Burfi gets its name from “Burf,” meaning snow, a nod to its soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. This popular sweet comes in many varieties, but they all share a common ingredient: Khoa or Mawa. Khoa is made by slowly cooking milk until all the liquid evaporates, leaving behind a solid similar to ricotta cheese. Since Khoa can be hard to find and making it is time-consuming, I use ricotta cheese as a substitute in all my Burfi recipes, with excellent results. For a creamier, baked variation, Rabri Burfi is a delightful option. It is my family’s favorite.
There are countless ways to customize Burfi. A common variation includes adding ground nuts and grated coconut, but you can also use grain flours like Besan or Moong flour. After cooking, the mixture is patted to the desired thickness and cut into squares or rectangles once cooled.
ingredients:
1 lb. whole milk ricotta cheese
6 tbsps. unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup powdered milk
a few drops of kewra essence (see note), or 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
note:
Kewra is extracted from the pandanus flower and is used in Indian cooking to flavor sweets and some meat dishes. It is available in a diluted form called kewra water or a concentrate called kewra essence.
preparation:
- In a heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably nonstick, melt butter.
- Add ricotta and sugar and stir until well mixed.
- Add powdered milk and continue to stir until the batter is thick and leaves the sides of the pan, for about 8 minutes.
- Add kewra or cardamom and spread in a buttered 8×8 square pan.
- Cool and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Serve!
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Copyright © Rashmi Rustagi 2012. All Rights Reserved.