Dry fruit chikki (or) Dry fruit burfi

This burfi is really good for pregnant women. 25 grsms of dates will have 15 mg of calcium and 167mg potassium . With all other dry fruits this chikki is an energy booster even.

I prepared these and i used to have one of these everyday while i was pregnant .

Instead of dates you can use figs and make fig burfi which also tastes good.

Preparation time : 45 mintues

Makes : 30 or 40

Ingredients :

Seedless dates : 250 Gms

Cashew nuts : 1/4 cup 

Almonds : 1/4 cup 

Pistachios : 1/4 cup 

Cantaloupe seeds : 1/4 cup (or) you can use pumpkin seeds (optional)

Poppy seeds : 1 Tbsp

Edible gum : 1 Tbsp (optional)

Cardamoms : 5 (or) Powdered cardamom : 1 tsp

Freshly grated nutmeg : 1/4 tsp

Ghee : 2 Tbsp (divided)

Method :

Using a knife chop the dates into small pieces and coarsely grind them using a mixer grinder.

Or you can even chop the dates finely using a food processor.

(Grind them to a coarse texture only, to get the feel while eating the chikki)

Chop cashew nuts, almonds, and pistachios to small pieces.

Chop the nuts using knife to get texture. 

(These nuts may even be chopped using a kitchen chopper or food processor but  more than half the quantity would be transformed into a powder - this would not give the texture and taste to the burfi . So chop the nuts using a knife only.)

Take cardamom seeds, discarding the shells and make fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

Measure one teaspoon of cardamom powder and keep it aside.

Grate nutmeg, measure 1/2 tsp of the powder and keep it aside.

Heat a pan and add poppy seeds.

Fry stirring poppy seeds on low flame for 5 minutes.

Take the roasted poppy seeds into a plate and allow them to cool.

In the same pan, take one Tbsp ghee and add edible gum.

Fry stirring till the pieces of gum puff fully.

Take the fried gum pieces into a plate and allow them to cool.

Once cooled, make powder of the fried gum pieces by rubbing between fingers or by crushing them using a mortar and pestle.

In the same pan, add one more Tbsp of ghee and add cashew nut pieces, almond pieces, pistachio pieces and cantaloupe seeds.

Fry stirring the seeds and nuts on medium flame.

Fry till the cantaloupe seeds make crackling sound.

Then add coarsely ground dates and mix well.

Then add roasted poppy seeds, cardamom powder, and grated nutmeg along with fried and crushed edible gum.

(edible gum if used in the recipe, will give nice binding to the chikki)

Mix the mixture well till it forms a solid mass.

Once mixed well, transfer the burfi or chikki into a plate and spread to cool.

While still warm knead the burfi and divide it into three portions.

Take one portion between palms and give a cylindrical shape.

Similarly form cylindrical shapes out of the two other rolls. 

Take an aluminum foil and place one portion of the burfi on it and cover.

Roll tightly in the aluminum foil pressing at the ends.

Twist the foil at the ends to give a firm shape.

(Rolling the cylinders and wrapping like toffee in aluminum foil)

Roll this on a flat surface to get even cylindrical shape.

Similarly wrap and roll the other two parts also.

Place the three rolls in refrigerator for 4 hours to make it firm to cut into slices.

After four hours remove the rolls from fridge and remove the aluminum foil.

(Using aluminum foil to roll gives a firm and even cylindrical shape. To remove the foil it would be difficult , but the taste of the burfi which we enjoy afterwards is worth taking the pain in removing the foil)

Cut the chikki or burfi or dry fruit halwa into desired thickness and serve.

Enjoy your dish :)

Thank you, do post your comments !!!