Maharashtrian cuisine has a rich gamut of comfort foods that never ceases to amaze us. Take vada pav, for instance. The incredibly no-fuss snack essentially has just two components, a spicy aloo vada or bonda snuck inside a pav, and yet it is so impressive each time. Another comfort food, that also becomes a festive favourite depending on the situation is Puri-Basundi. The combo dish, as you may have figured comprises fresh puri, and basundi (a close cousin of rabdi). Most of us are used to pairing our puri with something savoury like a curry, stir-fry or a sabzi, puri basundi not only shatters your age-old notions but also offer something so wholesome that you just cannot get up until you have licked your plates clean.
Also Read: 10 Regional Snacks from Maharashtra That Are An Absolute Treat
Vada pav is said to be Maharashtra's favourite comfort food
Another key highlight of Maharashtrian cuisine is its interplay of spices, the cuisine boasts of many fiery curries that are not for the faint hearted, but the combination of puri-basundi is something that could bring everyone together on one table as it has a perfect balance of sweet and savoury elements . Basundi is prepared just like rabri. Milk is boiled until its consistency reduced to half. This milk is sweetened with sugar. Basundi has a thin, liquid-consistency (although slightly thicker than milk) which is aptly complimented by the chunkiness of the nuts. The aromatic spices like cardamom further elevate its flavour. Basundi is popular across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. It can be enjoyed stand-alone, ore be paired with other snacks.
(Also Read: Maharashtra's Favourite Misal Pav With A Tandoori Twist, Watch How To Make This Fiery Dish At Home)
Basundi is a milky cousin of rabri.
Basundi also leaves enough room to experiment. In summers, you can add some mango to your basundi and enjoy your own mango basundi; in winters, a dash of saffron could lend that perfect flavour and aromatic tones to your basundi.
Talking about puri, there is no secret here. Prepare it the way you want, thickness is also up to you. In this recipe, however, we have combined the goodness of both refined flour and suji, for more crispness. There's a hint of sugar in puri as well but that is completely optional. Here's the recipe of puri-basundithat makes for an ideal weekend dish.
Try it at home and let us know how you liked it. Don't forget to share the pictures with us.
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