Khubani Ka Meetha
A soft, syrupy stew of dried apricots scented with saffron, finished with crushed nuts and clotted cream. It tastes sweet, tart and fragrant.
Saffron
0.3 gDivided between the simmer after the apricots soften and the blended mixture (steps 3 and 5)Everything else
Method
- Put 300 g dried apricot, 20 g caster sugar and 298 g of the 398 g water in a saucepan over medium heat; keep the remaining 100 g water aside.
- Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally so the apricots do not stick to the bottom, until they begin to soften.
- Add most of the saffron masala (0.3 g saffron total) and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and cool, then blend with a stick blender to a coarse mixture.
- Stir in the reserved 100 g water and the remaining saffron masala.
- Serve warm, topped with crushed almond and pistachio to taste, with clotted cream to serve.
Don't have something?
Dried figUse the same weight, chopped. Slightly less tart and more seedy; add a little lemon juice if the dish needs tang.
DateUse 80% of the weight, chopped. Much sweeter and softer, so reduce any added sugar.
Raisin or sultanaUse the same weight. Sweeter and smaller; reduce sugar and expect less tartness.
StockUse the same weight in savoury dishes; it adds body, so adjust salt.
MilkUse the same weight only in doughs or creamy dishes; it makes the result richer.
Coconut waterUse the same weight in curries or rice; it adds sweetness and a faint coconut taste.
Granulated sugarUse the same weight. It is slightly coarser, so stir a little longer to dissolve; in baking, grind briefly if a fine texture matters.
Demerara sugarUse the same weight, but dissolve it earlier as it is coarser. It adds a light caramel note and a little colour.
Ground jaggery or soft brown sugarUse the same weight; crush or grate jaggery first. It darkens the dish and adds molasses flavour, so reduce other liquid slightly.
Ground turmericUse 15% of the saffron's weight. Replicates the bright yellow colour well, but lacks the floral, earthy depth; use sparingly to avoid bitterness.
Screwpine water or rosewaterUse a few drops combined with a tiny pinch of ground turmeric to mimic both the regal floral aroma and the golden hue.
Cashew nutUse equal weight. Soak in warm water and grind to a paste or fry identically; yields a slightly creamier and sweeter sauce.
Shelled peanutUse equal weight. Lightly roast, skin, and grind; introduces a heavier body and a pronounced roasted-nut aroma.
Pistachio nutUse the same weight; blanch and peel for a brighter green paste. This is the closest match.
- Almond
Use the same weight; blanch and peel. It is firmer and less sweet, so grind a little longer.
- Cashew nut
Use the same weight; soak in hot water for 15 minutes for a smooth paste. It is sweeter and softer.
Double creamUse 100% of the weight. Stir straight into curries off the heat; mimics the rich, buttery mouthfeel of clotted cream or fresh malai.
Single creamUse 100% of the weight. Simmer the sauce for a few extra minutes to evaporate excess moisture and thicken the texture.
Milk solidsUse 70% of the weight, whisked with a splash of whole milk. Imparts deep, cooked-milk richness with a subtle graininess suited to Mughlai gravies.
Similar dishes
- Same: Baadam ka Sherbet shares almonds and sugar with this dish, since both use almonds as a major ingredient and sugar for sweetness.
- Different: Baadam ka Sherbet has only almonds and sugar, so it lacks this dish's dried apricots, saffron, pistachios and clotted cream, and it is a syrup concentrate diluted into a drink rather than a stewed fruit dessert.
- Same: Khoobani ka Meetha shares with this dish a base of stewed dried apricots served with clotted cream.
- Different: Khoobani ka Meetha uses 500 g dried apricots and 150 g granulated sugar, lacks saffron, almonds and pistachios, and is a slow-simmered compote rather than this dish's softer syrup with 20 g caster sugar and 398 g water.
- Same: Baadam ka Doodh shares saffron and almonds with this dish, and both are nut-and-saffron-scented Indian sweets.
- Different: Baadam ka Doodh is a milk-based drink with green cardamom, sugar, and almonds, while this dish is a stewed dried-apricot syrup with pistachio and clotted cream; it has no apricots, no pistachio, no clotted cream, and no tart souring agent.
- Same: Thandai shares almonds and caster sugar with this dish, and both are sweet nutty preparations.
- Different: It is a chilled blended milk drink with cashews, poppy seeds, cardamom, fennel and rose petals and no souring agent, while this dish is stewed dried apricots with saffron, pistachio and clotted cream.