Coconut Barfi

Coconut barfi-This was the first sweet I made.This was  in my 12^th grade and all through college when you would get galvanized watching ace chefs and savvy housewives weaving their magic in the kitchen in innumerable  TV shows. During these shows I would promptly prop myself against the TV diligently noting down the ingredients and instructions of many unheard recipes ,confident that I would recreate the magic in my own kitchen.I would get up , stride into my kitchen still under the spell.But I would begin cooking only to realise that   my chapathis were , not yet, -so perfect or that  the curry had turned out to be too sour.  Experience would let me know that -Only Practice makes a man perfect.

But things were different with coconut barfi.

Coconut barfi was  my  first expedition  into the kitchen .To my surprise it came out really well, the first time itself ,and rekindled my faith that I am a Chef in the making.

And now  I was reminded of this easy to make sweet again ..May be it was the commercials aired for the movie Barfi.One cannot draw a tangent- I know.But oh!This humorous me …I did draw one.Every time I would see the trailers I don’t know why I would also feel like eating coconut barfi.Funny a`int ‘I?

So I rummaged through my grocery and found a packet full of dessicated  coconut .Making coconut barfi is easy and it was  ready in minutes-spreading  the aroma of  coconuts and cardamom  in its each bite…

Ingredients
Coconut-2 cups(I used dessicated coconut)
Sugar-21/4-11/2 cup depending on how sweet you want it to be
Ghee-2tbsp
Water -¾ cup or just enough to cover sugar
Cardamom -4pods

Method
Take a heavy bottomed pan .Add the sugar and water. Keep stirring consistently .Let it boil till it reaches two- thread consistency..Then add the grated coconut. Keep stirring consistently. When the mixture bubbles,  add  ghee and cardamom pods.Stir till the mixture becomes thick and gets frothy at the edges .  The mixture should  start leaving the sides of the vessel and It comes off easily without sticking to sides of the vessel.(Some people add ghee and cardamom now).At this stage transfer the mixture  to a greased pan.Level the mixture with a flat spatula.Let it cool .Cut it out  into squares within 10 minutes.Serve or refrigerate if it is to be used later than 3-4 days.


Notes
Please ensure that only the white part of the grated coconut is used for the preperation.Avoid the brown flakes of coconut from getting mixed with it
Run the coconut in the grater couple of times so that the burfi turns out to have a smooth surface if you donot preferit to have a coarse surface.
You can also add 1/4 cup of milk after coconut is added to sugar syrup and bubbles come.However continue stirring till the mixture thickens.

Verdict:My coconut barfi  was “coconuty”- as delicious as ever.Little Aniket,my sonny, loved it.Thats the biggest pat on my back.