“चिक्कूच्या वड्या” (Manilkara achras sweet munchkins)

Its festive season.Visiting friends & family or having them for supper would be the most common activities over this fortnight beginning with “Vasu Baras” and ending with “Tulshi che lagna/tulsi ki shaadi” (mythological concept of Lord Vishnu getting married to Goddess Tulsi/holy basil plant goddess).

The most common sweets become boring within first few visits.However,I m going to try something innovative & interesting.Absolutely “jara hatke” (something unique-slang used in Bollywood) style !!

My source book has a series of recipes for “barfis” & “mithais” (flavoured sweet condensed milk goodies).However,I love the concept of fruit based goodies very much.The usual fruit sweets are made of mango,strawberries & oranges.But,I would be using “Chikoo” (Manilkara achras) instead of coconut in the coconut barfi recipe.

Total Time=Cooking Time+Preparation Time=30-40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 muffin-full bowl of chikoo pulp (instead of coconut)-I used frozen chikoos and made a pulp of them in the mixer.Its always better to use fresh ones.
• 1/2 muffin-full bowl of heavy cream (my addition-not mandatory)
• 1/4 muffin-full bowl of Crushed dry-fruit mixture (my addition)
• 5 tbsp of milk powder
• 1 glass of low fat milk (sweetened condensed milk may also be used)
• 2 and 1/2 muffin-full bowls of sugar (quantity depends on quality,use discretion)
• 2 tsp-cardamom powder
• 2 tsp nutmeg powder (my addition)
• 1 small piece of cinnamon-I powdered the cinnamon.(my addition)
• 1-2 cloves-I powdered the cloves (my addition)
• khoya/khawa-I had some Kaju katli (cashew nut munchkins),so crushed them with other dry ingredients and added. (my addition)
• 1 tsp pure ghee or oil-to grease the sheet.

Pour It Flat

As given in the book’s recipe for Coconut Barfi,I did not add milk,sugar and fruit together in the pot over flame.I boiled the milk and half portion of heavy cream together.

 

I blended the sugar,chikoo and the remaining portion of the heavy cream in the blender.I added this frothy mixture into the boiling milk.Allowed to cook together and added rest of the dry ingredients into it.

One has to keep stirring it often to avoid burning the batter for the munchkins.Apart from that,I feared that the milk powder might get stuck to the bottom of the pan , so kept stirring it (was wondering about washing comfort :P).

The mixture would be thick in sometime.However,it would not have the consistency of Coconut barfi batter.The coconut barfi batter is thicker and coarser unlike this one.I poured it into a greased steel plate (glass or cookie sheet would also be fine).One needs to keep it to set for some time.

I sprinkled the freshly powdered dry fruits over it.

 “Yum-Yum Sweet Munchkins spread on the snack table could win accolades for the chef’s culinary & creative skills!!”