Basundi

'Basundi' - thickened and sweetened milk , a sweet prepared mostly in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka regions,  is essentially prepared by boiling full cream/fat milk and reducing it to almost half its original quantity.. Added dry fruits of your choice. Saffron and cardamom powder. Great as an accompaniment with hot , fluffy puris . Prepared for festive season and also as 'Prasad' or 'naivedyam ' . Since it is only milk, sugar and dryfruits it can also be consumed for 'Upwas' days or 'fasting'. It can be prepared in various flavours like Sitaphal basundi (Custard apple) or 'Angoori Basundi' . Where small balls of chenna known as 'angoor' (Small ras gollas) are added to the original basundi. They taste great as they soak up the flavours of the sweetened milk .

INGREDIENTS :

Full cream milk (More fat content the better)   1 Litre

Sugar 1 medium sized bowl (adjust as per taste)

cashew nuts pieces        1/2 bowl

raisins                             1/2 bowl

You can add more dry fruits as per your liking 

Cardamom powder         1/2 tsp

Saffron strands               1/4 tsp

Milk Masala (Essentially a mix of powdered dry fruits, saffron and cardamom, nutmeg etc)

This is readily available in the market  2 tsp 

METHOD:

1. In a thick bottomed and wide pan/vessel keep the milk to boil.

2. Bring it to a boil, keep stirring it as the cream starts getting to the top.

3. Keep the flame/ heat very low else milk will get burnt or stick to the bottom of the pan.

4. Keep boiling till milk gets reduced to almost half its original quantity.

5. Now add the sugar and mix well. 

6. Add the chopped dry fruits.

7. Add the cardamom powder, saffron strands and the Milk-masala powder.(which gives additional flavour and thickness)

8. Your basundi is ready. Cool completely and refrigerate.

9. Served best with Hot 'Puris' (Deep fried flatbread) but can be had with 'chapati' or 'phulkas 'as well.

10. As a variation, you may add small chenna balls (small 'ras gullas' which are readily available in the sweet shops) to this basic 'Basundi'. These are known as 'Angoors' and the 'Basundi ' as 'Angoor Basundi' . This tastes equally delicious.