Homemade Kaju Katli recipe, a cashew nut barfi treat

I have been always a true Gujju foodie, who has a capacity of eating numerous meals in a day. My day is incomplete without some junk food and sweets. In India, mostly every mouthwatering dishes in made at home and one doesn’t have to worry about its quality. In addition is so easy on your monthly budget that you can teart yourself with them regularly. Here is the recipe of my all time favourite Kaju Katli, an Indian dessert dish:

Kaju Katli

Ingredients

1 Kg cashew nut pieces
800gm sugar
200gm mawa (grated)
18-20 Cardamom (powered)
20-25 threads of Saffron/Kesar (soaked in milk or at least an hour)
4 cups of water

Method
Grind cashew nut pieces to powdered form with either a nut cracker or using a grinder. If you are using a grinder make sure you apply start-stop technique so as to avoid it to become greasy. Sieve powdered cashew.Boil sugar and water in a heavy bottom kadhai. After 5 minutes take a drop of this syrup to check f it has achieved 1 tar (string)

[ How to check tars (string): - Take a drop of syrup let it cool for few seconds then press it lightly between your thumb and index finger. Now slowly increase the distance between thumb and the finger up to 2 cm. If the syrup string breaks then it is 1/2 tar and if not then look carefully to see how many strings are visible. In case if the syrup is over heated then you'll witness two such strings. Remember for Kaju Katli we need one string only.]

Once you have achieved a string, turn off the gas and make a fine paste of Kesar and milk. Mix this paste with cardamom powder and mawa followed by cashew nut powder. Now stir this mixture continuously on a simmer flame until it starts leaving the sides of vessel.Quickly apply ghee/butter on two to three dishes and pour the mixture into them. Spread evenly. Leave it to cool. Now cut them into the diamond from (see the picture).

You can decorate this delicious sweet with pure silver foil (Varak) which is optional because Jains, Vegans and many Vegetarians do not use it. Garnish with some Saffron/Kesar threads.

Hope you enjoy making and eating as much as I do, for this dessert is sure to leave you asking for more.