Monday, May 5, 2008

Date and Coconut Burfi - Monthly Mingle: Bollywood Cooking



This month, Meeta from What's for Lunch Honey has nominated the theme of Bollywood Cooking for the Monthly Mingle. As the name suggests, Meeta is looking for glamorous Indian cuisine fit for a red carpet.

For my entry, I decided to make Date and Coconut Burfi (fudge), which is a festival food in India. The very word "festival" evokes Bollywood glamour to me, so I thought that this would be perfect!

To make this very sweet, delicious treat, you will need:

400g can condensed milk
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup white sugar
75g ghee or butter
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
flaked almonds and silver cachous for decorating

Butter a long, flat slice tray or plate and set aside. Put the condensed milk, coconut, dates and sugar in a heavy-based pan, and cook over a medium heat until it becomes thick and fudgy in consistency. Add the chopped butter or ghee, and cook until the butter just begins to separate from the fudge. Stir through the cardamom, then remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the prepared tray or plate, spreading with a metal spatula until it covers the tray or plate and is relatively smooth on top. Sprinkle the top of the burfi liberally with flaked almonds, and allow it to cool slightly.

While the burfi is still warm, cut it into squares, and press a silver cachous into the centre of each square (for added "bling"!), but leave them in the tray or plate to cool completely. Once cooled and set, remove the burfi from the tray or plate and serve. Delicious!



Thanks to Meeta for hosting this month's Monthly Mingle, and be sure to check her site here for the roundup, and the winner of a copy of The Bollywood Cookbook by Bulbul Mankani.

13 comments:

  1. I might faint these look so delicious!! And added bling is always welcome on baked goods for me!! xoxo.

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  2. It looks delicious so I copy and paste immediately the recipe! Thank you a lot darling
    Have a lovely evening
    Silvia

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  3. Those burfis look amazing. I want to eat them while theyre warm!

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  4. Oh such pretty and lovely burfis..

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  5. Oh cool! I've never heard of this before. I love dates. I've been eating a lot of them lately. They're not loved enough, you know?
    Are dates really high in fiber? Just curious. No reason at all.

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  6. Okay, this is what I found:

    Dates have a high tannin content and are used medicinally as a detersive (having cleansing power) and astringent in intestinal troubles.

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  7. I have a bad sweet tooth and it loves burfi of all sorts. this looks great. thank you so much for joining!

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  8. Yummy, I am going crazy with all these delicious recipes I've been seeing all afternoon.

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  9. Burfis are always great (I know) and these seem to just glamourous and glitzy as Bollywood. Perfect.

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  10. Thanks Cakespy - these are better than smelling salts!

    Hi Sylvia, thanks!

    Hi Lina, I'll save some for you ;)

    Hi Jessie, they were - different but good.

    Thanks Swati - I don't really know what they should look like, and all the photos I have seen for burfi are very different - but hey, it makes them unique!

    Hi Emiline, I hear you on the dates - I personally eat them like lollies, and love them very much. If they "clean" me out, all the better!

    Hi Meeta, thanks for hosting another mingle and for such a fun theme this month!

    Ivy, I know what you mean - I always want to eat after looking at food blogs.

    Thanks Aparna - I am a burfi "rookie", so I value your opinion.

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  11. Gaye, that reminds me of gulab jamun: sweet! Great entry after all of those spicy hot dishes up there.

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  12. Hi Arfi, I am happy to have brought dessert ;)

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Thanks for dropping by!