Nariyal Barfi

Celebrate Diwali with a traditional dessert - Coconut Barfi or Fudge

Being a South Indian, it is no secret that I love coconuts. Though many nutritionists & dietitians restrict or sometimes ask you to avoid coconut as they are supposedly loaded with cholesterol and fall in the high calorie foods category. I am not arguing on who is right or not. I strongly believe in eating what I have been eating since childhood, that has agreed with my system and will never do any harm to my body.

It is an absolute necessity for us South Indians to drizzle our food especially curries with virgin coconut oil or cold pressed coconut oil (if that’s what they call it these days – Fancy names). I often put grated coconut on most of my stir fry veggies or Poriyals as they call it down South. My tadkas or tempering for coconut based curries like Sambar or Porchukootu is always with coconut oil. Absolutely love them!

Nariyal Barfi or Coconut Barfi (Fudge) is an absolute favourite at home. Be it a festive occasion like Diwali, Ma always made these in bulk to be distributed amongst family and friends.

There is another reason that Nariyal Barfi or Thengai Burfi was always made at home otherwise also, it’s an absolute favourite dessert of my elder sister. Though she is not a sweet tooth, this is something she cannot resist. Between the two of us, she is more of a savoury snacks lover whereas I enjoy both equally.

I do know that desserts are the first thing you are asked to stop when you tread on the path of losing weight but I occasionally have a bite or two of sweets and I don’t feel guilty. It is okay to seek some pleasures of life once in a while. Life is too short, right?

Everyone has their preference when it comes to Nariyal barfis, I somehow don’t prefer hard barfis so usually the sugar syrup is one string consistency as I love the soft centre. This recipe also requires very less ghee but is flavoured with rose water and some cardamom powder, which smells divine.

I am making these beauties for Diwali .. Are you?

Scroll down for the detailed recipe of Nariyal Barfi or Thengai Burfi

Cook Time – 30 mins

Prep Time – 15 mins (Nil if you get grated coconut from the supermarket)

Cooling Time - 30 mins plus & Yields - 20 pieces (medium sized)

Recipe for Nariyal Barfi / Fresh Coconut Barfi or Fudge

Ingredients

1. Coconut – 2 whole medium sized coconuts grated
2. Sugar – 1.5 cups
3. Water – 1 cup
4. Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
5. Rose water – 2 tsps
6. Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 2 tsps

Method –

1. Grease a thali or plate or an aluminum tray with few drops of ghee or clarified butter.
2. Heat a heavy bottom kadhai and make Chashni or sugar syrup using water and sugar. Should be one string consistency.
3. Add the grated coconut and keep stirring well on a medium flame.
4. Add the ghee and stir the mixture till it froths a bit and becomes a thick lump.
5. At any point, don't increase the flame. It should always be medium to low else the coconut mixture burns at the bottom. Also continuously stir the mixture.
6. Switch off the flame and add the cardamom powder and the rose water.
7. Mix it well and then trasfer the same into a greased thali / plate or an aluminum tray.
8. Let it cool down completely before cutting it. Should be atleast 30 minutes or so.
9. The barfis or fudge can be stored for more than a week in a refrigerator.

Recipe Notes -

• • While grating the coconut, be careful only to include the white part and not the brown part. If you add the brown bits, the barfi turns a bit coarse.

• • If you like your barfi to be hard then go for 2 string consistency. I would strongly recommend not to do that since it doesn't allow the flavour of the coconut to shine through. You taste more of the sugar & it does tend to go hard when stored for few more days.

• • Rose water is optional. It does provide amazing aroma.

• You can add colours of your choice too. Add them before adding the coconut into the sugar syrup so it mixes well. I avoid colours or flavors as I prefer this sweet to be as traditional as possible.

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