Basundi

It is stirred constantly so that no skin forms at all, which is the opposite of what rabri wants.

Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains dairy (whole milk), dairy (double cream).

Ingredients

• 2 litres whole milk
• 150 g sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 tablespoons charoli, or chironji seeds
• a pinch of saffron threads
• 40 g almonds and pistachios, slivered
• 100 ml double cream, optional

Method

1. IT IS STIRRED CONSTANTLY SO THAT NO SKIN FORMS AT ALL, WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT RABRI WANTS. Its article gives the reason in plain terms: stirring well prevents malai from being formed on top, so that all guests -- even late comers -- get equally thick and plain basundi. That is the entire difference between this and Rabri, as on its own page, which lifts every skin off and keeps it. Same milk, same heat, same pan: stir and you get a smooth even cream throughout; leave it alone and you get layers. Two desserts, one decision.
2. IT IS REDUCED BY HALF AND NO FURTHER. Its article is specific -- boiled on a low heat until the milk is reduced by half. Two litres to one. Taken further it stops pouring and becomes a different, denser thing.
3. THE SUGAR MAKES IT THIN AGAIN, AND THAT IS NORMAL. Its article warns about exactly this: before the sugar is added basundi is thick, and after it becomes fluid again. Do not read that as a failure and keep reducing. It firms up once more as it chills.
4. COOKING IT ON AFTER THE SUGAR TURNS IT PINK. Its article describes this as a thing some cooks want: a few minutes more once the sugar is in and the sugar caramelises lightly in the milk, giving a pink tint. Optional, and worth knowing so the colour is not a surprise.
5. CREAM IS A SANCTIONED SHORTCUT. Its article allows heavy cream added during the boiling to hasten the thickening. A hundred millilitres takes perhaps fifteen minutes off, at the cost of a slightly heavier result.
6. SUGAR ALSO PRESERVES IT, AND TOO MUCH ACIDITY CURDLES IT. Its article notes both: basundi keeps well once sugared, but sugar develops acidity over time and excessive acidity can curdle it. So it keeps for days rather than weeks.
7. CHAROLI IS THE SEED THAT MAKES IT TASTE OF THIS AND NOT OF SWEET MILK. Its article names charoli alongside the cardamom and saffron. Small, soft and faintly almondy, stirred in at the end.
8. IT IS SERVED AT ANY TEMPERATURE AND OFTEN WITH PURIS. Its article says hot, warm or chilled, and often with puris -- which is also true of Doodhpak, as on its own page, and is one reason the two get confused.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes