Besan ki barfi / Indian fudge - with a twist

I have grown up watching my nani making huge amounts of sweets and savory snacks (enough to feed an army). So did my mother though to a lesser extent, but by the time I grew up this trend had dwindled a lot. Old timers still lament about those good old days when everything was made at home and now they have to make do with packaged and processed stuff with all kinds’ of  chemical additives and preservatives.

For most of us who have grown up gorging on our desi mithai there is nothing to beat it. Making mithai at home might seem tedious but it is totally worth the effort, it tastes way too better not to have a go at making it yourself. As for me, I am into this new phase where homemade is the new mantra and I am  very bemused at how ultimately, we take comfort in  and go back to doing things that we grew up with.

This besan barfi is also known as the seven cup barfi, a popular Indian sweet. I have modified it a bit and gone easy on the ghee and sugar in keeping with today's times and here I am sharing my own version of it. I have added some whole wheat flour which gives it a better texture and adds a nice nutty flavor to it. The barfi turns out soft and fudge like and keeps well. It is very easy to make, doesn't take too much time, and tastes absolutely delicious. So here you go -

Besan ki barfi

Besan Ki Barfi

3/4 cup besan (chick pea flour)

1/4 cup atta (whole wheat flour)

1/2 cup desi ghee (clarified butter)

1 cup dessicated coconut

1 cup sugar (powdered)

1/2 teaspoon elaichi (green cardamom) powder

1 cup milk 

20 almonds thinly sliced

Grease a square pan or tray with ghee. Take a thick bottomed heavy kadai (wok) and pour in the ghee, besan and atta and roast the two on low heat. This roasting helps in removing the raw taste of the flour. Add in the dessicated coconut and half of the finely sliced almonds. Stir constantly till the mixture turns nice brown. This would take around 15 minutes.

Now add the powdered sugar and the milk and stir continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom. Continue to cook till it starts thickening and begins to leave the sides of the pan and comes together, then switch off the burner.

Pour the hot mixture  into the greased pan and level it out with a spatula, then sprinkle the remaining sliced almonds on top.

Let it cool down then cut into diamond or square pieces and enjoy.

Indian fudge

Whole wheat mango cake - sans guilt

This is a very unpretentious no fuss cake. It’s a delicious dessert with wheat flour that’s easy to prepare and filled with flavor and wholesomeness. It’s the kind of cake that one could put together in a jiffy using whatever fruits are in season - here I have added mangoes. Any other fruit like plums, peaches or even apples could be used instead.

Whole wheat mango cake

This cake has the goodness of whole wheat and buttermilk and one can go for seconds without any guilt. It makes a great cake for your tea time table or as an after dinner treat. The whole wheat flour results in a cake with a delicate crumb and the buttermilk gives it moistness without making it heavy. I have used fresh, ripe mangoes which add a unique taste and loads of natural sweetness to the cake so that it requires less sugar. It’s a wholesome seasonal cake with a lot of natural heartiness. Indulge yourself by serving it with fresh whipped cream. Whole wheat mango cake

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup sugar

11/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup mangoes peeled and cubed

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoon dessicated coconut

Preheat oven to 180C degrees and grease a round cake tin. A tube pan or a Bundt pan can also be used.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat the sugar and eggs in a separate bowl till the sugar dissolves then add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla essence and mix well. Pour the buttermilk mixture slowly into the flour and fold in. Mix the batter until just combined, it’s very important not to over mix it.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and dot it with cubed mangoes and sprinkle coconut on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes till the cake looks done and a skewer inserted inside comes out clean. It will be rich golden with specks of coconut on top.

If you don't mind the added calories have it with ice-cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.