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Basundi

Basundi is a rich and creamy dessert made by patiently simmering and reducing full-fat milk until it thickens considerably. It is sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom, saffron, and nuts like almonds and pistachios. It's similar to North Indian Rabri but is typically thinner in consistency.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Gujarati, Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 litres full-fat milk
  • ¾ cup sugar or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
  • A generous pinch of saffron kesar
  • 2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds
  • 2-3 tablespoons sliced pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon charoli chironji, optional

Equipment

  • A thick, heavy-bottomed, wide pan or kadai
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Pour the milk into a clean, heavy-bottomed, wide pan.
  2. Bring the milk to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low-medium and let it simmer.
  4. Stir the milk every few minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  5. As a layer of cream (malai) forms on top, use the spatula to gently push it to the sides of
  6. the pan.
  7. Continue this process of simmering and scraping the cream from the sides and adding it
  8. back to the milk. This creates the characteristic lumpy, rich texture.
  9. Cook for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the milk has reduced to about half its original
  10. volume and has thickened significantly.
  11. Add the sugar, saffron, cardamom powder, and most of the nuts (reserving some for
  12. garnish).
  13. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely.
  14. Cook for another 5-10 minutes.
  15. Turn off the heat. The Basundi will thicken more as it cools.
  16. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with the remaining nuts.

Notes

● Using a heavy and wide pan helps the milk reduce faster and prevents scorching.
● Constant stirring and scraping the sides are crucial for the texture and to prevent burning.
● Use only full-fat milk for the best creamy and rich results.