Cooking with Shail

Hey all!! we celebrated Holi here on the 21st. Holi is festival of colors where we color each other with different colors. I love playing Holi. Holi also symbolizes the end of wrong deeds. Dhuleti is celebrated on the next day of Holi where we play with different colors and and paint each others faces with colors. It is fun filled and a happy festival. There are many recipes which are prepared on this festival such as Thandai (drink), Gujiya, Malpua, etc. I have prepared Basundi which is basically like condensed milk but with added flavors. It is perfect accompaniment for your lunch and very tasty. It is very simple and easy to make it and you can have it either with lunch or as dessert. try to drink this with your lunch or after lunch but not with dinner as it is quite full of calories nonetheless it is so yummy your wont be able to stop at one bowl.

Ingredients:

Milk- 1 1/2 liters

Sugar – 1/2 cup

Mawa/Khoya – 75 gms

Milk Powder- 2 tbsp

Kesar Strands- a few

Elaichi/Cardamom Powder- 2 tsp

Chopped mixed nuts (Almonds, Cashew and Pistachios) – 1/2 cup

Method:

1) In a deep bottomed wide pan (make sure to use a wide pan so that it is easier to stir the milk and the milk does not stick to the bottom) take the milk and let it come to one boil on high flame.

2) Now add the kesar strands and elaichi powder and stir well. Lower the flame to medium at this stage.

3) Let the milk boil on medium flame for 15 minutes. Keep stirring in between. Also a layer of cream/malai will form on top stir that also to incorporate with the milk.

4) After 15 minutes add the mawa/khoya and milk powder and mix well again and let it boil for another 5 minutes on. Keep the flame constantly on medium.

5) After 5 minutes reduce the flame to low and stir the milk again. At this point the milk will have thickened and reduced to 3/4th of its volume.

6) This entire process takes around 25-20 minutes.

7) Turn of the flame and let the milk cool down to room temperature. Now add the chopped mixed nuts and keep it in the fridge to chill. Serve chilled.