Today I’m sharing my recipe for Coconut Besan Burfi, a Indian fudge like sweet. An Indian Burfi can perhaps be likened to Fudge at best but it’s not quite the same. This is because an Indian Burfi can range from melt-in-the-mouth soft to slightly harder in texture. Indian Burfi can be made with a wide variety of ingredients including dried fruit and nuts, vegetable like carrot or pumpkin, lentils, flours or milk. They are rich and usually full fat milk and a lot of ghee. The texture of the Burfi depends on the cooking of the sugar syrup. It is getting this consistency of sugar syrup that makes a really good Burfi.
Let me tell you about something else first. Akshaya is having her summer vacation, and we decided to head to Mumbai for a short break. that we needed a short break and headed for Mumbai. Mumbai was rather hot and not exactly a holiday destination right now. Still, we managed to visit some family, friends and do some shopping too.
Harini pointed me towards a bookshop where I found some good books at bargain prices. I also picked up a lot of baking stuff from a baking supplies store. I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store! One of the highlights of our trip was meeting up with Harini and Simran. Co-ordinating our schedules took a bit of working out and we finally met up over some shortbread cookies, pasta and spring rolls.
Now to the Coconut Besan Burfi. I have bee making this Burfi for years now, and almost every Diwali. It makes an excellent food gift for family and friends, or even a small sweet something after a meal. This Coconut Besan Burfi is a lot like Mysorepak but has a lot of coconut and a lot less ghee. Actually it’s somewhere between the Mysorepak and Coconut Burfi. It is easy enough to make and being able to judge when exactly to pour the burfi mixture onto the greased tin/ plate is critical.
If the mixture is not thickened enough at this point, the result will be a chewy burfi which doesn’t quite set. If the mixture is overcooked, then the burfi becomes dry and a bit hard. The correct point to transfer the cooked mixture to the greased cake tin or plate would be when the ghee has been completely absorbed and the mixture starts curling away from the sides of the pan, when stirred. This results in a burfi which sets well, is neither too soft nor hard and isn’t chewy.
This burfi recipe is slightly adapted from The Vegetarian Menu Cookbook by Vasantha Moorthy.
Coconut Besan Burfi
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh grated coconut
- 1 cup besan chickpea flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup ghee
- 1/4 cup chopped cashewnuts, almonds and pistachios
- 4 to 5 pods cardamom powdered
Instructions
- Put the chickpea flour in a largish heavy bottomed pan. Pan roast over a low flame till the raw smell of the flour disappears. Do not brown the flour. Transfer to a plate.Heat half the ghee in the pan and put the pan roasted flour into it. Cook over a low flame till a nutty aroma arises. Transfer to plate.
- Heat1 cup of water in the same pan and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and allow to boil, over medium heat, till a thick syrup (one string consistency) is obtained. Turn off the heat.
- Now add the grated coconut and the roasted chickpea flour. Stir well till everything is well mixed. A whisk helps here. Put the pan with the mixture back on the fire, over medium heat, and keep stirring constantly. The mixture will start thickening and start curling away from the sides of the pan. This stage is crucial for the making of this burfi/ fudge.
- Add the remaining ghee, and keep stirring till the ghee is absorbed. Mix in the cardamom powder and quickly pour the mixture into a well greased 7" by 11" cake tin (or cookie sheet with 1 1/2" sides), ensuring the mixture is leveled. Sprinkle the nuts on top and press them in. Allow to cool a bit and set. Then mark into squares while still warm.
- Allow to cool completely, and cut into pieces along scored lines. Store the burfi/ fudge in containers.
sra says
More real-world interaction in the blogging world! I’ve heard of something called a 7-cup sweet which is also a besan-sugar confection, it has one cup of all these and some more ingredients, I guess milk accounted for another cup.
Asha says
You are having gala time girl, good for you. I can imagine your happiness when you were in the baking goodies store! :DMysore Pak looks great, you get the best ones in Mysore.
Parita says
Wow you were in Mumbai, I am too from mumbai and i really miss it very much, seems you had a grt time there..:) mysore pak looks very delicious..
Happy Cook says
I love Mumbai, everytime we are in India , we stop there for few days before we fly back to Belgium.It is always excelent to meet up with bloggers, especially if you really click with them.Love the barfi, they are one of my fav indian sweet.
Soma says
You gals seem to be having a good time!! we had loved this when i had made it, a reminder that i have to make these again, this time with coconut like yours.
Ashwini says
You gals having good time..I am jealous of you..just kidding. Burfi looks delicious..
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing this fine recipe. I would be sure to enjoy this combination of flavours.
Bharti says
I read on Simran’s that you guys met. That has to be fun. Some day I’m gonna visit Goa too!The burfi sounds great..I’ve eaten besan burfi (monthal)and coconut but never the 2 together.
glamah16 says
Wonderful entry! I love these unique dessert enteries. Thank you!
FoodyGuru (Srimathi) says
I love coconut burfi.My maami used to make this method and it tasted good.
Jamie says
Aparna, Thank you so much for posting this. I love burfi and I think this would be something wonderful to try my hand at. I will let you know how it turns out!!
Madhumathi says
Everybody in my family are addicted to mysore pak n coconut barfi..And this one is sure to win the hearts of my family members..Thanks for sharing 🙂
Suparna says
Hi Aparna,Glad to know u had a great vacation, did good amount of shopping 🙂 and met up with blogger foodie friends yippeee that really sounds exciting. The besan coconut barfi is something very close to the besan barfi made in konkani cuisine (-) the coconut, yes it is something similar to mysore pak I agree and for the ghee part I am more than delighted ;)would love to try this one with coconut.Thanks Aparna.Pls. collect the award from my blog.TC
Nandini Vishwanath says
Aaah, blogger meets 😀 I use only besan usually and my burfis suck anyway. Never know when to take off gas anyway 😐
Cham says
Great to hear that u went to Mumbai and met Harini and Sim. How cool is that to meet those virtual friends.Coconut with besan looks perfect.
Indhu says
ooohhh… yummy burfis :)look like mysorepak 🙂
Priya Suresh says
Thats a really great to know u met Harini n SImran, seems u had a great time in Mumbai..Besan burfi looks delicious!
Barbara says
Your besan coconut barfi sounds like a wonderful treat that would travel well, Aparna. I love coconut, so I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
Pearlsofeast says
Good to know that u had a nice time and Aparna, this dessert looks delectable and I have bookmarked it. Only 3 tbslp of ghee sounds tempting.
Prathibha says
Thanks for mentioning abt me in the post..oouch u were in Mumbai!!!!Glad to know that u guys had a nice time…When r u visiting mumbai again,this time dont forget to meet me also dear..:)BTW which baking goodies did u visit in bombay??n comng to the post the burfi is looking perfect and colourful..
Jayashree says
Sounds like you had so much fun….
Fudge says
Sounds delicious! I can’t wait to try this.
Sunshinemom says
I can understand why you felt like a kid in a candy store at Arife’s! It has the same effect on me too:) Barfi looks exactly like how my mum makes this. Maybe we should make it soon too!!
Aparna says
Sra, this is different from the 7 cup sweet, where 1 cup of the 7 is ghee! :)Yes Asha, I was thrilled with the baking supplies store. It doesn’t take too much to make me happy.:DTrue, but I like the one my mom makes the best. :)That’s nice to know, Parita.True, HC and I have really “clicked” with a few. When do we meet? :)You’re welcome, Bharti. Who knows, maybe we’ll meet too.:)I make coconut burfi too, but not like this, Srimathi.I’ll look forward to hearing how the burfi turned out, Jamie.I didn’t know there was something like this in Konkani cuisine, Suparna. Thanks for the award.It comes with practice, as I learnt, Nandini. :DIt was real fun, Cham.Do that, Barbara. Its worth one try.Good to see you bloghopping again, Shibani.Thanks for the invite, Prathibha. Shall take you up on it next time.There’s a shop called Arife at the Crawford Market, right opposite Sadanand Hotel. I believe they also have a branch at Andheri.:DYou pointed me in the right direction, Harini.
Shuna Fish says
I’m unbelievably excited about this recipe. Mostly because it poses for me a new way of thinking about candy making & texture formation. Thank you so much.
Aparna says
Shuna,Appreciate your comment. I still remember your delightful caramel cake we made as a DB challenge.
Susan says
I am mad about mysore pak, but have only had it commercially prepared. It is one of my *very* favorite Indian sweets. Your recipe, with far less ghee, is especially appealing, Aparna. : )
Srivalli says
thats a lovely dish Aparna…and looks like you are having fun..:))
♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ says
I did try this deliciousness once and mus try it agian ur way!!That sounded like a fun trip, i wish i cud too and mus ask ya for all the places u did visit!!did u finally visit New Arife?They have jus recvd some WIlton supply,some more goodies expected later;-))Looks like i have advertzd well for Arife, coz i get emails,and somebody posts it on some body else blog,and the query finally reaches me!LOL.And am planning lods of international giveaways too,dat means India and Goa will be included:-)))Take care and super weekend!!
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