Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dessert

Thengai Burfi (Kerala Style)

Firm, snow-white squares of concentrated fresh coconut cooked with sugar to a fudge consistency — the simplest, most universally made sweet across all Kerala communities for festivals and offerings.

🧺 Ingredients

• Fresh grated coconut: 300 g (from 1 coconut)
• Sugar: 250 g
• Milk: 3 tbsp (45 ml)
• Ghee: 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Cardamom: 4 pods (crushed fine)
• Water: 100 ml
• Adding milk softens the texture and prevents grainy burfi

👩‍🍳 How to make Thengai Burfi

1. Combine 250 g sugar and 100 ml water in a heavy pan over medium-high heat.
2. Stir to dissolve.
3. Boil without stirring until it reaches one-string consistency (108°C) — a drop of syrup between finger and thumb should form a single thread.
4. This takes about 7–8 minutes after boiling starts.
5. Add 300 g grated coconut and 3 tbsp milk to the syrup over medium heat.
6. Stir continuously for 8–10 minutes.
7. The mixture will thicken and begin to leave the sides of the pan.
8. Add cardamom and ghee.
9. Stir for 2 more minutes until a small piece pressed together holds its shape.
10. Grease a tray with ghee.
11. Pour the mixture and spread evenly with a ghee-greased spatula to about 1.5 cm thickness.
12. Cool for 10 minutes.
13. While still slightly warm, score into squares or diamonds with a knife.
14. Allow to cool completely before separating pieces.

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