As a Gujarati, I have grown up eating this delicious and creamy basundi. My mom often made Basundi when guests came for lunch or our family’s Sunday special meal. My husband’s birthday was last weekend, and he loves most milk desserts. Basundi is at the top of his favorite desserts. So I made basundi on his birthday and thought of shooting the recipe and sharing it here on the blog. Today I am sharing a traditional Gujarati Basundi recipe, where milk is cooked until it reduces by half and becomes thick and rich. Then it is sweetened with sugar and flavored with saffron, nutmeg, cardamom, and chopped nuts.
What is ‘Basundi’?
Basundi is a decadent and delightful dessert made with milk, sugar, nuts, and warming spices. It is popular in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka and is perfect for making for festivals or special occasions. Basundi is usually made during festivals such as Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Bhai Dooj, and Gudi Padwa. It is also a perfect dessert for fasting days (vrat) like Navratri, Shivratri, or Ekadashi. Although it is categorized as a dessert, basundi sweet can also be served as a warm drink. It is also served as a part of thali meals along with puri at weddings. Making this dessert is a super easy process; just that it is a little time-consuming. But what I do is I start making basundi when I am cooking my meals. Before starting to cook the other dishes, I put a pot on simmer, and by the time I am done cooking my other dishes, my basundi is ready too.
Why do you like this recipe?
It is an easy dessert that is creamy, rich, and deliciousPerfect dessert for all agesMake-ahead Indian sweet recipeIt is served on its own after an Indian meal or in a feast thaliPerfect for serving at potlucks or gatheringsNeeds minimal ingredients
Ingredients required
Milk: It is essential to use full-fat or whole milk for a creamy and luscious Basundi.Saffron: I love to add saffron to Basundi for a bright color and flavor. However, to keep the Basundi white or off-white, skip adding saffron.Sugar: Use white sugar to retain the color of Basundi. Add less or more sugar according to your sweet preferences.Nuts: I have added slivered almonds, chopped cashews, and pistachios to Basundi. And then also garnished it with a few more nuts.Ground Cardamom and nutmeg powder: These spices provide a warm flavor to this decadent Indian dessert.
Step-by-step process
Mix ⅛ teaspoon saffron strands and 2 tablespoon of milk in a bowl, and keep it aside. (image 1 and 2)Take 2 liters (8 cups) of milk in a heavy bottom pot. (Image 3)Heat on medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Keep stirring while heating to avoid the milk scorching at the pan’s bottom.Once the milk comes to a boil (Image 4), reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until it is thick, creamy, and reduced to half (1 liter).Stir very frequently while cooking. Don’t let the cream layer form on top of the milk for a creamy basundi.Keep scraping the sides of the pan occasionally and stir the milk solids back into the pan.
Once the milk is thick and creamy, add saffron soaked in milk and ½ cup sugar to the pan and cook for ten more minutes. (Image 5 and 6)Now switch off the flame. Add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg powder, and ½ cup chopped nuts. Stir everything. (Image 7 and 8)Let the Basundi cool down.
Cover it and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.Transfer the basundi to serving cups or bowls and garnish with more slivered nuts and dry rose petals.Enjoy Basundi with garam Garam Puri and Bateta nu shaak.
Variations
For the mango-flavored basundi, Add some mango puree to it once the thickened milk is cool down.For sitafal basundi, add some Custard Apple Pulp once the basundi cools down completely.Add some thandai powder to make Thandai basundi.You can also mix betel nut leaves (paan) and gulkand for a paan flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Basundi tastes best with puri and Rasavala Bateta nu shaak. This creamy dessert also tastes great on its own, so serve it in bowls as a dessert or in small glasses as a drink. It can be served at room temperature, hot, warm, or chilled. You can also consume Basundi during the fasting days like Navratri.
Storage Suggestions
Basundi stays good in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. After that, you can serve it chilled or heat it until nice and warm in a pan or microwave. It freezes well too. Cool it completely and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Use only full-fat or whole milk to make creamy and rich Basundi.It is essential to stir the milk while it is simmering. In the beginning, start every 5 minutes; as it thickens, stir every 2-3 minutes.To get the best texture, always simmer on low to medium heat.If possible, use a wide-mouth, thick bottom pan.This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.I have added almonds, cashew, and pistachios, but you can add nuts.Add sugar as per your sweet preference. Initially, add ½ cup of sugar, taste, and add more if needed.You can make kheer from the leftover basundi by adding plain cooked rice or quick seviyan kheer by adding vermicelli. You can also make ras malai with leftover basundi. First, make the rasgullas or use the store-bought rasgullas, then add Basundi.
More Milk based Indian dessert
RasmalaiDoodh KeriDoodhpakKheerCarrot Kheer
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