A desert made of milk and milk alone which can be had both hot or cold. A sweet that is a speciality of Maharashtra and Gujarat district but still is relished a lot in most of the South Indian states too.
When I got married, I was so surprised to know that my husband and his elder brother are great fans of this yummy sweet. (I hate milk, cannot have it without some additives some how the smell and taste are of great aversion for me.) But after learning to make this sweet I too started eating it rather tasting it. A small cup or 1 or 2 tbsp of what I made.
The cooking time may vary from about 40 mins to 1 hour based on the quantity of full cream milk used.
Ingredients:
Full Cream Milk - 1 ltr
Condensed milk - 150 ml
Sugar - 1/4 cup (add slowly by adjusting the sweetness according to your taste)
Believe me with just these three ingredients this yummy desert can be made. But to make this one needs lots of patience and one should also be ready to use some good amount of fuel or electricity.
This can be made either on stove top or on induction cook top. Whatever is used one have to ensure that a hard bottom pan, and a sturdy ladle.
In a hard bottom pan add the full cream milk and bring it to boil. Once it starts boiling reduce the flame. Better simmer it to low. Keep stirring and keep scratching from the sides to avoid burning or charring. The entire milk should reduce to even less than half. At this time add the condensed milk and sugar and start mixing and stirring and again so that the sugar dissolves well and the condensed milk gets gelled with the already thick milk in the pan.
Once the milk gets creamier switch off the stove and serve it hot or cold.
How to make the Basundi much richer?
Add cashew nuts, badam and unsalted pistachio when the milk starts reducing. The nuts will get softer and get cooked well.
I personally avoid cardamom to Basundi but if you like it you can add about 1/4 spoon of cardamom powder to it.
Mix about 8 strands of saffron in a spoon of milk and add it to the pan before switching of the stove and give it a stir. Even though the reduction of milk will give a pinkish colour to the desert this will give a more enhanced orangish pink colour to the desert.
Variations or more additives to Basundi
Once I have tried adding grated and cooked carrot to the Basundi by adding it before adding the condensed milk and sugar.
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