Carrot-Coconut-Sesame Burfi flavored with Saffron & cardamom. [Indian sweet recipe for Makar Sankranti Festival.]

On this auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti,  I convey my  best new year wishes to all my readers, followers and visitors.Wishing you all a very Healthy, Happy and Peaceful 2014. Thank you so much for regularly visiting my blog. I am quite late to make my first blog post this year, hoping to share more recipes this year.   I start this year with a recipe of  Sesame-Carrot-Coconut Burfi/Vadi. One of the traditional Makar Sankrant sweet/ Vadi is made with Sesame and Coconut,  I gave a little twist by adding fresh carrots. This sweet is prepared without ghee, I have used honey but if that is skipped this is good Vegan festive sweet.

 Ingredients :

• 1.5 Cup - whole sesame unpolished (powdered)
• 2 Cups - grated carrots (slightly heaping cups)
• 1 Cup - fresh grated coconut
• 2 Tb.spoon - Honey ( for vegan burfi you may skip honey.)
• 2 Tb.spoon - Extra virgin Olive oil + 1 Tb.spoon for greasing.
• 3 tiny pinches - of saffron threads
• 1/2 T.spoon - cardamom powder. (coarse ground seeds from 4-5 cardamoms.)
• 3/4 Cups - water to cook carrots
• For sugar Syrup - 1 heaping cup granulated sugar + 3/4 cup water.

Carrot, Coconut, Powdered Sesame, Sugar, Cardamom powder.

Grated carrots

Method of preparing Carrot+Coconut+Sesame Vadi/Burfi :

1. Clean carrots by slightly chopping out stems and bottom ends, peel off thin skin layer with potato peeler. If using organic carrots, retain the skin. Rinse under water, pat dry. Grate carrots, keep it aside.
2. Grind 1.5 cups white unpolished sesame seeds to a coarse powder. Do this in few batches with short pulses to retain dry texture.
3. In a heavy gauge 4 quart pot moderately heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, add grated carrots, saute for three minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Pour in 3/4 cup water, half quantity of cardamom powder continue to saute for around 10 minutes, stirring often.
4. Next add sesame powder, mix well, saute for 5-6 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.
5. Add fresh grated coconut, 2 tbsp honey and remaining cardamom powder, saute for 2-3 minutes. Shut off the heat, let  pot rest until sugar syrup is done. (Sugar syrup can be prepared ahead of time.)
6. Heat 3/4 cup water in a small pot, stir in 3 tiny pinches of saffron threads. Once water starts to boil add one heaping cup sugar. Allow to steadily boil  over medium high heat for 7-8 minutes. Do stir at frequent intervals, shut down, allow to cool for six seven minutes.
7. Pour sugar syrup over  coconut-sesame-carrot mixture. On heat back, Mix well, keep stirring until sugar syrup is evaporated and thick mass is formed. This stirring stage is quite laborous, do it by switching  heat from medium high to medium low. Once bottom of the mixture starts developing light color patch shut off the heat. Quickly scoop it over olive oil greased baking sheet or plate. Flatten and shape it with stainless steel spatula and knife. Pat  Burfi mass from sides to form neat 1 inch thick square. Allow to cool  for 3-4 minutes, using a knife cut  into desired size/shape Burfi pieces. Smooth out cracks and uneven edges by patting around burfi squares with  butter knife. Scroll down to check few images  of cooking steps captured while preparing Burfi/Vadi.

Initial frying stage.

Prepared sugar syrup.

After adding sugar syrup, consistency of mixture  loosens.

Mixture turns into solid mass, time to spread mixture over plate.

Scooping out solid burfi mass over greased cookie sheet.

Finely square shaped burfi mixture.

Carrot-Coconut-Sesame Burfi squares.

Uneven edges can be shaped into perfect squares using butter knife.

Happy Makar Sankranti!!

Carrot-Coconut-Sesame Burfi.