What is Basundi?

Basundi is an Indian sweet that popular in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka states. It is made by reducing the milk on low flame till half the quantity and sweetened with sugar, flavored with cardamom, saffron and garnished with lots of chopped nuts.  Even though it falls in the ‘dessert’ category, it is usually served along with meal (feast thali) and eaten warm with puri. Basundi puri is the best combo you’ll ever try. But yes, you can enjoy a bowlful of it as such, it tastes too good. It is usually made during festivals like Diwali, Bhai dooj, Raksha bandhan, Gudi padwa or any special occasions. In Gujarat, you may see basundi on the menu during wedding functions. You can have this during the vrat or Navratri fasting as a dessert or as a meal with rajgira puri.

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Here is the pic of ingredients required to make an authentic version of basundi recipe. You’ll need a total of 8 ingredients. All of them are simple, basic and easy to find, nothing fancy here.

Milk: You must use full-fat whole milk to get a nice creamy, rich texture. No, this recipe does not work with 1%, 2%, low-fat or fat-free versions. Sugar: At home, we like our desserts just sweet. But if you prefer more sweet then you can increase the sugar amount. Flavoring ingredients: Cardamom and saffron are necessary. You can skip nutmeg if you don’t have. Nuts: Almonds, cashews and pistachios are most commonly used. And I have not tried with any other nuts.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Basundi Recipe? (Stepwise)

  1. Take the milk in a heavy bottom pan. Turn the heat on medium. 
  2. Bring it to a boil. As it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring and keep cooking till it gets its half quantity. Do stir every 2-3 minutes and also scrap the sides and bottom of the pan to avoid scorching.
  3. While simmering, you will see a thin film of malai at the surface. Do mix as you stir. It gives grainy texture in the basundi. Now the milk is half quantity, it took me 35 minutes.
  4. Now add sugar and mix.
  5. Also, add cardamom powder and freshly grated nutmeg, mix.
  6. Add saffron.
  7. Add chopped nuts.
  8. Mix and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Saffron will infuse its color, basundi will be thick, yet runny consistency. Turn off the stove. This can be served warm, room temperature or chilled.

💭 Expert Tips For BEST Basundi Recipe

Stirring frequently: It is very important to stir the milk while it is simmering. In the beginning start with every 5 minutes, as it starts to thicken stir every 2-3 minutes. Medium-Low heat: To get the best texture, always simmer on low to medium heat. Type of pan: Always use wide mouth, thick bottom pan. If using a saucepan, there are chances that milk will get overflow and it also takes more time to thicken. Serving chilled: If so then reduce the simmering time by 5 minutes, because as basundi gets chilled in the refrigerator, it will thicken more. Double, triple the quantity: Yes, you can. But keep in mind that milk takes more time to thicken, so simmering time will be increased

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