Basundi Recipe

Basundi is a sweetened dense milk made by boiling milk on low heat until the milk is reduced by half. In North India, a similar dish goes by the name "Rabri| Rabdi" which is served with Malpua or Jalebis. Basundi is thick sweetened milk, but Rabri is thick milk with layers of malai in it. Rabri is richer than basundi. Basundi is a Indian dessert mostly in Maharashtra, Gujrat, Karnataka. This reduced milk is flavoured with cardamom, charoli(nuts) and or saffron. It is generally served chilled and garnished with slivered pistachios and almonds.

Variation are also available with fruit flavours and with added mini rasgullas too called angoor basundi. Getting rich milk is easy nowadays s by adding some condensed milk on to the milk mixture.

Preparation Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Milk, full fat- 1 litre  

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Condensed milk- 2 tablespoons(optional)

Nuts of choice(cashews, pista, almonds),  finely chopped- 3 tablespoons

Chiroli nuts- 2 tablespoons (skip if you do not get this nut and add more almonds)

Saffron- small pinch

Cardamom powder- 1/2 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Take a heavy bottom pan and boil the milk once it starts to boil reduce the flame and keep on stirring to avoid catching on the bottom of the vessel. Cook around 20 minutes till the quantity of milk reduce to half.

•  At this stage add the condensed milk if you wish to add and keep on stirring till the milk further thickens and the malai (yellow fat layer of milk) starts to form on top.
• At this stage add the sugar, saffron and cardamom powder; mix well to dissolve the sugar, this will dilute the basundi slightly and sweetens.

• Cook further more to make it thick by scrapping the sides frequently. Add the crushed nuts and cook for 2 minutes and switch off the gas.
• Allow the basundi to cool for about 1 hour and refrigerate and serve chilled.

• Notes: 
• I have added a pinch of turmeric to enhance the color if you add more saffron it will over powder the dessert. You could add turmeric powder or yellow or orange yellow food colour.
• Whole process of making basundi constant stirring and scrapping the vessel and removing the fat layer forming on top using a ladle is essential to get a creamy texture.
• Adding condensed milk in this recipe is optional. but it gives a creamy texture. If you are not adding  condensed milk cook the milk 5 minutes more to get to get more creamy consistency.