the guests to leave so I could eat them all up! Haha! Fun times!
Anyways, for those not familiar with a burfi - it is a fudge like Indian sweet and is prepared with a lot of different ingredients and flavours - the popular ones being cashew, almond, coconut, or just with thickened milk.

So here is the recipe.
4 cups finely grated coconut
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
4-5 cardamom pods - seeded and crushed
Pistachios for garnish

Traditionally, a fresh coconut is used, and of course it gives the best results. But since it is not so readily available here, the dry one from the grocery store works fine and is quick and convenient.
Dry roast the coconut on medium-low heat for a couple of minutes until it releases the typical coconut-y aroma (around 8-10 minutes). Sprinkle the crushed cardamom seeds and stir. Add in the condensed milk and stir. Continue stirring until it all starts to clump up - this should take only about 3 - 4 minutes. At this time, pour it onto a greased plate. Flatten it out evenly and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Allow it to set in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes to an hour. Take it out, cut it into squares and garnish with pistachios. Share

Beetroot halwa

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So who wants a dessert that is healthy too? And has more nutrients than you can count. Don't think too hard - I'll answer it for you - it is my latest favourite dessert - Beetroot halwa. A quick search on the holistic benefits of beetroot will enlighten you on how good it is for you, but I had been eyeing on turning this vegetable into something that I can fall in love with. I don't like it raw, I don't like it in salads, not in a vegetable curry, not in a soup..yeah I am quite choosy that way. But I need my iron. I will not turn this into a health bulletin but all you folks who don't eat red meat - you need your iron - which you'll find aplenty in this veggie.

So last weekend i tried turning it into a dessert - a halwa. Traditionally a halwa uses copious amounts of ghee(clarified butter), but since it is not so easily available in stores(except Indian and health food stores) I replaced it with a can of condensed milk. And it was ready in minutes. Of course after 30 mins of my work out in grating it very fine. So here is how I made it.



- 1 large beetroot washed, peeled and finely grated
- 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 and 1/2 tablespoons ghee/butter
- 4-5 cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoonful of cashews/pistachios/almonds
- 1 tablespoon raisins

Heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoon ghee or butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Add in the beetroot and fry it on medium heat for about 10 mins. Add in the cardamom. Then add the condensed milk and reduce the heat. Keep stirring for 20-25 mins. In a seperate pan, add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee and then the nuts and raisins. Once the nuts get a light brown colour and the raisins puff up, add them to the halwa.
Add some more nuts for garnish while serving.

I made this last weekend just as a test since I am known for not liking this humble vegetable, but was surprised when my husband ate up 2 cup fulls of deliciousness and demanded I make it more often. And I couldn't be happier to finally start my love affair with this vegetable so understated! Share