Basundi

Basundi is a milk based sweet which is very popular in three states, Gujarat, Maharastra and Karnataka.I have always confused with Basundi and rabri . Some people says both are same, some says both are different. After trying these two recipes and a small research I came to know both recipes are almost same with little variations.  

  1. Both rabri  and Basundi are made with full cream milk.

   2. The consistency of rabri is more thicker then Basundi

   3. For rabri you have to keep on scraping the layer which form on the top and sides which is a fat layer this gives the rabri a granules type of texture.

4. Rabri is served with Malpua or jelabi since Basundi is served as it self as a dessert.

                                                   

Make sure to use a thick bottom pan. Once you get a full boil reduce the heat and cook on a low heat and remember to keep scraping the sides of the pan while cooking. This gives the Basundi a creamy and rich texture.
                                                         Basundi will be served as a dessert chilled or warm. Also served with puri and sabji as a part of festival meal specially for Holi, Dessara, uttarayan like festivals. In north Karnataka Basundi is served as side dish with puris.  
                                                                 

 
INGREDIENTS:---
Milk  ---  1 and half lit. full cream milk
Sugar  ---  3/4 cup
Cardamom powder ---  1 tea sp
Almonds  ----  15 finely chopped
Pistachio  --- 15 finely chopped
Saffron  --- few strings
METHOD:---
1. Start boiling one and half lit. full cream milk in a thick bottom pan

2. Bring to a full boil and reduce the heat to low and boil till milk reduced to half it will take approximately one hour or more.

                                                         

3. In between keep stirring and scraping the pan and keep boiling

4. Now add sugar and cook for 20 minutes more to bring the consistency. Because when you add sugar the consistency will turn in to thin.

5. Add cardamom powder and chopped almonds and pistachios and cook for 20 more minutes in a very low heat.

Switch off the heat and garnish with chopped almonds, pistachios and saffron strings and serve warm or chilled

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Bharli Vangi

My today recipe is from Maharashtra. I wanted to try a thali from Maharashtra cuisine first recipe I got in mind is Bharli Vangi. We too make stuffed brinjal recipes in Andhra cuisine but they are totally different then Maharashtrian recipes. Even Hyderabadi cuisine have a stuffed brinjal recipe but that is also little different then this. I directly landed in to Pradnya's blog for this delicious Bharli Vangi recipe. I just followed her recipe didn't change any step. 
                                                                   Then I made every thing other then Amti dal, when I was ready to make dal then I got a doubt is tomato included in this recipe or not?. I search but in some recipes they used tomato in some they didn't!!!. Then what to do I pinged Archana for this she said no tomatoes. Finally I made a thali from Maharashtr cuisine...
In this Maharashtrian thali I served:
Plain rice,
Amti,
Bharli Vangi,
Moong usal
Srikhand,
Thecha.
Nachni bhakri
I am posting Bharli Vangi today will come back with other recipes soon 

Let's check Bharli Vangi recipe......
INGREDIENTS:---
Brinjals ---  4
Onion  ---  1 medium chopped
Onion  ---  1 big sliced
Dry coconut grated  ---  2 tab sp
Fresh coconut grated  ---  2 tab sp
White sesame seeds  ---- 1 tea sp
Fresh coriander leaves --- 1/2 cup chopped
Coriander and cumin powder  -- 2 tea sp
Goda masala or garam masala --  1 tea sp
Ginger  ---  1 inch piece grated
Garlic   ---  4 cloves
Red chilli powder  ---  1 tea sp
Salt to taste
Oil  ---  2 tab sp
METHOD:---
1. Heat one tea sp oil in a pan and fry sliced onion till brown and soft remove and set a side.
2. In the same pan roast fresh coconut, dry coconut, grated ginger remove and add this to fried onion and leave a side.
3. Now roast white sesame seeds in the same pan remove and add this to other fried ingredients add coriander, cumin powder, ginger, garlic, fresh coriander and grind in to a smooth paste with little water.
4. Add chilli powder, goda masala to the paste mix well this is the stuffing...
5. Wash the brinjals and wipe with a cloth and trim the stem a little bit, slit the brinjals at the base to form an opening( do not cut them till end).
6. Fill the masala in to brinjals and set a side.
7. In a pan heat  2 tab sp add chopped onion and fry till they turn in to pink.
8. Place the stuffed brinjals and saute gently, add remaining masala and cover the pan with a thali and pour 1/2 cup water in the thali , you can add this water in to the curry spoon by spoon when you feel like curry is getting dry ( do not add cold water).
9. Cook for 15 minutes and switch off the heat.. 
Serve hot with Bhakri

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