Brihaspativaar Vrat
When I was growing up, my maternal grandmother (whom I lovingly called, Mammamma ) used to fast on most of the days. She was very religious and observed almost all of the Konkani rituals and fast.
The only fast I observed was for the 9 days during the Navratri festival. I started observing this fast when I was in 10th grade. I was bright enough to know that, the way I was studying for my first ever board exam, I would need a miracle to get awesome marks. I could get good marks on my own, but I needed the awesome marks. And Mammamma suggested that I observe the Navratri vrat, and, miracle did happen and I scored pretty well in my 10th board exam. I have continued with this fast every year after that except for a few years after Sonshine was born.
Recently, I have started observing the Brihaspativaar Vrat, which is fasting on Thursdays and praying to Lord Vishnu.
My friend Geeta, helped me, by explaining the rituals to be performed for the pooja. Thank you Sandhya, for the lovely duppatta/stole. I love the design.
For the nivedya( Konkani word for "offering to god") I had to make a sweet with besan (or Gram Flour). Since, I cannot taste the sweet before offering it to god, I had to make something, that I was very sure of.
I was reminded of the Seven Cup Burfi that our family friend in India used to make.
I found a recipe at PadhusKitchen. When I made it last time, Sonshine could not stop eating it.
When I started making it, Sonshine, smelled the sweet from his second floor (that's first floor for you, my friends in India)bedroom and came running down the stairs. He wanted to have a piece immediately (these new gen kids and instant gratification!), but I had to turn him down because it for Nivedya.
He showed his best bambi eyes and drooled and said "But Ma, you call me devu which in Konkani means god, so if you give it to me, technically it's like offering it to god."
I was so close to giving in, but the thought of stirring for another 30 minutes on empty stomach was not so tempting. So, he had to wait till I performed the evening pooja to eat the burfi.
Yes, there is stirring for almost 30 minutes, but you wont regret it when you relish this delight.
Seven Cup Burfi
A tasty sweet made of Besan (Gram Flour) which gets its name because a total of 7 cups of ingredients are used in the making.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Besan or Gram Flour
- 1 cup Grated Coconut see Recipe Notes
- 1 cup Ghee
- 1 cup Milk
- 2.5 cup Sugar See Recipe Notes
- 1 tbsp Sliced Almonds or crushed cashewnuts
- 1 pinch Cardamom Powder optional
Instructions
- Grease a plate/tray with a little ghee and keep it aside.
- Heat a pan on medium heat.
- Roast the besan(gram flour) for a few minutes, till the raw smell goes. This step takes about 8-10 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring continuously to prevent the besan(gram flour) from burning.
- Turn off the heat, remove the pan from fire. Add milk, sugar and mix well using a whisk so that no lumps are formed.
- Add the coconut, ghee, and almond slices. Keep it on the stove again, on medium heat.
- Keep Stirring the mixture, scraping the sides of the pan, till the mixture starts to thicken.
- The mixture is ready to be spread on the greased plate, when it starts to leave the sides of the pan. Takes about 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the cardamom powder.
- Pour the mixture into the previously readied greased tray.
- Cut into little squares when cooled down.
Notes
You can use any sized measurement cup (not necessarily the standard measurement cups)for this recipe, but use the same cup to measure everything. So, for this recipe, it's hard to give a serving size.
You can either use fresh coconut or the dried desiccated coconut.
The original recipe calls for 3 cups of sugar (Besan - 1 cup, Sugar - 3 cups, Ghee- 1 cup, Coconut - 1 cup Milk - 1 cup, there by making a total of 7 cups, hence the name.). But I found that 3 cups of sugar makes it way too sweet for our taste.
Seven Cup Burfi
Ingredients
- 1 cup Besan or Gram Flour
- 1 cup Grated Coconut see Recipe Notes
- 1 cup Ghee
- 1 cup Milk
- 2.5 cup Sugar See Recipe Notes
- 1 tbsp Sliced Almonds or crushed cashewnuts
- 1 pinch Cardamom Powder optional
Instructions
- Grease a plate/tray with a little ghee and keep it aside.
- Heat a pan on medium heat.
- Roast the besan(gram flour) for a few minutes, till the raw smell goes. This step takes about 8-10 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring continuously to prevent the besan(gram flour) from burning.
- Turn off the heat, remove the pan from fire. Add milk, sugar and mix well using a whisk so that no lumps are formed.
- Add the coconut, ghee, and almond slices. Keep it on the stove again, on medium heat.
- Keep Stirring the mixture, scraping the sides of the pan, till the mixture starts to thicken.
- The mixture is ready to be spread on the greased plate, when it starts to leave the sides of the pan. Takes about 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the cardamom powder.
- Pour the mixture into the previously readied greased tray.
- Cut into little squares when cooled down.
Padhu says
Burfi looks great!!! Thank you so much for trying. My best wishes on your new venture.
Framed Recipes says
Thank you so much, Padma.