Besan ki Burfi :: Besan barfi :: Gram flour fudge

I made this for Ganesh Chaturthi, an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar, when Ganesh, the elephant headed God of Knowledge is worshipped in every home. Folklore is that Ganesh ji loves laddus (rounded sweets), Besan ka laddu (sweets shaped like balls, made with chickpea flour) is a popular prasad (offering) to the God.

I did not make Besan ka laddu, instead made an easier version that my grandmother makes. This is a very simple sweet made with chickpea flour that stays for a long time (at least two weeks and no need to refrigerate it either). My grandmother would mostly have this and narkol naru (coconut sweet) in her pantry. How I love raiding her pantry to discover these goodies. 

Sharing my grandmother’s recipe. [This quantity makes roughly 20 barfis. Its takes around an hour to make this and another to cool it down.]

• 2 cups of besan/chickpea flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup ghee/clarified butter (Dimma uses homemade ghee)
• 1 cup dry milk (my grandmother uses homemade condensed milk, I used store bought dried milk)
• 2/3 chhota eliachi/cardamom finely ground
• Slivers of almonds and raisins for garnish

This is what my grandma does:

i. In a heavy bottomed pan (korai) slowly dry roast the chickpea flour. This has to be done at very low
heat and you have to continuously stir the flour, so that it does not burn. The flour will slowly change
colour and also roasted smell will start coming. This is one heck of a test of patience. As you can see
mine turned brown as I was a bit impatient. Takes about 20 mins to half an hour. Gives you a hand
ache for sure, but so worth the effort once these barfis are ready!

ii. Once the flour starts smelling roasted and turns golden yellow, keep it on a plate. In the same pan,
add the ghee/clarified butter ( I started with half a cup, but the besan could not mix well, so gave in

and added the full amount) and let it become smoking hot. Once the fumes start coming out of the
ghee, turn the flame down to low and slowly add the roasted flour. Keep mixing with the ghee.

iii. Then add the sugar and the powdered milk. Mix it all together very well; if the mixture turns too
dry and does not mix well, you can add a couple of table spoons of ghee at this stage. I know this
sweet is a ghee sucking venture, but for the sake of the taste, add on. It’s the ghee which holds the
whole thing together.

iv. Last but not least add the cardamom powder.

v. Take tray oil it well, pour the hot mixture on the tray and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle
the nuts and raisins.

vi. After 5 mins or so, take a knife and lightly score lines and shape the barfis. (You cannot do this,
if the mixture has cooled down and hardened.) Let it cool down for at least an hour or more before
serving.

Enjoy your Besan Ki Barfi.