Basundi facts for kids
Basundi an Indian dessert.
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| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana |
| Main ingredients | Milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron |
Basundi (Gujarati: બાસુંદી, Kannada: ಬಾಸುಂಡಿ, Marathi: बासुंदी, Tamil: பாசந்தி, Telugu: బాసుంది) is a yummy Indian sweet. You can find it mostly in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
It's made by boiling milk slowly until it becomes thick. The milk reduces to about half its original amount. In North India, there's a similar sweet called rabri.
People often make Basundi for Hindu festivals. These include Kali Chaudas and Bhaubeej.
There are also different kinds of Basundi. Some popular ones are sitaphal (which means custard apple) Basundi. Another is angoor basundi, which has small rasgullas (cheese balls) in it.
Contents
How Basundi is Made
Making Basundi takes time and patience. You start by boiling milk on low heat. It needs to cook until it gets much thicker.
Sometimes, people add heavy cream to make it thicken faster. Once the milk is thick, you add sugar. You can also mix in spices like cardamom and saffron. Some recipes include charoli nuts.
Adding sugar helps keep Basundi fresh. But if too much sugar is added, it can make the Basundi curdle. Cooking it a bit more after adding sugar can give it a nice pink color. This happens as the sugar lightly caramelizes.
When you add sugar, the thick Basundi might become a bit runny again. Stirring it well stops a skin (called malai) from forming on top. This way, everyone gets to enjoy the same thick Basundi.
Serving Basundi
Basundi can be served in different ways. You can enjoy it hot, warm, or chilled. It is often eaten with puris. Puris are a type of fried Indian flatbread.
What's in Basundi?
The main ingredient is milk. It is flavored with cardamom powder and saffron. The amount of saffron changes the color. Less saffron means a milder color. Adding condensed milk makes Basundi taste richer and creamier.
Good for You: Nutritional Value
Basundi has some healthy ingredients:
- Milk: Milk is a great source of Calcium. Calcium helps keep your teeth and bones strong. It also provides Protein, which is important for your body.
- Almonds: Almonds are full of B complex vitamins. These include Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3, and Folate. These vitamins are very important for brain development.
Basundi from Narsobawadi
There's a special kind of Basundi from Narsobawadi, in Maharashtra. It's known as Narsobawadi Basundi. This area has a lot of milk available.
Farmers collect milk, and it's boiled in large pots called kadhai. The milk cooks until its water content is cut in half. It becomes very thick and changes to an off-white color. Sugar is then added for taste.
This Basundi is then packed and sent to shops. Since it's a fresh food, it needs to be eaten within 2-3 days.
Like other Basundi, it's often garnished with slices of almonds and pistachios. It's usually served chilled.
