Oh! Nooo! mother just said, "Let's see"!

Paneer coconut burfi

Late Sixties…Hyderabad...

The bright fluorescent orange colosseum like structure made of stacked nariyal burfi (coconut rough) perches on the little glass shelf on the hand cart. The shelf helps prop up the round coconuts piled up neatly against it on a bright red rexine sheet. At the far end where the vendor pushes the cart, shelled coconut halves are piled up very artistically, with their dark backs and white cups contrasting sharply. The vendor takes pride in his cart and keeps everything spick and span and looking fresh all the time. He even sprinkles water from a little pail on the coconuts every now and then.

How come his burfis are so nice and well formed? What a lovely colour they are- why don’t you make such colourful burfis? Why can’t I have a piece of the coconut? The cart looks so clean, why don’t you let me have just a piece? Why are you dragging me! Wait! Will you make coconut burfi at home today? I want coconut burfi!

The barrage of questions I had asked mother still rings loud clear in my mind.

So do her answers.

Because they use too much sugar.  These colours are harmful, they cause allergies. The coconut has been washed in water that I am not sure is clean, Let’s go now, don’t stand here and stare. Let’s see… Let’s see…

Over the years... in various countries...

I think all children hate this phrase- “let’s see”. It’s a sure shot indication that you are NOT going to get whatever is being contested or coveted…

But over the years, watching mother making all these sweets and learning from her I know she not only kept her promise, but exceeded her commitment… she taught me how to make and love these sweets, so I could make them for my children and loved ones!

And foster another generation of foodies…

Present day ... Melbourne...

“What shall I make for you on Rakhi Poornima?” asks the indulgent sister!

“Coconut burfi!” says the loving brother.

“Why not add paneer to the coconut burfi? Suggests his niece with the incurable sweet tooth and a wild imagination.

“Great idea!” says her adventurous mother.

And a nice new sweet dish with rich flavours and textures is born!

Like this Coconut Paneer Burfi

1 ½ cups grated coconut( keep the grates as white as possible)

1 cup grated paneer

2 cups sugar

½ cup water

¾ cup milk powder

2 tbsp or more powdered sugar (as reserve)

6-7 green cardamoms, powdered

A pinch of saffron

Grease a high rimmed 12 inch stainless steel thali liberally with ghee and keep aside.

Mix the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pan and heat it. Stir the solution and let it come to a rolling boil until it looks thick and syrupy.

Add the coconut to the syrup and mix it well. After a few minutes add the grated paneer and mix well. Keep on stirring. The mixture will start thickening after about 10 minutes but will still look sticky. Add the cardamom powder and saffron and mix well.

As the mixture thickens, you will need to concentrate on it and keep on stirring it constantly. The mixture should reach a stage where the syrup has dried up, but the moisture can be seen on the bottom of the pan. Add the milk powder while continuously stirring. The mixture will dry up instantly and leave the sides of the pan and start gathering and sticking together.

At this stage, a tell tale sign to look out for is the drying up of the mixture on the sides of the pan. If it looks opaque and candy like, it’s time to pour the mixture into the thali. If it is not ready and starts to brown at the bottom of the pan, remove from heat and add the powdered sugar and mix quickly but thoroughly. Quickly pour the ball into the greased thali and compact it firmly and uniformly with a silicon or rubber spatula. You can use a flat bottomed bowl to pat the surface as well. Cut into squares after the burfi cools down, but before it hardens. When completely cool, it will be easier to separate the squares.

Store all the squares or burfis in an airtight container. Store the box in the fridge if you want to keep the burfis fresh for a few days. In my house the burfi does not need to be stored in the fridge, for obvious reasons.

You have to make this a few times before getting it right, but don’t worry, the mixture NEVER goes waste! You can eat it at any stage, like a jam out of a bowl, scraping semisolid mixture off the plate with a spoon or like coconut brittle- popping handfuls in your mouth! And if by chance the mixture sets and you are able to cut squares, they will not have a fighting chance of being stored in a box- they get gobbled up right away!

I am happy to post this as my entry to Sangeeta's Celebrate the month of shravan! and on the original event on Jagruti's blog!

And I must share this with you- something that makes me very happy and proud! 

Eminent blogger and my friend Suranga Date is a phenomenal poet writer! Minutes after I posted this - she composed a poem in Marathi - our common mother tongue - and then minutes later translated her own thoughts into English!

Oh! I am so honoured! So happy! Thank you Suranga Tai!

Kavitalihi- Suranga Date's take on Paneer coconut burfi! 

• बघायला आलेल्या पनीरला
  आग्रहाने बोलावतात ,
  आणि
  इलायची इलायची खूप खेळल्यावर ,
  ओलसर उबेत चिंब भिजल्यावर,
  दुधाच्या कोरड्या पंचाने
  पिठी साखरेच्यासह पुसून
  एका मउ गुळगुळीत ठिकाणी
  सगळे आरामात पहुडतात .....
  
  आणि कधीतरी
  सोनेरी क्षणात ,
  निरांजानासाम्वेत ,
  ताम्हनात बसून
  कोणा एका हसर्या चेहर्या समोर
  शेवटची गिरकी मारून
  आत्मसमर्पण .......
  
  तसे क्षणभंगुर ,
  पण किती परोपकारी हे
  बर्फीचे आयुष्य !

बघायला आलेल्या पनीरला
आग्रहाने बोलावतात ,
आणि
इलायची इलायची खूप खेळल्यावर ,
ओलसर उबेत चिंब भिजल्यावर,
दुधाच्या कोरड्या पंचाने
पिठी साखरेच्यासह पुसून
एका मउ गुळगुळीत ठिकाणी
सगळे आरामात पहुडतात .....

आणि कधीतरी
सोनेरी क्षणात ,
निरांजानासाम्वेत ,
ताम्हनात बसून
कोणा एका हसर्या चेहर्या समोर
शेवटची गिरकी मारून
आत्मसमर्पण .......

तसे क्षणभंगुर ,
पण किती परोपकारी हे
बर्फीचे आयुष्य !